Universidad de Magallanes
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Habitat specificity modulates the bacterial biogeographic patterns in the Southern Ocean
No full textConceptual biogeographic frameworks have proposed that the relative contribution of environmental and geographical factors on microbial distribution depends on several characteristics of the habitat (e.g. environmental heterogeneity, species diversity, and proportion of specialist/generalist taxa), all of them defining the degree of habitat specificity, but few experimental demonstrations exist. Here, we aimed to determine the effect of habitat specificity on bacterial biogeographic patterns and assembly processes in benthic coastal ecosystems of the Southern Ocean (Patagonia, Falkland/Malvinas, Kerguelen, South Georgia, and King George Islands), using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. The gradient of habitat specificity resulted from a 'natural experimental design' provided by the Abatus sea urchin model, from the sediment (least specific habitat) to the intestinal tissue (most specific habitat). The phylogenetic composition of the bacterial communities showed a clear differentiation by site, driven by a similar contribution of geographic and environmental distances. However, the strength of this biogeographic pattern decreased with increasing habitat specificity: sediment communities showed stronger geographic and environmental divergence compared to gut tissue. The proportion of stochastic and deterministic processes contributing to bacterial assembly varied according to the geographic scale and the habitat specificity level. For instance, an increased contribution of dispersal limitation was observed in gut tissue habitat. Our results underscore the importance of considering different habitats with contrasting levels of specificity to better understand bacterial biogeography and assembly processes over oceanographic scales
RUDEUS: A Machine Learning Classification System to Study DNA-Binding Proteins
No full textDNA-binding proteins play crucial roles in biological processes such as replication, transcription, packaging, and chromatin remodeling. Their study has gained importance across scientific fields, with computational biology complementing traditional methods. While machine learning has advanced bioinformatics, generalizable pipelines for identifying DNA-binding proteins and their specific interactions remain scarce. We present RUDEUS, a Python library with hierarchical classification models to identify DNA-binding proteins and distinguish between single- and double-stranded DNA interactions. RUDEUS integrates protein language models, supervised learning, and Bayesian optimization, achieving 95% precision in DNA-binding identification and 89% accuracy in distinguishing interaction types. The library also includes tools for annotating unknown sequences and validating DNA-protein interactions through molecular docking. RUDEUS delivers competitive performance and is easily integrated into protein engineering workflows. It is available under the MIT License, with the source code and models available on the GitHub repository https://github.com/ProteinEngineering-PESB2/RUDEUS
White-crested elaenias (Elaenia albiceps chilensis) breeding across Patagonia exhibit similar spatial and temporal movement patterns throughout the year
No full textFor migratory birds, events happening during any period of their annual cycle can have strong carry-over effects on the subsequent periods. The strength of carry-over effects between non-breeding and breeding grounds can be shaped by the degree of migratory connectivity: whether or not individuals that breed together also migrate and/or spend the non-breeding season together. We assessed the annual cycle of the White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps chilensis), the longest-distance migrant flycatcher within South America, which breeds in Patagonia and spends the non-breeding season as far north as Amazonia. Using light-level geolocators, we tracked the annual movements of elaenias breeding on southern Patagonia and compared it with movements of elaenias breeding in northern Patagonia (1,365 km north) using Movebank Repository data. We found that elaenias breeding in southern Patagonia successively used two separate non-breeding regions while in their Brazilian non-breeding grounds, as already found for elaenias breeding in the northern Patagonia site. Elaenias breeding in both northern and southern Patagonia also showed high spread in their non-breeding grounds, high non-breeding overlap among individuals from both breeding sites, and similar migration phenology, all of which suggests weak migratory connectivity for this species. Elucidating the annual cycle of this species, with particular emphasis on females and juveniles, still requires further research across a wide expanse of South America. This information will be critical to understanding and possibly predicting this species' response to climate change and rapid land-use changes
Public Perception of Drought and Extreme Rainfall Impacts in a Changing Climate: Aconcagua Valley and Chañaral, Chile
No full textDroughts and extreme rainfall events are two of the hazards that affect many people in the world and are frequent and complex hazards, the rate of occurrence and magnitude of which are expected to increase in a changing climate. In this context, understanding how different actors perceive changes in climate, drought, and extreme rainfall events and their impacts is relevant in contributing to successfully implementing adaptation strategies to reduce their impacts. This research seeks to explore the main changes the climate has undergone and the impacts of drought and precipitation events, as perceived at local levels by different stakeholders. A multi-method approach was applied, including qualitative methods such as observation, 51 semi-structured interviews, and document reviews in Chañaral and the Aconcagua Valley, Chile. This research shows what the perceived changes in climate are and that drought and extreme rainfall events have affected the well-being of the local people by severely impacting the economy, the environment, social interactions, quality of life, and human health. Additionally, the perception of climate change and its impacts vary depending on the type of hazard and the social, geographical, and environmental contexts in which communities live. This study is useful as it has generated knowledge relevant to inform policy decisions, practice, and theory
A novel approach for improving the spatiotemporal distribution modeling of marine benthic species by coupling a new GIS procedure with machine learning
No full textIn this study we developed and validated a new integrative method for constructing and assessing Species Distribution Models (SDMs) for marine benthic species across spatial and temporal scales. This methodology synthesizes four dimensions-latitude, longitude, depth and time-into a unified predictive output, achieved by integrating a novel GIS tool, Bathymetric Projection (BP) with machine learning algorithms. BP can extract multidimensional data from remote sensing and satellite-derived datasets across the oceanic water column, including latitude, longitude, depth, and time. This data is then mapped onto the ocean floor using a reference bathymetric layer. The resulting seafloor layer is a predictive variable within the SDMs for benthic species. The model output quantifies the probability of species occurrence, or habitat suitability, as determined by environmental conditions specific to the ocean floor across the four dimensions. We validated this approach using two benthic species from the Colombian Pacific Ocean: the White shrimp (Litopenaeus occidentalis) and the Coliflor shrimp (Solenocera agassizii). The model's performance ranged from 87% to 98%, as indicated by 30-fold cross-validation on test datasets. Depth ranges and monthly seasonal patterns were accurately predicted when compared to independent literature data, confirming the model's capability to generate precise spatiotemporal distributions for benthic species. This research underscores the necessity of incorporating depth and time into SDMs, given their critical interactions with latitude and longitude in determining species distribution. The methodology offers a valuable tool for informing decision-making processes in fisheries and environmental management by enhancing the predictive accuracy of spatiotemporal distributions for benthic species, thereby facilitating more holistic interpretations of habitat suitability
Risk-taking behavior relates to Leucocytozoon spp. infection in a sub-Antarctic rainforest bird
No full textParasites inhabit practically all environments of the planet, representing an important selective pressure on different traits, including behavior. However, there is limited knowledge on the relationship between haemosporidian infection and the behavior of birds. In this study, we recorded risk-taking behaviors exhibited during three behavioral tests: struggle in the hand, open-field, and simulated territorial intrusion, in a resident population of thorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda) located on Navarino Island (55(degrees)S), southern Chile. This population shows a high prevalence of the haemosporidian Leucocytozoon spp., providing us with an opportunity to explore the connection between this parasite and the risk-taking behaviors of a Neotropical bird species. Our results indicate that birds infected by Leucocytozoon spp. exhibit higher activity scores in the behavioral tests, suggesting that individuals infected may be more propensity for risky behaviors. These findings raise intriguing questions about whether behavior precedes infection or results from it
ENFERMERÍA Y LA PREVENCIÓN DE LA MALNUTRICIÓN POR EXCESO EN POBLACIÓN ESCOLAR CHILENA: UNA OPORTUNIDAD PARA INTERVENIR EN EL PROBLEMA
No full textINTRODUCCIÓN. En Chile existe una epidemia de sobrepeso y obesidad infantil, y el problema es especialmente preocupante en los escolares. En el año 2023, la prevalencia de de sobrepeso en escolares fue 26,8% y 26,2% de obesidad (obesidad más obesidad severa). Existe evidencia suficiente que demuestra la magnitud del problema, sus causas y consecuencias, y la relación con enfermedades no transmisibles de la etapa adulta de la vida. Las estrategias de salud implementadas para disminuir el problema, no han generado los resultados esperados, por ello invitamos a reflexionar sobre el rol que compete a profesionales de enfermería en este problema. CUERPO DE LA REFLEXIÓN. Se analizan los antecedentes epidemiológicos del problema de malnutrición por exceso infantil; la evidencia científica; el marco regulatorio y normativo técnico de salud; las estrategias implementadas en Chile para disminuir el sobrepeso y obesidad; y recomendaciones internacionales y nacionales para implementar en Atención Primaria de Salud y en establecimientos educacionales. Se concluye reconociendo el importante rol del profesional de enfermería en la prevención y supervisión del crecimiento y desarrollo infantil en Chile. CONCLUSIONES. Frente a la epidemia de sobrepeso y obesidad infantil, los profesionales de enfermería tienen una oportunidad única e histórica de intervenir con enfoque integral y preventivo, y así contribuir a disminuir la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad infantil y enfermedades prevenibles. Para fortalecer dicha función, se fundamenta el ejercicio profesional en espacios escolares, contribuyendo a mejorar la calidad de vida de niños y jóvenes
Progressive transformations of written socio-affective competence in early childhood education students
No full textEarly childhood educator's linguistic ability has not often been a subject of study, considering the specificity of a language evolutionarily adapted to infants, but that involves technicalities and a particular style of evocation. The purpose of the present study is to describe the progressive use of written socio-affective language of early childhood education students, belonging to various educational levels. A quantitative approach and a cross-sectional and descriptive design were selected to evaluate 286 participants that addressed the affective connotation of lexical units according to 8 psycholinguistic properties: Valence, Excitability, Familiarity, Imaginability, Origin, Concreteness, Subjective significance, and Manipulability. The findings show a significant differentiation between most of the properties, in addition to differential behaviors associated with the educational levels. The findings regarding the characterization of early childhood's socio-affective competence are discussed, and conclusions briefly are made about its role in higher education's initial training processes
Participation and (Human) Occupation
No full textOccupational therapy considers occupation and participation as core constructs required to support people's engagement on what matters to them. In the first part of this chapter, we look at participation from a theoretical perspective. Over history, the profession's understanding of the notion of participation has evolved, progressively acknowledging its complex nature. Participation matters as it is the way in which we are in and connect with the world. In the second part of the chapter, we look at participation in an applied manner. Through contextualized scenarios in the Global South, we present an applied understanding of the idea of participation for different age groups and the importance of our surrounding circumstances on it. This chapter is an invitation for readers to reflect on the idea of participation from a theoretical and a situated practical perspective