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Climate change projections suggest a precarious future for the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as the suitable climatic habitat of its exclusive overwintering host Abies religiosa (oyamel, Sacred fir, a conifer endemic to Mexico) inside the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) is expected to disappear by 2090. Since the upper elevation limit of A. religiosa is approximately 3,500 m and the summits of mountains within the MBBR are ca. 3,550 m, we tested the feasibility of establishing A. religiosa at four locations outside its current geographic range in the MBBR, on a geographically close volcano, Nevado de Toluca at 4000 (timberline, an extreme site), 3,800, and 3,600 m (to test species range expansion upward in elevation), and at 3400 m (a reference site, slightly lower than the upper elevation limit of A. religiosa). Using existing shrubs as nurse plants to protect the seedlings from extreme temperatures, at each site we planted five to eight populations, originating between 3,100 and 3,500 m within the MBBR. After three growing seasons in the field (6 years after sowing), we found that: (a) survival and height increment declined steeply with test site elevation; (b) even at the highest sites (3,800 and 4,000 m), survival was acceptable, at 68 and 44%, respectively, although the growth was very poor at 4000 m; (c) populations responded similarly to transfer; (d) transfer effects were best accounted for by annual dryness index; (e) to compensate for the expected 2.3°C increase in mean annual temperature or 0.009 √°Cmm−1 increase of annual dryness index from the reference period (1961–1990) to the decade centered in 2060, it would be necessary to shift populations approximately 500 m to higher elevations; and (f) upward transfers to compensate for the 2.3°C increase in mean annual temperature are expected to result in height increment and survival that are approximately 47 and 21% lower, respectively, than values expected at zero transfer distance. We conclude that the establishment of A. religiosa at 3600 and 3,800 m is feasible and that planted stands could eventually serve as overwintering sites for the Monarch butterfly under projected future climates.

BackgroundStroke survivors who receive more rehabilitation therapy achieve better functional outcomes. The amount of rehabilitation that patients receive is, however, limited due to constraints of the healthcare system.ObjectiveTo assess whether EngageHealth, a mobile device application designed to deliver stroke rehabilitation exercises using asynchronous video recordings, increases the amount of outpatient rehabilitation in stroke patients and improves their upper extremity function and quality of life.DesignProspective single-arm study consisting of a 2-week pre-intervention phase without EngageHealth followed by a 4-week intervention period with EngageHealth.SettingAmbulatory care.ParticipantsTwenty-four stroke patients with upper extremity impairment were recruited at the Stanford Stroke Center outpatient clinic.InterventionsParticipants were instructed to use the EngageHealth application daily.Main outcome measuresAdherence, user experience, and change in the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer (UE-FM), Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL), and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS).ResultsOf 23 participants, five (22%) used the application for 17 days, six (26%) used the application for 9–16 days, and 12 (52%) used it < 9 days. Sixty-three percent of participants would recommend the application to other stroke survivors, with fifty percent indicating they would continue using the application, if available. During the pre-intervention phase, there were no changes in hand function. During the intervention period, participants improved by 4 points on the UE-FM (P < 0.01), and 15 points in the hand-function domain of SIS (P = 0.03). Videos of participants' exercises were successfully recorded, allowing the clinician to review videos of the participants' completed tasks asynchronously. In-depth interviews revealed that participants viewed the EngageHealth application favorably, and that their perceived usefulness of the exercises affected their motivation.ConclusionsUse of the EngageHealth application in the home environment may improve upper extremity function in subacute/chronic stroke patients. Additional support strategies should be implemented in future studies to improve adherence. These findings from a prospective single-arm study, support the design of a randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of long-term use of the EngageHealth application.

This paper provides a numerical assessment of the ductile fracture of the AA6101 and AISI 4340 alloys using the Lemaitre and Gurson models. The simulations were carried out to verify the evolution of the accumulated plastic strain at fracture, assuming the high range of the triaxiality ratio, applying monotonic tensile loads on smooth and notched cylindrical specimens. The numerical strategy was structured for the Lemaitre and Gurson models, from establishing a non-linear system of equations using an implicit integration algorithm and solving the non-linear equation system using the Newton-Raphson method. When assessing the numerical and experimental results, it was observed that the cumulative plastic strain at the fracture decreases with the increasing levels of the triaxiality ratio for both alloys and models. On the one hand, the Lemaitre model was more optimistic than the experimental results. On the other hand, Gurson's model proved to be more conservative in its prediction of ductile fracture. Regarding determining the fracture onset, in general, both models showed good predictive capacity. However, the numerical results for the aluminum alloy presented more in agreement with experimental data than for the AISI 4340 alloy. In the end, assuming the determination of the level of displacement at fracture, the Gurson's model has the best performance. In this sense, for a high level of triaxiality ratio, the Gurson porous material can be recommended to describe the mechanical behavior of the material at fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local knowledge (LK) is often overlooked in the decision-making process during landscape restoration process. In this study, we focus on the Zicuirán-Infiernillo Biosphere Reserve as a case study. We propose a framework to incorporate LK into public policy instruments for implementing restoration interventions in Mexican protected natural areas (PNAs). Through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and informal talks, conducted with residents from two communities located in the buffer zone and the border area of the reserve, we gathered valuable insights regarding the following: (1) the inhabitants' LK of the ecology and contributions of tropical dry forest, (2) the socioeconomic and environmental issues identified by these communities in their localities, (3) ecological and socioeconomic actions suggested by the residents to recover the forest or halt its degradation, and (4) the role of institutions and local organizations in restoration and conservation processes. Our findings indicate that residents recognized changes in species distribution and identified native trees that are tolerant to drought. Moreover, they acknowledged the beneficial contributions provided by forests, including climate and water cycle regulation, oxygen supply, and raw materials. Local people also demonstrated their awareness of environmental and socioeconomic issues and proposed activities to reverse vegetation cover loss and halt forest degradation. While reforestation emerged as the primary solution for forest recovery, assisted natural regeneration and natural regeneration were also suggested. Based on our results, we propose a framework that emphasizes a robust knowledge exchange among stakeholders, for facilitating the inclusion of LK in an ecological restoration-based education program. It is crucial for Mexican public policy instruments operating in PNAs to consider local knowledge to enhance the effectiveness of ecological restoration.

Depression is a prevalent illness among the elderly, so psychotherapeutic interventions are needed to promote health and quality of life. This literature review aims to identify trials of any psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at reducing depressive symptoms in older adults. A systematic literature review with a meta-analysis will be carried out. The following databases will be searched: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MedicLatina, MEDLINE with Full Text, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. To minimize bias, four reviewers will independently assess the inclusion of studies. The fifth reviewer will be responsible for disaggregating inclusion and exclusion between two authors. The results of the analysis will be grouped in a table with the characteristics of the included studies, including author, year, sample, objectives, methods, assessment instruments, psychotherapeutic interventions, results, follow-up and a data compilation scheme. This scientific article is a systematic review protocol for which the data has already been extracted and is being analyzed. Examples of possible strategies to include cognitive restructuring and mental health programs for older adults in community settings. With this clear and direct identification of psychotherapeutic interventions, it will be clearer for mental health professionals to be able to intervene effectively to promote the mental health and well-being of older adults.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42023449190

Antecedentes: La nutrición mineral beneficia el comportamiento bioproductivo de los cerdos. Evaluar el efecto de inclusión de una pre-mezcla mineral elaborada a partir de fuentes naturales nacionales en dietas para cerdos híbridos YorkLand en crecimiento-ceba. Métodos: Se utilizaron 50 cerdos en crecimiento ceba (40±5 kg de peso vivo), hembras y machos castrados, distribuidos aleatoriamente en cinco grupos para ofrecer igual número de dietas experimentales. El grupo I recibió un concentrado elaborado con un núcleo proteico importado, harina de soya importada, harina de maíz amarillo de producción nacional, L-lisina y colina, sin la pre-mezcla mineral. Los restantes cuatro grupos recibieron un concentrado elaborado con harina de soya importada, harina de maíz amarillo de producción nacional, L-lisina y colina, con 0, 1, 2 y 3 % de inclusión de la pre-mezcla mineral, respectivamente. Se determinaron los minerales en suero sanguíneo, el incremento de peso vivo y la ganancia media diaria. Resultados: En los grupos I, III, IV y V fue superior (P

Kluyveromyces marxianus is an ascomycetous yeast which has shown promising results in cellulosic ethanol and renewable chemicals production. It can survive on a variety of carbon sources under industrially favorable conditions due to its fast growth rate, thermotolerance, and acid tolerance. K. marxianus, is generally regarded as a safe (GRAS) microorganism, is widely recognized as a powerhouse for the production of heterologous proteins and is accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for its pharmaceutical and food applications. Since lignocellulosic hydrolysates are comprised of diverse monomeric sugars, oligosaccharides and potential metabolism inhibiting compounds, this microorganism can play a pivotal role as it can grow on lignocellulosic hydrolysates coping with vegetal cell wall derived inhibitors. Furthermore, advancements in synthetic biology, for example CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats with Cas9)-mediated genome editing, will enable development of an engineered yeast for the production of biochemicals and biopharmaceuticals having a myriad of industrial applications. Genetic engineering companies such as Cargill, Ginkgo Bioworks, DuPont, Global Yeast, Genomatica, and several others are actively working to develop designer yeasts. Given the important traits and properties of K. marxianus, these companies may find it to be a suitable biocatalyst for renewable chemicals and fuel production on the large scale. This paper reviews the recent progress made with K. marxianus biotechnology for sustainable production of ethanol, and other products utilizing lignocellulosic sugars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antecedentes: El uso racional del agua y la aplicación de sistemas de tratamiento para las aguas residuales se presentan como alternativa para subsanar la contaminación de los ecosistemas acuáticos. El IHPLUS® activado constituye una alternativa para la biorremediación de fuentes hídricas contaminadas. Objetivo. determinar la toxicidad por exposición única del producto IHPLUS® activado en larvas de Artemia sp. Métodos: Se evaluó la toxicidad por exposición única del bioproducto IHPLUS® activado en larvas de Artemia sp. obtenidas de quistes incluidos en agua de mar artificial. Los grupos experimentales de larvas de Artemia sp. fueron expuestos por 24 horas a cinco concentraciones del producto en estudio y se compararon con un grupo control sin exposición. Se calculó la CL50 del bioproducto y se estudió la influencia de factores que pudieran ser los responsables de la toxicidad/mortalidad, estos fueron la presencia o ausencia de micro-organismos y el pH. Resultados: La CL50 del producto resultó 0,042% en agua de mar artificial, por lo que se clasifica como no tóxico para crustáceos. Se demostró que el IHPLUS® activado resultó tóxico a concentraciones superiores a 0,032% en larvas de Artemia sp., bajo las condiciones del ensayo. El pH resultó ser el factor responsable en la producción de la toxicidad del bioproducto en Artemia sp. Conclusión: El IHPLUS® activado resultó no peligroso para crustáceos de ambientes marinos. Palabras Clave: ambiente acuático, crustáceos, niveles tóxicos, pH, toxicidad (Fuente: MESH)

Este artigo tem como objetivo principal compreender a trajetória de construção dos Estudos Culturais Físicos (ECF) antes de sua institucionalização no meio acadêmico. A problemática central reside na escassez de informações disponíveis sobre os Estudos Culturais Físicos (ECF) em seu estágio inicial, antes de serem formalmente reconhecidos no contexto acadêmico. A metodologia adotada neste estudo consistiu em uma abordagem de pesquisa bibliográfica, conduzida por meio de leituras exploratórias. A partir dessas análises, considera-se que a concepção dos Estudos Culturais Físicos (ECF), advém de diversos acontecimentos históricos e sociais que possibilitaram a criação de uma nova abordagem na produção de conhecimento da Sociologia do Esporte norte-americana e que compreende a subjetividade do corpo/sujeito além da sua capacidade de performance no esporte/cultura física.

In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a secure sensing data processing and logging system. The system is inspired and enabled by the blockchain technology. In this system, a public blockchain is used as immutable datastore to log the most critical data needed to secure the system. Furthermore, several innovative blockchain-inspired mechanisms have been incorporated into the system to provide additional security for the system’s operations. The first priority in securing sensing data processing and logging is admission control, i.e., only legitimate sensing data are accepted for processing and logging. This is achieved via a sensor identification and authentication mechanism. The second priority is to ensure that the logged data remain intact overtime. This is achieved by storing a small amount of data condensed from the raw sensing data on a public blockchain. A Merkel-tree based mechanism is devised to link the raw sensing data stored off-chain to the condensed data placed on public blockchain. This mechanism passes the data immutability property of a public blockchain to the raw sensing data stored off-chain. Third, the raw sensing data stored off-chain are secured with a self-protection mechanism where the raw sensing data are grouped into chained blocks with a moderate amount of proof-of-work. This scheme prevents an adversary from making arbitrary changes to the logged data within a short period of time. Fourth, mechanisms are developed to facilitate the search of the condensed data placed on the public blockchain and the verification of the raw sensing data using the condensed data placed on the public blockchain. The system is implemented in Python except the graphical user interface, which is developed using C#. The functionality and feasibility of the system have been evaluated locally and with two public blockchain systems, one is the IOTA Shimmer test network, and the other is Ethereum.

Evaluating plant functional traits helps to understand how plants respond to changing environmental conditions and resource availability associated with disturbance events. Livestock production is one of the primary drivers of tropical forest loss and degradation. Livestock alter environmental conditions within the forest by grazing, trampling and nutrient inputs, which in turn can influence species composition and functional traits of species. Understanding how livestock influence functional traits along a successional gradient is poorly understood. Here, we studied the effect of cattle grazing and fallow age on plant functional traits and soil nutrients in secondary and old-growth tropical dry forests. We analyzed plant functional traits of the most important species in successional and old-growth forest communities in both cattle present and cattle excluded plots. Our results showed the effects of cattle grazing and fallow age on plant functional traits, with fallow age explaining more variation than cattle grazing. In early succession, functional traits were associated with water conservation (thicker leaves, lower specific leaf area), and in later successional they were linked with sunlight conservation (larger height, higher specific leaf area). The presence of large fruits and seeds in advanced successional sites suggests high resource availability, which may help plants to successfully reproduce. Moreover, under cattle grazing some functional traits are associated with herbivory defense (high foliar dry weight and thick leaves). Even though N and C increased as succession advanced, the sites with cattle grazing had higher NH4 and NO3 concentrations as a result of fecal deposition. Plant functional traits responded to fallow age than to cattle grazing. Our study showed that cattle exclusion, as a management and biodiversity conservation strategy, contributes positively to soil nutrition. Thus, fallow age and cattle exclusion facilitate soil recovery and allows establishing species with suitable functional attributes for overcoming environmental filters in abandoned cattle fields.

Antecedentes: El uso de la biomasa comestible de Dichrostachys cinerea podría ser una alternativa eficaz para el control de parasitosis en animales. Objetivo. Evaluar la toxicidad a dosis límite de un extracto de legumbres, rebrote y hojas de planta adulta de D. cinerea en ratas. Métodos: Se utilizaron ratas adultas jóvenes de la especie Rattus norvegicus (variedad albina), de la línea o cepa Sprague Dawley (Cenp: SD), de ambos sexos, con un peso entre 150 y 200 g, consanguíneas y heteroxénicas. Se evaluaron tres extractos acuosos mediante maceración al 20% de biomasa vegetal de, rebrotes, hojas de planta adulta y legumbres, mediante el ensayo de toxicidad oral por dosis límite de 2000 mg / kg de masa corporal. Se controló la ocurrencia de mortalidad y la aparición de síntomas o signos de toxicidad. Se practicó necropsia y análisis macroscópico a los animales al final del estudio en busca de lesiones. Se empleó el paquete estadístico STATISTICA, versión 10 y se aplicaron los ensayos no paramétricos de Pares de Wilcoxon y U de Mann Whitney, para comparar el peso inicial y final por sexos y el incremento por sexos, respectivamente. Resultados: Las ratas de ambos sexos incrementaron su masa corporal, lo que demuestra la no influencia negativa por la administración del extracto. Se observó diferencias significativas en el incremento de peso entre hembras y machos, no se observaron lesiones macroscópicas o alteraciones patológicas relacionadas o achacables a la administración del producto. Conclusiones: El extracto acuoso de legumbres, rebrote y hojas de la planta D. cinerea, no resulta tóxico a dosis límite oral en ratas.

El presente trabajo de implementación práctica muestra el diseño y la construcción de un prototipo de medidor digital domiciliar en el cual se puede visualizar las distintas variables en tiempo real como la tensión de la red, la corriente eléctrica, la potencia promedio, la energía consumida por la vivienda en kWh y el costo asociado de facturación mensual. El diseño del prototipo está dividido en tres etapas, la primera tiene que ver con el sistema de carga y alimentación del dispositivo, la segunda muestra el sistema de adquisición y acondicionamiento de las variables de entrada y la tercera tiene relación con el microcontrolador Arduino Mega 2560 encargado de la etapa de procesamiento, registro y almacenamiento de la información. La construcción del prototipo se la realiza en varias fases, en primer lugar el diseño práctico en el software Proteus 8 Professional para luego implementarlo en el protoboard y más adelante montarlo en la placa PCB, finalmente se acoplan estos módulos en una caja plástica con IP-65 la cual muestra en su vista frontal la pantalla de cristal líquido acoplada para mostrar las variables de salida del dispositivo terminado. El funcionamiento del prototipo está validado mediante comparación a través de varias pruebas de aplicación práctica en un caso de estudio real versus un medidor de energía convencional. Por último el prototipo resulta idóneo para sistemas de medición de energía domiciliar ya que se adapta a las necesidades de cada consumidor.

This comprehensive review aims to provide a practical guide for intensivists, focusing on enhancing patient care associated with nosocomial peritonitis (NP). It explores the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of NP, a significant contributor to the mortality of surgical patients worldwide. NP is, per definition, a hospital-acquired condition and a consequence of gastrointestinal surgery or a complication of other diseases. NP, one of the most prevalent causes of sepsis in surgical Intensive Care Units (ICUs), is often associated with multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria and high mortality rates. Early clinical suspicion and the utilization of various diagnostic tools like biomarkers and imaging are of great importance. Microbiology is often complex, with antimicrobial resistance escalating in many parts of the world. Fungal peritonitis and its risk factors, diagnostic hurdles, and effective management approaches are particularly relevant in patients with NP. Contemporary antimicrobial strategies for treating NP are discussed, including drug resistance challenges and empirical antibiotic regimens. The importance of source control in intra-abdominal infection management, including surgical and non-surgical interventions, is also emphasized. A deeper exploration into the role of open abdomen treatment as a potential option for selected patients is proposed, indicating an area for further investigation. This review underscores the need for more research to advance the best treatment strategies for NP.

Climate change is predicted to lead to increasingly intense and hotter droughts, causing physiological weakness followed by forest decline in many regions of the world. Long- and short-range remote sensing (satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly called drones) can sense drought-induced changes in vegetation. Although several studies have addressed forest decline events, none have analyzed the forest decline attributable to climate change using remote sensing in a concise manner. A bibliometric analysis was carried out to characterize the scientific production reported in the Web of Science repository. The search descriptors were a combination of keywords related to forest decline and remote sensing. The results showed 278 articles published between 1989 and 2021 in 92 journals, with an average annual increase of 31%. A total of 29 nodes and 220 scientific collaboration links were located, mainly led by researchers from USA, Germany and China. Keyword analysis using World-TreeMap reflected the association of different key forest decline phenomena such as drought stress and climate change. Although the use of satellite information to study and understand forest decline has been reported for just over three decades, the most notable feature of the present research was the limited role of drones with only 5 studies. This reveals an area of opportunity to take advantage of the main strengths of drones, i.e., spatial and temporal resolution, low cost compared to manned flights, and centimeter accuracy. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to increase studies to improve the use of multispectral sensors, thermal and LiDAR technology for long-term monitoring of forest decline related to climate change.

Antecedentes: La leptospirosis ha sido poco estudiada en Ecuador y es altamente prevalente en provincias costeras del país. Identificar los patrones histopatológicos en el riñón y su asociación con la seroprevalencia a Leptospira spp. en cerdos del matadero municipal del cantón Portoviejo. Métodos: Se analizaron cortes histológicos de 420 riñones de cerdos sacrificados y se determinó la asociación entre las lesiones renales y la seroprevalencia a Leptospira. Se efectuaron pruebas de comparación de proporciones y un análisis de riesgo con el programa para análisis epidemiológico de datos tabulados EPIDAT versión 3.1. Resultados: Se evidencia la presencia de los serovares Australis, Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae y Canicola circulantes en cerdos de matadero, con una seroprevalencia, factores que pueden ser un peligro potencial latente para los humanos susceptibles; que avala el alto porcentaje de lesiones por Leptospira spp. encontrada en los riñones de estos animales, evidencias que constituyen una alerta significativa de riesgo para los trabajadores que manipulan y trabajan con cerdos sacrificados en el matadero. Conclusiones: La glomerulonefritis, la nefritis tubular, la nefritis intersticial y la glomerulitis, aparecen en los riñones de cerdos asintomáticos seropositivos o no a Leptospira spp., lo que muestra el amplio patrón de lesiones por la infección en estos animales. Los cerdos que manifestaron nefritis intersticial tuvieron 3,5 veces más probabilidad de resultar positivos por MAT que los que no mostraban esta lesión. Palabras clave: anticuerpos, enfermedades de los animales, serología, tejidos, transmisión (Fuente: BVS)

Antecedentes: El uso de la biomasa comestible de Dichrostachys cinerea podría ser una alternativa eficaz para el control de parasitosis en animales. Objetivo. Evaluar la toxicidad a dosis límite de un extracto de legumbres, rebrote y hojas de planta adulta de D. cinerea en ratas. Métodos: Se utilizaron ratas adultas jóvenes de la especie Rattus norvegicus (variedad albina), de la línea o cepa Sprague Dawley (Cenp: SD), de ambos sexos, con un peso entre 150 y 200 g, consanguíneas y heteroxénicas. Se evaluaron tres extractos acuosos mediante maceración al 20% de biomasa vegetal de, rebrotes, hojas de planta adulta y legumbres, mediante el ensayo de toxicidad oral por dosis límite de 2000 mg / kg de masa corporal. Se controló la ocurrencia de mortalidad y la aparición de síntomas o signos de toxicidad. Se practicó necropsia y análisis macroscópico a los animales al final del estudio en busca de lesiones. Se empleó el paquete estadístico STATISTICA, versión 10 y se aplicaron los ensayos no paramétricos de Pares de Wilcoxon y U de Mann Whitney, para comparar el peso inicial y final por sexos y el incremento por sexos, respectivamente. Resultados: Las ratas de ambos sexos incrementaron su masa corporal, lo que demuestra la no influencia negativa por la administración del extracto. Se observó diferencias significativas en el incremento de peso entre hembras y machos, no se observaron lesiones macroscópicas o alteraciones patológicas relacionadas o achacables a la administración del producto. Conclusiones: El extracto acuoso de legumbres, rebrote y hojas de la planta D. cinerea, no resulta tóxico a dosis límite oral en ratas. Palabras clave: dosis límite, legumbre, planta, rebrote (Fuente: BVS)

Motivation Retrocopies or processed pseudogenes are gene copies resulting from mRNA retrotransposition. These gene duplicates can be fixed, somatically inserted or polymorphic in the genome. However, knowledge regarding unfixed retrocopies (retroCNVs) is still limited, and the development of computational tools for effectively identifying and genotyping them is an urgent need. Results Here, we present sideRETRO, a pipeline dedicated not only to detecting retroCNVs in whole-genome or whole-exome sequencing data but also to revealing their insertion sites, zygosity and genomic context and classifying them as somatic or polymorphic events. We show that sideRETRO can identify novel retroCNVs and genotype them, in addition to finding polymorphic retroCNVs in whole-genome and whole-exome data. Therefore, sideRETRO fills a gap in the literature and presents an efficient and straightforward algorithm to accelerate the study of bona fide retroCNVs. Availability and implementation sideRETRO is available at https://github.com/galantelab/sideRETRO Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising air temperatures are the main reason for the expected reduction in land suitability for coffee cultivation under climate change in Central America. One of the reasons farmers use shade trees is to create a cooler microclimate in coffee plantations located in warming areas; therefore, adjusting the shade levels could alleviate future high temperatures. Even though data on expected climatic changes are available, no studies have addressed the cooling potential of shading in coffee production systems. In this study, we use regional climate information (RCP 4.5) and a simple shade model to explore the potential of shading as an adaptation practice in the coffee areas in Central America. A model was developed to estimate the required shade levels for Coffea arabica L. based on mean air temperature. Modeled and observed shade data were compared. Results indicate that compared to 2000, an overall increment of 23 ± 18% of shading would be required to alleviate the warming conditions by 2050. The shading will be more beneficial to coffee areas at medium and high altitudes than to areas at low ones. Also, the number of coffee areas that require dense shade levels (shading > 60%) may double by 2050. This would lead to a boost in tree biomass (carbon content) but also increase the competition for the coffee plants and consequently affect coffee yields. Trade-offs between adaptation, mitigation, and productivity objectives are expected in the coffee areas in the future.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with epidemic potential. It is emerging as a public health problem, in tropical and subtropical countries, affecting populations that are more vulnerable. The disease affects different risk groups such as fishermen, mine and drain workers, garbage collectors, personnel working in rice fields and slaughterhouse workers. The objective of the work was to identify potential risk factors for porcine leptospirosis as zoonosis in pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers from the Portoviejo canton, Manabí, Ecuador. A descriptive observational analysis of the influence of climatic variables on the occurrence of human leptospirosis was carried out in the period from January 2014 to December 2017. An epidemiological survey was applied to assess knowledge about the disease and identify potential factors risk in pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers. Human leptospirosis showed a higher occurrence in the rainy season and there was a positive correlation between the occurrence of cases and the climatic parameters, mean temperature and maximum relative humidity. The potential risk factors identified constitute a significant danger alert for pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers exposed to animal reservoirs or environments contaminated with Leptospira.

Antecedentes: La leptospirosis ha sido poco estudiada en Ecuador y es altamente prevalente en provincias costeras del país. Identificar los patrones histopatológicos en el riñón y su asociación con la seroprevalencia a Leptospira spp. en cerdos del matadero municipal del cantón Portoviejo. Métodos: Se analizaron cortes histológicos de 420 riñones de cerdos sacrificados y se determinó la asociación entre las lesiones renales y la seroprevalencia a Leptospira. Se efectuaron pruebas de comparación de proporciones y un análisis de riesgo con el programa para análisis epidemiológico de datos tabulados EPIDAT versión 3.1. Resultados: Se evidencia la presencia de los serovares Australis, Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae y Canicola circulantes en cerdos de matadero, con una seroprevalencia, factores que pueden ser un peligro potencial latente para los humanos susceptibles; que avala el alto porcentaje de lesiones por Leptospira spp. encontrada en los riñones de estos animales, evidencias que constituyen una alerta significativa de riesgo para los trabajadores que manipulan y trabajan con cerdos sacrificados en el matadero. Conclusiones: La glomerulonefritis, la nefritis tubular, la nefritis intersticial y la glomerulitis, aparecen en los riñones de cerdos asintomáticos seropositivos o no a Leptospira spp., lo que muestra el amplio patrón de lesiones por la infección en estos animales. Los cerdos que manifestaron nefritis intersticial tuvieron 3,5 veces más probabilidad de resultar positivos por MAT que los que no mostraban esta lesión.

Future climate forecasts predict major changes that will have negative impacts on the distribution, abundance, and dynamics of forest ecosystems. In Mexico, there is evidence of symptoms of massive forest decline; however, there is no consensus in terms of attributing these symptoms to climate change. This study aimed to provide evidence of forest decline possibly associated with climatic change in the highland pine (Pinus hartwegii Lindl.) populations of the Nevado de Toluca Flora and Fauna Protection Area. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with multispectral sensors, the study applied digital photogrammetry techniques, automated tree crown detection algorithms, and calculation of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and leaf chlorophyll index (LCI) to assess forest health across an altitudinal transect (from 3300 m to the timberline at 4040 m elevation). Climate analysis was conducted with TerraClimate data using mean annual temperature (MAT), April temperature, and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) from the studied altitudinal transect and its xeric limit. We found that lower altitude populations had significantly higher stress levels, indicating forest decline phenomena, while intermediate altitude populations showed greater vigor of the detected trees. Statistically significant differences in the NDVI and LCI values along the altitudinal gradient provided evidence of forest decline in terms of forest vigor and productivity, with the greatest disturbance found at the lower altitude of the examined forest species. The analysis of the climatic data revealed an increase in April temperature +1.4 °C of the xeric limit of the transect (low altitude) when comparing the reference period, 1961–1990 (mean: 12.17 °C), with the decade prior to our study (2011–2020; mean: 13.57 °C). This would be equivalent to an upward shift in elevation of 280 m of the xeric limit. In addition, the PDSI analysis revealed that droughts are becoming increasingly intense at a rate of 0.06 PDSI units per decade, with greater intensity in the last five years. These findings highlight the negative impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and the urgent need for alternative forest management and conservation practices to increase resilience and adaptation in the temperate forests of Mexico. This study sets a precedent for further research to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and the development of sustainable management practices.

Sea turtle egg relocation and hatchery incubation (hereafter termed ex situ incubation) is an effective strategy to protect clutches when in situ egg incubation is not viable. Nevertheless, it negatively affects the ontogenesis of male gonads and brain areas homologous to the mammalian hippocampus, as well as body size and fitness. Thus, it is imperative to analyze the effects of ex situ incubation on other developmental aspects and extend these observations to females. This work evaluated the effect of ex situ management on neurogenesis (cell proliferation in the dorsal and medial ventricular zones, neuronal integration in the dorsomedial and medial cortices), ovary cell proliferation, body size (mass and length) and self-righting ability. Additionally, this study examined if the incubation microenvironment is different between in situ and ex situ nests and whether it could contribute to explain the biological traits. An analysis of principal components showed differences in biological variables of hatchlings between in situ and ex situ clutches, driven by contrasting temperatures and silt composition. Each biological variable was also analyzed with linear mixed models using in situ vs. ex situ clutches, abiotic variables and their interaction. Turtles from ex situ clutches showed: (1) fewer proliferating cells in the dorsal and medial ventricular zones; (2) less mature neurons in the dorsomedial and medial cortices; (3) ovaries with a lesser number of proliferating cells; (4) lower body mass and length at emergence; and (5) slower self-righting time. Together, the results suggest that ex situ incubation in hatcheries is related to a slowing down of neurogenesis, ovariogenesis, body size and self-righting ability in hatchlings. Future studies should evaluate the effect of ex situ incubation on cognitive and reproductive performance to understand the long-term consequences of altered organogenesis. These studies should also disentangle the differential contribution of egg movement, reburial, nesting environment and parental origin to development. This information would likely result in better conservation strategies for sea turtles.

Societal Impact Statement Understanding of tropical forests has been revolutionized by monitoring in permanent plots. Data from global plot networks have transformed our knowledge of forests’ diversity, function, contribution to global biogeochemical cycles, and sensitivity to climate change. Monitoring has thus far been concentrated in rain forests. Despite increasing appreciation of their threatened status, biodiversity, and importance to the global carbon cycle, monitoring in tropical dry forests is still in its infancy. We provide a protocol for permanent monitoring plots in tropical dry forests. Expanding monitoring into dry biomes is critical for overcoming the linked challenges of climate change, land use change, and the biodiversity crisis.

In this paper, we present a secure datastore based on an Ethereum smart contract. Our research is guided by three research questions. First, we will explore to what extend a smart-contract-based datastore should resemble a traditional database system. Second, we will investigate how to store the data in a smart-contract-based datastore for maximum flexibility while minimizing the gas consumption. Third, we seek answers regarding whether or not a smart-contract-based datastore should incorporate complex processing such as data encryption and data analytic algorithms. The proposed smart-contract-based datastore aims to strike a good balance between several constraints: (1) smart contracts are publicly visible, which may create a confidentiality concern for the data stored in the datastore; (2) unlike traditional database systems, the Ethereum smart contract programming language (i.e., Solidity) offers very limited data structures for data management; (3) all operations that mutate the blockchain state would incur financial costs and the developers for smart contracts must make sure sufficient gas is provisioned for every smart contract call, and ideally, the gas consumption should be minimized. Our investigation shows that although it is essential for a smart-contract-based datastore to offer some basic data query functionality, it is impractical to offer query flexibility that resembles that of a traditional database system. Furthermore, we propose that data should be structured as tag-value pairs, where the tag serves as a non-unique key that describes the nature of the value. We also conclude that complex processing should not be allowed in the smart contract due to the financial burden and security concerns. The tag-based secure datastore designed this way also defines its applicative perimeter, i.e., only applications that align with our strategy would find the proposed datastore a good fit. Those that would rather incur higher financial cost for more data query flexibility and/or less user burden on data pre- and post-processing would find the proposed database too restrictive.

Abstract Background Hypochloremia associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs is likely multifactorial. Loop diuretics cause 1:2 sodium [Na+]:chloride [Cl−] loss, whereas water retention causes a 1:1 [Na+]:[Cl−] dilution. Mathematical [Cl−] correction separates these effects on [Cl−]. Hypothesis We hypothesized that corrected [Cl−] (c[Cl−]) would not differ from measured [Cl−] (m[Cl−]) in dogs with controlled CHF because of loop diuretics, and dogs with refractory CHF would have higher c[Cl−] than m[Cl−], indicating relative water excess. Animals Seventy‐one client‐owned dogs with acquired heart disease, without CHF (NO‐CHF), 76 with Stage C CHF and 24 with Stage D CHF. Methods Clinicopathological data from a previous study were retrospectively analyzed. Corrected [Cl−], m[Cl−], and differences were compared among NO‐CHF, Stage C CHF, and Stage D CHF, using the formula: c[Cl−] = (mid‐reference range [Na+]/measured [Na+]) × m[Cl−]. Results Corrected [Cl−] and m[Cl−] were lower in Stage D vs Stage C and NO‐CHF (all P 2 mmol/L. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Serum [Cl−] increased after mathematical correction in Stage D CHF dogs but not in Stage C and NO‐CHF dogs. Although c[Cl−] was higher than m[Cl−] in Stage D dogs supportive of relative water excess, hypochloremia persisted, consistent with concurrent loop diuretic effects on electrolytes. Future study correlating c[Cl−] to antidiuretic hormone concentrations is warranted.

Con el objetivo de evaluar las características físicas de aguas para consumo humano, procedentes de las localidades de Severino, Julián y Balsa en Medio, ubicadas en la microcuenca del río Carrizal, Ecuador, tratadas por estrategias de depuración, se evaluaron cinco tratamientos: incubada con 5 ml/l de EM•1® y filtrada en zeolita cubana; incubada con 5 ml/l de EM•1® y filtrada en zeolita ecuatoriana; e incubada con tres dosis de microorganismos autóctonos (5, 10 y 15 ml/l). Se utilizó el diseño experimental de bloques al azar, con cuatro repeticiones. Las comparaciones se llevaron a cabo a través de contrastes ortogonales. Se constató que, con independencia de la localidad y la fuente de agua muestreada, se encontraron ventajas estadísticamente significativas (p < 0.05) para las variables turbidez, sólidos totales y dureza cuando se emplean dosis de 15 ml/l microorganismos autóctonos. Se obtuvieron resultados similares cuando se utilizó zeolita ecuatoriana como elemento filtrante asociado con microorganismos eficientes (EM•1®). La variable temperatura presentó mayores valores relacionados con los tratamientos con los organismos eficientes (EM•1®), cuando son filtrados con la zeolita cubana y, de manera similar, con la dosis de 5 ml/l de microrganismos autóctonos. La variable color fue similar para todas las fuentes de muestreo y localidades. La mayoría de las variables físicas de las localidades de Severino, Julián y Balsa en Medio cumplen con las normativas aplicables a condiciones de calidad de agua de consumo de Ecuador. La turbidez excedió los límites permisibles y no fue posible corregirlos con los tratamientos evaluados.

Nuclear infrastructure systems play an important role in national security. The functions and missions of nuclear infrastructure systems are vital to government, businesses, society and citizen's lives. It is crucial to design nuclear infrastructure for scalability, reliability and robustness. To do this, we can use machine learning, which is a state of the art technology used in various fields ranging from voice recognition, Internet of Things (IoT) device management and autonomous vehicles. In this paper, we propose to design and develop a machine learning algorithm to perform predictive maintenance of nuclear infrastructure. Support vector machine and logistic regression algorithms will be used to perform the prediction. These machine learning techniques have been used to explore and compare rare events that could occur in nuclear infrastructure. As per our literature review, support vector machines provide better performance metrics. In this paper, we have performed parameter optimization for both algorithms mentioned. Existing research has been done in conditions with a great volume of data, but this paper presents a novel approach to correlate nuclear infrastructure data samples where the density of probability is very low. This paper also identifies the respective motivations and distinguishes between benefits and drawbacks of the selected machine learning algorithms.

Objetivo: Verificar o comportamento da criança na punção venosa com intervenção musical usando uma canção instrutiva. Método: Estudo caso-controle; incluídas crianças de 4 a 11 anos. A coleta foi realizada pela ficha sociodemográfica, abordagem com canção instrutiva apresentada ao vivo, beira leito, e avaliação da escala de observação de distresse comportamental. As variáveis foram analisadas com Teste-T de Student, Qui-quadrado e Exato de Fisher. Todas as análises foram realizadas no programa Data Analysis and Statistical Software (STATA®), versão 14,0, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: A utilização da música favoreceu a diminuição da variável gritar (p=0,049). A busca por suporte emocional foi maior sem o uso da música (p=0,019). De modo geral, a canção reduziu os comportamentos concorrentes. Conclusão: A interação entre a criança e a canção repercutiu um cuidado instrucional sensível e adaptável ao mundo infantil, revelando-se uma tecnologia para a enfermagem pediátrica.

Background: Menière's disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of spontaneous vertigo, unilateral low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. Current diagnosis still often has to rely on subjective and audiometric criteria only, although endolymphatic hydrops is recognized as the pathophysiological substrate of the disease, having been demonstrated in anatomical pathological studies and by magnetic resonance (MRI). The modiolus has a close functional and anatomical relationship with the cochlear nerve and membranous labyrinth and can be evaluated with MRI but no data exist on the modiolar size in MD.Purpose: Our purpose is to examine the following hypothesis. Is cochlear modiolus smaller in symptomatic ears in MD?Methods: We used a retrospective 3 Tesla MR study (heavily T2-weighted 3D fast asymmetric spin-echo images and 0.5 mm slice thickness) comparing the mean modiolar area (MMA) in the index and best ears of eight patients with definite MD based on audiometric data. The obtained MMA values were compared against the audiometric data and the presence of vestibular endolymphatic hydrops.Results: No differences were seen in MMA between best and worst ears. Ears with a pure tone average (PTA) ≥25 dB and more pronounced endolymphatic hydrops showed lower MMA (not statistically significant). Two patients with extreme endolymphatic hydrops showed a noteworthy ipsilateral decrease in the cochlear modiolus area.Conclusion: No differences were seen in MMA between best and worst ears in definite MD. Worse hearing function (PTA ≥ 25dB) and more pronounced endolymphatic hydrops seem to be associated with lower MMA. This might be related to bone remodeling as a consequence of endolymphatic hydrops. Further research is needed to corroborate and explore these findings.

Abstract In comparison with other over‐the‐counter anti‐inflammatory drugs, naproxen has a longer half‐life in dogs and can lead to severe morbidity and mortality. This report describes the successful use of membrane‐based therapeutic plasma exchange after a massive ingestion of naproxen by a dog resulting in 86% reduction in plasma concentration.

Los pronósticos de precipitaciones como variable hidrológica nos indican las posibles cantidades de lluvia en un periodo futuro. Contemplando la variación temporal y espacial, se tuvo como objetivo pronosticar las precipitaciones sobre la cuenca aportante al embalse “La Esperanza” aplicando el modelo climático global HadCM3. Mediante información retrospectiva, se analizó información de precipitaciones históricas entre los años 1980-2017, de 50 estaciones pluviométricas cercanas al área en estudio, utilizando el software Excel 2016, para síntesis de datos numéricos en el análisis estadístico y la estimación de datos hidrológicos mediante los métodos: Promedios vecinales, razones normales y de regresiones; del cual se obtuvo información prospectiva mediante el uso del software ArcGIS 10.4.1, extrayendo 456 precipitaciones medias, mediante el método de las isoyetas, obteniéndose las precipitaciones promedias reales observadas, a las cuales se aplicó las constantes de anomalías del modelo climático global HadCM3. Los resultados indican que las precipitaciones en el área de estudio, tiende a aumentar en cada periodo de años analizados: 2010-2039 con el 16,75%, 2040-2069 con el 47% y 2070-2099 con el 80,16% de aumento con respecto precipitación promedio real observada: 1759,64 mm. El presente estudio propone una herramienta de previsión a las entidades encargadas de la planificación del recurso hídrico para la toma de decisiones.

La presente investigación se condujo con los objetivos de determinar la calidad del agua, categorizar las condiciones de salud y el perfil socioeconómico de los habitantes de Balsa en Medio, Julián y Severino de la microcuenca del río Carrizal. Las muestras se tomaron del agua almacenada, determinándose in situ: pH, temperatura, conductividad eléctrica y oxígeno disuelto; y en laboratorio sólidos totales, nitratos, fósforo, DBO y coliformes fecales, sus valores interpretados de acuerdo al Índice de Calidad Ambiental. Para la cuantificación de las variables relacionadas con las necesidades básicas insatisfechas, se aplicó una encuesta; por otro lado, para el diagnóstico socioeconómico como el sanitario, se obtuvo información a partir de Censos del Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas, Registros en Infocentros y Centros de Salud. De acuerdo al índice de calidad las aguas de Balsa en Medio y Julián son poco contaminadas”, mientras que las de Severino son “contaminadas”. En 28% de los casos las familias consumen agua hervida, sin cloración, mientras que el 72% la consumen directamente del rio. En 2016 se detectó disentería amebiana, shigelosis, diarreas generalizadas, infecciones por Campylobacter ssp, entre otras. Las comunidades, se ubican dentro de un nivel significativo de pobreza, lo cual dificulta acceder al agua potable. Abstract The present investigation was conducted with the objectives of determining the quality of the water, categorizing health conditions and the socioeconomic profile of the inhabitants of the Village Balsa en Medio, Julián and Severino of the micro-basin of the Carrizal River. The samples were taken from stored water, determining at the sight: pH, temperature, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen; and in the laboratory total solids, nitrates, phosphorus, BOD and fecal coliforms, with values interpreted according to the Environmental Quality Index. For the quantification of the variables related to the unsatisfied basic needs, a survey was applied; on the other hand, for the socioeconomic diagnosis such as health, information was obtained from the Censuses of the National Institute of Statistics, Registries in Infocenters and Health Centers. According to the quality index, the waters of Balsa en Medio and Julián are little polluted, whiles of Severino are contaminated. In 28% of cases, families consume boiled water, without chlorination, while 72% consume it directly from the river. In 2016 amoebic dysentery, shigellosis, widespread diarrhea, and Campylobacter ssp infections were detected, among others. The communities are located within a significant level of poverty, which makes it difficult for them to access drinking water.

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar la incidencia de las principales causas de decomiso en cerdos sacrificados en el matadero de Salamina I en la provincia de Villa Clara y su contribución a la vigilancia epizoótica. La investigación se realizó en el período comprendido de enero de 2013 a diciembre de 2016. Se realizó un análisis de la serie cronológica mensual para determinar la ocurrencia de las principales causas de decomisos en los cerdos sacrificados. Se determinó la tendencia, estacionalidad y canales de comportamiento habitual de las patologías de mayor incidencia. Se evaluó el impacto económico-sanitario de las pérdidas por concepto de decomisos y se realizó una distribución espacial de las áreas de procedencia de los animales sacrificados con mayor ocurrencia de cisticercosis en el año 2014.

Introducción. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar si la laparotomía de control de daños con ligadura y reconstrucción intestinal diferida, en pacientes con peritonitis secundaria a compromiso de víscera hueca, reduce el número de ostomías. Métodos. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes menores de 18 años de edad que ingresaron a la clínica con sospecha de peritonitis de origen no traumático y que se sometieron a laparotomía entre enero del 2003 y diciembre del 2018. Se evaluaron las características sociodemográficas, comorbilidades, escalas de gravedad fisiológica, técnicas de reconstrucción intestinal y resultados clínicos. Resultados. Se incluyeron 306 pacientes, distribuidos en tres grupos: 1) 120 (39,2 %) sometidos a resección y anastomosis, 2) 87 (28,4 %) sometidos a ostomía, y 3) 99 (32,3 %) sometidos inicialmente a ligadura intestinal. Los pacientes sometidos a ligadura intestinal presentaron mayor compromiso fisiológico al ingreso a la unidad de cuidado intensivo, con puntuación APACHE II: 14 (rango intercuartílico, RIC=10-18) en el grupo 1, 13 (RIC=11-18) en el grupo 2, y 18 (RIC=14-24) en el grupo 3 (p

To recover the structure and functionality of a deforested ecosystem, two strategies of ecological restoration are considered: active restoration, which eliminates the disturbance agents and implements strategies to accelerate site recovery, and passive restoration, which eliminates disturbance agents, allowing natural regeneration to occur. Prior to choosing passive restoration, a field evaluation of the potential for natural regeneration is important. In this context, seedling and sapling density as well as patterns of recruitment and survival are appropriate indicators of restoration potential. In the present study, we deduced the potential of sacred fir (Abies religiosa) forest of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to recover by natural regeneration through seedling and sapling density and mortality, since A. religiosa is the dominant tree species in wintering sites of monarch butterfly. In 2015, we evaluated seedling density in 53 sites along an elevational gradient (3050–3550 m above sea level; m a.s.l.). There was a higher density of seedlings and saplings established in canopy gaps, compared to sites under dense forest canopy. Seedling recruitment was higher in sites at intermediate elevations (3050 to 3300 m a.s.l.) than in those at higher elevations. In a second survey, we studied A. religiosa seedling mortality over the dry season of 2016 to identify the environmental variables that cause the high seedling mortality and very low recruitment. Recently emerged seedling mortality was 49.2% at the end of the dry season (June 2016). The highest monthly mortality (14.3%) was recorded in April, a dry and warm month with the lowest values of moss thickness and soil moisture. We found no negative effects of moss layer on seedling mortality; indeed, moss appears to slow soil moisture reduction at the critical end of the warm and dry season. Soil and moss moisture values in April seem to be a critical factor for A. religiosa seedling recruitment, and we expect this condition will deteriorate under projected climatic change scenarios. Thus, the potential of MBBR A. religiosa forest to recover by passive restoration is highly constrained and will require management actions to achieve successful restoration outcomes.

Abstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a global conservation priority, but the booming illegal trade in wild plants remains understudied. We use the Mexican orchid trade to illustrate an interdisciplinary approach to provide novel insight on conservation strategies and policies. We synthesize studies of orchid markets, national orchid confiscation records, CITES registers, and global population dynamics studies to document trade patterns and potential ecological impacts. We found 333 wild‐harvested orchid taxa illegally traded in domestic markets. Clear patterns emerged: 90% were epiphytic and

Bilateral jugular foramen stenosis with jugular bulb and vein aplasia is rare in nonsyndromic craniosynostosis and usually diagnosed during childhood. We present a case of bilateral jugular foramen stenosis with jugular bulb and vein aplasia, with subsequent persistence and enlargement of the fetal venous anastomosis in the middle and posterior cranial fossa, along with a review of the literature about this anatomical abnormality, highlighting the surgical challenges and management from the otologist/neurotologist point of view.

Con el objetivo de implementar un sistema de tratamiento del agua del tipo filtración de múltiples etapas para el consumo humano en las comunidades Balsa en Medio, Julián y Severino, Ecuador, a nivel de laboratorio se desarrolló un sistema a escala, estructurado por filtrado en arenas+gravas, seguido de filtración con las zeolitas clinoptilolita y mordenita y finalmente se realizó el proceso de cloración. Se empleó el diseño experimental completamente aleatorizado con cuatro repeticiones para los tratamientos. Los resultados indican que en la etapa de filtración en arenas+gravas las variables DBO5; sólidos totales; coliformes fecales y turbiedad, alcanzaron niveles permitidos de acuerdo a las normas establecidas para el agua de consumo humano. El uso de zeolitas del tipo clinoptilolita y/o mordenita como procedimiento para complementar el proceso de filtración, redujo significativamente los tenores de cobre, plomo, hierro, aluminio, cobalto y cromo. El uso del tratamiento con cloro después del filtrado redujo en 87% la presencia de coliformes fecales reduciendo los valores dentro de los rangos permitidos. El sistema de tratamiento de aguas propuesto para las comunidades estudiadas es de fácil operación y mantenimiento, sus costos son aceptables y los insumos requeridos para su implantación están disponibles en el Ecuador. AbstractA scale system was developed with the objective of implementing a multi-stage filtration system of water treatment for human consumption in the communities of Balsa en Medio, Julián and Severino, Ecuador at the laboratory level. Initially, it was structured by filtering in sands + gravels, followed by filtration with clinoptilolite and mordenite zeolites. Finally, the water chlorination process was carried out. The assay was developed with a completely randomized experimental design with four repetitions. The results indicate that in the filtration stage in sands + gravels, the BOD5 variables, total solids, fecal coliforms and turbidity, reached permitted levels according to the norms established for water for human consumption. The use of clinoptilolite and/or mordenite zeolites as a method to complement the filtration process significantly reduced the copper, lead, iron, aluminum, cobalt and chromium levels. The use of the chlorine treatment after filtering reduced the presence of fecal coliforms by 87%, reducing the values within the permitted ranges. The water treatment system proposed for the communities studied is easy to operate and maintain, its costs are acceptable and the inputs required for its implementation are available in Ecuador.