This essay continues with a discussion concerning the intersection between indigenous technological adoption/adaptation and the range of perspectives with respect to local communities’ use of technology in general. Analytical instruments will be presented at the end of this article. First, however, the reader will have the opportunity to examine the ‘views’ of outsiders with respect to the debate surrounding sustainability, environmental management and territorial ordering. Responses to an on-line survey concerning the above issues together with my own comments, will add to the discussion.

IEEE 802.15.4e is emerging as a robust standard for industrial Internet of Things. This standard is particularly effective for low power, multi-hop networks, and typically supports applications with low throughput. However, with the advances in energy harvesting, the need for supporting better performing solutions is also gaining momentum. This paper presents and analyses a modified link scheduling algorithm for IEEE 802.15.4e based solutions. Three approaches are considered. With the first approach, only the gateway node is equipped with multiple radios. With the second approach, non-gateway nodes are equipped with multiple radios as well. With the third approach, multiple single radio gateways are considered. Results from simulations have been presented to demonstrate the improvement in performance compared to the typical single radio, single gateway deployments.

Many central banks, particularly in the developing world, aim for exchange rate stability as a macroeconomic goal. However, most are reluctant to relinquish monetary policy autonomy, so they end up operating through both interest rate and foreign exchange interventions. But the use of multiple policy instruments does not necessarily equip monetary authorities with better tools to achieve their targets. On the contrary, their effects can potentially offset each other. Using daily data from the Central Bank of Colombia during the period of 1999–2012, I study the effects of simultaneous policies by first deriving new measures of monetary shocks and then determining their impact on economic activity. The main findings indicate that (a) while interest rate interventions have a significant impact on real and nominal variables, foreign exchange interventions tend to have limited effects; and (b) empirical anomalies, such as the positive relationship between output growth, inflation, and the policy rate are eliminated when properly accounting for the systematic responses of policy.

Interspecific competition among secondary cavity nesters can involve physical conflicts between individuals, which may lead to serious injuries or death. Here we report a case of aggression by a pair of Chilean Swallows (Tachycineta meyeni) towards a nestling of the Thorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda) in the sub-Antarctic forests of Chile. This aggression caused the displacement of the breeding rayaditos from an occupied nest box and it appears, nestling mortality. Since levels of aggression among cavity nesters depend on the synchrony of their breeding phenologies, further research is needed to study the prevalence of nest usurpation by Chilean Swallows and its relation to the degree of breeding synchrony with other cavity nesters inhabiting the sub-Antarctic forests.

Abstract: The pursuit of upward social transformation through service design and practice demands rigorous thinking about what this kind of change looks like and how it comes about. To advance these two goals, this study conceptualizes transformative value, defined as a social dimension of value creation which illuminates uplifting changes among individuals and collectives in the marketplace. Conceptual development draws on structuration theory and the service-dominant logic to articulate the spheres of transformative value as well as four distinctions between habitual and transformative value. Ethnographic analysis with a nonprofit service, which focuses on mitigating the inequalities of poverty, explores how service providers can facilitate transformative value. Findings highlight the roles of holistic value propositions, an anti-structural servicescape, and communal service practices. Beyond microlevel social impact, findings also reveal the macro-level reach of transformative value by demonstrating how services can contest and transform dominant social structures and stimulate social action. Discussion highlights the implications of transformative value for human agency and ways to design services that promote well-being among vulnerable populations. Resumen: La búsqueda de una transformación social a través del diseño y la práctica del servicio exige un pensamiento riguroso sobre como este tipo del cambio se ve y se produce. Para avanzar en estos dos objetivos, este estudio conceptualiza el valor transformador, definido como una dimensión social de creación de valor que ilumina los cambios edificantes entre individuos y colectivos en el mercado. El desarrollo conceptual se basa en la teoría de la estructuración y la lógica del servicio dominante para articular las esferas de la transformación valor así como también cuatro distinciones entre valor habitual y transformativo. Un análisis etnográfico en un servicio sin fines de lucro, que se centra en la mitigación de las desigualdades de la pobreza, evidencia cómo los proveedores de servicios pueden facilitar el valor transformador. Más allá de un impacto social a nivel individual, los hallazgos también revelan el alcance a nivel macro del valor transformador al demostrar cómo los servicios pueden competir y transformar las estructuras sociales dominantes y estimular la acción social. La discusión resalta las implicaciones de la transformación valor para la agencia humana y formas de diseñar servicios que promuevan el bienestar entre las poblaciones vulnerables.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease characterized by a progressive elevation in mean pulmonary arterial pressure. This occurs due to abnormal remodeling of small peripheral lung vasculature resulting in progressive occlusion of the artery lumen that eventually causes right heart failure and death. The most common cause of PAH is inactivating mutations in the gene encoding a bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPRII). Current therapeutic options for PAH are limited and focused mainly on reversal of pulmonary vasoconstriction and proliferation of vascular cells. Although these treatments can relieve disease symptoms, PAH remains a progressive lethal disease. Emerging data suggest that restoration of BMPRII signaling in PAH is a promising alternative that could prevent and reverse pulmonary vascular remodeling. Here we will focus on recent advances in rescuing BMPRII expression, function or signaling to prevent and reverse pulmonary vascular remodeling in PAH and its feasibility for clinical translation. Furthermore, we summarize the role of described miRNAs that directly target the BMPR2 gene in blood vessels. We discuss the therapeutic potential and the limitations of promising new approaches to restore BMPRII signaling in PAH patients. Different mutations in BMPR2 and environmental/genetic factors make PAH a heterogeneous disease and it is thus likely that the best approach will be patient-tailored therapies.

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the emergence of resistant microorganisms have become a major challenge for the food industry. The purpose of this work was to microencapsulate the bacteriophage UFV-AREG1 in a calcium alginate matrix using microfluidic devices and to study the viability and efficiency of retention. The microcapsules were added to gel of propylene glycol for use as an antimicrobial in the food industry. The technique showed the number of the phage encapsulation, yielding drops with an average 100–250 ?m of diameter, 82.1 ± 2% retention efficiency and stability in the gel matrix for 21 days. The gel added to the microencapsulated phage showed efficiency (not detectable on the surface) in reducing bacterial contamination on the surface at a similar level to antimicrobial chemicals (alcohol 70%). Therefore, it was possible to microencapsulate bacteriophages in alginate-Ca and apply the microcapsules in gels for use as sanitizers in the food industry.

Latin American integration is a core issue in Rodolfo Stavenhagen’s “Seven Erroneous Theses about Latin America.” A critical reading of the sixth thesis suggests an alternative interpretation. Changes in the past 50 years with regard to Latin American ethnic integration, for example in Mexico and Colombia, have called into question the model of integration through assimilation. The current challenges to integration in Latin America point to an alternative approach that attributes positive value to hybrid status as a path toward overcoming internal colonialism.

This research focuses on the value transformation of cultural heritage objects, the stakeholders involved and the relationship, mutual agreement and trust between the two contexts of the owner and borrower. The research question is, how does a cultural heritage object’s value change in the process of transferring from one context to another? This transition can either reinforce or create new value for the object or decrease its value. The Cultural Heritage Value Transformation research project was conducted from July to December 2016 as part of the internship module from the Master of Museology programme at the Reinwardt Academy, Amsterdam University of the Arts. The present research on heritage valuation is incorporate in the RCE project “Heritage in Use” lead by Arjen Kok. The use, handling or public functioning of the heritage objects is studied to learn about the effect on the valuation of the cultural heritage objects. This project is part of the RCE programme “Heritage of the Modern Age” lead by Tatja Scholte. The research is linked to a project of the RCE Collections department that studies the effects of long term loans of museum objects in non-museum environments. The research hopes to contribute to cultural heritage objects by sparking a valuation discussion that illustrates how the objects’ values are transformed by the institutions, stakeholders and communities involved in the cultural heritage transition. We must also consider the object’s environment influence in the two contexts. The stakeholders (collectors, curators, conservators and communities) affect the object’s biography, stressing on the socio-cultural implications and artistic or symbolic significance.

Abstract: The world has overlapped pressures in favour and against the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity and other purposes. Most scaremongers demand to leave all hydrocarbons below the ground and utilise renewable energy sources. This paper is aimed at providing an economic approach to demonstrate why natural gas may serve as a “bridge"" fuel in the transition to cleaner energy sources, but corresponding incentives must be in place; otherwise, the current panorama might not change in the foreseeable future. The “bridge” concept will be explained in detail as well as the reasons why renewable energy might be far away for some economies and from a cost-effective point of view when compared to natural gas. Consequently, the latter may remain the most efficient fuel for a while given all circumstances. Resumen: El mundo ha superpuesto presiones a favor y en contra del uso de combustibles fósiles para generar electricidad y otros fines. La mayoría de los alarmistas exigen dejar todos los hidrocarburos bajo tierra y utilizar fuentes de energía renovables. Este documento tiene como objetivo proporcionar un enfoque económico para demostrar por qué el gas natural puede servir como combustible ""puente"" en la transición hacia fuentes de energía más limpias, pero deben existir los incentivos correspondientes, de lo contrario, el panorama actual podría no cambiar en el futuro previsible El concepto de ""puente"" será explicado en detalle, así como las razones por las cuales la energía renovable podría estar muy lejos para algunas economías y desde un punto de vista de rentabilidad cuando se compara con el gas natural. En consecuencia, este último puede seguir siendo el combustible más eficiente por un tiempo dadas todas las circunstancias.