Secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity produced by thermophilic bacteria from a high-altitude hydrothermal system.

Thermophilic microorganisms possess several adaptations to thrive in high temperature, which is reflected as biosynthesis of proteins and thermostable molecules, isolation and culture represent a great methodological challenge, therefore High throughput sequencing enables screening of the whole bacterial genome for functional potential, providing rapid and cost-effective information to guide targeted cultures for the identification and characterization of novel natural products. In this study, we isolated two thermophilic bacterial strains corresponding to LB7 and LB8, from the microbial mats in the Atacama Desert. By combining genome mining, targeted cultures and biochemical characterization, we aimed to identify their capacity to synthesize bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties.

Evaluation of Different Formulations on the Viability of Phages for Use in Agriculture.

Bacteriophages have been proposed as biological controllers to protect plants against different bacterial pathogens. In this scenario, one of the main challenges is the low viability of phages in plants and under adverse environmental conditions. This work explores the use of 12 compounds and 14 different formulations to increase the viability of a phage mixture that demonstrated biocontrol capacity against pv.

UCI EyeMobile Exam Findings from School Children Following on-Site Screening.

Purpose: Uncorrected refractive errors (REs) and amblyopia can lead to visual impairment with deleterious effects on quality of life and academic performance. Early detection and treatment by community vision care programs, such as the UCI EyeMobile for Children, can aid in addressing preventable vision loss.

Methods: A total of 5074 children between the ages of 3 and 10 years were screened at 153 locations, including preschools, head start programs, and elementary schools within Orange County (OC), California (CA).

Sensitivity of microbial bioindicators in assessing metal immobilization success in smelter-impacted soils.

While plant toxicity reduction remains the primary metric for judging the success of metal immobilization in soil, the suitability of microorganisms as universal indicators of its effectiveness in various contaminated soils remains a point of contention. This study assessed the sensitivity of microbial bioindicators in monitoring metal immobilization success in smelter-impacted soils. It compared plants and microorganisms as indicators of the efficiency of natural Fe-Mn nodules from the Gulf of Finland in immobilizing metals in soils contaminated by a Ni/Cu smelter, on the Kola Peninsula, Murmansk region, Russia.

Zinc shields against copper phytotoxicity in a contaminated soil.

While zinc protects plants from copper in hydroponics, its behavior in soil remains unclear. We investigated the potential of zinc sulfate to protect ryegrass from copper toxicity in contaminated soil. Twelve soil treatments combined varying levels of copper oxide (CuO) and zinc sulfate (ZnSO).

The downside of copper pesticides: An earthworm's perspective.

The widespread use of copper-based pesticides, while effective in controlling plant diseases, has been identified as a major source of copper contamination in soils. This raises concerns about potential adverse effects on earthworms, key players in soil health and ecosystem function. To inform sustainable pesticide practices, this study aimed to establish copper toxicity thresholds for earthworm avoidance in agricultural soils impacted by copper-based pesticides.

First Report of causing onion leaf blight and bulb decay in Central Chile.

Nearly 5,400 hectares of long-day onions () are cultivated in the Central Zone of Chile (UTM 33°3´S to 37°24´S). During summer 2021-22 and 2022-23 (December to February), followed by high temperatures (around 35°C) and high humidity conditions, symptoms showing yellowing, soft rot, blight on old leaves, necrotic tips, and soft bulbs were observed. The affected plants were observed in "spots" into the fields, and the incidence reached 5-10%.

Extremely High Soil Copper Content, yet Low Phytotoxicity: A Unique Case of Monometallic Soil Pollution at Kargaly, Russia.

Ecotoxicological studies on soil metal toxicity often rely on artificially contaminated soils. A major difficulty in using soils contaminated by anthropogenic activities (e.g.

An Assessment of the Feasibility of Phytoextraction for the Stripping of Bioavailable Metals from Contaminated Soils.

Phytoextraction has been proposed in many papers as a low-cost method for remediating contaminated soil. However, if national regulation is based on total metal(loid) concentrations in soil, phytoextraction is generally infeasible because of the long time required for remediation. Assessing phytoextraction requires determination of the dynamic rate of metal removal from soil.

Microbial Community-Level Physiological Profiles and Genetic Prokaryotic Structure of Burned Soils Under Mediterranean Sclerophyll Forests in Central Chile.

Forest fires alter soil microbial communities that are essential to support ecosystem recovery following land burning. These alterations have different responses according to soil abiotic pre- and post-fire conditions and fire severity, among others, and tend to decrease along vegetation recovery over time. Thus, understanding the effects of fires on microbial soil communities is critical to evaluate ecosystem resilience and restoration strategies in fire-prone ecosystems.

[Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities studied with genetic tests according to their clinical phenotype].

Introduction: Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by limitations in intellec tual and adaptive functioning, of various etiologies, including genetic causes.

Objective: to describe genetic studies carried out in a series of children and adolescents with ID of previously undetermined etiology, considering their phenotypic characteristics.

Patients And Method: Descriptive study of a series of patients with ID aged 6 to 18 years.

Microbial responses are unreliable indicators of copper ecotoxicity in soils contaminated by mining activities.

Metal contamination of soil has become a serious environmental problem worldwide. Many studies have attempted to infer metal ecotoxicity from soil microbial responses. However, much of the data from these studies tends to be inconsistent and difficult to interpret.

[Therapeutic use of robotics in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder].

Introduction: Robot-assisted Therapy (RAT) can improve the behavior of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a spontaneous and entertaining way. There are no previous experiences of this type of inter vention in our country.

Objective: To describe a clinical experience of using RAT and its impact on the behaviors of a group of children with ASD, in a therapeutic context.

[Prevalence estimation of Autism Spectrum disorders in chilean urban population].

Introduction: The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased, varying between 0.5 and 1% around the world. The prevalence of ASD in Chile is unknown.

Gypsum soil amendment in metal-polluted soils-an added environmental hazard.

Scientists around the world have long been searching for effective strategies to reduce the bioavailability of metals in contaminated soils. In case of metal-spiked soils, some studies have proposed gypsum as a soil amendment to alleviate metal phytotoxicity. However, for real field-collected soils, evidence on the efficacy of gypsum as a metal phytotoxicity amendment is limited.

Autism screening and conditional cash transfers in Chile: Using the Quantitative Checklist (Q-CHAT) for early autism detection in a low resource setting.

Getting a diagnosis of autism can take long, because autism is different across people, but also because it depends on the way it gets diagnosed. This is especially important in poorer countries or in the case of poor people living in wealthier countries that have significant groups of disadvantaged communities. We adapted a 10-item version of the Q-CHAT-25 questionnaire for use in routine health check-ups programme in Chile and recruited 287 participants under the age of three divided into three groups: Controls (125), Developmental Delay (149) and Autism Spectrum Condition (13).

Characterization of Bacteriophages against pv. with Potential Use as Natural Antimicrobials in Kiwifruit Plants.

pv. (Psa) is the causal agent of a bacterial canker in kiwifruit plants and has caused economic losses worldwide. Currently, the primary strategies to control this pathogen include the use of copper-based compounds and even antibiotics.

Chilean regulations on metal-polluted soils: The need to advance from adapting foreign laws towards developing sovereign legislation.

Chile as a major international Cu producer faces serious soil contamination issues in mining areas. Currently Chile does not have any specific law governing the maximum permissible concentrations of metals in soils to protect ecosystems and human health. Chile heavily relies on the use of environmental laws of 14 foreign countries; the choice of the country depends on the similarity of its environmental conditions with those in Chile.

Insights Into the Microbiology of the Chaotropic Brines of Salar de Atacama, Chile.

Microbial life inhabiting hypersaline environments belong to a limited group of extremophile or extremotolerant taxa. Natural or artificial hypersaline environments are not limited to high concentrations of NaCl, and under such conditions, specific adaptation mechanisms are necessary to permit microbial survival and growth. Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile include three large salars (salt flats) which globally, represent the largest lithium reserves, and are commonly referred to as the Lithium Triangle Zone.

Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization of Indole-Producing Isolates of pv. Obtained From Chilean Kiwifruit Orchards.

In recent years, Chilean kiwifruit production has been affected by the phytopathogen pv. (Psa), which has caused losses to the industry. In this study, we report the genotypic and phenotypic characterization of 18 Psa isolates obtained from Chilean kiwifruits orchards between 2012 and 2016 from different geographic origins.

Zinc alleviates copper toxicity to symbiotic nitrogen fixation in agricultural soil affected by copper mining in central Chile.

According to the Terrestrial Biotic Ligand Model, other cations might compete with Cu for biotic ligand sites and provide a protective effect. In particular, evidence suggests Zn may alleviative Cu toxicity. No study, to the best of our knowledge, has focused explicitly on the alleviating effect Zn might have on Cu toxicity to soil microorganisms in field-contaminated soils.

Rhodobacter sp. Rb3, an aerobic anoxygenic phototroph which thrives in the polyextreme ecosystem of the Salar de Huasco, in the Chilean Altiplano.

The Salar de Huasco is an evaporitic basin located in the Chilean Altiplano, which presents extreme environmental conditions for life, i.e. high altitude (3800 m.

The optokinetic response as a quantitative measure of visual acuity in zebrafish.

Zebrafish are a proven model for vision research, however many of the earlier methods generally focused on larval fish or demonstrated a simple response. More recently adult visual behavior in zebrafish has become of interest, but methods to measure specific responses are new coming. To address this gap, we set out to develop a methodology to repeatedly and accurately utilize the optokinetic response (OKR) to measure visual acuity in adult zebrafish.

Characterization of copper-resistant bacteria and bacterial communities from copper-polluted agricultural soils of central Chile.

Background: Copper mining has led to Cu pollution in agricultural soils. In this report, the effects of Cu pollution on bacterial communities of agricultural soils from Valparaiso region, central Chile, were studied. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the 16S rRNA genes was used for the characterization of bacterial communities from Cu-polluted and non-polluted soils.