Project Trama Work in network in initial teacher training

TRAMA és el nom que rep el projecte impulsat i finançat per la Fundació Jaume Bofill, amb la intenció de fomentar la construcció de coneixement sobre l'adquisició de competencies sobre treball en xarxa. TRAMA és un projecte de recerca-acció que persegueix la millora en la innovació docent universitària. El seu inici cal situar-lo al gener de 2007, i la seva finalització és prevista pel mes de juny de 2008. Actualment, ja no podem parlar d'una epoca de canvis, sinó que ens trobem en un canvi d'època. Pel que fa a l'educació, aquesta situació implica un canvi en la manera d'entendre-la i planteja la necessitats de repensar-la.TRAMA es el nombre que recibe el proyecto impulsado y financiado por la Fundació Jaume Bofill, con la intención de fomentar la construcción de conocimiento sobre la adquisición de competencias sobre trabajo en red. TRAMA es un proyecto de investigación acción que persigue la mejora en la innovación docente universitaria. Su inicio hay que situarlo en enero de 2007, y está prevista su finalización en junio de 2008. Actualmente ya no podemos hablar de una época de cambios, sinó que nos encontramos en un cambio de época. Respecto a la educación, esta situación implica un cambio en la forma de entenderla y plantea la necesidad de repensarla.TRAMA is the name of the project sponsored and funded by the Jaume Bofill fundation to foster knowledge building about acquisition of competences on working in network . TRAMA is a research-action project aimed teachiing innovation in university teaching. Starring in January 2007, it is expected to end it June 2008. We cannot yet postulate an era of change, rather a change of era . This implies a change in our way or seeing education and the need to rethink it

“We are passionate about our social performance” Communicating CSR on the corporate website of a tobacco company

Objectives of the study: The thesis is an investigation about the CSR communication of a tobacco company on its corporate website. The study is focused on one case company. The aim is to examine how the case company manages the dilemma between its controversial business and CSR, through its main communication tool (the corporate website). The research questions are formulated as follows: 1) How does the case company communicate about CSR on its website: which issues are emphasized, which textual and rhetorical features are used, and to what extent existing social and political discourses are replicated? 2) What are the expectations of the audience in terms of CSR from a tobacco company? 3) Is the case company’s CSR communication in line with the expectations of the audience? Methodology and theoretical framework: The methods for the study consisted of a critical discourse analysis of the textual material regarding CSR on the selected website, and a web survey. The analysis of the CSR communicative material was based on a model developed by Nielsen and Thomsen (2007), through which CSR communication is studied from four dimensions: perspective, stakeholder priorities, context, and ambition level of the company. The web survey aimed to determine the opinions and expectations of the audience about CSR and tobacco companies. The results from each of the two parts of the analysis were compared, in order to determine which elements of the case company’s CSR communication are suitable to the audience expectations, and which should be corrected. Findings and conclusions: The case company communicates extensively and in detail about CSR. The survey’s results show that this is advisable, in that credibility of the CSR information was linked by respondents to data supporting CSR statements. The CSR topics emphasized by the case company, namely communication of the health risks of smoking, tobacco regulation, environmental responsibility, employees, local communities and philanthropy, are in line with the expectations of the audience, but the importance given to the topics does not correspond to the preferences of the audience. The communication is based on the naturalization of neo-liberal principles, but fails to address aspects that have been recently questioned in the debate about the social responsibility of companies. Hence, some limitations are stressed regarding the case company’s ability to effectively communicate about CSR

Efecto de plaguicidas sobre macroinvertebrados bentónicos y calidad del agua, en cultivos de arroz del Bajo Piura

Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Escuela de Posgrado. Doctorado en Recursos HídricosEl objetivo fue evaluar el efecto de los agroquímicos (plaguicidas y nutrientes) utilizados en el cultivo de arroz sobre la comunidad de macroinvertebrados bentónicos y la calidad del agua en la cuenca baja del río Piura y el Manglar de San Pedro de Vice (MSPV). Además, se evaluó el tipo de manejo de agroquímicos realizado por los agricultores. Se tomaron muestras de macroinvertebrados (método sustratos artificiales) y de agua para análisis de nutrientes, fisicoquímicos y plaguicidas en tres puntos principales P1 (entrada de agua de riego), P2 (drenaje principal) y P3 (canal que desemboca en el MSPV) y en tres parcelas de arroz individuales dentro del sistema de riego seleccionado. Se realizaron 102 entrevistas semi-estructuradas al azar, a los agricultores que en ese momento estaban sembrado arroz. Los resultados indican que las comunidades de macroinvertebrados cambiaron al avanzar en el sistema de riego y entre las tres parcelas de arroz. El punto P1 presentó una riqueza total de macroinvertebrados (32) mayor que el punto P2 (31) y P3 (15). El índice de calidad BMWP-Col fue mayor en la entrada de agua (Control - 81) que en el drenaje (59) y que el canal que va al manglar (32) mostrando una calidad de agua aceptable, dudosa y crítica respectivamente. Las parcelas de arroz individuales evaluadas presentaron diferencias entre sí, pero siempre con valores de riqueza, diversidad y abundancia menores que en los puntos principales de muestreo. Se detectaron 8 plaguicidas en los análisis de laboratorio, de los cuales 7 son altamente peligrosos y uno (Clorobencilato) está prohibido para el Perú desde el año 1999. Dos de plaguicidas (Carbosulfán y Etoprofos) fueron detectados en el MSPV y en concentraciones mayores al límite máximo permitido. La mayoría de los agricultores no utilizan medidas de protección para aplicar los plaguicidas y los envases no son dispuestos de forma adecuada.The objective was to evaluate the effect of agrochemicals (pesticides and nutrients) used in the rice crop on the benthic macroinvertebrate community and the water quality in the lower Piura River basin and in the San Pedro de Vice mangroves (MSPV). In addition, farmers were interviewed to evaluate what agrochemicals and how they applied to the crop. Samples of macroinvertebrates (artificial substrate method) and water for analysis of nutrients, chemical and pesticides in three main points (water inlet) P1, P2 (main drain) and P3 (channel which empties into the MSPV) and in three of rice plots were taken. 102 random semi-structured interviews were carried out to farmers who at that time were working in rice crop. The results suggested that macroinvertebrate communities have changed along the irrigation system and among the three plots of rice. The point P1 presented a total richness of macroinvertebrates (32) greater than the point P2 (31) and P3 (15). The water quality index BMWP-Col was higher in the Control (81) than the drain (59) and the channel that goes to the mangrove (32), showing an acceptable, doubted and critical water quality respectively. The evaluated individual plots of rice presented differences of richness, diversity, and abundance among themselves, but always with values lower than in the main points. 8 pesticides were detected in the water analysis, 7 of which are highly dangerous and one (chlorobenzilate) is prohibited for the Peru since 1999. Two pesticides (Carbosulfan and Ethoprophos) were detected in the MSPV with concentrations above the permissible maximum limit. The majority of farmers do not use protective measures to apply pesticides and containers are not arranged properly.Tesi

Anthropic pressures on Nature 2000 Sites: recommendations and monitoring criteria for the pollution emergency response activities within the Orbetello lagoon

L’elevato valore naturalistico e socioeconomico di un Sito Natura 2000 richiede che tutte le attività antropiche che si svolgono al suo interno (es. pesca, turismo, trasporti, attività industriali, etc.) siano gestite in maniera tale da non pregiudicare le specie e gli habitat per i quali l’area è stata designata. Molti di questi Siti sono ambienti di transizione, ovvero zone che costituiscono il passaggio naturale tra terra e mare. La loro posizione di interfaccia tra questi due ambienti li rende ecosistemi unici e biologicamente molto produttivi, sede di meccanismi di regolazione dei processi interattivi della biosfera nelle due fasi, terrestre e marina. In alcuni Siti la presenza di attività antropiche diffuse e prolungate nel tempo ha portato al riscontro di stati di contaminazione elevata, fino all’inclusione di queste zone, o parti di esse, tra i Siti di bonifica di Interesse Nazionale (SIN). Il presente lavoro descrive le linee di indirizzo e le attività di monitoraggio da attuare per la salvaguardia della salute pubblica e dell’ambiente nel corso degli interventi di messa in sicurezza di emergenza predisposti nell’area lagunare antistante l’area industriale Ex Sitoco, all’interno della perimetrazione del SIN di Orbetello, incluso in un Sito di Importanza Comunitaria. Le matrici ambientali potenzialmente a rischio a causa dell’esecuzione di tali interventi sono: acqua, sedimento, biocenosi acquatiche, avifauna, uomo. È altresì importante valutare gli effetti che le ipotetiche modifiche su microscala, apportate a livello di ogni matrice, potrebbero causare nel lungo periodo su macroscala.The high naturalistic and socio-economic value of Natura 2000 sites requires that all human activities performed within their borders (e.g. fishing, tourism, transports, industrial activities) are regulated. Indeed, the site management should assure the effective safeguard of all species and habitats of European interest included in the protected area. A lot of such sites are located in transitional environments, that are areas characterised by a natural progression from the terrestrial to the water environments. Such environments include unique and very productive habitats, and they represent the regulation mechanisms of the interactive processes of the terrestrial and marine biosphere. In some sites, the presence of human activities that are distributed both in space and time has led to high levels of contamination, that in some cases even required their inclusion in Reclamation Sites of National Interest (SIN). The present study describes the planning and monitoring activities to be performed in order to safeguard human and environment health during the actions of MISE in the lagoonal area in front of the industrial area Ex Sitoco, within the borders of the Orbetello SIN, included in a SCI. The environmental parameters that are potentially at risk due to such activities are: water, sediment, water biocenosis, birds, humans. Furthermore, it is important to evaluate the effects that potential variations at the microscale level may cause at the macroscale level

Tunable spin and orbital Edelstein effect at (111) LaAlO3_3/SrTiO3_3 interface

Converting charge current into spin current is one of the main mechanisms exploited in spintronics. One prominent example is the Edelstein effect, namely the generation of a magnetization in response to an external electric field, which can be realized in systems with lack of inversion symmetry. If a system has electrons with an orbital angular momentum character, an orbital magnetization can be generated by the applied electric field giving rise to the so-called orbital Edelstein effect. Oxide heterostructures are the ideal platform for these effects due to the strong spin-orbit coupling and the lack of inversion symmetries. Beyond a gate-tunable spin Edelstein effect, we predict an orbital Edelstein effect an order of magnitude larger then the spin one at the (111) LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ interface. We model the material as a bilayer of $t_{2g}$ orbitals using a tight-binding approach, while transport properties are obtained in the Boltzmann approach. We give an effective model at low filling which explains the non-trivial behaviour of the Edelstein response, showing that the hybridization between the electronic bands crucially impacts the Edelstein susceptibility.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

Detection of Candida species in vaginal samples in a clinical laboratory setting.

OBJECTIVE: To present the detection rates of Candida species in vaginal samples from patients visiting physicians. METHODS: The presence of C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis in 3978 vaginal swabs from patients in six US states was detected by PCR amplification. RESULTS: Candida DNA was detected in 33.1% of the population studied. Of the 1316 positive samples, 80.2% contained C. albicans, 14.3% contained C. glabrata, 5.9% contained C. parapsilosis and 8.0% contained C. tropicalis. Comparing samples by patients' state of residence revealed an association with the detection of C. glabrata (p = 0.029). Comparing samples by patients' age revealed a decrease in the overall detection of Candida (p < 0.001) and C. albicans (p < 0.001), concomitant with an increase in the detection of C. glabrata (p < 0.001) and C. parapsilosis (p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide geographic- and age-specific data on four Candida species associated with vaginitis

Immunometabolic status of covid-19 cancer patients

Cancer patients appear to be more likely to be diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This is supported by the understanding of immuno-metabolic pathways that intersect patients with infection and cancer. However, data derived by case series and retrospective studies do not offer a coherent interpretation, since data from China suggest an increased risk of COVID-19, while data from the United States and Italy show a prevalence of COVID-19 in cancer patients comparable with the general population. Noteworthy, cancer and COVID-19 exploit distinct patterns of macrophage activation that promote disease progression in the most severe forms. In particular, the alternative activation of M2-polarized macrophages plays a crucial role in cancer progression. In contrast, the macrophage-activation syndrome appears as the source of M1-related cytokine storm in severe COVID-19 disease, thus indicating macrophages as a source of distinct inflammatory states in the two diseases, nonethe-less as a common therapeutic target. New evidence indicates that NAMPT/NAD metabolism can direct both innate immune cell effector functions and the homeostatic robustness, in both cancer and infection. Moreover, a bidirectional relationship exists between the metabolism of NAD and the protective role that angiotensin converting enzyme 2, the COVID-19 receptor, can play against hyperinflammation. Within this immunometabolic framework, the review considers possible inter-ference mechanisms that viral infections and tumors elicit on therapies and provides an overview for the management of patients with cancer affected by COVID-19, particularly for the balance of risk and benefit when planning normally routine cancer treatments and follow-up appointments

Pre-exposure prophylaxis with hydroxychloroquine does not prevent covid-19 nor virus related venous thromboembolism

Different and several public health strategies have been planned to reduce transmission of pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2 since it started. None drugs have been confirmed as able to prevent viral transmission. Hydroxychloroquine with its immunomodulatory properties has been proposed as potential anti-viral drug in particular for prevention once viral exposure has been happen or in first phases of infection. Furthermore, in several immunological systemic disease hydroxychloroquine was able to reduce the number of thrombotic complications. So, because COVID-19 was associated to immunological imbalance and to thrombotic complications, we retrospectively analyzed the rate of infection in those patients being under treatment with this drug during COVID-19 epidemic outbreak from 8 March until 28 April in particular comparing those with pre-exposure to this treatment and those that were not taking this medication before SARS-CoV-2 viral infections