Housing Design: Furniture or Fixtures? Accommodating Change through Technological and Typological Innovation

The recent global pandemic has sped up architectural research in residential design aimed at rethinking housing layouts, services, and construction methods to accommodate the changing needs of the rapidly evolving contemporary society. New typological and technological design approaches are required to address, on the one hand, the adaptability of the plan as a result of higher flexibility and temporariness in familiar and working patterns, together with a downsizing of the layouts to ensure affordability and quality of life. On the other hand, the issues of sustainability and circular economy require specific attention to interpret the resilience of the building and the reuse/recycle of the fit-out systems. The paper aims at interpreting the notion of integration between fixtures and furnishing in housing design, based on a comprehensive literature review enriched with a case study analysis that shows design concepts and approaches rooted in theories and experiences of 20th-century architecture. Principles, potentials, and barriers to the development of integrated systems are highlighted and the possible implementation of industrialised production components, the potential for modularity, flexibility, and assembly are discussed

Comparison between Two Different Two-Stage Transperineal Approaches to Treat Urethral Strictures or Bladder Neck Contracture Associated with Severe Urinary Incontinence that Occurred after Pelvic Surgery: Report of Our Experience

Introduction. The recurrence of urethral/bladder neck stricture after multiple endoscopic procedures is a rare complication that can follow prostatic surgery and its treatment is still controversial. Material and Methods. We retrospectively analyzed our data on 17 patients, operated between September 2001 and January 2010, who presented severe urinary incontinence and urethral/bladder neck stricture after prostatic surgery and failure of at least four conservative endoscopic treatments. Six patients underwent a transperineal urethrovesical anastomosis and 11 patients a combined transperineal suprapubical (endoscopic) urethrovesical anastomosis. After six months the patients that presented complete incontinence and no urethral stricture underwent the implantation of an artificial urethral sphincter (AUS). Results. After six months 16 patients were completely incontinent and presented a patent, stable lumen, so that they underwent an AUS implantation. With a mean followup of 50.5 months, 14 patients are perfectly continent with no postvoid residual urine. Conclusions. Two-stage procedures are safe techniques to treat these challenging cases. In our opinion, these cases could be managed with a transperineal approach in patients who present a perfect operative field; on the contrary, in more difficult cases, it would be preferable to use the other technique, with a combined transperineal suprapubical access, to perform a pull-through procedure

Babosas terrestres en viveros, una posible causa de dispersión en Argentina

Commercial plant nurseries may serve as causes of dispersal of land snails and slugs (native and non-native) through the trade of plants and the related transport of eggs and small individuals that may pass unnoticed. Studies on the possible role of plant nurseries as a potential cause of dispersal of slugs in South America are lacking. To explore the role of garden centers, we collected and identifed slugs in 12 commercial nurseries in two cities in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Eight species of slugs were found. Based on our fndings we validate the existence of Deroceras laeve and Belocaulus angustipes for Argentina and confrm the existence of Ambigolimax valentianus, which was recently cited for Argentina. We recommend that plant nurseries be regularly monitored given that snail and slug species are accidentally spread through trade in plants.Los viveros comerciales pueden causar la dispersión de caracoles y babosas terrestres (nativas y no nativas) a través del comercio de plantas y el consiguiente transporte de huevos y pequeños individuos que pueden pasar desapercibidos. No existen estudios sobre el posible papel de los viveros como causa potencial de dispersión de babosas en América del Sur. En revisiones sobre introducción accidental de especies no nativas en Argentina en los últimos años, se constató que varias de ellas se produjeron a través del comercio de plantas. Para explorar el papel de los viveros comerciales recolectamos e identifcamos babosas en 12 viveros comerciales de dos ciudades de la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina), registrando ocho especies de babosas. Validamos a Deroceras laeve y Belocaulus angustipes para Argentina y confrmamos la presencia de Ambigolimax valentianus, que fue citada recientemente en Argentina. Recomendamos que los viveros sean monitorizados regularmente dado que las especies de caracoles y babosas se registran accidentalmente junto con la tierra y las plantas comercializadas.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity

Background: The question of how many marine species exist is important because it provides a metric for how much we do and do not know about life in the oceans. We have compiled the first register of the marine species of the world and used this baseline to estimate how many more species, partitioned among all major eukaryotic groups, may be discovered. Results: There are ∼226,000 eukaryotic marine species described. More species were described in the past decade (∼20,000) than in any previous one. The number of authors describing new species has been increasing at a faster rate than the number of new species described in the past six decades. We report that there are ∼170,000 synonyms, that 58,000–72,000 species are collected but not yet described, and that 482,000–741,000 more species have yet to be sampled. Molecular methods may add tens of thousands of cryptic species. Thus, there may be 0.7–1.0 million marine species. Past rates of description of new species indicate there may be 0.5 ± 0.2 million marine species. On average 37% (median 31%) of species in over 100 recent field studies around the world might be new to science. Conclusions: Currently, between one-third and two-thirds of marine species may be undescribed, and previous estimates of there being well over one million marine species appear highly unlikely. More species than ever before are being described annually by an increasing number of authors. If the current trend continues, most species will be discovered this century

Diffuse materiality in public spaces between expressiveness and performance

Hoy en día, el design de los espacios públicos es frecuentemente aproximado como los interiores de design urbano, con tal que la instalación y l’ajustamento de los espacios abiertos con el método y concepto parecido a los de interiores. En el papel se analiza el uso innovador de los materiales tradicionales o el uso de nuevo materiales en espacios públicos, destacando dos tendencias posibles en busca de mejorar la calidad de los espacios urbanos: expresividad y funcionamiento. Estudios de casos seleccionados son revelados de presentar como las nuevas formas, una tensión en los valores de percepción y el impacto medioambiental y comodidad tanta como durabilidad son los principales objetivos de innovación de materiales en este campo.Public spaces design is today frequently approached as urban interiors design where to create new artifices and the setting up of a renovated urban symbolism providing the installation and the fitting up of open spaces with methods and concepts akin to those of Interiors. The paper discusses the innovative use of traditional materials or the use of new materials in public spaces design, highlighting two possible trends in the search for the quality enhancement of urban places: expressiveness and performance. Selected case studies are disclosed to present how new forms, a stress on perceptual values and the environmental impact and comfort as well as durability are the main goals of material innovation in this field.O Design de espaços públicos é hoje muitas vezes tratado como design interior urbano, onde os novos recursos são criados e um simbolismo renovado é estabelecido proporcionando espaços abertos com métodos semelhantes aos conceitos de interiores. Este artigo discute o uso inovador de materiais tradicionais e o uso de novos materiais na concepção de espaços públicos, incluindo duas possíveis tendências na busca da melhoria da qualidade dos espaços urbanos: a expressividade e o desempenho. São apresentados estudos de casos para mostrar como as novas formas, a ênfase nos valores perceptuais, impacto ambiental, o conforto, e a durabilidade são os principais objetivos da inovação de materiais neste campo

Almacenamiento de muestras de suelo: incidencia sobre la cuantificación de biomasa microbiana

La forma en que se conserva la muestra influye sobre la determinación de biomasa microbiana. Se evaluó el efecto de distintas formas de almacenamiento sobre el C y N de la biomasa microbiana (C-BM, N-BM) y sobre el cociente metabólico (qCO2). Los tratamientos fueron: refrigeración a 4 °C, congelamiento a -12°C (con posterior preincubación y sin ésta) y muestra fresca recién extraída. Los sitios muestreados fueron: rastrojo de soja (R), monte de eucaliptos (E), invernáculo hortícola (I), pastura (P) y monte nativo (M). Las repeticiones de cada sitio fueron tres. En R, I, P y M los tratamientos no ocasionaron variaciones en C-BM. La refrigeración a 4 °C no alteró los valores de N-BM ni el qCO2 en R, I, P y M. Los coeficientes de correlación entre el C-BM y el N- BM de muestras frescas y muestras refrigeradas a 4 °C fueron de 0,65 y 0,94 respectivamente. La estimación del N inmovilizado a partir de N-BM de muestras refrigeradas a 4 °C tuvouna variación de ± 7% respecto de las muestras frescas. Se concluyó que el almacenamiento de muestras a 4 °C es el más adecuado para medir C-BM y N-BM porque reflejan de mejor manera la condición del suelo sin almacenar