Analysis of three decades of research in marine sciences in Uruguay through mapping of science and bibliometric indexes

Uruguay has recently expanded its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), having more aquatic sovereignty than terrestrial territories. In this country, various State institutions have carried out the study of marine science for several decades, but their academic development has not been analyzed. The formal evaluation of scientific research represents a crucial opportunity to define long-term policies requiring greater knowledge of the territory and its resources. In this context, this work carries out a systematic and quantitative review of Uruguay authors' international publications over three decades. The productivity indicators trend is evaluated concerning context variables, predominant research topics are identified, and collaboration networks are characterized. We collected and analyzed data on marine science articles in which an author or co-author is affiliated to an institution in Uruguay from 1990 to 2018 using the Scopus database. It was found that scientific activity measured by a bibliographic analysis showed an increase in the number of articles, authors, and research topics but nowadays show signs of stagnation. Moreover, specific indicators show a great degree of centralism (institutional and authorial), low dynamism, and decreased international collaboration. The largest academic capacities are focused in specific biological disciplines, with little physics and almost nil in geology and chemistry. Decentralization and strengthening sectorial funding for marine science will boost Uruguay's discipline for facing future challenges

Marine mammal research in South America: 30 years of publication efforts and collaborative networks

A notable diversity of marine mammals inhabits the Atlantic and Pacific waters of South America. For decades, South American countries have been producing scientific research focused on these species. However, still, there is no systematic assessment of the magnitude and main subjects on which this research has been focused. This study analyzes the trends and patterns in scientific research on marine mammals in South America, evaluating a pool of bibliometric indicators and mapping collaborative relationships among countries, authors, and research areas. Academic documents were retrieved from two bibliographic databases: SCOPUS and SciELO, from 1990 to 2020. Results showed a gradual increase in publications along the three study decades. Brazil played a central role in the number of publications in both databases, followed by Argentina and Chile. The South American publications on marine mammals were centralized in a small number of journals, and few authors were responsible for a large proportion of contributions. The authors showed a moderate level of collaboration, mainly reflecting stronger links among neighbor countries, including co-authorships with North American and European countries. The most frequent keywords reflected three clusters centered in taxonomic groups (Cetacea, Odontoceti, and Pinnipedia) and two centered in research subjects (pollution and phylogenetics). The scope of the contributions differed among collections. Nevertheless, both databases were complementary and contributed to show marine mammals' research in South America

Using trophic modeling: evaluating fisheries discard effect on the Río de la Plata estuary and coastal shelf

While fishing discards and bycatch are worrisome for fisheries management, research has been mainly focused on commercial or threatened species, while the ecosystem effects were largely neglected. In this work, the effects of discard and fishing efforts on the structure and the functioning of the food web of the Río de la Plata (RdlP) were analyzed using mass balance and dynamic trophic modeling. Discard is consumed almost entirely by several species with a large preference for it, producing mixed trophic impacts. The role of discard on the global attributes of the RdlP ecosystem does not seem important, resulting in a low incidence in trophic flows, growth, and development of the trophic web. Dynamic simulations showed a mixed response to variations of discards, with some groups responding positively and others negatively. For example, a decrease in discards would produce a slight decrease in the biomass of most functional groups, being more pronounced in the predators of the system. Variations in biomass produced by discards are more sensitive under the assumption of bottom-up ecosystem control than mixed control and to a lesser extent under top-down control. Our work confirms a complex relationship between discards and ecosystem functioning, warning about the beneficial result of discard reduction policies.CSIC: Grupos N°32CSIC: VUSP M

Spatial analysis and heritage conservation. Leveraging 3-D data and GIS for monitoring earthen architecture

This paper discusses new advances in heritage site monitoring using a geo-spatial method for assessing the state of preservation of earthen architecture overtime as a preventive conservation measure. The proposed method leverages a comprehensive (quantitative–qualitative) approach that gathers multi-temporal data including environmental information collected by means of environmental loggers, qualitative vulnerability assessment of mud-brick walls, and surface change detection information obtained by comparing terrestrial laser scanning point cloud capturing the decay of building's wall features over time. Producing a detailed spatial understanding of the conservation issues that affect mud-brick walls in large earthen sites, this method can be used by conservators to rapidly identify which buildings require immediate intervention and lay the basis for future evaluation of the conservation actions undertaken. To test the effectiveness of the proposed geospatial model in producing a comprehensive view of the environmental risk and pattern of decay that affect mudbrick structures, this paper presents analyses and results obtained in a six-year study at Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Our results corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed method and prove that it can be successfully employed to create preventive conservation measures at other earthen sites inside and outside the Near East

The Mausoleum Architectural Project: Reinterpreting Palenque's temple of the inscriptions through 3D data-driven architectural analysis

The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque, Mexico, is an outstanding example of Classic Maya architecture erected in the seventh century as the funerary building for ruler K'inich Janab Pakal. For decades, scholars have speculated on its construction sequence and the potential existence of hidden rooms on either side of Pakal's mortuary chamber. This article aims to advance understanding of the Temple's architectural context in light of new 3D data. After reviewing the application of drone-based photogrammetry and terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging in the Maya area, we argue that these techniques are capable of enhancing the architectural analysis of the Temple of the Inscriptions and showing that this structure was part of a larger architectural project, encompassing the adjacent Temple XIII, and the connecting stepped building platform. Our findings demonstrate that the basal platforms for the Temple of the Inscriptions and Temple XIII were erected contemporaneously and that the design of their mortuary chambers follows a tripartite layout we identified in Palenque's elite funerary architecture and associated mortuary practices. We conclude that these three buildings were part of a mausoleum architectural project, the construction of which was initiated by Pakal to reshape Palenque's site-core and enshrine the ruling family's power and ancestors

¿Regulación sectorial o normas de competencia?: El principio de supletoriedad en el caso Speedy Naked

This paper analyses the supplementary application of competition laws in Peru, and it assesses the criteria established in the procedure initiated against Telefónica del Perú S.A.A. for the alleged abuse of its dominant position in the form of tying. It outlines the scope for the supplementary application of competition laws and provides a definition that intends to preserve the integrity of the legal system when conflicts between regulation and competition arise.Se analizan los alcances del principio de supletoriedad en el Perú y se evalúa la definición de su ámbito de aplicación en el caso iniciado en contra de la empresa Telefónica del Perú S.A.A. por prácticas de abuso de posición de dominio en la modalidad de ventas atadas. Se propone una conceptualización del principio que busca resguardar la integridad del sistema jurídico en los casos de conflictos normativos entre regulaciónsectorial y normas de competencia

The involvement of indole-3-acetic acid in the control of stem elongation in dark- and lightgrown pea (Pisum sativum) seedlings

We investigated the role of auxin on stem elongation in pea (Pisum sativum L.) grown for 10 d in continuous darkness or under low-irradiance blue, red, far red and white light. The third internode of treated seedlings was peeled and the tissues (epidermis and cortex+central cylinder) were separately analyzed for the concentration of free and conjugated indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Under red, far red and white light internode elongation was linearly related with the free IAA content of all internode tissues, suggesting that phytochrome-dependent inhibition of stem growth may be mediated by a decrease of free IAA levels in pea seedlings. The correlation between IAA and internode elongation, however, did not hold for blue light-grown seedlings. The hypothesis that the growth response under low-irradiance blue light might be correlated with the lack of phytochrome B signalling and changes in gibberellin metabolism is discussed in view of current knowledge on hormonal control of stem growth

Fernando de Szyszlo. La pintura y la poesía del tiempo

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Using Mechanical Metamaterials in Guitar Top Plates: A Numerical Study

Featured Application The use of mechanical metamaterials in musical instruments could be an excellent way to engineer the wood of the instrument to obtain a particular sound. It has recently been shown that the mechanical properties of thin, rectangular wooden plates can be tuned by carving them with specific patterns of perforations, effectively realising a 2D wooden mechanical metamaterial. Such a material is of great interest for the construction of musical instruments, as it could allow a new degree of creative control for makers. Furthermore, issues with the shrinking supplies of tone-woods could be alleviated as wood samples that don not meet the desired requirements could simply be altered, instead of being discarded. In this work, we study the effect of the use of these metamaterials in the soundboards of classical guitars. By way of simulations, we evaluate their impact on the modal behaviour and on the sound pressure level of the instrument, as well as on its ability to sustain the load exerted by the strings. Our results show that the metamaterials can tune the instrument's response without compromising its structural integrity. We thus conclude that the use of wooden mechanical metamaterials in the soundboards of classical guitars is feasible and, in many ways, beneficial, not the least since it opens the door to using non-traditional woods with bespoke density and stiffness