De Agua Research Articles

Orogenic magmatism along the transition Precordillera-Sierras Pampeanas, between 29° and 31° S, Argentina

New geochemical data and petrological analysis of Neogene volcanic units from the Pampean Flat Slab Segment (29°-31°SL) are presented in this contribution. Rocks were collected along a cross-section from the Western Sierras Pampeanas to the Eastern Precordillera. The outcrops delimit areas with a sub-parallel disposition to the orogenic front and main Andean regional structures. The study involves several volcanic rocks of the Formación Cerro Morado, sampled from the Huachi eruptive center and the Helvecia and Portezuelo de Los Burros mine districts, with thick lava flows and pyroclastic rocks. Lavas and breccias from several medium size outcrops near Huaco are also analyzed. To the NE, near the town of Guandacol, the Unidad Volcánica El Corral crops out. These rocks constitute the easternmost outcrops of the Precordillera in San Juan. We also studied rocks from the La Ciénaga volcano of the Sierra del Pocho Volcanic Field within the Sierras Pampeanas of Cordoba, which are the easternmost magmatic expression of the volcanic arc in this shallow subduction zone of the Central Andes.The new geochemical and isotopic data obtained from Formación Cerro Morado and lava flows belonging to the Unidad Volcánica El Corral, and its comparison with new geochemical data of the La Ciénaga volcano of the Sierra de Pocho show that these rocks result from the melting of two sources coming from two different types of crustal basements (Precordillera and Sierras Pampeanas). We found a magmatic association with similar geochemical features within the Formación Cerro Morado in Huachi region and Helvecia mine and Agua de Los Burros. It shows abundant hydrothermal fluids, which are often related to mineralization of economic interest.On the other hand, the rocks of the Formación Cerro Morado from Huaco, of the Unidad Volcánica El Corral and El Pocho Volcanic Field have a similar isotopic signature that allows us to infer the participation of the underlying Sierras Pampeanas Crust in their development. This feature leads us to interpret the continuity of the Sierras Pampeanas Basement Crust below the Western Precordillera.

Lower Cretaceous ammonoids from the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: The late Hauterivian Paraspiticeras and associated faunas

The Paraspiticeras groeberi Zone (upper Hauterivian) is one of the five ammonoid biozones previously recognized in the Agua de la Mula Member of the Agrio Formation in the Neuquén Basin of west-central Argentina. However, the ammonoid faunas of this zone and the beds immediately below, corresponding to the upper levels of the current Crioceratites diamantensis Zone, remain poorly known. Extensive collections now allow us to recognize a diverse endemic ammonoid fauna. After an exhaustive taxonomic and stratigraphic review, the Paraemericiceras argentinense and Paraspiticeras bituberculatum Zones are proposed to replace the P. groeberi Zone and the original index species is now placed in Vutacuracrioceras gen. nov. Vutacuracrioceras groeberi first appears with the earliest Paraemericiceras argentinense gen. et sp. nov. and extends through both zones. It is joined in the Paraspiticeras bituberculatum Zone by the index species and Paraspiticeras sp. aff. P. precrassispinum, Australopseudothurmannia flexuosa gen. et sp. nov. and Hamulinites sp. Based on this new biostratigraphic scheme, the upper Hauterivian in the Neuquén Basin is represented now by six ammonoids zones that can be correlated provisionally with the European standard of the West Mediterranean Province of the Tethyan Realm.

Bioactive and nutritional compounds in fruits of pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) landraces conserved among indigenous communities from Mexico

<abstract> <p>Farmers' varieties or landraces of chili are regularly heterogeneous, selected and preserved by small traditional farmers and highly demanded by regional consumers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation in the content of phenolic compounds, vitamin C, carotenoids, capsaicinoids and antioxidant activity in fruits of a population collection of the landraces Huacle and De Agua, which originated in Oaxaca, Mexico, and a commercial variety of Jalapeño (control). The collection was grown in greenhouse conditions under a random block design. At harvest, a sample of ripe fruits was obtained to evaluate the content of phenolic compounds, vitamin C and antioxidant activity by UV–visible spectrophotometry and the concentration of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin was measured by high-resolution liquid chromatography. Significant differences were observed between the Huacle and De Agua landraces and between these and Jalapeño. The studied fruits exhibit the following pattern for flavonoid and carotenoid contents: Huacle > De Agua > Jalapeño. The opposite pattern was observed for total polyphenol and vitamin C contents: Jalapeño > De Agua > Huacle. The general pattern for capsaicinoids in fruits was Jalapeño > De Agua > Huacle. Huacle and De Agua populations showed high variability in all compounds evaluated, with positive correlations with antioxidant activity. The capsaicin content in Huacle populations varied ranging from 7.4 to 26.2 mg 100 g<sup>-1</sup> and De Agua ranged from 12.4 to 46.8 mg 100 g<sup>-1</sup>.</p> </abstract>

Inequality on the southwest Maya frontier: House size variations in three polities of the Rosario Valley, Chiapas

AbstractBeing a form of labor investment, house size is frequently analyzed as an index of socioeconomic inequality. However, datasets that lack wide-ranging residential stratigraphic information are not reliable sources of labor investment estimates. This is the case for Late Classic domestic architecture data from three polities in the Rosario Valley (modern-day Chiapas) on the southwest Maya frontier: Rosario, Ojo de Agua, and Los Encuentros. Although the sample's house size inequality generally cannot index period-specific labor investment, it may signify prestige differentiation. For each polity we generated Lorenz curves and calculated Gini coefficients for five variables representing house size (area and volume). Results resemble inequality data from lowland Classic Maya centers. We also demonstrate that the smallest, shortest-lived polity had more equal house size values, likely due to the modesty of its apical elite architecture. In contrast, the two larger, older polities were more unequal because they had substantial palaces.

To patrimonialize by law: History or memory of leprosy in the lazaretto of Agua de Dios, Colombia

El texto analiza el proceso -hasta el momento fallido- de patrimonialización desarrollado en el antiguo lazareto de Agua de Dios en Colombia, el cual se ha centrado en la expedición de la Ley 1435 de 2011 que declara un conjunto de inmuebles como Bien de Interés Cultural del ámbito Nacional. A través del estudio de caso se abordan las tensiones entre la memoria y la historia en un contexto de patrimonialización, así como las debilidades de la política de manejo del patrimonio cultural en Colombia, que se queda corta ante las complejas condiciones históricas del sitio. Para esto, se desarrolló una investigación de enfoque cualitativo que incluyó una revisión documental preliminar, a lo que se sumó un ejercicio de observación participante con presencia sostenida en el territorio de cinco años.

Sandstone petrofacies, deformational events and the dynamic of the Valle Fértil Lineament during the late Paleozoic (Paganzo Basin, northwestern Argentina)

The behavior during the late Paleozoic of the Valle Fértil Lineament, a first-order structural element placed along the suture between Cuyania and Pampia Terranes in northwest Argentina, is analyzed. The study was undertaken following three different lines of research: 1) the analysis of compositional changes of Carboniferous and Permian sandstones, 2) the interpretation of sizeable soft-sediment deformation, and 3) the analysis of the stratigraphic relationships along and away from the Valle Fértil megashear zone. At the Guandacol Hill, three sandstones petrofacies were recognized in the Carboniferous and Permian Guandacol, Tupe and Patquía formations: quartzolithic (Q-L), quartzofeldspathic (Q-F), and lithic-volcanic (L-V). The vertical distribution of these petrofacies allows distinguishing four stratigraphic intervals. The first, which corresponds to the uppermost part of the Guandacol Formation and the lower Tupe Formation, displays a marked alternation between Q-L and Q-F petrofacies, indicating supply from the metamorphic basement of the local Umango-Maz Block (Q-L) and from granitoids of the Sierras Pampeanas System (Q-F). The second interval, corresponding to the upper Tupe Formation, is widely dominated by Q-F petrofacies owing to the progradation of arkosic wedges from the Sierras Pampeanas System and a limited contribution of the Umango-Maz Block. The third interval, the lower Patquía Formation, shows a sharp change in the composition of the sandstones since they are dominated by acidic and intermediate volcanic fragments (L-V petrofacies), suggesting the establishment of a volcanic field in the area. Finally, the fourth stratigraphic interval, the middle Patquía Formation, is again composed of the Q-F petrofacies indicating a new episode of progradation of arkosic wedges from the Sierras Pampeanas System. Evidence of tectonic activity during the deposition of the Guandacol Formation is also suggested by the presence of different scales of syn-sedimentary deformational structures, from small-scale soft-deformation to large-scale mass transport deposits. This deformational belt only occurs along the Valle Fértil Lineament and is not recorded in other localities of the Paganzo Basin located either to the west or east of the megashear zone. Regional analysis of the late Paleozoic stratigraphy provides additional information about tectonic instability. Firstly, while the contact between the Guandacol and Tupe Formations is concordant throughout the basin, some localities close to the Valle Fértil Lineament show an angular unconformable relationship. Secondly, in the Agua de la Peña creek, located just on the trace of the Valle Fértil Lineament, the Permian Talampaya Formation covers through an angular unconformity the Guandacol Formation, a relation not observed in other areas of the Paganzo Basin. Thirdly, the presence of Carboniferous magmatism, including volcanic rocks in the Guandacol Hill and a granitic intrusion in the Veladero Hill, has been only observed along the Valle Fértil Lineament.

Vulnerabilidad social por infraestructura de la vivienda en la Sierra Oriental de Hidalgo

In this research work, a multidimensional index is generated that allows measuring the vulnerability to disasters of precarious housing in the localities of the municipalities of Huehuetla, Tenango de Doria, San Bartolo, Acaxochitlán and Agua Blanca, Hidalgo, México. The Social Residential Vulnerability Index (IVRS) considers variables such as access to basic housing services and goods, home overcrowding, and precarious construction materials. Based on information from the 2020 Census, disaggregated by locality; the IVRS is estimated, which allows locating areas with higher levels of vulnerability due to housing infrastructure and that become priority areas to reduce inequalities within the state of Hidalgo. The IVRS is constructed from Kaztman's (2000). Vulnerability asset framework. Vulnerability is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by physical and social factors; both are linked since one can be a trigger for the other. Physical factors are related to the quality of the buildings in which they live, while social factors are related to the conditions of the population, which, in this case, are overcrowding, and access to goods and information technologies. Of the 341 localities that make up the study area, 40% are grouped into sectors of high social residential vulnerability.

Crustal focal mechanisms in the NW sierras de cordoba, and connections with mio-pliocene basement thrusting of the easternmost Sierras Pampeanas, south-Central Andes

The seismicity studied in this paper is located along the back arc region, between 30°35′ and 31°52’ S latitude, in the morphostructural unit known as Eastern Sierras Pampeanas. Seventeen crustal earthquakes could be identified and located, between June 2004 and March 2018, using seismic data recorded by the broadband seismological network of National Institute for Seismic Prevention (INPRES), combined with free seismic data from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). Focal mechanisms were calculated from localized seismicity using the P-wave first motions and interpreted as a strain style on the western portion of Sierras de Córdoba. Overall, the seismicity in this region during the study period was constrained to the upper ∼25 km of the crust and is mostly concentrated along minor structures and not along the major range-bounding faults. Although there is evidence of quaternary activity along the larger structures, the relationship between these displacements and modern deformations is not well developed due to the lack of local seismic stations in the area and the long recurrence interval between earthquakes of significant magnitudes. However, very recent morphometric studies in the Sierras Pampeanas have analyzed the main topography controls and suggested relatively higher uplift rates in the central sectors of the Sierra de Pocho, and a balance between tectonic uplift and erosion rates. Nevertheless, three seismic events showed greater depths around 36 km according to previously proposed geological and geophysical models of crustal thickness and mohorovicic depth. Although focal mechanism solutions show varied results, distributed throughout all the region, it is possible to determine an inverse deformation with an oblique component assigned to regional faults and an area where a normal deformation with an oblique component predominates, near to the Ojo de Agua Lineament. Accordingly with seismological observations, we proposed a model in which the seismogenic structures seem to have detached from deep horizontal intra-crustal interfaces that affects the faults and brittle structures, which document that the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas are actively deforming in response to compression from the convergent margin.

Controls on the accumulation of Early Cretaceous organic-rich fine-grained deposits in a mixed marine siliciclastic-carbonate distal settings of the Neuquén Basin, central-western Argentina

Deposition of black shales occurred under specific conditions that need to combine in a precise way the rate of production and the rates of destruction and dilution of organic matter. Whereas good progress has been made in the determination of the role of production and destruction of organic matter, the role of dilution of the organic components still remains comparatively understudied. In mixed siliciclastic-carbonate marine systems, the dilution of organic matter by non-organic components could be detrital and/or biogenic in origin, adding more complexity to the understanding of these particular types of black shales. In the present contribution, we studied the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate distal deposits of the late Hauterivian Agua de la Mula Member (Agrio Formation) in the Neuquén Basin. Through a combination of sedimentological, petrographic, SEM, and geochemical analyses we define the origin of the fine-grained components, reconstruct the environmental evolution, and determine the role of the production, preservation, and dilution of the organic matter. The results indicate that the unit is predominantly composed of calcite (>47%), whereas illite is the major component among the clay minerals. Thin sections and SEM studies suggest that the carbonate fraction is dominantly composed of nannofossils, i.e. biogenic in origin, and subordinately micarbs (diagenetic, but with a potential biogenic precursor). Thus, the composition of the distal deposits is mostly controlled by the input of detrital illite. The organic geochemistry and XRF data reveal that the most appropriate conditions for the accumulation of organic matter are the transgressive intervals, near the base, with a predominant effect of the rate of the production over the preservation. On the other hand, the dilution of organic matter is mainly driven by the rate of production of biogenic calcite. Interestingly, previous studies showed that in more proximal settings (but still offshore to basin realms) the dilution is controlled by siliciclastic components. Finally, organic geochemistry suggests that most of the organic matter produced is marine in origin (type II), but towards the top of the section it switches to mixed marine and terrestrial (type III to IV), likely related to a progradation of the shallower system and the consequent increase in the input of terrestrial-derived components.

Agronomic Performance of Madre De Agua (Trichantera Gigantean Nees) Under Upland Area in Abucay, Bataan

Madre de Agua (Trichantera gigantean Nees) is forage and considered a Multiple Purpose Tree Species used for ruminants and poultry animals with a good potential source of protein and contain good amino acid. Few studies were conducted in terms of the agronomic characteristics of the Madre de Agua prior to utilization as feeds and most studies conducted were mainly conducted to feed monogastric animals. The study intends to produce data for the agronomic characteristics of Madre de Agua as planted and produces a shaded portion of the upland area in BPSU Abucay Campus, Abucay, Bataan. The following parameters were gathered; Plant Height, Leaf to Stem Ratio, Herbage Yield, and Dry Matter Yield and Soil Analysis. Moreover, the following baseline data were used: the area with an elevation of 141.1 feet above sea level with an average rainfall of 296.45mm and temperature ranges from 26oC to 30oC during the duration of the study. Fertilizer requirements are based on the result of BSWM soil analysis (30g/tree ammonium phosphate, 169g/tree Urea, and 4kg/tree organic fertilizer) applied during and after transplanting with adequate irrigation. The study was carried out using systematic random sampling for plants. The result of agronomic characteristics in upland conditions showed that the average plant height of Madre De Agua was 110.50 cm, Leaf to Stem Ratio was 65.82%/34.18% per plant, herbage yield was 556.50 grams per plant, dry matter yield (oven dry) was 87.57% per plant. The established area for the production of the Madre de Agua will be utilized to provide a continuous source of feed to small ruminants and other monogastric species for future research in animal production.

Some middle Cambrian agnostoids from the Precordillera Argentina.

Agnostoid trilobites are described from Middle Cambrian sediments in the Precordillera of Mendoza and San Juan provinces. The following taxa occur at Solitario Hill, Mendoza: Clavagnostus canotensis, Tomagnostella exsculpta, Agnostus exsulatus, Agnoslus ? sp., Oedorhachis australis, Ptychagnostus aculeatus and Ammagnostus sp. Taxa from the Ojos de Agua locality in San Juan comprise: Kormagnoslus seclusus, Peronopsis tenuis and Ballagnostus ? sp. There are the first agnostoids recorded from the San Juan area. Ptychagnostus aculeatus from Mendoza is here recorded for the first time in Argentina. A late Middle Cambrian age is assigned to the strata containing the assemblages of both Mendoza and San Juan.

Condiciones de evaluación para el tratamiento del agua de fango de carbón con coagulante-biofloculante por prueba ortogonal

En este estudio se utilizó un nuevo tipo de floculante microbiano combinado con coagulante de cloruro férrico de polialuminio (PAFC) en el experimento de coagulación-floculación de agua de limo de carbón. Se investigaron los efectos de la dosis de PAFC, la dosis de biofloculante y el pH sobre la turbidez y la demanda química de oxígeno (COD) del agua de limo de carbón. Los resultados mostraron que las mejores condiciones para eliminar la turbidez del agua de limo y la COD mediante la prueba de factor único fueron las siguientes: la dosis de PAFC fue de 37.5 mg/l, la dosis de biofloculante fue de 0.75 mg/l y el pH fue de 7.0. A través de la prueba ortogonal se identificó que los factores más influyentes para la turbidez y eliminación de COD son el pH y la dosis de PAFC, respectivamente. La mejor condición de la coagulación-floculación fue con una dosis de PAFC de 50.0 mg/l, una dosis de biofloculante de 0.5 mg/l y el pH de 7.0. Bajo esta condición, se obtuvo una eficiencia de remoción de turbidez del 93.2 % y una eficiencia de remoción de COD del 47.2 %.

Sistema de tratamiento de aguas residuales domésticas por electrocoagulación utilizando energía solar fotovoltaica

This work deals with the design of a domestic wastewater treatment system for the washing machine, which is mainly based on responsibility to the environment in terms of the correct administration and proper management of the most significant asset that man possesses, water. In Mexican homes, one of the main domestic processes is laundry, where a large amount of water is used to clean clothing. Electrocoagulation is a process that can be used in the treatment of different wastewater due to its versatility and environmental compatibility. In the present investigation, the applicability of electrocoagulation for the treatment of domestic wastewater from the washing machine through the use of photovoltaic solar energy was analyzed. The effects of operational parameters such as current density, treatment time on turbidity, , and conductivity were studied. The objective of this project is to research alternatives to domestic wastewater treatment systems from the washing machine, through the use of photovoltaic panels taking advantage of and reusing the water from the washing machine after each washing process. Reduce the waste of the resources from homes, can contribute positively to the environment, and demonstrate that electrocoagulation is a viable alternative in the challenge of protection, conservation, and recovery of water resources.

Extensive Wastewater-Based Epidemiology as a Resourceful Tool for SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance in a Low-to-Middle-Income Country through a Successful Collaborative Quest: WBE, Mobility, and Clinical Tests

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged healthcare systems worldwide. Efforts in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) cannot keep stride with infection rates, especially during peaks. A strong international collaboration between Arizona State University (ASU), Tec de Monterrey (TEC), and Servicios de Agua y Drenaje de Monterrey (Local Water Utilities) is acting to integrate wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) of SARS-CoV-2 in the region as a complementary approach to aid the healthcare system. Wastewater was collected from four sewer catchments in the Monterrey Metropolitan area in Mexico (pop. 4,643,232) from mid-April 2020 to February 2021 (44 weeks, n = 644). Raw wastewater was filtered and filter-concentrated, the RNA was extracted using columns, and the Charité/Berlin protocol was used for the RT-qPCR. The viral loads obtained between the first (June 2020) and second waves (February 2021) of the pandemic were similar; in contrast, the clinical cases were fewer during the first wave, indicating poor coverage. During the second wave of the pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 quantification in wastewater increased 14 days earlier than the COVID-19 clinical cases reported. This is the first long-term WBE study in Mexico and demonstrates its value in pandemic management.

Achieving handwashing with Social Art for Behaviour Change: the experience of the Lazos de Agua programme in Latin America

Abstract The effectiveness of different hygiene behaviour change approaches is inconsistent. Proven effective elements of behaviour promotion include the following: involving the community, adding psychosocial theory-derived elements and using interpersonal communication with active teaching methods and innovative and culturally sensitive messaging. The One Drop Foundation Social Art for Behaviour Change (SABC) approach encompasses those elements and is embedded in a system-strengthening approach involving users, service providers and policymakers within the Lazos de Agua Programme. Halfway into the programme, the SABC approach has been implemented in more than 280 rural and urban communities in five Latin American countries. According to its midline outcome measurement, the programme's efforts have contributed to a 15% point increase in the population practising proper handwashing within intervention areas. Story-based interviews revealed that SABC interventions are believed to have caused lasting changes in behaviour, perception and skills which transcend beyond the individual and are felt at the household and community levels. While the SABC approach is mostly limited to addressing psychosocial factors, the experience of this programme proves that artists can serve as behaviour change facilitators to accompany water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) system projects. The SABC approach builds capacity, both within artist groups as permanent local institutions which can act as behaviour change facilitation service providers, and within service users, who become empowered and can continue influencing behaviour change among their peers.

Consume and Transform: Perfumes and healing in vegetalista healing practices of the Peruvian Amazon

AbstractThe use of perfumes, incense, colognes, and plant and flower essences in Amazonian healing practices is a hallmark feature of vegetalismo, a form of healing in Peru’s Amazonian regions. Sprayed, smoked, rubbed on bodies, and poured in medicinal baths, these odorous tools are vital allies to the curandero for cleansing bodies and spaces, for protection, or to add potency to medicinal plants. Certain perfumes are more common than others, particularly the citrusy Agua de Florida, an 18th Century eau de cologne from the United States. Focusing in on the history of Agua de Florida and its ubiquity in Western Amazonia, I suggest the necessity of a sensory anthropology for exploring the vast healing potential of vegetalismo. Going beyond the visual to consider other sensory experiences lends insight into the various healing mechanisms in Amazonian shamanism that are often overlooked by western epistemologies of health and healing.

Regiones de estabilidad para una solución numérica explicita de la ecuación de Richards unidimensional aplicada a la infiltración de agua en suelos

La ecuación de Richards se utiliza para modelar la infiltración y el movimiento de agua en suelos, u otro medio poroso. Esta ecuación, junto con las complejas ecuaciones constitutivas que caracterizan al suelo, resulta en un sistema de ecuaciones no lineales en derivadas parciales. En este trabajo, la ecuación de Richards se escribe en función del grado de saturación del suelo, y se resuelve por medio de un método explícito en diferencias finitas. El potencial matricial se obtiene como una función del grado de saturación y la convergencia de las soluciones numéricas se analiza por medio del procedimiento de von Neumann. Como resultado, se obtiene una expresión analítica para determinar si una simulación es estable con pasos temporales y espaciales dados. A partir de estos parámetros de simulación y las propiedades del suelo, se definen números adimensionales para generalizar el método propuesto.

Plant reproductive structures of the Agua de la Zorra and Los Rastros formations, Triassic, Argentina

The Triassic paleofloras of Argentina are mainly known for their vegetative elements. During the last decade, several contributions have focused on the study of Triassic reproductive structures. Here, we provide new information on reproductive structures recovered from two Triassic units from the central-west of Argentina: the Agua de la Zorra Formation (Cuyana Basin) and the Los Rastros Formation (Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin). These specimens had been described in previous contributions, however, the taxonomic assignment of the materials remained undetermined. In this work, a redescription of the materials is provided, allowing the taxonomic assignment of the specimens. The Agua de la Zorra Formation female reproductive structures were assigned to Matatiella sp. (Matatiellaceae) and to Rissikiostrobus reductus (Podocarpaceae). The female strobilus specimen registered in the Los Rastros Formation was assigned to the genus Umkomasia (Umkomasiaceae). This contribution represents a step forward to a better understanding of the reproductive structures for the Triassic of Gondwana. Keywords: Matatiella, Rissikiostrobus, Umkomasia, Gondwana, Argentina.

Adaptation Strategies for Flooding Risk from Rainfall Events in Southeast Spain: Case Studies from the Bajo Segura, Alicante

The management of runoff during torrential rainfall events is a significant problem in urban areas of southeast Spain. The increase in soil sealing and the occupation of areas prone to flooding have aggravated this problem. Due to this situation, municipal administrations, in collaboration with the concession holder for the supply of water and sewage services, Hidraqua Gestión Integral de Aguas de Levante SA, are committed a more efficient management of non-conventional water resources. An example of this can be found in the municipalities of Rojales, Daya Nueva, and San Fulgencio. These towns are located in the Bajo Segura region of the province of Alicante, where various initiatives have been implemented that break away from the traditional paradigm of rigid infrastructures. These initiatives include green spaces or areas, and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) or nature-based solutions (NBS). This article presents various case studies. Firstly, in the town of Rojales, where several actions are being undertaken to improve the management of wastewater and rainwater and provide a solution to unauthorised dumping, as well as encouraging the use of reclaimed water with the creation of a recreational green area, El Recorral Park. Secondly, in the case of Daya Nueva, the Europa Park constitutes a recreational green area, Europa Park, facilitates runoff drainage by SUDS and NBS. Finally, the creation of a floodable pond in the municipality of San Fulgencio encourages the use of wastewater, thus avoiding the discharge of this non-conventional water resource into the sea. In addition, the pond facilitates the appropriate management of runoff water. The working method in this article has been twofold: firstly, bibliographical references have been consulted from other national and international areas; and secondly, the technical projects in the case studies have been analysed in detail. Several field trips have been made to the selected municipalities, accompanied by the technical personnel in charge of the execution of the projects, to examine the measures adopted. The results show that the implementation of these systems contributes to adapting to climate change and creates more resilient urban spaces.

Pan de sensatez y agua de sabiduría: Estudios sobre el libro de Ben Sira by Nuria Calduch-Benages

Reviewed by: Pan de sensatez y agua de sabiduría: Estudios sobre el libro de Ben Sira by Nuria Calduch-Benages J. L. Manzo nuria calduch-benages, Pan de sensatez y agua de sabiduría: Estudios sobre el libro de Ben Sira (Asociación Bíblica Española Artículos Selectos; Estella: EDV, 2020). Pp. 453. Paper $37. The title of this collection of essays comes from Sir 15:3 "bread of learning . . . and water of wisdom" (NRSV). The twenty-one articles, written by Nuria Calduch-Benages and previously published, reflect three decades of research and teaching dedicated to the study of Ben Sira. The volume consists of an introduction and five sections. Section 1 ("Cuestiones Intoductorias") includes three articles. In "Ben Sira y el canon de las Escrituras," C.-B. offers a textual history of Ben Sira and its canonization in rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity. In "La inspiración en el Sirácida o libro de Ben Sira," C.-B. argues for the inspiration and canonicity of all four versions of Ben Sira. Lastly, "Los títulos griegos y latinos de Sirácida 1–2" is a discussion of the complex process of transmission of Sirach 1–2 through a comparative analysis of the additions of titles in the Greek and Latin versions. Section 2 ("Estudios Temáticos y Semánticos") offers five essays. First, "El motivo de la prueba en el libro de Ben Sira con especial referencia a Si 2, 1–6" is a thematic study of human suffering from the perspectives of wisdom, fear of the Lord, and the law. Next is "El servicio cultural en el Sirácida: Estudio del vocabulario," a philological study of the vocabulary of the cult, followed by "Aromas, fragrancias y perfumes en el Sirácida," in which C.-B. considers the vocabulary of fragrances in Sir 24:15 in the Greek, Syriac, Syro-Hexaplar, and Latin versions. In "Simbología animal en el texto hebreo de Ben Sira," C.-B. studies primarily the images of the lion, the horse, and the moth as metaphors for reproachable human behavior and the pairs wolf/lamb, fodder/slave as illustrations of social categories. The last essay in the section, '"El ser humano se compadece de su prójimo, El Señor, de todo viviente' (Sr 18, 13ab): La misericordia en el Sirácida," offers an examination of human compassion as a divine attribute and its relation to the fear of the Lord, justice, forgiveness, salvation, human frailty, and prayer. The six articles in section 3 ("Estudios Exegéticos") begin with "Traducir-Interpretar: La versión siríaca de Sirácida 1," a general overview of the history of composition of the [End Page 151] Syriac text, followed by a formal and thematic analysis of Sirach 1 in Syriac and Greek. The addition of twelve eschatological verses in the Syriac version reflects an advanced process of redaction and theological reflection from the original text. According to "La sabiduría y la prueba en Si 4, 11-19," wisdom's testing (nsh) consists in reliving the exodus experience, accepting and enduring moral and physical pain, rejecting evil behaviors, and resisting the enemies' attacks to demonstrate faith and trust in the Lord. Next, in "Un juego de palabras sobre el término mûsar (Si 6,22)," C.-B. reviews various interpretations of the Hebrew word and concludes that the sage does not follow the etymological meaning of mûsar in its strict sense but rather plays on the term in the light of the words sûr (apartarse, alejarse, retirarse, "to withdraw, distance oneself), mōser (cadena, atatura o vinculo, "chain, to tie, link or attachment"), and mûsettār (derives from the verb satar [esconcido] or hidden). She is arguing that Ben Sira does not intend to provide an etymological explanation of mōser, but to illustrate through a wordplay the difficulty of attaining wisdom. The essay entitled "Es mejor perdonar que guardar rencor: Estudio de Si 27, 30–28, 7" features the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions of Sir 27:30–28:7 with textual notes. This is followed by a study on anger and its consequences (Sir 27:30–31), the...