Goat-rearing and local development : analysis and evaluation of two case studies from central Argentina

Enfocado como un estudio de caso, el artículo analiza dos iniciativas agroindustriales que se proponen brindar una solución «local» a la crisis que enfrenta la producción caprina en Argentina central: i) el «Proyecto de Leche Caprina» encabezado por la Cooperativa de Productores Capricultores del Valle de Punilla que planea desarrollar una cuenca láctea; y ii) el «Proyecto del Ente Caprino» liderado por la Municipalidad de Quilino que propone instalar un frigorífico para el faenamiento de ganado caprino. Si bien ambos proyectos comparten la idea de promover el desarrollo regional a través del fomento de la capricultura, poseen características muy diferentes en cuanto al sistema de actores presentes y la estrategia que implementan para alcanzar los objetivos propuestos. Ambas experiencias fueron estudiadas considerando las mismas dimensiones: origen de la iniciativa, trayectoria del proyecto y del sistema de actores presentes, y evaluación de la experiencia en relación con los objetivos propuestos. El acompañamiento sistemático de cada uno de los proyectos permitió comprender la lógica subyacente en cada uno de ellos y las principales fortalezas y debilidades que los caracterizan. Finalmente, se analizaron las causas que explican la escasa relación que existe entre proyectos que en teoría deberían estar estrechamente vinculados y se formularon algunas reflexiones que permiten adelantar la posible trayectoria de cada uno de ellos.Using a case-study perspective, the paper analyses two agroindustrial initiatives aiming at finding a «local» solution to the crisis faced by goat-rearing production in Central Argentina: i) the «Goat Milk Project» led by the Cooperative of Got Farmers of Punilla, that seeks to develop a network for milk collection; and ii) the «Goat Farming Regulation Agency» which proposes to set up a slaughterhouse for goats. Even though both projects aim to promote regional development fostering goat rearing, they are very different since they draw upon different stakeholders networks, and have devised different strategies to reach their aims. Both experiences were studied considering the same analytical dimensions: origin of the initiative, trajectory of the project and of the stakeholders' network, and evaluation of the experiences considering their objectives. A systematic follow up of each case study allowed to understand their underpinning logics and their strengths and weakness. Finally, the causes explaining the scarce relationship between projects that should be closely linked are analysed, and some predictions are made about their possible trajectory.Fil: Ferrer, Guillermo.Fil: Silvetti, Felicitas.Fil: Cáceres, Daniel.Fil: Soto, Gustavo

ENDOMETRITE EM ÉGUAS: DIAGNÓSTICO E TRATAMENTOS CONVENCIONAIS E/OU ALTERNATIVOS

Endometritis is the main cause of reduced fertility in mares, in addition to generating major economic and productive disorders within the horse market. The objective of this work was to carry out a systematic review on the subject, addressing its etiology and main consequences, the senile state of the affected animals as well as their own uterine defense mechanisms, whether mechanical and / or chemotactic. We also evaluated the main microorganisms involved in endometritis as well as their virulence and antimicrobial resistance, one of the most serious and worrying problems that we face today. Virulence is related to the existence of genes that participate in physiological processes necessary for survival, found in pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. Among the virulence factors related to pathogenic microorganisms in the equine uterus, biofilm formation is a topic of great relevance since most of the microorganisms found are capable of producing biofilm in vitro. We tried to outline the treatments used (conventional or alternative), including the combination of anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial medications associated with the correction of anatomical defects. These treatments range from physical cleaning of the endometrium, to the use of antimicrobial, ecbolic, mucolytic drugs, as well as immunomodulators, biological protein concentrate (PRP), stem cells and ozone therapy.A endometrite é a principal causa de redução da fertilidade em éguas, além de gerar grandes transtornos econômicos e produtivos dentro do mercado do cavalo. O objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar uma revisão sistemática sobre o tema, abordando sua etiologia e principais consequências, o estado senil dos animais acometidos assim como seus mecanismos próprios de defesa uterina quer sejam mecânicos e/ou quimiotáticos.  Avaliamos ainda os principais microrganismos envolvidos na endometrite bem como sua virulência e resistência antimicrobiana, um dos problemas mais graves e preocupantes que nos deparamos nos dias atuais. A virulência está relacionada à existência de genes que participam de processos fisiológicos necessários para a sobrevivência, encontrados em microrganismos patogênicos e não patogênicos. Dentre os fatores de virulência relacionados a microrganismos patogênicos do útero equino, a formação de biofilme, é um tema de grande relevância visto que a maioria dos microrganismos encontrados são capazes de produzir biofilme in vitro. Tentamos delinear os tratamentos utilizados (convencionais ou alternativos), incluindo a combinação de medicações anti-inflamatórias e antimicrobianas associada à correção de defeitos anatômicos. Esses tratamentos vão desde a limpeza física do endométrio, ao uso de drogas antimicrobianas, ecbólicas, mucolíticas, bem como imunomoduladores, concentrado de proteínas de caráter biológico (PRP), células tronco e Ozonioterapia

Crop Yield Estimation and Interpretability With Gaussian Processes

This work introduces the use of Gaussian processes (GPs) for the estimation and understanding of crop development and yield using multisensor satellite observations and meteo- rological data. The proposed methodology combines synergistic information on canopy greenness, biomass, soil, and plant water content from optical and microwave sensors with the atmospheric variables typically measured at meteorological stations. A com- posite covariance is used in the GP model to account for varying scales, nonstationary, and nonlinear processes. The GP model reports noticeable gains in terms of accuracy with respect to other machine learning approaches for the estimation of corn, wheat, and soybean yields consistently for four years of data across continental U.S. (CONUS). Sparse GPs allow obtaining fast and compact solutions up to a limit, where heavy sparsity compromises the credibility of confidence intervals. We further study the GP interpretability by sensitivity analysis, which reveals that remote sensing parameters accounting for soil moisture and greenness mainly drive the model predictions. GPs finally allow us to identify climate extremes and anomalies impacting crop productivity and their associated drivers

O teor de montmorilonite é um parâmetro influente do desenvolvimento e rendimento da videira no Sul do Uruguai

Soil physical and chemical characteristics play a key role on vine growth and yield. The soils of South Uruguay display high content of montmorillonite or illite. The proportion of these minerals deserves special attention as they influence the soil structure and its hydrological properties. The present study was conducted in a 1.1 ha vineyard of this region (Canelones), characterized by a high heterogeneity of plant vigour. It was aimed to determine and map the physical and chemical properties of the soil and their relations with plant vigour and yield. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the clay and organic matter contents were measured in 84 locations within this vineyard to calculate the montmorillonite and illite contents of the soil. In addition, the type and abundance of clays was corroborated by X-ray diffractometry analysis. The CEC and montmorillonite contents were positively correlated with vine vigour, expressed by the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), trunk diameter, pruning weight, leaf area, and with yield. Thus, the within vineyard distribution of the ratio montmorillonite/illite conditioned the heterogeneity of vine growth and yield at the field level. The impact of those minerals on water and mineral supply to the plant is discussed.Las características físicas y químicas del suelo desempeñan un papel fundamental en el crecimiento y el rendimiento de la vid. Los suelos del sur de Uruguay presentan un alto contenido de montmorillonita o illita. Las proporciones de estos minerales merecen especial atención ya que influyen en la estructura del suelo y en sus propiedades hídricas. El presente estudio se realizó en un viñedo de 1,1 ha de esta región (Canelones), caracterizado por una alta heterogeneidad de vigor de las plantas. El objetivo fue determinar y cartografiar las propiedades físicas y químicas del suelo, y su relación con el vigor de las plantas y el rendimiento. La capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CEC) y los contenidos de arcilla y materia orgánica se midieron en 84 lugares de este viñedo para calcular los contenidos de montmorillonita e illita del suelo. Además, se corroboró el tipo y la abundancia de arcillas mediante análisis de difractometría de rayos X. Los contenidos de CEC y de montmorillonita se correlacionaron positivamente con el vigor de la vid, expresado por el índice de vegetación normalizado (NDVI), el diámetro del tronco, el peso de la poda, el área foliar y con el rendimiento. Así, la distribución dentro del viñedo de la relación montmorillonita/ilita condicionó la heterogeneidad del crecimiento de la vid y del rendimiento a nivel de campo. Se discute el impacto de estos minerales en el suministro de agua y minerales a la planta.As características físicas e químicas do solo desempenham um papel fundamental no crescimento e rendimento da vinha. Os solos do Sul do Uruguai apresentam um elevado teor de montmorilonite ou illite. As proporções destes minerais merecem especial atenção, uma vez que influenciam a estrutura do solo e as propriedades hídricas. O presente estudo foi realizado numa vinha de 1,1 ha desta região caracterizada por uma elevada heterogeneidade de vigor vegetal. O seu objetivo era determinar e mapear as propriedades físicas e químicas do solo e as suas relações com o vigor e rendimento das plantas. A capacidade de troca catiônica (CEC) e os teores de argila e matéria orgânica foram medidos em 84 locais dentro desta vinha para calcular os teores de montmorilonite e illite do solo. Além disso, o tipo e abundância de argilas foram corroborados pela análise difractométrica de raios X. Os teores de CEC e montmorillonite foram positivamente correlacionados com a vigor da vinha, expresso pelo Índice de Vegetação Normalizada (NDVI), diâmetro do tronco, peso da poda, área foliar, e com o rendimento. Assim, a distribuição dentro da vinha da razão montmorilonite/ilite condicionou a heterogeneidade do crescimento da vinha e o rendimento ao nível do campo. O impacto desses mineraisminerais na água e no fornecimento de minerais à planta é discutido

Sistema de razonamiento inductivo basado en algoritmos genéticos para la solución de problemas en condiciones de información imprecisa. Parte I

“System of inductive reasoning based on genetic algorithms for the solution of problems in conditions of imprecise information” research’s project, allowed obtaining the following results: the students’ characterization from the Faculty of Engineering’s, at “Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia”, related to inductive reasoning; construction of a software prototype using concepts of systems based on knowledge and genetic algorithms. This article is the fi rst one of a trilogy that describes the products earlier mentioned. The characterization of students from the Faculty of Engineering’s in Bogotá’s branch is showed, by means of the application of a structured survey that allowed gathering the information related to the conceptual grasp and the application of inductive reasoning. The characterization includes the description of the sampling frame, the survey’s technical data and the analysis of results obtained.El proyecto de investigación “Sistema de razonamiento inductivo basado en algoritmos genéticos para la solución de problemas en condiciones de información imprecisa” permitió obtener los siguientes resultados: la caracterización de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería, de la Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, en relación con el razonamiento inductivo, y la construcción de un prototipo de software utilizando los conceptos de sistemas basados en conocimiento y algoritmos genéticos. Este artículo es el primero de una trilogía que describe los productos antes mencionados. Se presenta la caracterización de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería, seccional Bogotá,mediante la aplicación de una encuesta estructurada que permitió recolectar la información relacionada con el dominio conceptual y la aplicación del razonamiento inductivo. La caracterización incluye la descripción del marco de muestreo, la ficha técnica de la encuesta y el análisis de los resultados obtenidos. &nbsp

Sistema de razonamiento inductivo basado en algoritmos genéticos para la solución de problemas en condiciones de información imprecisa. Parte I

“System of inductive reasoning based on genetic algorithms for the solution of problems in conditions of imprecise information” research’s project, allowed obtaining the following results: the students’ characterization from the Faculty of Engineering’s, at “Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia”, related to inductive reasoning; construction of a software prototype using concepts of systems based on knowledge and genetic algorithms. This article is the fi rst one of a trilogy that describes the products earlier mentioned. The characterization of students from the Faculty of Engineering’s in Bogotá’s branch is showed, by means of the application of a structured survey that allowed gathering the information related to the conceptual grasp and the application of inductive reasoning. The characterization includes the description of the sampling frame, the survey’s technical data and the analysis of results obtained.El proyecto de investigación “Sistema de razonamiento inductivo basado en algoritmos genéticos para la solución de problemas en condiciones de información imprecisa” permitió obtener los siguientes resultados: la caracterización de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería, de la Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, en relación con el razonamiento inductivo, y la construcción de un prototipo de software utilizando los conceptos de sistemas basados en conocimiento y algoritmos genéticos. Este artículo es el primero de una trilogía que describe los productos antes mencionados. Se presenta la caracterización de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería, seccional Bogotá,mediante la aplicación de una encuesta estructurada que permitió recolectar la información relacionada con el dominio conceptual y la aplicación del razonamiento inductivo. La caracterización incluye la descripción del marco de muestreo, la ficha técnica de la encuesta y el análisis de los resultados obtenidos. &nbsp

Prologo

Ningun

Airbag Pneumonitis

The widespread and mandatory use of airbags has resulted in various patterns of injuries and complications unique to their use. Airbags have been implicated in a spectrum of pulmonary conditions ranging from exacerbation of asthma, reactive airway diseases to new onset asthma. We report a case of inhalational chemical pneumonitis that developed after exposure to the airbag fumes

UNIDADES DE CONSERVAÇÃO AMBIENTAL DA BACIA DO LAGO PARANOÁ

The current article deals with the legal aspects concerning the environmental protection of Lake Paranoá and its surrounding areas. From the historical retrospective about the origin of the lake and from the analysis of protective laws, we seek to verify the adequacy of the legal treatment to the original design of the Lake Paranoá and its hydrographical basin.O atual artigo trata dos aspectos jurídicos concernentes à proteção ambiental da bacia do Lago Paranoá e de suas áreas circunvizinhas. A partir da retrospectiva histórica a respeito da origem do Lago e diante da análise das normas legais protetivas, buscamos verificar a adequação do tratamento jurídico ao projeto original do Lago Paranoá e de sua bacia hidrográfica

Off-grid community electrification projects based on wind and solar energies: A case study in Nicaragua

Despite various institutional efforts, about 22% of the total Nicaraguan population still do not have access to electricity. Due to the dispersed nature of many rural inhabitants, off-grid electrification systems that use renewable energy sources are a reliable and sustainable option to provide electricity to isolated communities. In this study, the design of an off-grid electrification project based on hybrid wind-photovoltaic systems in a rural community of Nicaragua is developed. Firstly the analysis of the location, energy and power demands of all users of the community is carried out. A detailed resource assessment is then developed by means of historical data, in-situ wind measurements and a specific micro-scale wind flow model. An optimization algorithm is utilized to support the design defining generation (number, type and location of generators, controllers, batteries and inverters) and distribution (electric networks) systems considering the detail of resource variations. The algorithm is modified in order to consider a long-term perspective and a sensitivity analysis is carried out considering different operation and maintenance costs' scenarios. The proposed design configuration combines solar home systems, solar based microgrids and wind based microgrids in order to connect concentrated groups of users taking advantage of best wind resource areas. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Postprint (author's final draft