Habitat Variation in Vernal Pool Ecosystems on Both Sides of the Strait of Gibraltar

We studied vernal pool (VP) ecosystems along a latitudinal gradient crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in order to determine its role in the distribution of VP plant communities. We analyzed flora, vegetation, physical–chemical water parameters, and climatic data from two vernal pool areas on both the European (Iberian) and African (Moroccan) sides of the Strait. Despite the minor distance between both territories, the pools clearly differed in species composition and ecology. However, they showed a similar vegetation zonation in growth forms, including isoetid, batrachiid, and helophytic vegetation. The distribution of the plant communities was related to nutrient load, temperature, and precipitation. Water nitrate concentration was higher in Morocco, where VPs are characterized by Isoetes velata subsp. adspersa and Ranunculus saniculifolius communities. Iberian VPs had lower water nitrate content, and were characterized by Isoetes velata subsp. velata and Ranunculus peltatus communities. We think this nutrient difference is likely to be caused by the different land management regime on each side of the Strait, with more intensive agriculture in Morocco. Long-term (historical) and present-day (ecological) processes have been proposed to account for the habitat variation in vernal pool ecosystems on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar

La responsabilidad social estratégica en la Universidad. Caso de estudio: Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (ETSII-UPM) = Strategic Social Responsibility at University. Study Case: Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (ETSII-UPM)

Implementation of strategic social responsibility at universities is still a challenged. Although there is a lot of initiatives to incorporate social responsibility in the main areas of university (teaching, research, management and community outreach), the holistic integration is far to be reached. This paper describes the initiative developed by a school of engineering for transmitting socially responsible culture through all the organization levels as the first step to the change towards the strategic management of sustainability

Functional diversity of macrophyte communities within and between Pyrenean lakes

Submersed vegetation is a common feature in about 70% Pyrene an high mountain (>1500 m a.s.l.) lakes. Isoetids and soft-water elodeids are common elements of this underw ater flora and can form distinct vegetation units (i.e. patches of vegetation dominated by different species) within complex mosaics of vegetation in shallow waters (<7 m). Since is oetids exert a strong influence on sediment biogeochemistry due to high radial oxygen loss, we examined the small scale characteristics of the lake environment (water and sediment) associated to vegetation patches in order to ascertain potential functional differences among them. To do so, we characterised the species composition and biomass of the main vegetation units from 11 lakes, defined plant communities based on biomass data, and then related each community with sediment properties (redox and dissolved nutrient concentration in the pore water) and water nutrient concentration within plant canopy. We also characterised lake water and sediment in areas without vegetation as a reference. A total of twenty-one vegetation units were identified, ranging from one to five per lake. A cluster analysis on biomass species composition suggested seven different macrophyte communities that were named after the most dominant species:Nitella sp.,Potamogeton praelongus, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Sparganium angustifolium , Isoetes echinospora,Isoetes lacustris and Carex rostrata . Coupling between macrophyte communities and their immediate environment (overlying water and sediment) was manifested mainly as variation in sediment redox conditions and the dominant form of inorganic nitrogen in pore-water. These effects depended on the specific compositi on of the community, and on the allocation between above- and belowground biomass, and could be predicted with a model relating the average and standard deviation of sediment redox potential from 0 down to -20 cm, across macrophyte communities. Differences in pore-water total dissolved phosphorus were related to the trophic state of the lakes. There was no correlation between sediment and water column dissolved nutrients. However, nitrate concentrations tended to be lower in the water overlaying isoetid communities, in apparent contradiction to the patterns of dissolved nitrates in the pore-water. These tendencies were robust even when comparing the water over laying communities within the same lake, thus pointing towards a potential effect of isoetids in reducing dissolved nitrogen in the lakes

Designing a comprehensive methodology to integrate sustainability issues in CDIO projects

We present in this study the first steps in the design and implementation of a new methodology that aims to consider systematically the different dimensions of sustainability, including ethical and strategic aspects, attempting to balance all them. The pilot methodology was implemented in the course 2014-15 in the ?INGENIA? course, a 12 ECTS compulsory subject taught in the first year of the master in industrial engineering of the Technical University of Madrid. As this is an on-going process, we also introduce some practical guidelines we are currently addressing to the students by means of taking into account various approaches in particular socio-economic contexts or to differentiate specificities by industrial sectors or activity fields. Ultimately, we aim at enabling our INGENIA-CDIO students to raise reflections and assessments about the related impacts of their engineering projects

Intervención desde terapia ocupacional en pacientes con secuelas oncológicas.

Este trabajo plantea una intervención en pacientes oncológicos desde la perspectiva de la Terapia Ocupacional, desarrollada en un ámbito multidisciplinar hospitalario. A través del trabajo se abordará la intervención desde el punto de vista de la Terapia Ocupacional en los pacientes que se encuentran en el periodo de seguimiento y/o tratamiento que padezcan un tumor cancerígeno. Centrándose principalmente en los dos que afectan más dentro de cada sexo, mama y próstata, y de los cuales existe una mayor prevalencia. Los pacientes que pasan el periodo de tratamiento y empiezan el de seguimiento deben ser rehabilitados de una forma correcta de acuerdo a las secuelas y síntomas que presenten así como con sus necesidades. Desde la Terapia Ocupacional se analiza cómo afectan las secuelas y la sintomatología al desempeño, a la persona y al entorno de los pacientes. El modelo utilizado es el Modelo de Ocupación Humana (MOHO), que se enfoca en la práctica centrada en el paciente y en su entorno. El programa se ha diseñado con el propósito de favorecer la autonomía y la independencia de los pacientes así como mejorar su calidad de vida. Consta de sesiones individuales en las que se desarrollará la relación terapéutica, se realizan entrevistas y se utilizan distintas escalas. Los resultados y el periodo de implementación del programa dependen del grado de avance en la rehabilitación de los pacientes con respecto a su persona, desempeño, entorno y calidad de vida. <br /

EM TEMPOS DE REPRODUÇÃO SOCIAL É PRECISO “FAZER-SE” OPORTUNIDADE

This paper focuses on the role of school education in an environment marked by contradictions. On the one hand, it is practiced an education of reproducing patterns, on the other hand a transformative education in which the learning process is continuous, flexible and meaningful for the individual. In this context, the purpose of this article is to discuss the role of school education using as main references: Bourdieu, through the social reproduction viewpoint, and Pedro Demo, focusing on human development and on the fight against political poverty. For this purpose, a bibliographic research, with a qualitative approach, was developed from the theoretical perspective of these authors. Some works of these authors are used for analysis, and it is added the relationship between education and work, assessed by a survey performed with Oil Industry workers. Questions are made in order to elucidate expressions that have been trivialized in political speeches such as “It is necessary to invest in education”.&nbsp; Demo suggests an emancipatory education, of strategic content, which is compromised on the qualification. The country maintains high unemployment rates and it is necessary to reflect about issues such as the ones addressed in this text to create opportunities.El artículo trata del papel de la educación escolar en un contexto marcado por contradicciones. Por un lado, practicase una educación de padrones reproductores, por otro se defiende una educación transformadora en que el aprendizaje es contínuo, flexible y con significado para el individuo. En este contexto, el objetivo del artículo es discutir el papel de la educación escolar teniendo como referencias principales: Bourdieu, en la óptica de la reproducción social, y Pedro Demo, con enfoque en el desarrollo humano y en el combate a la pobreza política. Para tal, se desarrolló una investigación bibliografica, de abordaje cualitativa, a partir de la perspectiva teórica de eses dos autores. Se utiliza para análisis, algunas obras de esos autores y se añade la relación de la educación escolar con el trabajo, abordada por medio de una investigación hecha con trabajadores de la industria petrolera. Questionamentos son hechos en el sentido de elucidar expresiones que ya se quedaron banalizadas en discursos políticos como “Es necesario invertir en educación”. Demo sugiere una educación emancipatoria, de contenido estratégico que esté comprometida con la formación. El país mantiene actualmente cuadros elevados de desempleo y es necesario que se reflita sobre cuestiones como las tratadas en este texto para “hacerse” oportunidad.O artigo trata do papel da educação escolar em um cenário marcado por contradições. Por um lado, pratica-se uma educação de padrões reprodutores, por outro defende-se uma educação transformadora em que a aprendizagem é contínua, flexível e com significado para o indivíduo. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do artigo é discutir o papel da educação escolar tendo como referências principais: Bourdieu, na ótica da reprodução social, e Pedro Demo, com enfoque no desenvolvimento humano e no combate à pobreza política. Para tal, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica, de abordagem qualitativa, a partir da perspectiva teórica desses dois autores. Acrescenta-se ainda a relação da educação escolar com o trabalho, abordada por meio de uma pesquisa feita com trabalhadores da indústria petrolífera. Questionamentos são feitos no sentido de elucidar expressões que já ficaram banalizadas em discursos políticos como: “É preciso investir em educação”. Demo sugere uma educação emancipatória, de teor estratégico que esteja comprometida com a formação. O país mantém, atualmente, quadros elevados de desemprego e é necessário que se reflita sobre questões como as tratadas neste texto para “fazer-se” oportunidade

RedPlag: El plagio en los trabajos docentes de los estudiantes universitarios

El plagio académico entre el alumnado universitario puede entenderse de varias formas; por ejemplo el uso de un material de otra fuente haciéndolo pasar como propio sin proporcionar las correspondientes referencias o, también, la presentación del trabajo de otro estudiante, o usar un mismo trabajo en dos asignaturas diferentes. Las cifras de plagio entre estudiantes universitarios varían entre un 19% a un 81%. Para abordar este tema, es necesario primero tener una aproximación de las cifras de plagio en nuestra universidad. El objetivo de este estudio es estimar la frecuencia de plagio entre estudiantes universitarios de la Universidad de Alicante en función de la edad, el sexo, la titulación y si han recibido formación sobre plagio previamente. Se ha realizado una encuesta a 305 alumnos de tres titulaciones diferentes. Los resultados muestran que la frecuencia de plagio directo fue de 6,6 y de 8,2 por pares, sin diferencias por edad y sexo. Un alto porcentaje de alumnos piensa que el plagio es inevitable, dato que debe hacernos recapacitar sobre la importancia de establecer medidas para disminuir esta creencia. No obstante, no sólo debe profundizarse en la formación, dado que también señalan como causas la sobrecarga de trabajo e incluso la comodidad

Effectiveness of antitussives, anticholinergics or honey versus usual care in adults with uncomplicated acute bronchitis : a study protocol of an open randomised clinical trial in primary care

Introduction Despite the frequent use of therapies in acute bronchitis, the evidence of their benefit is lacking, since only a few clinical trials have been published, with low sample sizes, poor methodological quality and mainly in children. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of three symptomatic therapies (dextromethorphan, ipratropium or honey) associated with usual care and the usual care in adults with acute bronchitis. Methods and analysis This will be a multicentre, pragmatic, parallel group, open randomised trial. Patients aged 18 or over with uncomplicated acute bronchitis, with cough for less than 3 weeks as the main symptom, scoring ≥4 in either daytime or nocturnal cough on a 7-point Likert scale, will be randomised to one of the following four groups: usual care, dextromethorphan 30 mg three times a day, ipratropium bromide inhaler 20 μg two puffs three times a day or honey 30 mg (a spoonful) three times a day, all taken for up to 14 days. The exclusion criteria will be pneumonia, criteria for hospital admission, pregnancy or lactation, concomitant pulmonary disease, associated significant comorbidity, allergy, intolerance or contraindication to any of the study drugs or admitted to a long-term residence. Sample: 668 patients. The primary outcome will be the number of days with moderate-to-severe cough. All patients will be given a paper-based symptom diary to be self-administered. A second visit will be scheduled at day 2 or 3 for assessing evolution, with two more visits at days 15 and 29 for clinical assessment, evaluation of adverse effects, re-attendance and complications. Patients still with symptoms at day 29 will be called 6 weeks after the baseline visit. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Ethical Board of IDIAP Jordi Gol (reference number: AC18/002). The findings of this trial will be disseminated through research conferences and peer-review journals. Trial registration number NCT03738917; Pre-results

Las comunidades vegetales como indicadores bioclimáticos en isla Navarino, una de las áreas forestales más australes del planeta

Variation in climactic vegetation with altitude is widely used as an ecological indicator to identify bioclimatic belts. Tierra del Fuego is known to undergo structural and functional changes in forests along altitudinal gradients. However there is still little knowledge of the changes in plant-community composition and plant diversity –including both forests and tundra and their area of contact (krummholz)– and their relation to climatic factors along an altitudinal gradient. This study focuses on Isla Navarino (Chile), at the eastern part of Beagle Channel, included in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Numerical analysis revealed four community types along the cited gradient: a) mixed forest of Nothofagus betuloides and Nothofagus pumilio distributed at lower altitudes (0-300 masl); b) pure forests of Nothofagus pumilio distributed at higher altitudes (350-550 masl); c) krummholz forest of Nothofagus pumilio near the tree line (500-550 masl); and d) pulvinate-cushion vegetation –tundra– of Bolax gummifera and Abrotanella emarginata at altitudes above 600 masl. Species turnover showed that the most abrupt change in plant composition occurs from 550 to 600 masl, producing a drastic landscape change when the high-altitude tree limit formed by dwarf forest of deciduous N. pumilio yields to tundra at a calculated biotemperature of 2.9 ºC. Two other minor changes occur in the understory of pure Nothofagus pumilio forests: a transition from a thermophilous element to a more orophilous element at a calculated biotemperature of 4.3 ºC, and a drop in the number of species as the erect forest changes to low krummholz forest at a calculated biotemperature of 3.3 ºC. The identification of bioclimatic belts based on changes in vegetation and the calculation of biotemperature along the altitudinal gradient suggests that the following plant communities are reliable regional bioclimatic bioindicators: lowermiddle-oroantiboreal mixed forest of Nothofagus betuloides-Nothofagus pumilio; oroantiboreal pure forest of Nothofagus pumilio; hemi oroantarctic krummholz of Nothofagus pumilio; and oroantartic tundra of Bolax gummifera and Abrotanella emarginata.La variación de la vegetación climática con la altitud es ampliamente utilizada como indicador ecológico para identificar pisos bioclimáticos. En bosques de Tierra del Fuego se han estudiado los cambios estructurales y funcionales a lo largo de gradientes altitudinales. Sin embargo, poco se conoce sobre la composición de las comunidades vegetales, su diversidad y su relación con factores climáticos en gradientes altitudinales que incluyan bosques, tundra y su área de contacto (krummholz). Este estudio se centró en la Isla Navarino (Chile), situada en la parte oriental del canal de Beagle, incluida en la Reserva de la Biosfera Cabo de Hornos. El análisis numérico determinó cuatro comunidades vegetales tipo a lo largo del gradiente de estudio: a) bosques mixtos de Nothofagus betuloides y Nothofagus pumilio, localizados en las zonas bajas (0-300 m s.n.m.); b) bosques puros de Nothofagus pumilio, ubicados en altitudes medias (350-550 m s.n.m); c) krummholz de Nothofagus pumilio en el límite altitudinal del bosque (500-550 m s.n.m.); y d) matorrales bajos en cojín –tundra– de Bolax gummifera y Abrotanella emarginata, ubicadas a altitudes por encima de los 600 m. El mayor recambio de especies se produjo entre los 550 y 600 metros de altitud, a una biotemperatura calculada de 2,9 ºC, con un drástico cambio en el paisaje en el que el krummholz de Nothofagus pumilio da paso a la tundra. Dentro de la banda forestal, se observaron dos recambios menores en la composición florística del sotobosque. Uno, entre los 300-350 m s.n.m, a una biotemperatura de 4,3 ºC, donde hay un recambio entre el elemento más termófilo y el más orófilo. Y otro, entre los 400 500 m s.n.m, a una biotemperatura de 3,3 ºC, basado en un descenso en el número de especies cuando el bosque da paso al krummholz. La sectorización bioclimática basada en los cambios en la vegetación y el cálculo de la biotemperatura a lo largo del gradiente altitudinal revela las siguientes comunidades vegetales como bioindicadores bioclimáticos fiables para la región de estudio: bosques mistos del piso inferior-medio antiboreal de Nothofagus betuloides y Nothofagus pumilio; bosques supra-oroantiboreales puros de Nothofagus pumilio; krummholz oroantárctico de Nothofagus pumilio; y tundra oroantártica de Bolax gummifera y Abrotanella emarginata

Effectiveness of antitussives, anticholinergics or honey versus usual care in adults with uncomplicated acute bronchitis: a study protocol of an open randomised clinical trial in primary care

Introduction: Despite the frequent use of therapies in acute bronchitis, the evidence of their benefit is lacking, since only a few clinical trials have been published, with low sample sizes, poor methodological quality and mainly in children. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of three symptomatic therapies (dextromethorphan, ipratropium or honey) associated with usual care and the usual care in adults with acute bronchitis. Methods and analysis: This will be a multicentre, pragmatic, parallel group, open randomised trial. Patients aged 18 or over with uncomplicated acute bronchitis, with cough for less than 3 weeks as the main symptom, scoring ≥4 in either daytime or nocturnal cough on a 7-point Likert scale, will be randomised to one of the following four groups: usual care, dextromethorphan 30 mg three times a day, ipratropium bromide inhaler 20 µg two puffs three times a day or honey 30 mg (a spoonful) three times a day, all taken for up to 14 days. The exclusion criteria will be pneumonia, criteria for hospital admission, pregnancy or lactation, concomitant pulmonary disease, associated significant comorbidity, allergy, intolerance or contraindication to any of the study drugs or admitted to a long-term residence. Sample: 668 patients. The primary outcome will be the number of days with moderate-to-severe cough. All patients will be given a paper-based symptom diary to be self-administered. A second visit will be scheduled at day 2 or 3 for assessing evolution, with two more visits at days 15 and 29 for clinical assessment, evaluation of adverse effects, re-attendance and complications. Patients still with symptoms at day 29 will be called 6 weeks after the baseline visit. Ethics and dissemination: The study has been approved by the Ethical Board of IDIAP Jordi Gol (reference number: AC18/002). The findings of this trial will be disseminated through research conferences and peer-review journals. Trial registration: number NCT03738917; Pre-results