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This paper examines the situated ways in which Moroccan immigrant children in Spain create imagined, alternative life worlds and explore possible forms of identification through an investigation of these children’s hybrid linguistic practices in the midst of play. Drawing on Bakhtin’s (1981, 1986) notions of heteroglossia and hybridity, the analysis focuses on the meanings of codeswitching practices that a group of Moroccan immigrant girls deploy in pretend-play sequences involving dolls to construct female identities; identities that they treat as desirable in the context of Spanish idealizations of femininity, but that are considered transgressional by adults in Moroccan diaspora communities in Spain. Neighborhood peer group play affords Moroccan immigrant girls’ transformations and engagement in subversive tactics, in that these activities take place outside the scrutiny of parents and other adults. The rich verbal and sociocultural environment of Moroccan immigrant children’s peer groups provide us with an excellent window to investigate peer language socialization processes in relation to how immigrant children negotiate, transform, and subvert in the midst of play the different, and often incongruous, socio-cultural and linguistic expectations and constraints that they encounter on a daily basis. Use of Moroccan Arabic and Spanish in this pretend play, in particular, results in a heteroglossic polyphony of voices imbued with moral tensions (Bahktin 1981, 1986). This analysis highlights the importance of these hybrid linguistic practices in immigrant girls’ explorations of alternative processes of gendered identification in multilingual, culturally-syncretic environments. Through surreptitious pretend-play, Moroccan immigrant girls explore imagined transgressional possible identities and moral worlds. In this sense, this research also underscores the implications of children’s language use and language choice in pretend-play for larger processes of cultural continuity and transformation in transnational, diasporic communities undergoing rapid change.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the admission of a high number of patients to the ICU, generally due to severe respiratory failure. Since the appearance of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, at the end of 2019, in China, a huge number of treatment recommendations for this entity have been published, not always supported by sufficient scientific evidence or with methodological rigor necessary. Thanks to the efforts of different groups of researchers, we currently have the results of clinical trials, and other types of studies, of higher quality. We consider it necessary to create a document that includes recommendations that collect this evidence regarding the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, but also aspects that other guidelines have not considered and that we consider essential in the management of critical patients with COVID-19. For this, a drafting committee has been created, made up of members of the SEMICYUC Working Groups more directly related to different specific aspects of the management of these patients. (c) 2021 Elsevier Espan tilde a, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Introduction. Several factors have been associated with the prognosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) treated with surgical debridement, antibiotic therapy, and implant retention (DAIR). There is no evidence about the right empirical antibiotic treatment when the causal microorganism is not still identified. Material and methods. We conducted a retrospective observational study in patients with PJI treated with DAIR between 2009 and 2018 in our center. We analyze the risk factors related with their prognosis and the influence of active empirical antibiotic therapy against causative microorganisms in final outcomes. Results. A total of 80 PJI cases treated with DAIR, from 79 patients (58.7% women, mean age 76.3 years), were included in the study period. Among the cases in which empirical antibiotic therapy were active against the causative microorganisms, the success rate was 46/65 (69.2%) vs 1/15 when not (6.7%, OR 31.5, p = 0.001). Factors related to the success or failure of the DAIR were analyzed with multivariate analysis. We found that active empirical antibiotic treatment remained statistically significant as a good prognostic factor (OR 0.04, p

Human trichuriasis is a neglected tropical disease which affects millions of people worldwide, mostly living in low socio-economic conditions. Numerous studies have been conducted over the past 10 years to compare the different techniques for T. trichiura eggs detection. Our study provides the first geometric morphometric analysis for the specific detection of eggs of Trichuris sp. isolated from stools of macaque (M. sylvanus), colobus (C. g. kikuyensis), grivets (C. aethiops) and the Brazza's monkey (C. neglectus) from zoos in Spain. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) arises as an efficient method to determine Trichuris spp. eggs. The selected measurements to be included in the PCA were proposed for the first time in the present work, as far as we know, as we could not find previous studies reporting standardized parameters. Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (CGL2017-83057), which included FEDER funds Junta de Andalucía (BIO-338) V Plan Propio de Investigacion of the University of Seville

El método biográfico narrativo es el foco de esta investigación de corte cualitativo. El objetivo es mostrar la validez de este método como estrategia de formación para futuros docentes. Una estrategia que mejora la capacidad de análisis crítico y con ello de reformulación de los presupuestos de la cultura escolar. La muestra está compuesta por 383 estudiantes del Máster Universitario de Formación del Profesorado de Educación Secundaria de la Universidad de Extremadura (España). Al aplicar este método en los programas de formación del profesorado aparece una alternativa a la investigación tradicional, a la formación y a la acción social. Como resultados, se cultivan tres recursos para capacitar a futuros docentes al mismo tiempo; a medida que los alumnos aprenden el método, realizan un proceso de evaluación, que resulta útil para su formación y competencia futura como profesionales. Por lo tanto, los propios estudiantes adquieren un proceso heurístico y hermenéutico para evaluar y convertirse en investigadores de su propia experiencia y prospectiva profesional.

The collection of papers represented in the Integrative Research Review responds to the question: How can we study children’s/youth’s out of school experiences to inform classroom practices? Using a variety of lenses to address the question, the authors consider how to understand, respond to, and serve children and youth in a variety of contexts. Duke explores a quasi-experimental design showing the potential impact on student achievement and motivation in schools that incorporate literacy practices from children’s lives outside of school compared to the traditional curriculum. Bloome and Faust take a philosophical approach to explore the languaging of the relationship between students’ out-of-school lives and classroom practices and its implications for the construction of personhood by examining one classroom event from a microethnographic discourse analysis perspective. García-Sánchez highlights the methodological features that allow linguistic anthropologists to make visible the agentive and innovative character of immigrant children’s communicative practices in a variety of learning situations. Drawing on the transliteracies approach, Stornaiuolo considers work with a group of young people to study multimodal composing and the development of school makerspaces in a 6-year partnership project with a local innovation high school. Alvermann discusses the papers, pointing out the affordances and challenges of each perspective.

Resumen La pandemia por COVID-19 ha provocado el ingreso de un elevado numero de pacientes en UCI, generalmente por insuficiencia respiratoria severa. Desde la aparicion de los primeros casos de infeccion por SARS-CoV-2, a finales de 2019, en China, se ha publicado una cantidad ingente de recomendaciones de tratamiento de esta entidad, no siempre respaldadas por evidencia cientifica suficiente ni con el rigor metodologico necesario. Gracias al esfuerzo de distintos grupos de investigadores, actualmente disponemos de resultados de ensayos clinicos, y otro tipo de estudios, de mayor calidad. Consideramos necesario realizar un documento que incluya recomendaciones que recojan estas evidencias en cuanto al diagnostico y tratamiento de la COVID-19, pero tambien aspectos que otras guias no han contemplado y que consideramos fundamentales en el manejo del paciente critico con COVID-19. Para ello se ha creado un comite redactor, conformado por miembros de los Grupos de Trabajo de SEMICYUC mas directamente relacionados con diferentes aspectos especificos del manejo de estos pacientes.

Trichuris trichiura is a nematode considered as the whipworm present in humans and primates. The systematics of the genus Trichuris is complex. Morphological studies of Trichuris isolated from primates and humans conclude that the species infecting these hosts is the same. Furthermore, numerous molecular studies have been carried out so far to discriminate parasite species from humans and Non-Human Primates using molecular techniques, but these studies were not performed in combination with a parallel morphological study. The hypothesised existence of more species of Trichuris in primates opens the possibility to revise the zoonotic potential and host specificity of T. trichiura and other putative new species of whipworms. In the present work, a study of Trichuris Roederer, 1761 (Nematoda:Trichuridae) parasitizing C. g. kikuyensis, P. ursinus, Macaca sylvanus, Pan troglodytes, and Sus scrofa domestica has been carried out using modern morphometric techniques in order to differentiate populations of Trichuris isolated from four species of captive NHP from different geographical regions, and swine, respectively. The results obtained revealed strong support for geometrical morphometrics as a useful tool to differentiate male Trichuris populations. Therefore, morphometrics in combination with other techniques, such as molecular biology analyses, ought to be applied to further the differentiation of male populations. On the other hand, morphometrics applied to female Trichuris species does not seem to contribute new information as all the measurements combinations of obtained from females always showed similar results Ministry of Economy,Industry and Competitiveness(CGL2017-83057) FEDER funds, the Junta de Andalucía (BIO-338) V Plan Propio de Investigación of the University of Seville

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

On March 11, 2020, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) as a pandemic. The spread and evolution of the pandemic is overwhelming the healthcare systems of dozens of countries and has led to a myriad of opinion papers, contingency plans, case series and emerging trials. Covering all this literature is complex. Briefly and synthetically, in line with the previous recommendations of the Working Groups, the Spanish Society of Intensive, Critical Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC) has prepared this series of basic recommendations for patient care in the context of the pandemic.

22 páginas.-- 6 figuras.-- 115 referencias.-- Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sed.12431, Subsurface granitic environments are scarce and poorly investigated. A multi‐disciplinary approach was used to characterize the abundant moonmilk deposits and associated microbial communities coating the granite walls of the 16th Century Paranhos spring water tunnel in Porto city (north‐west Portugal). It is possible that this study is the first record of moonmilk in an urban subsurface granitic environment. The morphology and texture, mineralogical composition, stable isotope composition and microbial diversity of moonmilk deposits have been studied to infer the processes of moonmilk formation. These whitish secondary mineral deposits are composed of very fine needle‐fibre calcite crystals with different morphologies and density. Calcified filaments of fungal hyphae or bacteria were distinguished by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Stable isotope analysis revealed a meteoric origin of the needle‐fibre calcite, with an important contribution of atmospheric CO2, soil respiration and urn:x-wiley:00370746:media:sed12431:sed12431-math-0001 from weathering of Ca‐bearing minerals. The DNA‐based analyses revealed the presence of micro‐organisms related to urban contamination, including Actinobacteria, mainly represented by Pseudonocardia hispaniensis, Thaumarchaeota and Ascomycota, dominated by Cladosporium. This microbial composition is consistent with groundwater pollution and contamination sources of the overlying urban area, including garages, petrol stations and wastewater pipeline leakage, showing that the Paranhos tunnel is greatly perturbed by anthropogenic activities. Whether the identified micro‐organisms are involved in the formation of the needle‐fibre calcite or not is difficult to demonstrate, but this study evidenced both abiotic and biogenic genesis for the calcite moonmilk in this subsurface granitic environment., The authors acknowledge the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINEICO, project CGL2011-2569) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT (UID/GEO/04035/2013, UID/ECI/04028/2013, PEst-OE/CTE/UI0098/2011) and the LABCARGA| ISEP re-equipment program (IPP-ISEP|PAD’2007/ 08) for financial support. AZM thanks MINEICO for the ‘Juan de la Cierva – Incorporación’ postdoctoral contract (IJCI-2014-20443). PMMS thanks the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for his contract associated with the ‘Research Programme in Technologies for the Assessment and Conservation of Cultural Heritage’ (TCP CSD2007-0005

15 páginas.- 5 figuras.- 85 referencias.- The following are available online at http://www.mdpi.com/2079-6412/10/11/1134/s1 .- This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofilms on Cultural Heritage, The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) have a unique ecosystem on Earth due to their outstanding biodiversity and geological features. This also extends to their subterranean heritage, such as volcanic caves, with plenty of secondary mineral deposits, including coralloid-type speleothems and moonmilk deposits. In this study, the bacterial communities associated with speleothems from two lava tubes of Santa Cruz Island were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was carried out for the morphological characterization and detection of microbial features associated with moonmilk and coralloid speleothems from Bellavista and Royal Palm Caves. Microbial cells, especially filamentous bacteria in close association with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), were abundant in both types of speleothems. Furthermore, reticulated filaments and Actinobacteria-like cells were observed by FESEM. The analysis of 16S rDNA revealed the presence of different bacterial phylotypes, many of them associated with the carbon, nitrogen, iron and sulfur cycles, and some others with pollutants. This study gives insights into subsurface microbial diversity of the Galapagos Islands and further shows the interest of the conservation of these subterranean geoheritage sites used as show caves, This research was funded by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment (Project PC-65-14 National Park Galapagos), by the Spanish project MINECO CGL2016-75590-P with European Regional Development Fund and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia-FCT) under the project UID/Multi/04449/2019 for HERCULES/UE. AMGS was supported by a FPU fellowship of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (AP2010-2052). AZM was supported by a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship of the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme (PIEF-GA-2012-328689-DECAVE) and a CEECIND/01147/2017 contract from FCT. MLC was supported by a CEECIND/00349/2017 contract from FCT. FG was financially supported by the “HIPATIA” research program of the University of Almeria.

Technical ceramics are being widely employed in the electric power, medical and engineering industries because of their thermal and mechanical properties, as well as their high resistance qualities. The manufacture of technical ceramic components involves complex processes, including milling and stirring of raw materials in aqueous solutions, spray drying and dry pressing. In general, the spray-dried powders exhibit an important degree of variability in their performance when subjected to dry-pressing, which affects the efficiency of the manufacturing process. Commercial additives, such as deflocculants, biocides, antifoam agents, binders, lubricants and plasticizers are thus applied to ceramic slips. Several bacterial and fungal species naturally occurring in ceramic raw materials, such as Sphingomonas, Aspergillus and Aureobasidium, are known to produce exopolysaccharides. These extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) may confer unique and potentially interesting properties on ceramic slips, including viscosity control, gelation, and flocculation. In this study, the microbial communities present in clay raw materials were identified by both culture methods and DNA-based analyses to select potential EPS producers based on the scientific literature for further assays based on the use of EPS for enhancing the performance of technical ceramics. Potential exopolysaccharide producers were identified in all samples, such as Sphingomonas sp., Pseudomonas xanthomarina, P. stutzeri, P. koreensis, Acinetobacter lwoffi, Bacillus altitudinis and Micrococcus luteus, among bacteria. Five fungi (Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Acremonium persicinum and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa) were also identified as potential EPS producers., This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, project EXPL/CTM-CER/0637/2012.

Trichuris trichiura is a nematode considered as the whipworm present in humans and primates. The systematics of the genus Trichuris is complex. Morphological studies of Trichuris isolated from primates and humans conclude that the species infecting these hosts is the same. Furthermore, numerous molecular studies have been carried out so far to discriminate parasite species from humans and Non-Human Primates using molecular techniques, but these studies were not performed in combination with a parallel morphological study. The hypothesised existence of more species of Trichuris in primates opens the possibility to revise the zoonotic potential and host specificity of T. trichiura and other putative new species of whipworms. In the present work, a study of Trichuris Roederer, 1761 (Nematoda:Trichuridae) parasitizing C. g. kikuyensis, P. ursinus, Macaca sylvanus, Pan troglodytes, and Sus scrofa domestica has been carried out using modern morphometric techniques in order to differentiate populations of Trichuris isolated from four species of captive NHP from different geographical regions, and swine, respectively. The results obtained revealed strong support for geometrical morphometrics as a useful tool to differentiate male Trichuris populations. Therefore, morphometrics in combination with other techniques, such as molecular biology analyses, ought to be applied to further the differentiation of male populations. On the other hand, morphometrics applied to female Trichuris species does not seem to contribute new information as all the measurements combinations of obtained from females always showed similar results., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights - Geometrical morphometrics is an useful tool to differentiate male Trichuris populations. - Geometrical morphometrics results are in agreement with the molecular biology analysis applied to the adult male samples that allow the identification of different species of Trichuris. - The hypothesised existence of different species of Trichuris in primates opens the possibility to revise the zoonotic potential and host specificity of T. trichiura and other putative new species of whipworms.

Vargas Vila, más allá de la hipérbole

ResumenNoventa por ciento de las fístulas vesicovaginales (FVV) son producidas después de una histerectomía, con una frecuencia de uno en 1,800 casos. Nezhat et al. fue uno de los primeros en publicar el tratamiento laparoscópico de una FVV. Con respecto a los abordajes laparoscópicos de las FVV complejas, pocos son los reportes que existen en este tema.El objetivo es mostrar la técnica de O’Conor realizada vía laparoscópica, y el resultado exitoso en fístulas complejas.Se presenta paciente femenino de 35 años, con historia de histerectomía secundaria a hemorragia uterina posparto en el año 2010, en el posoperatorio mediato se le diagnosticó FVV, siendo sometida a plastia de fístula vía vaginal en marzo de 2010, con recurrencia de la misma. Nuevamente es sometida a plastia de fístula, en noviembre de 2010 con abordaje transabdominal abierto con técnica O’Conor, siendo fallida. En junio de 2011 es sometida por nuestro equipo a una plastia de FVV con abordaje laparoscópico. Tiempo quirúrgico laparoscópico: 150 minutos. Sangrado transoperatorio: 50 cc. Tiempo de estancia hospitalaria: 3 días. Tiempo de uso de sonda transuretral y cateterización ureteral bilateral: 4 semanas. Vigilancia por 13 meses, sin recidiva de la fístula.En el caso de esta paciente llamamos “FVV compleja”, a una fístula que cumple con uno de los siguientes criterios: FVV mayor de 2cm, fístula que involucra un meato ureteral, fístula secundaria a radiación, fístula rectovaginal asociada, fístula con una reparación quirúrgica fallida. La laparoscopía aplicada al tratamiento de las FVV complejas, tiene resultados similares a la cirugía abierta.AbstractNinety percent of the vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) are produced after a hysterectomy, with a frequency of one in 1,800 cases. Nezhat et al. were one of the first to publish an article on laparoscopic treatment of a VVF.There are very few reports with respect to the laparoscopic approaches of complex VVF. The aim of this report was to demonstrate the successful result of the O’Conor technique in complex fistula treatment.A 35-year-old woman had a past history of hysterectomy secondary to postpartum uterine hemorrhage in 2010. A VVF was diagnosed in the mid postoperative period and she underwent fistula repair through the vagina in March 2010. The fistula recurred and she underwent fistula repair in November 2010 with the open transabdominal approach using the O’Conor technique. The surgery failed. In June 2011 our team operated on her, performing vesicovaginal fistula repair with the laparoscopic approach. Laparoscopic surgery duration: 150 min. Intraoperative blood loss: 50 cc. Hospital stay: 3 days. Time with transurethral catheter and bilateral ureteral catheterization: 4 weeks. The patient has been under active surveillance for 13 months and there has been no fistula recurrence.In the case of this patient, we call “complex VVF” a fistula that meets one of the following criteria: VVF larger than 2cm, fistula that involves one ureteral meatus, fistula secondary to radiation, associated rectovaginal fistula, or fistula with failed surgical repair. The laparoscopic treatment of complex vesicovaginal fistulas has similar results to those of open surgery.

ResumenIntroducciónMúltiples abordajes han sido descritos para la reparación quirúrgica de las fístulas ureterovaginales, incluyendo psoas Hitch y Boari flap. Con el continuo refinamiento de las técnicas laparoscópicas, los abordajes reconstructivos han pasado de un terreno prácticamente experimental, incluso anecdótico a la práctica habitual.ObjetivoPresentamos nuestra experiencia inicial con ureteroneocistostomía con psoas Hitch laparoscópico, en pacientes que han sido referidos con fístula ureterovaginal.Material y métodosRetrospectivamente, identificamos 5 casos de fístula ureterovaginal tratada mediante reimplante ureteral tipo Lich Gregoir y psoas Hitch en nuestra Institución, de septiembre de 2010 a julio de 2012. La indicación de la cirugía fue: presencia de fístula ureterovaginal con o sin estenosis de uréter de tercio distal.ResultadosLas 5 pacientes tuvieron fístula secundaria a histerectomía por enfermedad benigna. La edad promedio fue de 37.2 (rango 34–43) años. A 2 pacientes se les colocó nefrostomía percutánea, previo a la cirugía. A 3 pacientes se les logró colocar catéter doble J. Involucro de la fístula: uréter derecho 2 y uréter izquierdo 3. La media de la longitud de las estenosis fue de: 1.9 (rango 1.4–2.2)cm. Tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 174 (rango 160–180) minutos. Sangrado transoperatorio promedio 130 (rango 50–200)mL.DiscusiónEl primer reimplante ureteral laparoscópico fue realizado en 1994 por Erlich et al., en un paciente pediátrico. Reddy y Evans publicaron la primera ureteroneocistostomía en 1994, en la población adulta.ConclusionesLa ureteroneocistostomía laparoscópica es un procedimiento seguro, reproducible, que muestra las ventajas de la cirugía de mínima invasión: rápida recuperación, poca convalecencia, corta estancia hospitalaria, con resultados equiparables a la cirugía abierta.AbstractBackgroundNumerous approaches have been described for the surgical repair of ureterovaginal fistulas, including the psoas hitch and Boari flap. With the continual refinement of laparoscopic techniques, reconstructive approaches have gone from being practically experimental, to becoming common practice.AimsWe present herein our preliminary experience in ureteroneocystostomy with laparoscopic psoas hitch in referred patients presenting with ureterovaginal fistula.MethodsFive cases of ureterovaginal fistula were retrospectively identified that were treated with LichGregoir ureteral reimplantation and psoas hitch within the time frame of September 2010 to July 2012 at our institution. Indication for surgery was: ureterovaginal fistula with or without stricture in the distal third of the ureter.ResultsThe 5 patients presented with fistula secondary to hysterectomy for benign disease. Mean age was 37.2 (range: 34–43) years. Percutaneous nephrostomy was placed in 2 patients prior to surgery and double-J catheter placement was achieved in 3 patients. The fistula invol-ved the right ureter in 2 patients and the left ureter in 3. Mean stricture length was 1.9 (range: 1.4–2.2)cm, mean surgery duration was 174 (range: 160–180) min, and estimated blood loss was 130 (range: 50–200)mL.DiscussionThe first laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation was performed in 1994 by Erlich et al. in a pediatric patient. Also in 1994, Reddy and Evans published a report on the first ureteroneocystostomy in the adult population.ConclusionsLaparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy is a safe procedure with the advantages of minimally invasive surgery: rapid recovery and short convalescence, with similar results to those of open surgery.

8 p.- Papers presented at the International Workshop "The Conservation of Subterranean Cultural Heritage", held 25-27 March 2014, in Seville, Spain., Subsurface engineering environments, such a mines, tunnels and water galleries, may have cultural significance, in addition to their inherent geological characteristics. The 16th century Paranhos spring water tunnel located in Porto city (NW Portugal) was excavated throughout the ganitic bedrock to supply water for the public fountains for more than five centuries. Nowadays, due to groundwater quality degradation and high deterioration level of the granite tunnel. The water is no longer used for public purposes. This subsurface granite heritage represents a favourable habitat for a wide variety of microorganisms, which participate in the formation processes of secondary minerals and dissolution of rock components…, Financiado con el Proyecto (HAR-2010-11432-E) Red de Ciencia y Tecnología para la Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural

The Lascaux Cave in France is an old karstic channel where the running waters are collected in a pool and pumped to the exterior. It is well-known that water bodies in the vicinity of humans are suspected to be reservoirs of amoebae and associated bacteria. In fact, the free-living amoebae Acanthamoeba astronyxis, Acanthamoeba castellanii, Acanthamoeba sp. and Hartmannella vermiformis were identified in the sediments of the cave using phylogenetic analyses and morphological traits. Lascaux Cave sediments and rock walls are wet due to a relative humidity near saturation and water condensation, and this environment and the presence of abundant bacterial communities constitute an ideal habitat for amoebae. The data suggest the need to carry out a detailed survey on all the cave compartments in order to determine the relationship between amoebae and pathogenic bacteria., The research was initially supported by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, France, project “Ecologie microbienne de la grotte de Lascaux”. Later, the work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, project TCP CSD2007- 00058.

One of the major environmental problems for society is the great quantity of solid waste generated. The management of urban solid waste is one of the most important services and for this reason town councils have to maintain the cities in the proper hygienic and aesthetic conditions for their inhabitants as well as for tourists or visitors. The loss of credibility of the Spanish municipal public sector as a manager of this service is accompanied by manifestations demanding and forcing the sector to act by applying the principle of efficiency. These new demands require the development and application of control techniques that provide relevant information for decision-making. In the present work we examine the waste collection scheme in Spain using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology in terms of calculation of the efficiency, showing the vast information that may be provide by this technique. The results of this study showed that the average technical efficiency of waste collection is situated at 56.94%. Out of the 34 towns examined, the 73.53% were found inefficient. The analysis of slacks reveals a resource excess of about 9% above the optimal collection activity.

The vibriocidal antibody test is a reliable and well-documented method to determine bacterial antibodies to Vibrio cholerae 01 antigens. It consists of mixing serum dilutions and a steady quantity of bacteria and supplement to cause cell lysis. Titer is determined by visual observation. In this paper, we implemented a change in the presented method where a pH and glucose indicator was added to the culture medium used to stop the reaction, which allowed a quicker reading by any person who are not very familiar with the carrying out of this test since the colour change in the plaque is quite evident.

The obtention of two monoclonal antibodies which recognize a single epitope present in the subunit B of the thermolabile toxin of Vibrio cholerae and another which shows a cross-reaction with those produced by certain enteropathogenic toxins, is reported. The standardization of a solid phase indirect immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA) for the primary screening and selection of hybrids was performed; in addition, the isotype was determined.