Regeneration Status and Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Cloud Forest Ecosystem Restoration in Ecuador

The importance of forests for biodiversity conservation has been well recognized by the global community; as a result, conservation efforts have increased over the past two decades. In Ecuador, the lack of integrated information for defining and assessing the status of local ecosystems is a major challenge for designing conservation and restoration plans. Thus, the objectives of this study were (1) to examine the regeneration status of cloud forest remnants, some of which had experienced past human disturbance events, (2) to explore a local rural community's traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) relevant for restoration and (3) to investigate the integration between TEK and ecological science-based approaches. A survey of regeneration status was conducted in four remnants of cloud forests (n = 16) in Cosanga, Napo Province, in the Andes of northeastern Ecuador. The species of young trees (0.5-5 m height) were identified over 0.16 ha. In-depth interviews of individuals from local communities (n = 48) were conducted to identify socio-ecologically important native species. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.001) in species richness and the stem density of seedlings and saplings in gaps. The stem density of Chusquea sp., a bamboo species, explained 63% of the variation in species richness and 48% of the variation in the abundance of seedlings and saplings between plots. Informants cited 32 socio-ecologically important species, of which 26 species were cited as sources of food and habitats for wildlife. The ranking of species based on a relative importance index and a cultural value index-taking into account both the spread of knowledge among local informants and the multiplicity of uses-revealed that Hyeromina duquei, Citharexylum montanum, Eugenia crassimarginata and Sapium contortum were traditionally the most valuable species for both humans and wildlife. Informants also recommended 27 species for future planting, of which 19 species were amongst the rarest species in the regeneration survey. In conclusion, the results demonstrate a synergy between TEK and ecological science-based approaches (regeneration survey) to natural ecosystem research. Thus, traditional ecological knowledge can provide insights into ecosystem-plant-animal interaction, and to identify native species useful for both humans and wildlife for forest restoration projects to reconnect isolated cloud forest fragments

Local baseline knowledge for conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems in Ecuador

Deforestation and land-use changes are a major threats to native ecosystem in many tropical countries, including Ecuador– one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world. In tropical Andean countries, natural ecosystems change over small spatial scales. Thus, conservation and restoration initiatives, strongly require ecological baseline information about local ecosystems history, spatial distribution, integrity, trophic interactions, successional dynamics, home range, health and as well as considering the local ethobiogical and ethnoecological knowledge. The present work was done in order to generate initial ecological base-line information in three locals and one sub-regional landscape. The major findings are: (1) ‘Forest Gap Phase Dynamic Reference Method’ inside three successional stages in old grow reference forest and secondary forest regrowth, was able to generate baseline information about the ecosystem structure, composition and biomass in a local Choco-Darien rainforest (NW Ecuador); (2) Traditional Ecological Knowledge showed good synergy with ecological science-based approaches (e.g. regeneration survey in forest gaps) to identify native tree species useful for human beings and wildlife; (3) Inter-crown pixel information from hyperspatial aerial imagery enabled identification of 54% of families, 53% of genera and 56% of species sampled from the ground with a high predictive success of primary and secondary forest indicators species; (4) The home range of endemic brown-headed spider monkeys (Ateles fusciceps) was evaluated in the NW of Ecuador, and it was found that this species is in critical danger of extinction, due high levels of hunting and habitat loss specially outside protected areas; (5) anthropogenic disturbances, mainly grazing, in an Andean páramo ecosystem equally affected the species composition of the grassland and bushland communities with marked changes in their soil properties. Overall, these and other methods and results can be used to generate “Local ecosystem base line information”, and initiate the idea of establishing a “Local ecosystem health centre” in each village, coordinated by natural and social science researchers, technicians and local population members, with a solid ecological background, who will be responsible to maintain available update information, coordinate or facilitate conservation and restoration efforts, as the establishment of ecological corridors, to reconnect local and sub regional fragmented ecosystems

Inglês no grau de enfermagem: um assunto pendente

OBJECTIVE: The new competence profile of nursing professionals, scientific and medical development, the free circulation of health professionals worldwide, and the increasing social and cultural diversity requires that nurses have specific abilities in spoken and written English. The objective of this research is to describe the characteristics of the English language training required for a Bachelors of Nursing in Spain. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional observational study has been performed in forty-six Spanish universities that offer the Bachelor in nursing degree. RESULTS: In line with the directives of the European Higher Education Area, all universities contemplate the mandatory credit of a second language emphasizing English, although there is considerable variability in the emphasis: 39.4% do not include any English subject, and of the remaining 60.6% who do include it, 60% considered it an elective subject, 32.5% basic education, and 7.5% mandatory. CONCLUSIONS: The English training has different characteristics in each university, which implies a different commitment from each center for this learning. This fact questions the adequacy of the education in relation to the new competence profile required by the European Higher Education Area, which may adversely affect future professional development.OBJETIVO: El nuevo perfil competencial de los profesionales de Enfermería, el desarrollo científico-sanitario, la libre circulación de profesionales sanitarios a nivel internacional y la creciente diversidad socio-cultural exige que las enfermeras posean competencias específicas en inglés hablado y escrito. El objetivo del presente estudio es describir las características de la formación en lengua inglesa en el Grado en Enfermería en España. MÉTODO: Se ha realizado un estudio observacional descriptivo y transversal en cuarenta y seis universidades españolas que imparten el Grado en Enfermería. RESULTADO: En línea con las directrices del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, todas las universidades contemplan la obligatoriedad de acreditar una segunda lengua, destacando el inglés, aunque existe una notable variabilidad en la importancia otorgada: el 39.4% no incluye ninguna asignatura de inglés, y del 60.6% restante que sí la incluye, el 60% la consideran asignatura optativa, el 32.5% formación básica y el 7.5% obligatoria. CONCLUSIONES: La formación en inglés presenta características diferentes en cada universidad, lo que implica una apuesta diferente de cada centro por su aprendizaje. Este hecho cuestiona la adecuación de la oferta formativa en relación al nuevo perfil competencial exigido por el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, pudiendo afectar negativamente al futuro desarrollo profesional.OBJETIVO: O perfil de nova competência dos profissionais de enfermagem, o desenvolvimento científico e médico, a livre circulação de profissionais de saúde em todo o mundo, e a crescente diversidade social e cultural requer que os enfermeiros têm habilidades específicas em Inglês falado e escrito. O objetivo desta pesquisa é descrever as características da formação idioma Inglês necessárias para um Bacharelado em Enfermagem, na Espanha. MÉTODO: Um estudo descritivo transversal observacional foi realizado em 46 universidades espanholas que oferecem o grau de Bacharel em enfermagem. RESULTADOS: Em conformidade com as diretivas do Espaço Europeu do Ensino Superior, todas as universidades contemplam o crédito obrigatório de uma segunda língua enfatizando Inglês, embora exista uma grande variabilidade na ênfase: 39,4% não incluem qualquer assunto Inglês, e do restante 60,6 % que o inclua, 60% considerou um assunto eletivo, 32,5% um ensino básico e 7,5% obrigatórios. CONCLUSÕES: O treinamento em Inglês tem características diferentes em cada universidade, o que implica em um compromisso diferente de cada centro para esse aprendizado. Este fato questiona a adequação da educação em relação ao perfil de competências exigidas pelo novo Espaço Europeu do Ensino Superior, o que pode prejudicar o desenvolvimento futuro profissional

Gold–palladium core@shell nanoalloys: experiments and simulations

In this work, we report a facile synthesis route, structural characterization, and full atomistic simulations of gold–palladium nanoalloys. Through aberration corrected-STEM, UV-vis spectroscopy and EDS chemical analysis, we were able to determine that Au(core)–Pd(shell) bimetallic nanoparticles were formed. Using different computational approaches, we were capable of establishing how the size of the core and the thickness of the shell will affect the thermodynamic stability of several core–shell nanoalloys. Finally, grand canonical simulations using different sampling procedures were used to study the growth mechanism of Pd atoms on Au seeds of different shapes

Visual album: Nasty Boyz

Treball Final de Grau en Comunicació Audiovisual. Codi: CA0932. Curs acadèmic 2019-2020Nasty Boyz pretende ser un álbum visual que contenga cinco temas de género urbano del cantante Zé Carda. Este está producido por Wave Beats, una productora ficticia creada durante la carrera y formada por los autores de este proyecto. Hemos escogido este formato para salir de lo tradicional y mostrar una nueva forma de consumir material audiovisual, donde la música no existe sin la imagen y viceversa, por eso concebimos Nasty Boyz como una experiencia audiovisual. Para lograr esto ha sido necesario crear un hilo narrativo entre las cinco canciones y convertirlo en imágenes. Con el fin de aportar unidad a estas imágenes hemos hecho uso de recursos como la utilización de un único personaje principal, una determinada paleta de colores y referencias visuales relacionadas entre sí a lo largo de todo el álbum. Todo esto ligado al aspecto musical, donde encontramos desde sonidos cercanos al ritmo tropical y a lo que suena en los clubs de España hasta una reinterpretación de la música urbana más característica de los Estados Unidos. Con este álbum esperamos lograr un producto puntero que a través de su difusión en redes destaque en la industria y el panorama actual, para conseguir así más visibilidad y oportunidades de negocio para Wave Beats.Nasty Boyz aims to be a visual album containing five urban genre tracks of the singer Zé Carda. This album is produced by Wave Beats, a fictional production company created during the race and formed by the authors of this project. We have chosen this format to get out of the traditional stereotypes and show a new way of consuming audiovisual material, where music does not exist without the image and vice versa, that is why we conceive Nasty Boyz as an audiovisual experience. To achieve this it has been necessary to create a narrative thread between the five songs and convert it into images. In order to bring unity to these images we have made use of resources such as the use of a single main character, a certain palette of colors and visual references related to each other throughout the album. All this linked to the musical aspect, where we find from sounds close to the tropical rhythm and what sounds in the clubs of Spain to a reinterpretation of the most characteristic urban music in the United States. With this album we hope to achieve a leading product that, through its diffusion in networks, will stand out in the industry and the current panorama, in order to achieve more visibility and business opportunities for Wave Beats

¿Cómo hacemos crecer una planta? : Una indagación con niños de 3 años de educación infantil

La práctica científica de indagación se considera idónea para aprender ciencias en educación infantil. Este trabajo presenta una indagación sobre germinación y crecimiento de plantas implementada con niños de 3 años durante 12 días, en la que se fomenta la toma de decisiones, desde la elección de semilla hasta la forma de riego o el lugar más adecuado para el crecimiento. Se exploran los avances logrados y se halla que el 62,5 % de los niños reconocen la semilla y el agua como factores necesarios para el crecimiento, y el 37,5 % incluye además la luz solar. A pesar de que algunos niños reconocieron que es necesaria para la germinación materia viva, y no inerte, otros no avanzaron en este sentido. Estos logros son relevantes porque algunas de estas dificultades se mantienen a los 6-7 años, y en este caso algunos niños de 3 años fueron capaces de expresarlo de forma sistemática en sus conclusiones.Scientific inquiry is ideal for learning science in early childhood education. This paper presents an inquiry on germination and growth of plants implemented with children of 3 years old during 12 days, in which decision making is encouraged, from the choice of seed to the way of watering or the most suitable place for the growth. The progress made is explored finding that 62.5 % of the children recognize seed and water as necessary factors for growth and 37.5 % also include sunlight. Despite the fact that some children recognized that it is necessary living matter, and not inert, for the germination, others did not advance in this sense. These achievements are relevant because some of these difficulties remain at the age of 6-7 years, and in this case, some 3-year-old children were able to express it systematically in their conclusions

Principales aportes de la investigación del INIFAP a la nutrición porcina en México: retos y perspectivas

This review is a retrospective of the research activities carried out in swine nutrition by INIFAP researchers during the 35 years of the Institute's existence. The main product of this activity was to lay the foundations for a better feeding of the breeding herd and pigs for slaughter, focusing on solving the particular problems of Mexican swine farming, with respect to the raw materials that are utilized in pig feeding, as well as the evaluation and improvement of the carcass quality, and the enrichment of meat with metabolites that increase its shelf life and improve its organoleptic properties. It also reflects on the challenges that swine nutrition will face in this century, proposing the areas that will have to be researched in order to guarantee the sustainability of the sector, and the actions that the program's researchers and INIFAP will have to take in order to adequately respond to the challenges faced by Mexican swine production.En esta revisión se hace una retrospectiva de las actividades de investigación realizadas en nutrición porcina por los investigadores del INIFAP en los 35 años de existencia del Instituto. El producto principal de esta actividad, ha sido el sentar las bases para una mejor alimentación del hato reproductor y del cerdo para abasto, enfocándola a resolver los problemas particulares de la porcicultura mexicana, con respecto al uso de las materias primas utilizadas en la alimentación del cerdo; así como la evaluación y mejora de la calidad de la canal, el enriquecimiento de la carne con metabolitos que incrementan su vida de anaquel y mejoran sus propiedades organolépticas. Asimismo, se hace una reflexión sobre los retos que enfrentará la nutrición porcina en el presente siglo, proponiendo las áreas que se tendrán que investigar para garantizar la sustentabilidad del sector, así como las acciones que los investigadores del programa y el INIFAP tendrán que realizar para responder adecuadamente a los desafíos a los que se enfrenta la porcicultura mexicana

All-in-one construct for genome engineering using Cre-lox technology

Mycoplasma genitalium is an appealing model of a minimal cell and synthetic biology study, and it was one of the first organisms whose genome was fully sequenced and chemically synthesized. Despite its usefulness as a model organism, many genetic tools well established for other microorganisms are not currently available in mycoplasmas. We have developed several vectors to adapt the Cre-lox technology for genome engineering in M. genitalium, providing an all-in-one construct that could be also useful to obtain unmarked genetic modifications in many other slow growing microorganisms. This construct contains a modified promoter sequence based in TetR system that exhibits an enhanced control on Cre recombinase expression, virtually abolishing the presence of this recombinase in the absence of inducer. This allows to introduce the Cre recombinase gene and the desired genetic modification in a single transformation step. In addition, this inducible promoter may be a very promising tool for a wide range of molecular applications