Energy Assessment of Pastoral Dairy Goat Husbandry from an Agroecological Economics Perspective. A Case Study in Andalusia (Spain)

This paper presents a methodological proposal of new energy sustainability indicators according to a novel accounting that follows agroecological and ecological economics criteria. Energy output is reformulated to include manure and thus consider the contribution to fertilization made by pastoral livestock farming to agroecosystems. Energy inputs calculations include the grazing resources. These new definitions and calculations allow for new formulations of the energy return on investment (EROI) as measures of the energy efficiency of livestock farming systems (final EROI and food/feed EROI). The environmental benefit of manure is estimated from the avoided energy cost of using this alternative to inorganic fertilizers (AECM). The environmental benefit of grazing is measured through the energy cost of avoiding cultivated animal feed (AECP) and its impact in terms of non-utilized agricultural area (ALCP). The comparative analysis of different livestock breeding systems in three pastoral dairy goat farms in the Sierra de Cádiz in Andalusia, southern Spain, reveals the analytical potential of the new energy sustainability indicators proposed, as well as the potential environmental benefits derived from territorial-based stockbreeding and, more specifically, grazing activities. Those benefits include gains in energy efficiency, a reduction of the dependence on non-renewable energy, and environmental costs avoided in terms of energy in extensive pastoral systems

Use of google drive and whatsapp for the follow-up and development of the final master's project through m-learning

Mobile Learning can be defined as the teaching-learning process that takes place at any place and time, thanks to the use of mobile devices with wireless connection. These tools allow us to access the required information through the network. In this study we analyse the influence of Google Drive and WhatsApp Application to investigate and develop the final Master's Project in students enrolled in the Master's Degree in Teacher Training in Compulsory Secondary and Upper Secondary School Education, Vocational Training and Language Teaching in the Campus of Ceuta. In this case the research has been applied to a group of six volunteer students. It is a descriptive method with an analysis developed from a qualitative approach. In order to obtain the research results, an outline for a half-structured interview was elaborated and validated by content validity. The interviews were individual and recorded for later transcription and ordering. The results show that students value the experience in a positive way, highlighting the possibility of asking and solving doubts through WhatsApp anywhere and anytime, not only with the teacher, but also with the opinion and participation of the rest of classmates, being able to see and solve the inadequate aspects that arose in the elaboration of the final Master's Project through the teacher’s comments. As a conclusion we can argue that the experience was positive, adapted to the students’ style and learning rhythm, receiving a positive feedback in less than 48 hours for writing the final Master's Project and solving the doubts along its creation

Use of Web 2.0 Tools running a wiki for contents creation through cooperative groups

Web 2.0 has generated a change in people’s attitudes ranging from static to dynamic thanks to the web tools that allow users to share, collaborate and participate, generating contents in a cooperative way. This research aims to identify whether the Wiki tool is suitable for contents creation, both theoretical and practical, following the philosophy of cooperative groups, in students enrolled in the Master's Degree in Teacher Training in Compulsory Secondary and Upper Secondary School Education, Vocational Training and Language Teaching in the Campus of Ceuta (n = 73). The method is descriptive and correlational, carrying out an analysis from a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative). Two instruments were created to obtain the data: a questionnaire to evaluate the Wiki application as a valid tool for the teaching-learning process (post); and a debate outline for the discussion groups consisting of eight groups of 8 members, except one formed by 9. The quantitative results showed the application favoured the class group participation, the inquiry, collaboration and learning and in fact it offers new perspectives for the teaching process. The lack of time to properly develop the activity stands out as a negative aspect. At a qualitative level the results showed that students were reluctant to apply a new educational methodology, but as the classes progressed, they valued the action positively, considering the possibility of applying them when they were teachers. As an improvement proposal they suggested to create smaller groups to produce contents through the Wiki. We can conclude the Wiki application can be a valid tool for contents creation, as long as it is applied in smaller groups

Natural, Traditional and of the Earth: The Promotion of food quality in New Andalusian Rural Contexts

Este artículo analiza la importancia que han adquirido las estrategias vinculadas a la promoción de los productos agroalimentarios de calidad, a la puesta en valor de los recursos endógenos y a la dinamización de los elementos patrimoniales en las iniciativas de desarrollo territorial. Trata de demostrar que este tipo de experiencias constituye uno de los escenarios más interesantes para profundizar en algunas de las claves que definen la nueva ruralidad. En este sentido, la interacción entre la tradición y la innovación, así como la recombinación entre el legado del pasado y la apuesta de futuro son los ejes fundamentales de este análisis. Para ilustrar dicho proceso, se centra en el estudio de la génesis y evolución de los signos de calidad agroalimentaria en un ámbito concreto de la geografía española como es Andalucía y, valora, a partir del análisis de varios casos específicos, la potencialidad que presentan estos nuevos sistemas productivos para la dinamización del medio rural andaluz. Para finalizar, se analizan las principales amenazas y potencialidades que rodean a este tipo de procesos en un ámbito en el que diferentes dinámicas (homogeneización y diferenciación; deslocalización y re-territorialización, etc.) rivalizan por imponer sus distintos intereses.This article discusses the rising importance of strategies linked to the promotion of quality food products, the valorization of endogenous resources and the revitalization of heritage elements in territorial development initiatives. It attempts to show that these types of experiences are some of the most interesting areas to explore in defining the new rurality. In this sense, the interaction between tradition and innovation - the coalescence between the legacy of the past and hope for the future - are the cornerstones of this analysis. To illustrate this process, the text focuses on the study of the genesis and evolution of the food quality signs in a particular Spanish geographical area, Andalusia, and evaluates, based on the study of several specific cases, the potential presented by these new production systems for the revitalization of rural Andalusia. Finally, the article analyzes the major obstacles threatening this type of process in a field in which different dynamics (homogenization and differentiation, relocation and re-territorialization, etc.) compete to impose their interests

Bibliometric Study of Scientific Production on the Term Collaborative Learning in Web of Science

Currently, more and more teachers decide to follow active teaching methods, leaving behind traditional teaching methods. Among the most used pedagogical methods in the educational field is the collaborative learning. The general objective of the present investigation is to know the performance and academic development of the term "collaborative learning" in the documents collected in the Web of Science database. The research method developed was based on a bibliometric study, identifying academic performance and conceptual development, through a co-word analysis. Particularly, we have pursued four main objectives: (a) To determine the degree of performance of documents collected from collaborative learning; (b) to identify the scientific development of so-called collaborative learning; (c) to analyze the most incidental aspects of collaborative learning; and (d) to value the most representative authors who are experts in the use of collaborative learning. The total number of manuscripts studied is 3295. The results show the manuscripts are written mainly in English by researchers who belong from the United States. The main area of knowledge is Education Educational Research. As a conclusion, it can be said that the collaborative learning pedagogical method is at a turning point in the scientific field. Its scientific evolution, focused on its principles in the students themselves, has extended to other branches. At present, studies are oriented towards technological resources, co-regulation, and the academic achievements of students. Furthermore, in the coming years the terms innovation, design, patterns, collaboration, and communication will probably be the new lines of study in this scientific field.University of Granada HUM-67

Rurality, agriculture and negotiating the social imaginary

Hasta no hace mucho tiempo parecía revelársenos como evidente la distinción rural-urbano, sobre la base de características de tipo productivo, geográfico, demográfico y cultural. Hoy en día se han ido haciendo cada vez más borrosos los perfiles de tal distinción, habida cuenta de la pérdida de importancia de la agricultura, el despoblamiento rural, la concentración urbana, la globalización y la uniformización cultural. No obstante, por razones que se irán desgranando a lo largo del texto, persiste y se rehace, al menos en ciertos ámbitos, la idea de ruralidad, sea explicitada así o bajo la forma de distintos conceptos, representaciones y deseos. Una pluralidad de agentes e intereses conforman un campo de fuerzas en la nueva definición de lo rural y sus contenidos, imponiéndose a veces el deseo y los imaginarios sociales sobre las propias bases materiales que soportarían la conceptualización clásica. Sea como fuere, y a pesar de la desagrarización, lo agrario sigue siendo un elemento central en el territorio y una moneda fuerte en las transacciones, de bienes y servicios, pero también entre imaginarios, que se carga de nuevas dimensiones y funciones para las gentes, tanto de los pueblos como de las ciudades. Huyendo de esencialismos y escolasticismos, en esta reconfiguración de las identidades rurales, lo agrario, y la cultura y el patrimonio a ello vinculados, es un activo importante de cara al desarrollo rural y a la preservación ambiental del planeta.Until not long ago, a clear rural-urban distinction seemed evident based on productive, geographical, demographic and cultural characteristics. Today, the outlines of such a distinction have become increasingly blurred, given the declining importance of agriculture, rural depopulation, urban concentration, globalization and cultural uniformity. Nonetheless, for reasons that will be discussed in the text, there persists, at least in certain areas, an idea of rurality, either stated as such or expressed in the form of different concepts, representations, and desires. A plurality of actors and interests are at play in the new definition of rurality, sometimes imposing desire and social imagination onto the very material foundations that support this classic understanding. Nevertheless, despite its declining practice, agriculture remains a central element in the territory and a primary force in the transactions of goods and services. It also operates in the interplay between social imaginaries and is given new dimensions and functions for people from both villages and cities. In this reconfiguration of rural identities (separating itself from scholasticism and essentialism), agriculture (and the culture and heritage related to it) is an importan asset for rural development and the environmental preservation of the plane

Importance of Aspergillus spp. isolation in acute exacerbations of severe COPD: prevalence, factors and follow-up: the FUNGI-COPD study

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are often associated with infectious agents, some of which may be non-usual, including Aspergillus spp. However, the importance of Aspergillus spp. in the clinical management of AECOPD still remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to analyze the prevalence and risk factors associated with Aspergillus spp. isolation in AECOPD, and to investigate the associated clinical outcomes during a 1-year follow-up period. METHODS: Patients presenting with an AECOPD requiring hospitalization were prospectively included from four hospitals across Spain. Clinical, radiological and microbiological data were collected at admission and during the follow-up period (1, 6 and 12 months after discharge), and re-admissions and mortality data collected during the follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 240 patients with severe AECOPD were included. Valid sputum samples were obtained in 144 (58%) patients, and in this group, the prevalence of Aspergillus spp. isolation was 16.6% on admission and 14.1% at one-year follow-up. Multivariate logistic-regression showed that AECOPD in the previous year (OR 12.35; 95% CI, 1.9-29.1; p < 0.001), concurrent isolation of pathogenic bacteria (OR 3.64; 95% CI 1.65-9.45, p = 0.001) and concomitant isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (OR 2.80; 95% IC, 1.81-11.42; p = 0.001) were the main risk factors for Aspergillus spp. isolation. CONCLUSIONS: The main risk factors for Aspergillus spp. isolation were AECOPD in the previous year and concomitant isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, although Aspergillus spp. is often isolated in sputum samples from patients with AECOPD, the pathogenic and clinical significance remains unclear

Optimización de la hemoglobina preoperatoria en cirugía ortopédica mayor utilizando hierro intravenoso con o sin eritropoyetina. Estudio epidemiológico

Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento con hierro intravenoso, solo o asociado a eritropoyetina (rHuEPO), mediante el incremento de hemoglobina (Hb). Como objetivo secundario se analizó la relación del incremento de Hb con los parámetros utilizados para evaluar la anemia. Material y método: Estudio observacional retrospectivo realizado en 2 centros entre enero de 2005 y diciembre de 2009. Se incluyeron pacientes sometidos a cirugía ortopédica electiva con déficit de hierro y que fueron tratados con hierro sacarosa intravenosos solo o asociado a rHuEPO. Se analizó la efectividad del tratamiento mediante la diferencia entre la Hb basal y la Hb previa a la cirugía y se valoró la relación entre los parámetros hematimétricos y del metabolismo del hierro con la efectividad del tratamiento. Resultados: Se incluyeron 412 pacientes que recibieron una mediana de 800mg de hierro sacarosa. A 125 pacientes (30,4%) se les asoció 2,4 viales de rHuEPO. El incremento de Hb fue de 0,8 (1,1) g/dL en los pacientes tratados con hierro intravenoso y de 1,5 (1,3) g/dL en los que se asoció rHuEPO (p<0,01). El incremento de Hb en los pacientes tratados con hierro se correlacionó con el porcentaje de hematíes hipocromos (r=0,52) y el valor del receptor soluble de la transferrina (r=0,59). Conclusiones: La efectividad del tratamiento con hierro sacarosa en pacientes con déficit de hierro para la optimización de la Hb preoperatoria fue moderada, siendo mayor con la administración adyuvante de eritropoyetina. La determinación de los parámetros funcionales del estado del hierro nos podría guiar para mejorar la efectividad del tratamiento

Impact of COVID-19 on the degree of compliance with hand hygiene: a repeated cross-sectional study

Hand hygiene (HH) is the paramount measure used to prevent healthcare associated infections. A repeated cross-sectional study was undertaken with direct observation of the degree of compliance on HH of healthcare personnel during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Between, 2018-2019, 9,083 HH opportunities were considered, and 5,821 in 2020-2022. Chi squared tests were used to identify associations. The crude and adjusted odds ratios were used along with a logistic regression model for statistical analyses. Compliance on HH increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 54.5% (95% CI: 53.5, 55.5) to 70.1% (95% CI: 68.9, 71.2) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase was observed in four of the five key moments of HH established by the World Health Organization (WHO) (p<0.05), except at moment 4. The factors that were significantly and independently associated with compliance were the time period considered, type of healthcare-personnel, attendance at training sessions, knowledge of HH and WHO guidelines, and availability of hand disinfectant alcoholic solution in pocket format. Highest HH compliance occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a positive change in healthcare-personnel’s behavior regarding HH recommendations.We received funding through the Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL) plan for scientific and technical research and innovation project number 2021-0392

Comparative biological properties and mineralization potential of three endodontic materials for vital pulp therapy: Theracal PT, Theracal LC, and Biodentine on human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the biological properties and mineralization potential of the new Theracal PT (Bisco Inc, Schaumburg, IL) compared with its predecessor Theracal LC (Bisco Inc) and the hydraulic silicate-based cement Biodentine (Septodont, Saint-Maur-des-Fosses, France) on human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) in vitro. Methods: Standardized sample discs were obtained for each material (n 5 30) together with 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 material eluates. Previously characterized hDPSCs were cultured with the different materials in standardized conditions, and the following assays were performed: a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, a wound healing assay, Annexin-V-FITC and 7-AAD staining (BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA), reactive oxygen species production analysis, cell adhesion and morphology evaluation via scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence, quantification of the expression of osteo/odontogenic markers via real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and alizarin red S staining. Statistical significance was established at P , .05. Results: All of the tested dilutions of Theracal LC exhibited a significantly higher cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species production (P , .001) and a lower cell migration rate than the control group (hDPSCs cultured in growth medium without material extracts) at all of the measured time points (P , .001). Both 1:4 Theracal PT and Biodentine-treated hDPSCs exhibited similar levels of cytocompatibility to that of the control group, a significant up-regulation of at least 1 odontogenic marker (Biodentine: dentin sialophosphoprotein (P , .05); Theracal PT: osteonectin and runt-related transcription factor 2 [P , .001]), and a significantly higher mineralized nodule formation (P , .001). Conclusions: The newly introduced TheraCal PT offers an improved in vitro cytocompatibility and mineralization potential on hDPSCs compared with its predecessor, TheraCal LC, and comparable biological properties to Biodentin