La construcción del paisaje urbano histórico: desde una mirada interdisciplinar y ciudadana: el caso de Cuenca, Ecuador

El Centro Histórico de Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca fue inscrito en 1999 en la Lista de Patrimonio Mundial (LPM) de la Unesco. La ausencia de un Plan de Gestión de dicho Centro Histórico ha provocado que en los últimos 15 años que han transcurrido desde su Declaratoria se pongan en peligro los valores excepcionales universales en los que se apoyan los criterios para su inscripción en la LPM. En la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de Cuenca se ha iniciado un proyecto de investigación cuyo objetivo es la aplicación de la Recomendación del Paisaje Urbano Histórico (PUH) en la ciudad de Cuenca. Este estudio se concibe como una nueva manera de pensar en la protección e intervención del Centro Histórico de Cuenca, al tiempo que elaborar una propuesta para el desarrollo urbano futuro de la ciudad de Cuenca a partir de sus valores culturales. Debido a la amplitud conceptual del proyecto y a la complejidad de la cuestión patrimonial en el ámbito urbano, se ha considerado necesario la incorporación de disciplinas como el medioambiente, la economía, la arquitectura, la antropología, la arqueología y la geología. Sin embargo, la gran apuesta de este proyecto es convertir al ciudadano en el auténtico protagonista de la investigación, ya que son realmente los cuencanos de a pie quienes disponen de esa información de primera mano para elaborar un diagnóstico y una propuesta de intervención en la ciudad. Se considera fundamental entender el protagonismo activo de la ciudadanía como un proceso de cambio social y sostenibilidad. Se trata de construir entre todos en un proceso de reflexión conjunta como es la ciudad que queremos. La vinculación de Cuenca con el más reciente enfoque de gestión del Patrimonio definido por la Unesco en 2011, el del Paisaje Urbano Histórico (PUH), tiene sus inicios en el 2013 a partir de las investigaciones que desarrolla el Proyecto vlirCPM “Manejo y Preservación de la Ciudad Patrimonio Mundial”. El proyecto vlirCPM, nace a partir de una alianza internacional estratégica entre la Universidad de Cuenca y el VLIR (Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad), cuya contraparte específica es la Universidad Católica de Leuven (K.U. Leuven). Una de las líneas de investigación de este proyecto es precisamente la del “Paisaje Urbano Histórico”, consolidada durante el año 2014, gracias al grupo de investigadores involucrados en ella. Como productos de esta fase de investigación se obtuvo la Tesis de Posgrado: «Historic Urban Landscape units for the Historic City Center of Cuenca and its Buffer Zones», redactada por María Eugenia Siguencia, y el Proyecto de Investigación «La intervención en los bienes y en el paisaje. La aplicación de la figura de Paisaje Urbano Histórico como herramienta de desarrollo sostenible» elaborado en el seno del Programa Beca Prometeo por la PhD. Julia Rey Pére

Effect of a lifestyle intervention in obese infertile women on cardiometabolic health and quality of life:A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND:The prevalence of obesity, an important cardiometabolic risk factor, is rising in women. Lifestyle improvements are the first step in treatment of obesity, but the success depends on factors like timing and motivation. Women are especially receptive to advice about lifestyle before and during pregnancy. Therefore, we hypothesize that the pre-pregnancy period provides the perfect window of opportunity to improve cardiometabolic health and quality of life of obese infertile women, by means of a lifestyle intervention. METHODS AND FINDINGS:Between 2009-2012, 577 infertile women between 18 and 39 years of age, with a Body Mass Index of ≥ 29 kg/m2, were randomized to a six month lifestyle intervention preceding infertility treatment, or to direct infertility treatment. The goal of the intervention was 5-10% weight loss or a BMI < 29 kg/m2. Cardiometabolic outcomes included weight, waist- and hip circumference, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin, HOMA-IR, hs-CRP, lipids and metabolic syndrome. All outcomes were measured by research nurses at randomization, 3 and 6 months. Self-reported quality of life was also measured at 12 months. Three participants withdrew their informed consent, and 63 participants discontinued the intervention program. Intention to treat analysis was conducted. Mixed effects regression models analyses were performed. Results are displayed as estimated mean differences between intervention and control group. Weight (-3.1 kg 95% CI: -4.0 to -2.2 kg; P < .001), waist circumference (-2.4 cm 95% CI: -3.6 to -1.1 cm; P < .001), hip circumference (-3.0 95% CI: -4.2 to -1.9 cm; P < .001), BMI (-1.2 kg/m2 95% CI: -1.5 to -0.8 kg/m2; P < .001), systolic blood pressure (-2.8 mmHg 95% CI: -5.0 to -0.7 mmHg; P = .01) and HOMA-IR (-0.5 95% CI: -0.8 to -0.1; P = .01) were lower in the intervention group compared to controls. Hs-CRP and lipids did not differ between groups. The odds ratio for metabolic syndrome in the intervention group was 0.53 (95% CI: 0.33 to 0.85; P < .01) compared to controls. Physical QoL scores were higher in the lifestyle intervention group (2.2 95% CI: 0.9 to 3.5; P = .001) while mental QoL scores did not differ. CONCLUSIONS:In obese infertile women, a lifestyle intervention prior to infertility treatment improves cardiometabolic health and self-reported physical quality of life (LIFEstyle study: Netherlands Trial Register: NTR1530)

Correction:How the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the necessity of animal research (vol 30, pg R1014, 2020)

(Current Biology 30, R1014–R1018; September 21, 2020) As a result of an author oversight in the originally published version of this article, a number of errors were introduced in the author list and affiliations. First, the middle initials were omitted from the names of several authors. Second, the surname of Dr. van Dam was mistakenly written as “Dam.” Third, the first name of author Bernhard Englitz was misspelled as “Bernard” and the surname of author B.J.A. Pollux was misspelled as “Pullox.” Finally, Dr. Keijer's first name was abbreviated rather than written in full. These errors, as well as various errors in the author affiliations, have now been corrected online

Asian Theoretical and Best-Practice Framework for the Historic Urban Landscape: Heritage for the Future

New approaches to both cultural landscapes and historic urban landscapes increasingly recognize the need to guide future change, rather than simply protecting the fabric of the past. Challenging traditional notions of historic preservation, Conserving Cultural Landscapes takes a dynamic multifaceted approach to conservation. It builds on the premise that a successful approach to urban and cultural landscape conservation recognizes cultural as well as natural values, sustains traditional connections to place, and engages people in stewardship where they live and work. It brings together academics within the humanities and humanistic social sciences, conservation and preservation professionals, practitioners, and stakeholders to rethink the meaning and practice of cultural heritage conservation, encourage international cooperation, and stimulate collaborative research and scholarship

Reconnecting the City : the Historic Urban Landscape Approach and the Future of Urban Heritage

Il libro è una collezione di saggi di diversii autori ed esamina due aspetti della conservazione delle città storiche secondo l'approccio del Paesaggio Urbano Storico: la stratificazione dei valori urbani, sia nel contesto naturale che nel contesto costruito e sociale; lo strumentario necessario alla applicazione dell'approccio

The historic urban landscape : managing heritage in an urban century / by Francesco Bandarin and Ron Van Oers.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [217]-228) and index.Book fair 2013.xxv, 236 p.

Wedding cultural heritage and sustainable development: three years after

Purpose: This paper is an editorial to JCHMSD's Volume 4, Issue 1 and its selection of papers. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the first three years of editorship, reporting a critical self-assessment on the progress achieved today in relation to JCHMSD's initial aims and objectives, embedded in the state-of-the-art. Design/methodology/approach: The paper builds upon editorship observations exchanged among the editorial team over the last three years and a literature review on the 42 papers published in JCHMSD. The literature review focuses primarily on: purposes and design/methodology/approaches. The ways forward sets a research agenda, challenging those contributing to the unexplored questions with their research and/or practices, to join the JCHMSD community and enable a broader audience to, at least, learn from them. Findings: JCHMSD's three aims have been achieved. The journal is publishing innovative research and practices, relating cultural heritage management and sustainable development, developing both skills and knowledge, with contributions from authors worldwide. A global aim being targeted by a rich variety of disciplines and approaches, from factual economy to critical anthropology. Approaches so far have been primarily qualitative, exploring pilot projects or case studies. Unfortunately, some conclusions of the papers lacked self-reflection, contextualizing findings to the explored case study, methods and sources. Originality/value: More than providing answers or secret recipes, this paper aims to raise questions and draft a research agenda of relevance for JCHMSD's readership, reflecting on the state-of-the-art and selected papers in relation to their purposes and design/methodology/approaches. It also positions 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in this challenging discussion

Aligning agendas for sustainable development in the post 2015 world

Purpose – This paper is an editorial to JCHMSD’s Volume 4 Issue 2 and its selection of papers. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents some of the ongoing discussions at the international level on the establishment of new United Nations global objectives for development, known as the Sustainable Development Goals, which should guide progress in the world for the next 15 years. Two agendas for wise heritage management are discussed, one for the protection of nature and the other for better use of culture, which taken together could make a significant difference in stewarding the world’s precious resources. Findings – While the previous Millennium Development Goals, established in 2000 as a set of eight goals with 19 targets, have been criticised as too broad, the current proposed Sustainable Development Goals, containing 17 goals and 169 targets to measure progress, are perhaps too many and too detailed and thereby risk failure of implementation. It also illustrates the ambition and the challenges of a pluralistic world with widely divergent priorities, reinforcing the idea of context-specificity of heritage conservation and resources management. Originality/value – This editorial further extends on the discussion that was started in the inaugural Editorial, of 2011, which stated that “the international debate is expected to intensify as regards a re-orientation of the concept of sustainability and to re-emphasise its meaning in clear and unambiguous terms” (JCHMSD, 1.1:9)

Aligning agendas for sustainable development in the post 2015 world

\u3cp\u3ePurpose – This paper is an editorial to JCHMSD’s Volume 4 Issue 2 and its selection of papers.\u3c/p\u3e\u3cp\u3eDesign/methodology/approach – The paper presents some of the ongoing discussions at the international level on the establishment of new United Nations global objectives for development, known as the Sustainable Development Goals, which should guide progress in the world for the next 15 years. Two agendas for wise heritage management are discussed, one for the protection of nature and the other for better use of culture, which taken together could make a significant difference in stewarding the world’s precious resources.\u3c/p\u3e\u3cp\u3eFindings – While the previous Millennium Development Goals, established in 2000 as a set of eight goals with 19 targets, have been criticised as too broad, the current proposed Sustainable Development Goals, containing 17 goals and 169 targets to measure progress, are perhaps too many and too detailed and thereby risk failure of implementation. It also illustrates the ambition and the challenges of a pluralistic world with widely divergent priorities, reinforcing the idea of context-specificity of heritage conservation and resources management.\u3c/p\u3e\u3cp\u3eOriginality/value – This editorial further extends on the discussion that was started in the inaugural Editorial, of 2011, which stated that “the international debate is expected to intensify as regards a re-orientation of the concept of sustainability and to re-emphasise its meaning in clear and unambiguous terms” (JCHMSD, 1.1:9).\u3c/p\u3