Identificación de capacidades para la reducción de riesgo de desastre: enfoque territorial de la participación ciudadana en la precordillera de comuna de La Florida, Santiago de Chile

La visión de los desastres como fenómenos naturales peligrosos, difíciles de prevenir y controlar, ha sido la concepción que ha prevalecido por mucho tiempo, generando políticas y acciones dirigidas a la atención de emergencias. Las últimas investigaciones señalan la necesidad de apostar por la reducción de riesgo, como base para la gestión. Para ello es necesario que los gobiernos aborden la reducción de riesgo desde su base, a partir de la coherencia entre las políticas públicas y la planificación, asegurando una inversión pública acorde con instrumentos de protección social, mayor participación ciudadana y una descentralización político administrativa gradual. El caso de Santiago de Chile, específicamente el área del piedmont, no es la excepción, debido a la dinámica de expansión urbana y de ocupación de suelo. Con el avance de la urbanización, específicamente en la comuna de La Florida, se han incrementado los riesgos derivados de amenazas socionaturales (inundaciones, anegamientos y procesos de remoción en masa), afectando las condiciones y servicios ambientales que ésta posee. La recurrencia de eventos y el poco avance demostrado hasta hoy en términos de su reducción, constituye la base para abordar la problemática del aumento de las condiciones de riesgo. El presente artículo busca indagar acerca de este incremento, producto de la urbanización, en la comuna de La Florida, y los mecanismos de gobernanza y gestión territorial aplicados como estrategia para su reducción. Los resultados dan cuenta de estrategias implementadas por la ciudadanía para ser partícipes del proceso de urbanización a escala local, logrando instalarse como actores relevantes en el proceso de reducción de riesgo. Esto ha permitido que sean partícipes de la toma de decisiones de la gestión de su propio territori

El Programa de Familia e Infancia en el ámbito de los Servicios Sociales Generales.

Sin resume

Energy efficiency: measurement and impacts

In this paper we argue that energy efficiency and environmental efficiency are two aspects of the same problem. To show this, we assess the analytical utility of the well-known IPACT and ImPACT models, presenting here a new developed identity named Augmented ImPACT. For Italy, our findings suggest that over the last twenty years the rise of energy efficiency has been accompanied by a controversial consumption of environmental resources and of CO2 accumulation. Specifically, the italian sector of services appears to be highly inefficient. In the second part of the paper we use a VAR model to estimate the impact of energy efficiency on economy, looking at employment value added and polluted emissions. Our results suggest that a rise in energy efficiency can help in improving both economic and environmental scenarios.Contabilità ambientale; efficienza energetica e ambientale; VAR; simulazioni di risposta all'impulso

Drug delivery systems for the photodynamic application of two photosensitizers belonging to the porphyrin family

AbstractPhotodynamic therapy involves the concomitant action of three components, light with an appropriate wavelength, molecular oxygen, and a molecule, able to absorb an electromagnetic radiation, called photosensitizer (PS). A fundamental aspect is the bioavailability of the PS that is directly related to some physicochemical properties of the PS itself as it should feature a certain degree of lipophilicity to easily cross the cell membrane, however, at the same time, should be sufficiently water-soluble to navigate in the bloodstream. Consequently, the use of a system for drug delivery becomes essential when photosensitizers with a high degree of lipophilicity are considered. In this work, we present three different drug delivery systems, microemulsions, emulsions and liposomes all capable of carrying a PS belonging to the porphyrin family: the tetraphenyl porphyrin (TPP) and the 4-hydroxyphenyl porphyrin (THPP), which show a relevant different degree of lipophilicity. A series of microemulsions (ME) and emulsions (E) were prepared, among which two formulations, one for THPP and one for TPP, have been chosen. The stability of these two carriers was monitored over time and under various temperature conditions. With the same criteria, two liposomal formulations have been also identified and analyzed. The four formulations mentioned above (one ME, one E and two liposomes) have been tested on SKOV3 tumor cell line comparing the photodynamic activity of the porphyrin formulations versus the aqueous/organic (DMSO) solution of the same two PSs. The results show that all the formulations have proved to be excellent carriers and that the liposomal formulation enhance the photodynamic efficacy of both porphyrins

Complexity in Action? Fringe Agro-forest Systems, Demography and Societal Transformations in Mediterranean Peri-urban Areas

Abstract Urban expansion and the preservation of fringe landscapes are interconnected issues. This article discusses on the relation between landscape and peri-urban agriculture and the possible implications of sustainable land management for fringe land quality proposing a framework to evaluate the latent nexus between agro-forest systems and human settlements in southern Europe. Eco-sustainable planning integrated with multifaceted research and policy dimensions (e.g. social, economic, cultural and political issues) characterizing Mediterranean peri-urban areas is a relevant approach to urban fringe sustainability. Permanent assessment of these factors allows for the implementation of different development scenarios. The present study contributes to systemic and multi-scaling approaches informing environmental policies, with the aim of achieving an integrated management of peri-urban agricultural landscape

High-threshold mechanosensitive ion channels blocked by a novel conopeptide mediate pressure-evoked pain

Little is known about the molecular basis of somatosensory mechanotransduction in mammals. We screened a library of peptide toxins for effects on mechanically activated currents in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons. One conopeptide analogue, termed NMB-1 for noxious mechanosensation blocker 1, selectively inhibits (IC50 1 µM) sustained mechanically activated currents in a subset of sensory neurons. Biotinylated NMB-1 retains activity and binds selectively to peripherin-positive nociceptive sensory neurons. The selectivity of NMB-1 was confirmed by the fact that it has no inhibitory effects on voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, or ligand-gated channels such as acid-sensing ion channels or TRPA1 channels. Conversely, the tarantula toxin, GsMTx-4, which inhibits stretch-activated ion channels, had no effects on mechanically activated currents in sensory neurons. In behavioral assays, NMB-1 inhibits responses only to high intensity, painful mechanical stimulation and has no effects on low intensity mechanical stimulation or thermosensation. Unexpectedly, NMB-1 was found to also be an inhibitor of rapid FM1-43 loading (a measure of mechanotransduction) in cochlear hair cells. These data demonstrate that pharmacologically distinct channels respond to distinct types of mechanical stimuli and suggest that mechanically activated sustained currents underlie noxious mechanosensation. NMB-1 thus provides a novel diagnostic tool for the molecular definition of channels involved in hearing and pressure-evoked pain

Succès reproducteur individuel et taille de ponte dans une population de la couleuvre semi-aquatique Natrix tessellata en Italie centrale : les plus petits mâles et les plus grandes femelles sont-ils avantagés ?

Le succès de la formation des couples et de la reproduction de Natrix tessellata, serpent semi-aquatique, a été étudié dans le centre de l'Italie. Le succès des appariements a été établi en suivant par radiopistage 10 mâles et 12 femelles durant la période d'accouplement et en comptant combien chaque individu avait de partenaires sexuels en fonction de sa taille corporelle (longueur museauanus). Les femelles étaient significativement plus grandes que les mâles. Deux patrons opposés de succès individuel ont été mis en évidence dans la population : un succès d'appariement plus grand pour les plus petits mâles et pour les plus grandes femelles. De fait, chez les mâles, il y avait une relation significative entre la taille du mâle et le nombre de femelles avec lesquelles il s'accouplait tandis que les plus grandes femelles étaient courtisées et s'accouplaient avec un plus grand nombre de mâles. La taille maternelle était positivement liée au nombre d'œufs pondus

Efficienza energetica: misurazioni e impatti

In this paper we argue that energy efficiency and environmental efficiency are two aspects of the same problem. To show this, we assess the analytical utility of the well-known IPACT and ImPACT models, presenting here a new developed identity named Augmented ImPACT. For Italy, our findings suggest that over the last twenty years the rise of energy efficiency has been accompanied by a controversial consumption of environmental resources and of CO2 accumulation. Specifically, the italian sector of services appears to be highly inefficient. In the second part of the paper we use a VAR model to estimate the impact of energy efficiency on economy, looking at employment value added and polluted emissions. Our results suggest that a rise in energy efficiency can help in improving both economic and environmental scenarios

Efficienza energetica: misurazioni e impatti

In this paper we argue that energy efficiency and environmental efficiency are two aspects of the same problem. To show this, we assess the analytical utility of the well-known IPACT and ImPACT models, presenting here a new developed identity named Augmented ImPACT. For Italy, our findings suggest that over the last twenty years the rise of energy efficiency has been accompanied by a controversial consumption of environmental resources and of CO2 accumulation. Specifically, the italian sector of services appears to be highly inefficient. In the second part of the paper we use a VAR model to estimate the impact of energy efficiency on economy, looking at employment value added and polluted emissions. Our results suggest that a rise in energy efficiency can help in improving both economic and environmental scenarios