Publications by authors named "Aguilar N"

The urge to adopt cleaner technologies drives the search for novel and sustainable materials such as Hydrophobic Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (HNADESs), a new class of green solvents characterized by their low toxicity, biodegradability, and tunable properties, aiming to be applied in various fields for handling non-polar substances. In this work, the solubilization of hydrocarbons in type V HNADESs (non-ionic organic molecules) formed by mixing carvone, a natural monoterpenoid, with organic acids (hexanoic to decanoic acids) is examined by applying both experimental and theoretical approaches. The synthesis and physicochemical characterization of different HNADESs allowed us to tailor their properties, aiming for optimal interactions with desired hydrocarbons.

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In Brazil, at least four lineages of influenza A virus circulate pig population: 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic (pH1N1), human-seasonal origin H3N2, H1N1 and H1N2 (huH1 lineages) viruses. Studies related to the occurrence of swine influenza A virus (SIAV) in Brazilian herds have been detecting an increase of occurrence of huH1 lineages. This study aimed to construct recombinant vaccines against the huH1N1 virus and test the immunogens in a murine model.

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Article Synopsis
  • Mn-Rh nanoparticles show promise as catalysts for producing syngas, an important industrial precursor.
  • This study uses theoretical and computational methods to examine how these nanoparticles interact with titanium oxide (TiO2) surfaces and their catalytic efficiency.
  • Findings reveal insights into the stability, reactivity, and role of Mn and Rh in enhancing syngas generation through specific reactions, indicating their potential for sustainable industrial applications.
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has had devastating effects on the Ukrainian population and the global economy, environment, and political order. However, little is known about the psychological states surrounding the outbreak of war, particularly the mental well-being of individuals outside Ukraine. Here, we present a longitudinal experience-sampling study of a convenience sample from 17 European countries (total participants = 1,341, total assessments = 44,894, countries with >100 participants = 5) that allows us to track well-being levels across countries during the weeks surrounding the outbreak of war.

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Background And Aims: Latin American populations remain underrepresented in genetic studies of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Most genetic association studies of IBD rely on Caucasian, African, and Asian individuals. These associations have yet to be evaluated in detail in the Andean region of South America.

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Lactose intolerance (LI) and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We conducted an observational study in 192 Chilean IBD patients to investigate the prevalence of a specific gene variant (LCT-13910 CC genotype) associated with LI and the prevalence of VDD/Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene variants. Blood samples were analyzed using Illumina's Infinium Global Screening Array.

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  • Transgender women (TW) living with HIV face increased risks for both HIV infection and cardiovascular disease (CVD), prompting a study on the effects of estrogen-based hormone therapy (GAHT) in this population.
  • The research included 15 TW on GAHT who were matched with HIV-positive cisgender individuals to assess various health indicators such as sex hormones, cardiometabolic factors, and inflammatory markers.
  • Findings suggest that while TW on GAHT demonstrated improved outcomes in some areas compared to cisgender groups, and no significant elevation in subclinical CVD markers overall, further longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the long-term impacts of GAHT on their health.
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The development of composite materials with thermo-optical properties based on smart polymeric systems and nanostructures have been extensively studied. Due to the fact of its ability to self-assemble into a structure that generates a significant change in the refractive index, one of most attractive thermo-responsive polymers is poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), as well as its derivatives such as multiblock copolymers. In this work, symmetric triblock copolymers of polyacrylamide (PAM) and PNIPAM (PAM--PNIPAM--PAM) with different block lengths were prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT).

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  • The SCALA study found that training primary health care providers increased alcohol screening in Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, but both standard and shorter training sessions yielded similar results.
  • The research used a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from various sources to evaluate the impact of training on providers' alcohol screening practices.
  • Although participation was high, with nearly half of attendees screening for alcohol use, factors like the amount of training received and the provider's profession influenced the likelihood of conducting screenings, rather than satisfaction or perceived utility from the training.
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This study provides insight into New York City residents' perceptions about violence after the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) based on information from communities in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings. In this novel analysis, we used focus group and social media data to confirm or reject findings from qualitative interviews. We first used data from 69 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with low-income residents and community stakeholders to further explore how violence impacts New York City's low-income residents of color, as well as the role of city government in providing tangible support for violence prevention during co-occurring health (COVID-19) and social (anti-Black racism) pandemics.

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National rates of gun violence have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many contributing factors to this increase, including the compounding consequences of social isolation, unstable housing, decreased economic stability, and ineffective and violent policing of communities of color. The effects of these factors are exacerbated by the pandemic's impact on the provision and availability of psychosocial services for individuals in marginalized communities, particularly those who have been violently injured.

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Objective: Maternal control and directiveness in Latina/o families often do not show the negative associations with child adjustment seen in European American samples. This study tested the self-determination hypotheses that Latina maternal involvement and structure would be positively associated with preschool children's later self-regulation, whereas directiveness and control would show negative relations.

Design: At Time 1, 130 low-income Latina mothers were observed helping their 4- to 5-year-old children complete a stressful task.

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This study aimed to test whether pre-pandemic religious service attendance relates to both lesser impact from the COVID-19 pandemic and lower levels of psychological distress among a sample of 645 American adults across nine US regions. A second aim was to test whether belongingness mediated these relationships. First, it was expected that more frequent pre-pandemic religious service attendance relates to belongingness, which mediates the religious service attendance and psychological distress association.

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Around one billion people live in informal settlements globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya's 3 million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women's fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences women's behaviors. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2015-2016.

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The deep sea has been described as the last major ecological frontier, as much of its biodiversity is yet to be discovered and described. Beaked whales (ziphiids) are among the most visible inhabitants of the deep sea, due to their large size and worldwide distribution, and their taxonomic diversity and much about their natural history remain poorly understood. We combine genomic and morphometric analyses to reveal a new Southern Hemisphere ziphiid species, Ramari's beaked whale, , whose name is linked to the Indigenous peoples of the lands from which the species holotype and paratypes were recovered.

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Article Synopsis
  • Implementation of evidence-based care for heavy drinking and depression is low in global health systems, prompting a study in Latin American primary healthcare to assess various support and training interventions.
  • The study involved 58 healthcare units in Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, comparing usual care to different levels of training and community support for screening and managing depression among heavy drinkers.
  • Results showed high screening rates for depression among heavy drinkers (89.4%), but community support and clinical package intensity did not significantly impact depression activity rates; however, training providers increased screening rates among all consulting patients by 2.7 times.
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Crime and violence are serious issues in informal settlements around the world. To date, there is a dearth of evidence about the causes of and effective strategies for reducing and preventing violence and crime in informal settlements in cities in the Global South. Additionally, women's voices are often absent from research focused on violence and crime prevention and reduction in informal settlements.

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In Paracatu, a city in Minas Gerais State (Brazil), the gold mineral extraction produces wastes that contribute to environmental contamination by arsenic. This work describes the evaluation of arsenic concentration from soil of a gold mining area in Paracatu and the selection of arsenic resistant bacteria. In the process of culturing enrichment, 38 bacterial strains were isolated and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined in solid medium for each strain.

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Objective: Evaluate the implementation and operation of protected residences for people with serious mental illness in Iquitos, based on the benefits and perceived improvement in their quality of life.

Methods: Qualitative and cross-cutting study. Thirty-six in-depth interviews of residents, caregivers, neighbors, and health professionals were conducted.

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Background: Sedentary behaviors are one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Aim: To identify factors associated with high sedentary behaviors in the Chilean population.

Material And Methods: We included 5,040 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010.

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This work investigates whether a submarine volcanic eruption off El Hierro (Canary Islands) in October 2011 influenced the metal contents of two deep water cephalopod species: Abraliopsis morisii and Pyroteuthis margaritifera. This was assessed by comparing metal contents in specimens collected off the island of El Hierro and in the neighbouring islands of La Palma and Tenerife during an experimental deep water fishing trip. The concentration of 20 heavy metals was analyzed in 180 specimens of A.

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Objective: Describe a tool to estimate demand for benznidazole and nifurtimox to treat Chagas disease, and report on its implementation in a group of Latin American countries.

Methods: The project was carried out in the following stages: 1) development of a tool to estimate demand, and definition of the evaluation and decision variables to estimate demand 2) data collection via a questionnaire completed by representatives of control programs, complemented with data from the literature; 3) presentation of the tool, followed by validation, and adaptation by representatives of the control programs in order to plan drug procurement for 2012 and 2013; and 4) further analysis of the obtained data, especially regarding benznidazole, and comparison of country estimates.

Results: Fourteen endemic countries of Latin America took part in the third stage, and a consolidated estimate was made.

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Biological N fixation (BNF) in the rhizosphere of Podocarpaceae is currently attributed to unspecific diazotrophs with negligible impact on N acquisition. Here, we report specific and high associative BNF in dead cells of root nodules of Lepidothamnus fonkii distributed in ombrotrophic peatlands of Patagonia. BNF of nodulated roots, intact plants of L.

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The effect of final baking in convection oven (FBC), microwave oven (FBM), and microwave oven with susceptor packaging material (FBMS) on partially baked (PB) frozen gluten-free bread characteristics was investigated. Specific volume and crust color of loaves were measured at day 0. Bread moisture, water activity, and crumb and crust texture (at 15, 45, and 90 min after baking) were analyzed at day 0 and after 28 d of frozen storage (-18 °C).

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