Collaborative participatory research as a learning process: the case of CIP and CARE in Peru

Participatory research (PR) has been analyzed and documented from different points of view, but particularly taking into consideration the benefits that this process generates for farmers. Studies of the benefits of PR for other actors such as field staff, researchers and organizations have been limited, with organizational learning receiving the least attention. This paper analyzes the interaction between the International Potato Center (CIP) and CARE in Peru and makes the case that PR can also contribute to creating a collaborative learning environment that generates important lessons for the individuals and organizations involved. The paper describes the evolution of the collaborative environment of these two institutions for more than a decade. Three interactive learning periods are presented, namely the “information transfer period” (1993 –1996) the “action-learning period” (1997-2002), and the “social learning period” (on-going). Several lessons from each period, as well as changes in institutional contexts and perceptions, are described. The CIP-CARE case shows that research and developmentoriented organizations can interact fruitfully using PR as a mechanism to promote learning, as well as flexibility in interaction and innovativeness, and that a process of osmosis of information occurs between groups that use PR in a specific case to other groups within the organizations, influencing behavior. However, the paper also indicates that institutional learning should be promoted more specifically in order to extract guidelines from the lessons, which can influence the way organizations plan and implement their projects in a constantly changing environment

Modelització de l'estació depuradora d'aigües residuals de Granollers

Aquest document conté originàriament altre material i/o programari només consultable a la Biblioteca de Ciència i Tecnologia.Aquest projecte s'emmarca dins els sistemes de sanejament i forma part del projecte GEISTTAR finançat pel Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (CTM2011-27163) liderat per la investigadora Maite Pijuan, el qual te l'objectiu d'estudiar la formació de gasos d'efecte hivernacle que es produeixen en Estacions Depuradores d'Aigües Residuals (EDARs), concretament en el reactor biològic. Una tasca dins el projecte, liderada per l'investigador Lluís Corominas, és la modelització de processos biològics en l'EDAR de Granollers per ajudar a entendre els mecanismes de degradació de matèria orgànica i nitrogen. Aquest treball estableix les bases per poder realitzar aquesta modelització en estat estacionari, seguint els passos proposats pel Good Modelling Practice (GMP) Task Group de la IWA. Els objectius específics que es proposen són l'anàlisi i estudi dels resultats del test de traçadors realitzat per l'Institut Català de Recerca de l'Aigua (ICRA) i realitzar una bona recopilació de dades sobre l'EDAR de Granollers per facilitar els estudis posteriors a aquest projecte

The contributions of transboundary networks to environmental governance: The legacy of the MAP initiative

Because many environmental threats span national boundaries, transboundary networks have emerged as a form of multi-stakeholder platform to support environmental governance (EG). There are transboundary networks in various ecologically important regions of the world such as the Amazon. However, there remains a need for systematic analyses to adequately evaluate the contributions of transboundary networks to EG. This paper takes up the case of the “MAP Initiative”, a transboundary network in the tri-national frontier of the southwestern Amazon that sought to support EG. We examine three key questions: 1) how do transboundary networks motivate participants to engage in collaboration across boundaries for EG, 2) how do transboundary networks evolve structurally as well as strategically to increase their impact on EG, and 3) can transboundary networks generate outcomes beyond information sharing for EG? The analysis draws on historical documents, participant observation, and key informant interviews about the MAP Initiative. The findings confirm that transboundary networks motivate cross-border exchanges in multiple ways, they evolve structurally in multiple ways that increase their capacity, and that evolution supports multiple forms of activities and outcomes that support EG. We conclude with a discussion of the contributions and challenges of transboundary networks regarding EG

Desempeño de los alumnos de Edafología entre los años 2013-2015

El curso de Edafología se encuentra ubicado en tercer año en el ciclo básico de aplicación de la carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la comprensión de los temas impartidos en cada instancia evaluatoria a través del desempeño académico de los alumnos entre los años 2013 y 2015. Se compararon las cohortes de los años 2013, 2014 y 2015. Se evaluó el desempeño de los alumnos en los tres parciales en forma porcentual. Para promocionar la materia sin examen final debieron obtener en cada instancia evaluatoria valores mayores o igual a 70. Superando los 40 puntos, sin cumplir la opción ut supra mencionada, logran aprobar la promoción pero deberían rendir, además, un examen final. En el primer parcial en el año 2013, del total de alumnos que se presentaron en la primera instancia 75% aprobaron. En los años siguientes, los alumnos aprobados fueron 91,3% para el 2014 y 79,8% para el 2015. En el segundo parcial, en la primera instancia en 2013 superaron 40 puntos el 88,5% disminuyendo en el año 2014 a 73,4% y en 2015 a 79,2%. El tercer parcial los asistentes aprobaron un 90,4% en 2013, el 86,8% en 2014 y 84,3% en 2015. El porcentaje de alumnos que alcanzaron la promoción sin examen final fue de 36%, 26% y 33% para cada año analizado. En el año 2014 se produjo una disminución de los alumnos que promocionaron. Queda en evidencia que no hay una dificultad especifica de la aprobación de los parciales, es variable por cohortes.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Modelització de l'estació depuradora d'aigües residuals de Granollers

Aquest projecte s’emmarca dins els sistemes de sanejament i forma part del projecte GEISTTAR finançat pel Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (CTM2011-27163) liderat per la investigadora Maite Pijuan, el qual te l’objectiu d’estudiar la formació de gasos d’efecte hivernacle que es produeixen en Estacions Depuradores d’Aigües Residuals (EDARs), concretament en el reactor biològic. Una tasca dins el projecte, liderada per l’investigador Lluís Corominas, és la modelització de processos biològics en l’EDAR de Granollers per ajudar a entendre els mecanismes de degradació de matèria orgànica i nitrogen. Aquest treball estableix les bases per poder realitzar aquesta modelització en estat estacionari, seguint els passos proposats pel Good Modelling Practice (GMP) Task Group de la IWA. Els objectius específics que es proposen són l’anàlisi i estudi dels resultats del test de traçadors realitzat per l’Institut Català de Recerca de l’Aigua (ICRA) i realitzar una bona recopilació de dades sobre l’EDAR de Granollers per facilitar els estudis posteriors a aquest projecte