La modelización espacial de las zonas litorales, una herramienta para el análisis de la sostenibilidad en las zonas costeras. Aplicación a la zona litoral del Mar Menor.

El artículo analiza la importancia de disponer de sistemas de representación y modelización de las zonas costeras y la franja litoral, que sean consistentes con los modelos terrestres y que permitan analizar con mayor rigor los efectos que la actividad humana genera en el medio marino. La investigación se ha centrado en el desarrollo de un prototipo de visualizador tridimensional del medio marino para el área de la Reserva Marina de Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas en el Mar Menor

El turismo pesquero como instrumento de apoyo al desarrollo sostenible en zonas litorales: la experiencia del proyecto sagital

La actividad pesquera ha sido históricamente un elemento clave en el desarrollo de las poblaciones litorales, aportando importantes valores culturales, económicos, medioambientales y sociales. En las últimas décadas, el cambio de modelo económico ha provocado que actividades tradicionales como la pesca artesanal (o de bajura) hayan disminuido considerablemente, con las consecuentes repercusiones negativas. En este contexto, las actividades turísticas vinculadas directamente con la actividad pesquera, se plantean, tanto en España como en la Unión Europea, como interesantes alternativas de diversificación para las zonas litorales tradicionalmente dependientes de la pesca. En esta comunicación se expone la experiencia llevada a cabo en el Proyecto SAGITAL (2005-07), que, coordinado por la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid y financiado por el Fondo Social Europeo, ha integrado a veinte socios vinculados directamente con el sector pesquero y ha servido para promover, tanto técnica como jurídicamente, el desarrollo de las actividades de turismo pesquero, de forma específica la Pesca turismo. La metodología de gestión y fomento de la participación aplicada en el Proyecto, ha permitido obtener un consenso entre los profesionales del sector pesquero y las administraciones responsables, a fin de adecuar la actual normativa pesquera para permitir y regular el desarrollo de estas actividade

Diseño de una metodología para la gestión sostenible de los recursos en áreas marinas protegidas

La nueva Política Marina Integrada de la Unión Europea (UE) tiene como objetivo general la optimización y sostenibilidad de la explotación del mar. En este contexto, la figura de las Áreas Marinas Protegidas (AMPs) se plantea como un valioso instrumento para avanzar en la ordenación y gestión sostenible de los recursos marinos, permitiendo una gran variedad de alternativas en función del objetivo de conservación, el nivel de protección y las diferentes posibilidades de aprovechamiento de los recursos. Esta comunicación se centra en el diseño de una metodología de planificación que, incorporada al proceso de creación de un Área Marina Protegida (AMP), permita establecer una ordenación y gestión eficaz del espacio basada en el conocimiento, tanto de las características ambientales del medio marino, como de las presiones e impactos producidos por las actividades humanas. La metodología que se plantea, mediante instrumentos y herramientas de gestión concretas, permite definir objetivos específicos así como indicadores de seguimiento asociados, integrando en todas las fases del proceso a las organizaciones, grupos de interés e instituciones implicadas; de forma específica al sector pesquero, que ha de desempeñar un papel fundamental en el desarrollo de un nuevo modelo de conservación y gestión sostenible del medio marin

El papel del project manager en el desarrollo de proyectos universitarios multidisciplinares: Aplicación de Métrica 3 al Proyecto SIVIT

El Proyecto SIVIT tiene como objetivo el desarrollo de un sistema de información destinado a orientar a los usuarios en el territorio mediante un entorno de realidad virtual, y constituye un proyecto de innovación de gran envergadura en el ámbito de las TIC. Para su ejecución, se ha constituido un equipo multidisciplinar formado por grupos de investigación de tres Escuelas de Ingeniería de la UPM, distribuyéndose el trabajo según sus diferentes áreas de conocimiento. En este contexto, la figura del Project Manager es fundamental dada la gran amplitud del Proyecto y el hecho de que esté constituido por subproyectos de características específicas. Esto exige emplear una metodología flexible, que permita su adaptación a cada subproyecto mediante planificaciones interdependientes, por lo que se ha adoptado la metodología METRICA 3, desarrollada por el Ministerio de Administraciones Públicas. Se complementa esta metodología con el uso de herramientas comerciales de mapeado de la información (mapas mentales), así como de comunicación y colaboración (servidores de información). Igualmente, se integra en la planificación la aplicación del método de gestión del valor ganado (Earned Value Method) para una mayor eficiencia de cara a futuros proyectos en esta línea de investigació

Incentives and inhibiting factors of eco-innovation in the Spanish firms.

This paper investigates the incentives and inhibiting factors of eco-innovation capacities in the firm. Firms materialize the objectives of eco-innovation from a reactive attitude to external pressures, to a more proactive attitude that implies the voluntary incorporation of eco-innovation activities. This variability in the behaviour of companies with respect to the level of eco-innovation development has been a motivator for the research. However, despite the importance of this research question, this has been approached in a dispersed way from multiple approaches. From a dynamic capabilities perspective, we assume that the innovation capacity of the firm encourages eco-innovations. Our paper is focused on the process of eco-innovation, identifying the elements that facilitate or hinder the eco-innovation in the firm. We study the Spanish case, using a panel from the Spanish Innovation Survey, with a sample of 5,461 Spanish firms. The results highlight that the complexity of the eco-innovation process negatively affects the decision to develop eco-innovations. However, our results suggest that institutions and organizations of the Spanish environment are making efforts to compensate these obstacles and provide incentives to develop eco-innovations

Deletion patterns, genetic variability and protein structure of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3: implications for malaria rapid diagnostic test in Amhara region, Ethiopia

Background: Although rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) play a key role in malaria-control strategies, their efficacy has been threatened by deletion and genetic variability of the genes pfhrp2/3. This study aims to characterize the deletion, genetic patterns and diversity of these genes and their implication for malaria RDT effectiveness, as well as their genetic evolution in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Methods: The study included 354 isolates from symptomatic patients from the Amhara region of Ethiopia who tested positive by microscopy. Exon 1-2 and exon 2 of genes pfhrp2 and -3 were amplified, and exon 2 was sequenced to analyse the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship and epitope availability. Results: The deletion frequency in exon 1-2 and exon 2 was 22 and 4.6% for pfhrp2, and 68 and 18% for pfhrp3, respectively. Double deletion frequency for pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 was 1.4%. High genetic diversity, lack of clustering by phylogenetic analysis and evidence of positive selection suggested a diversifying selection for both genes. The amino-acid sequences, classified into different haplotypes, varied widely in terms of frequency of repeats, with novel amino-acid changes. Aminoacidic repetition type 2 and type 7 were the most frequent in all the sequences. The most frequent epitopes among protein sequences were those recognized by MAbs 3A4 and C1-13. Conclusion: Deletions and high amino acidic variation in pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 suggest their possible impact on RDT use in the Amhara region, and the high genetic diversity of these genes could be associated with a diversifying selection in Ethiopia. Surveillance of these genes is, therefore, essential to ensure the effectiveness of public health interventions in this region.This work was supported by the project TRPY 111/18 funded by the Institute of Health Carlos III; and IMF received a research fellowship from the University of Alcalá that enables her to develop this study.S

Screening for K13-Propeller Mutations Associated with Artemisinin Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in Yambio County (Western Equatoria State, South Sudan)

Artemisinin-combined treatments are the recommended first-line treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, but they are being threatened by emerging artemisinin resistance. Mutations in pfk13 are the principal molecular marker for artemisinin resistance. This study characterizes the presence of mutations in pfk13 in P. falciparum in Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. We analyzed 468 samples from patients with symptomatic malaria and found 15 mutations (8 nonsynonymous and 7 synonymous). Each mutation appeared only once, and none were validated or candidate markers of artemisinin resistance. However, some mutations were in the same or following position of validated and candidate resistance markers, suggesting instability of the gene that could lead to resistance. The R561L nonsynonymous mutation was found in the same position as the R561H validated mutation. Moreover, the A578S mutation, which is widespread in Africa, was also reported in this study. We found a high diversity of other pfk13 mutations in low frequency. Therefore, routine molecular surveillance of resistance markers is highly recommended to promptly detect the emergence of resistance-related mutations and to limit their spread.Financial support: The intervention was funded by Medecins Sans Frontieres, and samples were analyzed through a research agreement between Medecins Sans Frontieres and the National Centre of Tropical Medicine/Institute of Health Carlos III, Agreement No: TRVP 121/20. I. M. F. received a research fellowship (FPU-2019) from the University of Alcala, Spain, that enabled her to conduct this study.S

Temporal evolution of the resistance genotypes of Plasmodium falciparum in isolates from Equatorial Guinea during 20 years (1999 to 2019)

Background: Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases in the world, particularly in Africa. As such, resistance to anti-malarial drugs is one of the most important problems in terms of global malaria control. This study assesses the evolution of the different resistance markers over time and the possible influence of interventions and treatment changes that have been made in Equatorial Guinea. Methods: A total of 1223 biological samples obtained in the period 1999 to 2019 were included in the study. Screening for mutations in the pfdhfr, pfdhps, pfmdr1, and pfcrt genes was carried out by nested PCR and restriction-fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), and the study of pfk13 genes was carried out by nested PCR, followed by sequencing to determine the presence of mutations. Results: The partially and fully resistant haplotypes (pfdhfr + pfdhps) were found to increase over time. Moreover, in 2019, the fully resistant haplotype was found to be increasing, although its super-resistant counterpart remains much less prevalent. A continued decline in pfmdr1 and pfcrt gene mutations over time was also found. The number of mutations detected in pfk13 has increased since 2008, when artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) were first introduced, with more mutations being observed in 2019, with two synonymous and five non-synonymous mutations being detected, although these are not related to resistance to ACT. In addition, the non-synonymous A578S mutation, which is the most frequent on the African continent, was detected in 2013, although not in the following years. Conclusions: Withdrawal of the use of chloroquine (CQ) as a treatment in Equatorial Guinea has been shown to be effective over time, as wild-type parasite populations outnumber mutant populations. The upward trend observed in sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) resistance markers suggest its misuse, either alone or in combination with artesunate (AS) or amodiaquine (AQ), in some areas of the country, as was found in a previous study conducted by this group, which allows selective pressure from SP to continue. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) 540E and 581G do not exceed the limit of 50 and 10%, respectively, thus meaning that SP is still effective as an intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) in this country. As for the pfk13 gene, no mutations have been detected in relation to resistance to ACT. However, in 2019 there is a greater accumulation of non-synonymous mutations compared to years prior to 2008.The projects where the samples were taken were funded by Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID), ISCIII, Cooperative Research Network on Tropical Diseases (RICET) and by the Strategic Action in Health (Acción Estratégica en Salud) of the Institute of Health Carlos III (Madrid, Spain), project No. TRPY111/2018 (PI17CIII/0016).S

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file