Repositorio Académico de la Universidad Católica del Maule
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Reclassification of Salinisphaera halophila Zhang et al. 2012 as a Later Heterotypic Synonym of Salinisphaera orenii Park et al. 2012
No full textIn the present study, the taxonomic position of Salinisphaera halophila (NZ_AYKF00000000) and Salinisphaera orenii (NZ_AYKH00000000) was re-evaluated. In addition, their metabolic potentials and mechanisms for mitigating stress conditions were determined. Comparisons of 16S rRNA gene sequences, analysis of the phylogenetic tree, phylogenomic tree, average nucleotide identity (ANI), and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were conducted. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between Salinisphaera halophila YIM 95161T and Salinisphaera orenii MK-B5T was 100%. In phylogenetic and phylogenomic trees, Salinisphaera halophila YIM 95161T and Salinisphaera orenii MK-B5Tclustered together. Both species encode genes for glycolysis, citrate cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, Entner–Doudoroff pathway, nitrate assimilation, and assimilatory sulfate reduction. They employ salt-in and salt-out strategies to mitigate salt stress. The ANI and dDDH values between Salinisphaera halophila YIM 95161Tand Salinisphaera orenii MK-B5Twere 96.6 and 72.1%, respectively, above the cut-off (95–96% for ANI and 70% for dDDH) for species delineation. Based on the above results, we propose to reclassify Salinisphaera halophila Zhang et al. 2012 as a later heterotypic synonym of Salinisphaera orenii Park et al. 2012
Social value of research in pediatric interdisciplinary teams addressing special health needs
No full textIntroduction: Ethical guidelines highlight the importance of social value in research. However, there is little analysis regarding what constitutes social value at a practical level, especially in contexts of care for special health needs.
Objective: To analyze the social value of research in interdisciplinary work teams of children with special health needs.
Methods: Integrative review, consulting the PubMed, Web of Science SCOPUS, CINAHL, and VHL databases in April 2024. Original articles in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included without temporal discrimination. 21 articles were selected, and content analysis was performed. The elements present in the approach to social value were grouped according to reference points of this principle, according to Ezekiel Emanuel's perspective.
Results: The need to strengthen mechanisms to increase social value is evident through strong and continuous collaborative partnerships, with the purpose of generating greater impact in the implementation of interdisciplinary work.
Conclusion: The need to develop strategies that encourage collaboration between partners involved in research is confirmed, as well as to expand dissemination outside the academic field, thereby concretizing and increasing social value
The impacts of light interception on yield and kernel parameters in hazelnut production
No full textChile has become a significant producer of hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.) due to its favorable conditions for off-season production to meet global market demand. Efficient light interception is crucial for optimizing the hazelnut yield and quality, as it directly influences the plant’s photosynthetic capacity. The goal was to assess the impact of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at upper, middle, and lower canopy levels in hazelnut trees grown at different planting densities and the canopy management of yield and quality parameters. The percentage of vain, sucker, double, bug, and healthy hazelnuts, including the number of fruits, total fruit weight, and grams per fruit was evaluated. The upper canopy levels intercepted the highest PAR, significantly enhancing the number and weight of fruits. The lower canopy levels received considerably less PAR, reducing the productivity. Production pruning in dense planting systems (5 × 3 m) improved the light penetration compared to a less dense planting density (5 × 6 m). Strong positive correlations were observed among PAR, fruit weight, and fruit number, emphasizing the importance of the light distribution within the canopy in hazelnut production. Production pruning and optimized planting densities are essential for maximizing light interception, improving yield, and ensuring high-quality hazelnut production
Inteligencia espiritual y educación superior: autoconocimiento, necesidades y prácticas en estudiantes universitarios de Chile
No full textLas investigaciones que consideran la inteligencia espiritual en la educación superior han dejado espacios para su exploración en Latinoamérica. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la inteligencia espiritual a través del autoconocimiento, teniendo en cuenta las necesidades y prácticas espirituales de los estudiantes universitarios. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 362 estudiantes universitarios de Chile. Se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio, y posteriormente se aplicó PLS-SEM. En cuanto a los resultados, la escala se estructura de la siguiente manera: Autoconocimiento, Necesidades espirituales y Prácticas espirituales.
Además, se pudo comprobar que el Autoconocimiento influye en las Necesidades espirituales y en las Prácticas espirituales. Finalmente, es imprescindible que las universidades implementen estrategias para el desarrollo de la inteligencia espiritual orientadas a la formación en valores como la empatía, dignidad y solidaridad, a través de la búsqueda de la paz y el sentido de trascendencia
Integrated process design, techno-economic and environmental analysis of chokeberry pomace biorefineries: phenolic compounds extraction with ethanol or energy production?
No full textLearning how to transform by-products or waste from the food industry instead of sending them directly to landfill is key to reducing food waste and obtaining new value-added products from them. This study carries out the environmental and economic assessment of the valorisation of chokeberry pomace for the extraction of phenolic compounds in a multi-product and circular biorefinery. For this purpose, two scenarios were analysed: scenario A, the remaining part of the pomace is used to obtain bioethanol and a lignin-rich stream; and scenario B, it is used for bioenergy production. The Life Cycle Assessment methodology is used to determine the environmental critical points, following a cradle-to-gate approach and considering impact categories such as Global Warming, Freshwater Eutrophication or Fossil Resource Scarcity, among others. The results show that scenario B performs better in all the impact categories analysed compared to scenario A. In both cases the main hotspot is the generation of the steam needed in the biorefinery, followed by the emissions in the agricultural stage and the demand for chemicals in the plant. Furthermore, this document presents a techno-economic analysis to assess the economic feasibility of both scenarios and a sensitivity analysis to determine the profitability factors of the platform, considering the total capital investment, operating costs and indicators such as Net Present Value or Internal Rate of Return. The results show that the scenario analysed is not profitable at any of the scales studied, requiring to optimise the production yield or a reduction in the plant's operating costs
Infectious diseases prevention and vaccination in migrants in Latin America: the challenges of transit through the treacherous Darien gap, Panama
No full textMain methods and tools for peptide development based on protein-protein interactions (PPIs)
No full textProtein-protein interactions (PPIs) regulate essential physiological and pathological processes. Due to their large and shallow binding surfaces, PPIs are often considered challenging drug targets for small molecules. Peptides offer a viable alternative, as they can bind these targets, acting as regulators or mimicking interaction partners. This review focuses on competitive peptides, a class of orthosteric modulators that disrupt PPI formation. We provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of recent advancements in in-silico peptide design, highlighting computational strategies that have improved the efficiency and accuracy of PPI-targeting peptides. Additionally, we examine cutting-edge experimental methods for evaluating PPI-based peptides. By exploring the interplay between computational design and experimental validation, this review presents a structured framework for developing effective peptide therapeutics targeting PPIs in various diseases
Computational estimation of residence time on Roniciclib and its derivatives against CDK2: extending the use of classical and enhanced molecular dynamics simulations
No full textResidence time is a crucial parameter for assessing the functional efficacy of drugs, quantifying the duration of a drug’s binding to its target protein. It is directly related to therapeutic effects and the dosing regimen. Several factors can influence the residence time, including drug–protein binding kinetics and the unbinding pathways. Understanding the efficacy of a drug requires the characterization of both its binding kinetics and unbinding pathways from the drug–protein complex. By employing our previous computational protocol that uses enhanced sampling techniques such as well-tempered metadynamics (WT-MetaD) and classical molecular dynamics (cMD) simulations, it was possible to elucidate the inhibitor unbinding pathways and identify molecular determinants that extend the residence time in a set of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitors. In this study, using WT-MetaD, the relative residence times of roniciclib and eight derivatives were quantified on the nanosecond timescale. Notably, substituting the R5 position of the aminopyridine core with larger substituents significantly prolonged the computational residence time, which correlated well with experimental data (R2 = 0.83). Our computational simulations reveal the critical importance of specific amino acids, including Phe80, Lys33, and Asp145, in maintaining the stability of the protein–inhibitor complex. These residues are key in keeping the hydration network around them, affecting the inhibitor binding duration. The hydrogen bond interaction between residue Asp145 and roniciclib and its derivatives is particularly noteworthy, significantly influencing the electrostatic contribution to the binding free energy when the halogen substituent size increases. Furthermore, our analysis of protein flexibility at the C-terminus and N-terminus angles revealed a relationship with the size of the R5 substituent in the bound inhibitor, supported by principal component analysis. Additionally, different unbinding pathways were proposed, where it was found that inhibitors can dissociate from the CDK2 binding site through two principal routes: the α-helix D and β-1 and β-2 segments
Computerized anesthesia versus conventional anesthesia on self-perceived pain in children: systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textIntroduction: local anesthesia and computerized anesthesia via infiltrative technique have become a key component for painless dental treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of computerized anesthesia compared to local anesthesia applied through the infiltrative method. Method: an electronic search for randomized clinical trials published between 2019 and 2024 was conducted in the Medline, Scopus, and Virtual Health Library databases. The search strategy used was 'Computerized anesthesia OR local anesthesia AND pain AND pediatrics.' A total of 170 articles were found, of which eight randomized clinical trials were analyzed in a qualitative synthesis, and six in a subsequent meta-analysis. Results: the results indicated that computerized anesthesia compared to local anesthesia is more effective in reducing self-perceived pain, presenting a large effect size (SMD: -1,05; 95% CI: -2,01 to -0,08). However, the few studies analyzed together with the high heterogeneity (Tau2= 1.38; Chi2= 120,76, df = 5, p < 0,001; I2 = 96 %) do not allow a complete affirmation of these findings despite that the literature has suggested better acceptance and reduction of fear of dental procedures associated with the use of syringes in the pediatric population. Conclusion: it is suggested that computerized anesthesia is more effective in reducing pain, although it is more expensive and requires more training to achieve an optimal, painless procedure that can reduce phobias associated with dental treatments
The parasitic fauna of the Chiloe wigeon Mareca sibilatrix (Anseriformes: Anatidae) from Nuble ˜ region, Chile
No full textThe Chiloe wigeon, Mareca sibilatrix (Anseriformes: Anatidae), is a native duck distributed mainly in Chile and
Argentina. Although it is a common species in the Neotropical realm, studies on its parasitic fauna remain
limited. This study aimed to gather additional data on host-parasite associations in M. sibilatrix. Thus, 18 birds
from Nuble ˜ region, central Chile, were subjected to parasitic examination. Ectoparasites and endoparasites obtained were stored in 70 % and 80 % ethanol, respectively. A total of 787 parasite individuals were isolated; all
birds were parasitized by at least one parasite. In 14 (77.7 %) birds, a total of 179 ectoparasites belonging to six
taxa were identified. Meanwhile, all dissected birds (100 %) harbored a total of 608 endoparasites belonging to
15 taxa. Ectoparasites corresponded to four taxa of chewing lice (four genera) and two feather mites (two
genera). Meanwhile, endoparasites were represented by four tapeworms (four genera), five trematodes (four
genera), five nematodes (five genera), and one nasal mite. Of recorded parasite species, two taxa represent new
records to the Neotropical realm, 11 taxa (three ectoparasites and eight endoparasites) are new records for the
parasitic fauna of Chile, and 15 taxa (three ectoparasites and twelve endoparasites) are recorded for the first time
in M. sibilatrix. Additionally, the fluke Echinostoma echinatum is of zoonotic concern. This research contributes
with valuable data to the understanding of parasitic diversity in waterfowl and emphasizes the role of M. sibilatrix as a host in various parasitic interactions within its distribution range