The Management model of Territories. The hidden harvest or the environmental perception of the spaces

El libro es, sobre todo, una propuesta científica interdisciplinar para pasar de la actual forma depredadora de concebir y gestionar los espacios ambientales en los que habitamos, a la construcción colectiva de planes de acción local para la convivencia armónica con la red de todo lo vivo de la que dependemos y formamos parte. Se estructura en torno a 4 partes bien diferenciadas. En la primera parte (del capítulo 1 al 4), la autora sienta las bases para redefinir la relación seres humanos-naturaleza; releer el territorio desde el contacto y la interdependencia; y, operativizar el enfoque de la sustentabilidad fuerte defendido a lo largo de esas páginas. En la segunda parte (capítulos 5 y 6) desarrolla teóricamente su propuesta de investigación y su metodología de gestión sustentable de los recursos naturales a través de la generación de experiencias significativas con el medio y la reapropiación de los espacios municipales. En la tercera sección (capítulo 7) describe de forma pormenorizada cómo se incorpora esta metodología cualitativa al proyecto piloto de Agenda 21 que se abre en el municipio de Isla del Cerrito, en la provincia de Chaco, al nordeste de Argentina. El libro se cierra con un apartado de análisis y conclusiones (capítulo 8) sobre los cambios producidos en la mirada de los y las habitantes y sobre las contribuciones del método a la instalación de capacidades humanas hacia la sustentabilidad.The book is essentially a multidisciplinary scientific view to move from the current aggressive way we conceive and manage the environmental spaces we live in, to the collective construction of different action plans focused on the harmonic coexistence with everything alive which we depend on. It is clearly structured in four different parts. In the first part (chapters 1 to 4), the author establishes the foundations to re-define the relation human beings - nature; re-reads the territory from a contact and interdependence point of view and, she also makes operative the approach of the strong sustainability previously defended over these pages. In the second part (chapters 5 and 6) she theoretically develops her methodology of sustainable management of natural resources through significant experiences within the environment and getting back into the common (municipal) spaces. In the third section (chapter 7) she describes down to the last detail, how this quality methodology is included in the pilot project of Agenda 21 just performed for the first time in Isla del Cerrito’s municipality, in the province of Chaco, north-east of Argentina. The book is closed with an analysis and conclusions section (chapter 8) on the changes produced in the point of view of the inhabitants and on the contributions of the method to the use of human capacities towards sustainability

La sostenibilidad de la vida humana y no humana : una aproximación feminista y ecologista a las ciudades

Programa de Doctorado en Desarrollo y CiudadaníaCon la presente investigación proponemos la profundización y reformulación del paradigma de la sostenibilidad, para eliminar los acortamientos intelectuales presentes en el enfoque dominante sobre este concepto. Para ello, nos apoyaremos en corrientes de pensamiento críticas procedentes fundamentalmente de la Ecología y el Feminismo, que son las que más fuertemente han cuestionado el modelo de Desarrollo hegemónico y la teoría económica convencional por invisibilizar y explotar a las mujeres y a la naturaleza; asimilar el bienestar de las sociedades al el incremento del PIB; y primar las demandas del mercado y su lógica de acumulación, frente a la reproducción de las condiciones de vida. En definitiva, apostamos por una revisión profunda del marco investigador y por un cambio en las referencias teóricas para poder elaborar un enfoque incluyente. Asimismo, abogamos por un cambio de lupa para mirar las praxis, poniendo en valor las experiencias locales, hechas desde abajo, con la participación de la comunidad y sin la pretensión de extrapolar modelos e imponer recetas mágicas para disfrutar de una vida buena. Partiendo de esta postura, abandonaremos el concepto de Desarrollo, por los distintos sesgos que ha ido adquiriendo; por la apropiación indiscriminada que han hecho de él las instituciones procedentes de la teoría económica más ortodoxa; y por el imaginario de crecimiento ilimitado al que ha ido asociado, provocando en la práctica deterioro ambiental y explotación de territorios, países y personas. Retomaremos el enfoque de la Sostenibilidad, enriqueciéndolo y matizándolo a partir fundamentalmente de los nexos entre la Economía Ecológica, la Economía Feminista, los Ecofeminismos y la Ecología Política. Estableceremos un marco común e interdisciplinar de visiones compartidas, y desde ahí, elaboraremos la propuesta de la Sostenibilidad de la Vida Humana y No Humana. Por último, aterrizaremos esta propuesta en los contextos urbanos para analizar en tres ciudades concretas (La Habana, Ciudad de México y Sevilla) qué herramientas y prácticas políticas cotidianas de las y los actores locales, parten de esta doble mirada feminista-ecologista y pueden ser rescatables para diseñar marcos de reflexión, políticas públicas e indicadores de Sostenibilidad desde este enfoque integral y emancipador.Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Departamento de Economía, Métodos Cuantitativos e Historia Económic

La ciudad de la Habana a análisis. Una aproximación desde una perspectiva sistémica de la sostenibilidad / The City of Havana to Analysis. An approach Through a Systemic Prism of Sustainability

En el siguiente artículo se aborda el estudio de la sostenibilidad en los contextos urbanos y se expone la metodología seguida para aproximarse al caso concreto de La Habana. Además, contando con las voces de informantes urbanos claves en la materia, se realiza un diagnóstico plural que implica la revisión de la viabilidad ecológica y la justicia social y de género del modelo urbano. También se esbozan propuestas teóricas y políticas desde un enfoque socioecosistémico. Por último, se exponen algunas conclusiones en relación a las fortalezas y debilidades que presenta la ciudad para caminar por la senda de la sostenibilidad entendida en un sentido complejo. This paper addresses the study of the sustainability in urban contexts and presents the methodology used to approach the specific case of Havana at the same time that reviews the ecological viability and social and gender justice of the urban context, based on the voices of some key interviewees. The paper also outlines some theoretical and political proposals from a socioecosystemic approach and concludes drawing conclusions on the strengths and weaknesses that the city presents to tread the road to sustainability, understood in a complex sense

Podoconiosis: geología, biología y patología de una enfermedad olvidada

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina. Fecha de lectura: 10 de febrero, 201

Sevilian social movements: ecological and feminist concern-actions to build another kind of city?

The focus about sustainability in urban contexts since it became a concern, has been almost exclusively placed in politics coming from institutions and, specifically, in its environmental dimension. However, we believe that the communitarian sphere and the civil society is playing an essential role when it comes to promoting urban politics and opening the close debate about sustainability, to include not only ecological matters, but also social justice and gender equality issues. In fact, we argue that the urban social actors can contribute with their social and environmental practices to define political and ideological proposals to transform the biased and fragmented perspective of sustainability in the city. Therefore, using the case studies methodology, we will approach to the experiences developed in Seville, based on citizen empowerment and mainly aimed to design an urban model that respects the ecosystem and the people. We will also perform a critical analysis of those experiences, to reflect the reach of these movements when it comes to claiming and building a fair and equal city.El foco de atención sobre la sostenibilidad en los contextos urbanos se ha puesto, casi con exclusividad desde los inicios de estas preocupaciones, en las políticas públicas emanadas de las instituciones y, concretamente, en la dimensión ambiental de las mismas. Sin embargo, consideramos que el ámbito comunitario de la sociedad civil está jugando un papel fundamental a la hora de hacer política urbana y de abrir el estrecho debate sobre la sostenibilidad para incluir no sólo cuestiones ecológicas, sino también de justicia social e igualdad de género. De hecho, sostenemos que las actoras y actores sociales urbanos pueden contribuir con sus pra- xis sociales y ambientales a formular propuestas políticas e ideológicas que sirvan para transformar el sesgado y fragmentado enfoque sobre sostenibilidad en la ciudad. Por ello, a través de la metodología del estudio de casos, nos acercaremos a algunas experiencias puestas en marcha en Sevilla que parten del empoderamiento ciudadano y que tienen como objetivo diseñar un modelo urbano respetuoso con el ecosistema y con todas las personas. A partir de las mismas realizaremos un análisis crítico para reflejar los alcances de estos movi- mientos a la hora de reivindicar y construir una ciudad ecológicamente viable, justa y equitativa

Fear of Falling Score Is a Predictor of Falls in Community-Dwelling Pre-Frail and Frail Older People

Identifying frail older people at risk of falling is a priority in order to apply preventive strategies. This cross-sectional study included community-dwelling pre-frail and frail people (Fried’s criteria) aged 70 years and older to assess the prevalence of falls and identify screening strategies based on comprehensive geriatric assessments to detect an increased risk of falling and recurrent falling in community-dwelling frail and pre-frail old people. Of the 229 participants, 121 (54.9%) had fallen in the previous 12 months, and 20 of these (16.5%) were recurrent fallers (≥2 falls). A score of 20 points or more on the Falls Efficacy Scale International was predictive of falling (area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve 0.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.61–0.74, p < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 51.7% and a specificity of 73.9%. Polypharmacy, Short Physical Performance Battery score of 8 points or less, and Falls Efficacy Scale International score of 20 points or more show an area under the curve of 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.67–0.89, p < 0.001) for recurrent falling.Medicin

Bidirectional modulation of synaptic transmission by insulin-like growth factor-I

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a key role in the modulation of synaptic plasticity and is an essential factor in learning and memory processes. However, during aging, IGF-I levels are decreased, and the effect of this decrease in the induction of synaptic plasticity remains unknown. Here we show that the induction of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons (PNs) of the mouse barrel cortex is favored or prevented by IGF-I (10 nM) or IGF-I (7 nM), respectively, when IGF-I is applied 1 h before the induction of Hebbian LTP. Analyzing the cellular basis of this bidirectional control of synaptic plasticity, we observed that while 10 nM IGF-I generates LTP (LTPIGF-I) of the post-synaptic potentials (PSPs) by inducing long-term depression (LTD) of the inhibitory post-synaptic currents (IPSCs), 7 nM IGF-I generates LTD of the PSPs (LTDIGF-I) by inducing LTD of the excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs). This bidirectional effect of IGF-I is supported by the observation of IGF-IR immunoreactivity at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Therefore, IGF-I controls the induction of Hebbian NMDARdependent plasticity depending on its concentration, revealing novel cellular mechanisms of IGF-I on synaptic plasticity and in the learning and memory machinery of the brainThe author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the following Grants: BFU2016-80802-P and PID2020-119358GB-I00 (AEI/FEDER, UE) to DS, PID2019-104376RB-I00 (AEI/FEDER, UE) to IA and PI21/00915 (Instituto Salud Carlos III/ FEDER, UE) to A

Immunohistochemical distribution of secretagogin in the mouse brain

Introduction: Calcium is essential for the correct functioning of the central nervous system, and calcium-binding proteins help to finely regulate its concentration. Whereas some calcium-binding proteins such as calmodulin are ubiquitous and are present in many cell types, others such as calbindin, calretinin, and parvalbumin are expressed in specific neuronal populations. Secretagogin belongs to this latter group and its distribution throughout the brain is only partially known. In the present work, the distribution of secretagogin-immunopositive cells was studied in the entire brain of healthy adult mice. Methods: Adult male C57BL/DBA mice aged between 5 and 7 months were used. Their whole brain was sectioned and used for immunohistochemistry. Specific neural populations were observed in different zones and nuclei identified according to Paxinos mouse brain atlas. Results: Labelled cells were found with a Golgi-like staining, allowing an excellent characterization of their dendritic and axonal arborizations. Many secretagogin-positive cells were observed along different encephalic regions, especially in the olfactory bulb, basal ganglia, and hypothalamus. Immunostained populations were very heterogenous in both size and distribution, as some nuclei presented labelling in their entire extension, but in others, only scattered cells were present. Discussion: Secretagogin can provide a more complete vision of calcium-buffering mechanisms in the brain, and can be a useful neuronal marker in different brain areas for specific populations.This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO) (SAF2016-79668- R to EW), the Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019- 106943RB-I00 to EW), the Ministry of Universities (MIU) (FPU20/03457 to PT), the Regional Government of Castile and Leon (SA178U13 to EW; EDU/556/2019 to LP-R), the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy of Castile and Leon (EW), and the University of Salamanca (EW)

Increased Prevalence of Symptomatic Human Intestinal Spirochetosis in MSM with High-Risk Sexual Behavior in a Cohort of 165 Individuals

Human intestinal spirochetosis (HIS) can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, although asymptomatic infections have been described. Individuals from low-income countries, people living with HIV, and men who have sex with men (MSM) show increased risk. A retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with HIS (n = 165) between January 2013 and October 2020 at a tertiary hospital in Madrid, Spain, was performed to assess risk factors for symptomatic HIS, symptoms, and response to treatment. Most patients were male (n = 156; 94.5%), 86.7% were MSM, and 23.5% practiced chemsex, of whom most were symptomatic (p = 0.039). Most patients (78.4%) reported unprotected oral-anal intercourse. A total of 124 (81.1%) were symptomatic; diarrhea was the most common complaint (68.3%). Multivariable regression showed increased odds of symptoms associated with age under 41 (odds ratio 5.44, 95% CI 1.87-15.88; p = 0.002). Colonoscopy was normal in 153 (92.7%). Furthermore, 66.7% presented previous or concomitant sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Among the patients, 102 underwent testing for other gastrointestinal pathogens, with positive results in 20 (19.6%). All symptomatic patients without concomitant gastrointestinal infection presenting improvement on follow-up (42 of 53) had received either metronidazole or doxycycline (p = 0.049). HIS should be considered as a cause of chronic diarrhea in MSM with high-risk sexual behavior after other causes have been ruled out; treatment with metronidazole is recommended. Coinfection with other STDs is common.S

Tinea nigra palmaris: a clinical case in a rural Ethiopian hospital

Tinea nigra is an infrequent, superficial fungal infection, mainly caused by Hortaea werneckii, which is still underreported in Ethiopia. An asymptomatic 62-year-old male patient sought a rural hospital of Ethiopia, showing dark plaques on the palms of both hands. A superficial mycosis was suspected and a direct light microscopic mycological examination from skin scrapings revealed short brownish hyphae. To our knowledge, this is the first case of tinea nigra from the Ethiopian highlands. This may be due to the actual rarity of the condition or to underreportin