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Corruption has been heavily researched in the past decade, garnering attention from a number of different fields, such as political science, organizations, sociology, and information systems. As a result, focus on anti-corruption strategies has also increased. Motivated by the notion that individuals are mindfully rationalist (Palmer 2012), such policies fall under two categories: the manipulation of the incentive structure, thus increasing the cost of corruption, and enhancing transparency so that individuals will feel less inclined to engage in corruption under the watchful eye of citizens. In order to support such investments, e-government has been deemed the platform for it. However, studies in this field have been limited in their generation of theoretical frameworks. In addition, it has been observed that most of the studies have adopted a technological deterministic view to technology, overlooking any social factors which might affect the deployment of transparency. As governments are highly complex institutions, this has meant that many of the e-government initiatives have failed to yield the expected results. In regards to transparency specifically, much of the research has been normative in nature. Part of the issue lies in how transparency has been conceptualized. As identified, there are over fifteen working definitions for transparency, most of them elusive in nature, making it difficult to measure and study it. As a result, and based on Taylor and Lips’s (2008) definition, it was proposed that transparency be conceptualized as an information flow, comprising of three distinct stages: creation of information, publication, and public access to information. When viewed in such a manner, it is possible to identify that most of the research conducted on transparency has been to address the publication and access phases, leaving the creational aspect of transparency vastly underresearched. Based on this, this thesis thereby proposed to adopt a socio-technical approach to technology and study a cognitive system (based on the distributed cognition theoretical – Dcog – framework – adopted) situated within a governmental agency in the Brazilian federal government (referred to as Agency X). Brazil, as a focus for this research was chosen due to its documented efforts in investing in transparency which thus far have failed to result in reduced levels of corruption. Coupled with distributed cognition, moral disengagement theory (MD) was also adopted due to the presence of ongoing acts of corruption at Agency X which had been previously identified. This thus made it the perfect setting under which to understand how transparency is created and why it has failed to deter corruption. The methodological approach was therefore a case study and, in order to analyze data effectively, the DiCoT (distributed cognition for teamwork) methodological framework was adopted. Drawing from DCog literature, DiCoT proposes a structured way in which to analyze findings, generating five different models (physical layout, artefact, information flow, social structure, and evolutionary), which together generate a powerful overview of how cognitive processes are distributed between human agents and artefacts, and what role the environment plays in such a setting. Coupled with MD, findings indicated that this cognitive system is unevenly distributed between the human and the technical components, with individuals leading the information flow and transformation, largely dictating how information is stored and processed. This has created opportunities for “breakdowns” whereby the quality of information has been compromised, thereby affecting the overall state of the transparency system. In addition, findings indicated that corruption has persisted due to three factors: (1) technical systems’ failings to address local needs; (2) hierarchical structures, with unethical leaders leading the unethical decision-making at Agency X; (3) the high levels of informality. This dynamic, as findings suggested, was facilitated by moral disengagement mechanisms. The result has been a unique study that has provided an in-depth account of how transparency is created and how unethical individuals have dealt with the technical changes that resulted from transparency deployment. In doing so, this study filled a gap in the literature and provided a framework for future studies.

El Departamento del Magdalena es uno de los más grandes atractivos que tiene la zona del Caribe colombiano y es visitado un sin número de veces al año por turistas tanto de este país como extranjeros. A pesar de la gran oportunidad existente pudimos identificar una falencia en la oferta turística del sector el cual no tiene un Jardín Zoológico. Este proyecto se enfoca en la formulación y diseño de un Mega Parque Zoológico ubicado en la zona turística de Santa Marta. El proyecto consiste en un gran Parque Zoológico de 19 Ha dividió en 6 núcleos, 5 de los cuales corresponden a las exhibiciones, que estarán basadas en los ecosistemas de los continentes del globo terráqueo. El sexto núcleo consiste en todas aquellas estructuras necesarias para el manejo y funcionamiento del Zoológico. Este incluye 3 bodegas de almacenamiento, un edificio veterinario y un edificio administrativo y de bienvenida para los visitantes con un auditorio, planetario y exhibiciones temporales. Además de la planta base necesaria para el zoológico también se plantea el rediseño y mejoramiento de la vía de acceso al sector, un parqueadero para visitantes, la ampliación de la red de acueducto y alcantarillado y un sistema de recolección de precipitación para su posterior reutilización. Gracias a la construcción de esta obra de infraestructura se generará un nuevo foco de turismo y empleo. Se plantea que este Zoológico atraerá alrededor de 450.000 personas al año y se crearán las plazas para cerca de 80 nuevos empleos, además de generar un sin número de empleos durante el proceso de construcción. One of the biggest attractive in the Colombian Caribbean region is the state of Magdalena, and it is normally visited by a huge amount of international and national tourists. Despite this great numbers of tourism in the region, we could identify the lack of touristic offers from an ecological, biological and animalistic perspective. Near the city of Santa Marta there is only aquariums, but there is not a single place to see land animals too. Now, this project focuses on the formulation and design of a Mega Theme Zoo Park, located near the touristic areas of Santa Marta and El Rodadero. This project consists in 19 Ha of land divided in six main cores, from which 5 of them correspond to animal exhibitions, which will be based in the different ecosystems that the diverse continents of the planet contribute. The sixth core represent all those necessary structures for the functioning and maintenance of the zoo. These structures include three storage warehouses, two stories high veterinary and a welcoming and administrative building with an auditorium, planetary and temporary exhibitions for the visitors. Besides, the zoo, we will redesign and improve the street and access to our sector, construct a parkway, and a sewerage and aqueduct grid. Also, there will be the disposal of a recollection of rain-waters system for further reutilization. Finally, this project will generate a new focus in tourism and job creations. These designs will attract approximately 450,000 visitors per year, and to maintain the zoo in good shape, there will be the need of minimum 80 jobs, between maintenance, inventory, guides, and administrative sector. All these jobs, besides the countless number of jobs created for the construction of the mega Theme Zoo Park.

Este estudio se realizó con el apoyo del Instituto Nicaragüense de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), con el propósito de evaluar las características agronómicas y rendimientos productivos de tres variedades de papa (Solanum tuberosum L), tolerante a tizón tardío (Phythoptora infestans Mont de Bary), bajo condiciones de invernadero, ubicado en el Centro Experimental San José de Las Latas, Jinotega 2016. Las tres variedades en estudio provenientes del Centro Experimental San José de Latas. Fue establecido como un Diseño Completamente al Azar (DCA), con una población de dos repeticiones. Utilizando los métodos estadísticos: análisis de varianza (ANDEVA). Usando el paquete estadístico SPSS versión 19 en español y se construyeron gráficos, barras y cuadros de correlaciones para el procesamiento de los datos. La variedad Karú fue la que produjo la mayor cantidad de tubérculos, seguida de la variedad Newen. Los resultados de estudio servirán de información a los productores paperos de la zona, estudiantes de agronomía e investigadores

Se estima que el 85% de los insumos químicos usados por las industrias de curtiembres europeas para producir 1000 kg de cuero crudo se vierten a los afluentes de recurso hídrico en forma de contaminantes, entre ellos el Cromo VI (Cr (VI)), un compuesto tóxico de fácil adsorción. En este sentido, el presente trabajo estudia la remoción de Cr (VI) en solución acuosa sintética preparada a partir de la concentración detectada en una muestra de vertimientos de curtiembres (Cr (VI): 32,6 mg/kg). Para ello, mediante ensayos Batch, se dispusieron cinco filtros a escala de laboratorio empacados con cáscara de plátano (Musa AAB) y naranja (Citrus sinensis) (Fa: 100% naranja, Fb: 70% naranja/30% plátano, Fc: 50% naranja/50% plátano, Fd: 30% naranja/70% plátano y Fe: 100% plátano). El filtro con mejor desempeño en términos de bioadsorción de Cr (VI) fue Fd. Dicho filtro mostró una eficiencia de remoción del 93%, comparado a Fa: 73%, Fb: 90%, Fc: 86% y Fe: 82%. Por otra parte, las constantes de adsorción estimadas en este estudio se encuentran entre 96-132 mg Cr (VI)/gadsorb. Por tanto, los bioadsorbentes combinados con plátano y naranja podrian ser altamente recomendados para la remoción de Cr (VI) en efluentes de curtiembres. In order to produce 1000 kg of leather, it is estimated of 85% of chemical input, used by European tanning plants, is discharged as contaminant. Among of them, Cr (VI), this is a toxic compound of easy adsorption. In that sense, the present work is focused on the removal of Cr (VI) in synthetic solution prepared from Cr (VI) estimated concentration found in wastewater sample discharged by tanning industries (Cr (VI): 32,6 mg/kg). Thus, five filters packed with orange (Citrus sinensis) and plantain (Musa AAB) peels were used in laboratory scale (Fa: 100% orange, Fb: 70% orange/30% plantain, Fc: 50% orange/50% plantain, Fd: 30% orange/70% plantain y Fe: 100% plantain). The main results show that among filters with the best performance in adsorption was Fd. Such filter had a removal efficiency of 93%, compare to Fa: 73%, Fb: 90%, Fc: 86% y Fe: 82%. Additionally, the adsorption constants found were between 96 and 132 mg Cr (VI)/gadsorb. Therefore, the combined bio-adsorbents (plantain/orange peels) could be highly recommended for Cr (VI) removal in tanning effluents. Na indústria de curtume, estima-se que 85% dos insumos químicos utilizados na produção de 1000 Kg de couro cru são descarregados aos afluentes hídricos na forma de poluentes, como é o caso do Cromo VI (Cr (VI)), conhecido pela a sua natureza tóxica e de fácil absorção. Neste sentido, O objectivo desta pesquisa foi estudar a remoção de Cr (VI) em solução sintética preparada a partir da concentração estimada de Cr (VI) encontrada em amostras de águas residuais descarregadas pelas indústrias de curtumes (Cr (VI): 32,6 mg/kg). Assim, cinco filtros foram desenhados em escala para ser usados no laboratório sendo posteriormente embalados em casca de banana (Musa sp. AAB) e laranja (Citrus sinensis) (Fa laranja 100%; Fb: 70% de laranja/30% banana; Fc: laranja 50%/50% de banana; Fd: 30% de laranja/banana; e Fe 70%/100% de banana). Os resultados mostraram que o filtro que apresentou melhor desempenho, em termos de bio-absorção de Cr (VI) foi o Fd, refletido numa eficiência de remoção de 93%, comparado com os filtros Fa: 73%, Fb: 90%, Fc: 86% e Fe: 82%. Além disso, as constantes de absorção, estimadas neste estudo, se encontraramse numa faixa entre 96 - 132 mg de Cr (VI)/gabsorvidos. Por tanto, os bio-adsorventes misturados com banana e laranja podem ser muito bem recomendados para a remoção do Cr (VI) nos efluentes de curtumes.

[EN] Fibrin is a protein that can be used as an ideal scaffolding material to promote tissue regeneration. In order to enhance its physical properties in this study a natural crosslinker, genipin (GP), was employed with the aim to obtain a hydrogel with tuneable properties for tissue engineering applications. The fibrin gel was crosslinked by two different methods using four concentrations of GP to get a stable hydrogel network. Crosslinking density, mechanical properties, swelling, and enzymatic degradation of the hydrogels were tested for each GP content and method employed. The method I: Crosslinking after gel formation promotes a high crosslinking and retains the gel shape for long term whilst the method II: Simultaneous gel formation and crosslinking improves the mechanical properties of the gel. This study confirms the use of GP at different concentrations as a suitable crosslinker of fibrin that promotes the cellular viability of L929 for 21 days of in vitro culture., Contract grant sponsor: Ciber-BBN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, European Regional Development Fund

118 p. El tipo de investigación desarrollado fue el descriptivo, lo anterior teniendo en cuenta que este tipo de investigación es el propicio para establecer las particularidades demográficas de los clientes que frecuentan este mercado así como los propietarios y/o administradores de estos establecimientos comerciales; del mismo modo este tipo de investigación permitió identificar actitudes de la población perteneciente a la investigación, asimismo posibilito la identificación de comportamientos en la población involucrada de comerciantes.

118 p. El tipo de investigación desarrollado fue el descriptivo, lo anterior teniendo en cuenta que este tipo de investigación es el propicio para establecer las particularidades demográficas de los clientes que frecuentan este mercado así como los propietarios y/o administradores de estos establecimientos comerciales; del mismo modo este tipo de investigación permitió identificar actitudes de la población perteneciente a la investigación, asimismo posibilito la identificación de comportamientos en la población involucrada de comerciantes.