Clasificación multicriterio: una regla simple para tratar problemas complejos

Complex problems require new approaches to be addressed, and these approaches require new operational instruments. It describes multicriteria classification --a comprehensive generalisation of the traditional enumeration and sorting in row-- as a method that allows the simultaneous handling of multiple criteria or dimensions of value for an objective accounting from which, without paradox, arises the need for a subjective decision, showing that the final priority must lie on the processes and not on the objects. It also examines its role in the new foundation of historical systems science (or Natural History)

Urban compactness and growth patterns in Spanish intermediate cities

[EN] Contemporary processes of urbanization have outpaced the traditional notion of city. Connectivity has become a distinctive characteristic of urban spaces, so that networked cities don’t rely anymore on continuous urbanized areas, but on connections that rarely leave a direct spatial footprint. The new spatial structure of urban areas include greater inter-penetration of built-up and open spaces, and the emergence of urban enclaves, which can be spatially isolated despite being functionally connected to a city. In order to study these enclaves and their impact on urban form, a sample of 47 Spanish functional urban areas was examined, ranging from 36,000 to 6.0 million inhabitants. Land use polygons provided by SIOSE were grouped into three main categories (residential, non-residential and urban infrastructure) and cross-matched with functional urban areas defined by AUDES (an iterative method than combines morphological and functional criteria) in order to calculate compactness proximity index, gross and net density. Factors that influence urban compactness were identified: most northern and some coastal urban areas display a low compactness which can be attributed to orographic conditions; bigger cities tend to display high compactness, but smaller ones display a great diversity of values, from the highest to the lowest. A further analysis of small and intermediate cities helped to identify two complementary mechanisms of urban growth, spatial expansion of core areas and functional integration of peripheral nuclei, whose ocurrence in different proportions can explain the variation of compactness in the studied sample.Jiménez Romera, C.; Hernández Aja, A.; Vázquez Espí, M. (2018). Urban compactness and growth patterns in Spanish intermediate cities. En 24th ISUF International Conference. Book of Papers. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 943-953. https://doi.org/10.4995/ISUF2017.2017.6060OCS94395

Improving genetic analysis of corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata with single- And multiple-trait spatial-competition models

Environmental heterogeneity and/or genetic and environmental competition were quantified on two growth traits, diameter at breast height and total height, and wood density in a progeny trial of Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata. Three single-trait mixed models with random spatial and/or competition effects were compared to a standard analysis by analyzing fit, dispersion parameters, accuracy of breeding values, genetic gains, and ranking of trees. In addition, a multiple-trait spatial-competition model was fitted to estimate correlations among direct and indirect additive genetic effects, and to explore relations between traits. Single-trait analyses with spatial and/or competition effects outperformed the standard model. However, the performance of these models depended on the sensitivity of each trait to detect each effect. Direct-indirect genetic correlations from the multiple-trait spatial-competition model showed inverse and strong relations among growth traits and wood density, suggesting that growth traits can be affected by competition and environmental heterogeneity, but also wood density might be influenced by these effects. The approach proposed was useful to improve the genetic analysis of the species as well as to gain an understanding of the genetic relations between traits under the influence of environmental heterogeneity and competition.Fil: Hernández, Mariano Agustín. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: López, Juan Adolfo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Cappa, Eduardo Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Recursos Biológicos; Argentin

Exofucosylation of adipose mesenchymal stromal cells alters their secretome profile

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) constitute the cell type more frequently used in many regenerative medicine approaches due to their exclusive immunomodulatory properties, and they have been reported to mediate profound immunomodulatory effects in vivo. Nevertheless, MSCs do not express essential adhesion molecules actively involved in cell migration, a phenotypic feature that hampers their ability to home inflamed tissues following intravenous administration. In this study, we investigated whether modification by fucosylation of murine AdMSCs (mAdMSCs) creates Hematopoietic Cell E-/L-selectin Ligand, the E-selectin-binding CD44 glycoform. This cell surface glycan modification of CD44 has previously shown in preclinical studies to favor trafficking of mAdMSCs to inflamed or injured peripheral tissues. We analyzed the impact that exofucosylation could have in other innate phenotypic and functional properties of MSCs. Compared to unmodified counterparts, fucosylated mAdMSCs demonstrated higher in vitro migration, an altered secretome pattern, including increased expression and secretion of anti-inflammatory molecules, and a higher capacity to inhibit mitogenstimulated splenocyte proliferation under standard culture conditions. Together, these findings indicate that exofucosylation could represent a suitable cell engineering strategy, not only to facilitate the in vivo MSC colonization of damaged tissues after systemic administration, but also to convert MSCs in a more potent immunomodulatory/antiinflammatory cell therapy-based product for the treatment of a variety of autoimmune, inflammatory, and degenerative diseases

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for the treatment of patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation. A proof of concept study

Background: Identification of effective treatments in severe cases of COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation represents an unmet medical need. Our aim was to determine whether the administration of adipose-tissue derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AT-MSC) is safe and potentially useful in these patients. Methods: Thirteen COVID-19 adult patients under invasive mechanical ventilation who had received previous antiviral and/or anti-inflammatory treatments (including steroids, lopinavir/ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine and/or tocilizumab, among others) were treated with allogeneic AT-MSC. Ten patients received two doses, with the second dose administered a median of 3 days (interquartile range-IQR- 1 day) after the first one. Two patients received a single dose and another patient received 3 doses. Median number of cells per dose was 0.98 × 106 (IQR 0.50 × 106) AT-MSC/kg of recipient's body weight. Potential adverse effects related to cell infusion and clinical outcome were assessed. Additional parameters analyzed included changes in imaging, analytical and inflammatory parameters. Findings: First dose of AT-MSC was administered at a median of 7 days (IQR 12 days) after mechanical ventilation. No adverse events were related to cell therapy. With a median follow-up of 16 days (IQR 9 days) after the first dose, clinical improvement was observed in nine patients (70%). Seven patients were extubated and discharged from ICU while four patients remained intubated (two with an improvement in their ventilatory and radiological parameters and two in stable condition). Two patients died (one due to massive gastrointestinal bleeding unrelated to MSC therapy). Treatment with AT-MSC was followed by a decrease in inflammatory parameters (reduction in C-reactive protein, IL-6, ferritin, LDH and d-dimer) as well as an increase in lymphocytes, particularly in those patients with clinical improvement. Interpretation: Treatment with intravenous administration of AT-MSC in 13 severe COVID-19 pneumonia under mechanical ventilation in a small case series did not induce significant adverse events and was followed by clinical and biological improvement in most subjects. Funding: None.We would like to acknowledge the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project “RD16/0011: Red de Terapia Celular”, from the sub-program RETICS, integrated in the “Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2013-2016” and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”, groups RD16/0011/0001, -/0002, -/005, -/0013, -/0015, -/0029), the Centro en Red de Medicina Regenerativa y Terapia Celular de Castilla y León, Spain and AvanCell-CM (Red de Investigación de Terapia Celular de la Comunidad de Madrid, Spain), for supporting some personnel and networking activities

Urbanización contra sostenibilidad

Nos encontramos en un planeta en el que se ha invertido la situación histórica de la que procedemos. Nuestro pensamiento aún se nutre de una visión de un mundo en el que predominan las fuerzas de la Naturaleza, en el que la ciudad y la urbanización se enfrentan a la tarea de ganar metro a metro espacio a la Naturaleza, y en el que ésta nos parece capaz de recuperar el espacio ganado si cejamos en nuestro esfuerzo. Pero la realidad es la inversa, hace ya tiempo que la urbanización, no ya la ciudad, ha ganado la partida; los espacios ganados por la urbanización no son recuperables por lo no-artificial; aún cuando son abandonados, lo ‘natural’ no vuelve si no es de manera marginal y en una forma degradada, incapaz de reconstruir los ciclos de la vida en su magnitud original. De forma que vivimos en un mundo urbanizado en el que todo el planeta es puesto al servicio del sistema urbano-industrial y en el que cada día se pierden especies, suelos y capacidad de regenerar los materiales usados. Todo lo anterior no pasaría de ser un problema estético o cultural si no fuese porque, pese a la teórica capacidad de nuestra tecnología para aparentar eficacia e independencia de la Naturaleza, no dejamos de depender de la biosfera, de sus ciclos y de su capacidad de regeneración para mantenernos como especie, para vivir en suma

Revista electrónica de investigación y evaluación educativa

Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónTítulo, resumen y palabras clave en inglés y españolEl lenguaje de signos es uno de los medios de comunicación utilizado por personas sordas. Se realiza un análisis cualitativo sobre el uso de metáforas en el lenguaje de signos de un grupo de personas adultas sordas de la Comunidad de Sordos de Chile. Se identifican metáforas gestuales de variada índole y se analizan las posibles relaciones entre estas y las metáforas del lenguaje oral en Chile. Por último se comentan las posibles implicaciones de los resultados para la educación de sordos y la relevancia de éste en la evaluación de las habilidades cognitivas y lingüísticas de esta población.ValenciaES