223 research outputs found

    Social indicators for evaluating sustainability of goat livestock farms: methodological approach

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    Currently, sustainability is an objective for any economic activity or development process. Many studies with theoretical reflections relating to the concept of sustainability exist, but few methodological contributions adequately quantify and evaluate the level of sustainability of agraricultural systems, specifically with respect to small ruminant. The level of sustainability of these systems should be estimated taking into account not only economic and environmental aspects, but also social ones. Despite its importance to the functioning of agraricultural systems, the social dimension has been little addressed, and is frequently ignored in studies of this nature. Then, the objective of this study is to carry out methodological reflections based on identification and quantification of social indicators applied to goat livestock farms. Furthermore, this study forms part of a broader comparative study on sustainable development of animal systems in Andalusia (Spain) and Chiapas (Mexico), in which economic, environmental, and social indicators are used in an integrated manner. The methodology used to obtain indicators is based on the authors´ knowledge of the functioning of goat livestock systems, focus groups and opinions of experts in the field, and revision of the available bibliography. As a result of the study, we propose a group of indicators made up of several variables based on the logical-mathematical principals of different scales of measurement as well as on multicriteria analysis. The social indicators proposed refer to several themes: i) multi-functionality; ii) membership in professional associations; iii) implication for local life; iv) social well-being (quality of life, especially that related to work); and v) continuity of the goats livestock activity

    A synbiotics, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and milk fat globule membranes supplemented formula modulates microbiota maturation and neurodevelopment

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    Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2022.05.013.Acknowledgments The authors wish to acknowledge the parents and children who participated in the study, and also the paediatricians and researchers of the EURISTIKOS team at the Department of Paediatrics as well as the Genetics Service at Centro de Instrumentación Científica e UGR for their contributions.Funding This project was supported by CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico e Industrial) and FEDER (SMARTFOODS: IDI-20141206), Ordesa Laboratories, S.L. (Contract FE-UGR No. 3349), and The Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and partially supported by HORIZON 2020 EU DynaHEALTH Project (GA No.633595). Alicia Ruiz and Inmaculada Acuña were granted Ph.D. scholarships from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity. Tomás Cerdó was granted a Ph.D. scholarship from Carlos III Health Institute. Natalia Sepúlveda-Valbuena was granted with a scholarship from Fundación Carolina, Madrid, Spain.Background & aims The critical window of concurrent developmental paths of the nervous system and gut microbiota in infancy provides an opportunity for nutritional interventions with potential health benefits later in life. Methods We compared the dynamics of gut microbiota maturation and explored its association with neurodevelopment at 12 months and 4 years of age in 170 full-term healthy infants fed a standard formula (SF) or a new formula (EF) based on standard formula supplemented with synbiotics, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) and bovine milk fat globule membranes (MFGM), including a breastfed reference group (BF). Results Using Dirichlet Multinomial Modelling, we characterized three microbial enterotypes (Mixed, anaerobic and aerobic profile; Bact, Bacteroides-dominant; Firm, Firmicutes-enriched) and identified a new enterotype dominated by an unidentified genus within Lachnospiraceae (U_Lach). Enterotypes were associated with age (Mixed with baseline, U_Lach with month 6, Bact and Firm with months 12 and 18). Trajectories or timely enterotype shifts in each infant were not random but strongly associated with type of feeding. Trajectories in SF shifted from initial Mixed to U_Lach, Bact or Firm at month. Microbiota maturation in EF split into a fast trajectory as in SF, and a slow trajectory with Mixed to U_Lach, Bact or Firm transitions at months 12 or 18, as in BF. EF infants with slow trajectories were more often in–home reared and born by vaginal delivery to mothers with pre-pregnancy lean BMI. At 12 months of age, language and expressive language scores were significantly higher in EF infants with fast trajectories than in BF. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were similar between EF infants with slow trajectories and BF at 12 months and 4 years of age. Conclusions Feeding a synbiotics, LC-PUFA and MFGM supplemented formula in a specific infant environment promoted probiotic growth and retarded gut microbiota maturation with similar neurodevelopment outcomes to breastfed infants.CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico e Industrial) and FEDER (SMARTFOODS: IDI- 20141206)Ordesa Laboratories, S.L. (Contract FE-UGR No. 3349)Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and CompetitivenessHORIZON 2020 EU DynaHEALTH Project (GA No.633595

    Evaluación de la proximidad de sistemas ovinos de la raza Segureña a un modelo de producción agroecológico

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    La sociedad europea demanda cada vez más que la producción de alimentos sea respetuosa con el medio ambiente, cuidando además su calidad nutritiva. Muchos de los sistemas pastorales de pequeños rumiantes presentes en España cumplen con la mayoría de los criterios de sostenibilidad. Los sistemas de la raza Segureña se basan en un modelo pastoral en una de las zonas más desfavorecidas del territorio español. Con el presente trabajo se pretende valorar la cercanía que dichos sistemas tienen a un modelo agroecológico optimizado. Los resultados muestran un valor de cercanía o proximidad del 64,4%, pudiendo este valor aumentar realizando algunas modificaciones funcionales o de manejo. El manejo alimentario es el aspecto que tiene una mayor proximidad, en cambio los factores relacionados con la sanidad son los que presentan menores valores de proximidad. Potenciar los aspectos agroecológicos que favorezcan la sostenibilidad a través de criterios que sean fácilmente comprensibles por los consumidores, mejora las posibilidades de comercialización de los productos de estos sistemas en nichos de mercado especializados

    Quality of life and visual function in children with glaucoma in Spain

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    Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto del glaucoma en la función visual, la calidad de vida en los niños y la calidad de vida percibida por los cuidadores en niños de hasta 16 años. Material y métodos: Se diseñó un estudio observacional y prospectivo. Se aplicó el cuestionario GQL-15 (Glaucoma Quality of Life) a los niños y a los cuidadores, y el cuestionario VFQ-25 (Visual Functioning Questionnarie) a los niños. Se registraron diferentes variables de la historia clínica que podrían influir en la calidad de vida y la función visual. Resultados: Se incluyó a un total de 24 pacientes con una edad media de 9,13 ± 3,08 años, de los cuales 3 tenían afectación unilateral y 20 presentaban glaucoma congénito primario. Los padres reportaron una peor calidad de vida que los niños: el resultado de la encuesta GQL-15 fue de 32,30 ± 11,56 puntos en los niños y de 37,52 ± 14,59 puntos en los cuidadores (p = 0,001). El parámetro que más se relacionó con la calidad de vida y la función visual fue el defecto medio del campo visual en el mejor ojo. Se encontró una correlación estadísticamente significativa entre el resultado de GQL-15 y el defecto medio del campo visual (niños: R = 0,63; p < 0,01 y cuidadores: R = 0,81; p < 0,001). Conclusiones: El daño funcional visual producido por el glaucoma tiene un impacto importante en la calidad de vida y en la función visual de los niños con glaucoma, si bien la calidad de vida percibida por los cuidadores es peor que la percibida por el niño. Objective: To evaluate the effect of glaucoma on visual function, as well as quality of life in children and quality of life perceived by caregivers in children up to 16 years of age. Material and methods: An observational and prospective study was designed using the questionnaire GQL-15 (Glaucoma Quality of Life) and conducted on children and caregivers. The questionnaire VFQ-25 (Visual Functioning Questionnaire) was conducted on children. Different variables of the clinical history that could influence the quality of life and visual function were recorded. Results: The study included 24 patients with a mean age of 9.13 ± 3.08 years, and included 3 with unilateral involvement, and 20 diagnosed with primary congenital glaucoma. Parents reported a worse quality of life than children. The result of the GQL-15 survey was 32.3 ± 11.56 points in children and 37.52 ± 14.59 points in caregivers (P = .001). The parameter most related to quality of life and visual function was the mean deviation (MD) of the visual field in the best eye. A statistically significant correlation was found between the result of GQL-15 and the mean deviation of the visual field (children: R = 0.63, P < .01, caregivers: R = 0.81, P< .001). Conclusions: Functional loss has an impact on the quality of life and visual function in children with glaucoma, although the quality of life perceived by the caregivers is worse than that perceived by the child

    La fosfoenolpiruvato carboxilasa (PEPC): enzima clave de los metabolismos fotosintéticos C4 y CAM

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    http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/29768/13/echevarria.pdfLa fosfoenolpiruvato carboxilasa (PEPC; EC 4.1.1.31) cataliza la β-carboxilación del fosfoenolpiruvato (PEP) en presencia de HCO3 - y Mg2+, para producir oxaloacetato (OAA) y Pi (Chollet et al., 1996). La PEPC está ampliamente distribuida en plantas, algas verdes y microorganismos pero ausente en levaduras y animales (Chollet et al., 1996). En plantas vasculares su papel estelar está relacionado con la fotosíntesis C4 y CAM («Crassulacean acid metabolism»), sin embargo desempeña otras funciones como la anaplerótica, en relación a la síntesis de proteínas, homeostasis del pH citosólico, electroneutralidad y osmolaridad. Está formada por una pequeña familia multigénica algunos de cuyos representantes están regulados a nivel transcripcional por factores como luz, hormonas y metabolitos (Chollet et al., 1996; Vidal y Chollet, 1997). La naturaleza alostérica de la enzima permite una regulación fina en relación a diferentes ambientes metabólicos. La PEPC está regulada por fosforilación reversible, proceso ligado a una cascada de transducción de señales de alta complejidad. En la actualidad es uno de los mejores modelos de señalización descritos en plantas. Este capítulo se centra en los eventos relacionados con este proceso en plantas C4 y CAM, los dos sistemas mejor estudiados en la actualidad (Chollet et al., 1996; Echevarría y Vidal, 2003; Izui et al., 2004; Nimmo, 2000; Vidal y Chollet, 1997).Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31, PEPC) catalyzes the b-carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) by HCO3 - in the presence of Mg2+ to yiel oxaloacetate and Pi (Chollet et al., 1996). PEPC is a widely distributed enzyme in plants, green algae and micro-organisms but absent in yeast and animals (Chollet et al., 1996). In higher plants, it catalyses a pivotal reaction related to such important processes as C4 and Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis, the anaplerotic pathway linked to amino acid synthesis, homeostasis of cytosolic pH, electroneutrality and osmolarity. PEPC belongs to a small multigenic family (Chollet et al., 1996; Vidal y Chollet, 1997). At the transcriptional level, some PEPC genes respond to external and internal factors (light, hormones and metabolites), while at the protein level, the allosteric nature of the enzyme allows its activity to be fine-tuned in relation to a varying metabolic environment. PEPC undergoes a posttranslational control by a phosphorylation process linked to a highly complex signal transduction cascade. Today, it is one of the best-described models of plant signaling. This chapter will focus on what is known about these processes in leaves of C4 and CAM plants, the two systems that have been studied in detail so far (Chollet et al., 1996; Echevarría y Vidal, 2003; Izui et al., 2004; Nimmo, 2000; Vidal y Chollet, 1997)

    Plan de Acción Tutorial Integrado, en Educación

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    En el proyecto que se presenta se parte no solamente de una amplia trayectoria de los Grados de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la UGR en orientación universitaria, sino, además, de una necesidad patente plasmada en los Objetivos Estratégicos que se incluyen dentro del Sistema para la Garantía de la Calidad de la Facultad; siendo el segundo objetivo “Orientación y tutoría académica”, y una de sus acciones (Plan Director 19-21): Crear curriculum complementario para los estudiantes (desarrollo de competencias transversales a través de un PAT). Otras acciones relacionadas y en las que continuamos trabajando en el Plan Director 22 24 son Establecer acciones de tutorización coordinadas y complementarias al PAT, formar a los tutores de grupo-curso, establecer un plan general de orientación profesional y empleabilidad, potenciar la orientación académica y profesional de los estudiantes NEAE, entre otras. Con el diseño del Plan de Acción Tutorial Integrado, en Educación, se pretende desarrollar en el estudiantado de los Grados en Pedagogía, Ed. Social, Ed. Infantil y Ed. Primaria, competencias transversales que complementen su formación académica y le ayuden en su desarrollo académico, personal y profesional. En él participará profesorado, alumnado y PAS de la Facultad, no solamente para fomentar su sentimiento de pertenencia y favorecer un clima de comunidad universitaria, sino además, para enriquecerse unos a otros, aprendiendo juntos, solventando dudas, guiando, orientando y haciendo que el paso por la Universidad de todo el alumnado que participe del mismo, sea lo más enriquecedor y productivo posible, logrando un elevado rendimiento académico, un adecuado desarrollo personal y un posterior futuro profesional colmado de éxitos. Para ello se ha llevado a cabo un análisis de necesidades mediante el Cuestionario para detección de necesidades formativas transversales del alumnado en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación (Escala de competencias transversales del cuestionario CECTGRA de Martínez y González, 2018), a partir del cual se diseñan diferentes talleres orientados a cada curso según sus intereses, motivaciones y necesidades, haciendo una posterior evaluación de los resultados y un análisis de los mismos. Se ha logrado además del diseño del PAT, dotar de unidad a todas las actividades que desde la Facultad se realizaban en torno a la orientación del estudiantado. Se ha realizado un esfuerzo porque los resultados obtenidos se vean reflejados en las diferentes materias, no solamente a nivel transversal sino de forma directa. Por ejemplo, al trabajarse la normativa APA se ha introducido este punto en las rúbricas de evaluación de diferentes asignaturas para, de este modo, relacionar su aprendizaje con la evaluación y rendimiento académico. Al centrarse el primer curso fundamentalmente en el análisis de necesidades, la asistencia ha sido mucho mayor en el segundo curso (21-22), haciendo especial hincapié en la difusión de las actividades, siguiendo el Plan de Comunicación del Centro, a través de la web de la Facultad y de la figura de los tutores de grupo curso. Un objetivo a largo plazo, es incluir las competencias aprendidas en los talleres dirigidos al estudiantado de 4º en la calificación del Trabajo Fin de Grado. Este punto no ha dado tiempo a consolidarlo en dos cursos académicos, pero seguiremos trabajando en ello ya que consideramos que es fundamental además de poder dar de esta forma respuesta a una de las alegaciones realizadas por la DEVA en el informe de la renovación de la acreditación de los Grados.This project is based not only on a wide trajectory of the Degrees of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the UGR in university orientation, but, in addition, from a patent need embodied in the Strategic Objectives that are included within the System for the Guarantee of the Quality of the Faculty; the second objective being "Academic guidance and tutoring", and one of its actions (Master Plan 19-21): Create complementary curriculum for students (development of transversal competences through a PAT). Other related actions and in which we continue to work in the Master Plan 22 24 are To establish coordinated and complementary tutoring actions to the PAT, to train the group-course tutors, to establish a general plan of professional orientation and employability, to enhance the academic and professional orientation of the NEAE students, among others. With the design of the Integrated Tutorial Action Plan, in Education, it is intended to develop in the students of the Degrees in Pedagogy, Social Ed., Infant Ed. and Primary Ed., transversal competences that complement their academic training and help them in their academic, personal and professional development. It will involve teachers, students and PAS of the Faculty, not only to promote the feeling of belonging of the same and favor a climate of university community, but, in addition, to enrich each other, learning together, solving doubts, guiding, guiding and making the passage through the University of all the students who participate in it, as enriching and productive as possible, achieving a high academic performance, a competent personal development and a subsequent professional future full of successes. To this end, a needs analysis has been carried out (through the Questionnaire for the detection of transversal training needs of students in the Faculty of Education Sciences (Scale of transversal competences of the CECTGRA questionnaire of Martínez y González, 2018), reflected in different workshops oriented to each course according to their interests, motivations and needs, making a subsequent evaluation of the results and analysis of them. It has been achieved in addition to the design of the PAT, to provide unity to all the activities that from the Faculty were carried out around the orientation of the students. We have worked so that the results obtained are reflected in the different subjects, not only at a transversal level but directly. For example, when working on the APA regulations, it has been introduced in the evaluation rubrics of different subjects in order to relate their learning with evaluation and academic performance. By focusing the first course mainly on the analysis of needs, the attendance has been much higher in the second year (21 22), with special emphasis on the dissemination of the activities, following the Communication Plan of the Center, through the website of the Faculty and the figure of the tutors of the course group. A long-term objective is to include the skills learned in the workshops of the 4th grade students in the TFG qualification. This point has not given time to consolidate it in two academic years but we will continue working on it since we consider that it is fundamental in addition to being able to respond in this way to one of the allegations made by the DEVA in the report of the renewal of the accreditation of the Degrees.Unidad de Calidad, Innovación Docente y Prospectiva. Universidad de Granada
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