Phosphorus mismanagement threatens food security, water quality, climate and biodiversity. This Comment outlines how countries may establish national working groups and action plans to tackle these challenges, considering context-specificities, local resilience and global commitments.
Plant-parasitic nematodes remain a pervasive yet often hidden constraint on crop productivity, smallholder livelihoods, and market access. This proceedings integrates four vantage points. First, a sub-Saharan African perspective describes how intensification, reliance on informal seed systems, and limited diagnostics allow root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and potato cyst nematodes (PCN) to proliferate in vegetables, tubers, and perennials. Second, a global biogeographic analysis maps soil nematode abundance and trophic structure and demonstrates strong associations with soil organic carbon and temperature, allowing climate-informed risk anticipation. Third, a state-level case study from North Carolina details the response to Meloidogyne enterolobii through interior quarantine, commodity-aligned outreach, and a dedicated quarantine nursery that de-risks field research. Fourth, a South American regulatory perspective from Chile illustrates PCN regionalization and an emergency response to Aphelenchoides fragariae in strawberry, which balanced risk management and socio-economic realities. Cross-cutting priorities include climate-informed surveillance, high-throughput diagnostics, clean seed and nursery certification, and risk-proportionate quarantine aligned with trade. Recommendations for policymakers include coordinated monitoring, harmonized diagnostics, grower-centric extension, and enabling policy frameworks for integrated nematode management and trade resilience.
Abstract: Introduction: Sports practice, has been traditionally perceived as a protective factor for mental health, however, in high-performance athletes, significant mental health issues are consistently reported, which appear with a prevalence comparable to that of the general population and are more common among female athletes than male athletes. Although specific tools such as the Baron Depression Screener for Athletes (BDSA) exist, their lack of validation in Spanish-speaking contexts limits their applicability. The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the BDSA, a brief screening instrument for depressive symptoms specifically designed for athletes, by psychometrically comparing it with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), previously validated in Chile and Latin America. Methods: An online survey was administered between November 2024 and April 2025 to Chilean adult federated athletes, following translation–cultural adaptation and back-translation approved by the original author. Descriptive analyses, subgroup comparisons, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with Diagonally Weighted Least Squares (DWLS) estimation were conducted, along with a correlation analysis with the PHQ-9 to assess convergent validity. Results: A total of 197 athletes participated (54.3% men, 47.5% women), with a mean age of 24.98 years (SD = 7.17). The CFA showed good fit (CFI = 0.997; RMSEA = 0.021), and the scale demonstrated high reliability (α = 0.878; ω = 0.776). The correlation with the PHQ-9 was strong (r = 0.69), indicating adequate convergent validity. Conclusion: In conclusion, the Spanish version of the BDSA is a valid and reliable instrument for screening depressive symptoms in Chilean adult federated athletes.
BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance is a leading cause of death worldwide, with the highest burdens in low-resource settings. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) are coordinated interventions designed to improve and measure the appropriate use of antimicrobials. In December 2020, the Ministry of Health of Chile mandated that all hospitals in the country implement an ASP, but there has been little rigorous, comparable information on the prevalence and types of ASP activities currently occurring in Chilean hospitals, which is critical for infection control officials and health decision-makers.ObjectivesWe aimed to assess the current degree of implementation of ASPs in Chilean public hospitals using a web-based survey.ResultsOf 66 responses, 57 hospitals (86.4%) reported having an ASP and were used as the denominator in the analyses. Among them, 39 (68.4%) reported having a written institutional protocol. On average, the hospitals performed seven antimicrobial optimization activities (range 1-9). For hospitals that have WHO Reserve group antibiotics, use authorization was almost universally required (90.9% to 100%). Prospective audit and feedback was performed in 64.9% of the institutions. Seventeen hospitals (29.8%) did not measure their antibiotic consumption. The median ASP implementation survey score was 68.4 points (ranging from 30.7 to 96.5).ConclusionThese findings show a variable implementation of ASP activities in Chilean hospitals and provide the necessary information to establish the baseline for the implementation of ASPs in hospitals in Chile.
ABSTRACT This study examines knowledge production and dissemination dynamics within Latin American Public Administration (PA) as reflected in SCIELO‐indexed journals. By applying a systematic review under PRISMA guidelines, it identifies thematic trends and institutional challenges shaping the regional epistemic community. The findings highlight systemic gaps, including limited journal specialization and underrepresentation of regional voices within the global PA discourse. The study emphasizes theoretical and methodological contributions addressing civil service reforms, PA education, and institutional development while critiquing the pervasive influence of epistemic colonialism. By proposing strategies to integrate local and global perspectives, this work advances the decolonization of PA, fostering inclusive and contextually relevant paradigms. These insights aim to enhance Latin American contributions to global PA debates, bridging disciplinary divides and addressing regional priorities.
