Search Results (18)

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate current endodontic practice patterns and the adoption of newer technologies among dentists, endodontic specialists, and postgraduate students in Spain and Latin America. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured 30-item questionnaire covering demographics, training, technology adoption (NiTi instrumentation, magnification, CBCT, irrigation adjuncts, bioceramic sealers), obturation techniques, irrigant selection, and clinical procedures. The survey was distributed through a professional Instagram account and WhatsApp groups of dentists, specialists, and postgraduate students. Participation was voluntary, anonymous, and restricted to qualified professionals. Data were collected via Google Forms, cleaned, and grouped into Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Southern Cone & Andes (Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia), and other countries. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and intergroup comparisons were performed using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests with Bonferroni correction (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 1358 valid responses were analyzed, distributed as follows: Spain (219), Mexico (353), Venezuela (162), Colombia (108), Southern Cone & Andes (260), and other countries (256). Most respondents (62.8%) had ≤10 years of experience, and 61.2% reported postgraduate training. Loupes (55.4%) were the most frequent magnification system, followed by microscopes (18.6%). Sodium hypochlorite (98.3%) was the irrigant of choice, commonly used with EDTA (83.5%) and, to a lesser extent, chlorhexidine (33.4%). Sonic (83.2%) and ultrasonic (52.9%) activation were frequent. Bioceramic sealers were used by 18.9%, while calcium hydroxide medication was applied by 37.4%. Specialists and master-level clinicians showed greater use of rotary NiTi systems, CBCT, magnification, and bioceramic sealers, whereas general practitioners relied more on manual instrumentation and single-cone obturation. Success was mainly verified by combined clinical and radiographic evaluation (86.7%). Spain demonstrated higher adoption of microscopes, warm vertical compaction, and CBCT. Conclusions: Core practices such as sodium hypochlorite irrigation and rubber dam use were widespread, while advanced technologies and irrigant protocols varied with training level and region. Continuous education remains essential to promote evidence-based practice and reduce disparities in endodontic innovation. Full article

Research visibility has become a critical issue for universities, yet the institutional conditions that shape it remain underexplored. While Current Research Information Systems (CRISs) provide essential infrastructure for managing publications and researcher profiles, their impact depends on broader governance and cultural factors. This study compares four universities—two in Peru, one in Chile, and one in Spain—that have adopted the Pure CRIS platform. Data were manually extracted from institutional portals and analyzed descriptively, using normalized indicators such as publications per researcher, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) alignment, and collaboration networks. Although based on a limited sample, the analysis highlights substantial contrasts: European institutions show consolidated integration of CRIS into national evaluation systems, while Latin American universities remain at earlier stages of adoption, with fragmented policies and limited international reach. The findings suggest that technological platforms alone are insufficient; institutional commitment, coherent policies, and academic cultures that value dissemination are decisive. These insights contribute a comparative framework to guide universities, particularly in Latin America, seeking to strengthen their global research visibility. Full article

Research on sleep disorders among migrant populations is limited, particularly in the context of south–south Latinos migrating to other Latin American countries. Objective: This study aims to analyze the effect that the acculturation process may play on the presence of the subjective assessment of insomnia symptoms in South American migrants in Chile. Methods: Under a cross-sectional design, 1844 South American migrants from Colombia, Venezuela and Peru, currently residing in Chile, were evaluated. Of these, 50% were women with an average age of 35 years. Data were collected using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the EBEA scale for acculturation stress, a scale based on Berry’s acculturation strategies, and the anxiety subscale of the DASS-21. Mediation models were employed to assess anxiety as a mediating variable between both acculturation stress and acculturation orientations as well as insomnia symptoms. Results: A home-country-focused orientation was inversely related to insomnia symptoms, whereas a host-country-focused orientation showed a direct association. Anxiety did not mediate either of these relationships. However, acculturation stress was directly associated with the emergence of insomnia symptoms; in this relationship, anxiety partially mediated the negative effect of stress on sleep. Conclusions: There is a complex and dynamic interplay between the acculturation process, insomnia, and anxiety within south-to-south migration in Latin countries. Understanding these relationships could promote culturally sensitive interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of migration-related stressors on sleep health and the overall well-being of Latino migrants. Full article

Vilca or cebil (Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil) is a species known for its psychoactive properties and its widespread use among the pre-Hispanic peoples who inhabited the southern Andean area (southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and northwest Argentina). Studies on this species, as well as on medicinal, psychoactive, or magical plants in general, tend to consider its use in post-Spanish conquest times to be scarce or irrelevant in the Andes of South America. However, based on an in-depth review of the existing literature and on ethnobotanical research conducted in markets in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, this paper provides an updated overview affirming the continuity of the use of this species. The results indicate a significant diversity in terms of usage types, plant parts used, treatments, and conditions in which it is applied, along with new records of vernacular names. This paper also offers an interpretation from the perspective of Andean logics, highlighting the current therapeutic effectiveness of the seeds of this plant, facilitated through a series of “movements” that aim to restore the affected person’s health. Full article

This review provides a comprehensive summary of evidence to explore the role and value of differential diagnosis in the management of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) through point-of-care (POC) rapid testing in a post-pandemic scenario, paying particular attention to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The document builds on a review of literature and policies and a process of validation and feedback by a group of seven experts from Latin America (LATAM). Evidence was collected to understand scientific and policy perspectives on the differential diagnosis of ARIs and POC rapid testing, with a focus on seven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru. The evidence indicates that POC rapid testing can serve to improve ARI case management, epidemiological surveillance, research and innovation, and evidence-based decision-making. With multiple types of rapid tests available for POC, decisions regarding which tests to use require the consideration of the testing purpose, available resources, and test characteristics regarding accuracy, accessibility, affordability, and results turnaround time. Based on the understanding of the current situation, this document provides a set of recommendations for the implementation of POC rapid testing in LATAM, supporting decision-making and guiding efforts by a broad range of stakeholders. Full article

This study focused on gathering available information on Pleuroncodes monodon, a widely distributed crustacean in the Humboldt Current System. Off the Chilean coast, this species presents benthic habits and constitutes the main resource of the industrial crustacean fishery; many studies have been carried out on its life cycle during the last century. In contrast, off the coast of Peru, this species exhibits mainly pelagic habits, with latent information gaps on aspects of its life history and no commercial fishery activities, such as catching, taking or harvesting from the marine environment. P. monodon is an ecologically important species, as a source of energy for its predators, which include invertebrates, birds, marine mammals and fish of commercial interest. Thus, P. monodon seems to play a key role in this ecosystem, mainly as an intermediate link between top predators and the first links in the food chain. In addition, this species presents various adaptation strategies to the changing oceanographic parameters of the areas it inhabits, even tolerating hypoxic environments and great depths in order to avoid being predated. Likewise, from an economic viewpoint, it has a high commercial value as a marine bioresource with great potential in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Considering this, more studies must be carried out to corroborate the biological, ecological, and fishing importance of this species in order to generate efficient management measures and ensure a sustainable fishery. Full article

Monkeypox (Mpox) is a zoonotic disease caused by the Orthopoxvirus monkeypox virus (MPXV). Since 1970, outbreaks of MPXV have occurred in several Sub-Saharan African countries. However, from May 2022 to April 2023, recent outbreaks of Mpox occurred in several countries outside of Africa, and these cases quickly spread to over 100 non-endemic countries on all continents. Most of these cases were found in the region of the Americas and the Europe region. In Latin America, the highest all-age Mpox rates per million inhabitants were in Peru, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. Given its global impact, Mpox was declared as an international Public Health Emergency by WHO in July 2022. MPXV infection disproportionately affects men who have sex with men and members of the HIV-infected population. Vaccination is the current strategy for controlling and preventing Mpox in high-risk groups. In this context, Peru has the fourth-highest number of Mpox cases in Latin America and faces significant challenges in disease control. Because of this, in this review, we discuss the epidemiology, public health indicators, and prevention of Mpox in the 2022 Peru outbreak so that health authorities can join forces to control MPXV transmission. Full article

The aim of the research is to examine the relationships between the following variables (a) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), composed of Attitudes (ATT), Subjective Norms (SN), and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC); and (b) Consciousness (EC) on the dependent variable Environmentally Responsible Purchase Intention (ERPI) from the perspective of the Latin American consumer in a pandemic. Currently, the literature on the relationships proposed in the explanatory model is still scarce at a theoretical and practical level, without empirical evidence in Latin America. The data collection is from 1624 voluntary responses from consumers in Chile (n = 400), Colombia (n = 421), Mexico (n = 401), and Peru (n = 402) collected through online surveys. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group to test invariance analysis and the moderating effects, we can determine the relationship between the variables in the proposed model, generating evidence from Latin American countries. The empirical analysis verified that Attitude (ATT), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), and Environmental Consciousness (CE) have a positive and significant effect on Environmentally Responsible Purchase Intention (ERPI). The results also show that the generation variable presents invariance. Therefore, the groups are not different at the model level for the generation variable, becoming relevant to the difference at the path level. Therefore, the results of this study become a relevant contribution, indicating a moderating effect on the generation variable. This research provides insights for understanding Latin American consumers, and managerial implications are also provided for developing strategies to promote sustainable consumption. Full article

Sustainable development is becoming increasingly important because it improves the quality of our lives. Businesses must focus beyond maximizing corporate economic profits, which are very important. They must internalize the fact that planning and governance-oriented strategies focused on promoting human health and well-being ensure a sustainable future. This study explores the influence exerted by trust in large companies and banks on the perception that technological development has on people’s life satisfaction. The research uses data from the World Value Survey (WVS) and the World Bank, contemplating six Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, in the period between 2012 and 2018. Our main results show that the lower the trust in institutions, the stronger the negative association with perceiving science and technology as making life easier, healthier and more comfortable in the near future. We also confirm that people who have very high levels of national pride tend to trust institutions. We also confirm that people who have very high levels of national pride tend to trust institutions. Finally, with this work, we contribute new empirical evidence to the current field of research on the influence of technological development on issues related to human beings, specifically in Latin America. Full article

Marine ecosystems such as kelp are gaining recognition for providing ecosystem services (ES) along the coastal regions worldwide. Here, we synthesize information from the last four decades of research on the structure, functioning and threats of kelp forests, and the ES they provide in the Humboldt Current System (HCS) where information is scarce. The SALSA (Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis) framework was used for the literature survey and review. From 86 selected articles, only 4 directly discussed kelp ES in Chile. Supporting services-related articles were the most prevalent (n = 59), followed by provisioning (n = 19), regulating (n = 3) and cultural services (n = 1). ES-related research was mostly conducted in Chile (n = 77). Studies in Peru (n = 5), and in Chile and Peru at same time (n = 4) were scarce. Our search also showed that Lessonia trabeculata presented the highest number of associated taxa (n = 213), followed closely by M. pyrifera (n = 210). However, the number of phyla reported was higher in M. pyrifera (n = 17) than in the Lessonia species (n = 7–13). Natural and anthropic impacts on the biodiversity of kelp forests using novel technologies would facilitate the quantitative study and economic valuations of the services provided by these ecosystems at the Humboldt Current System. Full article

The generation of tailings in the world today is immense, since only ounces or pounds of metals are extracted for each ton of ore processed. In 2022, it was estimated that more than 14 billion metric tons of mining tailings were produced per year in the world. Currently, many environmental problems associated with tailings management in both Chile and Peru are related to the potential contamination of soil, water, and air. In this article, the environmental impacts caused by tailings storage facility accidents where spills have occurred are analyzed, describing and characterizing: (i) the magnitude of the impacted area, (ii) identification of the sources, i.e., exposure routes, receptors, and (iii) an interpretive analysis of the physicochemical quality of the spilled material, the soil, the water, and the air with respect to local and international regulations. The case studies analyzed in this article correspond to tailings spills derived from the extraction of precious metals (Au, Ag) and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) present in the minerals that dominate Chilean and Peruvian mining. Finally, environmental management measures are proposed aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts caused by the spill and remediation alternatives for the sites impacted. Full article

The northward-flowing Humboldt Current hosts perpetually high levels of productivity along the western coast of South America. Here, we aim to elucidate the deep-time history of this globally important ecosystem based on a detailed palaeoecological analysis of the exceptionally preserved middle–upper Miocene vertebrate assemblages of the Pisco Formation of the East Pisco Basin, southern Peru. We summarise observations on hundreds of fossil whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, turtles, crocodiles, sharks, rays, and bony fishes to reconstruct ecological relationships in the wake of the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum, and the marked cooling that followed it. The lowermost, middle Miocene Pisco sequence (P0) and its vertebrate assemblage testify to a warm, semi-enclosed, near-shore palaeoenvironment. During the first part of the Tortonian (P1), high productivity within a prominent upwelling system supported a diverse assemblage of mesopredators, at least some of which permanently resided in the Pisco embayment and used it as a nursery or breeding/calving area. Younger portions of the Pisco Formation (P2) reveal a more open setting, with wide-ranging species like rorquals increasingly dominating the vertebrate assemblage, but also local differences reflecting distance from the coast. Like today, these ancient precursors of the modern Humboldt Current Ecosystem were based on sardines, but notably differed from their present-day equivalent in being dominated by extremely large-bodied apex predators like Livyatan melvillei and Carcharocles megalodon. Full article

Introduction: In Latin America, tobacco smoking prevalence is between 6.4% and 35.2%. Governments have been making efforts to support the regulation of advertising and, in many cases, banning advertising and promotion of tobacco altogether. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential impact on health and economic outcomes of optimizing a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. Methods: We built a probabilistic microsimulation model, considering natural history, direct health system costs, and quality of life impairment associated with main tobacco-related diseases. We followed individuals in hypothetical cohorts and calculated health outcomes on an annual basis to obtain aggregated 10-year population health outcomes (deaths, events, healthy years of life) and costs. To populate the model, we performed a rapid review of literature to calculate intervention effectiveness. Results: With current policies, over 10 years, in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia a total of 50,000 deaths and 364,000 disease events will be averted, saving $7.2 billion. If the seven countries strengthened their policies and implemented a comprehensive ban with 100% compliance, 98,000 deaths and 648,000 events would be averted over 10 years, saving almost $15 billion in healthcare costs. Conclusions: Optimizing a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship would substantially reduce deaths, diseases, and health care costs attributed to smoking. Latin American countries should not delay the full implementation of this strategy. Full article

Liquefaction-induced lateral spreading can induce significant deformations and damage in existing structures, such as ports, bridges, and pipes. Past earthquakes have caused this phenomenon in coastal areas and rivers in many parts of the world. Current lateral spreading prediction models tend to either overestimate or underestimate the actual displacements by a factor of two or more when applied to large subduction earthquake events. The purpose of this study was to identify ground motion intensity measures and soil parameters that better correlate with observed lateral spreading under large-magnitude (Mw ≥ 7.5) subduction earthquakes that have occurred in countries like Chile, Japan, and Peru. A numerical approach was first validated against centrifuge and historical cases and then used to generate parametric models on which statistical analysis was applied. Our results show that cumulative absolute velocity (CAV), Housner intensity (HI), and sustained maximum velocity (SMV) have a reasonably good correlation with lateral spreading for the analyzed cases. Full article

This paper examines the current accounts of 16 developed and developing countries over the period 1970 to 2018. We test whether these nations satisfy their intertemporal solvency condition for external imbalances. The solvency condition in the strong form entails: (1) a cointegration, or a long run equilibrium, relationship between exports and imports of goods and services; and (2) an increase in imports leading to a proportional increase in exports. Our findings imply that the external imbalances are a cause of vulnerability for several nations. Bangladesh satisfies the abovementioned solvency condition—in other words, its current account is sustainable in the strong form. Australia, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, New Zealand, and Venezuela show weak forms of sustainability. For these six nations, the presence of a cointegration relationship between exports and imports coincides with less than proportional increases in exports with increases in imports. The current accounts of Chile and Paraguay are unsustainable—while their exports and imports are cointegrated, a growth in imports leads to a more than proportional increase in exports. For a few nations that failed the full sample (1970–2018) cointegration test, we developed sub-samples by anchoring the start date at 1970 and increasing the sample by every five years from 1999 to 2014. From the sub-samples, we find evidence of intermittent, but weak, cases of sustainability for Peru and South Africa. We show that Panama’s current account became unsustainable after 2009. China’s current account satisfied the strong form of sustainability between all sub-samples until 2014 and became unsustainable in the most recent four years (2015–2018). France, the Philippines, and the United States unequivocally failed the intertemporal solvency test in the full sample and sub-sample analyses. The cointegration tests allow for structural breaks in exports and imports. We find these breaks have strong economic significance. For instance, we find that for most countries the structural break in exports coincides with their worst economic recession. Full article