Evaluación de los atractivos naturales para el desarrollo del ecoturismo en la Región Huasteca de San Luis Potosí, México

This aims reveal the natural attractions suitable for ecotourism development in the Huas- teca region of the state of San Luis Potosi. This was sorted and classified natural tourism resources and, subsequently, differentiated levels of territorial units for the quantity and types of existing resources. Finally we discuss the elements to consider for community ecotourism project implemented in a territory whose municipal human development indexes show an ethnically heterogeneous context within such actions most be developed.El trabajo evalúa los atractivos naturales aptos para el desarrollo del ecoturismo en la región Huasteca del estado de San Luis Potosí. Para ello se clasificaron y ponderaron los recursos turísticos naturales y, posteriormente, se diferenciaron niveles de unidades terri- toriales por la cantidad y tipos de recursos existentes. Al final se discuten los elementos a considerar para el implemento de proyectos ecoturísticos comunitarios, en un territorio cuyos municipios evidencian índices de desarrollo humano y composición étnica heterogéneos, contexto en el que tales acciones deben desarrollarse

Quiralidad en las ciencias naturales: un acercamiento a distintas escalas

The terms right and left are applicable beyond everyday life and living beings. The fingers on the right hand are arranged in relation to the center of the hand, which is not identical or superimposable to that of the left hand. Both variants are symmetrical versions, but not identical. The spatial arrangement can be observed not only in objects, but also in trajectories. For example, in the bats’ flight trajectories. In this article some examples of the chirality condition at different organization levels are defined and some of the recent advances on the subject are mentioned. Understanding the origin of chiral asymmetry found in particles, molecules, and macromolecules, allows us to infer current questions such as chemical evolution, the origin of life, and aspects related to evolution and the development of living beings, among others. Los términos derecha e izquierda son aplicables más allá de la cotidianidad humana y los seres vivos. Los dedos de la mano derecha tienen una disposición respecto al centro de la mano, que no es idéntica o superponible a aquella de la mano izquierda. Ambas variantes son versiones simétricas, pero no idénticas. El arreglo espacial puede observarse no solo en objetos, sino también en trayectorias. Por ejemplo, en las trayectorias del vuelo de los murciélagos. En el presente artículo se definen algunos ejemplos de la condición de quiralidad en distintos niveles de organización y se mencionan algunos de los recientes avances en el tema. Entender el origen de la asimetría quiral encontrada en partículas, moléculas, y macromoléculas, permite inferir preguntas vigentes como la evolución.

Characterization of three novel pigment-producing Penicillium strains isolated from the Mexican semi-desert

Fungal pigments are used in diverse industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, textile, among others. The need of new organic pigments involves the search for new microbial sources. In this study, three fungal strains isolated from Quercus sp and Larrea tridentata were morphological, physiological and molecularly characterized. Different temperatures (8, 16, 20, 24 and 32°C) and pH (4, 6, 7, 8 and 10) levels were tested to determine the best conditions to produce a fungal pigment under submerged and solid state fermentation. The three strains were genotyped by using polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter-transcript spaces (ITS) and intergenic spaces (IGS) with the object to eliminate duplications. The strains were identified according to their morphology as Penicillium purpurogenum (GH2) and Penicillium pinophilum (EH2 and EH3). It was found that at submerged state fermentation to 24°C and pH 10, the three strains produced pigments, but P. purpurogenum GH2 strain produced the highest amount of pigments (1.25 U). According to the molecular analysis, it was found that all strains were different. This is to our knowledge the first report on characterization of fungal strains isolated from the Mexican semi-desert which have potential for pigment production.Keywords: Penicillium purpurogenum, Penicillium pinophilum, intergenic spaces (IGS), inter-transcript spaces (ITS), pigments, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), submerged and solid state fermentationAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(22), pp. 3405-341

Potentialities and challenges of the Tourism and ecoturismo in the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico: challenges and expectations to reach the regional development

El objetivo del trabajo es analizar la presencia de diversos actores y componentes en el estado de San Luis Potosí, México que pueden potenciar y que a la vez también que pueden ser vistos como obstáculos para que el turismo y ecoturismo logren convertirse en actividades que promuevan el bienestar económico y el desarrollo de cada una de las 4 regiones que conforman el estado. La investigación se sustenta en trabajo de campo, entrevistas con funcionarios municipales relacionados con el turismo, delegados regionales de la secretaria de turismo en las regiones Media, Altiplano y Huasteca del estado y con prestadores de servicios.The objective of the work is analyze the presence of diverse actors and components in the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico that can harness and that simultaneously also that can be seen like obstacles so that the tourism and ecoturismo manage to become activities that promote the economic well-being and the development of each one of the regions of the State. The investigation is sustained in work of field, interviews with municipal civil employees related to the tourism, regional delegates of the secretary of tourism in the regions Media, Altiplano and Huasteca of the serve with lenders

Influence of polyethylene glycol on in vitro gas production profiles and microbial protein synthesis of some shrub species

The aim was to determine effects of addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on in vitro gas production and microbial protein synthesis of the shrub species Acacia constricta, Acacia shaffneri, Calliandra eriophylla, Condalia lycioides, Cordia parvifolia, Larrea tridentata and Mimosa biuncifera, which are commonly consumed by grazing small ruminants in semiarid regions of Mexico despite the abundance of tannins in their foliage. Three individual samples (a minimum of 10 plants of each) of each shrub species were collected from different areas and prepared for chemical and secondary metabolite analysis. In vitro evaluations for each sample of each shrub species were completed in three incubation runs in different weeks using calibrated glass syringes in a 7 × 2 factorial design (i.e., 7 shrub species × 2 treatments with or without PEG). In vitro gas production after 24 and 96 h, partitioning factor (PF), metabolizable energy (ME) content, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis (EMPS), and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were determined. A shrub species × PEG interaction (P<0.05) only occurred for some VFA, such as C3, C4, C4i and C5i, concentrations. Relative to control, addition of PEG increased (P<0.05) the concentrations of individual VFA in A. shaffneri, C. lycioides and C. parvifolia. Interactions between shrub and PEG occurred (P<0.001) for all gas production parameters (i.e., b, k, IVGP24, IVGP48). The fractional rate of gas production and IVGP24 h were highest in A. constricta and lowest (P<0.001) in A. shaffneri. L. tridentata had the highest PF and C. lycioides the lowest. A. constricta had the highest ME content. Purine content and EMPS differed (shrubs × PEG; P<0.001) among shrubs. Microbial protein synthesis was highest in M. biuncifera and lowest in C. eriophylla, while total VFA were highest in C. eriophylla. Incorporation of PEG increased (P<0.001) in vitro fermentation parameters and ME content with L. tridentata and C. lycioides being the highest. PEG also promoted reductions in the EMPS and PF values. In vitro fermentation variables such as fractional rate of gas production, VFA concentrations and EMPS support the potential of A. constricta, C. parvifolia and M. biuncifera as protein and energy sources for small ruminants in semiarid regions of North Mexico. Increments in gas production in these shrub species confirmed the affinity of PEG to bind condensed tannins and reduce EMPS

QUIRALIDAD EN LAS CIENCIAS NATURALES: UN ACERCAMIENTO A DISTINTAS ESCALAS

Los términos derecha e izquierda son aplicables más allá de la cotidianidad humana y los seres vivos. Los dedos de la mano derecha tienen una disposición respecto al centro de la mano, que no es idéntica o superponible a aquella de la mano izquierda. Ambas variantes son versiones simétricas, pero no idénticas. El arreglo espacial puede observarse no solo en objetos, sino también en trayectorias. Por ejemplo, en las trayectorias del vuelo de los murciélagos. En el presente artículo se definen algunos ejemplos de la condición de quiralidad en distintos niveles de organización y se mencionan algunos de los recientes avances en el tema. Entender el origen de la asimetría quiral encontrada en partículas, moléculas, y macromoléculas, permite inferir preguntas vigentes como la evolución química, el origen de la vida, y aspectos relacionados con la evolución y el desarrollo de los seres vivos, entre otras.//The terms right and left are applicable beyond everyday life and living beings. The fingers on the right hand are arranged in relation to the center of the hand, which is not identical or superimposable to that of the left hand. Both variants are symmetrical versions, but not identical. The spatial arrangement can be observed not only in objects, but also in trajectories. For example, in the bats’ flight trajectories. In this article some examples of the chirality condition at different organization levels are defined and some of the recent advances on the subject are mentioned. Understanding the origin of chiral asymmetry found in particles, molecules, and macromolecules, allows us to infer current questions such as chemical evolution, the origin of life, and aspects related to evolution and the development of living beings, among others

Relational dynamics of recreational activities in the Nevado de Toluca Flora and Fauna Protection Area, Mexico: A Social Network Analysis approach

La gestión de las actividades recreativas en Áreas Naturales Protegidas es compleja por el número de actores sociales que aprovechan y administran los recursos naturales con actividades, intereses y necesidades distintas. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar la dinámica relacional entre los actores sociales involucrados en tres Unidades Socio‐Ecológicas, y sus implicaciones en el manejo de las actividades recreativas en el Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Nevado de Toluca, México. A partir de una revisión de literatura, entrevistas semiestructuradas y Análisis de Redes Sociales se encontró que los actores sociales presentes, no son suficientes para un buen manejo de las actividades recreativas. La principal función de todos los actores sociales es la conservación de recursos naturales, pero también asumen funciones para el manejo de las actividades recreativas. La dinámica entre actores sociales presenta lazos débiles e intermitencia en las relaciones debido a la ausencia de vínculos institucionalizados y metas comunes. Es necesario desarrollar redes de colaboración donde los actores asuman corresponsabilidades y acciones conjuntas para la planeación y manejo de las actividades recreativas.The management of recreational activities in Natural Protected Areas is complex due to the number of stakeholders that use and manage natural resources, their varying activities, interests and needs. The aim of the study was to analyse the relational dynamics between stakeholders involved in three Socio‐Ecological Units, and their implications in the management of recreational activities in the Nevado de Toluca Flora and Fauna Protected Area, Mexico. From literature review, semi‐structured interviews and application of Social Network Analysis tools, it was identified that not all the stakeholders that should be involved for efficient management of recreational activities are effectively included . Although their main function is the conservation of natural resources, they also assume functions for the management of recreational activities. They present weak ties and lack of consistency in their relationships, due to the absence of institutionalized links and common goals. It is necessary to move towards collaboration networks where stakeholders assume joint responsibilities and actions for the planning and management of recreational activities