Andrological characterisation of Chilean purebred stallions

Chilean purebred horses are widely used in Chile for rodeo and farm work. Despite the importance of the breed, systematic studies characterising their andrological variables are lacking, making stallion evaluation and selection difficult. This study aimed to determine whether age and seasonality affect seminal, spermatic, gonadal and endocrine variables of 15 Chilean purebred stallions. The animals were studied over a year and were separated into a young group (n=6) (5 to 12 years) and an aged group (n=9) (13 to 25 years). The variables evaluated were: total seminal volume (mL), free gel seminal volume (mL), sperm concentration(106 x spermatozoa/mL using Spermacue refractometer TM), sperm progressive motility (conventional microscopy (%)), sperm vitality (Eosine-Nigrosine stain (%)) and sperm morphology (Hematoxylin Eosin stain (%)), testicle volume (cm3) (ultrasound Weld 3000V, 5MHz), plasmatic testosterone (ng/mL) and estrogen (pg/mL) concentration determined by radioimmunoassay. To determine the statistical difference and correlation between variables, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation were used, respectively (P<0.05). Most of the andrological variables were affected by age and season and although not significant, the values obtained were higher in young stallions during summer. Progressive motility (70 ± 12.1 %), sperm normal morphology (90 ± 1.7 %) and plasmatic estrogen (6.49 ± 1.8 pg/mL) reached statistical significance to plasmatic testosterone (0.3 ± 0.08 ng/mL) (P=0.01), sperm concentration (253 ± 59.5 x 106 sperm/mL) (P=0.03) and testicular volume (463.4 ± 90 cm3) (P=0.002) variables. Despite the results, we suggest that all these variables should be considered during stallion selection since andrological variables were neither correlated with testosterone nor the oestrogen plasmatic concentration. The results provide parameters that should be considered during the evaluation and selection of Chilean purebred stallions to avoid the extrapolation of data from other breeds

Advances on the Implementation of Circular Economy Techniques in Rural Areas in Colombia under a Sustainable Development Framework

[EN] For the first time in the scientific literature, this research shows an analysis of the implementation of circular economy techniques under sustainable development framework in six municipalities with a depressed economy in Colombia. The analysis is based on solid waste data production at a local scale, the valuation of the waste for subsequent recycling, and the identification and quantification of the variables associated with the treatment and final disposal of waste, in accordance with the Colombian regulatory framework. Waste generation data are obtained considering three different scenarios, in which a comparison between the simulated values and those established in the management plans are compared. Important differences have been identified between the waste management programs of each municipality, specifically regarding the components of waste collection, transportation and disposal, participation of environmental reclaimers, and potential use of materials. These differences are fundamentally associated with the different administrative processes considered for each individual municipality. This research is a good starting point for the development of waste management models based on circular economy techniques, through the subsequent implementation of an office tool in depressed regions such as those studied.Rodrigo-Ilarri, J.; Vargas-Terranova, C.; Rodrigo-Clavero, M.; Bustos-Castro, P. (2021). Advances on the Implementation of Circular Economy Techniques in Rural Areas in Colombia under a Sustainable Development Framework. Sustainability. 13(7):1-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073816S121137J. Padilla, A., & Trujillo, J. C. (2018). Waste disposal and households’ heterogeneity. Identifying factors shaping attitudes towards source-separated recycling in Bogotá, Colombia. Waste Management, 74, 16-33. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2017.11.052Valenzuela‐Levi, N. (2020). Waste Political Settlements in Colombia and Chile: Power, Inequality and Informality in Recycling. Development and Change, 51(4), 1098-1122. doi:10.1111/dech.12591Borowski, P. F. (2021). Innovation strategy on the example of companies using bamboo. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 10(1). doi:10.1186/s13731-020-00144-2Khandelwal, H., Dhar, H., Thalla, A. K., & Kumar, S. (2019). Application of life cycle assessment in municipal solid waste management: A worldwide critical review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 209, 630-654. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.233Turcott Cervantes, D. E., López Martínez, A., Cuartas Hernández, M., & Lobo García de Cortázar, A. (2018). Using indicators as a tool to evaluate municipal solid waste management: A critical review. Waste Management, 80, 51-63. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2018.08.046Zhang, D. Q., Tan, S. K., & Gersberg, R. M. (2010). Municipal solid waste management in China: Status, problems and challenges. Journal of Environmental Management, 91(8), 1623-1633. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.03.012Kuehr, R. (2007). Towards a sustainable society: United Nations University’s Zero Emissions Approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 15(13-14), 1198-1204. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.07.020Wagner, T., & Arnold, P. (2008). A new model for solid waste management: an analysis of the Nova Scotia MSW strategy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 16(4), 410-421. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.08.016Margallo, M., Ziegler-Rodriguez, K., Vázquez-Rowe, I., Aldaco, R., Irabien, Á., & Kahhat, R. (2019). Enhancing waste management strategies in Latin America under a holistic environmental assessment perspective: A review for policy support. Science of The Total Environment, 689, 1255-1275. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.393Cobo, S., Dominguez-Ramos, A., & Irabien, A. (2018). From linear to circular integrated waste management systems: A review of methodological approaches. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 279-295. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.08.003Arena, U., & Di Gregorio, F. (2014). A waste management planning based on substance flow analysis. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 85, 54-66. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.05.008Żelaziński, T. (2021). Properties of Biocomposites from Rapeseed Meal, Fruit Pomace and Microcrystalline Cellulose Made by Press Pressing: Mechanical and Physicochemical Characteristics. Materials, 14(4), 890. doi:10.3390/ma14040890Laurent, A., Bakas, I., Clavreul, J., Bernstad, A., Niero, M., Gentil, E., … Christensen, T. H. (2014). Review of LCA studies of solid waste management systems – Part I: Lessons learned and perspectives. Waste Management, 34(3), 573-588. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2013.10.045Ferronato, N., Rada, E. C., Gorritty Portillo, M. A., Cioca, L. I., Ragazzi, M., & Torretta, V. (2019). Introduction of the circular economy within developing regions: A comparative analysis of advantages and opportunities for waste valorization. Journal of Environmental Management, 230, 366-378. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.09.095Vaccari, M., Torretta, V., & Collivignarelli, C. (2012). Effect of Improving Environmental Sustainability in Developing Countries by Upgrading Solid Waste Management Techniques: A Case Study. Sustainability, 4(11), 2852-2861. doi:10.3390/su4112852Zurbrügg, C., Caniato, M., & Vaccari, M. (2014). How Assessment Methods Can Support Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries—A Critical Review. Sustainability, 6(2), 545-570. doi:10.3390/su6020545Borowski, P. F. (2017). Environmental pollution as a threats to the ecology and development in Guinea Conakry. Ochrona Srodowiska i Zasobów Naturalnych, 28(4), 27-32. doi:10.1515/oszn-2017-0026Vaccari, M., Tudor, T., & Vinti, G. (2019). Characteristics of leachate from landfills and dumpsites in Asia, Africa and Latin America: an overview. Waste Management, 95, 416-431. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2019.06.032Idowu, I. A., Atherton, W., Hashim, K., Kot, P., Alkhaddar, R., Alo, B. I., & Shaw, A. (2019). An analyses of the status of landfill classification systems in developing countries: Sub Saharan Africa landfill experiences. Waste Management, 87, 761-771. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2019.03.011Wang, F., Cheng, Z., Reisner, A., & Liu, Y. (2018). Compliance with household solid waste management in rural villages in developing countries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 202, 293-298. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.135De S. Pereira, T., & Fernandino, G. (2019). Evaluation of solid waste management sustainability of a coastal municipality from northeastern Brazil. Ocean & Coastal Management, 179, 104839. doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2019.104839Costa, I. M., & Ferreira Dias, M. (2020). Evolution on the solid urban waste management in Brazil: A portrait of the Northeast Region. Energy Reports, 6, 878-884. doi:10.1016/j.egyr.2019.11.033Manfredi, S., & Christensen, T. H. (2009). Environmental assessment of solid waste landfilling technologies by means of LCA-modeling. Waste Management, 29(1), 32-43. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2008.02.021Guerrero, L. A., Maas, G., & Hogland, W. (2013). Solid waste management challenges for cities in developing countries. Waste Management, 33(1), 220-232. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2012.09.008Botello-Álvarez, J. E., Rivas-García, P., Fausto-Castro, L., Estrada-Baltazar, A., & Gomez-Gonzalez, R. (2018). Informal collection, recycling and export of valuable waste as transcendent factor in the municipal solid waste management: A Latin-American reality. Journal of Cleaner Production, 182, 485-495. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.065Aparcana, S. (2017). Approaches to formalization of the informal waste sector into municipal solid waste management systems in low- and middle-income countries: Review of barriers and success factors. Waste Management, 61, 593-607. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2016.12.028Wilson, D. C., Rodic, L., Scheinberg, A., Velis, C. A., & Alabaster, G. (2012). Comparative analysis of solid waste management in 20 cities. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy, 30(3), 237-254. doi:10.1177/0734242x12437569Medina, M. (2000). Scavenger cooperatives in Asia and Latin America. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 31(1), 51-69. doi:10.1016/s0921-3449(00)00071-9Wilson, D. C., Velis, C., & Cheeseman, C. (2006). Role of informal sector recycling in waste management in developing countries. Habitat International, 30(4), 797-808. doi:10.1016/j.habitatint.2005.09.005Gutberlet, J. (2015). Cooperative urban mining in Brazil: Collective practices in selective household waste collection and recycling. Waste Management, 45, 22-31. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2015.06.023Anwar, S., Elagroudy, S., Abdel Razik, M., Gaber, A., Bong, C. P. C., & Ho, W. S. (2018). Optimization of solid waste management in rural villages of developing countries. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 20(3), 489-502. doi:10.1007/s10098-018-1485-7Patwa, A., Parde, D., Dohare, D., Vijay, R., & Kumar, R. (2020). Solid waste characterization and treatment technologies in rural areas: An Indian and international review. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 20, 101066. doi:10.1016/j.eti.2020.101066Elgie, A. R., Singh, S. J., & Telesford, J. N. (2021). You can’t manage what you can’t measure: The potential for circularity in Grenada’s waste management system. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 164, 105170. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105170Yıldız-Geyhan, E., Yılan, G., Altun-Çiftçioğlu, G. A., & Kadırgan, M. A. N. (2019). Environmental and social life cycle sustainability assessment of different packaging waste collection systems. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 143, 119-132. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.12.028Solano Meza, J. K., Orjuela Yepes, D., Rodrigo-Ilarri, J., & Cassiraga, E. (2019). Predictive analysis of urban waste generation for the city of Bogotá, Colombia, through the implementation of decision trees-based machine learning, support vector machines and artificial neural networks. Heliyon, 5(11), e02810. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02810Calderón Márquez, A. J., & Rutkowski, E. W. (2020). Waste management drivers towards a circular economy in the global south – The Colombian case. Waste Management, 110, 53-65. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2020.05.016Ezeah, C., Fazakerley, J. A., & Roberts, C. L. (2013). Emerging trends in informal sector recycling in developing and transition countries. Waste Management, 33(11), 2509-2519. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2013.06.020Hettiarachchi, H., Ryu, S., Caucci, S., & Silva, R. (2018). Municipal Solid Waste Management in Latin America and the Caribbean: Issues and Potential Solutions from the Governance Perspective. Recycling, 3(2), 19. doi:10.3390/recycling3020019Velis, C. (2017). Waste pickers in Global South: Informal recycling sector in a circular economy era. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy, 35(4), 329-331. doi:10.1177/0734242x17702024Molano Camargo, F. (2019). El relleno sanitario Doña Juana en Bogotá: la producción política de un paisaje tóxico, 1988-2019. Historia Crítica, (74), 127-149. doi:10.7440/histcrit74.2019.06https://revistas.uexternado.edu.co/index.php/derest/article/view/4927Colorado-Lopera, H. A., & Echeverri-Lopera, G. I. (2020). The solid waste in Colombia analyzed via gross domestic product: towards a sustainable economy. Revista Facultad de Ingeniería Universidad de Antioquia, (96), 51-63. doi:10.17533/udea.redin.20191046Hernández-Berriel, M. del C., Aguilar-Virgen, Q., Taboada-González, P., Lima-Morra, R., … Eljaiek-Urzola, M. (2016). GENERACIÓN Y COMPOSICIÓN DE LOS RESIDUOS SÓLIDOS URBANOS EN AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE. Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental, 32(Residuos sólidos), 11-22. doi:10.20937/rica.2016.32.05.02Pardo Martínez, C. I., & Piña, W. A. (2016). Solid waste management in Bogotá: the role of recycling associations as investigated through SWOT analysis. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 19(3), 1067-1086. doi:10.1007/s10668-016-9782-

Flujo salival y caries radicular en adultos mayores autovalentes

ResumenIntroducciónPese al aparente rol de la saliva como protector de la caries radicular, pocos estudios han estudiado la asociación con el flujo salival.ObjetivoEl propósito de este estudio fue determinar si un menor flujo salival se relaciona con un aumento en la prevalencia y actividad de la caries radicular en personas mayores autovalentes.Materiales y métodosSe aplicó una encuesta sociodemográfica y se solicitó una muestra de flujo salival no estimulado y estimulado a 332 personas mayores autovalentes. Mediante un examen clínico se obtuvo la presencia y actividad de la caries radicular utilizando los criterios ICDAS y los de Ekstrand, respectivamente. Se calculó el root caries index (RCI) y el porcentaje de caries radiculares activas (% CRA). Los datos fueron analizados con el test t de Student, Anova y Kruskal Wallis, con un nivel de significación de 0,05.ResultadosEl flujo salival fue menor en mujeres y disminuyó con el aumento de la cantidad de fármacos y enfermedades sistémicas (p<0,05). Ni el RCI ni el % CRA mostraron diferencias significativas en relación con el flujo salival no estimulado, pese a que ambos fueron levemente mayores en sujetos con un flujo salival estimulado normal (p<0,05).ConclusiónEl flujo salival no parece asociarse numéricamente con una mayor presencia o actividad de caries radicular en adultos mayores autovalentes.AbstractIntroductionAlthough the role of saliva in the protection against root caries has been widely controversial, few studies have examined the association with salivary flow.ObjectiveTo determine if a decreased salivary flow is related to increased prevalence and activity of root caries in the elderly living in the community.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 332 elderly participants. Subjects were interviewed, completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, were orally examined, and donated a sample from unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow. Clinical examinations were carried out to assess prevalence and activity of root caries using ICDAS criteria. The ‘Root Caries Index’ (RCI) and percentage of Active Root Caries (ARC) were calculated. Data were analysed using the Student t test, ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis, with a significance level of .05.ResultsSalivary flow was significantly lower in women and in subjects with high drug consumption and systemic diseases (P<.05). Although neither RCI nor the percentage of ARC differed in relation to unstimulated salivary flow, they were slightly higher in people with normal stimulated salivary flow (P<.05).ConclusionSalivary flow does not appear to be numerically associated with the prevalence or the activity of root caries in independent older adults

Effects of the invasive aquatic snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1853) on ecosystem properties and services

Ecosystems provide benefits to humans, including provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. However, invasive species can threaten ecosystem well-functioning and services provided. One invasive species with such potential is the New Zealand mud snail (NZMS) Potamopyrgus antipodarum. The aims of this study are focused on the quantitative review of (1) the NZMS impacts on ecosystem properties and their direct links with ecosystem services, and (2) the ecosystem services that can be affected by the NZMS. The high density reached by this species in most of the invaded ecosystems and its highly competitive ability affect ecosystem structure and functioning. However, some facilitation processes on native species may result in an improvement of some services. The NZMS tends to positively affect cultural services (88% positive cases) but negatively to provisioning services (77% of cases). Regarding, regulating and maintenance services, the proportions of positive and negative effects were similar (45% vs 36%, respectively). Therefore, the NZMS is a species with numerous negative impacts on ecosystem services. However, ecosystem services related to health (e.g., dilution effect against parasites) and research (e.g., biomonitoring) are cultural services that the NZMS can improve. No economic assessment of the impacts of the NZMS is available in the literature

Estimation of Molecular Pairwise Relatedness in Autopolyploid Crops

A suitable pairwise relatedness estimation is key to genetic studies. Several methods are proposed to compute relatedness in autopolyploids based on molecular data. However, unlike diploids, autopolyploids still need further studies considering scenarios with many linked molecular markers with known dosage. In this study, we provide guidelines for plant geneticists and breeders to access trustworthy pairwise relatedness estimates. To this end, we simulated populations considering different ploidy levels, meiotic pairings patterns, number of loci and alleles, and inbreeding levels. Analysis were performed to access the accuracy of distinct methods and to demonstrate the usefulness of molecular marker in practical situations. Overall, our results suggest that at least 100 effective biallelic molecular markers are required to have good pairwise relatedness estimation if methods based on correlation is used. For this number of loci, current methods based on multiallelic markers show lower performance than biallelic ones. To estimate relatedness in cases of inbreeding or close relationships (as parent-offspring, full-sibs, or half-sibs) is more challenging. Methods to estimate pairwise relatedness based on molecular markers, for different ploidy levels or pedigrees were implemented in the AGHmatrix R package

Does COVID-19 affect the exercise capacity of non-hospitalized patients?

[Abstract] Objective. To determine whether non-hospitalized adults post COVID-19 have impaired exercise capacity. Design. Retrospective analysis. Setting. Cardiovascular outpatients unit in Instituto Cardiovascular de Rosario, Argentina. Patients. Eighty non-hospitalized patients post-infection by COVID-19. Interventions. Participants completed an ergometry pre and post COVID-19 infection. Main outcome measures. The study's main variables were the metabolic equivalents of task (METs) and the indirect peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak). Results. The median of METs was 11.7 (9.4-14.8) and 11.7 (11-11.7) in pre and post ergometry, respectively, (p = 0.022). The median VO2 (mL/Kg/min) was 21857 (16938-32761) and 21699 (17004-26467) in pre and post ergometry, respectively, without significant differences. Conclusions. We found slight differences in maximal physical capacity evaluated through exercise testing in non-hospitalized patients by COVID-19

Existence of Solutions for a Wave Equation with Non-monotone Nonlinearity and a Small Parameter

We provide sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions to a semilinear wave equation with non-monotone nonlinearity involving a small parameter. Our results are based on the analysis of a an operator that characterizes the projection onto the kernel of the wave operator subject to periodic-Dirichlet boundary conditions. Such a kernel is infinite dimensional which makes standard compactness arguments inapplicable

On the coherence of synthetic turbulence generation methods

Synthetic turbulence generation methods have been extensively used by engineers and scientists in the past ten years in order to impose initial conditions in a wide range of turbulent flow problems. The interest in synthetic methods relies in the fact that reliability of methodologies such as large eddy simulation (LES) or direct numerical simulation (DNS) strongly depends on how well the developed turbulence is characterized, which generally leads to computationally expensive simulations. In this work the methodology known as “modified discretizing and synthesizing random flow generation” (MDSRFG) jointly with a LES method is analyzed for its use in the study of bluff body aerodynamics. A comparison with other generation techniques, that are closely related by their features and their conceptual origins, is presented with particular emphasis on the correct representation of the coherence of the velocity field. The resulting wind loads on the model, along with the statistical characteristics of the flow, show that the MDSRFG technique allows to represent a field of spatially correlated velocities correctly.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 18Facultad de Ingenierí