Ignatius of Loyola University (Spanish: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola) (USIL) is a private university located in Lima, Peru, part of a group of educational institutions founded in 1995 by former Peruvian Vice President Raúl Diez Canseco, along with an institute and two schools. Its Undergraduate Programme consists of 8 schools and 33 careers, though it does have a Graduate Programme. USIL has a strong focus on entrepreneurship and hospitality management, consistent with its mission statement, which is "to shape competent entrepreneurial professionals who are socially responsible and capable of performing successfully, both domestically and internationally".
Calcium carbonate derived from scallop shells (SCC) represents a sustainable mineral filler for asphalt applications, offering environmental benefits through the valorisation of marine by-products generated by aquaculture and seafood-processing activities in Peru and other coastal countries. Hydrated lime (HL) is widely used to enhance adhesion and moisture resistance in asphalt mixtures; however, in Peru its acquisition and commercialisation are subject to administrative controls due to its regulated status. In this study, SCC was obtained through a physical processing route and evaluated against commercially available HL at the asphalt mastic (binder–filler) scale. Both fillers were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). FTIR and TGA confirmed the chemical stability and thermal resistance of SCC under typical asphalt production temperatures, while SEM revealed compact granular particles favourable for binder–filler interaction within the asphalt mastic. The higher alkalinity of HL was associated with stronger chemical affinity, favouring adhesion and moisture resistance, whereas SCC exhibited high purity and a stable calcite structure, providing a physically compatible and thermally stable filler phase. Rheological characterisation of asphalt mastics using multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) and Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) tests showed that SCC produced lower non-recoverable compliance (Jnr) and higher elastic recovery (R), indicating improved resistance to permanent deformation, while HL exhibited superior fatigue performance under cyclic loading. Overall, this study establishes a binder- and mastic-level predictive basis for assessing the mechanical behaviour of SCC-filled systems within a circular economy framework.
This systematic literature review examines the rapid growth of research on the use of drones applied to smart agriculture, a key field for the digital and sustainable transformation of the agricultural sector. The study aimed to synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding the application of drones in smart agriculture by applying the Kitchenham protocol (SLR), complemented with Petersen’s systematic mapping (SMS). A search was conducted in high-impact academic databases (Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Taylor & Francis Online, Google Scholar, and ProQuest), covering the period 2019–2025 (July). After applying the inclusion, exclusion, and quality criteria, 73 relevant studies were analyzed. The results reveal that 90% of the publications appear in Q1 journals, with China and the United States leading scientific production. The thematic analysis identified “UAS Phenotyping” as the main driving theme in the literature, while “precision agriculture,” “machine learning,” and “remote sensing” were the most recurrent and highly interconnected keywords. An exponential increase in publications was observed between 2022 and 2024. The review confirms the consolidation of drones as a central tool in digital agriculture, with significant advances in yield estimation, pest detection, and 3D modeling, although challenges remain in standardization, model generalization, and technological equity. It is recommended to promote open access repositories and interdisciplinary studies that integrate socioeconomic and environmental dimensions to strengthen the sustainable adoption of drone technologies in agriculture.
This study examines the mediating role of Digital Competencies (DCs) in the relationship between Digital Human Resource Management (DHRM) and Digital Transformation (DT) in SMEs in Lima, Peru. Employing a non-experimental, cross-sectional design, data was collected through a structured survey of 272 SME entrepreneurs. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was selected due to its suitability for mediation analysis in studies with moderate sample sizes and non-normal data distributions. Results indicate that DHRM significantly enhances the development of DCs (β = 0.750), which in turn positively influences DT (β = 0.433). The analysis confirms a partial mediating effect of DCs between DHRM and DT (indirect effect β = 0.325; VAF = 52.7
Cigarette butts are toxic, persistent, and represent one of the most frequently littered waste worldwide, with trillions cigarette butts entering the environment annually, yet their global distribution is poorly known. In particular, the influence of protected areas is unclear. Here, we review cigarette butt contamination across 55 countries from 2013 to 2024, with a meta-analysis of 130 peer-reviewed studies and 2,723 records to assess protected areas influence, spatiotemporal trends, and classify levels. Results show that the global average density was 0.24 cigarette butts per square meter, with pronounced geographic variability. Hotspots occurred in 17 countries, especially in Asia and Latin America. Aquatic environments, notably beaches, exhibited higher contamination, reflecting recreational pressure and higher monitoring coverage. Cigarette butts constituted 12
OBJECTIVES:This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of evaluating and providing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores in adults without prevalent CVD on cardiovascular outcomes, risk factor levels, preventive medication prescribing, and health behaviours.
