Environmental management of soil biodiversity and ecosystems for productive and sustainable agriculture

It is well-known that there is a need for technical assessments to advise farmers, policy-makers and planners on indicators and methods for the assessment and monitoring of soil health and functions. These should focus on improving knowledge: on the roles and importance of diverse soil organisms in providing key goods and services; and on the positive and negative impacts of existing and new agricultural technologies and management practices

Integrated water resources management: restoration of water quality in water resources from developing countries

Water is most essential but scarce resource in developing countries. Presently the quality & the availability of the fresh water resources is the most pressing of the many environmental challenges on the national horizon. The stress on water resources is from multiple sources and the impacts can take diverse forms. Geometric increase in population coupled with rapid urbanization, industrialization and agricultural development has resulted in high impact on quality and quantity of water in developing countries. The situation warrants immediate redressal through radically improved water resource and water quality management strategies. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3162

Métodos de Previsão da Geração de Ácido a Partir de Resíduos Mineiros

Os testes laboratoriais utilizados para determinar o potencial de geração de ácido podem ser de natureza estática ou dinâmica. Um teste estático determina simultaneamente, a partir de uma amostra, a capacidade total de geração de ácido bem como o potencial total de neutralização desse ácido. A capacidade total de geração de ácido é determinada ou como a diferença entre estes valores ou como o seu quociente. A partir desses resultados pretende-se inferir se existirá ou não geração de ácido quando da exposição dos resíduos aos agentes meteóricos. Estes testes não determinam a cinética da geração de ácido mas apenas o potencial de produção. Os testes estáticos são conduzidos de forma expedita e apresentam custos pouco relevantes. Os testes cinéticos pretendem simular, a uma velocidade acelerada, o que acontece nos locais mineiros. Exigem um tempo de realização superior e têm um custo superior. Os dados obtidos a partir destes testes podem ser utilizados para classificar os resíduos de acordo com o seu potencial de geração de ácido. Esta informação, quando recolhida e avaliada durante o próprio estudo de viabilidade de um novo empreendimento mineiro ou de construyção civil, permite projectar medidas de mitigação desde o início do projecto. A principal distinção operatória, a nível laboratorial, entre os dois tipos de testes reside no facto que os ensaios estáticos correspondem a uma única determinação temporal enquanto que os ensaios cinéticos recorrem a vários ciclos repetitivos de exposição da amostra a várias cargas de soluções aquosas. Os testes cinéticos permitem simultaneamente inferir a composição iónica dos lixiviados. De uma modo genérico pode-se afirmar que sob o ponto de vista metodológico os ensaios estáticos, devido à sua rapidez e baixo custo, podem ser efectuados com um grande número de amostras constituintes de várias unidades litológicas representativas, enquanto que os ensaios dinâmicos serão efectuados sobre uma ou duas amostras, geralmente compósitas e com uma composição sugerida pelos resultados obtidos com os testes estáticos. Os autores submeterem amostras dos resíduos do tratamento de minérios de duas explorações mineiras portuguesas em actividade a vários destes testes estáticos e dinâmicos, comparando-os entre si

Novel RNA viruses from the Atlantic Ocean: Ecogenomics, biogeography, and total virioplankton mass contribution from surface to the deep ocean

Marine viruses play a major role in the energy and nutrient cycle and affect the evolution of their hosts. Despite their importance, there is still little knowledge about RNA viruses. Here, we have explored the Atlantic Ocean, from surface to deep (4.296 m), and used viromics and quantitative methods to unveil the genomics, biogeography, and the mass contribution of RNA viruses to the total viroplankton. A total of 2481 putative RNA viral contigs (>500 bp) and 107 larger bona fide RNA viral genomes (>2.5 kb) were identified; 88 of them representing novel viruses belonging mostly to two clades: Yangshan assemblage (sister clade to the class Alsuviricetes) and Nodaviridae. These viruses were highly endemic and locally abundant, with little or no presence in other oceans since only ≈15% of them were found in at least one of the Tara sampling metatranscriptomes. Quantitative data indicated that the abundance of RNA viruses in the surface and deep chlorophyll maximum zone was within ≈106 VLP/mL representing a potential contribution of 5.2%–24.4% to the total viroplankton community (DNA and RNA viruses), with DNA viruses being the predominant members (≈107 VLP/mL). However, for the deep sample, the observed trend was the opposite, although as further discussed, several biases should be considered. Together these results contribute to our understanding of the diversity, abundance, and distribution of RNA viruses in the oceans and provide a basis for further investigation into their ecological roles and biogeography.This work was supported by the Generalitat Valenciana ACIF2020 grant and by the research grants funded by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (refs. RTI2018-094248-B-I00 and PID2021-125175OB-I00), and by the Gordon and Moore Foundation (ref. 5334)

Competing Affordance Potencies Shaping Data Collection: Case of Humanitarian Organizations

Individual adoption of technology in humanitarian settings is linked with expectancies of performance and effort, and users tend to easily default to “whatever works”. A deeper understanding of the process of field users’ adoption of a new technology is of utmost importance for humanitarian organizations. We used Affordance Potency framework for comparing competing affordances of a mobile based solution with existing paper-based processes, against 4 identified affordances. The mobile solution was deployed in seven inpatient wards of two humanitarian field hospitals during a period of four months. This analysis demonstrated how technology features are as important as it is to be flexible to respond to contextualised work practices. The affordance potency lens helped understand how competing systems can shape the data collection process. A key contribution of this study is the use of affordances from a “competing” lens perspective within the unique context of a humanitarian organization

Sulla Palude

Master de Producció i Recerca Artística, Facultat de Belles Arts, Universitat de Barcelona, curs: 2018-2019, Tutor: Vilà, Antònia, 1951-[cat] Entenc l’entorn com un organisme viu i hi practico un apropament sensible, creixent vincles afectius amb els elements que el conformen, en un desig de pertànyer. Caminant per un espai d’aigua i de trobada enmig de la serra de Collserola, he contemplat durant quatre mesos la convivència amb els habitants i visitants que l’ocupen; observant que l’element connector és l’aigua i que l’acte de contacte que hom practica és el d’abocar-hi tota mena d’éssers i d’objectes. Adoptant l’acte d’ofrenar, he volgut teixir nous vincles, en una proposta de respecte i amor cap a un entorn que percebo maltractat.[spa] Entiendo el entorno como un organismo vivo y practico en él un acercamiento sensible, creciendo vínculos afectivos con los elementos que lo conforman, en un deseo de pertenecer. Caminando por un espacio de agua y de encuentro en medio de la sierra de Collserola, he contemplado durante cuatro meses la convivencia con los habitantes y visitantes que lo ocupan; observando que el elemento conector es el agua y que el acto de contacto que todos practican es el de verter en él todo tipo de seres y objetos. Adoptando el acto de ofrendar, he querido tejer nuevos vínculos, en una propuesta de respeto y amor hacia un entorno que percibo maltratado.[eng] I understand the environment as a living organism and practice in it a sensible approach, growing affective links with the elements that shape it, in a desire to belong. Walking through a water and meeting space in the middle of Collserola mountain range, I’ve contemplated during four months the coexistence with inhabitants and visitors that occupy it; observing that the connecting element is the water and that the act of contact that all practice is the one of pouring in it all kinds of beings and objects. Adopting the act of offering, I’ve wanted to weave new links, in a proposal of respect and love towards an ambient that I perceive mistreated

Tratamiento médico de la estenosis arterial intracraneal. ¿Es el mismo en prevención primaria que en secundaria?

In this study we review the risk factors associated with the formation and progression of an atheroma plaque, the mechanism involved in cerebral ischemia secondary to intracranial atheromatosis and possible medical treatment in primary and secondary prevention. DEVELOPMENT: Medical treatment of intracranial stenoses (ICS) is aimed at stopping the progression of the atheroma plaque and at preventing recurrences in the case of symptomatic stenoses. It is based on the control of vascular risk factors, the use of statins and antithrombotic therapy (antiplatelet or anticoagulation drugs). Although antiplatelet agents have not proved to be beneficial in the primary prevention of stroke, they are recommended in patients with ICS in order to lower the risk of heart attack associated with this pathology. The use of antiplatelet drugs in the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke secondary to an ICS is based on clinical trials which have shown that antiaggregation prevents non-cardioembolic strokes. Nevertheless, several retrospective studies have observed that oral anticoagulation is better than antiaggregation with aspirin. Two prospective clinical trials are currently being conducted which will, in the next few years, help to determine what the first choice medical treatment is for this group of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Medical treatment of ICS patients must include the control of vascular risk factors and the use of statins. New studies are needed to be able to establish the first choice antithrombotic drug in secondary prevention

Panels and models for accurate prediction of tumor mutation burden in tumor samples

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is becoming standard-of-care in many types of human malignancies, but patient selection is still imperfect. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is being evaluated as a biomarker for ICB in clinical trials, but most of the sequencing panels used to estimate it are inadequately designed. Here, we present a bioinformatics-based method to select panels and mathematical models for accurate TMB prediction. Our method is based on tumor-specific, forward-step selection of genes, generation of panels using a linear regression algorithm, and rigorous internal and external validation comparing predicted with experimental TMB. As a result, we propose cancer-specific panels for 14 malignancies which can offer reliable, clinically relevant estimates of TMBs. Our work facilitates a better prediction of TMB that can improve the selection of patients for ICB therapy.Fil: Martinez Perez, Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Molina Vila, Miguel Angel. Hospital Universitario Quirón Dexeus; EspañaFil: Marino, Cristina Ester. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentin