Teachers' challenges regarding cultural diversity

This paper presents some findings of the fieldwork of my doctoral thesis “Human Rights Educationas a Tool for Social Cohesion” of the Doctoral Program “Education and Society”The main research question that arises is: Can Human Rights Education be the departurepoint to work from, with and for the cultural diversity that characterizes our societies?Human Rights Education has been introduced in our social politics and among them ineducational policies which have a relevant role on the consecution of a cohesive society. Education,as a social right that has to be guarantee, facilitates the social change and the promotionof values and attitudes that favor cohesion.The work of several organizations like United Nations, The Council of Europe or Amnestyinternational have develop a wide variety of materials regarding human rights education atschools, guides and manuals for teachers, courses, development of competences and compendiumof activities.

Spatial processing for frequency diversity schemes

A novel technique to obtain optimum blind spatialprocessing for frequency diversity spread spectrum (FDSS) communicationsystems is introduced. The sufficient statistics for alinear combiner, which prove ineffective due to the interferers frequencycharacteristics, are modified to yield improved detectionunder partial jamming in the spectral domain. Robustness to partialtime jamming is achieved by extending the notion of replicasover the frequency axis to a repetition over the time variable. Analysisand simulations are provided, showing the advantages of usingFDSS with spatial diversity to combat the interference when it isconfined to a narrow frequency band or short time interval relativeto the desired signal extent in either domain.

Effect of cattle on Salmonella carriage, diversity and antimicrobial resistance in free-ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa) in northeastern Spain

Salmonella is distributed worldwide and is a pathogen of economic and public health importance. As a multi-host pathogen with a long environmental persistence, it is a suitable model for the study of wildlife-livestock interactions. In this work, we aim to explore the spill-over of Salmonella between free-ranging wild boar and livestock in a protected natural area in NE Spain and the presence of antimicrobial resistance. Salmonella prevalence, serotypes and diversity were compared between wild boars, sympatric cattle and wild boars from cattle-free areas. The effect of age, sex, cattle presence and cattle herd size on Salmonella probability of infection in wild boars was explored by means of Generalized Linear Models and a model selection based on the Akaike’s Information Criterion. Prevalence was higher in wild boars co-habiting with cattle (35.67%, CI 95% 28.19–43.70) than in wild boar from cattle-free areas (17.54%, CI 95% 8.74–29.91). Probability of a wild boar being a Salmonella carrier increased with cattle herd size but decreased with the host age. Serotypes Meleagridis, Anatum and Othmarschen were isolated concurrently from cattle and sympatric wild boars. Apart from serotypes shared with cattle, wild boars appear to have their own serotypes, which are also found in wild boars from cattle-free areas (Enteritidis, Mikawasima, 4:b:- and 35:r:z35). Serotype richness (diversity) was higher in wild boars co-habiting with cattle, but evenness was not altered by the introduction of serotypes from cattle. The finding of a S. Mbandaka strain resistant to sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and chloramphenicol and a S. Enteritidis strain resistant to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid in wild boars is cause for public health concern.

Condicionants sociològics de la planificació lingüística en un context global i multicultural

La complexitat de la conformació de les societats actuals provoca l’aparició de reptes nous que s’afegeixen a l’emergència de realitats ja existents i no resoltes. Això fa que s’hagin d’analitzar amb mirada i perspectives noves problemes, qüestions i polítiques que es creien resolts o, com a mínim, superats. Obliga, alhora, a repensar les estratègies i també a repensarnos com a societat. La política lingüística, i la planificació que n’és la resultant, no pot quedar al marge d’aquestes reflexions perquè actua en —i per a— una població i en —i per a— una societat determinada, i l’una i l’altra estan en plena transformació i canvi. Els diversos contextos socials actuals en els quals —i per als quals— es prenen les decisions lingüístiques contenen condicionants característics que s’afegeixen i interactuen amb els preexistents. Uns i altres, amb diferents graus d’intensitat, les influencien. Aquest article s’aproxima a alguns d’aquests elements i a aquest context divers, global i local que els dota d’especificitat.

Patterns of nucleotide diversity at the regions encompassing the Drosophila insulin-like peptide (dilp) genes: demography vs positive selection in Drosophila melanogaster.

In Drosophila, the insulin-signaling pathway controls some life history traits, such as fertility and lifespan, and it is considered to be the main metabolic pathway involved in establishing adult body size. Several observations concerning variation in body size in the Drosophila genus are suggestive of its adaptive character. Genes encoding proteins in this pathway are, therefore, good candidates to have experienced adaptive changes and to reveal the footprint of positive selection. The Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs) are the ligands that trigger the insulin-signaling cascade. In Drosophila melanogaster, there are several peptides that are structurally similar to the single mammalian insulin peptide. The footprint of recent adaptive changes on nucleotide variation can be unveiled through the analysis of polymorphism and divergence. With this aim, we have surveyed nucleotide sequence variation at the dilp1-7 genes in a natural population of D. melanogaster. The comparison of polymorphism in D. melanogaster and divergence from D. simulans at different functional classes of the dilp genes provided no evidence of adaptive protein evolution after the split of the D. melanogaster and D. simulans lineages. However, our survey of polymorphism at the dilp gene regions of D. melanogaster has provided some evidence for the action of positive selection at or near these genes. The regions encompassing the dilp1-4 genes and the dilp6 gene stand out as likely affected by recent adaptive events.

Allelic diversity and population structure in Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal based on nucleotide sequence analysis

Comparative analysis of gene fragments of six housekeeping loci, distributed around the two chromosomes of Vibrio cholerae, has been carried out for a collection of 29 V. cholerae O139 Bengal strains isolated from India during the first epidemic period (1992 to 1993). A toxigenic O1 ElTor strain from the seventh pandemic and an environmental non-O1/non-O139 strain were also included in this study. All loci studied were polymorphic, with a small number of polymorphic sites in the sequenced fragments. The genetic diversity determined for our O139 population is concordant with a previous multilocus enzyme electrophoresis study in which we analyzed the same V. cholerae O139 strains. In both studies we have found a higher genetic diversity than reported previously in other molecular studies. The results of the present work showed that O139 strains clustered in several lineages of the dendrogram generated from the matrix of allelic mismatches between the different genotypes, a finding which does not support the hypothesis previously reported that the O139 serogroup is a unique clone. The statistical analysis performed in the V. cholerae O139 isolates suggested a clonal population structure. Moreover, the application of the Sawyer's test and split decomposition to detect intragenic recombination in the sequenced gene fragments did not indicate the existence of recombination in our O139 population.

Plant diversity across five vegetation belts in the Pyrenees (Catalonia, Spain)

In this paper we analyze the size and habitat partitioning of the vascular floras of five areas of the NE Iberian Peninsula, representing five distinct vegetation belts and three floristic regions: Mediterranean (basal belt), medio-European (submontane and montane belts) and Boreo-Alpine (subalpine and alpine belts). Each area covered over 1000 ha, and was fairly uniform in terms of potential vegetation, bedrock and bioclimate. They excluded large villages and field areas, the landscape being mainly natural or moderately anthropized.

Snakefly diversity in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera)

The Albian amber from Spain presently harbors the greatest number and diversity of amber adult fossil snakeflies (Raphidioptera). Within Baissopteridae, Baissoptera? cretaceoelectrasp. n., from the Peñacerrada I outcrop (Moraza, Burgos), is the first amber inclusion belonging to the family and described from western Eurasia, thus substantially expanding the paleogeographical range of the family formerly known from the Cretaceous of Brazil and eastern Asia. Within the family Mesoraphidiidae, Necroraphidia arcuatagen. et sp. n. and Amarantoraphidia ventolinagen. et sp. n. are described from the El Soplao outcrop (Rábago, Cantabria), whereas Styporaphidia? hispanicasp. n. and Alavaraphidia imperterritagen. et sp. n. are describedfrom Peñacerrada I. In addition, three morphospecies are recognized from fragmentary remains. The following combinations are restored: Yanoraphidia gaoi Ren, 1995, stat. rest., Mesoraphidia durlstonensis Jepson, Coram and Jarzembowski, 2009, stat. rest., and Mesoraphidia heteroneura Ren, 1997, stat. rest. The singularity of this rich paleodiversity could be due to the paleogeographic isolation of the Iberian territory and also the prevalence of wildfires during the Cretaceous.

Planarian (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida) Diversity and Molecular Markers: A New View of an Old Group

Planarians are a group of free-living platyhelminths (triclads) best-known largely due to long-standing regeneration and pattern formation research. However, the group"s diversity and evolutionary history has been mostly overlooked. A few taxonomists have focused on certain groups, resulting in the description of many species and the establishment of higher-level groups within the Tricladida. However, the scarcity of morphological features precludes inference of phylogenetic relationships among these taxa. The incorporation of molecular markers to study their diversity and phylogenetic relationships has facilitated disentangling many conundrums related to planarians and even allowed their use as phylogeographic model organisms. Here, we present some case examples ranging from delimiting species in an integrative style, and barcoding them, to analysing their evolutionary history on a lower scale to infer processes affecting biodiversity origin, or on a higher scale to understand the genus level or even higher relationships. In many cases, these studies have allowed proposing better classifications and resulted in taxonomical changes. We also explain shortcomings resulting in a lack of resolution or power to apply the most up-to-date data analyses. Next-generation sequencing methodologies may help improve this situation and accelerate their use as model organisms.

How to introduce connectance in a frame of an expression for diversity

Systems made of parts that are totally connected do not work, neither ecosys- tems nor artifacts. Relative connectance is inversely related to diversity, and both magnitudes can find a common frame of expression, in which some constant expressing the constraints of any organization might be embodied. If S is Simp- son's index, the expression (1 - S)IS as a measure of diversity offers some advantages or, at least, helps further reasoning. Such expression is the ratio between total interspecific possible interactions and possible intraspecific inter- actions.

Cyanobacterial diversity and a new Acaryochloris-like symbiont from Bahamian sea-squirts

Symbiotic interactions between ascidians (sea-squirts) and microbes are poorly understood. Here we characterized the cyanobacteria in the tissues of 8 distinct didemnid taxa from shallow-water marine habitats in the Bahamas Islands by sequencing a fragment of the cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene and the entire 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and by examining symbiont morphology with transmission electron (TEM) and confocal microscopy (CM). As described previously for other species, Trididemnum spp. mostly contained symbionts associated with the Prochloron-Synechocystis group. However, sequence analysis of the symbionts in Lissoclinum revealed two unique clades. The first contained a novel cyanobacterial clade, while the second clade was closely associated with Acaryochloris marina. CM revealed the presence of chlorophyll d (chl d) and phycobiliproteins (PBPs) within these symbiont cells, as is characteristic of Acaryochloris species. The presence of symbionts was also observed by TEM inside the tunic of both the adult and larvae of L. fragile, indicating vertical transmission to progeny. Based on molecular phylogenetic and microscopic analyses, Candidatus Acaryochloris bahamiensis nov. sp. is proposed for this symbiotic cyanobacterium. Our results support the hypothesis that photosymbiont communities in ascidians are structured by host phylogeny, but in some cases, also by sampling location.

Emotion and Linguistic Diversity

In this paper we shall try to explain why speakers experience their languages so passionately. One explanation is based on the role language plays in the construction of the community and in the fact that it is a clear mark of belonging. Furthermore, we support another reason. Speakers experience their language as something received from their ancestors and that they are obliged to transmit to their descendents, an imperative which carries an extraordinary emotional charge. In fact, fear of the death of a language is experienced as an act of irreparable non-fulfilment. Why? We believe that language is one of the most evident signs of community, much more than the sum of the individuals of which it is composed. Indeed, it is a long-lasting entity projected into both the past and the future and which, moreover, accumulates within the language the whole of the culture. In the survival of the community and the language we find a response, even though it may be illusory, to the need for transcendence: our ancestors live on in our language and we, if we meet our obligations, live on in the language of our descendents

A nonparametric method for the measurement of size diversity with emphasis on data standardization

The most suitable method for estimation of size diversity is investigated. Size diversity is computed on the basis of the Shannon diversity expression adapted for continuous variables, such as size. It takes the form of an integral involving the probability density function (pdf) of the size of the individuals. Different approaches for the estimation of pdf are compared: parametric methods, assuming that data come from a determinate family of pdfs, and nonparametric methods, where pdf is estimated using some kind of local evaluation. Exponential, generalized Pareto, normal, and log-normal distributions have been used to generate simulated samples using estimated parameters from real samples. Nonparametric methods include discrete computation of data histograms based on size intervals and continuous kernel estimation of pdf. Kernel approach gives accurate estimation of size diversity, whilst parametric methods are only useful when the reference distribution have similar shape to the real one. Special attention is given for data standardization. The division of data by the sample geometric mean is proposedas the most suitable standardization method, which shows additional advantages: the same size diversity value is obtained when using original size or log-transformed data, and size measurements with different dimensionality (longitudes, areas, volumes or biomasses) may be immediately compared with the simple addition of ln k where kis the dimensionality (1, 2, or 3, respectively). Thus, the kernel estimation, after data standardization by division of sample geometric mean, arises as the most reliable and generalizable method of size diversity evaluation

Population connectivity buffers genetic diversity loss in a seabird

Background Ancient DNA has revolutionized conservation genetic studies as it allows monitoring of the genetic variability of species through time and predicting the impact of ecosystems" threats on future population dynamics and viability. Meanwhile, the consequences of anthropogenic activities and climate change to island faunas, particularly seabirds, remain largely unknown. In this study, we examined temporal changes in the genetic diversity of a threatened seabird, the Cory"s shearwater (Calonectris borealis). Findings We analysed the mitochondrial DNA control region of ancient bone samples from the late-Holocene retrieved from the Canary archipelago (NE Atlantic) together with modern DNA sequences representative of the entire breeding range of the species. Our results show high levels of ancient genetic diversity in the Canaries comparable to that of the extant population. The temporal haplotype network further revealed rare but recurrent long-distance dispersal between ocean basins. The Bayesian demographic analyses reveal both regional and local population size expansion events, and this is in spite of the demographic decline experienced by the species over the last millennia. Conclusions Our findings suggest that population connectivity of the species has acted as a buffer of genetic losses and illustrate the use of ancient DNA to uncover such cryptic genetic events.

Functional diversity of macrophyte communities within and between Pyrenean lakes

Submersed vegetation is a common feature in about 70% Pyrene an high mountain (>1500 m a.s.l.) lakes. Isoetids and soft-water elodeids are common elements of this underw ater flora and can form distinct vegetation units (i.e. patches of vegetation dominated by different species) within complex mosaics of vegetation in shallow waters (<7 m). Since is oetids exert a strong influence on sediment biogeochemistry due to high radial oxygen loss, we examined the small scale characteristics of the lake environment (water and sediment) associated to vegetation patches in order to ascertain potential functional differences among them. To do so, we characterised the species composition and biomass of the main vegetation units from 11 lakes, defined plant communities based on biomass data, and then related each community with sediment properties (redox and dissolved nutrient concentration in the pore water) and water nutrient concentration within plant canopy. We also characterised lake water and sediment in areas without vegetation as a reference. A total of twenty-one vegetation units were identified, ranging from one to five per lake. A cluster analysis on biomass species composition suggested seven different macrophyte communities that were named after the most dominant species:Nitella sp.,Potamogeton praelongus, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Sparganium angustifolium , Isoetes echinospora,Isoetes lacustris and Carex rostrata . Coupling between macrophyte communities and their immediate environment (overlying water and sediment) was manifested mainly as variation in sediment redox conditions and the dominant form of inorganic nitrogen in pore-water. These effects depended on the specific compositi on of the community, and on the allocation between above- and belowground biomass, and could be predicted with a model relating the average and standard deviation of sediment redox potential from 0 down to -20 cm, across macrophyte communities. Differences in pore-water total dissolved phosphorus were related to the trophic state of the lakes. There was no correlation between sediment and water column dissolved nutrients. However, nitrate concentrations tended to be lower in the water overlaying isoetid communities, in apparent contradiction to the patterns of dissolved nitrates in the pore-water. These tendencies were robust even when comparing the water over laying communities within the same lake, thus pointing towards a potential effect of isoetids in reducing dissolved nitrogen in the lakes.