Higher University of San Andrés (Universidad Mayor de San Andrés or UMSA or Major University of San Andrés) is the leading public university in Bolivia, established since 1830 in the city of La Paz. UMSA is the second-oldest university in Bolivia, after the University of San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca (1624).It is one of the most prestigious higher academic centers in the country. As of 2013, UMSA had around 80,434 registered students, making it the university with the largest student body in Bolivia. Several presidents of Bolivia have studied at the university.In 2017, the QS Latin American University Rankings placed UMSA as the best Bolivian university and in the position 91 of the Latin American Universities.
Groundwater is an essential source of freshwater and also supports ecosystems. In the Katari Basin ( 2500 km2), a semi-arid region where the city of El Alto (885,035 inhabitants) is located, rapid urban growth has increased pressure on this resource, both in terms of quantity (higher demand) and quality (pollution). Given the projected increasing reliance on groundwater, due to surface water contamination and climatic conditions, the current lack of knowledge poses challenges for sustainable water resources management. This study analyses the aquifer’s hydrodynamic behavior through numerical modeling, employing the basin-scale gravitational groundwater flow and water age theories to identify recharge areas, discharge areas and water transit times. Five main groundwater flow systems (GWFS) are identified: (1) the Lake system (GWFSL); (2) Mountain Range system (GWFSMR); (3) Wells system (GWFSW); (4) Katari system (GWFSK); and (5) South system (GWFSS). Recharge contributions to the Katari Basin are estimated to be derived from surface water streams (86
Chronic pain affects 20% of the global population, with current treatments achieving meaningful relief in less than 30% of patients. Growing evidence indicates that immuno-inflammatory mechanisms critically mediate the transition from acute to chronic pain, extending beyond sustained nociceptive input. This narrative review synthesizes current understanding of cellular and molecular immuno-inflammatory processes underlying pain chronification, emphasizing therapeutic implications of immune-neural interactions. Peripheral tissue injury triggers coordinated immune responses involving pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and algesic mediators that sensitize nociceptors. Infiltrating macrophages, T lymphocytes, and mast cells perpetuate pro-nociceptive environments. Centrally, microglial and astrocytic activation induces persistent neuroinflammation, synaptic remodeling, and enhanced excitatory neurotransmission while impairing descending inhibition. The balance between pro-inflammatory T helper 1 and T helper 17 (Th1/Th17) and anti-inflammatory T helper 2 and regulatory T cell (Th2/Treg) responses determines pain outcomes. Critically, premature suppression of acute inflammation with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids may paradoxically promote chronification by disrupting endogenous resolution pathways mediated by specialized pro-resolving mediators and regulatory immune cells. Local inflammation proves more relevant than systemic inflammation for pain persistence. The gut-brain-immune axis emerges as a novel therapeutic target, with microbiota composition influencing pain susceptibility through immunomodulation. Finally, chronic pain represents a failure of natural resolution mechanisms rather than prolonged nociceptive activation. Understanding temporal dynamics of immune responses, individual variability, and sex-specific mechanisms opens avenues for precision medicine approaches. Future strategies should restore homeostatic mechanisms rather than simply suppress symptoms, incorporating biomarker-guided treatment selection and multimodal interventions targeting the complex immuno-inflammatory cascade.
Deforestation leads to non‐forested areas that often need active ecological restoration to promote forest succession. Here, we developed a trait‐based approach to guide the design of restoration projects and tested our approach in tropical areas deforested by fires and dominated by bracken. Deforestation caused by human‐induced fires creates complex conservation problems in tropical areas. After fire, montane tropical deforested areas are often dominated by bracken fern ( Pteridium spp.), which prevents the establishment of many species of trees. This means that effective ecological restoration strategies are needed for forest recovery. We explored whether a trait‐based approach could be used to guide the selection of tree species in active restoration projects in deforested areas. We first tested whether traits could be used to predict which species can overcome bracken‐associated filters. We then tested the relationship between the trait‐based predictions for each species and their abundance in a reference old‐growth forest. To identify key traits, we conducted a seed addition experiment in bracken‐dominated areas that had developed 5–15 years after a fire, using 23 tree species common in the Bolivian montane forests, and monitored seedling establishment, survival and growth for 36 months. We then related seedling performance to the functional traits of adults and seedlings. We found that six functional traits improved tree seedling performance in bracken‐dominated areas, and that only one third of the species evaluated exceed a 25% probability of recruitment. Most of the favoured traits correspond to conservative strategies. The species dispersed by birds and with large seeds were the most likely to overcome the filters created by bracken. Based on the trait predictions, we found that the species predicted to overcome bracken are not common in old‐growth forests. Synthesis and applications . Our results can be used by stakeholders to select the species best suited for active restoration projects in bracken‐dominated areas throughout the tropical region. Furthermore, our trait‐based approach, which considers seedling performance in disturbed areas, can serve as a guide for species selection in restoration programmes in other disturbed systems.
Background: Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has increased significantly in Latin America and Spain, impacting both health and environmental sustainability. To our knowledge, this is the first multicenter study to examine the association between UPF consumption and sustainable lifestyle behaviors in Latin America and Spain. Objective: To evaluate the association between UPF consumption and sustainable lifestyle behaviors in Latin America and Spain. Methods: This was an observational, analytical, multicenter, cross-sectional study. A validated, self-administered online questionnaire was distributed in 14 countries between March 2023 and January 2024. The survey collected sociodemographic data, UPF intake (classified using the NOVA system), body mass index and sustainable lifestyle behaviors (food, transport, environment). Multivariate linear regression models were applied to assess associations, adjusting for age, sex, smoking, physical activity and BMI. Results: Among 6009 adults (mean age: 34.98 ± 12.55; 79.5% women), those with the highest consumption of UPF (fast food, beverages and juices, salty snacks and sweet snacks) were significantly more likely to be in the least sustainable quartile compared to those who did not consume these food products ((OR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.79-3.54), (OR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.50-2.22), (OR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.32-1.73) and (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.20-1.67), respectively, with p values < 0.001). Conclusions: High consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is inversely associated with sustainable lifestyles. These findings position UPF consumption not only as a health problem but also as a key indicator of unsustainable lifestyles.
High-altitude terrain may intersect the upper atmospheric boundary layer and exhibit distinct environmental dynamics. We investigated the anthropogenic pollutants polychlorinated alkanes (PCAs, also known as chlorinated paraffins) in surface soils along a transect from the La Paz-El Alto metropolitan area in Bolivia (3200-4100 masl) to the upper slopes of Mount Chacaltaya (>5200 masl), around 16 km away. Concentrations of PCAs in urban soils (750-5,230 ng/g organic carbon [OC]) decreased exponentially with increasing distance from the urban boundary, declining to ∼150 ng/g OC at elevations below 4,700 masl. Beyond 4,700 masl concentrations increased again, reaching levels comparable to those in the urban area, 1,670-4,300 ng/g OC, above 5,000 masl. Given that pollutant concentrations typically decline with distance from their source, this altitudinal trend, together with a pronounced shift in PCA forensic fingerprints near 4,700 masl, strongly suggests contributions from sources beyond the local metropolitan area. Carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures in organic carbon further support long-range transport as a source, consistent with previous modeling and observations that the upper slopes of Mount Chacaltaya predominantly receive air masses and organic carbon from distant regions via transport in the free troposphere. Our observation that pollutant levels in high-altitude areas are comparable to those in the metropolis of 1.8-million inhabitants underscores the efficiency of long-range atmospheric transport.
