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Cantos de la noche
No full textEsta obra es parte de la colección de cuatro libros de cuentos creada en el marco del Proyecto de Comunicación y Divulgación de Ciencia y Tecnología “Guardianes de la noche: Una mirada científica a los animales nocturnos y su importancia en los ecosistemas (COMU01-10)” cofinanciado por el Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) con el apoyo del Fondo para la Excelencia de la Educación y la Investigación (FEEI).La ciencia y la literatura se unen para brindarnos una mirada diferente sobre animales nocturnos que, a pesar de su gran importancia en los ecosistemas, suelen ser incomprendidos y, además, despertar temor. Los cuentos, narrados en español y guaraní, relatan las aventuras de animales que habitan en diversos ecosistemas de Paraguay, brindando información sobre sus características, comportamiento y amenazas que enfrentan. Esta obra forma parte de una colección de cuatro libros de cuentos creados en el marco del Proyecto de Comunicación y Divulgación de Ciencia y Tecnología “Guardianes de la noche: Una mirada científica a los animales nocturnos y su importancia en los ecosistemas (COMU01-10)”. Cada libro contiene dos cuentos que se enfocan en un grupo de animales nocturnos: anfibios, reptiles, aves y murciélagos, e incluyen guías didácticas para docentes. ¡Adéntrate en el misterio y la magia de la vida nocturna, y descubre el verdadero valor de estos asombrosos animales a través de una cautivadora lectura!Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Programa de apoyo a proyectos de comunicación de la ciencia y la tecnologí
Genital infections in high-risk human papillomavirus positive Paraguayan women aged 30–64 with and without cervical lesions
Full text linkCorrespondencia: Laura Patricia Mendoza Torres, [email protected]. To determine the prevalence of genital infections (GIs), including sexual transmitted STIs: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Trichomonas vaginalis, and opportunistic pathogens that generally do not cause STIs, non-classic STI: Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum and Mycoplasma hominis, in women with high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection and their association with cervical lesions.
Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out including 231 hr-HPV positive women. Of these, 46 has histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 (CIN3) or more (including CIN3 and cervical cancer lesions-CIN3+). GIs were detected by multiplex real time PCR. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated to explore possible associations between GIs and the presence or absence of CIN3+ lesions. Additionally, we examined associations between sociodemographic, sexual, and clinical characteristics and the presence of GIs.
Results. In total, there were 174/231 cases of GIs corresponding to an overall prevalence of 75.3% (95%CI: 69.4–80.4), being non-classic STIs the most common (72.3%) compared to STIs (12.6%). The most prevalent non-classic STI and STI were U. parvum (49.8%) and C. trachomatis (7.4%), respectively. The odds of presenting GIs were 3 times higher in women under 46 years compared to older counterparts (OR: 3.32, 95%CI: 1.74–6.16), and in women with a normal Pap smear with inflammation compared to those without inflammation (OR: 3.31, 95%CI: 1.15–9.77). GIs were equally present in women with and without CIN3+ lesions.
Conclusion. We observed an association of GIs with inflammation in the Pap smear, but no association with CIN3+, as some of them are very common and likely part of the normal vaginal flora, suggesting that such infections do not appear to be cofactors in cervical carcinogenesis, although larger prospective studies are needed.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
Exploring benzo[h]chromene derivatives as agents against protozoal and mycobacterial infections
Full text linkCorrespondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +56-71-2418866This article belongs to the Special Issue Click Reactions in Medicinal Chemistry II.Background/Objectives: In this study, the efficacy of benzo[h]chromene derivatives as antiprotozoal and antimycobacterial agents was explored. Methods: A total of twenty compounds, including benzo[h]chromene alkyl diesters and benzo[h]chromene-triazole derivatives, were synthesized and tested against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania braziliensis, L. infantum, and strains of Mycobacterium abscessus and Mycobacterium intracellulare LIID-01. Notably, compounds 1a, 1b, 2a, and 3f exhibited superior activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, with IC50 values of 19.2, 37.3, 68.7, and 24.7 µM, respectively, outperforming the reference drug benznidazole (IC50: 54.7 µM). Results: Compounds 1b and 3f showed excellent selectivity indices against Leishmania braziliensis, with SI values of 19 and 18, respectively, suggesting they could be potential alternatives to the commonly used, but more selective, miltefosine (IC50: 64.0 µM, SI: 43.0). Additionally, compounds 1a, 1b, and 3f were most effective against Leishmania infantum, with IC50 values of 24.9, 30.5, and 46.6 µM, respectively. Compounds 3f and 3h were particularly potent against various Mycobacterium abscessus strains, highlighting their significance given the inherent resistance of these bacteria to standard antimicrobials. Conclusions: The sensitivity of Mycobacterium intracellulare LIID-01 to these compounds also underscored their potential in managing infections by the Mycobacterium avium–intracellulare complex.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Programa Nacional de Incentivo a los Investigadore
Predictive voltage control in multi-modular matrix converters under load variation and fault scenario
Full text linkCorrespondence: [email protected] or [email protected] article belongs to the Section Information and Communication Technologies.This paper presents a model predictive control (MPC) strategy to regulate output voltages in a multi-modular matrix converter topology for isolated loads. The converter system harnesses power from a six-phase permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) to deliver sinusoidal voltages to a three-phase load, with LC filters positioned at the output of each MC module within the multi-modular scheme. The proposed MPC approach ensures that the output voltages remain within acceptable ranges of magnitude, phase, and frequency, even under load variations and system faults. This control strategy is particularly suitable for uninterruptible power supply systems, microgrids or other applications where voltage regulation is critical. Experimental studies validate the effectiveness of the control strategy under various load conditions, reference voltage changes, and simulated system fault scenarios. The results highlight the robustness and reliability of the proposed voltage control using the multi-modular matrix converter.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de creación y fortalecimiento de maestrías y doctorados de excelenciaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Incentivos para la formación de investigadores en postgrados nacionalesPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
Improvement strategies for visualizing solution sets in many-objective optimization problems
Full text linkCorresponding author: Christian von Lücken ([email protected])In real-world multi-objective optimization, dealing with many objectives and a large number of solutions is a common challenge that complicates data visualization and analysis. This study aims to simplify decision-making by analyzing tools to better explore Pareto optimal solutions in many-objective scenarios, integrating clustering, filtering, and ranking with existing graphics techniques. The dynamic combination of these tools should reduce complexity and highlight significant patterns in the data set, allowing decision-makers to tailor the visualization to their specific needs and preferences. Central to the approach presented in this work is the innovative application of shape-based clustering to organize the solution set and the use of this clustering to define distinct types of filters. Additionally, ranking methods originally proposed to enhance search in many-objective evolutionary algorithms are used here to identify the best solutions based on predefined criteria in combination with other techniques. The efficacy of the proposed integrated approach was evaluated using an application developed with this aim and considering a five-objective problem as a case study. The analysis suggests that using these combined strategies aids interactive visual exploration, effectively reducing solution volume and improving data understanding, potentially facilitating decision-making tasks.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
La amenaza invisible: la proliferación del Aedes Aegypti
No full textFotografía ganadora del Primer Puesto de la Categoría Aficionado, en la temática "La belleza oculta en la ciencia", del IV Concurso Nacional de Fotografía Científica del CONACYT. El concurso es una iniciativa del Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, a través del Programa PROCIENCIA II, con el apoyo del Fondo para la Excelencia de la Educación y la Investigación (FEEI).Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Concursos de divulgación de ciencia y periodismo científic
Physicochemical analysis of Catonyx cuvieri (Mammalia, Xenarthra) remains from the Pleistocene of Paraguay
Full text linkCorresponding author at: [email protected], E.Z. Herrera. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, San Lorenzo, ParaguayThe fossil-diagenetic characteristics, such as mineralogical aspects present in the ribs of Catonyx cuvieri (Lund, 1839) (Mammalia, Xenarthra), were analyzed in this work. These analyzed remains come from the Risso Cave, San Lazaro's District, Concepción Department, Paraguay. The vibrational response was studied using Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and the mineralogy and elemental compositions were examined using multiple characterizations techniques. The main functional groups belong to the mineral part of the bone, and specific functional groups were associated with organic components. The characterization indicated that material was composed of apatites and the original mineral structure was affected by partial ionic substitutions, probably due to the interaction of the fossil with the environment. A Gaussian deconvolution model (GM) was used to identify the individual overlapping bands in the regions of interest in the spectra. A diagenesis pathway for the fossil involved the inclusion of calcium carbonate on the surface of the bone due to the accumulation of moisture, which allowed the recrystallization of hydroxyapatite and the precipitation of calcite in the pores and silicates of the bone. It’s worth mentioning that this work is the first in the ground sloths C. cuvieri in South America. In addition, the material here constitutes the most complete fossil record of a member of the Pleistocene megafaunal of Paraguay.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
C1q and HBHA-specific IL-13 levels as surrogate plasma biomarkers for monitoring tuberculosis treatment efficacy: a cross-sectional cohort study in Paraguay
No full textCorrespondence: Graciela Russomando, [email protected]; Jonathan Hoffmann, [email protected]: New diagnostic tools are needed to rapidly assess the efficacy of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate several immune biomarkers in an observational and cross-sectional cohort study conducted in Paraguay.
Methods: Thirty-two patients with clinically and microbiologically confirmed PTB were evaluated before starting treatment (T0), after 2 months of treatment (T1) and at the end of treatment (T2). At each timepoint plasma levels of IFN-y, 17 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and complement factors C1q, C3 and C4 were assessed in unstimulated and Mtb-specific stimulated whole blood samples using QuantiFERON-TB gold plus and recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis heparin binding hemagglutinin (rmsHBHA) as stimulation antigen. Complete blood counts and liver enzyme assays were also evaluated and correlated with biomarker levels in plasma.
Results: In unstimulated plasma, C1q (P<0.001), C4 (P<0.001), hemoglobin (P<0.001), lymphocyte proportion (P<0.001) and absolute white blood cell count (P=0.01) were significantly higher in PTB patients at baseline than in cured patients. C1q and C4 levels were found to be related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis load in sputum. Finally, a combinatorial analysis identified a plasma host signature comprising the detection of C1q and IL-13 levels in response to rmsHBHA as a tool differentiating PTB patients from cured TB profiles, with an AUC of 0.92 (sensitivity 94% and specificity 79%).
Conclusion: This observational study provides new insights on host immune responses throughout anti-TB treatment and emphasizes the role of host C1q and HBHA-specific IL-13 response as surrogate plasma biomarkers for monitoring TB treatment efficacy.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
Fomes : una revisión exhaustiva de las aplicaciones biotecnológicas tradicionales y modernas en medicina, alimentos y materiales
No full textCorresponding authors: Michelle Campi , Gerardo Robledo .Fomes fomentarius, commonly known as the tinder fungus, has been extensively studied for its potential in a wide range of medical and biotechnological applications and its ethnomycological significance. Research has predominantly focused on this species, the other three species accepted within the genus—F. fasciatus from the Neotropics, F. inzengae from Europe and Asia, and F. graveolens from North America—remain underexplored in terms of their applications. Furthermore, in previous studies, three distinct lineages within F. fomentarius have already been identified. Through maximum likelihood analysis of a concatenated ITS + LSU sequence dataset, we also discovered five additional clades of potential unnamed taxa in Asia and Europe, as well as three distinct clades within the Neotropical specimens of F. fasciatus. Additionally, we have compiled a comprehensive list of known applications of F. fomentarius, and considering the taxonomic discoveries, some of these medicinal applications could correspond to other species. This review highlights the urgent need for thorough taxonomic studies to precisely define species as we explore their chemical, biological, and biotechnological potentials, emphasizing the importance of including specimens from underexplored regions such as the Neotropics.Fomes fomentarius, conocido como el hongo de la yesca, ha sido ampliamente estudiado por su potencial en una vasta gama de aplicaciones médicas y biotecnológicas, así como por su importancia etnomicológica. El género comprende además otras tres especies: F. fasciatus distribuido en la región neotropical, F. inzengae en Europa y Asia y F. graveolens en América del Norte, que siguen estando poco exploradas en términos de sus aplicaciones. En este trabajo se realizaron análisis moleculares que muestran que dentro de Fomes hay al menos 5 clados adicionales que representarían especies diferentes de Norte América, Asia y Europa, así también muestran que Fomes fasciatus representa un complejo de especie con al menos tres linajes distintos. Se compilaron todas las aplicaciones conocidas de F. fomentarius y, considerando los descubrimientos taxonómicos, algunas de estas aplicaciones medicinales atribuidas a F. fomentarius podrían corresponder en realidad a otros linajes o especies del género. Esta revisión subraya la necesidad crítica de realizar estudios taxonómicos exhaustivos para definir con precisión las especies, mientras se investiga su potencial químico, biológico y biotecnológico; y además resalta la necesidad de incluir en los estudios a especímenes y especies de áreas poco exploradas como el neotrópico.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
Comparison of molecular techniques for the detection of the of human papillomavirus in cervical cell samples from Paraguayan women
No full textAutor correspondiente: Verónica Villagra. Laboratorio Central de Salud Pública (LCSP), Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social (MSPyBS). Asunción, Paraguay. Email: [email protected] virus del papiloma humano (VPH) es causa necesaria pero no suficiente del cáncer de cuello uterino (CCU), cuarta causa de muerte en mujeres a nivel mundial. En nuestro país, la incidencia y mortalidad de CCU es de 30,6 y 16,7 por 100.000 mujeres, respectivamente; siendo un problema de salud pública. Los VPH son de alto riesgo oncogénico (VPH-AR), asociados a neoplasia intraepitelial cervical (NIC) y bajo riesgo oncogénico (VPH-BR), relacionados a verrugas genitales. El objetivo fue comparar dos pruebas diagnósticas de detección de VPH, PCR en tiempo real y PCR seguida de hibridación reversa, en la población estudiada. Se seleccionaron 218 muestras cervicales de mujeres paraguayas analizadas por PCR en tiempo real (Abbott), luego por PCR seguida de hibridación reversa (CLART HPV2) que detecta 35 tipos de VPH. Por este último método los tipos más frecuentes en infecciones simples fueron VPH-16 y VPH-18, de los VPH-AR. Dentro de los VPH- PAR (Probable Alto Riesgo) VPH-53 fue el más detectado y dentro de los VPH-BR, VPH-84. El VPH-6 (de BR) se detectó solo en una muestra en forma simple y en 3 infecciones múltiples. La concordancia para detección de VPH-AR, comparando ambos métodos, fue 78,44 %, con coeficiente kappa de 0,50; IC 95% (0,38-0,62), similar a lo reportado en estudios de otros países. Este estudio aporta datos de PCR seguida de hibridación reversa como apoyo al tamizaje por PCR en tiempo real ya que la genotipificación monitorea infecciones tipo especificas persistentes que causan NIC contribuyendo a estudios epidemiológicos y vacunales.The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary but insufficient cause of cervical cancer (CC). It is, the fourth leading cause of death in women worldwide. In our country, the incidence and mortality of CC is 30.6 and 16.7 per 100,000 women, respectively. Therefore, it is a public health problem. HPV can be of high oncogenic risk (HR-HPV), associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and low oncogenic risk (HR-HPV), related to genital warts. The objective was to compare two diagnostic tests for HPV detection, real-time PCR and PCR followed by reverse hybridization, in the studied population. We selected 218 cervical samples from Paraguayan women analysed by real-time PCR (Abbott), then by PCR followed by reverse hybridization (CLART HPV2) which detects 35 HPV types. By the latter method, the most frequent types in single infections were HPV-16 and HPV-18, of the HR-HPVs. Among the HR-HPVs, HPV-53 was the most frequently detected and among the LR-HPVs, HPV-84. HPV-6 (LR-HPV) was detected in only one single sample and in 3 multiple infections. The concordance for HR-HPV detection, comparing both methods, was 78.44%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.50; 95% CI (0.38-0.62), similar to that reported in studies from other countries. This study provides PCR followed by reverse hybridization data in support of real-time PCR screening as genotyping monitors persistent type-specific infections that cause CIN as well as contributing to epidemiological and vaccine studies.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Incentivos para la formación de investigadores en postgrados nacionale