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Rising air temperatures are the main reason for the expected reduction in land suitability for coffee cultivation under climate change in Central America. One of the reasons farmers use shade trees is to create a cooler microclimate in coffee plantations located in warming areas; therefore, adjusting the shade levels could alleviate future high temperatures. Even though data on expected climatic changes are available, no studies have addressed the cooling potential of shading in coffee production systems. In this study, we use regional climate information (RCP 4.5) and a simple shade model to explore the potential of shading as an adaptation practice in the coffee areas in Central America. A model was developed to estimate the required shade levels for Coffea arabica L. based on mean air temperature. Modeled and observed shade data were compared. Results indicate that compared to 2000, an overall increment of 23 ± 18% of shading would be required to alleviate the warming conditions by 2050. The shading will be more beneficial to coffee areas at medium and high altitudes than to areas at low ones. Also, the number of coffee areas that require dense shade levels (shading > 60%) may double by 2050. This would lead to a boost in tree biomass (carbon content) but also increase the competition for the coffee plants and consequently affect coffee yields. Trade-offs between adaptation, mitigation, and productivity objectives are expected in the coffee areas in the future.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with epidemic potential. It is emerging as a public health problem, in tropical and subtropical countries, affecting populations that are more vulnerable. The disease affects different risk groups such as fishermen, mine and drain workers, garbage collectors, personnel working in rice fields and slaughterhouse workers. The objective of the work was to identify potential risk factors for porcine leptospirosis as zoonosis in pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers from the Portoviejo canton, Manabí, Ecuador. A descriptive observational analysis of the influence of climatic variables on the occurrence of human leptospirosis was carried out in the period from January 2014 to December 2017. An epidemiological survey was applied to assess knowledge about the disease and identify potential factors risk in pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers. Human leptospirosis showed a higher occurrence in the rainy season and there was a positive correlation between the occurrence of cases and the climatic parameters, mean temperature and maximum relative humidity. The potential risk factors identified constitute a significant danger alert for pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers exposed to animal reservoirs or environments contaminated with Leptospira.

Antecedentes: La leptospirosis ha sido poco estudiada en Ecuador y es altamente prevalente en provincias costeras del país. Identificar los patrones histopatológicos en el riñón y su asociación con la seroprevalencia a Leptospira spp. en cerdos del matadero municipal del cantón Portoviejo. Métodos: Se analizaron cortes histológicos de 420 riñones de cerdos sacrificados y se determinó la asociación entre las lesiones renales y la seroprevalencia a Leptospira. Se efectuaron pruebas de comparación de proporciones y un análisis de riesgo con el programa para análisis epidemiológico de datos tabulados EPIDAT versión 3.1. Resultados: Se evidencia la presencia de los serovares Australis, Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae y Canicola circulantes en cerdos de matadero, con una seroprevalencia, factores que pueden ser un peligro potencial latente para los humanos susceptibles; que avala el alto porcentaje de lesiones por Leptospira spp. encontrada en los riñones de estos animales, evidencias que constituyen una alerta significativa de riesgo para los trabajadores que manipulan y trabajan con cerdos sacrificados en el matadero. Conclusiones: La glomerulonefritis, la nefritis tubular, la nefritis intersticial y la glomerulitis, aparecen en los riñones de cerdos asintomáticos seropositivos o no a Leptospira spp., lo que muestra el amplio patrón de lesiones por la infección en estos animales. Los cerdos que manifestaron nefritis intersticial tuvieron 3,5 veces más probabilidad de resultar positivos por MAT que los que no mostraban esta lesión.

Future climate forecasts predict major changes that will have negative impacts on the distribution, abundance, and dynamics of forest ecosystems. In Mexico, there is evidence of symptoms of massive forest decline; however, there is no consensus in terms of attributing these symptoms to climate change. This study aimed to provide evidence of forest decline possibly associated with climatic change in the highland pine (Pinus hartwegii Lindl.) populations of the Nevado de Toluca Flora and Fauna Protection Area. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with multispectral sensors, the study applied digital photogrammetry techniques, automated tree crown detection algorithms, and calculation of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and leaf chlorophyll index (LCI) to assess forest health across an altitudinal transect (from 3300 m to the timberline at 4040 m elevation). Climate analysis was conducted with TerraClimate data using mean annual temperature (MAT), April temperature, and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) from the studied altitudinal transect and its xeric limit. We found that lower altitude populations had significantly higher stress levels, indicating forest decline phenomena, while intermediate altitude populations showed greater vigor of the detected trees. Statistically significant differences in the NDVI and LCI values along the altitudinal gradient provided evidence of forest decline in terms of forest vigor and productivity, with the greatest disturbance found at the lower altitude of the examined forest species. The analysis of the climatic data revealed an increase in April temperature +1.4 °C of the xeric limit of the transect (low altitude) when comparing the reference period, 1961–1990 (mean: 12.17 °C), with the decade prior to our study (2011–2020; mean: 13.57 °C). This would be equivalent to an upward shift in elevation of 280 m of the xeric limit. In addition, the PDSI analysis revealed that droughts are becoming increasingly intense at a rate of 0.06 PDSI units per decade, with greater intensity in the last five years. These findings highlight the negative impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and the urgent need for alternative forest management and conservation practices to increase resilience and adaptation in the temperate forests of Mexico. This study sets a precedent for further research to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and the development of sustainable management practices.

Sea turtle egg relocation and hatchery incubation (hereafter termed ex situ incubation) is an effective strategy to protect clutches when in situ egg incubation is not viable. Nevertheless, it negatively affects the ontogenesis of male gonads and brain areas homologous to the mammalian hippocampus, as well as body size and fitness. Thus, it is imperative to analyze the effects of ex situ incubation on other developmental aspects and extend these observations to females. This work evaluated the effect of ex situ management on neurogenesis (cell proliferation in the dorsal and medial ventricular zones, neuronal integration in the dorsomedial and medial cortices), ovary cell proliferation, body size (mass and length) and self-righting ability. Additionally, this study examined if the incubation microenvironment is different between in situ and ex situ nests and whether it could contribute to explain the biological traits. An analysis of principal components showed differences in biological variables of hatchlings between in situ and ex situ clutches, driven by contrasting temperatures and silt composition. Each biological variable was also analyzed with linear mixed models using in situ vs. ex situ clutches, abiotic variables and their interaction. Turtles from ex situ clutches showed: (1) fewer proliferating cells in the dorsal and medial ventricular zones; (2) less mature neurons in the dorsomedial and medial cortices; (3) ovaries with a lesser number of proliferating cells; (4) lower body mass and length at emergence; and (5) slower self-righting time. Together, the results suggest that ex situ incubation in hatcheries is related to a slowing down of neurogenesis, ovariogenesis, body size and self-righting ability in hatchlings. Future studies should evaluate the effect of ex situ incubation on cognitive and reproductive performance to understand the long-term consequences of altered organogenesis. These studies should also disentangle the differential contribution of egg movement, reburial, nesting environment and parental origin to development. This information would likely result in better conservation strategies for sea turtles.

Societal Impact Statement Understanding of tropical forests has been revolutionized by monitoring in permanent plots. Data from global plot networks have transformed our knowledge of forests’ diversity, function, contribution to global biogeochemical cycles, and sensitivity to climate change. Monitoring has thus far been concentrated in rain forests. Despite increasing appreciation of their threatened status, biodiversity, and importance to the global carbon cycle, monitoring in tropical dry forests is still in its infancy. We provide a protocol for permanent monitoring plots in tropical dry forests. Expanding monitoring into dry biomes is critical for overcoming the linked challenges of climate change, land use change, and the biodiversity crisis.

In this paper, we present a secure datastore based on an Ethereum smart contract. Our research is guided by three research questions. First, we will explore to what extend a smart-contract-based datastore should resemble a traditional database system. Second, we will investigate how to store the data in a smart-contract-based datastore for maximum flexibility while minimizing the gas consumption. Third, we seek answers regarding whether or not a smart-contract-based datastore should incorporate complex processing such as data encryption and data analytic algorithms. The proposed smart-contract-based datastore aims to strike a good balance between several constraints: (1) smart contracts are publicly visible, which may create a confidentiality concern for the data stored in the datastore; (2) unlike traditional database systems, the Ethereum smart contract programming language (i.e., Solidity) offers very limited data structures for data management; (3) all operations that mutate the blockchain state would incur financial costs and the developers for smart contracts must make sure sufficient gas is provisioned for every smart contract call, and ideally, the gas consumption should be minimized. Our investigation shows that although it is essential for a smart-contract-based datastore to offer some basic data query functionality, it is impractical to offer query flexibility that resembles that of a traditional database system. Furthermore, we propose that data should be structured as tag-value pairs, where the tag serves as a non-unique key that describes the nature of the value. We also conclude that complex processing should not be allowed in the smart contract due to the financial burden and security concerns. The tag-based secure datastore designed this way also defines its applicative perimeter, i.e., only applications that align with our strategy would find the proposed datastore a good fit. Those that would rather incur higher financial cost for more data query flexibility and/or less user burden on data pre- and post-processing would find the proposed database too restrictive.

Abstract Background Hypochloremia associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs is likely multifactorial. Loop diuretics cause 1:2 sodium [Na+]:chloride [Cl−] loss, whereas water retention causes a 1:1 [Na+]:[Cl−] dilution. Mathematical [Cl−] correction separates these effects on [Cl−]. Hypothesis We hypothesized that corrected [Cl−] (c[Cl−]) would not differ from measured [Cl−] (m[Cl−]) in dogs with controlled CHF because of loop diuretics, and dogs with refractory CHF would have higher c[Cl−] than m[Cl−], indicating relative water excess. Animals Seventy‐one client‐owned dogs with acquired heart disease, without CHF (NO‐CHF), 76 with Stage C CHF and 24 with Stage D CHF. Methods Clinicopathological data from a previous study were retrospectively analyzed. Corrected [Cl−], m[Cl−], and differences were compared among NO‐CHF, Stage C CHF, and Stage D CHF, using the formula: c[Cl−] = (mid‐reference range [Na+]/measured [Na+]) × m[Cl−]. Results Corrected [Cl−] and m[Cl−] were lower in Stage D vs Stage C and NO‐CHF (all P 2 mmol/L. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Serum [Cl−] increased after mathematical correction in Stage D CHF dogs but not in Stage C and NO‐CHF dogs. Although c[Cl−] was higher than m[Cl−] in Stage D dogs supportive of relative water excess, hypochloremia persisted, consistent with concurrent loop diuretic effects on electrolytes. Future study correlating c[Cl−] to antidiuretic hormone concentrations is warranted.

Con el objetivo de evaluar las características físicas de aguas para consumo humano, procedentes de las localidades de Severino, Julián y Balsa en Medio, ubicadas en la microcuenca del río Carrizal, Ecuador, tratadas por estrategias de depuración, se evaluaron cinco tratamientos: incubada con 5 ml/l de EM•1® y filtrada en zeolita cubana; incubada con 5 ml/l de EM•1® y filtrada en zeolita ecuatoriana; e incubada con tres dosis de microorganismos autóctonos (5, 10 y 15 ml/l). Se utilizó el diseño experimental de bloques al azar, con cuatro repeticiones. Las comparaciones se llevaron a cabo a través de contrastes ortogonales. Se constató que, con independencia de la localidad y la fuente de agua muestreada, se encontraron ventajas estadísticamente significativas (p < 0.05) para las variables turbidez, sólidos totales y dureza cuando se emplean dosis de 15 ml/l microorganismos autóctonos. Se obtuvieron resultados similares cuando se utilizó zeolita ecuatoriana como elemento filtrante asociado con microorganismos eficientes (EM•1®). La variable temperatura presentó mayores valores relacionados con los tratamientos con los organismos eficientes (EM•1®), cuando son filtrados con la zeolita cubana y, de manera similar, con la dosis de 5 ml/l de microrganismos autóctonos. La variable color fue similar para todas las fuentes de muestreo y localidades. La mayoría de las variables físicas de las localidades de Severino, Julián y Balsa en Medio cumplen con las normativas aplicables a condiciones de calidad de agua de consumo de Ecuador. La turbidez excedió los límites permisibles y no fue posible corregirlos con los tratamientos evaluados.

Nuclear infrastructure systems play an important role in national security. The functions and missions of nuclear infrastructure systems are vital to government, businesses, society and citizen's lives. It is crucial to design nuclear infrastructure for scalability, reliability and robustness. To do this, we can use machine learning, which is a state of the art technology used in various fields ranging from voice recognition, Internet of Things (IoT) device management and autonomous vehicles. In this paper, we propose to design and develop a machine learning algorithm to perform predictive maintenance of nuclear infrastructure. Support vector machine and logistic regression algorithms will be used to perform the prediction. These machine learning techniques have been used to explore and compare rare events that could occur in nuclear infrastructure. As per our literature review, support vector machines provide better performance metrics. In this paper, we have performed parameter optimization for both algorithms mentioned. Existing research has been done in conditions with a great volume of data, but this paper presents a novel approach to correlate nuclear infrastructure data samples where the density of probability is very low. This paper also identifies the respective motivations and distinguishes between benefits and drawbacks of the selected machine learning algorithms.

Objetivo: Verificar o comportamento da criança na punção venosa com intervenção musical usando uma canção instrutiva. Método: Estudo caso-controle; incluídas crianças de 4 a 11 anos. A coleta foi realizada pela ficha sociodemográfica, abordagem com canção instrutiva apresentada ao vivo, beira leito, e avaliação da escala de observação de distresse comportamental. As variáveis foram analisadas com Teste-T de Student, Qui-quadrado e Exato de Fisher. Todas as análises foram realizadas no programa Data Analysis and Statistical Software (STATA®), versão 14,0, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: A utilização da música favoreceu a diminuição da variável gritar (p=0,049). A busca por suporte emocional foi maior sem o uso da música (p=0,019). De modo geral, a canção reduziu os comportamentos concorrentes. Conclusão: A interação entre a criança e a canção repercutiu um cuidado instrucional sensível e adaptável ao mundo infantil, revelando-se uma tecnologia para a enfermagem pediátrica.

Background: Menière's disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of spontaneous vertigo, unilateral low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. Current diagnosis still often has to rely on subjective and audiometric criteria only, although endolymphatic hydrops is recognized as the pathophysiological substrate of the disease, having been demonstrated in anatomical pathological studies and by magnetic resonance (MRI). The modiolus has a close functional and anatomical relationship with the cochlear nerve and membranous labyrinth and can be evaluated with MRI but no data exist on the modiolar size in MD.Purpose: Our purpose is to examine the following hypothesis. Is cochlear modiolus smaller in symptomatic ears in MD?Methods: We used a retrospective 3 Tesla MR study (heavily T2-weighted 3D fast asymmetric spin-echo images and 0.5 mm slice thickness) comparing the mean modiolar area (MMA) in the index and best ears of eight patients with definite MD based on audiometric data. The obtained MMA values were compared against the audiometric data and the presence of vestibular endolymphatic hydrops.Results: No differences were seen in MMA between best and worst ears. Ears with a pure tone average (PTA) ≥25 dB and more pronounced endolymphatic hydrops showed lower MMA (not statistically significant). Two patients with extreme endolymphatic hydrops showed a noteworthy ipsilateral decrease in the cochlear modiolus area.Conclusion: No differences were seen in MMA between best and worst ears in definite MD. Worse hearing function (PTA ≥ 25dB) and more pronounced endolymphatic hydrops seem to be associated with lower MMA. This might be related to bone remodeling as a consequence of endolymphatic hydrops. Further research is needed to corroborate and explore these findings.

Abstract In comparison with other over‐the‐counter anti‐inflammatory drugs, naproxen has a longer half‐life in dogs and can lead to severe morbidity and mortality. This report describes the successful use of membrane‐based therapeutic plasma exchange after a massive ingestion of naproxen by a dog resulting in 86% reduction in plasma concentration.

Los pronósticos de precipitaciones como variable hidrológica nos indican las posibles cantidades de lluvia en un periodo futuro. Contemplando la variación temporal y espacial, se tuvo como objetivo pronosticar las precipitaciones sobre la cuenca aportante al embalse “La Esperanza” aplicando el modelo climático global HadCM3. Mediante información retrospectiva, se analizó información de precipitaciones históricas entre los años 1980-2017, de 50 estaciones pluviométricas cercanas al área en estudio, utilizando el software Excel 2016, para síntesis de datos numéricos en el análisis estadístico y la estimación de datos hidrológicos mediante los métodos: Promedios vecinales, razones normales y de regresiones; del cual se obtuvo información prospectiva mediante el uso del software ArcGIS 10.4.1, extrayendo 456 precipitaciones medias, mediante el método de las isoyetas, obteniéndose las precipitaciones promedias reales observadas, a las cuales se aplicó las constantes de anomalías del modelo climático global HadCM3. Los resultados indican que las precipitaciones en el área de estudio, tiende a aumentar en cada periodo de años analizados: 2010-2039 con el 16,75%, 2040-2069 con el 47% y 2070-2099 con el 80,16% de aumento con respecto precipitación promedio real observada: 1759,64 mm. El presente estudio propone una herramienta de previsión a las entidades encargadas de la planificación del recurso hídrico para la toma de decisiones.

La presente investigación se condujo con los objetivos de determinar la calidad del agua, categorizar las condiciones de salud y el perfil socioeconómico de los habitantes de Balsa en Medio, Julián y Severino de la microcuenca del río Carrizal. Las muestras se tomaron del agua almacenada, determinándose in situ: pH, temperatura, conductividad eléctrica y oxígeno disuelto; y en laboratorio sólidos totales, nitratos, fósforo, DBO y coliformes fecales, sus valores interpretados de acuerdo al Índice de Calidad Ambiental. Para la cuantificación de las variables relacionadas con las necesidades básicas insatisfechas, se aplicó una encuesta; por otro lado, para el diagnóstico socioeconómico como el sanitario, se obtuvo información a partir de Censos del Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas, Registros en Infocentros y Centros de Salud. De acuerdo al índice de calidad las aguas de Balsa en Medio y Julián son poco contaminadas”, mientras que las de Severino son “contaminadas”. En 28% de los casos las familias consumen agua hervida, sin cloración, mientras que el 72% la consumen directamente del rio. En 2016 se detectó disentería amebiana, shigelosis, diarreas generalizadas, infecciones por Campylobacter ssp, entre otras. Las comunidades, se ubican dentro de un nivel significativo de pobreza, lo cual dificulta acceder al agua potable. Abstract The present investigation was conducted with the objectives of determining the quality of the water, categorizing health conditions and the socioeconomic profile of the inhabitants of the Village Balsa en Medio, Julián and Severino of the micro-basin of the Carrizal River. The samples were taken from stored water, determining at the sight: pH, temperature, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen; and in the laboratory total solids, nitrates, phosphorus, BOD and fecal coliforms, with values interpreted according to the Environmental Quality Index. For the quantification of the variables related to the unsatisfied basic needs, a survey was applied; on the other hand, for the socioeconomic diagnosis such as health, information was obtained from the Censuses of the National Institute of Statistics, Registries in Infocenters and Health Centers. According to the quality index, the waters of Balsa en Medio and Julián are little polluted, whiles of Severino are contaminated. In 28% of cases, families consume boiled water, without chlorination, while 72% consume it directly from the river. In 2016 amoebic dysentery, shigellosis, widespread diarrhea, and Campylobacter ssp infections were detected, among others. The communities are located within a significant level of poverty, which makes it difficult for them to access drinking water.

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar la incidencia de las principales causas de decomiso en cerdos sacrificados en el matadero de Salamina I en la provincia de Villa Clara y su contribución a la vigilancia epizoótica. La investigación se realizó en el período comprendido de enero de 2013 a diciembre de 2016. Se realizó un análisis de la serie cronológica mensual para determinar la ocurrencia de las principales causas de decomisos en los cerdos sacrificados. Se determinó la tendencia, estacionalidad y canales de comportamiento habitual de las patologías de mayor incidencia. Se evaluó el impacto económico-sanitario de las pérdidas por concepto de decomisos y se realizó una distribución espacial de las áreas de procedencia de los animales sacrificados con mayor ocurrencia de cisticercosis en el año 2014.

Introducción. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar si la laparotomía de control de daños con ligadura y reconstrucción intestinal diferida, en pacientes con peritonitis secundaria a compromiso de víscera hueca, reduce el número de ostomías. Métodos. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes menores de 18 años de edad que ingresaron a la clínica con sospecha de peritonitis de origen no traumático y que se sometieron a laparotomía entre enero del 2003 y diciembre del 2018. Se evaluaron las características sociodemográficas, comorbilidades, escalas de gravedad fisiológica, técnicas de reconstrucción intestinal y resultados clínicos. Resultados. Se incluyeron 306 pacientes, distribuidos en tres grupos: 1) 120 (39,2 %) sometidos a resección y anastomosis, 2) 87 (28,4 %) sometidos a ostomía, y 3) 99 (32,3 %) sometidos inicialmente a ligadura intestinal. Los pacientes sometidos a ligadura intestinal presentaron mayor compromiso fisiológico al ingreso a la unidad de cuidado intensivo, con puntuación APACHE II: 14 (rango intercuartílico, RIC=10-18) en el grupo 1, 13 (RIC=11-18) en el grupo 2, y 18 (RIC=14-24) en el grupo 3 (p

To recover the structure and functionality of a deforested ecosystem, two strategies of ecological restoration are considered: active restoration, which eliminates the disturbance agents and implements strategies to accelerate site recovery, and passive restoration, which eliminates disturbance agents, allowing natural regeneration to occur. Prior to choosing passive restoration, a field evaluation of the potential for natural regeneration is important. In this context, seedling and sapling density as well as patterns of recruitment and survival are appropriate indicators of restoration potential. In the present study, we deduced the potential of sacred fir (Abies religiosa) forest of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to recover by natural regeneration through seedling and sapling density and mortality, since A. religiosa is the dominant tree species in wintering sites of monarch butterfly. In 2015, we evaluated seedling density in 53 sites along an elevational gradient (3050–3550 m above sea level; m a.s.l.). There was a higher density of seedlings and saplings established in canopy gaps, compared to sites under dense forest canopy. Seedling recruitment was higher in sites at intermediate elevations (3050 to 3300 m a.s.l.) than in those at higher elevations. In a second survey, we studied A. religiosa seedling mortality over the dry season of 2016 to identify the environmental variables that cause the high seedling mortality and very low recruitment. Recently emerged seedling mortality was 49.2% at the end of the dry season (June 2016). The highest monthly mortality (14.3%) was recorded in April, a dry and warm month with the lowest values of moss thickness and soil moisture. We found no negative effects of moss layer on seedling mortality; indeed, moss appears to slow soil moisture reduction at the critical end of the warm and dry season. Soil and moss moisture values in April seem to be a critical factor for A. religiosa seedling recruitment, and we expect this condition will deteriorate under projected climatic change scenarios. Thus, the potential of MBBR A. religiosa forest to recover by passive restoration is highly constrained and will require management actions to achieve successful restoration outcomes.

Abstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a global conservation priority, but the booming illegal trade in wild plants remains understudied. We use the Mexican orchid trade to illustrate an interdisciplinary approach to provide novel insight on conservation strategies and policies. We synthesize studies of orchid markets, national orchid confiscation records, CITES registers, and global population dynamics studies to document trade patterns and potential ecological impacts. We found 333 wild‐harvested orchid taxa illegally traded in domestic markets. Clear patterns emerged: 90% were epiphytic and

Bilateral jugular foramen stenosis with jugular bulb and vein aplasia is rare in nonsyndromic craniosynostosis and usually diagnosed during childhood. We present a case of bilateral jugular foramen stenosis with jugular bulb and vein aplasia, with subsequent persistence and enlargement of the fetal venous anastomosis in the middle and posterior cranial fossa, along with a review of the literature about this anatomical abnormality, highlighting the surgical challenges and management from the otologist/neurotologist point of view.

Con el objetivo de implementar un sistema de tratamiento del agua del tipo filtración de múltiples etapas para el consumo humano en las comunidades Balsa en Medio, Julián y Severino, Ecuador, a nivel de laboratorio se desarrolló un sistema a escala, estructurado por filtrado en arenas+gravas, seguido de filtración con las zeolitas clinoptilolita y mordenita y finalmente se realizó el proceso de cloración. Se empleó el diseño experimental completamente aleatorizado con cuatro repeticiones para los tratamientos. Los resultados indican que en la etapa de filtración en arenas+gravas las variables DBO5; sólidos totales; coliformes fecales y turbiedad, alcanzaron niveles permitidos de acuerdo a las normas establecidas para el agua de consumo humano. El uso de zeolitas del tipo clinoptilolita y/o mordenita como procedimiento para complementar el proceso de filtración, redujo significativamente los tenores de cobre, plomo, hierro, aluminio, cobalto y cromo. El uso del tratamiento con cloro después del filtrado redujo en 87% la presencia de coliformes fecales reduciendo los valores dentro de los rangos permitidos. El sistema de tratamiento de aguas propuesto para las comunidades estudiadas es de fácil operación y mantenimiento, sus costos son aceptables y los insumos requeridos para su implantación están disponibles en el Ecuador. AbstractA scale system was developed with the objective of implementing a multi-stage filtration system of water treatment for human consumption in the communities of Balsa en Medio, Julián and Severino, Ecuador at the laboratory level. Initially, it was structured by filtering in sands + gravels, followed by filtration with clinoptilolite and mordenite zeolites. Finally, the water chlorination process was carried out. The assay was developed with a completely randomized experimental design with four repetitions. The results indicate that in the filtration stage in sands + gravels, the BOD5 variables, total solids, fecal coliforms and turbidity, reached permitted levels according to the norms established for water for human consumption. The use of clinoptilolite and/or mordenite zeolites as a method to complement the filtration process significantly reduced the copper, lead, iron, aluminum, cobalt and chromium levels. The use of the chlorine treatment after filtering reduced the presence of fecal coliforms by 87%, reducing the values within the permitted ranges. The water treatment system proposed for the communities studied is easy to operate and maintain, its costs are acceptable and the inputs required for its implementation are available in Ecuador.

The demand for the digital monitoring of environmental ecosystems is high and growing rapidly as a means of protecting the public and managing the environment. However, before data, algorithms, and models can be mobilized at scale, there are considerable concerns associated with privacy and security that can negatively affect the adoption of technology within this domain. In this paper, we propose the advancement of electronic environmental monitoring through the capability provided by the blockchain. The blockchain’s use of a distributed ledger as its underlying infrastructure is an attractive approach to counter these privacy and security issues, although its performance and ability to manage sensor data must be assessed. We focus on a new distributed ledger technology for the IoT, called IOTA, that is based on a directed acyclic graph. IOTA overcomes the current limitations of the blockchain and offers a data communication protocol called masked authenticated messaging for secure data sharing among Internet of Things (IoT) devices. We show how the application layer employing the data communication protocol, MAM, can support the secure transmission, storage, and retrieval of encrypted environmental sensor data by using an immutable distributed ledger such as that shown in IOTA. Finally, we evaluate, compare, and analyze the performance of the MAM protocol against a non-protocol approach.

Reservoirs provide valuable services to human beings, especially in arid, semi-arid, and Mediterranean regions affected by water scarcity. The present effort aims to study the environmental descriptors of variation and the main factors influencing phytoplankton composition, structure, and diversity in five reservoirs in Santiago Island, Cape Verde, a region affected by water availability. Five campaigns took place from 2016 to 2020 to sample phytoplankton and measure environmental variables according to standard analytical methodologies. Environmental results (17 water physicochemical variables, air temperature, and precipitation) revealed that reservoirs differ in the geological influence variables. The high levels of P and N in water seem to be related to Land Use/Land Cover and are responsible for water-quality degradation. Cyanobacteria dominated the phytoplankton community and posed high risk levels, especially considering that the identified taxa are potential producers of different toxins. Taxa responsible for this dominance were not the same in all reservoirs, emphasizing the dominant role of local habitat factors on community composition and diversity. Overall, the results reveal the importance of defining integrated management plans/strategies for the set of five studied reservoirs, since the processes influencing variation in the phytoplankton community are temporal-scale dependent, with similar biogeographic patterns.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to their paper [...]

The article offers information on the use of electrocoagulation in separating metabolites in the sisal process or furcraea cabuya. It also discusses efficient electrochemical treatment as a major factor in environmental impact mitigation by removing organic matter produced during the washing and extraction of the fiber. Topics discussed include the use of electrochemical system, data analysis, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Multifunctional flexible tactile sensors could be useful to improve the control of prosthetic hands. To that end, highly stretchable liquid metal tactile sensors (LMS) were designed, manufactured via photolithography, and incorporated into the fingertips of a prosthetic hand. Three novel contributions were made with the LMS. First, individual fingertips were used to distinguish between different speeds of sliding contact with different surfaces. Second, differences in surface textures were reliably detected during sliding contact. Third, the capacity for hierarchical tactile sensor integration was demonstrated by using four LMS signals simultaneously to distinguish between ten complex multi-textured surfaces. Four different machine learning algorithms were compared for their successful classification capabilities: K-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and neural network (NN). The time-frequency features of the LMSs were extracted to train and test the machine learning algorithms. The NN generally performed the best at the speed and texture detection with a single finger and had a 99.2 ± 0.8% accuracy to distinguish between ten different multi-textured surfaces using four LMSs from four fingers simultaneously. The capability for hierarchical multi-finger tactile sensation integration could be useful to provide a higher level of intelligence for artificial hands.

The Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil, is rich in mineral occurrences and is considered one of the richest mineral-bearing regions in the world. Most investigations in this region have dealt with the determination of arsenic and mercury but so far few studies have been carried out aiming at determining other important elements. Having in mind the potential risk caused by mineral activities, this study was developed in order to assess the potential influence of the soil on foodstuffs. The soil samples were collected from three sites inside and outside the Iron Quadrangle. The samples were analyzed at the Laboratory for Neutron Activation Analysis, CDTN/CNEN by the k 0-instrumental neutron activation analysis. This paper reports the elemental concentration determined in soil and emphasises the elements cited in the Brazilian environmental legislation for soil. This work also confirms the high elemental concentration of several minerals, however, it is difficult to distinguish the contamination from anthropogenic activities from the natural occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the progress in the reformation of the Episcopalian liturgy since the introduction of the revised Book of Common Prayer in 1979. Provision of two competing rites for the sacred Eucharist, the daily prayer offices, and the burial liturgy; Efforts of the Church to revise liturgical language and to include Native Americans in liturgical service; Major events in the pastoral life of the Episcopalian Church.

Abstract Background Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections) project and on 658 international experts in the fields of ASPs, infection control, and infections in surgery. Results The response rate was 19.4%. One hundred fifty-six (98.7%) participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary AST. The median number of physicians working inside the team was five [interquartile range 4–6]. An infectious disease specialist, a microbiologist and an infection control specialist were, respectively, present in 80.1, 76.3, and 67.9% of the ASTs. A surgeon was a component in 59.0% of cases and was significantly more likely to be present in university hospitals (89.5%, p

Increasing disturbance events (forest fires, windstorms, pest outbreaks) associated with climate change are creating new ecological restoration challenges. Here, we examine the utility of assisted migration in combination with naturally established nurse plants in order to improve the success of afforestation with Abies religiosa (sacred fir), the overwintering host of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). We established high-elevation assisted migration A. religiosa provenance field tests at two sites (Las Palomas and Los Ailes) in the core overwintering areas of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR), central Mexico. At each site, 2-year-old seedlings were planted either in the open or under existing nurse plants. Three and a half years after planting at the Las Palomas site (5.5 years from germination), A. religiosa seedling survival was 72% under the shade of nurse plants but only 18% in open areas (without shade). At the Los Ailes site, 1 year and a half after planting in the field (3.5 years from germination), survival was 94% and 10%, respectively. There were not significant differences in seedling height increment among populations at either site. The results of our study and those published elsewhere suggest that A. religiosa benefits from shade protection of nurse plants and that population transfer 400 m upward in elevation (i.e., assisted migration) to compensate for future warmer climates does not appear to have any negative impacts on the seedlings, while potentially conferring closer alignment to future climates. If absent in planting sites, we recommend growing nurse shrub species (such as Baccharis conferta) alongside tree seedlings in forest nurseries so that these shrubs can be transplanted to the reforestation site 2 years before planting the tree seedlings.

O objetivo deste artigo é estudar a economia do estado do Espírito Santo, mais especificamente, durante as décadas de 1980 e 1990 e tentar apontar os fatores que permitiram ao estado crescer mais que o Brasil durante o período. Para isto, se fará na introdução, uma breve explanação sobre o ambiente econômico das décadas estudadas, apresentando a problemática do artigo. Posteriormente, o artigo avançará com uma seção onde se descreverá, através de dados, o desempenho da economia capixaba na década de 1980. Na sequência se fará o mesmo para a década de 1990. Por fim, nas considerações finais, faz-se uma síntese do apresentado durante o artigo e alguns apontamentos gerais.

Neste artigo se investigará os autores marginalistas com a intenção de compreender o motivo de a História do Pensamento Econômico (HPE) não ter dedicado atenção ao estudo das expectativas em suas obras. Na primeira seção será discutido o modelo homogeneizado; na seção seguinte se apresentará o papel que as expectativas desempenham nos modelos econômicos de William Stanley Jevons, Carl Menger e Léon Walras, de maneira individualizada, com o objetivo de identificar como estes autores trataram a problemática; por fim, se farão indicações conclusivas acerca do discutido no artigo, que objetivarão responder por que a HPE ignorou a temática das expectativas.

Enquadramento: Em Portugal, todas as escolas do ensino básico e secundário são consideradas Escolas Promotoras de Saúde. Objetivos: Analisar as linhas orientadoras para a implementação de escolas promotoras de saúde, emanadas pelos setores da saúde e da educação e verificar se se coadunam com as linhas orientadoras internacionais. Metodologia: Estudo de natureza qualitativa, com recurso a análise de conteúdo dos documentos oficiais utilizando o software NVivo® 11 Pro. Resultados: Ambos os setores (saúde e educação) preocupam-se com as Medidas a adotar para proporcionar condições de organização e de cooperação; têm os Objetivos claramente delineados e coincidentes; consideram relevante as Metodologias/estratégias ativas, especialmente a metodologia por projeto; apresentam Áreas/temas de intervenção idênticas e consideram a Avaliação essencialmente quantitativa. Conclusão: Os documentos da saúde e da educação são convergentes e complementares, havendo articulação entre ambos os setores para uma eficiente implementação de escolas promotoras de saúde.

Research Highlights: Reciprocal altitudinal transplants of Abies religiosa seedlings within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) allow prediction of the impacts of climatic change, because they grow in sites with a climate that differs from that of their origin. Background and Objectives: Climatic change is generating a mismatch between the sites currently occupied by forest populations and the climate to which they have adapted. This study determined the effect on the survival and growth of A. religiosa seedlings of transfer to sites that were warmer or colder than that of the origin of their seeds. Materials and Methods: Eleven provenances of A. religiosa, collected along an altitudinal gradient (3000 to 3550 m a.s.l.), were assayed in common gardens in three sites of contrasting altitude: 3400, 3000 and 2600 m a.s.l. The results were evaluated by fitting a response curve with a mixed model. Results: The climate transfer distance for the seasonal balance between the temperature conducive to growth (degree days above 5 °C) and the available precipitation (a ratio expressed as dryness index) dominated the shape of the response function curve. The rainy season (June–October) dryness index transfer distance was critical for survival, while that of the cold and dry season (November–February) was critical for aerial biomass, and the annual index was critical for the increase in basal diameter. The effect of climatic transfer distance is much more negative (triggering about 45% mortality) when transfer is toward warmer and dryer sites (at 400 m lower in altitude, +1.9 °C warmer and 16% less precipitation), than when shifting toward colder and wetter sites (400 m higher in altitude, resulting in 95% survival). Conclusions: The projected higher temperatures and lower precipitation due to climatic change will undoubtedly cause severe mortality in young A. religiosa seedlings. A 400 m shift upwards in altitude to compensate for climatic change (assisted migration) appears to be a feasible management action.

This research obtains a mathematical formulation to determine the heat transfer in a transient state, in a calorimeter cell, considering an adiabatic system. The development of the cell was established and the mathematical model was transiently solved, which approximated the physical phenomenon under the cell operation. A numerical method for complex geometries was used to validate performance. The results obtained in the transient heat transfer in a cylinder under boundary and initial conditions were compared using an analytical solution and numerical analysis employing the finite-element method with commercial software. The study from the temperature distribution can afford, selection between a cylindrical and spherical geometry, design criteria that are generated by changing parameters such as dimension, temperature, and working fluids to develop an adiabatic calorimeter to measure the heat capacity in fluids. We show the mathematical solution with its initial and boundary conditions as well as a comparison with a numerical solution for a cylindrical cell with a maximum error from 0.075% in the temperature value, along with a theoretical and numerical analysis for a temperature difference of 1 °C.

Examines the biblical and theological foundations of the ministry of reconciliation and the declaration of the forgiveness of sins to God's people in the name of Jesus Christ. Roots of the tradition; Jesus Christ's performance of a healing ministry; Participation of sinners in the death and resurrection of Jesus as cause of forgiveness; Divine gift of forgiveness and reconciliation in the parable of the prodigal son.

Provides an overview of essential Christian worship. Core of Christian worship; Daily prayer; Lord's Day; Church year; Christian initiation; Ministry of word and sacrament; Minimum standard; Anglican tradition; Cultural diversity; Prayer book; Anglican style.

En este artículo se reflexiona acerca de las insuficiencias que aún persisten en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la Historia de Cuba en la enseñanza media en el municipio Urbano Noris y lo que puede aportar el pensamiento martiano en aras de influir en la preparación de los profesores para que asuman un proceso más activo y trascendente. Ello permitirá además, que los estudiantes y ellos mismos piensen, enseñen y aprendan la historia y no la reduzcan a un mero proceso para presentarse y aprobar exámenes. Como solución se diseñaron acciones de superación posgraduada para los profesores de Historia de Cuba en el territorio.

Palm leaves represent one of the most important non-timber forest products in tropical and subtropical regions. Brahea aculeata is an endemic palm of northwest Mexico, whose leaves are intensively exploited for roof thatch and handcrafts. As part of a long-term defoliation experiment, we evaluated the effects of different leaf harvest on foliar and reproductive traits of adults and attributes of their progeny. We conducted a six-year manipulative experiment and applied three harvesting treatments to adults: high harvest, low harvest and no harvest (control). We recorded leaf production and size, flower and fruit production, seed germination and seedling growth. We also explored trade-offs among foliar and reproductive traits. Harvested palms exhibited drastically reduced reproductive activity, producing fewer flowers and fruits (up to 80 and 90% fewer than unharvested palms). However, individuals in both harvest treatments had larger leaves and increased leaf production rates, compared to control palms. For harvested palms, we registered first a slight increase in leaf traits and a decline in reproductive attributes. These traits showed a gradual reduction and for six period attained very low proportional values compared to control palms (~0.10), however individuals in the harvested treatments maintained the greatest leaf lengths and leaf production rates. Seed germination and seedling growth rates of progeny from harvested palms were significantly lower than control palms, with seeds from the high harvest treatment having the lowest seed production and germination rates. Relationships among leaf (size/production) and reproductive traits (flower/fruit production) were positive during the fourth year, but showed negative relationships for the fifth year suggesting a trade-off between reproduction and growth functions. Leaf harvesting in B. aculeata seems to alter patterns of resource allocation away from reproduction as reflected in a decrease in the probability of reproduction, seed number, germination, and vigor, causing a strong decrease in the reproductive success of this species. Results showed that the consequences of long-term leaf harvest not only affect harvested individuals, but also the fitness and vigor of progeny. This type of long-term studies is essential to understand the population dynamics of non-timber forest products and helps inform sustainable harvesting programs considering intensity, frequencies and periods for recovery from defoliation. Also results may help to explain how intensive and non-planned management schemes may negatively affect vital rates and long-term dynamics of populations from non-timber forest products and other components of the ecosystem.

Objetivo: Valorar tasa de adherencia y causas de no adherencia a las guías terapéuticas internacionales para la prescripción antibiótica empírica en la neumonía grave en Latinoamérica. Métodos: Encuesta clínica realizada a 36 médicos de Latinoamérica donde se pedía indicar el tratamiento empírico en 2 casos clínicos ficticios de pacientes con infección respiratoria grave: neumonía adquirida en la comunidad y neumonía nosocomial. Resultados: En el caso de la neumonía comunitaria el tratamiento fue adecuado en el 30,6% de las prescripciones. Las causas de no adherencia fueron monoterapia (16,0%), cobertura no indicada para multirresistentes (4,0%) y empleo de antibióticos con espectro inadecuado (44,0%). En el caso de la neumonía nosocomial el cumplimiento de las guías terapéuticas Infectious Disease Society of America/American Thoracic Society fue del 2,8%. Las causas de falta de adherencia fueron monoterapia (14,3%) y la falta de doble tratamiento antibiótico frente a Pseudomonas aeruginosa (85,7%). En caso de considerar correcta la monoterapia con actividad frente a P. aeruginosa, el tratamiento sería adecuado en el 100% de los casos. Conclusión: En la neumonía comunitaria la adherencia a las guías terapéuticas Infectious Disease Society of America/American Thoracic Society fue del 30,6%; la causa más frecuente de incumplimiento fue el uso de monoterapia. La adherencia en el caso de la neumonía nosocomial fue del 2,8% y la causa más importante de incumplimiento fue la falta de doble tratamiento frente a P. aeruginosa, considerando adecuada monoterapia con actividad frente a P. aeruginosa la adherencia sería del 100%.

Background: Soil seed banks play an important role in post-disturbance regeneration and succession of species from different successional stages. Questions: 1) What is the most effective method for determining the composition and structure of the soil seed bank of Andean forests? 2) What is the composition and structure of soil seed banks in old-growth forest and shrubland sites in the Andean montane tropical forest of the North Santander region of Colombia? Study site: Andean forest, Pamplona, Colombia Methods: We surveyed the soil seed bank in two successional stages of Andean forest and examined its structure using two sampling methods: direct separation and germination. Results: Soil seed bank density was higher (18-fold in old-growth forest and 666-fold in shrubland) with the direct separation method than with germination; however, under the germination method, we found four species that we did not detect through the direct separation method. Soil seed banks from shrublands were mainly dominated by species from disturbed areas (91 %), while those from the old-growth forest presented early, intermediate and late species; e.g., Miconia summa, Myrsine dependens and Solanum sp., respectively. In the old-growth forest (especially for late species), density increased with depth. This pattern was not observed in shrubland. Seeds obtained by using the direct separation method presented low (< 7 %) viability. Conclusion: We consider the two methods to be complementary and recommend the use of both for a thorough characterization of soil seed banks from Andean forests. At different successional stages in the Colombian Andean forest, the soil seed bank may contain early, intermediate and late species, and it therefore plays an important role in the regeneration of this threatened ecosystem.