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The paper is about community-based participatory research on environmental conflicts about sand quarries in northern Bogotá. Community-based participatory research is applied to understand the environmental conflicts of mining activities. The approach was suitable for improving the relevance and acceptance of research in the local community. It invited community members to participate and uphold their views about the social conflicts and environmental impacts arising from mining activities. The findings highlight the need for participatory environmental governance, integrating local communities and power relations analysis in environmental decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a conceptual framework for the development of serious games aimed at cognitive rehabilitation in older adults. Following Jabareen's methodology, a literature review was conducted to identify concepts and theories that are relevant in this field. The resulting framework comprises the use of virtual reality, integration of physical activity, incorporation of social interaction features, adaptability of difficulty levels, and customization of game content. The interconnections between these concepts and underlying cognitive theories, such as the cognitive reserve hypothesis and the scaffolding theory of aging and cognition, are highlighted. As we are in the early stages of our research, our goal is to introduce and test novel interpretations of current knowledge within this conceptual framework. Additionally, the practical implications of the conceptual framework are discussed, including its strengths and limitations, as well as its relevance for future research and clinical practice in the field of cognitive rehabilitation. It is hoped that this framework will provide a guide for the design and implementation of effective interventions to improve cognitive health and well-being in the older adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leptospirosis is the world's most common zoonotic disease. Mitigation and control rely on pathogen identification and understanding the roles of potential reservoirs in cycling and transmission. Underreporting and misdiagnosis obscure the magnitude of the problem and confound efforts to understand key epidemiological components. Difficulties in culturing hamper the use of serological diagnostics and delay the development of DNA detection methods. As a result, especially in complex ecosystems, we know very little about the importance of different mammalian host species in cycling and transmission to humans. Methodology/principal findings: We sampled dogs from five indigenous Kichwa communities living in the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. Blood and urine samples from domestic dogs were collected to assess the exposure of these animals to Leptospira and to identify the circulating species. Microscopic Agglutination Tests with a panel of 22 different serovars showed anti-leptospira antibodies in 36 sampled dogs (75%), and 7 serogroups were detected. Two DNA-based detection assays revealed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in 18 of 19 dog urine samples (94.7%). Amplicon sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and SecY genes from 15 urine samples revealed genetic diversity within two of three different Leptospira species: noguchii (n = 7), santarosai (n = 7), and interrogans (n = 1). Conclusions/significance: The high prevalence of antibodies and Leptospira DNA provides strong evidence for high rates of past and current infections. Such high prevalence has not been previously reported for dogs. These dogs live in the peridomestic environment in close contact with humans, yet they are free-ranging animals that interact with wildlife. This complex web of interactions may explain the diverse types of pathogenic Leptospira observed in this study. Our results suggest that domestic dogs are likely to play an important role in the cycling and transmission of Leptospira. Future studies in areas with complex ecoepidemiology will enable better parsing of the significance of genotypic, environmental, and host characteristics. Author summary: People around the world interact with a wide range of animals, but one of the closest is the domestic dog. Dogs can be reservoirs of several zoonotic infectious diseases, including leptospirosis. The frequent ecological interactions between people, dogs, and wildlife in indigenous communities living in the Amazon basin might increase the complexity of leptospirosis transmission, in comparison with what has been described for other settings. In the Amazon basin, wild animals and domestic animals may act as reservoirs of the pathogen, excreting the bacteria through their urine. In this work, we analyzed serum and urine samples from dogs living within Kichwa communities from the Yasuní National Park in Ecuador. Serum samples were analyzed with MAT and urine samples with qPCR assays that detect the presence of pathogenic Leptospira. Our results suggest that a high percentage of dogs have been exposed to Leptospira. We identified the presence of ten serovars and three different Leptospira species. These findings provide important insights into the epidemiology of leptospirosis in this ecosystem, showing that dogs are a common reservoir and thus likely to play a critical role in the transmission of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global environmental crisis demands urgent attention and comprehensive action. While governments must prioritise environmental protection and climate change mitigation, the continued depletion of natural resources calls for innovative approaches. One such approach is the Environmental Global Citizenship theory, which offers a perspective on participatory environmental governance while emphasising cultural diversity. The article argues that the idea of global environmental citizenship can help address the challenges associated to the global environmental crisis, outlining a vast theoretical framework to this notion, grounded in a thorough literature review and legal examination of global environmental agreements. Environmental Global Citizenship is presented as a critical, yet non-exclusive strategy for global environmental stewardship, simultaneously advocating for a model of global integration that is rooted in cultural diversity. The manuscript underscores that the concept of Environmental Global Citizenship should form one necessary aspect of a more extensive environmental protection global strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and increasing water demand in urban environments necessitate planning water utility companies' finances. Traditionally, methods to estimate the direct water utility business interruption costs (WUBIC) caused by droughts have not been clearly established. We propose a multi-driver assessment method. We project the water yield using a hydrological model driven by regional climate models under radiative forcing scenarios. We project water demand under stationary and non-stationary conditions to estimate drought severity and duration, which are linked with pricing policies recently adopted by the Sao Paulo Water Utility Company. The results showed water insecurity. The non-stationary trend imposed larger differences in the drought resilience financial gap, suggesting that the uncertainties of WUBIC derived from demand and climate models are greater than those associated with radiative forcing scenarios. As populations increase, proactively controlling demand is recommended to avoid or minimize reactive policy changes during future drought events, repeating recent financial impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to determine a set of indicators about the performance of productive enterprises in Canton La Troncal, province of Cañar, Ecuador, to use “Business Intelligence” (Business Intelligence BI) as the best practice that supports organizational management and achievement of the strategic objectives. For this purpose, information was first collected through a survey that was carried out in local companies, based on a specific sample, with questionnaires and interviews. Then, based on the information obtained, a Balanced Scorecard was designed with the most significant key performance indicators for the companies in the sample, so that they can be implemented with the multidimensional services offered by business intelligence tools. Finally, the reports were presented in control panels, with a fine granularity range, which allow managers to make clear decisions, reducing the degree of uncertainty.

The protection of forest cover in Cuba is a state priority. It is part of the state plan to deal with climate change. The purpose of this paper is to assess the legal risks associated with the protection of forest cover, which is essential to ensure the sustainability of hydrological watershed management in Cuba. The qualitative method of social research was followed. Techniques of content analysis, semi-structured interviews, and legal exegetics were applied. Geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques were also used to triangulate data and results. This article provided a robust analytical framework for generating innovative laws for land planning through a three-phase methodological design associated with configuring, interpreting, and applying tools for stopping deforestation processes based on watershed management. As a result, it was demonstrated that limitations reveal a deficient legal application with risk in the river basin, and a significant causal relationship between institutions and communities. Furthermore, the study indicated that although there are legal norms that regulate the protection of forest cover in the studied basin, its vulnerabilities generate uncertainty about the foreseeable results in management of forest cover. It is recommended that the Provincial Council of Hydrographic Basins include the design of legal risk indicators for forest cover management into the sub-plan for forest area increase. These recommendations constitute a set of related actions to improve the sustainability of the above-mentioned management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routine activities theory has been the most widely used framework to analyse the relationship between tourism and crime. But beyond crime opportunity, other ecological and structural factors may be present in this relationship. This article analyses whether high levels of tourist intensity are related to higher levels of urban crime in Barcelona (Spain) using the variables of social disorganization theory, that is, concentration of disadvantages, population turnover and ethnic-cultural heterogeneity. Under the hypothesis that the touristification of Barcelona neighbourhoods intensifies population turnover and enhances economical and ethnic-cultural heterogeneity in the area, it is expected that higher levels of tourism are related to higher rates of property and personal crime. To test this hypothesis and the mediating role of ecological variables, negative binomial fit models and simple mediation regression models are used. Findings suggest that higher levels of tourism are related to a higher volume of property and violent crimes in neighbourhoods and that this relationship is mediated by residential instability and national heterogeneity. However, mediation models suggest a negative relationship between tourism and crime when concentrated disadvantages are the mediator factor. The need to rethink the role of the socioeconomic variable in the relationship between crime and touristification is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of works proving the possible relationship empirically that Airbnb lodgings could have with crime in Spain is not known. This research analyzes the relationship between Airbnb lodgings and crimes against the properties and people in Barcelona's neighbourhoods. To achieve this, we use an ordinary least squares regression model and a geographically weighted regression model. The results show a significant and positive relationship between the higher density of Airbnb lodgings and the higher crime rates in the neighbourhoods, especially of patrimonial nature. Divided by type of leased space, the Airbnb homes, in which the guest shares a room with other guests, show a higher relationship with crimes against property and people. The results of the local model show a spatial heterogeneity in all variables used, indicating the need to address non-stationary spatial processes that reveal hidden patterns. However, the only variable that shows statistically significant local variability is the total Airbnb lodgings variable. Finally, we discussed some unexpected results, proposing some future lines of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of photocatalytic hydrogen generation via photo‐reforming of organic compounds has not been studied under low concentrations of catalyst, which could lead to relevant cost savings in future real‐scale applications. Herein, it uses half of the lowest concentration of nanoparticles reported of modified P25 TiO2 partially coated with gold. The nanomaterial is prepared using a non‐energy intensive, chemical reduction method. Gold content on the TiO2 surface is reported (14%—surface; 9.1%—weight). Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscope image analyses show low agglomeration and non‐homogeneous shape. Aggregates and gold nanoparticles reach average diameters of 92 and 3.8 nm, respectively. Photocatalytic experiments for hydrogen production are carried out at low concentration of nanoparticles (0.056 g L−1) in methanol–water solution (5%vol.) under 375 nm UV and visible light (20 mW cm−2). The system shows a catalyst productivity of 6661 μmol h−1 g−1, a third of the highest reported productivity using methanol (which used a catalyst concentration 18× higher, an alcohol concentration 5× higher, and 100% anatase). The system shows an estimated reaction rate of 373 μmol L−1 h−1 with an apparent zero order kinetic, an overall energy conversion efficiency of 0.47%, and an apparent quantum yield of 1.03%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of institutional translation have traditionally focused on European Union (EU) institutions and legislative genres. In order to develop a more comprehensive characterization of translation at international organizations beyond EU supranational law, this study compares a full mapping of multilingual text production at EU institutions to that of two representative intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), over three years (2005, 2010, and 2015) in three common official languages (English, French, and Spanish). The corpus-driven quantitative analysis and categorization of all texts from a legal-functional perspective corroborate the interconnection of a wide range of textual genres that perform, support, or derive from central law-making, monitoring, and adjudicative functions, or fulfill other administrative purposes. The findings also highlight interinstitutional variation that reflects the features of each legal order, in particular the prominence of hard law-making at the EU (with a high proportion of drafts and input documents) as opposed to larger translation volumes in monitoring procedures at the UN and the WTO. This mapping is considered instrumental to further analyze legal and other specialized translation practices in international institutional settings, and ultimately to inform translator training and translation quality management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the main findings of a study on the translation of national court names in United Nations texts as an illustrative group of culture-bound terms. It focuses on documents produced as part of several mandatory compliance monitoring procedures in the field of human rights. The study is part of a broader project on legal translation in international organisations (LETRINT), which considers terminological consistency and adequacy as indicators of translation quality, and examines the impact of legal asymmetry on both dimensions. To shed light on the first of these indicators, a comprehensive analysis of intertextual and intratextual variations of English-Spanish and French-Spanish translations of thirty terms was conducted. Over five thousand bi- and trilingual segments, extracted from three ad-hoc multilingual and parallel corpora, were examined. They cover the period between 2000 and 2017, and refer to six legal systems. At the intertextual level, the results corroborate that legal asymmetry has a significant impact on translation decision-making, while the assessment of intratextual variation points to a link between source text length, documental series and the degree of terminological consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring questions of representativeness, balance and comparability is essential to tailoring corpus design and compilation to research goals, and to ensuring the validity of research results. This is especially true when the target population of texts under examination is very large and transcends a restricted area of specialization and/or covers multiple genres, as in the case of texts translated in institutional settings. This paper describes the multilayered sequential approach to corpus building applied in a comparative study on legal translation in three of these settings. The approach is based on a full mapping and categorization of institutional texts from a legal perspective; it applies an innovative combination of stratified sampling techniques integrating quantitative and qualitative criteria adapted to the research aims. The resulting corpora, categorization matrix and selection records, together with the methodological detail provided, can be useful for building other multi-genre corpora in translation studies and further afield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to understand how the operational conditions affect the photocatalytic hydrogen production and how to increase the production of valuable by‐products, such as formaldehyde and formic acid from the photo‐reforming of methanol. It is difficult to optimize operational conditions in photoreactors because several factors affect the process. To prioritize them, we focused on the quantification of the effect of four factors on CH2O and CH2O2 production: (A) presence of gold as co‐catalyst, (B) intensity of UV‐light, (C) methanol concentration, and (D) nanoparticle concentration. A main and interaction effects analysis is presented with fixed effect models for four responses: total production and catalyst productivity for both by‐products. Factor A showed the highest effect, followed by factors B and C, and the interactions AB and AC showed signs of influencing the catalyst selectivity with possible mechanistic variations. Factor D showed negative effect on catalyst productivities possibly related to shielding effect between particles. What operational condition really matters? A statistical approach is used to identify the heaviest factors affecting the photocatalytic production of formaldehyde and formic acid, by‐products from hydrogen generation via photoreforming of methanol using TiO2 nanoparticles. Among 4 factors and their interactions, presence of gold as a co‐catalyst, light radiation and nanoparticles of methanol result to be the critical and most important factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several factors affect photocatalytic hydrogen productivity from the photoreforming of organic compounds, which makes it difficult to optimize operational conditions in photoreactors. To prioritize these factors, we focused on the quantification of the effect of five of them on hydrogen production. Photocatalytic experiments were performed on 67 mL batch photoreactors under UV‐LED lamps (λ=375 nm) using a suspension of TiO2–Au nanoparticles synthesized by a sol–gel approach. The analyzed factors were: (A) presence of Au as a cocatalyst, (B) type of alcohol as the electron donor, (C) intensity of UV light, (D) electron donor concentration, and (E) nanoparticle concentration. A main and interaction effects analysis is presented with reduced fixed effect models for three responses: total hydrogen generation, catalyst productivity, and electron donor productivity. The presence of Au as a cocatalyst (A), the intensity of UV light (C), and their interaction (AC) were the factors with the highest effect. The best configuration allowed us to reach a catalyst productivity of 2925 μmol H 2  g−1 h−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in aqueous solution mediated by tetraruthenated metalloporphyrins (TRP; Co(II) and Zn(II)) in Nafion (Nf) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a support. The comparative aspects of the two polymeric matrices are expressed in terms of the electrocatalytic behavior toward carbon dioxide reduction of both sets of modified electrodes; values of overpotential and turnover frequency were calculated in each case. The modified electrodes under survey were able to reduce carbon dioxide at −600 mV vs Ag/AgCl showing an enhanced reduction current and a decrease in the required overpotential compared to a bare glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Potential-controlled electrolysis experiments were carried out at −1000 mV in order to compare the distribution of products. The production of formic acid, formaldehyde and methanol was confirmed at potentials where reduction of solvent may occur. Measurements of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy show the presence of one active site for GC/Nf/MTRP (where M=Zn(II) and Co(II)) and three for GC/PVC/MTRP. This information corroborates the high values of TOF obtained for GC/PVC/ZnTRP as the best electrocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of water utility companies is threatened by non-stationary drivers, such as climate and anthropogenic changes. To cope with potential economic losses, instruments such as insurance are useful for planning scenarios and mitigating impacts, but data limitations and risk uncertainties affect premium estimation and, consequently, business sustainability. This research estimated the possible economic impacts of business interruption to the Sao Paulo Water Utility Company derived from hydrological drought and how this could be mitigated with an insurance scheme. Multi-year insurance (MYI) was proposed through a set of "change" drivers: the climate driver, through forcing the water evaluation and planning system (WEAP) hydrological tool; the anthropogenic driver, through water demand projections; and the economic driver, associated with recent water price policies adopted by the utility company during water scarcity periods. In our study case, the evaluated indices showed that MYI contracts that cover only longer droughts, regardless of the magnitude, offer better financial performance than contracts that cover all events (in terms of drought duration). Moreover, through MYI contracts, we demonstrate solvency for the insurance fund in the long term and an annual average actuarially fair premium close to the total expected revenue reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quantum dots/polycations assemblies shows catalytic activity towards CO 2 reduction. • Rigid polycation structure promotes the electrostatic assembly growth. • Less rigid polycation structure leads carbon dioxide reduction to methanol. The present work describes the characterization by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical techniques of ITO modified electrodes with electrostatic assemblies (Polycation/Quantum Dots) and their use in the electro- and photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO 2. These assemblies were prepared with polycations poly-diallyldimethylammonium (PD) and poly-(2-trimethylammonium) ethyl methacrylate (PM) and nanocrystals of CdTe of 2.77 nm (Q2). The size of the nanocrystals was controlled by the synthesis reflux time and incorporated by electric field directed Layer-by-Layer assembly method (EFDLA). The polycations were characterised by NMR measurements; showing important effects on the electrostatic assemblies. PM modified electrodes, with its lower rigidity, exhibited less roughness than the PD modified electrodes, 8.0 nm versus 32.8 nm, and higher heterogeneity in its surface composition. Higher resistance to the charge transfer and time constants were obtained with PMQ2 modified electrode, 63.8 Ω cm−2 and 2.69 ms versus 49.30 Ω cm−2 and 1.3 ms for PDQ2. The electro- and photoelectro properties for CO 2 reduction were studied through j-E curves and potential controlled electrolysis. Modified surfaces were active toward the reduction of CO 2 , with a positive shift of the activity between darkness and irradiation conditions, 0.050 V with PDQ2 and 0.450 V with PMQ2. The main product of the CO 2 reduction was CH 3 OH, with traces of CO and HCOOH. The PM modified electrodes with QDs of 2.77 nm presented a selective behaviour for the production of CH 3 OH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have focused on characterizing different aspects of drought (i.e., meteorological, soil moisture, hydrological, or even, socio-economic drought). However, the complexity of the phenomenon and the uncertainty associated to the data analyzed makes it difficult to predict its associated risk and resulting impacts. In this work, we used the severity-duration-frequency approach for hydrological drought to analyze the risk of the Cantareira System in Brazil, the main water source for the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo, which has been recently affected by drought. Our approach combined water demand and supply conditions. For water demand, we set up one stationary and one non-stationary threshold. For water supply, we used: (a) hydrologic modeling simulations using as climatic input historical series (1962-2015) from the regional climate models Eta-INPE, HadGEM-ES, and MIROC5; (b) monthly historical reconstructed streamflow data (1930-2016). We used the Generalized Extreme Value distribution to fit the hydrological deficit data for return periods of 2, 10, 20, and 100 years. Results showed greater water deficits for the cases that used the reconstructed hydrologic time series (compared to the cases using hydrologic modeling) but, for the simulations using the hydrologic modeling, results showed greater water deficit for the MIROC5 model. Greater water deficits existed for the non-stationary threshold water demand case. Furthermore, the diagnostic plots found that the longest droughts showed better fit for the Gumbel distribution. This approach may be useful for regional water resources management, helping on the quantification of the impacts of hydrological drought and its uncertainty.Key words: Hydrological droughts, climate change, urban water, SDF approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemichannels (HCs) are hexamers of connexins that can form gap-junction channels at points of cell contacts or "free HCs" at non-contacting regions. HCs are involved in paracrine and autocrine cell signaling, and under pathological conditions may induce and/or accelerate cell death. Therefore, studies of HC regulation are of great significance. Nitric oxide affects the activity of Cx43 and Cx46 HCs, whereas carbon monoxide (CO), another gaseous transmitter, modulates the activity of several ion channels, but its effect on HCs has not been explored. We studied the effect of CO donors (CORMs) on Cx46 HCs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes using two-electrode voltage clamp and on Cx43 and Cx46 expressed in HeLa cells using a dye-uptake technique. CORM-2 inhibited Cx46 HC currents in a concentration-dependent manner. The C-terminal domain and intracellular Cys were not necessary for the inhibition. The effect of CORM-2 was not prevented by guanylyl-cyclase, protein kinase G, or thioredoxin inhibitors, and was not due to endocytosis of HCs. However, the effect of CORM-2 was reversed by reducing agents that act extracellularly. Additionally, CO inhibited dye uptake of HeLa cells expressing Cx43 or Cx46, and MCF-7 cells, which endogenously express Cx43 and Cx46. Because CORM-2 carbonylates Cx46 in vitro and induces conformational changes, a direct effect of that CO on Cx46 is possible. The inhibition of HCs could help to understand some of the biological actions of CO in physiological and pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living systems exhibit non-randomly organized biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes that follow distinctive patterns. In particular, animal behavior displays both fractal dynamics and periodic rhythms yet the relationship between these two dynamic regimens remain unexplored. Herein we studied locomotor time series of visually isolated Japanese quails sampled every 0.5 s during 6.5 days (>10 6 data points). These high-resolution, week-long, time series enabled simultaneous evaluation of ultradian rhythms as well as fractal organization according to six different analytical methods that included Power Spectrum, Enright, Empirical Mode Decomposition, Wavelet, and Detrended Fluctuation analyses. Time series analyses showed that all birds exhibit circadian rhythms. Although interindividual differences were detected, animals presented ultradian behavioral rhythms of 12, 8, 6, 4.8, 4 h and/or lower and, irrespective of visual isolation, synchronization between these ultradian rhythms was observed. Moreover, all birds presented similar overall fractal dynamics (for scales ∼30 s to >4.4 h). This is the first demonstration that avian behavior presents fractal organization that predominates at shorter time scales and coexists with synchronized ultradian rhythms. This chronobiological pattern is advantageous for keeping the organism's endogenous rhythms in phase with internal and environmental periodicities, notably the feeding, light-dark and sleep-wake cycles.

Temporal and spatial patterns of locomotion reflect both resting periods and the movement from one place to another to satisfy physiological and behavioural needs. Locomotion is studied in diverse areas of biology such as chronobiology and physiology, as well as in biomathematics. Herein, the locomotion of 24 visually-isolated Japanese quails in their home-box environment was recorded continuously over a 6.5 days at a 0.5 s sampling rate. Three time series are presented for each bird: (1) locomotor activity, (2) distance ambulated, and (3) zone of the box where the bird is located. These high resolution, week-long, time series consisting of 1.07×10(6) data points represent, to our knowledge, a unique data set in animal behavior, and are publically available on FigShare. The data obtained can be used for analyzing dynamic changes of daily or several day locomotion patterns, or for comparison with existing or future data sets or mathematical models across different taxa.