Diálogos sobre transdisciplina: los investigadores y su objeto de estudio

A la transdisciplinariedad se le ha definido como “una feliz transgresión de las fronteras entre las disciplinas” y es en este tono en que se presenta esta obra, que recopila las experiencias y reflexiones, las discusiones y propuestas de una veintena de investigadores y académicos que hablan sobre o desde la transdisciplina acerca de los temas de su interés o especialidad. La aproximación se da desde perspectivas académicas diversas y se adereza con expresiones estéticas que van desde la poesía hasta la pintura, a través de las cuales se busca ofrecer un espacio a las rutas posibles y limitaciones connaturales de acceder a la realidad para construir conocimiento “de frontera”, “en las fronteras”. Los abordajes son fruto de la exploración, filiación, encantos y desencantos por parte de los autores con la entidad de su búsqueda, quienes buscan contestar, entre otras, las siguientes cuestiones: ¿Cómo establecer un acercamiento transdisciplinar al objeto de estudio? ¿Qué hace a un objeto de estudio transdisciplinar? ¿Cómo impacta la transdisciplinariedad la identidad del académico? Una obra concebida desde una perspectiva más pedagógica que desde la doxa académica, con el interés de aportar una lectura amena para las reflexiones en torno a la trasgresión de las fronteras disciplinarias.ITESO, A.C

Sleep Problems Are Related to a Worse Quality of Life and a Greater Non-Motor Symptoms Burden in Parkinson’s Disease

COPPADIS Study Group.[Introduction] The aim of the present study was to examine the frequency of self-reported sleep problems and their associated factors in a large cohort of PD patients.[Methods] PD patients and controls, recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort were included in this cross-sectional study. Sleep problems were assessed by the Spanish version of the Parkinson’s disease Sleep Scale version 1 (PDSS-1). An overall score below 82 or a score below 5 on at least 1 item was defined as sleep problems.[Results] The frequency of sleep problems was nearly double in PD patients compared to controls: 65.8% (448/681) vs 33.5% (65/206) (p < 0.0001). Mean total PDSS score was lower in PD patients than controls: 114.9 ± 28.8 vs 132.8 ± 16.3 (p < 0.0001). Quality of life (QoL) was worse in PD patients with sleep problems compared to those without: PDQ-39SI, 19.3 ± 14 vs 13 ± 11.6 (p < 0.0001); EUROHIS-QoL8, 3.7 ± 0.5 vs 3.9 ± 0.5 (p < 0.0001). Non-motor symptoms burden (NMSS; OR = 1.029; 95%CI 1.015–1.043; p < 0.0001) and impulse control behaviors (QUIP-RS; OR = 1.054; 95%CI 1.009–1.101; p = 0.018) were associated with sleep problems after adjustment for age, gender, disease duration, daily equivalent levodopa dose, H&Y, UPDRS-III, UPDRS-IV, PD-CRS, BDI-II, NPI, VAS-Pain, VAFS, FOGQ, and total number of non-antiparkinsonian treatments.[Conclusion] Sleep problems were frequent in PD patients and were related to both a worse QoL and a greater non-motor symptoms burden in PD. These findings call for increased awareness of sleep problems in PD patients.Peer reviewe

Staging Parkinson’s Disease Combining Motor and Nonmotor Symptoms Correlates with Disability and Quality of Life

COPPADIS Study Group.[Introduction] In a degenerative disorder such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), it is important to establish clinical stages that allow to know the course of the disease. Our aim was to analyze whether a scale combining Hoehn and Yahr’s motor stage (H&Y) and the nonmotor symptoms burden (NMSB) (assessed by the nonmotor symptoms scale (NMSS)) provides information about the disability and the patient’s quality of life (QoL) with regard to a defined clinical stage.[Materials and Methods] Cross-sectional study in which 603 PD patients from the COPPADIS cohort were classified according to H&Y (1, stage I; 2, stage II; 3, stage III; 4, stage IV/V) and NMSB (A: NMSS = 0–20; B: NMSS = 21–40; C: NMSS = 41–70; D: NMSS ≥ 71) in 16 stages (HY.NMSB, from 1A to 4D). QoL was assessed with the PDQ-39SI, PQ-10, and EUROHIS-QOL8 and disability with the Schwab&England ADL (Activities of Daily Living) scale.[Results] A worse QoL and greater disability were observed at a higher stage of H&Y and NMSB (). Combining both (HY.NMSB), patients in stages 1C and 1D and 2C and 2D had significantly worse QoL and/or less autonomy for ADL than those in stages 2A and 2B and 3A and 3B, respectively (; e.g., PDQ-39SI in 1D [n = 15] vs 2A [n = 101]: 28.6 ± 17.1 vs 7.9 ± 5.8; ).[Conclusion] The HY.NMSB scale is simple and reflects the degree of patient involvement more accurately than the H&Y. Patients with a lower H&Y stage may be more affected if they have a greater NMS burden.Peer reviewe

Deep-level transient spectroscopy and electrical characterization of ion-implanted p-n junctions into undoped InP

Current-voltage, small-signal measurements, and deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) spectra of p-n junctions made by Mg implantation into undoped InP are described. The I-V characteristics show that the dominant conduction mechanism at forward bias is recombination in the space-charge zone, whereas a thermally activated tunneling mechanism involving a trap at 0.32 eV dominates at reverse bias. Five deep levels located in the upper-half of the band gap were detected in the junctions by DLTS measurements, three of which (at 0.6, 0.45, and 0.425 eV) were found to appear due to rapid thermal annealing. The origin of the other two levels, at 0.31 and 0.285 eV, can be ascribed to implantation damage. Admittance spectroscopy measurements showed the presence of three levels at 0.44, 0.415, and 0.30 eV, all in agreement with those found by DLTS. The DLTS measurements showed that the concentration of deep levels decreased after longer annealing times, and that the concentration of deep levels due to the implantation increased after additional P or Si implantations. This explains the influence of annealing time and additional implantations on the I-V characteristics of the junctions

El derecho a la ciudad en América Latina : visiones desde la política

En un contexto internacional y local donde las contradicciones urbanas y sociales son un escenario recurrente es impostergable e imprescindible discutir sobre el Derecho a la Ciudad, el cual es una utopía de justicia espacial construida por diversos colectivos sociales en distintas partes de América Latina y del mundo. Esta utopía urbana no reivindica la reconquista de una ciudad perdida, sino la conquista de una ciudad que no hemos sabido construir: una ciudad para todos. El Derecho a la Ciudad implica la búsqueda de una gestión urbana democrática e incluyente en la que no sólo decidan qué hacer en ella el capital inmobiliario y el gobierno, sino también quienes la habitan, trabajan y/o disfrutan de la ciudad. Las ciudades con mejor calidad de vida son aquellas capaces de comprometer e involucrar a sus ciudadanos y de garantizar, por tanto, una gestión urbana participativa y democrática. La participación activa de la ciudadanía en los procesos de construcción, apropiación y administración colectiva de la ciudad son claves para construir una ciudad socialmente justa, que posibilite a los ciudadanos defender el interés público