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ABSTRACT Chemosensory systems allow bacteria to respond and adapt to environmental conditions. Many bacteria contain more than one chemosensory system, but knowledge of their specific roles in regulating different functions remains scarce. Here, we address this issue by analyzing the function of the F6, F8, and alternative (non-motility) cellular functions (ACF) chemosensory systems of the model plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. In this work, we assign PsPto chemoreceptors to each chemosensory system, and we visualize for the first time the F6 and F8 chemosensory systems of PsPto using cryo-electron tomography. We confirm that chemotaxis and swimming motility are controlled by the F6 system, and we demonstrate how different components from the F8 and ACF systems also modulate swimming motility. We also determine how the kinase and response regulators from the F6 and F8 chemosensory systems do not work together in the regulation of biofilm, whereas both components from the ACF system contribute together to regulate these traits. Furthermore, we show how the F6, F8, and ACF kinases interact with the ACF response regulator WspR, supporting crosstalk among chemosensory systems. Finally, we reveal how all chemosensory systems play a role in regulating virulence.IMPORTANCEChemoperception through chemosensory systems is an essential feature for bacterial survival, as it allows bacterial interaction with its surrounding environment. In the case of plant pathogens, it is especially relevant to enter the host and achieve full virulence. Multiple chemosensory systems allow bacteria to display a wider plasticity in their response to external signals. Here, we perform a deep characterization of the F6, F8, and alternative (non-motility) cellular functions chemosensory systems in the model plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. These chemosensory systems regulate key virulence-related traits, like motility and biofilm formation. Furthermore, we unveil an unexpected crosstalk among these chemosensory systems at the level of the interaction between kinases and response regulators. This work shows novel results that contribute to the knowledge of chemosensory systems and their role in functions alternative to chemotaxis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of inoculation with the biofertilizer IHPLUS®BF on seed germination of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Witt cv. Cunningham. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at the Pastures and Forages Research Station Indio Hatuey, located in the Perico municipality, Matanzas province, Cuba. To study the germination response of seeds of L. leucocephala cv. Cunningham, an experiment was carried out with a completely randomized design with a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement. The treatments were formed by the combination of two factors: a) imbibition time and b) dilutions of IHPLUS®BF. Three different times (8, 10 and 28 h) were combined with four dilutions (2,5; 5; 10; 15 mL L-1), and a control: seeds with thermal scarification treatment (water at 80 ºC for two minutes). Results: Germination kinetics maintained a similar performance in all treatments. The best response was obtained with the combination of the thermal scarification method, with 28 hours of imbibition at 10 days and 96 % germination. Germination potential, speed index, average germination time and time to reach maximum germination performed best when the bioproduct was used with doses of 2,5, 5, 10 and 15 %, imbibed for 28 hours. These doses did not show significant differences among themselves and had higher germination efficiency and a minimum of six days to reach maximum germination. Conclusions: The effectiveness of IHPLUS®BF during the germination process of L. leucocephala cv. Cunningham seeds was proven, being the best combination the use at 5 % for 28 hours with higher germination efficiency.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of inoculation of seeds from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Witt cv. Cunningham with the biofertilizer IHPLUS® BF on seedling growth, development and vigor during the nursery stage. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in polyethylene bags with a substrate of soil and organic matter. Five seeds/bag and 10 bags/treatment were used in a complete randomized design. The treatments were formed by the combination of two factors: A) imbibition time and B) dilutions of IHPLUS® BF). Three different times were combined: A) 8, 10 and 28 hours with four dilutions, B) 2,5; 5; 10 and 15 ml L-1) and a control with seeds with heat treatment, thermal scarification and water at 80 ºC for two minutes. Emergence and days to emergence, plant height, stem length, stem diameter, number of leaves and root length were evaluated in each treatment. The quality index classification was used to evaluate the morphological attributes of L. leucocephala seedlings. Results: The combination of seeds with thermal scarification and 28 hours of imbibition in 2,5% IHPLUS® BF resulted in 100 % seedling emergence/day, as well as higher emergence rate. There were significant differences among treatments in plant height, stem length and stem diameter (p ≤ 0,05). The combination of the thermal scarification method with the bioproduct IHPLUS® BF (2,5 %) showed better results, with values of 116,4 cm, 83 cm and 6,26 mm in height, length and stem diameter, respectively. Conclusions: In freshly harvested seeds of L. leucocephala cv. Cunningham, the combined use of the thermal scarification method, with 28 hours of imbibition in a solution of IHPLUS® BF at a concentration of 2,5 favored the germination and seedling emergence processes in nursery.This allowed an additive effect that was evidenced in the stimulation of growth and vegetative development of this plant.

Abstract The extracellular 373‐kDa PehA heme peroxidase of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 has two enzymatic domains which depend on heme cofactor for their peroxidase activity. A null pehA mutant was generated to examine the impact of PehA in rhizosphere colonization competence and the induction of plant systemic resistance (ISR). This mutant was not markedly hampered in colonization efficiency. However, increase in pehA dosage enhanced colonization fitness about 30 fold in the root and 900 fold in the root apex. In vitro assays with purified His‐tagged enzymatic domains of PehA indicated that heme‐dependent peroxidase activity was required for the enhancement of root tip colonization. Evaluation of live/dead cells confirmed that overexpression of pehA had a positive effect on bacterial cell viability. Following root colonization of rice plants by KT2440 strain, the incidence of rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae was reduced by 65% and the severity of this disease was also diminished in comparison to non‐treated plants. An increase in the pehA dosage was also beneficial for the control of rice blast as compared with gene inactivation. The results suggest that PehA helps P. putida to cope with the plant‐imposed oxidative stress leading to enhanced colonization ability and concomitant ISR‐elicitation.

En este artículo reportamos resultados de una investigación con estudiantes mexicanos sobre los niveles de alfabetización y razonamiento estadístico que han desarrollado en su educación básica y media superior, utilizando la taxonomía SOLO (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes). El instrumento utilizado es un cuestionario aplicado en línea que se ha adaptado de diversos ítems de la literatura y algunos de elaboración propia. Los resultados señalan que los estudiantes tienen bajos niveles de alfabetización y razonamiento estadístico en representaciones gráficas y medidas descriptivas, a pesar de que son temas del currículo desde la educación primaria; los resultados son más bajos aún en ítems de correlación, diagramas de caja, deciles y probabilidad.

Abstract Online political advertising is becoming increasingly popular as political campaigns recognize the utility of social network platforms, like Facebook, for reaching and engaging with voters. Yet, contrary to the wealth of information about campaign advertising on TV, little is known about advertising online, as comprehensive data only recently became available to scholars. Moreover, the newly available data is often aggregated, incomplete, and imprecise. Here, we present an analysis of Facebook political ad data, supplemented with funding-related meta-data obtained through human coding and a partnership with the Center for Responsive Politics. Through computational tools—namely, network analysis—we aim to use this data to describe and categorize political ad funding behavior on Facebook. Specifically, we focus on the geographic concentration of ads, and discover that most ads reach an audience in a single geographic region (i.e., U.S. state) or in a wide range of regions, and very few reach an audience spanning a small number of regions. We use this observation to partition funding entities into three groups based on their relationships to regionally-concentrated ads. We then examine the differences between these groups via bipartite networks connecting funding entities to their geographic audiences, as well as content they support. Our findings reveal that geographic impressions play an important role in online political advertising, and can be used to classify funding entities. As a result, this study represents a step toward ensuring political funding transparency and demystifying online political advertising more broadly.

Considering the enormous variety of LBDs at sensor proteins, an important question resides in establishing the forces that have driven their evolution and selection. We present here the first clear demonstration that environmental factors play an important role in the selection and evolution of LBDs.

Con el objetivo de reseñar los aspectos esenciales de la contribución del manejo de sistemas de pastoreo racional intensivo para desarrollar una ganadería baja en emisiones, se consideraron un conjunto de efectos relacionados con el cambio climático y su repercusión sobre la relación suelo-planta-animal, en los que se hace énfasis en los resultados obtenidos en Cuba. El mundo se enfrenta a los eventos climáticos extremos tales como: la sequía, las inundaciones, el incremento de la temperatura, entre otros. A su vez, la disminución en la productividad de la tierra, la degradación de los suelos y las pasturas, la disminución de la producción animal, hace a los países más vulnerables al cambio climático. La agricultura mundial representa el 14 % de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero; mientras que en Cuba es responsable del 18 % del total de emisiones. Los estudios realizados sobre el manejo racional intensivo han tenido una positiva repercusión en diferentes países del área. Existen resultados en el manejo racional de diferentes gramíneas mejoradas y su efecto en la estabilidad de la composición florística, la disponibilidad de materia seca, las plagas y enfermedades, el reciclaje de nutrientes, la biota del suelo y la fitomasa subterránea. A partir de la contribución del manejo ecológico de los sistemas de pastoreo intensivo para desarrollar una ganadería baja en emisiones se ofrecen resultados que representan una opción resiliente ante el cambio climático y una contribución a la autosuficiencia alimentaria de los países. En este sentido, el reto es la transición o reconversión de los sistemas convencionales a sistemas agroecológicos, resilientes, que permitan disminuir las emisiones de CO2-eq e incrementar los sumideros.

El empoderamiento de la mujer rural es crucial para la promoción del desarrollo agrícola sostenible y la mejora de la seguridad alimentaria. Este estudio se realizó en los municipios Martí, Perico, Colón y Jagüey, de la provincia de Matanzas Cuba, con el objetivo de socializar la experiencia del eje de género en el marco del Programa de Innovación Agropecuaria Local (PIAL). La metodología utilizada permitió interrelacionar la teoría, la práctica, la acción y la participación, mediante talleres, observación participante, dinámicas de animación, historias de vida y lluvia de aspiraciones. Se pudo constatar que las mujeres sufren una sobrecarga de tareas y responsabilidades, evidenciada en que, además de apoyar el trabajo en la finca, se encargan de las labores domésticas y el cuidado de los niños; mientras que los hombres desempeñan mayormente función de proveedores. Los hombres aspiran a lograr el equilibrio y la armonía en la familia, a mejorar la economía del hogar y la prosperidad de la finca; mientras que las féminas, aunque coinciden con este criterio, ansían además superarse profesionalmente. El Programa de Innovación Agropecuaria Local en la provincia de Matanzas ha logrado su integración para favorecer el reconocimiento social de la mujer rural, así como su participación e influencia en la toma de decisiones. El gran reto que enfrentan hoy los proyectos de desarrollo es lograr el empoderamiento de la mujer rural cubana.

Con el objetivo de evaluar los componentes de la biodiversidad, se realizó un estudio en la finca La Paulina ubicada en el municipio de Perico, Provincia Matanzas, la cual posee un área de 26,84 ha dedicada a la producción de cultivos varios, frutales y de leche. Se evaluó la funcionalidad de la biodiversidad, a partir del análisis de los componentes: diversidad de árboles, diversidad de la producción y riqueza de especies. A través de un diagnóstico, se cuantificó el número de individuos de cada especie, las que se caracterizaron de acuerdo con su funcionalidad dentro del sistema. La información se capturó a través de las entrevistas semi-estructuradas, observación participante y encuestas. El índice de Shannon se calculó para los componentes diversidad de árboles (1,7) y para la de producción (3,32) y el de Margalef para la riqueza de especies (5,03). El valor obtenido en el índice Margalef confirma que el sistema puede ser considerado de alta riqueza de especie. La caracterización y el inventario de la biodiversidad de la finca La Paulina demostraron la funcionalidad de este agroecosistema representado por la diversificación y la integración agriculturaganadería; ello evidenció una relación directamente proporcional entre la riqueza de especies y la diversidad de producción.

Se realizó un estudio en los municipios Colón y Martí en Matanzas, Cuba, con el objetivo de determinar el nivel de accesibilidad a los alimentos por parte de la población. Los indicadores analizados fueron: la disponibilidad en base a la oferta en los puntos de venta en todos los consejos populares y las ventas totales de los municipios. Para ello se encuestó un total de 100 personas en cada municipio, entre productores y consumidores, que se encontraron representados, proporcionalmente, en el 100 % de los consejos populares (seis en Martí y diez en Colón). Se visitó un total de 49 puntos de venta en los dos municipios. En cuanto a los productos más ofertados, las hortalizas ocuparon el primer lugar con más del 30 % de la oferta total, seguidas por las frutas y las viandas, con el 21 y el 19 %, respectivamente; y después le siguieron las carnes, con un 10 %, y el arroz con una oferta de 5,6 % respecto al total. Los frijoles ocuparon el último lugar, con solo un 3,4 %. Se concluye que la oferta de productos alimentarios accesibles para la población de los municipios Martí y Colón aún es pobre en cantidad, calidad y variedad. Sin embargo, es posible resolver esta situación mediante dos vías: por un lado, priorizando la cantidad de alimentos que satisfaga las demandas; y, por otro, incrementando la variedad de la producción, y su calidad mediante la instalación de infraestructura de regadío, y poniendo a producir las tierras que aún están ociosas o deficientemente utilizadas.

ABSTRACT Chemotaxis has been associated with the pathogenicity of bacteria in plants and was found to facilitate bacterial entry through stomata and wounds. However, knowledge regarding the plant signals involved in this process is scarce. We have addressed this issue using Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, which is a foliar pathogen that causes bacterial speck in tomato. We show that the chemoreceptor P. syringae pv. tomato PscA (PsPto-PscA) recognizes specifically and with high affinity l-Asp, l-Glu, and d-Asp. The mutation of the chemoreceptor gene largely reduced chemotaxis to these ligands but also altered cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) levels, biofilm formation, and motility, pointing to cross talk between different chemosensory pathways. Furthermore, the PsPto-PscA mutant strain showed reduced virulence in tomato. Asp and Glu are the most abundant amino acids in plants and in particular in tomato apoplasts, and we hypothesize that this receptor may have evolved to specifically recognize these compounds to facilitate bacterial entry into the plant. Infection assays with the wild-type strain showed that the presence of saturating concentrations of d-Asp also reduced bacterial virulence. IMPORTANCE There is substantive evidence that chemotaxis is a key requisite for efficient pathogenesis in plant pathogens. However, information regarding particular bacterial chemoreceptors and the specific plant signal that they sense is scarce. Our work shows that the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato mediates not only chemotaxis but also the control of pathogenicity through the perception of the plant abundant amino acids Asp and Glu. We describe the specificity of the perception of l- and d-Asp and l-Glu by the PsPto-PscA chemoreceptor and the involvement of this perception in the regulation of pathogenicity-related traits. Moreover, a saturating concentration of d-Asp reduces bacterial virulence, and we therefore propose that ligand-mediated interference of key chemoreceptors may be an alternative strategy to control virulence.

Multidrug resistance efflux pumps protect bacterial cells against a wide spectrum of antimicrobial compounds. PSPTO_0820 is a predicted multidrug transporter from the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Orthologs of this protein are conserved within many Pseudomonas species that interact with plants. To study the potential role of PSPTO_0820 in plant-bacteria interaction, a mutant in this gene was isolated and characterized. In addition, with the aim to find the outer membrane channel for this efflux system, a mutant in PSPTO_4977, a TolC-like gene, was also analyzed. Both mutants were more susceptible to trans-cinnamic and chlorogenic acids and to the flavonoid (+)-catechin, when added to the culture medium. The expression level of both genes increased in the presence of (+)-catechin and, in the case of PSPTO_0820, also in response to trans-cinnamic acid. PSPTO_0820 and PSPTO_4977 mutants were unable to colonize tomato at high population levels. This work evidences the involvement of these two proteins in the resistance to plant antimicrobials, supporting also the importance of chlorogenic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, and (+)-catechin in the tomato plant defense response against P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 infection.

Because of increasing global urbanization and its immediate consequences, including changes in patterns of food demand, circulation and land use, the next century will witness a major increase in the extent of paved roads built worldwide. To model the effects of this increase, it is crucial to understand whether possible self-organized patterns are inherent in the global road network structure. Here, we use the largest updated database comprising all major roads on the Earth, together with global urban and cropland inventories, to suggest that road length distributions within croplands are indistinguishable from urban ones, once rescaled to account for the difference in mean road length. Such similarity extends to road length distributions within urban or agricultural domains of a given area. We find two distinct regimes for the scaling of the mean road length with the associated area, holding in general at small and at large values of the latter. In suitably large urban and cropland domains, we find that mean and total road lengths increase linearly with their domain area, differently from earlier suggestions. Scaling regimes suggest that simple and universal mechanisms regulate urban and cropland road expansion at the global scale. As such, our findings bear implications for global road infrastructure growth based on land-use change and for planning policies sustaining urban expansions.

El suelo es un recurso indispensable para la vida que permite el desarrollo de las plantas, los animales y el hombre. Sin embargo, aún no se reconocen todas las funciones que realiza, por lo que el concepto general de suelo fértil se refiere más bien a sus propiedades químicas, específicamente a la disponibilidad de los macroelementos primarios (nitrógeno, fósforo y potasio). En los últimos años se han propuesto nuevas definiciones que integran las propiedades físicas, químicas y biológicas de los suelos, así como su capacidad de ser sostenibles, producir alimentos sanos y mitigar la polución medioambiental. No obstante, aún no existen criterios universales para evaluar los cambios en la calidad del suelo, y para ello se utilizan indicadores que son atributos edáficos sensibles al manejo y a las condiciones edafoclimáticas, entre otras características, que permiten valorar su estado. En este artículo se pretende, de forma general, contribuir al conocimiento de la nueva concepción de la calidad del suelo, a partir de sus funciones; definir los indicadores biológicos, físicos y químicos y la relación entre ellos; así como describir algunos estudios que se han realizado en Cuba sobre el tema de los indicadores de la calidad, como una herramienta para la toma de decisiones en el manejo.Soil is an essential resource for life, which allows the development of plants, animals and men. However, all the functions it performs are not acknowledged yet, for which the general concept of fertile soil rather refers to its chemical properties, specifically to the availability of primary macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). In recent years new definitions have been proposed integrating the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils, as well as their capacity of being sustainable, producing healthy food and mitigating environmental pollution. However, there are no universal criteria yet to evaluate the changes in soil quality, and for such purpose indicators are used, sensitive to management and the edaphoclimatic conditions, among other characteristics, which allow appraising its status. This paper intends, in general, to contribute to the knowledge of the new conception of soil quality, from its functions; define the biological, physical and chemical indicators and the relation among them; as well as to describe some studies which have been conducted in Cuba about the topic of quality indicators, as a tool for decision-making in management.

Los cambios acontecidos en la agricultura cubana a finales del siglo XX provocaron la ruptura del paradigma basado en la dependencia de importaciones, por lo que se precisó comenzar a construir un nuevo modelo técnico-económico sobre la base del desarrollo endógeno, asociado al fomento de capacidades innovadoras y de tecnologías sostenibles; ello exigió que los centros de desarrollo de conocimiento se centraran en la aplicación de innovaciones, mediante adecuados procesos de extensión rural. En este sentido, la Estació n Experimental "Indio Hatuey" concentró los esfuerzos en el fomento de los procesos de innovación en la ganadería cubana, que fueron potenciados a inicios de la primera década del actual milenio cuando se dio un giro en el sistema convencional de transferencia tecnológica para fomentar la innovación y el desarrollo local rural. Ejemplos destacados de la aplicación de este enfoque son: el Programa de Desarrollo Agropecuario en el municipio Martí, el fortalecimiento de los procesos de innovación agropecuaria local y de fomento de sistemas locales de innovación en el sector cooperativo y campesino de la provincia de Matanzas, así como la producción integrada de alimentos y energía sobre bases agroecológicas en cinco provincias cubanas.The changes occurred in Cuban agriculture at the end of the 20th century caused the rupture of the paradigm based on import dependence, for which it became necessary to begin building a new technical-economic model based on endogenous development, associated to the promotion of innovative capacities and sustainable technologies; this demanded that knowledge-development centers focused on the application of innovations, through adequate rural extension processes. In this sense, the Experimental Station "Indio Hatuey" focused the efforts on the promotion of innovation processes in Cuban livestock production, which were enhanced at the beginning of the first decade of this millennium, when a turn occurred in the conventional technology transference system to promote innovation and rural local development. Outstanding examples of the application of this approach are: the Livestock Production Development Program in the Martí municipality, the enhancement of the processes of local agricultural innovation and of promotion of local innovation systems in the cooperative and farmer sector of Matanzas province, as well as the integrated food and energy production on agroecological bases in five Cuban provinces.

En Cuba, debido a la degradación que presentan los suelos, se requiere de un manejo integrado para potenciar su capacidad productiva en beneficio del hombre y lograr el desarrollo sostenible y la seguridad alimentaria. Esta situación demanda que los profesionales, técnicos y responsables de la producción agropecuaria amplíen sus conocimientos relacionados con el manejo y conservación de este recurso, de modo que con su trabajo se pueda lograr un equilibrio en el sistema suelo-planta-animal, que posibilite mejorar el medio ambiente, lograr producciones más ecológicas y obtener mayores beneficios económicos y sociales para el país. En este artículo se presentan algunos resultados generados en diferentes instituciones científicas en cuanto al uso de tecnologías adecuadas en el manejo de la fertilidad del suelo en ecosistemas agropecuarios, así como las experiencias de su introducción en la práctica productiva con el fin de contribuir al desarrollo sostenible y la seguridad alimentaria en Cuba.In Cuba, due to soil degradation, integrated management is required to enhance their productive capacity in benefit of man and achieve sustainable development and the necessary food security. This situation demands that the professionals, technicians and people responsible for livestock production increase their knowledge related to the management and conservation of this resource, so that with their work balance can be achieved in the soil-plant-animal system, which allows improving the environment, achieving more ecological productions, and attaining higher economic and social benefits for the country. In this paper some results are shown generated in different scientific institutions regarding the use of adequate technologies of soil fertility management in agricultural and livestock production ecosystems, as well as the experiences of their introduction in productive practice in order to contribute to sustainable development and food security in Cuba.

Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento de comunidades de lombrices de tierra en dos sistemas ganaderos (pastizal de gramíneas y sistema silvopastoril), los cuales se manejaron para la ceba de animales vacunos y la producción de semillas, se realizó una investigación en la Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes «Indio Hatuey», Matanzas. Para el estudio de las comunidades de lombrices se hicieron seis colectas. En cada una de las áreas descritas se tomaron 40 muestras de suelo, según la Metodología del Programa de Investigación Internacional «Biología y Fertilidad del Suelo Tropical». Se encontraron 297 y 740 organismos en el pastizal de gramíneas y en el sistema silvopastoril, respectivamente. La especie Onychochaeta elegans mostró una mayor abundancia proporcional en el pastizal de gramíneas; mientras que en el sistema silvopastoril se encontraron tres especies, de ellas dos típicas de zonas boscosas: Polypheretima elongata y Onychochaeta windlei; la primera tuvo un mayor valor, con diferencias significativas respecto a las especies halladas del género Onychochaeta. Se concluye que la presencia de árboles en pastizales de gramíneas contribuye a estimular los organismos del suelo, en especial las lombrices de tierra, las que desempeñan un papel importante al mejorar no solo los indicadores físicos y químicos de este, sino también como estimuladoras de otros organismos.In order to evaluate the behavior of earthworm communities in two livestock production systems (grassland and silvopastoral system), which were managed for cattle fattening and seed production, a study was conducted at the Experimental Station of Pastures and Forages «Indio Hatuey», Matanzas. For the study of the earthworm communities six collections were made. In each of the described areas 40 soil samples were taken, according to the Methodology of the International Research Program «Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility». In the grassland and the silvopastoral system, 297 and 740 organisms were found, respectively. The species Onychochaeta elegans showed higher proportional abundance in the grassland; while in the silvopastoral system three species were found, two of them typical of forest areas: Polypheretima elongata and Onychochaeta windlei; the former showed a higher value, with significant differences as compared to the species found of the Onychochaeta genus. It is concluded that the presence of trees in grasslands contributes to stimulate edaphic organisms, especially earthworms, which play an important role not only by improving soil physical and chemical indicators, but also as stimulators of other organisms.

Introducción: el acretismo y percretismo se asocian con antecedentes de placentas previas y cesáreas anteriores, las cuales se han incrementado en nuestro medio. Por este motivo, su detección anteparto es fundamental en el propósito de disminuir el riesgo de morbimortalidad materna. Objetivo: evaluar la utilidad del ultrasonido (US) y la resonancia magnética (RM) en el diagnóstico prenatal de este trastorno adherencial placentario. Metodología: el presente es un estudio de cohorte prospectivo que incluyó a once mujeres en tercer trimestre de embarazo con antecedentes de placenta previa y cesárea anterior, a las cuales se les practicó US transabdominal y transvaginal, Doppler color y resonancia magnética, buscando signos de acretismo, los cuales fueron comparados con los hallazgos durante el parto y la histopatología. Resultados: el ultrasonido mostró una sensibilidad de 70% (IC95% 35,4-91,9). En contraste, el Doppler color y la resonancia magnética evidenciaron una sensibilidad de 90% (IC 95% 54,1-99,5). Conclusión: en pacientes con placenta previa y cesárea anterior, el US y el Doppler color surgen como una herramienta útil en la detección de acretismo placentario; sin embargo, se requieren mayores estudios para confirmar su validez diagnóstica.

Introducción: el acretismo y percretismo se asocian con antecedentes de placentas previas y cesáreas anteriores, las cuales se han incrementado en nuestro medio. Por este motivo, su detección anteparto es fundamental en el propósito de disminuir el riesgo de morbimortalidad materna. Objetivo: evaluar la utilidad del ultrasonido (US) y la resonancia magnética (RM) en el diagnóstico prenatal de este trastorno adherencial placentario. Metodología: el presente es un estudio de cohorte prospectivo que incluyó a once mujeres en tercer trimestre de embarazo con antecedentes de placenta previa y cesárea anterior, a las cuales se les practicó US transabdominal y transvaginal, Doppler color y resonancia magnética, buscando signos de acretismo, los cuales fueron comparados con los hallazgos durante el parto y la histopatología. Resultados: el ultrasonido mostró una sensibilidad de 70% (IC95% 35,4-91,9). En contraste, el Doppler color y la resonancia magnética evidenciaron una sensibilidad de 90% (IC 95% 54,1-99,5). Conclusión: en pacientes con placenta previa y cesárea anterior, el US y el Doppler color surgen como una herramienta útil en la detección de acretismo placentario; sin embargo, se requieren mayores estudios para confirmar su validez diagnóstica.Introduction: An increased risk of placenta accreta and placenta percreta is associated with patients having had previous caesarean deliveries or placenta previa; such conditions have been increasing of late. Prenatal detection may be helpful in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Objective: evaluating the usefulness of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) for prenatal detection of abnormal placental separation. Methodology: this was a prospective study which included 11 patients in the third trimester of pregnancy having a history of previou scaesarean and placenta previa. Transabdominal and transvaginal US, colour Doppler and MR were thus performed, seeking signs of placenta accreta; these were compared to histopathological findings and data from when birth was given. Results: US and MR had 70% sensitivity (95% CI 35.4-91.9) whilst colour Doppler had 90% sensitivity (95%CI 54.1-99.5). Conclusions: US and colour Doppler US might be useful, highly sensitive techniques for detecting abnormal adherence of the placenta in patients having a history of placenta previa and previous caesarean deliveries. Further studies are required for confirming their diagnostic validity.

This report had the intention of pointing some concerns with Judo practice that are discordant with Jigoro Kano’s ideas when he idealized Judo. In this way, some comments on how Judo practice is changing over time; the cultural differences that hinder the understanding of Judo principles and their application in practice as well as in everyday life are presented. There is also a discussion on how difficult is to teach this martial art that requires persistence to those who lack it. It also describes the difference between being judoist and a Judo fighter. Therefore, this approach aims to motivate practitioners, fighters, teachers and judoists to know, understand and deepen their knowledge about Judo. But it also has the goal to help them to contemplate, criticize and discuss their practices so that they do not leave the ease road to a totally rough one. RESUMO Este relato teve o intuito de apontar algumas questões que não estão indo ao encontro do que foi preconizado por Jigoro kano ao idealizar o Judô. Neste sentido, teceu-se alguns comentários sobre as transformações observadas na prática do Judô em função do tempo; as diferenças culturais que dificultam o entendimento dos princípios do Judô e, com isto, a não utilização destes tanto na prática como no cotidiano e, ainda, comentários sobre a dificuldade de se transmitir uma arte marcial que exige persistência àqueles que não a tem, além de levantar sobre a diferença entre ser judoca e lutador de Judô. Deste modo, com tal abordagem, pretendeu-se instigar praticantes, lutadores, professores e judocas, a conhecer, a compreender, a aprofundar e a continuar aprimorando, e também para que reflitam, critiquem, discutam e, principalmente, que não deixem o caminho suave se tornar de vez, totalmente ríspido.

Proteins of the animal heme peroxidase (ANP) superfamily differ greatly in size since they have either one or two catalytic domains that match profile PS50292. The orf PP_2561 of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 that we have called PepA encodes a two-domain ANP. The alignment of these domains with those of PepA homologues revealed a variable number of insertions with the consensus G-x-D-G-x-x-[GN]-[TN]-x-D-D. This motif has also been detected in the structure of pseudopilin (pdb 3G20), where it was found to be involved in Ca(2+) coordination although a sequence analysis did not reveal the presence of any known calcium binding motifs in this protein. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that a peptide containing this consensus motif bound specifically calcium ions with affinities ranging between 33-79 µM depending on the pH. Microcalorimetric titrations of the purified N-terminal ANP-like domain of PepA revealed Ca(2+) binding with a K(D) of 12 µM and stoichiometry of 1.25 calcium ions per protein monomer. This domain exhibited peroxidase activity after its reconstitution with heme. These data led to the definition of a novel calcium binding motif that we have termed PERCAL and which was abundantly present in animal peroxidase-like domains of bacterial proteins. Bacterial heme peroxidases thus possess two different types of calcium binding motifs, namely PERCAL and the related hemolysin type calcium binding motif, with the latter being located outside the catalytic domains and in their C-terminal end. A phylogenetic tree of ANP-like catalytic domains of bacterial proteins with PERCAL motifs, including single domain peroxidases, was divided into two major clusters, representing domains with and without PERCAL motif containing insertions. We have verified that the recently reported classification of bacterial heme peroxidases in two families (cd09819 and cd09821) is unrelated to these insertions. Sequences matching PERCAL were detected in all kingdoms of life.

En respuesta a los comentarios publicados en la Revista Colombiana de Ginecología y Obstetricia Vol.60 No 4, páginas 387 a 388 de 2009, expresamos nuestro agradecimiento al interés y análisis acucioso con que Sanín-Blair leyó el artículo de serie de casos titulado: "Acretismo placentario: diagnóstico prenatal mediante ultrasonido y resonancia magnética y su correlación histopatológica en Barranquilla (Colombia)", publicado en la Revista Colombiana de Obstetricia y Ginecología Vol. 60 No. 3 de 2009. Ciertamente, el aumento de cesáreas en el mundo ha generado un incremento del acretismo y muchos de los sangrados poscesáreas o posparto que no ceden a alternativas médicas o quirúrgicas terminan en posteriores histerectomías en peores condiciones, con la consecuencia de una mayor morbilidad y mortalidad en ellas.1,3 Al parecer, la prolongación de esta escala ascendente de cesáreas en pacientes con deseo de fertilidad posterior conducirá a cifras de acretismo como las publicadas por nosotros en esta serie de casos, con la única salvedad de que como centro de referencia no sólo se trata de la población de Barranquilla sino de los ocho departamentos de la costa (www.dane.gov.co).

Introducción: el acretismo y percretismo se asocian con antecedentes de placentas previas y cesáreas anteriores, las cuales se han incrementado en nuestro medio. Por este motivo, su detección anteparto es fundamental en el propósito de disminuir el riesgo de morbimortalidad materna. Objetivo: evaluar la utilidad del ultrasonido (US) y la resonancia magnética (RM) en el diagnóstico prenatal de este trastorno adherencial placentario. Metodología: el presente es un estudio de cohorte prospectivo que incluyó a once mujeres en tercer trimestre de embarazo con antecedentes de placenta previa y cesárea anterior, a las cuales se les practicó US transabdominal y transvaginal, Doppler color y resonancia magnética, buscando signos de acretismo, los cuales fueron comparados con los hallazgos durante el parto y la histopatología. Resultados: el ultrasonido mostró una sensibilidad de 70% (IC95% 35,4-91,9). En contraste, el Doppler color y la resonancia magnética evidenciaron una sensibilidad de 90% (IC 95% 54,1-99,5). Conclusión: en pacientes con placenta previa y cesárea anterior, el US y el Doppler color surgen como una herramienta útil en la detección de acretismo placentario; sin embargo, se requieren mayores estudios para confirmar su validez diagnóstica.

Many infrastructure networks have a modular structure and are also interdependent with other infrastructures. While significant research has explored the resilience of interdependent networks, there has been no analysis of the effects of modularity. Here we develop a theoretical framework for attacks on interdependent modular networks and support our results through simulations. We focus, for simplicity, on the case where each network has the same number of communities and the dependency links are restricted to be between pairs of communities of different networks. This is particularly realistic for modeling infrastructure across cities. Each city has its own infrastructures and different infrastructures are dependent only within the city. However, each infrastructure is connected within and between cities. For example, a power grid will connect many cities as will a communication network, yet a power station and communication tower that are interdependent will likely be in the same city. It has previously been shown that single networks are very susceptible to the failure of the interconnected nodes (between communities) (Shai et al 2014 arXiv: http://arXiv.org/abs/1404.4748 ) and that attacks on these nodes are even more crippling than attacks based on betweenness (da Cunha et al 2015 arXiv: http://arXiv.org/abs/1502.00353 ). In our example of cities these nodes have long range links which are more likely to fail. For both treelike and looplike interdependent modular networks we find distinct regimes depending on the number of modules, m . (i) In the case where there are fewer modules with strong intraconnections, the system first separates into modules in an abrupt first-order transition and then each module undergoes a second percolation transition. (ii) When there are more modules with many interconnections between them, the system undergoes a single transition. Overall, we find that modular structure can significantly influence the type of transitions observed in interdependent networks and should be considered in attempts to make interdependent networks more resilient.

Con el objetivo de determinar la descomposición de la hojarasca en un sistema silvopastoril de Panicum maximum y Leucaena leucocephala y su relación con la densidad y la diversidad de la macrofauna asociada, se realizó este experimento en la EEPF «Indio Hatuey». Esta se determinó como la pérdida de biomasa a través del tiempo, con relación al peso inicial. Para el estudio de la dinámica de la descomposición se utilizó el método de bolsas de hojarasca (litter bags). Se escogieron al azar cuatro bolsas a los 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 y 210 días de situadas en el pastizal. En cada fecha de recolección, a la hojarasca remanente de cada bolsa se le determinó la población de macrofauna (organismos con diámetro mayor que 2 mm) mediante la separación manual, y se calculó el valor promedio de la densidad (individuos/m²), así como la abundancia proporcional (%) para cada taxón. Se utilizó el análisis de correlación y regresión para conocer la interrelación entre las variables y los modelos de mejor ajuste. De acuerdo con los resultados se concluye que las condiciones de humedad y temperatura que genera el árbol en este sistema, así como la calidad de su hojarasca, posibilitan la presencia de una diversa y estable fauna asociada a las bolsas, la cual influyó en el proceso de descomposición.The trial was conducted at the EEPF «Indio Hatuey» in order to determine the litter decomposition in a silvopastoral system of Panicum maximum and Leucaena leucocephala and its relation to the density and diversity of the associated macrofauna. It was determined as biomass loss through time, with regards to initial weight. For the study of the decomposition dynamics the litter bag method was used. Four bags were randomly chosen 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210 days after being placed in the pastureland. In each collection date, to the remnant litter of each bag, the macrofauna (organisms with diameter higher than 2 mm) population was determined by means of manual separation, and the average value of density (individuals/m²), as well as the proportional abundance (%) for each taxon, was calculated. The correlation and regression analysis was used to learn the interrelation among variables and the best adjustment models. According to the results, it is concluded that the humidity and temperature conditions generated by the tree in this system, as well as the quality of its litter, allow the presence of a diverse and stable fauna associated to the bags, which influenced the decomposition process.

Con el objetivo de determinar la descomposición de la hojarasca en un sistema silvopastoril de Panicum maximum y Leucaena leucocephala y su relación con algunos factores del clima, se realizó este experimento en la EEPF «Indio Hatuey». La descomposición de la hojarasca se determinó como la pérdida de biomasa a través del tiempo, con relación al peso inicial. Para el estudio de la dinámica de la descomposición se utilizó el método de bolsas de hojarasca (litter bags); se registró diariamente el comportamiento de la temperatura media, la humedad relativa, la precipitación y los días con lluvias, en la estación metereológica situada a 1 km del área experimental. Se utilizó el análisis de correlación y regresión para conocer la interrelación entre las variables y los modelos de mejor ajuste. Se consideró, como variables independientes, los factores climáticos estudiados, y como variable dependiente el porcentaje de biomasa perdida. De forma general, los resultados demostraron que el comportamiento de la descomposición de la hojarasca, tanto en la guinea como en la leucaena, estuvo relacionado con los factores climáticos que prevalecieron durante el período experimental y, por tanto, es posible explicar este proceso en ambos pastizales a partir de la acción conjunta de la temperatura, la humedad relativa y la precipitación.With the objective of determining the litter decomposition in a silvopastoral system of Panicum maximum and Leucaena leucocephala and its relationship to some climate factors, this trial was conducted at the EEPF «Indio Hatuey». Litter decomposition was determined as the loss of biomass through time, with regards to initial weight. For studying the decomposition dynamics the method of litter bags was used; the performance of mean temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and days with rain, was daily recorded at the meteorological station located 1 km away from the experimental area. . The correlation and regression analysis was used to learn the interrelation between the variables and the best adjustment models. The studied climatic factors were considered independent variables, and the lost biomass percentage was considered a dependent variable. In general, the results showed that the performance of litter decomposition, in Guinea grass as well as leucaena, was related to the climatic factors that prevailed during the experimental period and, thus, it is possible to explain this process in both pasturelands from the joint action of temperature, relative humidity and rainfall.

Con el objetivo de determinar la descomposición de la hojarasca y su relación con la composición química de Panicum maximum y Leucaena leucocephala en un sistema silvopastoril, se realizó este experimento en la EEPF "Indio Hatuey". La descomposición de la hojarasca se determinó como la pérdida de biomasa a través del tiempo, con relación al peso inicial. Para el estudio de la dinámica de la descomposición se utilizó el método de bolsas de hojarasca (litter bags). En cada especie se presentó un patrón diferente de descomposición de la hojarasca; la tasa promedio de descomposición de la hojarasca en leucaena fue mayor que en la guinea. En ambas especies se encontró una rápida pérdida de peso durante los primeros 30 días y después el proceso fue más lento. Este comportamiento puede estar relacionado con la composición química de los pastos, pues el porcentaje de biomasa perdida de la hojarasca de L. leucocephala presentó una mayor correlación con las concentraciones del contenido celular, la relación lignina/nitrógeno, la celulosa y el Nt. Se observó una dependencia significativa y negativa de la hojarasca de P. maximum con las concentraciones de la FND y la hemicelulosa; mientras que se relacionó de forma positiva con las de N-FND y la relación lignina/nitrógenoWith the objective of determining the litter decomposition and its relationship to the chemical composition of Panicum maximum and Leucaena leucocephala in a silvopastoral system, this trial was conducted at the EEPF «Indio Hatuey». Litter decomposition was determined as biomass loss through time, with regards to initial weight. For studying the decomposition dynamics, the method of litter bags was used. In each species a different litter decomposition pattern appeared; the average litter decomposition rate was higher in leucaena than in Guinea grass. Rapid weight loss was found in both species during the first 30 days and afterwards the process was slower. This behavior could be related to the chemical composition of pastures, because the percentage of lost biomass in L. leucocephala litter showed a higher correlation to the cell content concentrations, lignin/nitrogen relationship, cellulose and Nt. A significant and negative dependence was observed between the P. maximum litter and the concentrations of NDF and hemicellulose; while it was positively related to the N-NDF concentrations and the lignin/nitrogen relationship.

La hojarasca constituye la vía de entrada principal de los nutrientes en el suelo y es uno de los puntos clave del reciclado de la materia orgánica y de los nutrientes. Varios autores han estudiado con detalle la dinámica de la descomposición de la hojarasca de las plantas leñosas, tanto en climas templados como en el mediterráneo. Sin embargo, hay pocos estudios sobre la dinámica de la descomposición de la hojarasca en los pastizales a pesar de su importancia en la producción primaria y secundaria, sobre todo en los sistemas donde los nutrientes disponibles para la vegetación escasean, como ocurre en los ecosistemas de pastizales. Por ello en el presente artículo se abordan dichos procesos, así como el efecto del clima, la vegetación, el suelo y la fauna descomponedora, como factores principales que determinan el proceso de descomposición de la hojarasca en los pastizales. Además se brindan los resultados más relevantes relacionados con el empleo de los sistemas silvopastoriles como alternativa viable para lograr la sostenibilidad ecológica y productiva de los pastizales tropicales, con mayor énfasis en el papel que estos desempeñan en el reciclaje de los nutrientes.Litter constitutes the main way of entrance of nutrients in the soil and is one of the key points for recycling organic matter and nutrients. Several authors have studied in detail the dynamics of the decomposition of the litter of ligneous plants, in temperate as well as Mediterranean climates. Nevertheless, there are few studies about the decomposition dynamics of litter in pasturelands, in spite of its importance in the primary and secondary production, especially in systems in which the available nutrients for the vegetation are scarce, as in pastureland ecosystems. That is why in this work such processes are approached, as well as the effect of climate, vegetation, soil and decomposing fauna, as main factors that determine the process of litter decomposition in pasturelands. In addition, the most relevant results related to the use of silvopastoral systems as viable alternative to achieve ecological and productive sustainability of tropical pasturelands are offered, with higher emphasis on the role these systems play in nutrient recycling.

Se realizó un estudio en la Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes ¨Indio Hatuey¨, Matanzas, con el objetivo de determinar la descomposición de la hojarasca de Panicum maximum y su relación con algunos de los factores bióticos y abióticos. La descomposición de la hojarasca se determinó como la pérdida de biomasa a través del tiempo, con relación al peso inicial. Para el estudio de la dinámica de la descomposición se utilizó el método de bolsas de hojarasca (litter bags). Las bolsas medían 10 x 10 x 10 cm, con poros de 1 cm de diámetro, lo cual permite el acceso al interior de un amplio rango de la biota edáfica. Se distribuyeron al azar 40 bolsas que contenían hojarasca de P. maximum. En cada bolsa se colocaron 20 g de hojarasca (base seca) previamente colectada. Los resultados demostraron que el proceso de descomposición de la hojarasca de P. maximum fue lento, ya que a los 210 días la hojarasca aún presentaba el 45,3% de su peso inicial, con una mayor tasa de descomposición en los primeros 30 días. En el material remanente del proceso de descomposición de la hojarasca, la concentración del N-FND se incrementó. La composición taxonómica de la fauna asociada al proceso de descomposición estuvo constituida por tres phylum, cinco clases, ocho órdenes, siete géneros y siete especies determinadas. La presencia de una diversa y estable fauna asociada a las bolsas influyó en el proceso de descomposición de la hojarasca. Las especies Venezillo sp., Nagarus sp. y Pycnocelus surinamensis fueron las de mayor presencia durante todo el proceso. El modelo matemático que contempla el efecto de la temperatura, la humedad relativa y la precipitación, mostró el mejor ajuste en el proceso de descomposición de la hojarasca en este pastizal.A study was carried out at the Experimental Station of Pastures and Forages “Indio Hatuey”, Matanzas, with the objective of determining the litter decomposition of Panicum maximum and its relationship to some of the biotic and abiotic factors. The litter decomposition was determined as the loss of biomass in time, with regards to the initial weight. For the study of the decomposition dynamics the method of litter bags was used. The bags measured 10 x 10 x 10 cm, with pores of 1 cm diameter, which allows access inside of a wide range of the edaphic biota. Forty bags that contained litter of P. maximum were distributed randomly. In each bag 20 g of previously collected litter (dry base) were put. The results showed that the decomposition process of P. maximum litter was slow, because 210 days after being deposited the litter still showed 45,3% of its initial weight, with a higher decomposition rate in the first 30 days. In the remnant material of the process of litter decomposition, the N-NDF concentration increased. The taxonomic composition of the fauna associated to the decomposition process was constituted by three phyla, five classes, eight orders, seven genera and seven determined species. The presence of a diverse and stable fauna associated to the bags influenced the process of litter decomposition. The species Venezillo sp., Nagarus sp. and Pycnocelus surinamensis were the ones with higher presence during the whole process. The mathematical model that shows the effect of temperature, relative humidity and rainfall, showed the best adjustment in the process of litter decomposition in this pastureland.

Se realizó un estudio en la Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes "Indio Hatuey", Matanzas, Cuba, con el objetivo de determinar la acumulación de la hojarasca en un pastizal de Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Likoni y en un sistema silvopastoril de Panicum maximum y Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit cv. Cunningham. En los pastizales de P. maximum de ambos sistemas se determinó la acumulación de la hojarasca según la técnica propuesta por Bruce y Ebershon (1982), mientras que la hojarasca de L. leucocephala acumulada en el sistema silvopastoril se determinó según Santa Regina et al. (1997). De forma general, los resultados demostraron que en ambos pastizales la guinea acumuló una menor cantidad de hojarasca durante el período junio-diciembre, etapa en la que se produce su mayor desarrollo vegetativo. En la leucaena la mayor producción de hojarasca ocurrió en el período de diciembre a enero, asociada con la caída natural de sus hojas que se produce por efecto de las temperaturas más bajas y la escasa humedad en el suelo. En el sistema silvopastoril la hojarasca de leucaena representó el mayor porcentaje de peso dentro de la producción total, con un contenido más alto de nitrógeno y de calcio que el de la hojarasca del estrato herbáceo. En la guinea la lluvia fue el factor climático que mayor correlación negativa presentó con la producción de hojarasca en ambos sistemas, y en la leucaena la mayor correlación negativa se encontró con la temperatura mínima.A study was carried out at the Experimental Station of Pastures and Forages "Indio Hatuey", Matanzas, Cuba, with the objective of determining the litter accumulation in a pastureland of Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Likoni and in a silvopastoral system of Panicum maximum and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit cv. Cunningham. In the P. maximum pasturelands of both systems the litter accumulation was determined by means of the technique proposed by Bruce and Ebershon (1982), while the litter of L. leucocephala accumulated in the silvopastoral system was determined according to Santa Regina et al. (1997). In general, the results showed that in both pasturelands the Guinea grass accumulated a lower quantity of litter during the June-December period, stage in which its highest vegetative development occurs. In leucaena, the highest litter production occurred in the December-January period, associated to the natural fall of its leaves that is produced due to the effect of the lower temperatures and the scarce moisture in the soil. In the silvopastoral system the leucaena litter represented the highest percentage of weight within the total production, with a higher nitrogen and calcium content than the litter of the herbaceous stratum. In the Guinea grass the rainfall was the climatic factor that showed higher negative correlation with the litter production in both systems, and in leucaena the highest negative correlation was found with the lowest temperature.

El presente estudio se diseñó en una parcela experimental donde se utiliza, desde hace diez años, el follaje de Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) como abono verde en el cultivo de Morus alba (morera), con el objetivo de determinar la velocidad de descomposición del follaje de la leguminosa y la relación de este proceso con algunos de los factores bióticos y abióticos presentes en el sistema. Para el estudio de la dinámica de la descomposición del follaje se utilizó el método de bolsas de hojarasca (litter bags). El follaje depositado en estas bolsas fue evaluado en seis momentos durante la etapa de estudio, que abarcó dos años. En cada fecha de recolección, a la hojarasca remanente de cada bolsa se le determinó la población de macrofauna mediante la separación manual, según la metodología del Programa de Investigación Internacional "Biología y Fertilidad del Suelo Tropical" (TSBF). La composición taxonómica de la macrofauna asociada al proceso de descomposición del follaje de leucaena estuvo constituida por cuatro Phylum, seis clases y siete órdenes. El 97% de los organismos eran detritívoros y el 3% depredadores. El tipo de bolsa no influyó en la descomposición del follaje y los factores climáticos desempeñaron un rol decisivo en este proceso.

Se realizó una investigación con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento de la macrofauna edáfica en áreas de la finca de producción intensiva de césped, en la Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes Indio Hatuey. Se evaluaron tres sistemas, con diferentes años de explotación y tres réplicas por sistema: S1: suelos con diez años o más de explotación intensiva; S2: suelos con cuatro años de explotación; y S3: suelos de condición estándar o de referencia, en los que se establecerán las parcelas para la producción intensiva de césped. En sentido general, la composición taxonómica de la macrofauna edáfica fue similar en los sistemas evaluados, y existieron diferencias en cuanto a la diversidad y equitatividad de los órdenes. Los sistemas más perturbados (S1 y S2) fueron los de menor diversidad taxonómica, con cinco unidades taxonómicas (ut), debido al monocultivo continuado de gramíneas cespitosas. Los órdenes de mayor representación en el S1 fueron Coleoptera (38,63 %) y Haplotaxida (31,81 %); en el S2, Coleoptera (52,63 %) y Haplotaxida (28,94 %); y en el S3, Haplotaxida (34,48 %) y Lepidoptera (12,93 %). Estos resultados evidencian el potencial de la macrofauna edáfica como indicador de la calidad del suelo, y su sensibilidad ante las perturbaciones causadas por la intensidad en el uso y manejo del suelo.

Se evaluó el efecto de cuatro sistemas de uso de la tierra en la riqueza y la abundancia de la macrofauna edáfica, durante el periodo lluvioso (junio-octubre) del año 2011, en los municipios de Colón, Calimete y Perico (provincia de Matanzas, Cuba). El muestreo de la macrofauna se realizó según la Metodología del Programa de Investigación Internacional Biología y Fertilidad del Suelo Tropical (TSBF). Los sistemas evaluados fueron: cultivos varios (suelos con 10 años -o más- de explotación intensiva), fincas agropecuarias (suelos con más de cinco años de explotación, con laboreo mínimo y con fertilización orgánica e inorgánica), silvopastoril (suelos con más de 10 años de explotación y con una carga global de ganado vacuno entre 1,7 y 1,8 UGM/ha) y pastizal (suelos con más de 10 años de explotación y con una carga global de ganado vacuno entre 1,3 y 1,5 UGM/ha). Los mayores valores de densidad y biomasa se obtuvieron en los sistemas menos perturbados, siguiendo el gradiente: silvopastoril-pastizal-fincas agropecuarias-cultivos varios. La densidad solo fue sensible en los sistemas donde hubo un contraste en cuanto a la diversidad y los estratos de vegetación. La biomasa reflejó los cambios en los diferentes usos y en el manejo de los suelos. Se demostró que los distintos usos de la tierra, así como el grado de perturbación e intensidad del manejo, influyeron en la composición y la abundancia de la macrofauna edáfica.

Treating the surfaces of dental implants in an alkaline medium allows us to obtain microstructures of sodium titanate crystals that favor the appearance of apatite in the physiological environment, producing osteoconductive surfaces. In this research, 385 discs made of titanium used in dental implants underwent different NaOH treatments with a 6M concentration at 600 °C and cooling rates of 20, 50, 75, and 115 °C/h. Using high-resolution electron microscopy, the microstructures were observed, and the different crystal sizes were determined and compared with control samples (those without biomimetic treatment). Roughness, wettability, surface energy and the sodium content of the surface were determined. The different surfaces were cultured with human osteoblastic cells; cell adhesion was determined at 3 and 14 days, and the degree of mineralization was determined at 14 days via alkaline phosphatase levels. Variations in the microstructure and size of sodium titanate crystals in NaOH solutions rich (1 g/L) or low in calcium (approximately 100 ppm) were determined. The results show that as the cooling rate increases, the size of the crystals decreases (from 0.4 μm to 0.8 μm) except for the case of 115 °C/h, when the rate is too fast for crystalline nucleation to occur on the surface of the titanium. The thermochemical treatment does not influence the roughness or the cooling rate since a Sa of 0.21 μm is maintained. However, the presence of titanate causes a decrease in the contact angle from 70° to 42° and, in turn, causes an increase in the total surface energy from 35 to 49.5 mJ/m 2 , with the polar component standing out in this energy increase. No variations were observed in the thermochemical treatments in the presence of sodium, which was around 1200 ppm. It was observed that as the size of the crystals decreases, cell adhesion increases at 3 days and decreases at 14 days. This is because finer crystals on the surface are already in the mineralization process, as demonstrated using the level of alkaline phosphatase that is maximal for the cooling rate of 75 °C/h. It was possible to confirm that the variations in the concentrated NaOH solutions with different calcium contents did not affect the crystal sizes or the microstructure of the surface. This research makes it possible to obtain dental implants with different mineralization speeds depending on the cooling rate applied.

Background: Mental health disorders are one of the leading causes of illness globally. The importance of psychosocial skills acquired in early childhood, such as executive functions, inhibitory control, emotional regulation, and social problem-solving, in preventing mental disorders has been reported. Furthermore, mental health care delivery is evolving, and mobile technology is becoming the medium for assessment and intervention. We have developed Japi 2.0, the second iteration of a gaming platform, to stimulate cognitive and non-cognitive skills in early childhood, supported by early years educators using a web-based dashboard integrated into one system. This study aims to assess the acceptability and feasibility of this gaming platform and web-based dashboards., Methods: This is a pilot randomized controlled trial, parallel-group type, where the school-based implementation of "Japi 2.0" training is compared to standard school curricula in control schools. A total of six schools with low socio-economic status located in the city of Santiago, Chile, are expected to be recruited and randomized with 1:1 allocation. Japi 2.0 has 24 sessions, and 2 sessions of 15 min per week are delivered for 12 weeks. Measures will be conducted using different instruments with children, parents, and early years educators to gain insight into their acceptance of the intervention and the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills., Discussion: This is a randomized control trial to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a gaming platform called "Japi 2.0" among preschoolers in Chile. This platform stimulates cognitive and non-cognitive skills with the final objective of reducing emotional and behavioral problems in early childhood. Evaluating the acceptability and feasibility of this technological solution for children is expected to produce relevant information about these novel designs. It may help guide future studies, such as a randomized controlled trial on a larger scale., Trial Registration: Clinical Trials NCT06420544, May 20, 2024 [ https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/study/NCT06420544 ]., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Approval of the Scientific and Ethical Committee of Universidad de los Andes (CEC 2022100, November 9th, 2022) was obtained. Written and informed consent to participate will be obtained from all parents or legal guardians of the participants, and verbally informed assent to participate will be obtained from the students. Consent for publication: Written and informed consent to publish will be obtained from all parents or legal guardians of the participants. No personal data will be presented in the publications, and personal identification will be removed or encrypted for data analyses. Consent materials are available from the corresponding author on request. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: Hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) constitutes a group of rare primary immunodeficiency disorders. The diagnosis relies on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) scoring system, incorporating clinical and laboratory data. Scores greater than or equal to 15 raise a strong suspicion of the disease. In an isolated Israeli population, Zinc Finger 341 deficiency, a subtype of HIES, has a carrier incidence of 1:20, but the prevalence of the clinical syndrome within this community remains unknown., Objective: To estimate the prevalence of potentially undiagnosed HIES cases within this population by using the NIH scoring criteria., Methods: This retrospective cohort study obtained requisite clinical and laboratory data for NIH score computation from the electronic medical records of Clalit Health Services for the isolated village under scrutiny in comparison to a neighboring village. Subsequently, clinical scores were assigned to each subject, enabling comparative analysis of suspected diagnosis rates between the 2 populations., Results: Among the 29,390 studied subjects, 12 had a documented diagnosis of HIES. All were in the study village, and none were from the control village (0.08% vs 0%, P < .01). Within the study village, 235 individuals (1.62%) had an NIH score greater than or equal to 15 and were suspected with having HIES almost doubled compared with the control group at 130 individuals (0.87%) (P < .001)., Conclusion: This is the first time the NIH clinical score system has been used for population screening. The significant disparity in the prevalence of suspected, undiagnosed cases between the study village and the control village strongly suggests the potential utility of this tool for preliminary screening., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We aimed to compare FOLFIRI and bevacizumab with FOLFIRI and aflibercept in terms of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and safety in patients with RAS-mutant metastatic colon cancer who progressed after first-line FOLFOX or XELOX and bevacizumab treatment. This retrospective study included 243 patients from 15 different centres in Turkey. The endpoints of the study were OS, PFS and safety and side effect outcomes. The median age of the patients included in the study was 60 (21-85) years. Of the patients enrolled in the study, 114 patients (46.9%) received aflibercept and 129 patients (53.1%) received bevacizumab. Median OS was 11.2 (95% CI: 9.1-13.2) months in patients receiving FOLFIRI + aflibercept and 14.1 (95% CI: 11.2-17.1) months in patients receiving FOLFIRI + bevacizumab. The median PFS was 5.7 (95% CI: 4.9-6.5) months in the aflibercept arm and 7.7 (95% CI: 7.1-8.3) months in the bevacizumab arm. Grade 3-4 side effects were observed in 58 (50.9%) patients in the aflibercept arm and 33 (25.6%) patients in the bevacizumab arm. As a result of our study, in patients with metastatic RAS-mutant colon cancer who progressed after first-line oxaliplatin-based doublet chemotherapy and bevacizumab, better OS and PFS results were obtained in patients receiving bevacizumab with FOLFIRI compared to patients receiving aflibercept with FOLFIRI. In addition, the side effect profile was more tolerable in the bevacizumab arm., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: Ethical approval was obtained for the multicentric study from Ankara Bilkent City Hospital’s Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Date: 03.07.2024 / No:24–349). All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations for this approval. Our Hospital’s Clinical Research Ethics Committee decided that informed consent is waived due to retrospective study design., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects 296 million people globally, causing 780 000 annual deaths. It has been estimated that 12-43 million individuals are co-infected with hepatitis D virus (HDV). In Spain, the prevalence of HBsAg in adults is 0.22%, with an anti-HDV prevalence of 7.7%, although not extensively documented since many HBsAg-positive cases are not tested for anti-HDV. The primary objective of this project is to optimise hepatitis D care by implementing a screening programme for anti-HDV in all HBsAg-positive individuals over a 1 year period in Catalonia. Secondary objectives include evaluating hepatitis D prevalence, establishing a digital registry for all anti-HDV positive cases, testing them for HDV-RNA in a centralised laboratory and offering linkage to care., Methods and Analysis: This prospective study will be performed in seven hospital centres in Catalonia, which attend to more than 95% of the adult population. Approximately, 9290 HBsAg-positive individuals are expected to be screened for anti-HDV in 1 year. All anti-HDV positive samples will be sent to a centralised laboratory for HDV-RNA quantification. All individuals testing positive for anti-HDV will be registered on an electronic platform and linked to care. The registry will collect data on demographics, infection stage, risk factors, disease awareness and previous diagnoses. No additional interventions will be conducted for those with adequate follow-up., Ethics and Dissemination: The Vall d'Hebron Hospital Ethics Committee (PR(AG)628/2023) and the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices approved this study. These findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations., Trial Registration Study: Grant number: IN-ES-980-7058., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MB has served as a speaker and advisory board member for Gilead, AbbVie, Roche, Arbutus and GSK. No competing interests were declared for AP, AR-S, GF, LC, AS-S, DPdC, SMB, MMOPM, DT, JA, MAL, JCQ., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: Hybrid implants commonly exhibit decreased corrosion resistance and fatigue due to differences in compressive residual stresses between the smooth and rough surfaces. The main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of an annealing heat treatment to reduce the residual stresses in hybrid implants., Methodology: Commercially pure titanium (CpTi) bars were heat-treated at 800 °C and different annealing times. Optical microscopy was used to analyze the resulting grain growth kinetics. Diffractometry was used to measure residual stress after heat treatment, corrosion resistance by open circuit potential (E OCP ), corrosion potentials (E CORR ), and corrosion currents (I CORR ) of heat-treated samples, as well as fatigue behavior by creep testing. The von Mises distribution and the resulting microstrains in heat-treated hybrid implants and in cortical and trabecular bone were assessed by finite element analysis. The results of treated hybrid implants were compared to those of untreated hybrid implants and hybrid implants with a rough surface (shot-blasted)., Results: The proposed heat treatment (800 °C for 30 min, followed by quenching in water at 20 °C) could successfully homogenize the residual stress difference between the two surfaces of the hybrid implant (-20.2 MPa). It provides better fatigue behavior and corrosion resistance ( p ˂ 0.05, ANOVA). Stress distribution was significantly improved in the trabecular bone. Heat-treated hybrid implants performed worse than implants with a rough surface., Clinical Significance: Annealing heat treatment can be used to improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of hybrid surface implants by homogenizing residual stresses.

Abstract: Hematologic toxicity is a common side effect of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, being particularly severe among patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, we characterized 48 patients treated with B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR-T cells to understand kinetics of cytopenia, identify predictive factors, and determine potential mechanisms underlying these toxicities. We observed that overall incidence of cytopenia was 95.7%, and grade >3 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, 1 month after infusion, was observed in 57% and 53% of the patients, respectively, being still present after 1 year in 4 and 3 patients, respectively. Baseline cytopenia and high peak inflammatory markers were highly correlated with cytopenia that persisted up to 3 months. To determine potential mechanisms underlying cytopenias, we evaluated the paracrine effect of BCMA CAR-T cells on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) differentiation using an ex vivo myeloid differentiation model. Phenotypic analysis showed that supernatants from activated CAR-T cells (spCAR) halted HSPC differentiation, promoting more immature phenotypes, which could be prevented with a combination of interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor α/β, transforming growth factor β, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-17 inhibitors. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated upregulation of transcription factors associated with early stages of hematopoietic differentiation in the presence of spCAR (GATA2, RUNX1, CEBPA) and a decrease in the activity of key regulons involved in neutrophil and monocytic maturation (ID2 and MAFB). These results suggest that CAR-T activation induces HSPC maturation arrest through paracrine effects and provides potential treatments to mitigate the severity of this toxicity., (© 2024 by The American Society of Hematology. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.)

An increase in Group A Streptococcus vulvovaginitis was detected in 2023: The average number of cases per year was 13 during 2011-2017. Twenty-five and 27 cases were reported in 2018 and 2019 followed by a decline coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 increase surpassed previous data. The most frequent resistances were to erythromycin (11.3%;) and tetracycline (8.8%). Eleven different emm-types were detected among 30 GAS isolated in 2023: emm 1 was predominant (36.7%) followed by emm 89 (20%), emm 87 (10%) and emm 28 (6.7%). GAS should be increasingly considered in women with vulvovaginitis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder. Recent evidence reveals connections between neuroinflammatory processes and intestinal microbiota alterations in the progression of this pathology. This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationships between them, highlighting their combined impact on PD. Neuroinflammation, characterized by immune activation in the central nervous system, is increasingly acknowledged as a critical factor in the development of PD. Concurrently, alterations in the gut microbiota composition have been linked to PD, suggesting a potential modulatory role in disease progression. Thus, bidirectional communication along the gut-brain axis has become pivotal in comprehending the pathogenesis of PD. Furthermore, we explore emerging therapeutic strategies that target these interconnected pathways, providing insights into potential avenues for PD treatment. The elucidation of these intricate relationships establishes a promising foundation for innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at altering disease progression and improving the quality of life for individuals affected by PD.

Ankle fractures can lead to issues such as limited dorsiflexion, strength deficits, swelling, stiffness, balance disorders, and functional limitations, which complicate daily activities. This study aimed to describe neuromuscular adaptations at 6 and 12 months post-surgery during static and dynamic balance tasks, specifically using the Y-Balance Test (YBT). Additionally, the relationship between neuromuscular patterns, balance, and musculoskeletal deficits was evaluated. In 21 participants (14 at 6 months and 21 at 12 months) with bimalleolar fractures, hip strength, ankle dorsiflexion, ankle functionality, and static and dynamic balance were assessed using electromyography of five lower limb muscles (tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, lateral gastrocnemius, biceps femoris, and gluteus medius). A significant interaction effect (limb × proximal [hip]-distal [ankle] muscle) (F = 30.806, p < 0.001) was observed in the anterior direction of the Y-Balance Test (YBT A ) at 6 months post-surgery. During the YBT A and YBT posteromedial (YBT PM ), it was found that a lower dorsiflexion range of movement was associated specifically at 6 months with greater activation of the lateral gastrocnemius. However, these differences tended to diminish by 12 months. These findings suggest that neuromuscular patterns differ between operated and non-operated limbs during the YBT A at 6 months post-surgery. The Y-Balance Test, particularly its anterior direction, effectively highlighted these neuromuscular changes. This is a preliminary study; further research is needed to explore these findings in depth.

Most social innovation research in scientific literature focuses on cases in the Global North, where basic needs have already been met. However, examining the Global South, where institutional failures and gaps pose a more complex challenge and require innovative solutions to promote territorial development, is crucial. Our study analyses how social innovation with territorial impact has been institutionalised in Global South countries, contrasting these experiences with Global North countries. The most pressing needs addressed by social innovation in the Global South are food, poverty and health, with a higher emphasis on service and process innovations. These innovations create socio-environmental value through governance processes and attention to basic needs, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. The various experiences in institutionalising social innovation in the Global South have given rise to multi-faceted innovation referred to as territorial-institutional innovations in contrast to the Global North, combining bottom-up and top-down approaches to institutionalising social innovation through governance structures and policy support to promoting territorial development., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. According to Tables 1 and in addition for the territorial perspective, the identified innovations are not subtypes of social innovation. They can mainly differ based on their motivation and purpose [21]. However, they all share the common characteristic of generating positive social changes, which is essential for considering them as social innovations [21,72]. Therefore, this justifies the relationship of social innovation with the other concepts linked to institutionalisation processes proposed by Ref. [109]., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Droplet-based microfluidic systems have received much attention as promising tools for fabricating monodisperse microspheres of alginate solutions with high accuracy and reproducibility. The immediate and simple ionotropic gelation of alginate, its biocompatibility, and its tunability of mechanical properties make it a favorable hydrogel in the biomedical and tissue engineering fields. In these fields, micron-sized alginate hydrogel spheres have shown high potential as cell vehicles and drug delivery systems. Although on-chip microfluidic gelation of the produced alginate droplets is common, several challenges remain. Complicated chemical and microfabrication processes are required, and the risk of microchannel clogging is high. In the current study, we present an easy-to-use microfluidic external gelation process to produce highly spherical and monodisperse microspheres from very low-concentrated alginate-RGD solution [0.5% (w/v)]. To accomplish this, gelatin, a thermo-sensitive and inexpensive biomaterial, was incorporated into the alginate solution as a sacrificial biomaterial that mediates the off-chip external gelation of the alginate with Ca 2+ , and avoids droplet coalescence. Utilizing the methodology mentioned above, we successfully generated monodisperse alginate microspheres (AMs) with diameters ranging from 27 μm to 46 μm, with a coefficient of variation of 0.14, from a mixture of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-modified very low viscosity alginate and gelatin. These RGD-AMs were used as microcarriers for human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The described easy-to-use and cost-effective microfluidic off-chip external gelation strategy exhibits comparable advantages to on-chip external gelation and demonstrates superiority over the latter since clogging is impossible., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The embryonic cell surface is rich in glycosphingolipids (GSLs), which change during differentiation. The reasons for GSL subgroup variation during early embryogenesis remain elusive. By combining genomic approaches, flow cytometry, confocal imaging, and transcriptomic data analysis, we discovered that α1,2-fucosylated GSLs control the differentiation of human pluripotent cells (hPCs) into germ layer tissues. Overexpression of α1,2-fucosylated GSLs disrupts hPC differentiation into mesodermal lineage and reduces differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Conversely, reducing α1,2-fucosylated groups promotes hPC differentiation and mesoderm commitment in response to external signals. We find that bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), a mesodermal gene inducer, suppresses α1,2-fucosylated GSL expression. Overexpression of α1,2-fucosylated GSLs impairs SMAD activation despite BMP4 presence, suggesting α-fucosyl end groups as BMP pathway regulators. Additionally, the absence of α1,2-fucosylated GSLs in early/late mesoderm and primitive streak stages in mouse embryos aligns with the hPC results. Thus, α1,2-fucosylated GSLs may regulate early cell-fate decisions and embryo development by modulating cell signaling., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The early detection of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC) is essential to ensure patients receive the most effective treatment. Diagnostic screening tools for NMSC are crucial due to high confusion rates with other types of skin lesions, such as Actinic Keratosis. Nevertheless, current means of diagnosing and screening patients rely on either visual criteria, that are often conditioned by subjectivity and experience, or highly invasive, slow, and costly methods, such as histological diagnoses. From this, the objectives of the present study are to test if classification accuracies improve in the Near-Infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, as opposed to previous research in shorter wavelengths., Methods: This study utilizes near-infrared hyperspectral imaging, within the range of 900.6 and 1454.8 nm. Images were captured for a total of 125 patients, including 66 patients with Basal Cell Carcinoma, 42 with cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and 17 with Actinic Keratosis, to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy skin lesions. A combination of hybrid convolutional neural networks (for feature extraction) and support vector machine algorithms (as a final activation layer) was employed for analysis. In addition, we test whether transfer learning is feasible from networks trained on shorter wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum., Results: The implemented method achieved a general accuracy of over 80 %, with some tasks reaching over 90 %. F1 scores were also found to generally be over the optimal threshold of 0.8. The best results were obtained when detecting Actinic Keratosis, however differentiation between the two types of malignant lesions was often noted to be more difficult. These results demonstrate the potential of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging combined with advanced machine learning techniques in distinguishing NMSC from other skin lesions. Transfer learning was unsuccessful in improving the training of these algorithms., Conclusions: We have shown that the Near-Infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum is highly useful for the identification and study of non-melanoma type skin lesions. While the results are promising, further research is required to develop more robust algorithms that can minimize the impact of noise in these datasets before clinical application is feasible., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The corresponding author has no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to explore perceived barriers to early diagnosis and management of oral cancer, as well as potential pathways for improvement in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)., Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered online questionnaire created via the Research Electronic Data Capture platform. The survey was distributed to health professionals trained in Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dentists with clinical and academic expertise in oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) and oral cancer. Data obtained were systematically organized and analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel., Results: Twenty-three professionals from 21 LAC countries participated. Major barriers included the limited implementation of OPMD and oral cancer control plans (17.4%), low compulsory reporting for OPMD (8.7%) and oral cancer (34.8%), unclear referral pathways for OPMD (34.8%) and oral cancer (43.5%), and a shortage of trained professionals (8.7%). Participants endorsed the utility of online education (100%) and telemedicine (91.3%)., Conclusion: The survey highlights major perceived barriers to early diagnosis and management of OPMD and oral cancer in LAC, as well as potential avenues for improvement., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)