Research on WASH sector, environment and water resources in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Water balance on the Central Rift Valley

Material complementari del cas estudi "Water balance on the Central Rift Valley", part component del llibre "Case studies for developing globally responsible engineers"Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

SAI: Aplicación de un SIG para el monitoreo de los programas de agua y saneamiento de ISF-ApD

Este artículo presenta un Sistema de Apoyo a la Información (SAI) desarrollado para programas de agua y saneamiento rurales, y que está siendo implementado por Ingeniería Sin Fronteras-ApD en Tanzania. El SAI funciona a partir de una base de datos “amigable” y de fácil utilización para los responsables de la implementación de los programas. A partir de ésta, se han desarrollado aplicaciones gráficas prácticas y de SIG, facilitando el análisis y posibilitando la toma de decisiones en tiempo real. La experiencia ha demostrado que es crucial realizar el desarrollo de la misma junto con los profesionales que están involucrados en la ejecución diaria de la intervención, de modo que se combinen las rutinas de trabajo de los equipos en terreno junto con la información necesaria para realizar un adecuado monitoreo. Palabras Clave: Sistemas de Monitoreo de Puntos de Agua, Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG), Tanzania.Peer Reviewe

Support Information Systems, a tool which enhance learning and monitoring

A Support Information System (SIS) has been created in order to monitor water and sanitation (WatSan) programs and improve their efficiency. SIS is based on a database system where relevant data of the program can be easily stored and processed through user-friendly interfaces. Definition of the information to be introduced in the database shall be done according to the needs of the profesionals working directly on the project and to the data needed to observe the evolution of the program indicators, as those defining the Logical Framework. As long as the information is georeferenced, information can be automatically displayed on a Geographical Information System (GIS), and therefore its spatial evolution can be easily analyzed. Graphical representation facilitates the analysis and allows for a better response on real time while the programme is being implemented. The use of SIS enables for hindsight research, helping to improve efficiency and, therefore program extension/replication.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Water resources management in the Central Rift Valley: modelling for the water poor

Achieving a sustainable development is crucial, but is even more important in developing countries, where a wide number of people does not have a safe and secure access to water and relay on the environment to sustain their lives. The Ethiopian Central Rift Valley basin is already a degraded basin from the environmental point of view: ecosystems are endangered due to human activities there developed. Moreover, poverty is widespread all over the basin, with population is mainly living from agriculture on a subsistence economy. In order to achieve sustainable development to increase population incomes without affecting lives of those who are highly dependent on the environment and Integrated Water Resources Management approach shall be applied. First step has been to model the basin water resources, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which, after calibration and validation of the model, has given correct results. In order to follow deepening in the IWRM approach, more information on actual and future water demand and specifically water applied to agriculture will be needed.Postprint (published version

A support information system for data management during project implementation: application in Tanzania

Water and sanitation (WatSan) programmes are usually implemented over several years and require large amounts of information to be processed, so effective monitoring systems are essential. In this paper we present a support information system (SIS) for monitoring WatSan programmes. A SIS is a database system in which simple interfaces are used to store and process relevant data. Graphical representations are incorporated to facilitate data analysis and provide better realtime responsiveness during the programme implementation phase. The Logical Framework may be used as the starting point to define the tool. Experience has shown that this type of system must be created jointly with professionals working directly on the programme in question. The system was applied to two programmes in Tanzania and found to be suitable for both daytoday monitoring and longterm analysis. The information collected improved the knowledge of researchers, development planners, and staff working on project implementation

Cannabidiol-Enriched Extract Reduced the Cognitive Impairment but Not the Epileptic Seizures in a Lafora Disease Animal Model

Introduction: Lafora disease (LD) is a rare form of progressive infantile epilepsy in which rapid neurological deterioration occurs as the disease advances, leading the patients to a vegetative state and then death, usually within the first decade of disease onset. Based on the capacity of the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) to modulate several cellular processes commonly altered in many neurodegenerative processes, as well as the antiepileptic properties of certain natural cannabinoids, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the ECS in LD progression. Materials and Methods: We tested whether a natural cannabis extract highly enriched in cannabidiol (CBD) might be effective in curbing the pathological phenotype of malin knockout (KO) mice as an animal model of LD. Results: Our results reveal for the first time that alterations in the ECS occur during the evolution of LD, mainly at the level of CB1, CB2, and G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) receptor expression, and that a CBD-enriched extract (CBDext) is able to reduce the cognitive impairment exhibited by malin KO mice. However, in contrast to what has previously been reported for other kinds of refractory epilepsy in childhood, the CBD-enriched extract does not reduce the severity of the epileptic seizures induced in this animal model of LD. Conclusions: In summary, this study reveals that the ECS might play a role in LD and that a CBD-enriched extract partially reduces the dementia-like phenotype, but not the increased vulnerability to epileptic seizures, exhibited by an animal model of such a life-threatening disease.Fil: Aso, Ester. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Andrés-Benito, Pol. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Grau-Escolano, Jordi. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Caltana, Laura Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo de Robertis". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia; ArgentinaFil: Brusco, Herminia Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo de Robertis". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia; ArgentinaFil: Sanz, Pascual. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Ferrer, Isidre. Universidad de Barcelona; Españ

Early and gender-specific differences in spinal cord mitochondrial function and oxidative stress markers in a mouse model of ALS

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease with a gender bias towards major prevalence in male individuals. Several data suggest the involvement of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in its pathogenesis, though differences between genders have not been evaluated. For this reason, we analysed features of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, as well as mitochondrial chain complex enzyme activities and protein expression, lipid profile, and protein oxidative stress markers, in the Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase with the G93A mutation (hSOD1-G93A)- transgenic mice and Neuro2A(N2A) cells overexpressing hSOD1-G93A. Results and Conclusions: Our results show that overexpression of hSOD1-G93A in transgenic mice decreased efficiency of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, located at complex I, revealing a temporal delay in females with respect to males associated with a parallel increase in selected markers of protein oxidative damage. Further, females exhibit a fatty acid profile with higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid at 30 days. Mechanistic studies showed that hSOD1-G93A overexpression in N2A cells reduced complex I function, a defect prevented by 17βestradiol pretreatment. In conclusion, ALS-associated SOD1 mutation leads to delayed mitochondrial dysfunction in female mice in comparison with males, in part attributable to the higher oestrogen levels of the former. This study is important in the effort to further understanding of whether different degrees of spinal cord mitochondrial dysfunction could be disease modifiers in ALS

One Health Approach to Zoonotic Parasites: Molecular Detection of Intestinal Protozoans in an Urban Population of Norway Rats, Rattus norvegicus, in Barcelona, Spain

Rattus norvegicus, the brown or Norway rat, is the most abundant mammal after humans in urban areas, where they live in close proximity to people. Among rodent-borne diseases, the reservoir role of Norway rats of zoonotic parasites in cities has practically been ignored. Considering the parasitic diseases in the One Health approach, we intended to identify and quantify the zoonotic intestinal protozoans (ZIP) in an urban population of R. norvegicus in the city of Barcelona, Spain. We studied the presence of ZIP in 100 rats trapped in parks (n = 15) as well as in the city's sewage system (n = 85) in the winter of 2016/17. The protozoans were molecularly identified by means of a multiplex PCR (AllplexTM Gastrointestinal Panel-Parasite Assay). We also investigated the presence of co-infections among the species found. Four ZIP were identified, presenting significant prevalences in sewers, specifically Blastocystis (83.5%), Giardia duodenalis (37.7%), Cryptosporidium spp. (34.1%), and Dientamoeba fragilis (14.1%). Several co-infections among the detected ZIP were also detected. The reservoir role of ZIP that Norway rats play in cities as well as the role rats may play as sentinels of zoonotic parasites affecting humans in urban areas are strongly backed up by our findings. The increasing worldwide urbanization, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic are factors that are producing an increase in human-rat interactions. Our results should be considered a warning to the authorities to intensify rat control and surveillance in public health interventions

Early and gender-specific differences in spinal cord mitochondrial function and oxidative stress markers in a mouse model of ALS

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease with a gender bias towards major prevalence in male individuals. Several data suggest the involvement of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in its pathogenesis, though differences between genders have not been evaluated. For this reason, we analysed features of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, as well as mitochondrial chain complex enzyme activities and protein expression, lipid profile, and protein oxidative stress markers, in the Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase with the G93A mutation (hSOD1-G93A)- transgenic mice and Neuro2A(N2A) cells overexpressing hSOD1-G93A. Results and Conclusions: Our results show that overexpression of hSOD1-G93A in transgenic mice decreased efficiency of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, located at complex I, revealing a temporal delay in females with respect to males associated with a parallel increase in selected markers of protein oxidative damage. Further, females exhibit a fatty acid profile with higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid at 30 days. Mechanistic studies showed that hSOD1-G93A overexpression in N2A cells reduced complex I function, a defect prevented by 17β- estradiol pretreatment. In conclusion, ALS-associated SOD1 mutation leads to delayed mitochondrial dysfunction in female mice in comparison with males, in part attributable to the higher oestrogen levels of the former. This study is important in the effort to further understanding of whether different degrees of spinal cord mitochondrial dysfunction could be disease modifiers in ALS. Keywords: Motor neuron, Complex I, Respirometry, Fatty acid composition, Oxidative damage, EstrogensThis study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Institute Carlos III: FIS grants PI14/00757, PI14/00328, PI 14/01115. Financed by the European Union, program European Regional Development Fund “A way to build Europe”. Supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya (2014SGR168 and predoctoral fellows for OR-N and PT), by FUNDELA (C100013), “RedELA Investigación” platform and by the Fundació Miquel Valls (Jack Van den Hoek donation for ALS research