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El estudio de costos catastróficos que experimentan las personas afectadas por tuberculosis realizado en Colombia durante la pandemia de COVID-19 trajo consigo la oportunidad de implementar encuestas telefónicas como medio para la recopilación de información. Lo anterior se constituye como una innovación metodológica en los estándares establecidos por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) que, para este tipo de estudios, suelen tener base en el empleo de encuestas cara a cara con los pacientes que acuden a las instalaciones de salud. El diseño del estudio, sus objetivos y metodología fueron adaptados del manual práctico para la realización de encuestas de costos de la tuberculosis de la OMS. Se seleccionaron 1 065 personas afectadas por tuberculosis como participantes del estudio, a quienes se les administró de manera telefónica el cuestionario estándar adaptado al contexto colombiano. Fue posible obtener datos estructurados sobre los costos directos e indirectos que enfrentan los pacientes con tuberculosis y sus familias; de manera general, se observó que todas las variables de recopilación alcanzaron una completitud mayor a 80%, con un tiempo promedio de encuesta de 40 minutos y una tasa de rechazo de 8%. La metodología de encuestas telefónicas desarrollada para determinar la línea base del estudio de costos catastróficos en Colombia resultó innovadora por el formato telefónico, que mantiene los estándares de información requerida para permitir estimaciones comparables a nivel internacional, y es un medio útil en la generación de resultados estandarizados en eventos en los cuales existe limitación para la realización de encuestas cara a cara.

In this study, the optimization of the synthesis variables of hydrochar (HC) and pyrohydrochar (PHC) obtained from pleco fish spines that would generate the highest fluoride adsorption capacity and synthesis yield was carried out. For this purpose, a D-Optimal experimental composite central design was established using response surface methodology (RSM) considering three levels for temperature and synthesis time. Hydrochar was produced by hydrothermal carbonization at temperatures of 180–240 °C for 4–8 h in the presence of water under autogenous pressure. On the other hand, pyrohydrochar was obtained by pyrolysis of hydrochar in the absence of water at temperatures of 350–650 °C for 1–2 h at autogenous pressures (2–20 MPa). The results of the D-Optimal design indicated that the materials synthesized at lower temperatures and times, particularly at 180 °C - 4 h (HC1) and 350 °C - 1.5 h (PHC5), achieved the highest adsorption yield and capacity, with values of 87.9 % and 5.27 mg g−1; and 94.8 % and 5.73 mg g−1 for HC1 and PHC5, respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the synthesis model revealed that temperature and carbonization time are significant factors, both factors have an influence on HC and PHC fluoride adsorption capacity and HC yield and only temperature affects PHC yield. The optimum synthesis conditions to obtain the highest yields were 180 °C for 4 h and 350 °C for 1 h for HC and PHC, respectively, with 88.4 % and 96.2 % values. As for the maximum adsorption capacity, the optimum temperature and time values were 185 °C for 4 h and 378 °C for 1 h for HC and PHC, respectively, reaching adsorption capacities of 5.27 mg g−1 and 5.64 mg g−1. In addition, HC1 and PHC5 materials were characterized by N2 physisorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), CHNS elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These materials showed differences among themselves, where the higher specific area of PCH5 with 137 m2 g−1, with respect to HC1 with 119 m2 g−1, stands out, as well as a higher concentration of basic sites, being 1.65 and 1.40 meq g−1 for HC1 and PHC5, respectively, on the other hand, the FTIR showed the same functional groups present on the surface, although in the SEM it was observed that the surface of HC1 presented small fractures, which disappeared when subjected to the pyrolysis process, in addition, the TGA showed a greater amount of organic matter in HC1 that could affect the adsorption of fluorides. The effect of pH on the adsorption capacity of HC1 and PHC5 fluorides was also investigated, revealing an increase of this capacity with decreasing solution pH due to electrostatic forces.

The pressing need to mitigate the presence of harmful gases in the atmosphere motivates scientific and engineering endeavors to devise effective adsorption solutions. Achieving practical and specific adsorption is essential for improving capture processes, with CO2 being a prominent target due to its significant environmental repercussions. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), distinguished by their high porosity and adaptable structure, have emerged as promising candidates for CO2 adsorption. Especially noteworthy are functionalized MOFs, which augment adsorption capacity, selectivity, and heat of adsorption. This research investigates CO2 adsorption on HKUST-1 modified with three amines of varying strengths, evaluating adsorption capacity and thermal impacts using direct adsorption calorimetry and Van't Hoff thermodynamic models.

The study explores the adsorption behavior of pharmaceutical molecules, including the antiepileptic drug Levetiracetam (LEV), Ketorolac Tromethamine (KT), and Mefenamic Acid (MA), using bioadsorbents based on chitosan and graphene derivatives. Chitosan, derived from crab shell chitin, was blended with graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) at varying concentrations (0.05 % and 0.5 %) to assess its impact on adsorption performance and material properties. Composites containing 0.5 % GO and rGO demonstrated the highest adsorption capacities, achieving maximum values of 30.85mg/g for KT on rGO and 29.74mg/g on GO. Adsorption equilibrium was rapidly attained, typically within 10 min to a few hours, and the process conformed to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Adsorption isotherms were best described by the Sips model, suggesting increased capacity with rising temperature, consistent with results from immersion calorimetry. Optimal adsorption occurred at a pH of 5.5 and a temperature of 60 °C. Comprehensive characterization using N2 and CO2 adsorption isotherms, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and pHpzc measurements validated the physical and chemical properties of the adsorbents. Thermodynamic analyses revealed spontaneous and exothermic adsorption interactions, with enthalpy values indicative of physical adsorption mechanisms. These findings underscore the potential of these chitosan-based bioadsorbents for the efficient removal of pharmaceutical molecules, demonstrating their applicability in environmental remediation and water purification technologies.

This study embarks on the synthesis of activated carbon (AC) from cashew nut shells using a potassium carbonate (K2CO3) activation process, with a specific focus on its practical application in high-pressure gas adsorption. Among the synthesized samples, MCAK85 emerged as the most efficient, demonstrating a specific surface area of 1693 m2/g and total and micropore volumes of 0.839 cm3/g and 0.641 cm3/g, respectively. Importantly, this bioorganic activated carbon exhibited high sorption capacities for CO2 and CH4, with uptake values of 11.0 mmol/g and 5.5 mmol/g at 10 bar at 25°C, and a CO2/CH4 selectivity range between 9.1 and 1.8. A comprehensive range of characterization techniques were employed to analyze the structural and chemical properties of the synthesized AC, providing valuable insights into the functional groups and molecular structure. The morphology of the AC was examined using SEM, while the point of zero charge was determined to understand the surface charge characteristics. Additionally, TGA was utilized to assess the thermal stability and composition of the AC. This study underscores the potential of utilizing agricultural waste, specifically cashew nut shells, in the creation of effective materials for gas storage and purification applications. The high-pressure adsorption capacity of the produced AC, coupled with its sustainable and eco-friendly nature, underscores its suitability for environmental and industrial applications, particularly in areas focusing on greenhouse gas capture and air purification, thereby inspiring further research and development in this field.

The First Intermediate Period was a time of cultural innovation and social competition. The collapse of the monarchy and the cultural productions it sponsored paved the way for the emergence of new artistic and cultural expressions, better adapted to a context of fragile authorities and competing local powers. Warfare between rival regional polities became frequent, so tomb scenes and funerary stelae from Middle and Upper Egypt began depicting military actions and men posing as archers. Moreover, local authorities sought the support of local levies and fellow citizens to strengthen and legitimate their fragile rule. Therefore, many monuments and inscriptions celebrate successful command, effective leadership, and caring about one’s city and its inhabitants. These conditions favoured the emergence of cultural innovations and social values aiming to express new identities. Depicting weapons, mainly bows, was crucial in this respect in some areas of Southern Egypt and echoed comparable phenomena occurring in neighbour regions like Nubia and the Levant.

The departure of Tony Thirlwall, a pioneer, renowned scholar, and a generous mentor, is a major loss to economics. This article reviews his main contributions to economics. The article focuses on his approach and method to economics and on his research output in the theory and empirics of growth and development.

ObjectiveTo estimate the baseline to measure one of the three indicators of the World Health Organization (WHO) End TB strategy (2015-2035), measure the costs incurred by patients affected by tuberculosis (TB) during a treatment episode and estimate the proportion of households facing catastrophic costs (CC) and associated risk factors, in Colombia, 2021.Material and methodsA nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted among participants on TB treatment in Colombia, using telephone interviews due to the exceptional context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected household costs (direct [medical and non-medical out-of-pocket expenses] and indirect) over an episode of TB, loss of time, coping measures, self-reported income, and asset ownership. Total costs were expressed as a proportion of annual household income and analyzed for risk factors of CC (defined as costs above 20% annual household income).ResultsThe proportion of TB-affected households incurring in costs above 20% annual household income (CC) was 51.7% (95%CI: 45.4-58.0) overall, 51.3% (95%CI: 44.9-57.7) among patients with drug-sensitive (DS) TB, and 65.0% (95%CI: 48.0-82.0) among drug-resistant (DR). The average patient cost of a TB case in Colombia was $1,218 (95%CI 1,106-1,330) including $860.9 (95%CI 776.1-945.7) for non-medical costs, $339 (95%CI 257-421) for the indirect costs, and $18.1 (95%CI 11.9-24.4) for the medical costs. The factors that influenced the probability of facing CC were income quintile, job loss, DR-TB patient, and TB type.ConclusionMain cost drivers for CC were non-medical out-of-pocket expenses and income loss (indirect costs). Current social protection programs ought to be expanded to mitigate the proportion of TB-affected households facing CC in Colombia, especially those with lower income levels.

Research background. Soursop nectar contains antioxidants and is preserved by pasteurization. However, this technology impairs its physicochemical properties and bioactive compounds. An alternative is therefore thermoultrasound, which could counteract these effects. The thermosonicated nectar was compared with a pasteurized one and the in vitro bioaccessibility of antioxidants was estimated. Experimental approach. The soursop nectar (25 %) was processed and the response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal conditions for thermoultrasound treatment (TUS). The TUS (75–90 % amplitude, 3.15–15 min) was applied, and 2 % stevia and 6 % agave inulin were added as sweeteners. The microbiological, physicochemical, enzymatic and antioxidant properties were analyzed. The properties of thermosonicated nectar obtained under optimal conditions were compared with pasteurized nectar. In addition to the above determinations, microstructure, total dietary fiber (TDF) and in vitro bioaccessibility of antioxidants were determined. Results and conclusions. The response variables that fit the mathematical model were L*, b*, chroma (C*), total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity determined by ABTS•+, DPPH˙ and Fe(III) reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The L* and DPPH˙ were affected by quadratic time and TPC by time (p

El presente estudio analiza los efectos de la liberalización comercial sobre el empleo y el mercado laboral de la industria manufacturera mexicana. Se pone un énfasis especial en identificar el grado en que el cambiante desempeño de la industria en el comercio exterior fue acompañado de una mejora en las condiciones de trabajo hacia el empleo decente. Con este objetivo, se recurre a la aplicación del marco metodológico propuesto por la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) para el empleo decente en combinación con el análisis insumo-producto a fin de explorar posibles interrelaciones del comercio internacional y ciertos indicadores del trabajo decente en dos ramas de la manufactura en México: la automotriz y la textil. Se seleccionaron tales industrias por sus diferencias en su estructura industrial, en sus papeles en las cadenas globales de valor (CGV) y en su dinamismo en las décadas recientes. Un aporte fundamental del presente estudio fue la construcción de series de tiempo de indicadores de trabajo decente para ambas industrias en México, con base en los lineamientos de la OIT y con información oficial. Este estudio es el primero en construir indicadores de trabajo decente en México a nivel industrial. En la investigación se detectan diferencias significativas entre ambas industrias en lo que concierne a sus avances hacia el trabajo decente, las cuales hasta cierto punto pueden explicarse por sus distintos desempeños en el comercio. Con base en los resultados obtenidos, el estudio cierra con una serie de recomendaciones para ayudar a fortalecer el avance en México hacia el trabajo decente.JEL: F1, F13, F16, F66, J68, J81, J83

ABSTRACT In this paper, we follow Bresser-Pereira et al. (2021) and estimate for Mexico a a series of the real exchange rate (RER) that balances the current account for Mexico for the period 2001q1-2019q4. In this process we take into account numerous determinants, including policy variables and financial indicators the evolution of the terms of trade, as well as a proxi for the Balassa-Samuelson effects, inter alia. Our results show that in most of the period analyzed there has been a trend tendency towards overvaluation, with the RER fluctuating above its equilibrium level. With cointegrating methods, and dynamic ordinary least squared (DOLS) techniques, we examined the effects of exchange rate under and overvaluation on manufacturing; disaggregated in three sectors: i) technology intensive, ii) natural resource intensive and iii) labor intensive activities. Overall, our results indicate that the real exchange rate has a significant influence on the rate of expansion of Mexico’s manufacturing real GDP.

Después de varias décadas de discusiones, críticas y revisiones, muchos autores han cuestionado hoy la vigencia de los planteamientos del constructivismo científico. Este texto muestra que sus principales planteamientos y legados siguen vigentes, aunque se han transformado en varias perspectivas que afirman la contingencia de la ciencia y la tecnología, en un sentido compatible con algunos puntos de vista realistas, y en las que se valora la acción conjunta, la co-construcción o el ensamble mutuo entre varios elementos y factores heterogéneos. De esta manera, sigue siendo una de las principales perspectivas epistemológicas y metafísicas en las ciencias sociales y naturales. Las transformaciones que se han producido en relación con el constructivismo tienen que ver fundamentalmente con algunos cambios en la forma de entender la construcción: se han colocado límites a las intenciones políticas críticas, deconstructivas de la construcción, y al sentido monista, y sustancialista social; y se ha producido un giro ontológico hacia un sentido plural, relacional, y positivo de construcción. En este texto se hace una detallada revisión crítica del origen, el sentido, los aportes, los malentendidos y los problemas del constructivismo científico tecnológico, con el propósito de analizar su evolución, o la manera cómo ha devenido y se ha transformado en otros puntos punto de vista, como lo sugiere el título.

El encuentro con el nuevo mundo es un punto de partida importante para pensar las bases culturales del Antropoceno. Desde este punto de vista, el debate fundamental debe partir por resituar la modernidad y con ello darle una cartografía diferente a la forma como se han manifestado determinadas ideas y valores que fueron el fuego que avivó la acción de la crisis ambiental. Dentro de este debate, exponemos algunas diferencias con los puntos de vista de Arias Maldonado, especialmente en relación con el lugar de enunciación de sus planteamientos. Dentro de las múltiples aristas que se derivan de la discusión, el texto se detiene en algunos comentarios sobre el ego cartesiano, pilar fundamental de la modernidad desde la perspectiva decolonial planteada por Dussel, para quien la colonialidad es constitutiva de la modernidad y no derivativa. Desde este punto de vista, este artículo sugiere que el problema fundamental que abonó el terreno para el Antropoceno es la modernidad en su sentido colonial, y se propone que fuera más adecuado hablar de modernoantropoceno o antropomodernoceno europeo, que del concepto universalista de Antropoceno.

Las invasiones biológicas son uno de los impulsores del cambio global que afectan a la biodiversidad (IPBES, 2019). La sinergia entre la presencia de especies introducidas, el cambio en el uso del suelo y el aumento de la población humana favorece el incremento de especies invasoras que modifican procesos clave de los ecosistemas que invaden (Spear et al., 2013). Desde mediados del siglo XX se han incrementado exponencialmente los antecedentes e investigaciones sobre esta problemática, dando como resultado un gran cuerpo de conocimiento sobre las bases ecológicas de las invasiones y sobre sus impactos en los ecosistemas (Pauchard et al., 2011; Speziale et al., 2012). A pesar de estos avances en el conocimiento, las áreas naturales protegidas (ANPs) podrían ver comprometidos sus objetivos de conservación debido al avance de las especies con gran potencial invasor (Pauchard et al., 2011). El incremento del número de especies invasoras y de sus impactos negativos, tanto ecológicos (Foxcroft et al., 2014) como económicos (Moodley et al., 2022), es cada vez más registrado en áreas protegidas. En Argentina existen 500 áreas protegidas que integran el Sistema Federal de Áreas Protegidas (SiFAP). Esto representa más del 13% del territorio nacional continental bajo alguna categoría de área protegida, equivalente a más de 36.000.000 ha, incluyendo áreas costeras no estrictamente marinas entre áreas de protección municipal, provincial, nacional y bajo categorías de protección variadas. Sin embargo, no todas las áreas protegidas cuentan con buenos relevamientos de su flora nativa y menos aún de las especies no-nativas con potencial invasor, del impacto que estas generan y de la eficacia de la puesta en marcha de estrategias de manejo. El análisis de la base de datos SCOPUS indica que existen al menos 123 trabajos publicados desde 1992 sobre especies vegetales invasoras en Argentina (Búsqueda: TITLE-ABS-KEY ("plant species" AND invasiv*) AND (LIMIT-TO (AFFILCOUNTRY, "Argentina")), aumentando la cantidad publicada por año en el tiempo (1-2/año entre 2002 y 2007 a 7-13/año entre 2017 y 2022). Esto demuestra el interés creciente en esta temática, sin embargo, con aspectos aún a mejorar. Por ejemplo, solo 93 fueron realizados en Argentina mientras que el resto fue publicado por autores argentinos con datos de otros países o son trabajos teóricos. De estos 93 trabajos, sólo 31 se llevaron a cabo en Áreas Protegidas. Ciento doce de los 123 trabajos resultantes de la búsqueda fueron publicados en idioma inglés, con solo 10 en idioma castellano y uno en chino. Es por ello, que en este volumen especial del Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica contribuimos a reunir y divulgar 10 investigaciones originales sobre las plantas nativas y no nativas, muchas de ellas con potencial invasor, en ANPs de Argentina y Chile, de autores referentes en esta área y en idioma español, de modo de aportar conocimiento relevante para la gestión de las áreas y el avance de las investigaciones en el área temática. Los trabajos incluidos en este volumen especial presentan resultados novedosos dentro de las ANPs en relación a la accesibilidad de datos florísticos de calidad, a los patrones de distribución de especies no nativas e invasoras y a estrategias de manejo de especies con potencial de generación de impacto negativo en las comunidades nativas. De los artículos publicados la mayoría están relacionados con la importancia de contar con listas actualizadas de especies nativas y no-nativas en las áreas protegidas. El equipo de autores integrado por Fernández et al. abordó el análisis de la representatividad y posibles sesgos presentes en las listas de los Parques Nacionales de Argentina. Sumando un gran aporte a esta temática Calviño et al. realizaron una recopilación bibliográfica y chequeo de materiales de herbarios para presentar y analizar la lista actualizada de plantas vasculares nativas y no nativas de cuatro Parques Nacionales icónicos del noroeste de la Patagonia. El equipo de Echeverría por su parte, realizó relevamientos florísticos para detectar las especies exóticas invasoras y caracterizar la vegetación de los pastizales de una reserva natural localizada en las sierras de Tandilia al suroeste de Buenos Aires. Urrutia-Estrada et al. realizaron el relevamiento y el análisis de patrones de distribución de plantas no-nativas de 35 ANPs de Chile. Tres de los trabajos publicados analizaron los patrones de distribución de las especies nativas, no nativas e invasoras en áreas protegidas. El equipo de Aschero et al. analizó cómo los caminos de montaña favorecen el avance de especies invasoras en los Andes de Mendoza. En la misma línea, Álvarez et al. analizaron la distribución de especies nativas y no nativas en seis senderos en la parte superior de los Andes mendocinos entre los 2400 y 3600 msnm. Finalmente, Ferrero et al. analizaron los patrones de ocurrencia y abundancia de Cotoneaster franchetii, uno de los arbustos invasores más importantes de las montañas del centro de Argentina. Por otro lado, Quiroga et al. presentaron una experiencia enriquecedora sobre de control de la enredadera Hedera helix en el Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, mancomunando esfuerzos entre investigadores de la Universidad del Comahue, personal de PN y voluntarios. En esta línea Zaninovich et al. propusieron un plan de manejo adaptativo basado en los impactos de un árbol invasor en una reserva privada (RNP Paititi) en el Sistema de Tandilia, identificando potenciales estrategias colaborativas entre distintos actores sociales. Finalmente, el equipo integrado por Rojas et al. analizó cómo el avance del pasto invasor Melinis minutiflora puede afectar la diversidad nativa de pastizales en la provincia de Misiones. Queremos agradecer especialmente a todos los autores y numerosos revisores que participaron de este volumen especial. Esperamos que la información compilada ayude a profundizar las investigaciones en la biología y el manejo de especies no nativas e invasoras y a crear nuevas líneas de investigación interdisciplinarias a fin de mantener la funcionalidad de las áreas protegidas de Argentina y Chile.

The purpose of this study is to assess, from a Balance of Payment Constraint Growth (BPCG) theoretical perspective, current key challenges of developing countries that spring from two broad exogenous factors. These factors are: i) global shocks that affect the world economy, and ii) major economic policy changes in developed countries. The BPCG perspective helps to identify to what extent these challenges are rooted in the developing countries’ vulnerabilities and structural weaknesses linked to their role in international trade and capital markets. To discuss the current uncertain global environment potential implications for developing economies – growing inflation, hawkish monetary policy, cross-border flows redistribution, as well as the geopolitical redefinition of international trade and global value chains, among others - the present work builds a BPCG model for the post-COVID era and applies it to evaluate challenges to growth in six countries: Chile, Colombia, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Turkey.

Este artículo apunta al análisis de las redes clientelares entre los sectores populares y grupos políticos en Medellín entre 1960 y 1980. A través de enfoques socioantropológicos se propone una reinterpretación de las estrategias que los líderes de Juntas de Acción Comunal activaron de manera consciente en favor de sus demandas. Con base en estudios testimoniales y fuentes primarias se demuestra cómo las prácticas cotidianas de las organizaciones comunitarias medellinenses se articularon a formas calculadas, donde la lealtad, la solidaridad y la negociación se establecieron como parte de los vínculos al interior de la sociedad civil y entre esta y el Estado. Se concluye que en el juego de la política local debe dejar de atenderse el fenómeno clientelar como una desviación democrática o una patología de la política, y adoptar nuevas comprensiones sobre el accionar político barrial.

En este artículo propongo que el origen de la sintaxis compleja está en un proceso cognitivo consistente en concebir los eventos como entidades. Es esta operación lo que provoca la construcción de oraciones subordinadas en las que una oración ocupa el lugar de un sintagma y desempeña su función sintáctica.

In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of biocatalysts prepared using MOF-199 and lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia as a support, an agent for the breakdown of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the main components of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis), used to produce green biodiesel. Lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia (PCL) is used as an enzyme, which is supported by adsorption on MOF-199 (MOF-199-PCL) and another part of MOF-199 is modified with glycol as a carbon source to which PCL is supported to obtain the modified MOF (Gly@MOF-199-PCL). MOF-199 was modified by calcining a sample at 900°C for 2 h at a heating rate of 7°C/min, in an inert atmosphere and then stored in a desiccator to protect it from moisture before proceeding to adsorb PCL. Both the biocatalysts (MOF-199-PCL and Gly@MOF-199-PCL) and the supernatant liquid were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS or EDX), gas chromatography coupled with mass (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results of the instrumental part show that both biocatalysts produce green biodiesel, which is a novel contribution to these systems.

Bio-based activated carbons with very high specific surface area of >3.000 m² g−1 (based on CO2 adsorption isotherms) and a high proportion of micropores (87% of total SSA) are produced by corncobs via pyrolysis and chemical activation with KOH. The activated carbon is further doped with different proportions of the highly pseudocapacitive transition metal oxide RuO2 to obtain enhanced electrochemical properties and tune the materials for the application in electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLC) (supercapacitors). The activated carbon and composites are extensively studied regarding their physico-chemical and electrochemical properties. The results show that the composite containing 40 wt.% RuO2 has an electric conductivity of 408 S m−1 and a specific capacitance of 360 Fg−1. SEM-EDX, XPS, and XRD analysis confirm the homogenous distribution of partly crystalline RuO2 particles on the carbon surface, which leads to a biobased composite material with enhanced electrochemical properties.

Water is an essential part of life, and its availability is important for all living purposes, due to industrial development and the high demand for agricultural products that humans require for their survival, it has produced a high level of environmental pollution, which has generated a problem in recent decades. Among the large number of pollutants that have been found in wastewater is the glyphosate molecule (Gly), the most widely used herbicide for agriculture. Within this context, this mini-review summarizes the current advances and discussions on the development of nanomaterials, focusing on their application to capture the glyphosate molecule and thus, improve wastewater treatment. Metallic organic framework structures, graphene, and porous organic solids are among the most versatile porous materials that have been extensively investigated for application in glyphosate capture. Under this context, the intention of the following review is to provide and summarize the discussion of research advances in the recent capture of glyphosate, from wastewater using nanostructured materials.

Carbon-based nanomaterials have exceptional physicochemical properties like high surface area and active sites, suitable for the adsorption of inorganic and organic compounds. Currently, these materials are being tested for environmental applications, e.g., detecting emerging pollutants in drinking and surface water. This work reviews different methods to prepare graphene (G) or graphene-based materials (GBM) using biomass or its constituents. This text brings together the methods used to revalue biomass by converting it into graphene materials from thermal treatments and their application in the adsorption of glyphosate from an aqueous solution. Computational studies were also added to evaluate the information about interactions between the herbicide and graphene layers.

El objetivo de este artículo consistió en modelar estructuralmente los factores de alta prioridad ante el impacto del coronavirus 2 del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo en el mercado energético. Para ello, el método se fundamentó en el modelado estructural interpretativo y en la matriz de impactos cruzados-multiplicación aplicada a una clasificación. Se propone un modelo de 12 factores estructurados jerárquicamente en seis niveles, en el que las preferencias de consumo, las modificaciones regulatorias y normativas, las restricciones políticas y las estrategias de planeación son las de mayor influencia en el mercado energético desde la perspectiva de México. Derivado de ello, se sugiere transitar hacia una mayor participación de actores públicos y privados en vectores de energía renovable

Groundwater with high fluoride concentrations has been recognized as one of the serious concerns worldwide. Besides, the fluoride released into the groundwater by slow dissolution of fluoride-containing rocks, various industries also contribute to fluoride pollution [1]. Excess intake of fluoride leads to various health problems such as dental and skeletal fluorosis, cancer, infertility, brain damage, thyroid diseases, etc. [2]. On the other hand, bromide is naturally present in surface and groundwater sources. However, during the chlorination process, bromide can be oxidized to HOBr, which can react with natural organic matter in water to form brominated organic disinfection byproducts, which are very harmful to human health [3]. Among various methods for water treatment, the adsorption process has been widely used and seems to be an efficient and attractive method for the removal of many contaminants in water, such as anions, in terms of cost, simplicity of design, and operation [4,5]. In the past years, xerogels and carbon xerogels, a new type of adsorbents, which are synthesized by the sol-gel polycondensation of resorcinol and formaldehyde, have gained attention due to their moldable texture and chemical properties [6]. Moreover, melamine addition in resorcinol and formaldehyde xerogels adds basic groups on its surface, favouring Lewis acid-base interactions between xerogels and other components by adsorption [7].In this data article, the synthesis of three resorcinol-formaldehyde (R/F) xerogels with an increasing amount of melamine (M) was carried out by colloidal polymerization (molar ratios of M/R = 0.5, M/R = 1.0, and M/R = 2.0). Additionally, samples of M/R = 0.5 xerogel were carbonized at 400, 450, and 550 °C under an inert atmosphere to increase their specific area. Organic and carbon xerogels obtained were characterized by FTIR, TGA, SEM, Physisorption of N2, and the pH at the point of zero charge (pHPZC). All organic xerogels were also tested as adsorbents on the removal of fluoride and bromide ions from aqueous phase. The Freundlich, Langmuir, and Radke-Prausnitz isotherm models were applied to interpret the experimental data from adsorption equilibrium. Additionally, the data of the mass of the xerogel needed to remove fluoride and bromide from groundwater and fulfill the maximum concentration levels are also included.

Multimodal biometric schemes arise as an interesting solution to the multidimensional reinforcement problem for biometric security systems. Along with the performance dimension, these systems should also comply with required levels for other conditions such as permanence, collectability, and circumvention, among others. In response to the demand for a multimodal and synchronous dataset, we introduce in this paper an open-access database of synchronously recorded electroencephalogram signals (EEG), voice signals, and video feed from 51 volunteers, 25 female, 26 male, captured for, but not limited to, biometric purposes. A total of 140 samples were collected from each user when pronouncing single digits in Spanish, giving a total of 7140 instances. EEG signals were captured using a 14-channel Emotiv™ Epoc headset. The resulting set becomes a valuable resource when working on unimodal biometric systems, but significantly more for the evaluation of multimodal variants. Furthermore, the usefulness of the collected signals extends to being exploited by projects in brain-computer interfaces and face recognition to name just a few. As an initial report on data separability of the related samples, five user recognition experiments are presented: a face recognition identifier with an accuracy of 99%, a speaker identification system with accuracy of 94.2%, a bimodal face-speech verification case with Equal Error Rate around 2.64, an EEG identification example, and a bimodal user identification exercise based on EEG and voice modalities with a registered accuracy of 97.6%.

El presente artículo analiza la evolución de la formación bruta de capital fijo en México, en especial, las interacciones entre la privada y la pública, y su relación con el ritmo de crecimiento económico en el periodo de 1960 a 2018. El trabajo está organizado de la siguiente forma. La introducción presenta en detalle el propósito del estudio. La sección I examina la discusión teórica en torno a la inversión pública y la privada, así como sus interrelaciones complementarias o competitivas. La siguiente sección presenta la metodología seguida para el análisis empírico; explica aspectos clave en la construcción de las series de datos que se realizaron, siempre con base en fuentes oficiales. Como ahí se explica, el análisis empírico cubrió dos esfuerzos complementarios de validación: el primero se basa en modelos contables de flujos de fondos para el cálculo de multiplicadores keynesianos de la inversión sobre el producto interno bruto (PIB), para subperiodos seleccionados: 1) la etapa de industrialización liderada por el Estado (1960-1981) y 2) la de reformas de mercado ya en plena operación (1988-2018). El segundo esfuerzo recurrió a la econometría moderna de series de tiempo -sobra decir que se basan en los mismos datos del primer ejercicio- a fin de conmensurar las interrelaciones entre la inversión privada y la pública en la trayectoria de crecimiento de la economía mexicana. Las conclusiones se presentan en la última sección, mismas que, a nuestro juicio, aportan insumos relevantes para entender mejor la interacción entre la inversión privada y la pública en el proceso de crecimiento económico de México, y con ello, quizá, para diseñar mejor una agenda de desarrollo encaminada a sacar al país de la trampa de lento crecimiento en la que lleva sumido décadas.

The polymorphism of MoTe2 can be used to realize planar metallic/semiconducting homojunctions in 2D devices, greatly reducing the contact resistance. Here, the simultaneous growth of both phases is achieved on the same substrate by single-step chemical vapor deposition and seeding layer engineering.

This obituary recalls the personal and intellectual trajectory of Julio López Gallardo, who recently passed away. A friend of the authors and this Review, Julio contributed widely to the literature on the development of Latin American countries, to Kaleckian models, and to structuralism. His main contributions concern the effective demand in the semi-industrialized economies, the different roles of fiscal and trade deficits in economic growth, and the structural role of the distribution of income on the development process.

Bartonella is an emerging group of facultative intracellular bacteria causing circulatory and systemic disorders. Hosts for Bartonella are mostly mammals, specifically rodents, having a growing number of Bartonella species related to their infection. Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are abundant native rodents of Brazil, commonly found in urban parks. In the present study, we aimed to perform molecular screening of capybaras for Bartonella spp. Blood samples were collected from 17 free-ranging animals captured in Paraná State, Southern Brazil. None of the collected samples tested positive for the Bartonella-nuoG gene by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), although all of them successfully amplified the mammal endogenous glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh) gene. Additionally, all animals were infested exclusively by Amblyomma dubitatum ticks at the time of sampling. This study was part of an active surveillance program, which is critical for monitoring animal health status, particularly in capybaras.

Como homenaje a las ideas y al primer aniversario luctuoso de Eugenia Correa, en este número especial de la revista Ola financiera se publican algunos de los artículos de su amplia producción. Antes de dar paso a la tarea de hacer algunos comentarios breves hago un preámbulo.

En este artículo analizo la ideología supremacista que dirige la política lingüística implícita de las instituciones básicas del Estado español y la contrapongo con una política lingüística en favor de un plurilingüismo armónico en el que las diversas lenguas que conviven en el Estado español sean conocidas y usadas de forma natural y generalizada en todos los ámbitos del Estado.

In this work we present a bimodal multitask network for audiovisual biometric recognition. The proposed network performs the fusion of features extracted from face and speech data through a weighted sum to jointly optimize the contribution of each modality, aiming for the identification of a client. The extracted speech features are simultaneously used in a speech recognition task with random digit sequences. Text prompted verification is performed by fusing the scores obtained from the matching of bimodal embeddings with the Word Error Rate (WER) metric calculated from the accuracy of the transcriptions. The score fusion outputs a value that can be compared with a threshold to accept or reject the identity of a client. Training and evaluation was carried out by using our proprietary database BIOMEX-DB and VidTIMIT audiovisual database. Our network achieved an accuracy of 100% and an Equal Error Rate (EER) of 0.44% for identification and verification, respectively, in the best case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first system that combines the mutually related tasks previously described for biometric recognition.

The objective of this article is to improve the most widely used indicator of quality in public investment management (the PIMI). The methodology was to use an alternative algorithm to build a new version of the PIMI and calculate it for sixteen Latin American countries. The result is a New PIMI that appears better than the original one, as it has a positive correlation with an objective indicator of the efficiency of public investment, which is not achieved by the original PIMI. We recommend the use of the New PIMI, proposed here, as a control variable in studies on aggregated public investment and its impacts on economic growth and social welfare. One limitation of the New PIMI is that it reflects the quality of public investment management at the aggregate level and based on de jure criteria, thus not capturing key differences that occur at a more disaggregated or informal level. Even so, the relevance, originality and replicability of the New PIMI make it a significant contribution to knowledge in this field.

The objective of this data article is to show by calorimetric curves and the immersion enthalpies the differences between the interactions that occur when two activated carbons of different textural and chemical properties are put in contact with C6 compounds (an aromatic and a closed chain aliphatic: benzene and cyclohexane, respectively) in their pure state, and subsequently in mixtures thereof, with different molar composition. The greatest interaction occurs with the activated carbon that has the lower content of oxygen groups on the surface, both for the pure solvents, as for the mixtures; As for wetting liquids, there is a greater interaction with benzene (−∆Him: 94.98–106.40 J g−1) than with cyclohexane (−∆Him: 21.23–65.97 J g−1). The immersion enthalpy values for the different molar fractions are between −36.51 and −79.69 J g−1 for the oxidized sample, and between −50.43 and −85.59 J g−1 for the sample without chemical modification.

This research presents results on the production of biodiesel from the transesterification of acylglycerides present in palm oil, using the biocatalysts ZIF-8-PCL and Gly@ZIF-8-PCL synthesized by immobilization of Pseudomonas Cepacia Lipase as catalytic materials and using pure ZIF-8 and Gly@ZIF-8 (modified ZIF-8) as supports. The Gly@ZIF-8 carbonaceous material was prepared by wet impregnation of ZIF-8 with ethylene glycol as the carbon source, and then thermally modified. The calcination conditions were 900 °C for two hours with a heating rate of 7 °C/min in an inert atmosphere. A textural characterization was performed, and results showed superficial changes of materials at the microporous and mesoporous levels for the Gly@ZIF-8 material. Both the starting materials and biocatalysts were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. During the transesterification, using the two biocatalysts (ZIF-8-PCL and Gly@ZIF-8-PCL), two supernatant liquids were generated which were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results show that the two routes of synthesis of supports from ZIF-8 will be configured as effective methods for the generation of effective biocatalysts for biodiesel production.

El presente artículo fue escrito a escasos días de cumplirse los setenta y seis años de la célebre conferencia de Husserl sobre La filosofía en la crisis de la humanidad europea, dictada en el Círculo Cultural de Viena, el 7 y el 10 de mayo de 1935. Más que por lo casi redondo de las cifras, la necesidad de conmemorar ese acontecimiento filosófico tan importante fue motivada por el “Encuentro Regional de Filosofía y Pedagogía: Fenomenología y Aprendizaje Significativo”, con el que la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California celebró, en su campus de Tijuana, el XXV aniversario de la fundación de su Facultad de Humanidades. En el contexto particular de México y América Latina, la conferencia interroga por la necesidad y vigencia de la filosofía en la actualidad.

Los autores conversan sobre la distinta relación que tienen con la filosofía las lenguas española y francesa, encontrando la explicación de esa diferencia principalmente en los “espíritus” que nos separan, no obstante nuestra considerable cercanía lingüística. Mientras que la Reforma y la Contrarreforma exigieron de Francia un “humanismo del saber objetivo, del individuo y del progreso”, la cultura española dio de sí “un paradójico humanismo de la fe, de la expansión y de los juegos de la apariencia”. El “espíritu de la filosofía” (Descartes, el ancestro de Hegel) se desarrolló en el norte de Europa, y en la Europa mediterránea floreció más bien “el espíritu de la ficción” (el Cervantes de Unamuno, de Ortega, de Borges y de Kundera). La inquietud de un mundo que bien podría no ser sino sueño, o incluso locura –de la que terminará por resurgir, al lado del cervantino y del calderoniano, el cogito cartesiano–, es sin embargo una inquietud española en primer lugar, y eso es algo que amerita ser estudiado, y sobre todo pensado. Una clave muy importante para dicho estudio es la constatación, subrayada por Nancy en respuesta al problema de la calificación de nuestra filosofía como “mera literatura”, de la “pérdida de confianza en las aventuras del sentido” que ha caracterizado a la Modernidad (o al Occidente en su versión nórdica, ese “espíritu de la filosofía alemana” que tras el efecto del nazismo se mudó a Francia y a Estados Unidos). Ahí donde Unamuno señalaba la necesidad, antes que de europeizar a España, de “españolizar a Europa”, Jean-Luc Nancy reconoce que Occidente necesita atreverse, una vez más, a abrirse a la aventura, y al riesgo del pensamiento.

The study of CO2 adsorption on adsorbent materials is a current topic of research interest. Although in real operating circumstances, the removal conditions of this gas is carried out at temperatures between 290 and 303 K and 1 Bar of pressure or high pressures, it is useful, as a preliminary approach, to determine CO2 adsorption capacity at 273K and 1 Bar and perform a thermodynamic study of the CO2 adsorption heats on carbonaceous materials prepared by chemical activation from African palm shell with CaCl2 and H3PO4 solutions, later modified with HNO3 and NH4OH, with the aim to establish the influence that these treatments have on the textural and chemical properties of the activated carbons and their relationship with the CO2 adsorption capacity. The carbonaceous materials were characterized by physical adsorption of N2 at 77K, CO2 at 273K, proximate analysis, Boehm titrations and immersion calorimetry in water and benzene. Activated carbons had a BET area between 634 and 865 m2g−1, with a micropore volume between 0.25 and 0.34 cm3g−1. The experimental results indicated that the modification of activated carbon with HNO3 and NH4OH generated a decrease in the surface area and pore volume of the material, as well as an increase in surface groups that favored the adsorption of CO2, which was evidenced by an increase in the adsorption capacity and the heat of adsorption.