An Experience of PBL in the Learning of Urban Planning. Chair of Urbanism IIA, FAUD, UNC, Argentine Republic

Within the framework of the CITYLAB LA "Engaging students with sustainable cities in Latin-America" Project, ERASMUS Program, this article reflects on the application of the Project-oriented Problem-Based Learning pedagogical method in the workshop work carried out by the Chair Urbanism IIA –Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism and Design, National University of Córdoba, Argentine Republic– in the first quarter of the school cycle 2017–, called “Urban-Territorial Plan for the Municipality of Villa Allende, Province of Córdoba. Scenario 2032”. An evaluative analysis of the results of this experience is carried out in relation to the teaching-learning process proposed by the Chair. The Chair Urbanism IIA belongs to the 5th year of the Architecture Degree and its main objective is that students develop professional competences for the study and intervention of the contemporary city as an integral fact inserted in various territorial and contextual scenarios, from the paradigm of environmental sustainability.Fil: Sanchez, Monica Elisa. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Cebrián, Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Repiso, Luciana Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño. Instituto de Ambiente Humano "liliana Rainis"; ArgentinaFil: Torres, César. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, Jorge. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; Argentin

Construction of Social Sustainability in Milk Production Systems in Central Mexico

Objective: To build mathematical models to evaluate the social sustainability of small-scale milk production systems. Design/Methodology/Approach: Thirty small-scale cowsheds were analyzed. Two models were built using multivariate regression, estimated with ordinary least squares and considering the factors that producers perceive as important for social sustainability. Results: The first model (ER) included tangible variables and the second intangible variables (SR). Both models explained more than 80% of the variables associated with social sustainability. Study Limitations/Implications: The results represent an effort to link the statistical analysis with qualitative data that is difficult to quantify. Conclusions: The ER and SR models represent a proposal for counting immaterial indicators so they can be incorporated into the sustainability analysis. Both models could be a methodological proposal to connect statistical data with purely qualitative data such as perceptionThis study is part of the project with key 129449/2009 financed by CONACy

Dynamics and structure of research in swine health in Mexico: A methodological approach

Objective: Characterized the socio-structural dynamics on research in pig veterinary and health in Mexico. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from the IPVS Congresses Memories from 2010-2018. The study unit were authors and co-authors to the papers. Social Network analysis was used to understand the dynamics of research groups. The UCINET 6 for Windows was used to the analysis. Results: In the area to pig veterinary and health, 63% of the research has been carried out by universities and research centers, and the rest by the private initiative. The most active universities with research are UNAM with 34% of the papers presented, followed by INIFAP with 9%, the UAEMex and University of Yucatán. The main areas of research in pig health were PRRS, Circovirus, Influenza, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea among others. Limitations on study/implications: This work only considered the scientific information in pig veterinary contained in memories of the IPVS Congresses of 2010-2018. Displaying this works networks makes it possible to detect spaces to creates research policies.  Findings/conclusions: Research about pig veterinary health in Mexico is focused in five working groups, so knowing who is key actors will allow adequate dissemination of the informationObjective: To characterize the socio-structural dynamics in the field of swine health research in Mexico. Design/methodology/approach: The data used were obtained from proceedings of IPVS international conferences from 2010-2018. The study unit was the result of co-authorships. The Social Networks Analysis (SNA) was used to understand the working dynamics of the research groups through the UCINET 6 software for Windows. Results: In the area of swine health and veterinary science, 63% of the research has depended on higher education institutions and research centers and the rest on the private sector. The most active universities with research are Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (34%), Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (9%), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, and Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. The main research areas in swine diseases were PRRS, Circovirus, Influenza, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea, among others. Limitations on study/implications: This study was done considering only scientific information about swine health contained in proceedings of IPVS Conferences from 2010-2018. To visualize these working networks allows detecting spaces for possibility in terms of creation of research policies. Findings/conclusions: The research about swine health in Mexico is concentrated in five working groups, which is why understanding these key stakeholders will allow greater dissemination of the information

Elementos potencialmente tóxicos y biomoléculas en sedimentos de la laguna costera Santa María La Reforma (Sinaloa, México)

Con el propósito de conocer la distribución y comportamiento de elementos potencialmente tóxicos (EPTs: Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb y Zn), así como su relación con la composición de la materia orgánica, se recolectó sedimento superficial en 23 sitios de la laguna costera Santa María – La Reforma (Sinaloa, México). Las muestras fueron tomadas desde una embarcación usando una draga en abril de 2015. Para cada sitio se determinaron los contenidos de carbono orgánico e inorgánico, las concentraciones de los EPTs, carbohidratos, proteínas y lípidos y el tamaño promedio del sedimento. En general, la fracción dominante fue arena fina a media, aunque en algunos sitios predominaron los limos. Las concentraciones de EPTs siguieron el orden Al >>> Ba ≈ Pb ≈ Zn > Cr ≈ Cu > Ni ≈ As ≈ Co. A excepción de Pb y As, todos los EPTs presentaron concentraciones por debajo de los niveles umbrales de efecto tóxico sugerido por la NOAA. En el caso de Pb y As, 11 y 16 sitios respectivamente, mostraron concentraciones superiores a dichos niveles, pero no sobrepasan los niveles de efecto probable sobre la biota. Los factores de enriquecimiento de los EPTs indican que Pb y As presentan enriquecimientos severos en algunos sitios de la laguna. A excepción de As, todos los EPTs se correlacionaron entre sí, indicando una fuente común, posiblemente litogénica. Asimismo, dichos elementos se correlacionaron con la concentración de carbohidratos, componente principal de la materia orgánica almacenada en los sedimentos de la laguna. Los resultados de este trabajo constituyen una herramienta clave para generar estrategias para el manejo y la conservación de esta laguna costera, ya que en ella se localizan 143 granjas camaroneras (12, 000 ha) y se extraen moluscos y peces para consumo humano.Fil: Giarratano, Erica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Faleschini, Mauricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Américo Iadran. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Rivera Hernández, José. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Gil, Monica Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Green-Ruiz, Carlos. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoIV Reunión Argentina de Geoquímica de la SuperficiePuerto MadrynArgentinaInstituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas ContinentalesCentro para el Estudio de Sistemas MarinosUniversidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan BoscoUniversidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Chubu

The Quest for Dual and Binary Supermassive Black Holes: A Multi-Messenger View

The quest for binary and dual supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at the dawn of the multi-messenger era is compelling. Detecting dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) – active SMBHs at projected separations larger than several parsecs – and binary AGN – probing the scale where SMBHs are bound in a Keplerian binary – is an observational challenge. The study of AGN pairs (either dual or binary) also represents an overarching theoretical problem in cosmology and astrophysics. The AGN triggering calls for detailed knowledge of the hydrodynamical conditions of gas in the imminent surroundings of the SMBHs and, at the same time, their duality calls for detailed knowledge on how galaxies assemble through major and minor mergers and grow fed by matter along the filaments of the cosmic web. This review describes the techniques used across the electromagnetic spectrum to detect dual and binary AGN candidates and proposes new avenues for their search. The current observational status is compared with the state-of-the-art numerical simulations and models for formation of dual and binary AGN. Binary SMBHs are among the loudest sources of gravitational waves (GWs) in the Universe. The search for a background of GWs at nHz frequencies from inspiralling SMBHs at low redshifts, and the direct detection of signals from their coalescence by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna in the next decade, make this a theme of major interest for multi-messenger astrophysics. This review discusses the future facilities and observational strategies that are likely to significantly advance this fascinating field

Milking to 2030: economic and sustainability prospective of the Mexican dairy sector

Objective: This study aims to assess the productive and economic performance of the Mexican milk sector, particularly focusing on small and medium-scale dairy farms, and examining pessimistic, base, and optimistic scenarios. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a statistical univariate method with time series analysis (ARIMA), we analyzed productive efficiency and price behavior in Mexican dairy systems. Deterministic and stochastic estimations for production volume, milk price, and cattle inventory from 2021 to 2030 were established using confidence intervals to construct pessimistic (lower interval), base (mean), and optimistic (upper interval) scenarios. Results: The evaluated period witnessed an estimated 10.27% increase in production, equivalent to 576 million liters of milk, with an average annual growth rate of 1.0922%. Milk prices displayed an upward trend, with average prices of $0.66,$0.69, and $0.72 under pessimistic, base, and optimistic scenarios, respectively. In 2030, a 22$0.45 USD per liter in 2030, costs under pessimistic, base, and optimistic scenarios were $1,658.21,$1,756.43, and $1,855.31, resulting in profits of$1,160.75, $1,229.50, and$1,022.45 from milk sales. Cattle inventory exhibited an upward trend, paralleling milk volumes and prices. Limitations on study/implications: The study's use of a univariate method may incompletely capture market dynamics complexity, potentially underestimating the impact of external market forces and global economic conditions on milk prices. Findings/conclusions: To secure forecasted milk volumes in base and optimistic scenarios, maintaining and enhancing good management practices is crucial. Additionally, addressing the imperative to augment production efficiency and improve environmental sustainability and animal welfare is essential.Objective: This study aims to assess the productive and economic performance of the Mexican milk sector, particularly focusing on small and medium-scale dairy farms, and examining pessimistic, base, and optimistic scenarios. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a statistical univariate method with time series analysis (ARIMA), we analyzed productive efficiency and price behavior in Mexican dairy systems. Deterministic and stochastic estimations for production volume, milk price, and cattle inventory from 2021 to 2030 were established using confidence intervals to construct pessimistic (lower interval), base (mean), and optimistic (upper interval) scenarios. Results: The evaluated period witnessed an estimated 10.27% increase in production, equivalent to 576 million liters of milk, with an average annual growth rate of 1.0922%. Milk prices displayed an upward trend, with average prices of $0.66,$0.69, and $0.72 under pessimistic, base, and optimistic scenarios, respectively. In 2030, a 22$0.45 USD per liter in 2030, costs under pessimistic, base, and optimistic scenarios were $1,658.21,$1,756.43, and $1,855.31, resulting in profits of$1,160.75, $1,229.50, and$1,022.45 from milk sales. Cattle inventory exhibited an upward trend, paralleling milk volumes and prices. Limitations on study/implications: The study's use of a univariate method may incompletely capture market dynamics complexity, potentially underestimating the impact of external market forces and global economic conditions on milk prices. Findings/conclusions: To secure forecasted milk volumes in base and optimistic scenarios, maintaining and enhancing good management practices is crucial. Additionally, addressing the imperative to augment production efficiency and improve environmental sustainability and animal welfare is essential

New approach methods to assess developmental and adult neurotoxicity for regulatory use: a PARC work package 5 project

In the European regulatory context, rodent in vivo studies are the predominant source of neurotoxicity information. Although they form a cornerstone of neurotoxicological assessments, they are costly and the topic of ethical debate. While the public expects chemicals and products to be safe for the developing and mature nervous systems, considerable numbers of chemicals in commerce have not, or only to a limited extent, been assessed for their potential to cause neurotoxicity. As such, there is a societal push toward the replacement of animal models with in vitro or alternative methods. New approach methods (NAMs) can contribute to the regulatory knowledge base, increase chemical safety, and modernize chemical hazard and risk assessment. Provided they reach an acceptable level of regulatory relevance and reliability, NAMs may be considered as replacements for specific in vivo studies. The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) addresses challenges to the development and implementation of NAMs in chemical risk assessment. In collaboration with regulatory agencies, Project 5.2.1e (Neurotoxicity) aims to develop and evaluate NAMs for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) and adult neurotoxicity (ANT) and to understand the applicability domain of specific NAMs for the detection of endocrine disruption and epigenetic perturbation. To speed up assay time and reduce costs, we identify early indicators of later-onset effects. Ultimately, we will assemble second-generation developmental neurotoxicity and first-generation adult neurotoxicity test batteries, both of which aim to provide regulatory hazard and risk assessors and industry stakeholders with robust, speedy, lower-cost, and informative next-generation hazard and risk assessment tools

Evolution of Quality of Life and Treatment Adherence after One Year of Intermittent Bladder Catheterisation in Functional Urology Unit Patients

Objective: To determine patient difficulties and concerns when performing IBC (Intermittent Bladder Catheterisation), as well as the evolution of adherence, quality of life, and emotional state of patients one year after starting IBC. Method: A prospective, observational, multicentre study conducted in 20 Spanish hospitals with a one-year follow-up. Data sources were patient records and the King's Health Questionnaire on quality of life, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Perceived adherence was measured using the ICAS (Intermittent Catheterization Adherence Scale) and perceived difficulties with IBC were assessed using the ICDQ (Intermittent Catheterization Difficulty Questionnaire). For data analysis, descriptive and bivariate statistics were performed for paired data at three points in time (T1: one month, T2: three months, T3: one year). Results: A total of 134 subjects initially participated in the study (T0), becoming 104 subjects at T1, 91 at T2, and 88 at T3, with a mean age of 39 years (standard deviation = 22.16 years). Actual IBC adherence ranged from 84.8% at T1 to 84.1% at T3. After one year of follow-up, a statistically significant improvement in quality of life (p <= 0.05) was observed in all dimensions with the exception of personal relationships. However, there were no changes in the levels of anxiety (p = 0.190) or depression (p = 0.682) at T3 compared to T0. Conclusions: Patients requiring IBC exhibit good treatment adherence, with a significant proportion of them performing self-catheterisation. After one year of IBC, a significant improvement in quality of life was noted, albeit with a significant impact on their daily lives and their personal and social relationships. Patient support programmes could be implemented to improve their ability to cope with difficulties and thus enhance both their quality of life and the maintenance of their adherence

Native American ancestry significantly contributes to neuromyelitis optica susceptibility in the admixed Mexican population

Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease with a higher prevalence in non-European populations. Because the Mexican population resulted from the admixture between mainly Native American and European populations, we used genome-wide microarray, HLA high-resolution typing and AQP4 gene sequencing data to analyze genetic ancestry and to seek genetic variants conferring NMO susceptibility in admixed Mexican patients. A total of 164 Mexican NMO patients and 1,208 controls were included. On average, NMO patients had a higher proportion of Native American ancestry than controls (68.1% vs 58.6%; p = 5 × 10–6). GWAS identified a HLA region associated with NMO, led by rs9272219 (OR = 2.48, P = 8 × 10–10). Class II HLA alleles HLA-DQB1*03:01, -DRB1*08:02, -DRB1*16:02, -DRB1*14:06 and -DQB1*04:02 showed the most significant associations with NMO risk. Local ancestry estimates suggest that all the NMO-associated alleles within the HLA region are of Native American origin. No novel or missense variants in the AQP4 gene were found in Mexican patients with NMO or multiple sclerosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study supporting the notion that Native American ancestry significantly contributes to NMO susceptibility in an admixed population, and is consistent with differences in NMO epidemiology in Mexico and Latin America.Fil: Romero Hidalgo, Sandra. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Flores Rivera, José. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Rivas Alonso, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Barquera, Rodrigo. Max Planck Institute For The Science Of Human History; Alemania. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia; MéxicoFil: Villarreal Molina, María Teresa. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Antuna Puente, Bárbara. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Macias Kauffer, Luis Rodrigo. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Villalobos Comparán, Marisela. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Ortiz Maldonado, Jair. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Yu, Neng. American Red Cross; Estados UnidosFil: Lebedeva, Tatiana V.. American Red Cross; Estados UnidosFil: Alosco, Sharon M.. American Red Cross; Estados UnidosFil: García Rodríguez, Juan Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: González Torres, Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Rosas Madrigal, Sandra. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Ordoñez, Graciela. Neuroimmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Guerrero Camacho, Jorge Luis. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Treviño Frenk, Irene. American British Cowdray Medical Center; México. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Escamilla Tilch, Monica. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: García Lechuga, Maricela. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Tovar Méndez, Víctor Hugo. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Pacheco Ubaldo, Hanna. Instituto Nacional de Antropología E Historia. Escuela Nacional de Antropología E Historia; MéxicoFil: Acuña Alonzo, Victor. Instituto Nacional de Antropología E Historia. Escuela Nacional de Antropología E Historia; MéxicoFil: Bortolini, María Cátira. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Gallo, Carla. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; PerúFil: Bedoya Berrío, Gabriel. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Rothhammer, Francisco. Universidad de Tarapacá; ChileFil: Gonzalez-Jose, Rolando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz Linares, Andrés. Colegio Universitario de Londres; Reino UnidoFil: Canizales Quinteros, Samuel. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Yunis, Edmond. Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Granados, Julio. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Corona, Teresa. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; Méxic

A Simple Standard for Sharing Ontological Mappings (SSSOM).

Despite progress in the development of standards for describing and exchanging scientific information, the lack of easy-to-use standards for mapping between different representations of the same or similar objects in different databases poses a major impediment to data integration and interoperability. Mappings often lack the metadata needed to be correctly interpreted and applied. For example, are two terms equivalent or merely related? Are they narrow or broad matches? Or are they associated in some other way? Such relationships between the mapped terms are often not documented, which leads to incorrect assumptions and makes them hard to use in scenarios that require a high degree of precision (such as diagnostics or risk prediction). Furthermore, the lack of descriptions of how mappings were done makes it hard to combine and reconcile mappings, particularly curated and automated ones. We have developed the Simple Standard for Sharing Ontological Mappings (SSSOM) which addresses these problems by: (i) Introducing a machine-readable and extensible vocabulary to describe metadata that makes imprecision, inaccuracy and incompleteness in mappings explicit. (ii) Defining an easy-to-use simple table-based format that can be integrated into existing data science pipelines without the need to parse or query ontologies, and that integrates seamlessly with Linked Data principles. (iii) Implementing open and community-driven collaborative workflows that are designed to evolve the standard continuously to address changing requirements and mapping practices. (iv) Providing reference tools and software libraries for working with the standard. In this paper, we present the SSSOM standard, describe several use cases in detail and survey some of the existing work on standardizing the exchange of mappings, with the goal of making mappings Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR). The SSSOM specification can be found at http://w3id.org/sssom/spec. Database URL: http://w3id.org/sssom/spec