Pontificial Catholic University of Valparaiso

Accessible and comfortable public transportation is a cornerstone of sustainable and inclusive urban mobility. However, there is a knowledge gap in how interior layout influences riders’ comfort perception under constant occupancy conditions. We conducted a pilot laboratory experiment in Valparaíso, Chile using a full-scale urban bus mock-up. Twenty-five participants each experienced four seating scenarios (yielding 100 total observations per outcome) that varied seat pitch (20, 30, 45 cm) and seat orientation (forward-facing vs. side-facing). Cumulative link mixed models were used to estimate seat pitch and orientation effects on the comfort outcomes, with participant-specific random intercepts. Increased seat pitch dramatically improved comfort ratings (e.g., virtually no participants felt comfortable at 20 cm, whereas nearly all did at 45 cm). Side-facing bench seating (longitudinal orientation) yielded significantly higher comfort, legroom, and ease-of-movement ratings than the forward-facing configuration at ~30 cm pitch (p < 0.001). Within the tested mock-up conditions, the results suggest that seat pitch is a major driver of perceived comfort and in-vehicle usability, and that a side-facing bench layout (tested at ~30 cm spacing) can improve perceived spaciousness relative to forward-facing seating. Because this is a small, non-probability pilot sample and a partial factorial design, these findings should be considered preliminary design sensitivities that warrant validation in larger, in-service studies before informing fleet-wide standards.

The regenerative potential of developing cortical axons depends on intrinsic mechanisms, such as axon-autonomous protein synthesis, that are still not fully understood. An emerging factor in this regenerative response is the bidirectional interplay between microtubule dynamics and the axonal ER. We hypothesize that locally synthesized ER proteins regulate microtubule dynamics and the regeneration of cortical axons. RNA data mining identified the ER-shaping protein Reticulon-1 as a relevant candidate across eight axonal transcriptomes. Using microfluidics, we show that axonal treatment with a small RNA against Reticulon-1 mRNA (Reticulon-1 knockdown) increases outgrowth of injured cortical axons while reducing their tubulin levels. We show by live-cell imaging that axonal Reticulon-1 knockdown increases microtubule growth rate in noninjured axons and restores this parameter after injury. Axonal inhibition of the microtubule-severing protein Spastin prevents the effects of Reticulon-1 knockdown over tubulin levels and outgrowth. We provide evidence that the Reticulon-1C isoform is synthesized within axons and attenuates Spastin-mediated microtubule severing. These findings support a model in which axonal protein synthesis regulates microtubule dynamics and axon outgrowth after injury.

This study specifies and validates a three-layer Structural Equation Model (SEM) that accounts for how tourists’ evaluations of destination attributes translate into loyalty; the model is based on UN Tourism’s sustainability pillars. Guided by service-science and Customer Experience (CX) logics, and adopting a Tourist Experience (TX) framework that treats Tourist Experience as a domain-specific case of CX, we define five first-order antecedents—Emotions (EMS), Local Culture (CTL), Authenticity (AUT), Entertainment (ENT), and Servicescape (SVS)—that load onto a higher-order appraisal, Global Perception (GEN), which in turn drives Destination Loyalty (LOY). Using ordinal indicators and a robust diagonally weighted least squares estimator (WLSMV), the model exhibits a good global fit (CFI/TLI = 0.970/0.968; SRMR = 0.049; RMSEA = 0.073 [90% CI = 0.070–0.076]). Standardized effects indicate that GEN is primarily explained by Emotions (β = 0.445, p < 0.001), Authenticity (β = 0.271, p < 0.001), and Servicescape (β = 0.241, p < 0.001), whereas CTL and ENT are not significant when competing with these other predictors. GEN strongly predicts LOY (β = 0.967, p < 0.001), mediating sizable indirect effects from EMS, AUT, and SVS to LOY. The findings corroborate a parsimonious mediational chain in which affective, meaning-related, and infrastructural inputs cohere into a single global appraisal that is proximal to loyalty. Our study provides a decision-focused blueprint for designing emotion-rich, authenticity-protecting, and well-orchestrated servicescapes to enhance GEN and, consequently, LOY; it adheres to established SEM reporting standards and articulates a holistic transactional conceptualization grounded in recent tourism literature. Improvements in GEN reflect not only better experiences but also designs consistent with long-run destination sustainability.

Metaheuristics are a fundament pillar of Industry 4.0, as they allow for complex optimization problems to be solved by finding good solutions in a reasonable amount of computational time. One category of important problems in modern industry is that of binary problems, where decision variables can take values of zero or one. In this work, we propose a binary version of the Pufferfish optimization algorithm (BPOA), which was originally created to solve continuous problems. The binary mapping follows a two-step technique, first transforming using transfer functions and then discretizing using binarization rules. We study representative pairings of transfer functions and binarization rules, comparing our algorithm with Particle Swarm Optimization, Secretary Bird Optimization Algorithm, and Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm with identical computational budgets. To validate its correct functioning, we solved binary problems present in industry, such as the Set Covering Problem together with its Unicost variant, as well as the Knapsack Problem. The results we achieved with regard to these problems were promising and statistically validated. The tests performed on the executions indicate that many pair differences are not statistically significant when both methods are already close to the optimal level, and significance arises precisely where the descriptive gaps widen, underscoring that transfer-rule pairing is the main performance factor. BPOA is a competitive and flexible framework whose effectiveness is mainly governed by the discretization design.

Abstract This work considers how exponential corrections to the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy formula affect the thermodynamic behavior of the FLRW cosmological model. These corrections significantly alter the form of the Friedman field equations, leading to nontrivial phase transition behavior. For negative values of the tracking parameter , the system presents first‐order phase transitions above the critical temperature, and for positive , the system undergoes a reentrant phase transition. As these corrections are presumably relevant at the early Universe stage, to corroborate the presence of some potential vestige of this contribution in the current era, a study has been carried out comparing observational data and current values of the Hubble parameter.

Meeting the recommendation of 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children and adolescents yields significant health benefits. In Latin-merican and the Caribbean, 39.1% of the population does not meet physical activity guidelines; specifically, 34.3% of males and 43.7% of females fall below the recommended levels. This study aims to identify school-based physical activity interventions aligned with the socioecological model that involve parents in Latina merican contexts. A systematic search was conducted across four databases-PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and ScienceDirect-for articles published between January 2014 and April 2024. A total of 198 studies were identified (78 from PubMed, 22 from WOS, 31 from Scopus, and 67 from ScienceDirect). After removing 20 duplicates, 167 articles were excluded based on title and abstract screening. One study was excluded. It focused on sedentary behavior, and another aspect was its consideration of dietary habits, resulting in a final inclusion of 9 studies. The included studies were published between 2014-2024, with intervention durations ranging from 10 weeks to 28 months and sample sizes from 50 to 3,592 participants. The studies were conducted in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. Interventions adopted both individual and environmental approaches, targeting outcomes such as physical activity, sedentary behavior, screen time, health education, nutrition, and alcohol and tobacco use. The reviewed intervention demonstrated positive effects on increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors. Family members, peers, friends, and teachers emerged as key sources of support for promoting health-enhancing behaviors, consistent with an ecological framework for health promotion.

Abstract Background. Active behaviour denotes any type of movement that enhances overall physical well-being, a trend that has seen a gradual decline among schoolchildren globally. Methods. The sample includes 655 schoolchildren aged 8 to 16. Instruments used include a questionnaire for sociodemographic and physical activity (PA) variables, assessing factors like gender, age, socioeconomic level, PA levels, self-perceived physical fitness, and parental and peer support for PA. Descriptive statistics were used alongside linear regression to establish associations. Network Analysis, utilising the Fruchterman-Reingold algorithm, was employed to visualise relationships between variables. Centrality indices were calculated to determine variables' influence within the network, while sparsity values indicated network density. Results. In children, recess-related activity strongly correlates with moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA), while adolescents show multiple associations with MVPA, including activities during recess, lunchtime, and physical education classes. Parental support plays a significant role, particularly in adolescents. Out-of-school PA is well connected among peer support nodes in both children and adolescents, while adolescents show stronger connections with parental support, socioeconomic variables, and physical condition nodes. Notably, friends' encouragement and parental support significantly influence PA behaviours in both age groups. Conclusion. Out-of-school PA, parental and peer support have more influence on MVPA in children and adolescents than other traditional reasons.

A positive learning environment is related not only to student outcomes but also to inclusion of diverse learners. Although the literature on inclusive learning environments depicts physical and sensory elements as relevant, there is a need to improve measurements to include not only objective measures but also end users’ valuations of these elements. This study sought to construct and validate the Physical and Sensorial Classroom Environment Scale (PSCES) and understand, from teachers’ perspectives, the associations between classroom environment and inclusive educational indicators of autistic students in Chilean mainstream schools. The instrument’s validation process involved expert judges, a pilot test, and exploratory factor analysis with 197 Chilean teachers and education professionals. The second phase examined the relationship between physical and sensory classroom environment and indicators of inclusive education—permanence in classroom, social interaction, learning progress, classroom well-being, and sense of belonging—among 123 autistic students in the first to fourth grade in mainstream schools. Results showed that the 34-item scale showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.945, McDonald’s ω = 0.936), with seven factors explaining 61% of the total variance. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.487, p < 0.001) was found between better classroom conditions and improved educational inclusion, suggesting that as the factors measured by the scale increased, the overall perception of inclusion also increased. The coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.312) indicated that about 31% of variability in teachers’ perceptions of autistic educational inclusion was explained by classroom environment factors, particularly student agency and personalization, alternative arrangements, spatial organization, and sensory conditions. This study contributes to understanding how the physical and sensory classroom environment can foster educational inclusion for all learners, particularly for diverse autistic learners.

Portable near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides a noninvasive measure of local muscle metabolic demand through muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2). This study aimed to evaluate acute SmO2 responses in exercising and non‐exercising muscles during an isometric test conducted before and after exercise. Twelve physically active men (25 ± 6 years; 1.75 ± 0.07 m) performed three maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and a 45‐s isometric contraction at 70% MVC (IC70%) before and after completing five sets of 30 concentric knee extensions at 180°·s−1, with 60 s rest between sets, on an isokinetic dynamometer. SmO2 was recorded in the vastus lateralis (exercised and non‐exercised leg) and triceps brachii. Significant differences in SmO2 were observed between exercised and non‐exercised legs both pre‐ (p = 0.048) and post‐exercise (p < 0.001), whereas no significant changes were found in the triceps brachii or non‐exercising vastus lateralis. Acute responses to isometric exercise differed between SmO2 and torque measures. While the torque of the IC70% did not change following the exercise protocol, SmO2 showed a higher deoxygenation response during exercise. The isometric test did not indicate any redistribution of muscle oxygenation from non‐exercising to exercising muscles. These results provide novel insights into the dissociation between mechanical and microvascular responses during isometric exercise and support the potential of this test as a practical tool for monitoring training loads.