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Grassroots initiatives that aim to defend, protect, or restore rivers and riverine environments have proliferated around the world in the last three decades. Some of the most emblematic initiatives are anti-dam and anti-mining movements that have been framed, by and large, as civil society versus the state movements. In this article, we aim to bring nuance to such framings by analyzing broader and diverse river-commoning initiatives and the state–citizens relations that underlie them. To study these relations we build on notions of communality, grassroots scalar politics, rooted water collectives, and water justice movements, which we use to analyze several collective practices, initiatives, and movements that aim to protect rivers in Thailand, Spain, Ecuador, and Mozambique. The analysis of these cases shows the myriad ways in which river collectives engage with different manifestations of the state at multiple scales. As we show, while some collectives strategically remain unnoticed, others actively seek and create diverse spaces of engagement with like-minded citizen initiatives, supportive non-governmental organizations, and state actors. Through these relations, alliances are made and political space is sought to advance river commoning initiatives. This leads to a variety of context-specific multi-scalar state–citizens relations and river commoning processes in water governance arenas.

Ficha técnica: Hugo Aznar y Katia Esteve Mallent (eds.) Tirant lo Blanch Valencia, 2021 456 pp. ISBN: 978-84-1880-240-9

The process of drafting, approving and implementing the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has played a pivotal role in the water-related political agenda of the Iberian Peninsula. The WFD has provided an institutional impetus for a shift from the dominant hydraulic paradigm towards a new water governance approach. The new approach, known as the New Water Culture (NWC), predated the WFD. It was initiated in Spain and Portugal in the 1990s and has been promoted by a coalition of academics, social activists, and water managers. Given the long tradition and relevance of water debates in Spain and Portugal, the sociopolitical and territorial conflicts surrounding the implementation of the new regulatory framework are of particular significance. Legal debates about the (in)correct transposition of the WFD into Spanish and Portuguese legislation are still unresolved. Legal debates about the (in)correct transposition of the WFD into Spanish and Portuguese legislation are still unresolved. Controversies focus on issues such as the use of economic instruments, for instance cost recovery and the use of public subsidies (a key component of the hydraulic paradigm), as well as the role of public participation in decision making processes. Significant resistance has been mounted by the traditional water policy community, which continues to dominate power structures surrounding water. Throughout the long WFD implementation process, conflicting views and interests have consistently emerged with regard to the diagnosis and identification of existing pressures and the definition, evaluation and implementation of the proposed measures. Controversies have also emerged around the extensive use of exceptions which has allowed the hydraulic paradigm to persist over time. Progress towards the promised governance model, however, is taking place, with significant improvements in transparency, more accurate knowledge regarding the aquatic ecosystems services and the inclusion in water management agencies of more diverse experts including social scientists, biologists and geologists. This paper looks at the role the WFD implementation process is playing in the struggle for the transformation of water policy in Spain and Portugal. It examines this through the lens of the NWC movement.

El concepto de seguridad humana, si bien lo que pretendía era desligarse del concepto de seguridad de guerra fría, ligado al armamento y poner su centro en la persona, no ha tenido demasiado éxito en la esfera internacional. Este artículo realizará una evolución del concepto de seguridad humana y se verá cuál es su vinculación con la protección de derechos humanos y otros principios de Naciones Unidas como la responsabilidad de proteger. Este artículo propondrá que la falta de concreción del término, su uso selectivo y la unión de perspectivas de derechos humanos y seguridad, es lo que le ha restado poder. Y, así, como ha pasado con otros términos de construcción política, su politización ha llevado a: a) que se necesite un cambio en el uso del concepto como tal, convirtiéndose en un modo de hacer, esto es, un enfoque amplio que proponga marcos de análisis y planificación; y, b) que hayan aparecido otros conceptos que se usen más en detrimento del de la seguridad humana como el de resiliencia, que pone el foco en la población que hay que proteger a través del empoderamiento.

In this paper, we present a real in-streaming case of learning about how to program with the z-tree software to design experiments on economic decision making for the members of the NECE Research Unit in Business Sciences, in Portugal.This real case of in-streaming-learning was created to respond the need of a teaching method based on new technologies for people who could be in different parts of the world and with different time availability, but they also need to learn to program z-tree to use it in their experiments.Researchers and students learned the Ztree software applications in business research and economic decision making. Specifically, they learned:What is z-Tree software?; What is z-Tree software for?; What advantages does it have? and What applications can you obtain in business research?; How to get it for free?; Technical requirements; The structure of z-Tree software, and How is it to be programmed?; Then, we exposed a practical example for how to create a small experiment of economic decision-making, and, finally other more complex example (with interaction between experimental subjects).This learning has been valued positively, as very useful.The paper includes the web with the training in streaming on z-Tree.

It is a rough time for the European Union (EU). A way of consolidating its leadership as a global actor would be through the implementation of its values and founding principles that it aims to export in its relations with another States. The EU has to be coherent with its Treaties and use the capabilities that it already has. The responsibility to protect is a possible solution for strengthening the role of the EU as a normative power while maintaining the international peace and security through the prevention of conflicts. A way of proving if the EU is on the right path to become a civil power is through the analysis of its CSDP missions.Received: 01 January 2018Accepted: 19 October 2018Published online: 11 December 2018

En este artículo se realiza un análisis de un caso de buenas prácticas destinado a la formación en TICS para fomentar la adquisión de competencia digital en la sociedad, haciendo especial énfasis en los colectivos que se encuentran en riesgo de exclusión digital, realizado a través de un proyecto regional en Castilla y Léon (España), dependiente de la Administración Pública. Se toma como ejemplo el caso de un centro en la localidad de Salamanca (España) debido a la profesionalidad de los trabajadores, sus buenas prácticas, sus resultados y por ser el modelo a seguir del proyecto, tomando como datos de análisis el primer año de apertura del centro

Paraffin-embedded tissues have been used for research and therapeutic applications for decades, as they represent a valuable tool in histology and for molecular analysis, as well as being a way to preserve tissue samples for long periods at a low cost. For tissues such as the liver, lungs, kidney, heart or brain, there are many protocols available, already optimized. The purpose of this work is to optimize and simplify the protocols already available to take a single blastocyst from a mouse, fix it and embed it into a paraffin block without using gelatin, to then perform histological cuts using a microtome, with no need of sophisticated equipment or trained personnel. • The protocol presented here preserves well the morphology of the blastocyst. • Paraffin-embedded sections of the sample can be used for studies such as in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, enzyme histochemistry, DNA, RNA or protein extractions, analysis of biomarkers, characterization of surface markers of stem cells integrated into the embryo, to prepare histological material for educational purposes, etc. • Some of these studies could represent a valuable source of new information for the field of reproductive biology.

The Mar Menor is a Spanish coastal lagoon of great ecological and economic interest. The agricultural and tourist activities developed in the surroundings of the lagoon, together with the modifications in its channels of connection with the Mediterranean Sea, have notably affected the quality of its waters, which is altering the natural balance of the ecosystem. In this work, an analysis of the density of phytoplankton present in the lagoon between the months of May to December 2017 was carried out. The results indicate a significant increase in phytoplankton density between 2500 and 67,300 cells/mL compared to previous data of 1981 (between 10 and 500 cells/mL). Concentration of Chlorophyll-a arrives to 13 µg/L and transparency of water reduces to 1.3 m according to Secchi disk depth. The presence of Chlorophyceae, Chrysophyceae, and nanoplanktonic Cryptophyceae stands out, while species diversity drops significantly. Observing the evolution of the lagoon, we can deduce that eutrophication process could increase. To avoid this, it would be necessary to implement control measures for the use of fertilizers in nearby growing areas and to study water treatment techniques to reduce nitrogen inputs so that phytoplankton densities can decrease.

La e-evaluación se ha convertido en un aspecto nuclear para las universidades que desarrollan sus programas educativos bajo entornos en línea, cobrando especial protagonismo en aquellas instituciones que utilizan con sus estudiantes el trabajo colaborativo como estrategia de aprendizaje. En este marco, se analizan los resultados de un estudio basado en el método de encuesta, cuyo objetivo ha sido analizar las valoraciones del alumnado de magisterio derivadas del sistema de e-evaluación desarrollado en su experiencia de trabajo colaborativo en cinco asignaturas. Los datos evidencian la importancia que los estudiantes conceden al feedback del profesor, la necesidad de que la evaluación se centre tanto en procesos como en resultados y la pertinencia de desarrollar auto-evaluaciones y co-evaluaciones de carácter grupal.

In the last few years, parallel evolutionary processes in the socio-political, governmental and technological arenas have been providing new pathways for the collaborative generation, coordination and distribution of polycentric information. From a technological perspective, the proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has boosted the availability of information about our planet, along with its storage, processing and dissemination capabilities. The Worldwide Web and satellite and electronic sensors combined with smart phone technologies have also opened new means for social, political and scientific innovation. From a socio-political standpoint, the implementation of policies that encourage the reutilisation of data and protect the right to information of interested parties, together with growing social demands for transparency, have resulted in an increasing number of governments drawing strategies to open up public data. In this context, this paper addresses two main topics that we deem will be key drivers for improved water governance in the near future. First, it discusses new practices of collaborative and distributed generation and disclosure of information for water governance, and the resulting challenges and opportunities afforded by the use of ICTs. Second, it looks at the interplay between the uptake of ICTs and institutional frameworks, social dynamics and technological structures within which they operate to understand the extent to which ICTs affect decision-making processes and contribute to creating alternative spaces for the production of common services or alternative discourses. Despite the advances in open data policies, findings suggest that there remain significant challenges to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by ICTs, mostly derived from the structural conditions of existing models of decision-making, and information generation and management. It seems that the potentialities of ICTs as transformative tools are conditioned by the regeneration of the context within which decisions are made, that is, the democratic process itself.

The shift from hierarchical-administrative water management toward more transparent, multi-level and participated governance approaches has brought about a shifting geography of players, scales of action, and means of influencing decisions and outcomes. In Spain, where the hydraulic paradigm has dominated since the early 1920s, participation in decisions over water has traditionally been limited to a closed water policy community, made up of economic water users, primarily irrigator associations and hydropower generators, civil engineering corps and large public works companies. The river basin planning process under the Water Framework Directive of the European Union presented a promise of transformation, giving access to non-economic water users, environmental concerns and the wider public to water-related information on planning and decision-making. This process coincided with the consolidation of the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by the water administration, with the associated potential for information and data generation and dissemination. ICTs are also increasingly used by citizen groups and other interested parties as a way to communicate, network and challenge existing paradigms and official discourses over water, in the broader context of the emergence of 'technopolitics'. This paper investigates if and in what way ICTs may be providing new avenues for participated water resources management and contributing to alter the dominating power balance. We critically analyse several examples where networking possibilities provided by ICTs have enabled the articulation of interest groups and social agents that have, with different degrees of success, questioned the existing hegemonic view over water. The critical review of these cases sheds light on the opportunities and limitations of ICTs, and their relation with traditional modes of social mobilisation in creating new means of societal involvement in water governance.

Endometrial Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (endMSCs) are multipotent cells with immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative activity which is mainly mediated by a paracrine effect. The exosomes released by MSCs have become a promising therapeutic tool for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases. More specifically, extracellular vesicles derived from endMSCs (EV-endMSCs) have demonstrated a cardioprotective effect through the release of anti-apoptotic and pro-angiogenic factors. Here we hypothesize that EV-endMSCs may be used as a co-adjuvant to improve in vitro fertilization outcomes and embryo quality. Firstly, endMSCs and EV-endMSCs were isolated and phenotypically characterized for in vitro assays. Then, in vitro studies were performed on murine embryos co-cultured with EV-endMSCs at different concentrations. Our results firstly demonstrated a significant increase on the total blastomere count of expanded murine blastocysts. Moreover, EV-endMSCs triggered the release of pro-angiogenic molecules from embryos demonstrating an EV-endMSCs concentration-dependent increase of VEGF and PDGF-AA. The release of VEGF and PDGF-AA by the embryos may indicate that the beneficial effect of EV-endMSCs could be mediating not only an increase in the blastocyst's total cell number, but also may promote endometrial angiogenesis, vascularization, differentiation and tissue remodeling. In summary, these results could be relevant for assisted reproduction being the first report describing the beneficial effect of human EV-endMSCs on embryo development.

The Lidia bovine breed is an important hallmark of the Spanish cattle industry. Bulls are selected based upon aggressiveness and epididymal sperm cryopreservation is the way to obtain and store their genetics. There are not specifically designed protocols yet to perform Lidia bull sperm cryopreservation. The present study aimed to determine if a tris-fructose-citrate-egg yolk (20% v/v; TFY) extender supplemented with 7% glycerol (TFY1) or 3.5% glycerol plus 3.5% dimethylformamide (DMF; TFY2) are suitable media for cryopreservation of epididymal Lidia bull sperm. Moreover, the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a potent antioxidant, was evaluated. The epididymis were stored at 4°C for 24, 48, 72 or 96 h, and both freezing media were tested as such or supplemented with 1 or 2.5 mM of NAC. Our data demonstrated that post-thaw viability was well maintained (TFY1: 50.8% ± 1.9 at 24 h and 52.4% ± 0.8 at 96 h and TFY2: 52.6% ± 1.6 at 24 h and 56.1% ± 1.8 at 96 h; mean % ± SEM; p>0.05) as also were total and progressive sperm motility, high mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS production, DNA status and acrosomal intactness of Lidia bull sperm up to 96 h of epididymal storage, all extender variations being similar (p>0.05). In conclusion, the use of TFY medium supplemented either with 7% glycerol alone or the combination of 3.5% glycerol and 3.5% DMF were equally safe choices for epididymal Lidia bull sperm cryopreservation, and NAC addition did not significantly improve sperm post-thaw quality.

Collaborative work is presented as strategic in the proposals emerging from the EEES, where its enormous potential for learning specific content and to develop transferable skills are evidenced. This study aims to analyze the results of collaborative work in the case of Masters in Project Management in International Cooperation., contextualized in the Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle. It intends to relate the proposals of drafting of agreements and mediation of the tutor to the development of generic skills related to the ability to work in teams. The aim is to adjust a collaborative work design that reaches the learning objectives intended: improvement of individual learning in contact with the group, development of skills related to the ability to work in teams and engagement with the virtual community. The research triangulates the results of a questionnaire built ad hoc, interviews with students in the program and a discussion forum. The analysis of the data collected shows that students feel that collaborative work has improved the learning process and helped them to develop teamwork skills. Both agreements drafting and the mediation of the tutor seem to have a significant impact on this result.

El trabajo colaborativo se presenta como estratégico en las propuestas que emergen del EEES, donde se evidencia su potencial para el aprendizaje de contenidos específicos, así como para el desarrollo de competencias transversales. Este estudio trata de analizar los resultados del trabajo colaborativo en el caso del Máster en Gestión de Proyectos en Cooperación Internacional, contextualizado en el Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle. Trata de relacionar las propuestas de redacción de acuerdos grupales y mediación del tutor de seguimiento con el desarrollo de competencias transversales de trabajo en equipo. La finalidad es ajustar un diseño de trabajo colaborativo que alcance los objetivos de aprendizaje que se persiguen: mejora del aprendizaje individual en contacto con el grupo, desarrollo de competencias transversales de trabajo en equipo y creación de vínculos en la comunidad virtual. La investigación triangula los resultados de un cuestionario realizado ad hoc, entrevistas con los alumnos del programa y un foro de discusión. El análisis de los datos recabados muestra que los alumnos perciben que el trabajo colaborativo ha mejorado su proceso de aprendizaje y les ha ayudado a desarrollar competencias de trabajo en equipo. Tanto la redacción de acuerdos grupales como la labor de mediación de la tutora parecen incidir de forma significativa en este resultado. ABSTRACTCollaborative work in e-learning environments and development of generic skills of teamwork: International Cooperation Project Management Master case, CSEU La Salle.Collaborative work is presented as strategic in the proposals emerging from the EEES, where its enormous potential for learning specific content and to develop transferable skills are evidenced. This study aims to analyze the results of collaborative work in the case of Masters in Project Management in International Cooperation., contextualized in the Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle. It intends to relate the proposals of drafting of agreements and mediation of the tutor to the development of generic skills related to the ability to work in teams. The aim is to adjust a collaborative work design that reaches the learning objectives intended: improvement of individual learning in contact with the group, development of skills related to the ability to work in teams and engagement with the virtual community. The research triangulates the results of a questionnaire built ad hoc, interviews with students in the program and a discussion forum. The analysis of the data collected shows that students feel that collaborative work has improved the learning process and helped them to develop teamwork skills. Both agreements drafting and the mediation of the tutor seem to have a significant impact on this result.

El presente trabajo explora la estrategia de adquisición de conocimiento de las spin-off universitarias, en el marco de la discusión teórica sobre la concurrencia de distintas fuentes de conocimiento en la estrategia tecnológica e innovadora de las empresas. La base empírica de esta investigación la constituye una encuesta a la población de empresas creadas en el sistema universitario andaluz. La investigación permite observar que, en sus procesos de innovación, las empresas estudiadas combinan el conocimiento que se deriva de la realización de I+D interna con el adquirido a través de su relación con agentes externos. En la literatura sobre innovación, existe cierta carencia de estudios empíricos que usen como unidad de análisis a las empresas spin-off. Por ello, los resultados de este trabajo ofrecen interés para este campo científico y también importantes implicaciones en el ámbito de las políticas públicas de innovación.

El análisis de las actividades, actitudes, creencias y comportamientos innovadores en las microempresas tiene pocos antecedentes en los estudios sobre la innovación, a pesar de que este colectivo representa a más del 95% del tejido empresarial en España y en el entorno europeo. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados empíricos de un estudio sobre la innovación en microempresas, que trata de identificar y explicar los factores que más inciden en su capacidad innovadora, basándose en el enfoque de la Triple Hélice. Entre los factores destacan el capital humano, social y relacional, la capacidad de absorción de conocimientos ajenos, así como la existencia de una cultura innovadora que facilita las actitudes, creencias y oportunidades necesarias para innovar en entornos colaborativos con múltiples relaciones e interacciones. El análisis se ha completado con una caracterización de las microempresas en función del peso de estos factores y las barreras a la innovación identificadas.

Diversos estudios han indicado las motivaciones del personal investigador ante la transferencia conocimiento universidad-empresa, el cual está dispuesto a comprometer tiempo, energía y recursos intelectuales. Además de estas actividades se obtienen beneficios en la docencia, las oportunidades empresariales, la exposición a problemas prácticos y la experiencia técnica. En este trabajo se analiza la actividad de transferencia de conocimiento universidad-empresa en los organismos públicos de investigación de Canarias, y se profundiza con un análisis sobre las motivaciones del personal investigador de cuatro comunidades autónomas con indicadores de I+D+i diferenciados; de un lado, Madrid y País Vasco y, de otro, Andalucía y Canarias. Several studies have indicated the personal motivations that the community of researchers have about knowledge transfer to companies. They are willing to spend time, energy and intellectual resources. Benefits have also been identified in teaching, business opportunities, exposure to practical problems and technical expertise. The aim of this paper is to analyze the motivations of university researchers in light of knowledge transfer university-company, focusing on the case of Canary Islands. We analyze the opinion of this community on its motivation in order to make knowledge transfer activities. Using different indicators related to R&D in four regions: Madrid and The Basque Country from one side, and Andalusia and the Canary Islands from the other.

Identifying the roles and competencies of faculty performing in virtual environments is crucial to higher education institutions in order to build a common frame for teaching and training initiatives. One of the goals of this study is to identify and systematize faculty’s roles through a review of the most representative surveys. There has also been an effort to identify competencies associated to every role, with an emphasis on those of the pedagogical scope, by means of a focus group. Furthermore, a cross-sectional survey with 166 faculty participants has been conducted in order to identify faculty’s level of proficiency on the pedagogical competencies and the interest in training programs. Teacher perceptions on both these aspects constitutes a relevant reference for the design of faculty training programs. Results reveal that content drafting is the aspect in which the subjects declare the highest level of proficiency as opposed to assessment. Faculty also appear to be willing to improve their training, being aware of the changes and requirements entailed by e-learning.

Las enfermedades cerebrovasculares constituyen no menos del 50 % de los trastornos neurológicos que se presentan en un hospital general; son, además, las enfermedades neurológicas más invalidantes de la población adulta mayor de 65 años, y una de las principales causas de morbilidad, mortalidad e invalidez funcional en los países desarrollados y en Cuba, lo que determina una gran carga social y un elevado costo económico1.

A partir de 1 de enero de 1959 el gobierno revolucionario se dedicó a resolver los principales problemas de la Salud, tanto urbana como rural, en correspondencia con el programa del Moncada, hasta crear el Sistema Nacional de Salud, y acometer su gradual perfeccionamiento. Fidel dedicó gran parte de su tiempo a la Salud y se logró alcanzar indicadores de países del primer mundo e incluso superarlos, inspirados en el legado martiano. El objetivo de este trabajo es destacar la continuidad del pensamiento de José Martí y de Fidel Castro en la salud pública cubana.

Teacher training and a commitment to innovation in teaching are determining factors in the success of technology adoption processes. This article presents a study on the opportunities produced through the collaboration of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education and the ProFuturo program, which arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. This collaboration resulted in the improvement of digital competency among teachers and pupils and in transference to educational practise. It also strengthened the existing limited capabilities for developing mass training programs for teachers in the country. The research was conducted through an online survey, with a cross-sectional, quantitative, and non-experimental focus from two data sources. A total of 3,565 teachers answered the digital survey for teachers trained using the Open Model in Ecuador between 2020 and 2022. On the other hand, 7,257 teachers answered the ProFuturo Self-Assessment of Digital Skills of Teachers (https://competencyassessment.profuturo.education/?lang=en). The results show an improvement in the competency of teachers following their participation in the program and confirm that they considered digital transformation in the classroom to be of great utility. Teacher training remains a cornerstone of high-quality education and research as this contribution proves a positive impact on learning experiences, where there was a significant transference, driven by an improvement in digital skills applied to the teaching process.

Methods Four-step process: (1) creation of a governance model, a web platform and reporting forms for a PSRLS in Catalonia (SNiSP Cat); (2) SNiSP Cat roll out; (3) embed SNiSP Cat information in the accreditation model for HCO and the PS scorecard; (4) Development of SNiSP Cat within the QPSS Plan Cat 2023–2027.Results The SNiSP Cat is in use by 63/64 acute care hospital (ACH), 376/376 primary healthcare teams (PCT) and 17/98 long-term care facilities (LTCF). 1335/109 273 professionals were trained. Until 2022, 127 051 incidents have been migrated and reported (2013–2022). The system has generated three comprehensive risk maps for HCO: one for ACH, including patients’ falls, medication, clinical process and procedures; second for PCT, including clinical process and procedures, clinical administration and medication; and a third for LTCF, included patients’ falls, medication, digital/analogical documentation. SNiSP Cat provided information to support 53 standards out of 1312 of the ACH accreditation model and 14 standards out of 379 of PCT one. Regarding the MHC patient safety scorecard, 14 indicators out of 147 of ACH and 4 out of 41 of PCT are supported by SNiSP Cat data.Conclusions The availability of a territorial PSRLS (SNiSP Cat) allows MHC leads the Q&PS policy with direct information, risk maps and data support to the standards for the Catalan accreditation models and PS scorecard linked to incentivisation, turning the SNiSP Cat into a driven tool to implement the Quality and Patient Safety Strategic Plan of Catalonia 2023–2027.