Factors Driving Autumn Quercus Flowering in a Thermo-Mediterranean Area

The flowering period of plants is a critical time since it determines their reproductive success. Flowering is controlled by different factors including genetic regulation and environmental conditions. In the Mediterranean area, favourable conditions usually occur in spring, when most plant species flower including those of the Mediterranean Quercus genus. This paper reveals and analyses an unusual and lesser-known phenomenon occurring in the two main Mediterranean agroforestry ecosystems of South Europe, the Mediterranean forest and “dehesa”, that is, a second flowering occurring in autumn for the species Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (holm oak). The continuous pollen monitoring of the atmosphere in the city of Cordoba (southern Spain) for 25 years, together with field phenological observations in the area, has indicated that, apart from the main pollination period in spring, secondary flowerings also occasionally occur in this area, specifically in autumn. The present work examines these uncommon pollination events detected in the autumns of certain years with the aim of determining the main environmental factors that influence and control them. During the 25-year study period, there were 7 years in which a secondary Quercus flowering was detected in the area from the second half of October until the end of November. The univariate statistical analysis of the influence of environmental variables determined that the meteorological conditions in September were the most influential. Low mean temperatures, together with record rainfall in that month, led to autumn flowering events. The phenological characteristics of the spring pollen season were also influential. In the years with a shorter spring, the Quercus pollen season tended to present autumn flowerings. A multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) model was built to explain the effects of the different variables on the occurrence of autumn pollination. The results indicated that the combined effect of three predicting variables, September rainfall, the length of the spring pollen season, and the end of the spring pollen season, explained 92% of the variance. The validation showed a strong relationship between the expected and the observed autumn pollen concentrations. Therefore, the present analysis of a long-term pollen database revealed that the main causes of this unusual second flowering in autumn were strongly related to climate change, i.e., strong dry summers and warm autumns. In addition, the results showed that the phenomenon was more frequent in the years with low pollination during spring due to different meteorological events potentiated by climate change, such as dryness or heavy rain episodes, as a way of ensuring acorn crops. The results explain how this unusual and lesser-known phenomenon in agroforestry dynamics is related to the adaptation to climate change and the main factors that are driving it, as well as the potential consequences for these important and endangered Mediterranean ecosystems

Long-term trends in atmospheric Quercus pollen related to climate change in southern Spain: A 25-year perspective

Long-term trends of atmospheric Quercus pollen recorded for 25 years (1995–2019) in southern Spain (Cordoba city, Andalusia region) have been studied to determine the influence of climate fluctuations and other anthropogenic factors on Mediterranean oak vegetation areas. Atmospheric pollen analysis revealed different changes on reproductive Quercus phenology through the study period. Pollination intensity showed an average cumulated value of the Main Pollen Season Integral of 12,832 Pollen * day/m3, with a high variability among years (±SD 8,048) and a significant rising trend of 771 pollen grains per year, being stronger in recent years (2014–2019). It was remarkable the high quantity of Quercus pollen grains detected out of the Main Pollen Season (703 Pollen * day/m3 ± SD 431), also increasing in recent years. Regarding Quercus phenology, results indicated as the main Quercus species in the area, Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (holm oak), Q. coccifera, Q. faginea and Q. suber, presented a gradually pollination during spring (from mid-March to early June), although a lengthening of the pollination season is observed in recent years. This phenomenon could be explained by the progressive delay in the pollination of Q. suber. Regarding climate factors, a decrease in rainfall, especially during winter and autumn was recorded, along with colder winters but warmer springs, summers, and autumns. These changes were significantly correlated with pollination timing and intensity. The climate parameters most affecting were those related to temperature and sunshine. However, the total annual pollen showed a significant negative correlation with the annual recorded rainfall. Results show that recent climatic change, among other factors, are leading to changes in the timing and intensity of the Quercus pollen season in the Mediterranean area

Atmospheric Pathways and Distance Range Analysis of Castanea Pollen Transport in Southern Spain

The sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is the only native species of this genus in Europe, where it faces various threats that are causing a severe decrease in populations, with the resulting loss of genetic diversity. In the Iberian Peninsula, it is of high economic and ecological importance, being well represented, especially in northern areas, whilst it is limited to isolated populations in medium-range mountains in southern Spain (Andalusia region). Taking advantage of this fragmented distribution, this study analyzes the dynamics of atmospheric transport of Castanea pollen through Andalusia region in order to obtain a better understanding of the pollination pathways as a key aspect of the floral biology of this partially anemophilous species. The aerobiological characteristics of this species are also of special interest since its pollen has been recognized as allergenic. Pollen transport pathways were studied by applying back-trajectories analysis together with aerobiological, phenological, land cover, and meteorological data. The results reveal that airborne Castanea pollen concentrations recorded in the city of Cordoba, in the center of Andalusia region, reach medium- and even long-range distances. The backward-trajectory analysis indicates that most of the pollen data detected outside the Castanea flowering season were related to westerly slow and easterly airflows. Furthermore, some of the case studies analyzed indicate the presence of southerly airflow patterns, which could influence medium- and long-range transport events from chestnut populations further south, even from those located in north African mountains. The integrated analysis of the results offers us better knowledge of the cross-pollination pathways of this endangered species, which help us to understand its genetic flows, as a basis for designing conservation strategies for this highly fragmented species in southern Spain

CAPACIDADES INSTITUCIONALES DE LOS GOBIERNOS MUNICIPALES DEL ESTADO DE OAXACA

Las capacidades institucionales son los recursos con los que debe estar dotado todo municipio, mismos que pueden ser organizacionales, profesionales, legales, administrativos y presupuestales, que le van a permitir desempeñar sus funciones de manera eficiente y efectiva, de ahí la importancia de analizar dichas capacidades, pues se consideran ser el soporte y el hilo conductor para el desarrollo y buen funcionamiento de las administraciones municipales. Este trabajo tiene como propósito revelar las condiciones en las que se encuentran los gobiernos municipales del estado de Oaxaca, para ello primeramente se realizó el análisis de manera general con todos los municipios del estado de Oaxaca que reportan información en los rubros de capacidades administrativas, financieras y políticas. Posteriormente el análisis se enfatizó de manera específica en la región de la Sierra Norte, en donde se ubica el municipio de San Ildefonso Villa Alta, y se presenta como avance de la investigación que se desarrolla en el programa de la Maestría en Economía y Gestión municipal en el Centro de Investigaciones Económicas, Administrativas y Sociales (CIECAS-IPN). El objetivo es identificar cómo se da la relación entre las capacidades y el desempeño de las administraciones para generar desarrollo local. Para ello se analizó el Valor Agregado Censal Bruto (VACB) y su relación con el Salario por persona, con las brechas de unidades Económicas, con el Personal Remunerado, con el total de Remuneraciones en pesos, Con el Personal Remunerado Total. Para tratar de explicar la dinámica económica se aplicó una encuesta semiestructurada sobre libertades y capital social para determinar la importancia que tiene la integración y organización social de los miembros de una comunidad para realizar actividades que generen desarrollo económico local, haciendo el análisis de las relaciones ente ingreso mensual y nivel de estudios, Satisfacción con el lugar donde se vive y Felicidad, Satisfacción con el lugar donde se vive y la Relación de confianza, colaboración y apoyo con los vecinos. Así mismo se presentan las capacidades profesionales de los gobiernos municipales y de las entidades federativas, la fortaleza y calidad del marco regulatorio de los municipios y las finanzas públicas municipales. Analizando tres indicadores de ingreso: Autonomía Financiera, Dependencia financiera y el indicador de financiamiento así como tres indicadores de egreso: Gasto Corriente, Inversión en Obra Pública y Pago de Deuda Pública.Los resultados nos muestran que es de suma importancia que los gobiernos municipales del estado estén preparados para una buena gestión que apoye iniciativas de desarrollo que impacten en la economía del municipio y por consiguiente se requiere el desarrollo de estrategias que permitan a los ciudadanos contribuir con el municipio, generando un circulo virtuoso de colaboración y apoyo entre gobierno y ciudadanía

Valuation of Intellectual Capital: An Empirical Analysis of Human Capital in SMEs in Ecuador

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the valuation between intellectual capital and human capital in  SMEs in Ecuador.   Theoretical framework: Recent literature has reported interesting results on the application of organizational theoretical models and the knowledge society. However, there is still much to investigate and learn about organizational models and cultures in  SMEs in Ecuador. (Saavedra & Saavedra, 2012)   Design/methodology/approach:  A cross-sectional design with a qualitative approach was implemented. An empirical study is carried out where the intellectual capital of the  SMEs is evaluated through human capital as a dependent variable, and three variables as independent: Values ​​and attitudes, skills and abilities, through the application of a structured questionnaire through an interview with 378 businessmen. of the manufacturing, commerce and services sector of Ambato and Riobamba in Ecuador. It began with the descriptive analysis of the composition of the sample and the statistical results are evidenced through an analysis of means.   Findings:  The results showed that according to the composition of the sample by company size, microenterprises have between 1 and 9 employees, small companies manage between 10 and 49 workers and medium-sized companies between 50 and 199 employees, being representative, such as drivers. of the economy in Ecuador. One problem is the relevant presence of microenterprises, which generally maintain low-quality jobs and minimum wages.   Research, Practical & Social implications:  We suggest valuing human capital in  SMEs . This research establishes a sense of belonging and commitment, which allows you to socialize with the client and develop your creativity. Likewise, the feeling of belonging establishes that the worker feels an integral part of the company, trusting the administrators, having freedom and autonomy to plan their work and avoiding high turnover, ensuring their permanence in the company. This value allows SMEs to develop and workers to increase their productivity by working in an appropriate environment.   Originality/value:  The results showed that the  SMEs businessman considers it relevant to hire an experienced worker who maintains personal development by involving his family, the company carries out social, cultural activities and specialized training that contributes to improving the development of the company, allowing the hiring of personnel with a graduate degree or specialization. technical, offering training with specific skills for the development of the company

Valuation of intellectual capital: Analysis of human capital in small and medium businesses PYMES in Ecuador: Valoração do capital intelectual: Análise do capital humano nas Pequenas e medias empresas PYMES do Equador

El presente trabajo se destaca la economía globalizada y la sociedad del conocimiento que predomina a nivel mundial, las empresas que se basan en el conocimiento son una fuente para la generación de empleo, los gobiernos han creado políticas públicas de apoyo con respecto a la creación y expansión de Pymes fundamentadas en la tecnología y en la I + D + i. Entre las deficiencias de las pequeñas y medianas empresas en el país están: El acceso a los mercados, con relación al capital, recursos calificados, entorno regulatorio, debilidades del capital humano en el desempeño y competitividad. El capital intelectual se basa en el conocimiento o en el intelecto humano y se desarrolla en la organización. El estudio documental y empírico evalúa el capital intelectual de la Pyme a través del capital humano y se concluye que: El capital humano en Ecuador es un factor que influye en el desarrollo de la Pyme en aspectos de valores y actitudes, aptitudes y capacidades

Co-occurrence of colistin-resistance genes mcr-1 and mcr-3 among multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from cattle, Spain, September 2015

Los genes de resistencia a colistina mcr-3 y mcr-1 se detectaron en un aislado de Escherichia coli de heces de ganado en un matadero español en 2015. Las secuencias de ambos genes se hibridaron a la misma banda de plásmidos de aproximadamente 250 kb, aunque la resistencia a la colistina no fue movilizable . El aislado producía betalactamasas de espectro extendido y pertenecía al serotipo O9: H10 y al tipo de secuencia ST533. Aquí informamos un gen mcr-3 detectado en Europa después de informes anteriores de Asia y los Estados Unidos.Colistin resistance genes mcr-3 and mcr-1 have been detected in an Escherichia coli isolate from cattle faeces in a Spanish slaughterhouse in 2015. The sequences of both genes hybridised to same plasmid band of ca 250 kb, although colistin resistance was non-mobilisable. The isolate was producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and belonged to serotype O9:H10 and sequence type ST533. Here we report an mcr-3 gene detected in Europe following earlier reports from Asia and the United States.• Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad. Proyecto AGL2016- 74882-C3 • Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca (España) y Comunidad Autónoma de Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid. Ayuda S2013 / ABI-2747 • Junta de Extremadura y Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional. Ayuda GR15075 e IB16073 • Fundación para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (Portugal). Ayudas UID / MAR / 04292/2013 • Fundación Tatiana de Guzmán El Bueno (España). Beca doctoral para María del Rocío Iglesias Parro • Instituto Nacional de Agricultura y Alimentación. Investigación y Tecnología (INIA). Beca doctoral para María del Rocío Iglesias Parro • Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad. Beca FPI2014-020, para Narciso Martín QuijadapeerReviewe

Didactic resources for the localization and identification of mosses and liverworts in the city of Cordoba

Este proyecto trata de utilizar la ciudad de Córdoba como recurso educativo para la enseñanza del mundo vegetal, en concreto musgos y hepáticas. Se trata de acercar al alumnado estos organismos, que aunque pasan desapercibidos por su pequeño tamaño, están presentes en las ciudades. El objetivo ha sido diseñar rutas que se puedan realizar con alumnado en las que sea frecuente encontrar especies de briofitos y aportarles material para realizar de forma autónoma la identificación de las especies. Se han desarrollado itinerarios por la ciudad de Córdoba y por el Campus Universitario de Rabanales en los que se han añadido con una señal las especies que se pueden encontrar en cada uno de los puntos marcados a lo largo de la ruta, para que el alumnado pueda encontrar las especies sin dificultad. Se ha elaborado también una guía didáctica que incluye una pequeña introducción de los briofitos, una clave dicotómica para la identificación de las especies, utilizado caracteres morfológicos fácilmente observables a simple vista y una guía fotográfica con fotos y descripciones detalladas de las especies de hepáticas y musgos que se han encontrado con frecuencia en la ciudad. El material se ha elaborado en español y en inglés.This project tries to use the city of Córdoba as educational resource for teaching plant biology, specifically mosses and liverworts. The aim is to bring these organisms closer to the students since, although they go unnoticed due to their small size, they are present in cities. The objectives have been to design routes to be done with students where it is common to find bryophytes and to provide students with material so they can carry out the identification in an autonomous way. A series of itineraries have been developed in the city of Córdoba and in the University Campus of Rabanales. The species that can be found in each of the marked point along the route have been marked with a label so that the students can find the species without difficulty and at the same time a didactic guide has been elaborated including a small introduction of bryophytes, a dichotomous key for identification of the species using morphological characters observable to the naked eye and a photographic guide with photos and detailed descriptions of the liver and moss species that have been found frequently in the city of Córdoba. This material has been prepared in Spanish and English

Realidades interculturales, miradas hacia el género y la educación

Este texto contribuye al análisis científico de varias áreas del conocimiento como la filosofía social, la patología, la educación para el cuidado del medio ambiente y la sustentabilidad que inciden en diversas unidades de aprendizaje de la Licenciatura en Educación para la Salud y de la Maestría en Sociología de la SaludLa presente obra, es la reunión de varias investigaciones que se han dado cita para construir un libro que representa el horizonte de autores y lectores en la pasión del dialogo. Se trata de experiencias de los observadores e interpretes de la realidad de los observadores e interpretes de la realidad social quienes se aventuraron a reunir las voces de los informantes que resguardan los secretos de sus comunidades acerca de su cultura, organización simbólica, y de sus practicas y rituales engarzados en la vida cotidiana

The structural role of SARS-CoV-2 genetic background in the emergence and success of spike mutations: The case of the spike A222V mutation

The S:A222V point mutation, within the G clade, was characteristic of the 20E (EU1) SARS-CoV-2 variant identified in Spain in early summer 2020. This mutation has since reappeared in the Delta subvariant AY.4.2, raising questions about its specific effect on viral infection. We report combined serological, functional, structural and computational studies characterizing the impact of this mutation. Our results reveal that S:A222V promotes an increased RBD opening and slightly increases ACE2 binding as compared to the parent S:D614G clade. Finally, S:A222V does not reduce sera neutralization capacity, suggesting it does not affect vaccine effectiveness