Pontifical Catholic University of Chile

Climate change has a direct impact on the seasons. These changes can significantly impact communities living in close interdependence with their territories, such as Indigenous Peoples. Furthermore, these impacts are often entangled and reinforced by other ecological and social processes that affect how communities organise themselves. Drawing from ethnographic research complemented by the life story of a Pewenche woman, this article analyses the intertwined effects of climate change and state policy on the knowledge and seasonality of the Pewenche People in the Southern Andes, Chile. As a result of extensive exploitation of the territory, the implementation of development programmes and the current impacts of climate change, the Pewenche are facing numerous changes that directly affect the rhythms and frequencies that have historically shaped the seasons while impacting their activities, livelihoods and traditions. Their transhu-mance cycles have been affected, and their economies and calendars must adjust to the new rhythms imposed by state policy. The multiple seasonalities that come into play affect how the Pewenche identify themselves, construct meanings about social life, and position themselves vis-à-vis the state. A reflection on what it means to be Pewenche today has been opened. The bewilderment calls for action and policies that recognise the value of traditional ecological knowledge in fostering resilience and maintaining cultural identity, can respond to the changes and, at the same time, maintain the balance.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common manifestation of oral cancer. It has been proposed that periodontal pathogens contribute to OSCC progression, mainly by their virulence factors. However, the main periodontal pathogen and its mechanism to modulate OSCC cells remains not fully understood. In this study we investigate the main host-pathogen pathways in OSCC by computational proteomics and the mechanism behind cancer progression by the oral microbiome. The main host-pathogen pathways were analyzed in the secretome of biopsies from patients with OSCC and healthy controls by mass spectrometry. Then, functional assays were performed to evaluate the host-pathogen pathways highlighted in oral cancer. Host proteins associated with LPS response, cell migration/adhesion, and metabolism of amino acids were significantly upregulated in the human cancer proteome, whereas the complement cascade was downregulated in malignant samples. Then, the microbiome analysis revealed large number and variety of peptides from Fusobacterium nucleatum ( F. nucleatum ) in OSCC samples, from which several enzymes from the L-glutamate degradation pathway were found, indicating that L-glutamate from cancer cells is used as an energy source, and catabolized into butyrate by the bacteria. In fact, we observed that F. nucleatum modulates the cystine/glutamate antiporter in an OSCC cell line by increasing SLC7A11 expression, promoting L-glutamate efflux and favoring bacterial infection. Finally, our results showed that F. nucleatum and its metabolic derivates promote tumor spheroids growth, spheroids-derived cell detachment, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and Galectin-9 upregulation. Altogether, F. nucleatum promotes pro-tumoral mechanism in oral cancer.

This article studies the undrained behavior of filtered copper tailings in unsaturated conditions under monotonic and cyclic loading at controlled matric suction. Two dry densities with the same water content were used. The material behavior was studied in terms of the increase of saturation, the evolution of suction, and volumetric strain during the transition from unsaturated to saturated conditions. The results show that, during the shearing, suction decreases and the degree of saturation increases, regardless of the type of load applied (cyclic or monotonic). This effect is related to the volume reduction of the air phase during the transition to a fully saturated condition. In terms of undrained shear strength, the evolution of the material is studied in terms of the phase transformation line (PTL), comparing its location in saturated and unsaturated cases. Regarding the cyclic strength ratio (CSR), the unsaturated condition shows a higher value than the saturated case by about 26% and 58% for the high and low densities, respectively. However, when the volumetric strain is higher than 3% or the double amplitude axial strain exceeds 2%, a cyclic strain localization takes place, leading to an extension failure over the sample.

Sodium 4‐styrene sulfonate was polymerized with lignosulfonic acid (LS) to obtain adsorbents for copper ions. The percentage of LS was varied, and the obtained systems were characterized by Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Chemical composition, adequate thermostability, and a porous morphology with a pore size distribution favoring Cu(II) adsorption were corroborated. In hydration studies, all systems have a swelling capacity higher than 2000% at 60.0 min, whereas systems prepared with 20.0 and 30.0 wt.% of LS adsorb a higher amount of water owing to the high availability of polar sites. In contrast, adsorption studies were able to capture 25.1 mg of Cu(II) per g of adsorbent (prepared with 30.0 wt.% LS). The data obtained were fitted to a pseudo‐first‐order kinetics and Freundlich isotherm model, indicating a heterogeneous adsorbent surface. The thermodynamic parameters demonstrated the affinity between the active sites of the solid and Cu(II) in solution. It was determined that the adsorption mechanism is governed by the concentration gradient of Cu(II) at the interface (adsorbent–solution) and interactions of ion exchange and complexation types. Finally, the reuse of the bio‐based adsorbent was achieved in consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles in up to four cycles.

Objective Sublingual varicose veins are variations of normality that appear more prominent during aging. The systematic review aim to investigate sublingual varicose veins frequency in patients exposed to systemic and environmental exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases. Methods This systematic review was based on the PECO strategy, and the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase and Grey Literature library were searched for publications examining the association between sublingual varicose veins and systemic and environmental exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and leg varices. A meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models. This review included 11 studies with a total of 2,272 patients with sublingual varicosity and systemic exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases. The quality assessment was improved by Newcastle and Ottawa Scales (NOS). Results Consistent results were observed across all systemic and environmental exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases subgroups. We found association between sublingual varicose veins and hypertension [p = 0.0002; 95%IC2.90 [1.66—5.06]; I² 91%); diabetics (p = 0.009; 95%IC 3.19 [1.34 – 7.62]; I² 84%); tobacco abuse (p = 0.002; 95%IC 1.97 [1.29 – 3.01]; I² 82%) and leg varicosity (p = 0.03; 95%IC 2.63 [1.08 – 6.44]; I² 95%). Seven articles received score 7, indicating good quality and four articles received moderate quality. Conclusion Patients exposed to exposed factors that affect blood vessels showed a higher prevalence of sublingual varicose veins. These findings emphasize the importance of recognizing oral signs underlying systemic diseases. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023397166.

Gastric cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with nearly one million new cases diagnosed in 2020. There is marked variation in gastric cancer incidence globally, with highest incidence rates reported in the United Nations regions of Eastern Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Although the United States is considered a low-incidence country, gastric cancer presents an important cancer disparity, with higher incidence in minoritized populations, including immigrants from high-incidence regions. The Northern Central America nations are low- and middle-income countries with a high gastric cancer incidence and large US immigrant populations. These countries lack comprehensive cancer registries, but recent GLOBOCAN-imputed gastric cancer estimates are in the range of 8 to 12/100,000 age-standardized incidence rates. Three epidemiologic studies carried out in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras demonstrate a higher than predicted burden of gastric cancer with low 5-year survival (<10%). The gastric cancer burden is projected to increase in the absence of changes to national and regional cancer control plans. Twelve evidence-based recommendations to reduce gastric cancer mortality in the Americas have recently been proposed, ranging from the “test-and-treat” Helicobacter pylori eradication strategy to endoscopic screening and surveillance programs. Translating these recommendations into a practical plan for this resource-limited setting could address the disproportionate gastric cancer burden. See related article by Peña-Galo et al., p. 1564 See related article by Ruiz de Campos et al., p. 1571 See related article by Dominguez et al., p. 1578

Context Healthcare stakeholders in Latin America, including payers, manufacturers, and patients, seek to expedite access to technologies. However, uncertainty sometimes surrounds their true benefits and budgetary implications. Managed entry agreements (MEAs) are proposed to address this uncertainty by redistributing risks among key actors. Objectives The objective of Health Technology Assessment International’s 2023 Latin American Policy Forum was to examine the potential utility of MEA in technology reimbursement and decision-making processes in the region. Methods This article is based on a background document, a survey, and the deliberative work of the country representatives and others who participated in the Policy Forum. Results Interest in MEA in Latin America is increasing, with financial agreements being more prevalent than those based on clinical outcomes. During the Policy Forum, potential barriers to MEA implementation were identified, such as the lack of legal frameworks, insufficient reliable data, and, in some cases, distrust among stakeholders. Some potential solutions were also identified, including early stakeholder involvement to enhance dialogue and understanding, and piloting shorter-duration MEA to facilitate the revision of agreement terms, especially in situations of epidemiological uncertainty. Conclusions The Policy Forum served as a valuable platform for discussing the importance of flexible MEA implementation that acknowledges data uncertainty, promotes transparent dialogue to incorporate opinions and values from all stakeholders, and develops legal frameworks to support effective technology access schemes in Latin America.

Stability guarantees in networked control systems (NCSs) have traditionally been addressed in the deterministic setting using the concepts of Maximum Allowable Transmit Interval (MATI) and Maximum Allowable Delay (MAD). Motivated by the widespread use of non-deterministic networks in modern industrial NCSs, this note aims to extend the analysis to the stochastic setting by considering a setup where the NCS faces stochastic communication delays, which take values over the MAD with positive probability. Conditions for uniform asymptotic stability in probability are given and their practical relevance is illustrated through a set of experiments performed on a real testbed.

Orange peel, a physiological disorder, has been reported in Chilean sweet cherries (Prunus avium (L.) L.) after 35-45 d under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The ontogeny of the disorder is unknown, and preharvest factors have not been thoroughly investigated. This study involved two experiments to elucidate the association between environmental factors and the incidence of the orange peel disorder. In the first experiment, plant water potential, fruit position on the tree, relative humidity (RH), and radiation of sweet cherry trees were studied in ‘Regina’, ‘Kordia’, and ‘Lapins’. The second experiment focused on the interaction effect of heat during fruit development and the RH during storage in ‘Lapins’. The first experiment showed no clear response of orange peel incidence to natural variations in air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, and transmitted solar radiation (PPFD) within trees. However, significant differences in the incidence, severity, and timing of the disorder detection were observed among cultivars. In ‘Lapins’, orange peel disorder began before harvest in the green stage, 33.7 %, while ‘Regina’ and ‘Kordia’ showed negligible incidences of 1.25% and 0%, respectively. At postharvest, no differences were found among tree sections, either in incidence or severity of the disorder. For the second experiment, no differences in incidence were found in heated fruit during preharvest or postharvest RH treatments. However, it was observed that the higher the RH (100%), the lower the severity index (3.6) was for the orange peel disorder. The high incidence of the disorder during postharvest under natural or induced environmental conditions in the three cultivars evaluated demonstrates that RH mainly affects the orange peel disorder.

The pyrolysis of waste tires offers an environmentally friendly solution to the global tire waste problem. Pyrolytic carbon black (PCB) is an important by-product that can be reintroduced into industrial processes. This study aimed to improve the commercial viability of PCB by reducing its ash content. Pyrolysis was optimized at 420 °C for 4 h with a nitrogen flow rate of 1 L min-1. Demineralization, crucial for minimizing ash, was carried out using acid and alkali treatments (H2SO4, HNO3, HCl, NaOH). Two demineralization strategies were tested, one using fresh acid for three cycles and the other reusing the solution. The most effective method used 1 M HNO3 at 80 °C for 1 h, reducing the ash content to 1.7%. The demineralized PCB (PCBd) had improved properties, including a BET surface area of 74 m2 g-1, an iodine number of 57 mg g-1, and a particle size distribution up to 140 nm, comparable to commercial carbon blacks. These results highlight the potential of PCBd as a sustainable alternative for tire management and material production.

The advent of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has defined new roles for radiation therapy in the treatment of liver and pancreatic cancer. By minimizing the dose to the surrounding tissues and maximizing the dose to the tumor target, SBRT has the potential to considerably improve the therapeutic ratio in the treatment of these malignancies compared to conventional radiation therapy (RT). Given that many patients die of intrahepatic progression and subsequent liver failure, balancing optimal local control with risk of liver injury becomes a critical issue when treating patients with liver cancer, the most common one being hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with any intervention. SBRT has emerged as a treatment modality with excellent local control outcomes and acceptable side effects, similar or less than those of other local therapies such as radiofrequency ablation or transarterial chemoembolization, in appropriately selected patients. The implementation of SBRT requires a large multidisciplinary team (including radiation physicists and radiation therapists, in addition to surgical, medical, and interventional oncologists, as well as hepatologists) who can address challenges on many fronts including liver motion, incorporating multiple imaging modalities such as multi-phasic computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for treatment planning, and image guidance at the time of SBRT. As only a small percentage of patients with liver metastases can undergo surgical resection, SBRT has now arisen as a treatment modality that achieves promising results regarding local control, and sustained local control has been associated with an increase in overall survival (OS) in patients with limited metastatic disease. Although these results are promising, up to this date there are no phase III clinical trials published on its use in a liver confined metastases cohort. Although most patients with pancreas cancer ultimately develop metastases, uncontrolled local disease is a large source of morbidity for up to a third of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer who die with locally destructive disease. Thus, there is motivation for developing efficacious and low morbidity radiation therapy treatments that may increase the chance for sustained local control in unresectable disease. SBRT brings unique challenges in this clinical scenario, given its proximity to the duodenum and other organs at risk, along with its considerable motion due to breathing and surrounding organ expansion. Freedom from local progression following SBRT has been reported as high as 78% at 1 year, and dose escalation has consistently been associated with an increased local control, but needs to be balanced against the potential increased risk for duodenal toxicity and bleeding.