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

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

Presence and genetic diversity of enteric protists in captive and semi-captive non-human primates in côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Peru

Little information is currently available on the occurrence and genetic diversity of pathogenic and commensal protist species in captive and semi-captive non-human primates (NHP) resident in zoological gardens or sanctuaries in low- and medium-income countries. In this molecular-based study, we prospectively collected individual faecal samples from apparently healthy NHP at the Abidjan Zoological Garden (AZG) in Côte d'Ivoire, the Tacugama Sanctuary (TS) in Sierra Leone, and the Quistococha Zoological Garden (QZG) in Peru between November 2018 and February 2020. We evaluated for the presence of pathogenic (Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia duodenalis, Blastocystis sp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Balantioides coli) and commensal (Entamoeba dispar, Troglodytella abrassarti) protist species using PCR methods and Sanger sequencing. Giardia duodenalis was the most prevalent species found (25.9%, 30/116), followed by Blastocystis sp. (22.4%, 26/116), and E. dispar (18.1%, 21/116). We detected E. bieneusi (4.2%, 1/24) and T. abrassarti (12.5%, 3/24) only on NHP from AZG. Cryptosporidium spp., E. histolytica, and B. coli were undetected at the three sampling sites investigated here. Sequence analyses revealed the presence of zoonotic sub-assemblages BIII (n = 1) in AZG and BIV (n = 1) in TS within G. duodenalis. We identified Blastocystis subtype ST3 (100%, 6/6) in AZG, ST1 (80.0%, 12/15), ST2 (6.7%, 1/15), and ST3 (13.3%, 2/15) in TS, and ST2 (80.0%, 4/5) and ST3 (20.0%, 1/5) in QZG. The only E. bieneusi isolate detected here was identified as zoonotic genotype CAF4. Our PCR-based data indicate that potentially pathogenic protist species including G. duodenalis, Blastocystis sp., E. bieneusi, and B. coli are present at variable rates in the three NHP populations investigated here. The identification of zoonotic genotypes within these species indicates that human-NHP transmission is possible, although the extent and directionality of these events need to be elucidated in future molecular surveys.This study was funded by the Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under project PI16CIII/00024. David González-Barrio is the recipient of a ‘Sara Borrell’ postdoctoral fellowship (CD19CIII/00011) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Alejandro Dashti is the recipient of a PFIS contract (FI20CIII/00002) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and Universities.S

A specific gut microbiota signature is associated with an enhanced GLP-1 and GLP-2 secretion and improved metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes after metabolic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Objective: To determine changes in incretins, systemic inflammation, intestinal permeability and microbiome modifications 12 months after metabolic RYGB (mRYGB) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and their relationship with metabolic improvement. Materials and methods: Prospective single-center non-randomized controlled study, including patients with class II-III obesity and T2D undergoing mRYGB. At baseline and one year after surgery we performed body composition measurements, biochemical analysis, a meal tolerance test (MTT) and lipid test (LT) with determination of the area under the curve (AUC) for insulin, C-peptide, GLP-1, GLP-2, and fasting determinations of succinate, zonulin, IL-6 and study of gut microbiota. Results: Thirteen patients aged 52.6 ± 6.5 years, BMI 39.3 ± 1.4 kg/m2, HbA1c 7.62 ± 1.5% were evaluated. After mRYGB, zonulin decreased and an increase in AUC after MTT was observed for GLP-1 (pre 9371 ± 5973 vs post 15788 ± 8021 pM, P<0.05), GLP-2 (pre 732 ± 182 vs post 1190 ± 447 ng/ml, P<0.001) and C- peptide, as well as after LT. Species belonging to Streptococaceae, Akkermansiacea, Rickenellaceae, Sutterellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Veillonellaceae, Enterobacterales_uc, and Fusobacteriaceae families increased after intervention and correlated positively with AUC of GLP-1 and GLP-2, and negatively with glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides and adiposity markers. Clostridium perfringens and Roseburia sp. 40_7 behaved similarly. In contrast, some species belonging to Lachnospiraceae, Erysipelotricaceae, and Rumnicocaceae families decreased and showed opposite correlations. Higher initial C-peptide was the only predictor for T2D remission, which was achieved in 69% of patients. Conclusions: Patients with obesity and T2D submitted to mRYGB show an enhanced incretin response, a reduced gut permeability and a metabolic improvement, associated with a specific microbiota signature