Maternidad, sociedad, cultura y religión: ¿conflicto de identidades?

La historia de la mujer ha estado ligada a su rol maternal, en todos los sectores de la sociedad. Tanto en el plano cultural, religioso como político, la identidad femenina se ha fusionado con la maternidad y el llamado “instinto materno”. En este trabajo, reflexionamos sobre el análisis de Simone de Beauvoir que hacen derivar las diferencias entre hombres y mujeres del hecho de que mientras ellas han sido relegadas tareas ligadas a la reproducción de la vida, ellos se han incluido en el campo del conocimiento la ciencia y la técnica, es en lo que ella designa como la condena a la inminencia femenina frente a la posibilidad de trascendencia masculina, condena inseparable de una representación dominante a lo largo de la historia, que identifica feminidad con maternidad (Exposito García, 2004). Analizamos los cambios producidos en sociedades avanzadas y la influencia de la ciencia, la tecnología y los medios de comunicación en un nuevo concepto de la maternidad. Es indiscutible que el análisis de este concepto, debe hacerse desde distintas perspectivas y con un un enfoque histórico-social, dinámico y transformable como cualquier elemento o concepto social

Jardins per a la salut

Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Ensenyament: Grau de Farmàcia. Assignatura: Botànica farmacèutica. Curs: 2014-2015. Coordinadors: Joan Simon, Cèsar Blanché i Maria Bosch.Els materials que aquí es presenten són el recull de les fitxes botàniques de 128 espècies presents en el Jardí Ferran Soldevila de l’Edifici Històric de la UB. Els treballs han estat realitzats manera individual per part dels estudiants dels grups M-3 i T-1 de l’assignatura Botànica Farmacèutica durant els mesos de febrer a maig del curs 2014-15 com a resultat final del Projecte d’Innovació Docent «Jardins per a la salut: aprenentatge servei a Botànica farmacèutica» (codi 2014PID-UB/054). Tots els treballs s’han dut a terme a través de la plataforma de GoogleDocs i han estat tutoritzats pels professors de l’assignatura. L’objectiu principal de l’activitat ha estat fomentar l’aprenentatge autònom i col·laboratiu en Botànica farmacèutica. També s’ha pretès motivar els estudiants a través del retorn de part del seu esforç a la societat a través d’una experiència d’Aprenentatge-Servei, deixant disponible finalment el treball dels estudiants per a poder ser consultable a través d’una Web pública amb la possibilitat de poder-ho fer in-situ en el propi jardí mitjançant codis QR amb un smartphone

Interactions of the Fungal Community in the Complex Patho-System of Esca, a Grapevine Trunk Disease

Worldwide, Esca is a complex and devastating Grapevine Trunk Disease (GTD), characterized by inconstant foliar symptoms and internal wood degradation. A large range of fungal taxa have been reported as causal agents. We applied both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods (Illumina Technology and q-PCR) to investigate this concerning disease. Woods from vines with asymptomatic leaves and vines with leaf Esca symptoms were compared. Internally, different types of wood were found, from healthy wood with black necrosis to wood with white rot. A combination of leaf and wood Esca symptoms resulted in four experimental categories. Although there was no relation with symptoms, culture-independent mycobiome composition revealed Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, a GTD pathogen, as the most abundant species (detected in 85.4% of wood samples, with 14.8% relative abundance). Using TaqMan q-PCR, P. chlamydospora DNA was detected in 60.4% of samples (far from the 18.8% of positive results in the culture-dependent approach). There was a predominance of saprotrophs, even if their abundance was not affected by Esca symptoms. Concerning pathotrophs, the white rot development within grapevines was linked to the abundance of fungi belonging to the Hymenochaetaceae family. The Botryosphaeriaceae family was identified as an indicator for expression of Esca foliar symptoms. Lastly, the Aureobasidiaceae family was found to be a potential biocontrol agent for Esca, since it was most abundant in the control asymptomatic plants

Changes in rhizosphere microbial activity mediated by native or allochthonous AM fungi in the reafforestation of a Mediterranean degraded environment

10 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables.This study was carried out in a semiarid degraded area to assess the effectiveness of mycorrhizal inoculation with a mixture of native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi or an allochthonous AM fungus (Glomus claroideum), on the establishment of Olea europaea subsp. sylvestris L. and Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boissier in this area. Associated changes in the soil microbiological properties and aggregate stability related to these AM inocula were also recorded. Eighteen months after planting, G. claroideum had increased available P in the rhizosphere of both shrub species. In general, both inoculation treatments increased water-soluble C and water-soluble and total carbohydrates, G. claroideum being the most effective inoculum, particularly in R. sphaerocarpa. The mixture of native AM fungi was the most effective treatment for increasing the aggregate stability of R. sphaerocarpa soil, while that of O. europaea was increased only by G. claroideum. Increased (dehydrogenase, urease, protease-BAA, acid phosphatase and -glucosidase) enzyme activities, in particular of dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase, were recorded in the rhizosphere of both mycorrhizal shrub species. The mixture of native AM fungi was the most effective treatment for stimulating the growth of O. europaea and R. sphaerocarpa (11.6-fold and 3.3-fold, respectively, greater than control plants). The establishment of mycorrhizal shrub species favoured the reactivation of soil microbial activity, which was linked to an increase in aggregate stability.This research was supported by the EC + CICYT co-financed FEDER programme (1FD97-0507 FOREST).Peer reviewe

Changes in Physical and Biological Soil Quality Indicators in a Tropical Crop System (Havana, Cuba) in Response to Different Agroecological Management Practices

7 pages, 3 tables.The objective of our study was to assess the response of physical (aggregate stability and bulk density) and biological (enzyme activities and microbial biomass) soil quality indicators to the adoption of agroecological management practices, such as the planting of forage species (forage area) and the rotation of local crops (polycrop area), carried out in a representative tropical pasture on an integrated livestock–crop farm. The pasture system was used as control (pasture area). In all three areas, the values of water-soluble C were higher in the rainy season compared to the dry season. Pasture and forage areas had the highest percentage of stable aggregates in the rainy season, while polycrops developed soils with less stable aggregates. Soil bulk density was lower in the pasture and forage areas than in the polycrop area. In the pasture area, the microbial biomass C values, dehydrogenase, urease, protease-BAA, acid phosphatase, and beta-glucosidase activities were higher than in the forage and polycrop areas, particularly in the dry season. The highest increase in the microbial biomass C in the rainy season, with respect to the dry season, was recorded in the pasture area (about 1.2-fold). In conclusion, the planting of forage species can be considered an effective practice for carrying out sustainable, integrated livestock–crop systems, due to its general maintenance of soil quality, while the adoption of polycrop rotations appears to be less favorable because it decreases soil quality.Peer reviewe

Use of Nitrate Reductase Activity for Assessing Effectiveness of Mycorrhizal Symbiosis in Dorycnium pentaphyllum Under Induced Water Deficit

The effects of arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae or Glomus deserticola on root nitrate reductase (NR) activity, growth parameters, colonization rate and foliar nutrient (NPK) concentrations were assessed in Dorycnium pentaphyllum L. seedlings grown under well-watered (-0.03 MPa) or drought conditions (-0.60 MPa). Under water stress, plants colonized by AM fungi exhibited root dry weights and root/shoot ratios, which were lower than un-inoculated plants. G. deserticola had more effect on N uptake whereas G. intraradices and G. mosseae had more effect on phosphorus (P) uptake under the water-limited conditions tested. Nodulation was inhibited and AM colonization rate was increased by water stress in D. pentaphyllum seedlings inoculated with G. deserticola. Root NR activity increased significantly in G. deserticola-colonized plants, under both well-watered (by 137%) and drought-stressed conditions (by 140%), with respect to un-inoculated plants. NR activity could be used as an index for assessing the effectiveness of fungus-host plant combinations for mitigation of water-deficit stress.Peer reviewe

Application of composted urban residue enhanced the performance of afforested shrub species in a degraded semiarid land

6 pages, 4 tables.Improvement of physical–chemical soil quality is a key step for carrying out revegetation programs of degraded lands in Mediterranean semiarid areas. Organic residue addition may restore the quality of these areas. A field experiment was conducted in a silt-loam soil (Typic Petrocalcid) from a degraded semiarid Mediterranean area to evaluate the effect of the addition of a composted urban residue on soil aggregate stability, bulk density and chemical properties and on the establishment of Pistacia lentiscus and Retama sphaerocarpa seedlings. The composted residue was applied at a rate of 6.7 kg m−2 before planting. The nutrient content (NPK), total organic C and water soluble C were increased and bulk density was decreased, in the rhizosphere soil of both shrub species, by the composted residue. The addition of composted residue significantly increased the soil aggregate stability by about 22% for both shrub species. The beneficial effect of the composted residue on soil quality still persisted 18 months after addition. Eighteen months after planting, the addition of composted residue to soil had increased significantly the production of shoot biomass by P. lentiscus and R. sphaerocarpa, by about 160% and 320% respectively, compared to control values. Composted residue addition to soil can be considered an effective preparation method of a degraded area for carrying out successful revegetation programs with Mediterranean shrubs under semiarid conditions.This research was supported by the EC+ CICYT cofinanced FEDER programme (1FD97-0507 FOREST). We acknowledge the technical support of Paisajes del Sur and TRAGSA. F. Caravaca acknowledges a grant from The European Commission (HPMF-CT-2000-00822).Peer reviewe

Plant type mediates rhizospheric microbial activities and soil aggregation in a semiarid Mediterranean salt marsh

8 pages, 4 tables, 1 figure.This study was carried out in a Mediterranean salt marsh from semiarid Southeastern Spain, to determine the influence of eight halophytes (Asteriscus maritimus (L.) Less., Arthrocnemum macrostachyum (Moric.) Moris, Frankenia corymbosa Desf., Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen, Limonium cossonianum O. Kuntze, Limonium caesium (Girard) O. Kuntze, Lygeum spartum L., and Suaeda vera Forsskål ex J.F. Gmelin growing in a homogeneous area with regard to salt content, on the rhizosphere soil microbiological and biochemical properties (labile C fractions, biomass C, oxidoreductases and hydrolases) and aggregate stabilisation. Rhizosphere soil of H. portulacoides showed the highest values of water-soluble C, water-soluble carbohydrates, microbial biomass C and dehydrogenase, urease, protease-BAA and acid phosphatase activities. S. vera had the lowest microbial activity. The soil under A. maritimus, L. cossonianum, L. spartum and H. portulacoides had the highest percentages of stable aggregates (on average, about 52%) and the soil under S. vera the lowest (about 27% of stable aggregates). There was a good correlation between enzyme activities, the C-biomass, root colonisation of the eight halophytes and the levels of stable aggregates. Our results suggest that soil microbial activity and soil properties related to microbial activity, such as aggregate stability, are determined by the type of the halophytic species.Peer reviewe

Soil characteristics driving arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in semiarid Mediterranean soils

We investigated communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the roots and the rhizosphere soil of Brachypodium retusum in six different natural soils under field conditions. We explored phylogenetic patterns of AMF composition using indicator species analyses to find AMF associated with a given habitat (root versus rhizosphere) or soil type. We tested whether the AMF characteristics of different habitats or contrasting soils were more closely related than expected by chance. Then we used principal-component analysis and multivariate analysis of variance to test for the relative contribution of each factor in explaining the variation in fungal community composition. Finally, we used redundancy analysis to identify the soil properties that significantly explained the differences in AMF communities across soil types. The results pointed out a tendency of AMF communities in roots to be closely related and different from those in the rhizosphere soil. The indicator species analyses revealed AMF associated with rhizosphere soil and the root habitat. Soil type also determined the distribution of AMF communities in soils, and this effect could not be attributed to a single soil characteristic, as at least three soil properties related to microbial activity, i.e., pH and levels of two micronutrients (Mn and Zn), played significant roles in triggering AMF populations.This work was supported by the Plan Nacional-FEDER (grant AGL2012-39057-CO2-01). A.M.-N. was supported by a postdoctoral contract from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (grant FPDI-2013-16266) and an Early Career Project Grant from the BES (grant 3975-4849).Peer Reviewe