Dynamics in the governance of collective irrigation systems: Evidence from field experiments in Nicaragua.

The objective of this study is to analyze the common pool resource appropriation and public good provisiondecisions in a dynamic setting, testing the differences in behavior and performance between lab and field subjects. We performeda total of 45 games in Nicaragua, including 88 villagers in rural communities and 92 undergraduate students. In order to analyze sequential decision making, we introduce a dynamic and asymmetric irrigation game that combines the typical social dilemmas associated to irrigation systems management.In addition, in 9 out of 22 villagers’ groups, we implemented a treatment that included the disclosure of subjects’ appropriation of the common pool resource. The results reveal that the provision of individuals’ appropriation level results in higher appropriation in subsequent rounds. In addition, the results show that non-treated villagers provide more public good than treated villagers but if compared with students the differences are not significant. The results also suggest that appropriation levels are below the Nash prediction of full appropriation, but above the social efficient level. This results in an efficiency loss in the game that can be explained to a large extent by individual decisions on appropriation and public good contribution and by group appropriation behavior

Are virtual water "flows" in Spanish grain trade consistent with relative water scarcity?

Virtual water adds a new dimension to international trade, and brings along a new perspective about water scarcity and water resource management. Most of virtual water literature has mainly focused on quantifying virtual water flows and on its application to ensure water and food security. Nevertheless, the analysis of the potential gains from international trade, at least from a water resources perspective, needs to take into account both spatial and temporal variations of blue (groundwater and stream flow) and green (soil moisture) water, as well as the socioeconomic and policy conditions. This paper evaluates whether grain trade in Spain is consistent with relative water scarcity. For this purpose, the study estimates the volume and economic value of virtual water “flow” through international grain trade for the period 1997-2005, which includes three years with different rainfall levels. The calculations show that Spain is a net virtual water “importer” through international grain trade. The volume of net virtual water “imports” amounts to 3420, 4383 and 8415 million m3 in a wet (1997), medium (1999) and dry (2005) year, respectively. Valuing blue water at its shadow price or scarcity value, blue water “exports” oscillate between 0.7 and 34.2 million Euros for a wet and dry year, respectively. Overall, grain trade is apparently consistent with relative water scarcity as net imports increase in dry years. However, the evolution of grain exports, expressed as a variation in quantity and volume, does not match the variations in resource scarcity. A disaggregated crop analysis reveals that there are other factors, such as quality, product specialization or the demand for a standardized product, which also influence trade decision and are not included in the notion of virtual water. These facts, among others, can therefore create potential distortions in the application of virtual water to the analysis of specific trade patterns. Nevertheless, from a water resources perspective, virtual water can bring important insights across countries for improving water and land management globally, fostering adaptation strategies to climate change and to transboundary resource management

Caracterización de la acción colectiva para la gestión de los recursos hídricos en la Región Central de Nicaragua

Este estudio analiza la acción colectiva en torno al recurso hídrico en dos microcuencas de características geográficas similares ubicadas en los departamentos de Jinotega y Matagalpa , en el norte de Nicar a gua . Para ello , se examinan 185 encuestas de hogares realizadas en 13 comunidades con el objetivo de caracterizar las distintas acciones colectivas existentes según los usos múltiples de l recurso identificados en la zona . El hogar ha sido considerado como l a unidad de a nálisis debido a que se pretende estudia r la acción colectiva d e sde la visión que las propias familias tienen de la misma . El estudio muestra que la acción colectiva en la zona de estudio se concentra fundamentalmente en torno al uso de agua para consumo humano y preparación de alimentos. Para este uso, el nivel de participación que se observa en la puesta en marcha de los sistemas colectivos es en general bastante bajo y ésta no se relaciona necesariamente con un mayor grado de formalidad de la acción colectiva . La muestra del estudio refleja la escasa acción colectiva en torno a l agua para actividades agropecuarias , lo cual es relevante en un contexto de incertidumbre resp ecto a la disponibilidad de recursoPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Caracterización de la acción colectiva para la gestión de los recursos hídricos en la Región Central de Nicaragua.

Este estudio analiza la acción colectiva entorno al recurso hídrico en dos microcuencas de características geográficas similares ubicadas en los departamentos de Jinotega y Matagalpa, en el norte de Nicaragua. Para ello, se examinan 185 encuestas de hogares realizadas en 13 comunidades con el objetivo de caracterizar las distintas acciones colectivas existentes según los usos múltiples del recurso identificados en la zona. El hogar ha sido considerado como la unidad de análisis debido a que se pretende estudiar la acción colectiva desde la visión que las propias familias tienen de la misma. El estudio muestra que la acción colectiva en la zona de estudio se concentra fundamentalmente en torno al uso de agua para consumo humano y preparación de alimentos. Para este uso, el nivel de participación que se observa en la puesta en marcha de los sistemas colectivos es en general bastante bajo y ésta no se relaciona necesariamente con un mayor grado de formalidad de la acción colectiva. La muestra del estudio refleja la escasa acción colectiva en torno al agua para actividades agropecuarias , lo cual es relevante en un contexto de incertidumbre respecto a la disponibilidad de recurso

Objective Measurement of the Mode of Commuting to School Using GPS: A Pilot Study

Active commuting to school (ACS) is a promising strategy to increase the daily physical activity (PA) in youths. However, more studies are required to objectively quantify the mode of commuting to school, as well as the health impact of this behavior. Thus, the aims of this study were: (1) to objectively determine the mode of commuting to school using GPS; (2) to quantify the sedentary time, PA levels, energy expenditure, and the steps derived from each mode of commuting; and (3) to analyze the associations between ACS trips and sedentary time, PA, energy expenditure, and steps. A total of 115 trips were recorded. Most trips were performed by walk (49.5%), followed by vehicle (39.1%) and mixed transport (11.3%). In the active school trips, youths were less likely to spend minutes in sedentary behaviors (OR: 0.481, p = 0.038), a higher increase on Metabolic-Equivalent of Task (METs) (OR: 5.497, p = 0.013), and greater steps (OR: 1.004, p = 0.029) than in the passive school trips (both active and passive modes were objectively measured). ACS (mainly walking) contribute to higher METs and steps in adolescents. GPS could be an appropriate method to objectively evaluate the PA variables related to the ACS trips.This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (DEP2016-75598-R, MINECO/FEDER, UE). Additionally, this study takes place thanks to funding from the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES). To PACO project (Pedalea y Anda al Cole), from PROFITH group, University of Granada

C5a and C5aR are elevated in joints of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis patients, and C5aR blockade attenuates leukocyte migration to synovial fluid

Complement activation correlates to rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, and increased amounts of the complement split product C5a is observed in synovial fluids from rheumatoid arthritis patients. Blockade of C5a or its receptor (C5aR) is efficacious in several arthritis models. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of C5a and C5aR in human rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis-both with respect to expression and function. Synovial fluid, blood and synovial samples were obtained from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis patients as a less inflammatory arthritis type, and blood from healthy subjects. Cells infiltrating synovial tissue were analysed by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. SF and blood were analysed for biomarkers by flow cytometry or ELISA. The effect of a blocking anti-human C5aR mAb on leukocyte migration was determined using a Boyden chamber. Appropriate statistical tests were applied for comparisons. C5aR+ cells were detected in most rheumatoid arthritis, in all psoriatic arthritis, but not in non-inflammatory control synovia. C5aR+ cells were primarily neutrophils and macrophages. C5aR+ macrophages were mainly found in lymphoid aggregates in close contact with T cells. C5a levels were increased in both rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis synovial fluid compared to osteoarthritis, and in blood from rheumatoid arthritis compared to healthy subjects. Neutrophil and monocyte migration to rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid was significantly inhibited by anti-C5aR. The data support that the C5a-C5aR axis may be driving the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the synovial fluid and synovium in both rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, and suggest that C5a or C5aR may be a promising treatment target in both diseases

Neat Protein Single-Chain Nanoparticles from Partially Denatured BSA

The main challenge for the preparation of protein single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) is the natural complexity of these macromolecules. Herein, we report the suitable conditions to produce "neat" bovine serum albumin (BSA) single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) from partially denatured BSA, which involves denaturation in urea and intramolecular cross-linking below the overlap concentration. We use two disuccinimide ester linkers containing three and six methylene spacer groups: disuccinimidyl glutarate (DSG) and disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS), respectively. Remarkably, the degree of internal cross-linking can be followed simply and efficiently via 1H NMR spectroscopy. The associated structural changes-as probed by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS)-reveal that the denatured protein has a random-like coil conformation, which progressively shrinks with the addition of DSG or DSS, thus allowing for size control of the BSA-SCNPs with radii of gyration down to 5.4 nm. The longer cross-linker exhibits slightly more efficiency in chain compaction with a somewhat stronger size reduction but similar reactivity at a given cross-linker concentration. This reliable method is applicable to a wide range of compact proteins since most proteins have appropriate reactive amino acids and denature in urea. Critically, this work paves the way to the synthesis of "neat", biodegradable protein SCNPs for a range of applications including nanomedicine.The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the IKUR Strategy under the collaboration agreement between the Ikerbasque Foundation and the Materials Physics Center on behalf of the Department of Education of the Basque Government. Financial support by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF – A way of making Europe” (grant PID2021-123438NB-I00), Eusko Jaurlaritza – Basque Government (grant IT-1566-22) and the Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia, Programa Red Gipuzkoana de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (2021-CIEN-000010-01) is gratefully acknowledged. A.I. thanks MICINN for a Personal Técnico de Apoyo contract (PTA2017-14359-I)

Collective Motions and Mechanical Response of a Bulk of Single-Chain Nano-Particles Synthesized by Click-Chemistry

We investigate the effect of intra-molecular cross-links on the properties of polymer bulks. To do this, we apply a combination of thermal, rheological, diffraction, and neutron spin echo experiments covering the inter-molecular as well as the intermediate length scales to melts of single-chain nano-particles (SCNPs) obtained through ‘click’ chemistry. The comparison with the results obtained in a bulk of the corresponding linear precursor chains (prior to intra-molecular reaction) and in a bulk of SCNPs obtained through azide photodecomposition process shows that internal cross-links do not influence the average inter-molecular distances in the melt, but have a profound impact at intermediate length scales. This manifests in the structure, through the emergence of heterogeneities at nanometric scale, and also in the dynamics, leading to a more complex relaxation behavior including processes that allow relaxation of the internal domains. The influence of the nature of the internal bonds is reflected in the structural relaxation that is slowed down if bulky cross-linking agents are used. We also found that any residual amount of cross-links is critical for the rheological behavior, which can vary from an almost entanglement-free polymer bulk to a gel. The presence of such inter-molecular cross-links additionally hinders the decay of density fluctuations at intermediate length scales.This research was funded by the Basque Government, code: IT-1175-19 and the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad code: PGC2018-094548-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE)

Virtual Water and Water Footprint: A Case Study from Spain

The World Water Week in Stockholm is the annual meeting place for the planet’s most urgent water-related issues. Organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), it brings together experts, practitioners, decision makers and leader

Alterations in the gut microbiome implicate key taxa and metabolic pathways across inflammatory arthritis phenotypes

Musculoskeletal diseases affect up to 20% of adults worldwide. The gut microbiome has been implicated in inflammatory conditions, but large-scale metagenomic evaluations have not yet traced the routes by which immunity in the gut affects inflammatory arthritis. To characterize the community structure and associated functional processes driving gut microbial involvement in arthritis, the Inflammatory Arthritis Microbiome Consortium investigated 440 stool shotgun metagenomes comprising 221 adults diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or psoriatic arthritis and 219 healthy controls and individuals with joint pain without an underlying inflammatory cause. Diagnosis explained about 2% of gut taxonomic variability, which is comparable in magnitude to inflammatory bowel disease. We identified several candidate microbes with differential carriage patterns in patients with elevated blood markers for inflammation. Our results confirm and extend previous findings of increased carriage of typically oral and inflammatory taxa and decreased abundance and prevalence of typical gut clades, indicating that distal inflammatory conditions, as well as local conditions, correspond to alterations to the gut microbial composition. We identified several differentially encoded pathways in the gut microbiome of patients with inflammatory arthritis, including changes in vitamin B salvage and biosynthesis and enrichment of iron sequestration. Although several of these changes characteristic of inflammation could have causal roles, we hypothesize that they are mainly positive feedback responses to changes in host physiology and immune homeostasis. By connecting taxonomic alternations to functional alterations, this work expands our understanding of the shifts in the gut ecosystem that occur in response to systemic inflammation during arthritis