Blowin' in the Wind: Mapping the Dispersion of Metal(loid)s From Atacama Mining.

The Atacama Desert's naturally elevated metal(loid)s pose a unique challenge for assessing the environmental impact of mining, particularly for indigenous communities residing in these areas. This study investigates how copper mining influences the dispersion of these elements in the wind-transportable fraction (<75 μm) of surface sediments across an 80 km radius. We employed a multi-pronged approach, utilizing spatial modeling to map element distributions, exponential decay analysis to quantify concentration decline with distance, regime shift modeling to identify dispersion pattern variations, and pollution assessment to evaluate impact.

Temporary destudentification caused by COVID-19: Motivations and effects on social relations in a Chilean university city.

The arrival of the coronavirus in 2020 brought major changes to education, with the rapid transition to online classes being the most significant. In the case of university students, the pandemic meant returning to their homes, which can be interpreted as a temporary destudentification. This manuscript analyses and interprets the motivations of university students from Temuco (Chile) to change their social relations and place of residence as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Magnetically recyclable CoFeO/ZnO nanocatalysts for the efficient catalytic degradation of Acid Blue 113 under ambient conditions.

CoFeO/ZnO magnetic nanocatalysts were synthesized using a low-frequency ultrasound-assisted technique to enhance the optical, morphological, magnetic and catalytic properties of ZnO. The as-synthesized nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, Raman, TEM, DR-UV-Vis and VSM analyses in order to confirm the expected modifications of the resulting nanocatalysts. The Raman spectral analysis revealed substitutional Zn in the CoFeO/ZnO nanocatalyst.

Basic suture techniques for medicine students: comparative results according to training by surgeons versus peers.

Objetivo: Comparar la adquisición de habilidades básicas de sutura en estudiantes de medicina según la enseñanza práctica por cirujanos o por pares.

MÉtodo: Estudio preexperimental antes y después. Se realizó un taller práctico de suturas para 46 estudiantes de medicina de octavo semestre de la Universidad de Concepción, entre noviembre y diciembre de 2017.

A new species of Ogloblin (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupidae, Austroserphinae), a Gondwanic relict from southernmost South America.

is described from southernmost South America. It is a member of the primitive subfamily Austroserphinae (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupidae), which is distributed in Oceania and South America, and is characterized from other species by its relatively larger body size, the presence of long and sword-shaped ovipositor sheaths, M arising very close and distal to 1cu-a, and Cu and m-cu joining at a distance equivalent to the length of 2cu-a. We consider this species to be a Gondwanan relict.

Connexin-43 Gap Junctions Are Responsible for the Hypothalamic Tanycyte-Coupled Network.

Tanycytes are hypothalamic radial glia-like cells that form the basal wall of the third ventricle (3V) where they sense glucose and modulate neighboring neuronal activity to control feeding behavior. This role requires the coupling of hypothalamic cells since transient decreased hypothalamic Cx43 expression inhibits the increase of brain glucose-induced insulin secretion. Tanycytes have been postulated as possible hypothalamic neuronal precursors due to their privileged position in the hypothalamus that allows them to detect mitogenic signals and because they share the markers and characteristics of neuronal precursors located in other neurogenic niches, including the formation of coupled networks through connexins.

Influences of thermal environment on fish growth.

Thermoregulation in ectothermic animals is influenced by the ability to effectively respond to thermal variations. While it is known that ectotherms are affected by thermal changes, it remains unknown whether physiological and/or metabolic traits are impacted by modifications to the thermal environment. Our research provides key evidence that fish ectotherms are highly influenced by thermal variability during development, which leads to important modifications at several metabolic levels (e.

Resource-allocation tradeoffs in caddisflies facing multiple stressors.

The replacement of native forests by exotic tree monocultures, such as those of , decreases the quality of leaf litter inputs to streams and often reduces riparian cover, which can elevate water temperature. The combined effects of these stressors on the survival and performance of detritivores may be important, as detritivore species loss leads to reduced litter breakdown, a key ecosystem process. Potential loss of cased caddisfly larvae is of particular concern because they are the predominant detritivores in many streams, they are sensitive to warming, and they expend energy on building and carrying their cases, which may be an added burden under times of stress.

Expression Patterns of Extracellular Matrix Proteins during Posterior Commissure Development.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules are pivotal for central nervous system (CNS) development, facilitating cell migration, axonal growth, myelination, dendritic spine formation, and synaptic plasticity, among other processes. During axon guidance, the ECM not only acts as a permissive or non-permissive substrate for navigating axons, but also modulates the effects of classical guidance cues, such as netrin or Eph/ephrin family members. Despite being highly important, little is known about the expression of ECM molecules during CNS development.

Potentiation of Gamma Aminobutyric Acid Receptors (GABAAR) by Ethanol: How Are Inhibitory Receptors Affected?

In recent years there has been an increase in the understanding of ethanol actions on the type A γ-aminobutyric acid chloride channel (GABAAR), a member of the pentameric ligand gated ion channels (pLGICs). However, the mechanism by which ethanol potentiates the complex is still not fully understood and a number of publications have shown contradictory results. Thus many questions still remain unresolved requiring further studies for a better comprehension of this effect.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Angiogenesis: Potencial Clinical Application.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult multipotent stem cells that are able to differentiate into multiple specialized cell types including osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. MSCs exert different functions in the body and have recently been predicted to have a major clinical/therapeutic potential. However, the mechanisms of self-renewal and tissue regeneration are not completely understood.

Interaction between SCO-spondin and low density lipoproteins from embryonic cerebrospinal fluid modulates their roles in early neurogenesis.

During early stages of development, encephalic vesicles are composed by a layer of neuroepithelial cells surrounding a central cavity filled with embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (eCSF). This fluid contains several morphogens that regulate proliferation and differentiation of neuroepithelial cells. One of these neurogenic factors is SCO-spondin, a giant protein secreted to the eCSF from early stages of development.

SVCT2 vitamin C transporter expression in progenitor cells of the postnatal neurogenic niche.

Known as a critical antioxidant, recent studies suggest that vitamin C plays an important role in stem cell generation, proliferation and differentiation. Vitamin C also enhances neural differentiation during cerebral development, a function that has not been studied in brain precursor cells. We observed that the rat neurogenic niche is structurally organized at day 15 of postnatal development, and proliferation and neural differentiation increase at day 21.

An extracellular mechanism that can explain the neurotoxic effects of α-synuclein aggregates in the brain.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), display an accumulation of proteins including α-synuclein aggregates in cortical and subcortical regions of the brain. PD is a complex, progressive disease which involves damage of motor and cognitive brain regions, as well as autonomic and sensory areas. Since α-synuclein is a neuronal cytosolic protein, it is assumed that pathogenic changes induced by α-synuclein aggregates occur only at the cytoplasmic level.