Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Este estudio parte de la importancia de analizar la competitividad sostenible en las organizaciones, como fundamento de su supervivencia y crecimiento, considerando que existen variables que se relacionan con ésta y pueden aportar al mejoramiento del desempeño competitivo de las empresas. El propósito de la investigación fue analizar la relación entre el rendimiento competitivo sostenible y el capital intelectual en las micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas (MiPYMES) de la zona 1 de Ecuador, basados en la teoría del escalón superior. Para esto se aplicó un enfoque cuantitativo de tipo descriptivo y de corte transversal, a una muestra aleatoria de empresarios, por medio de un cuestionario de escala de Likert. Los principales hallazgos determinaron que no existe evidencia de diferencias significativas entre el género del empresario vs. el capital intelectual y vs. el rendimiento competitivo sostenible. También se encontró que las empresas del sector servicios cuentan con mayor capital intelectual, y los sectores de servicios y comercio parecen tener un mayor rendimiento competitivo. Al final, el capital intelectual y el rendimiento competitivo sostenible tienen una relación positiva moderada. Esto expone el valor de los activos intangibles en la competitividad empresarial y destaca la necesidad de considerar las particularidades sectoriales.

The research analyzes the logistics chain and international physical distribution of Ecuadorian heart of palm between 2019 and 2023, identifying factors affecting its competitiveness in global markets. Through an analytical and descriptive approach, exports, logistics costs, and transportation efficiency were evaluated. The results show that Ecuador leads heart of palm exports but faces challenges such as dependence on the Port of Guayaquil and fluctuations in external demand. The need for market diversification, investment in infrastructure, and improvement in international certifications was identified. Optimizing transportation and integrating technology into the supply chain can strengthen the sector's competitiveness. Finally, the stability of the heart of palm trade depends on efficient logistics strategies and sustainability policies that enable its expansion into emerging markets.

Esta investigación analiza la transformación del ecosistema de manglar en Ecuador entre el 2000 y el 2022, se busca identificar las causas de estos cambios a través de indicadores de presión. Además, explora cómo las prácticas comunitarias yla cohesión social han contribuido a su conservación en las comunidades 6 de Julio, Balao y Nuevo Porvenir, se toma como base el enfoque de Elinor Ostrom. Se busca identificar la intersección entre la ecología y la economía, para lo cual se adoptan la Economía Ecológica y la Economía Institucional como marcos de análisis. En este punto de convergencia, el manglar se presenta como un elementosustancial. Su deterioro es impulsado de manera principal por la actividad camaronera, que provoca un cambio de uso de suelo con impactos negativos en el ecosistema, especies que lo habitan y en las comunidades que dependen de él.

Este estudio evaluó la calidad del agua en los ríos Malacatos, Zamora Huayco y Zamora, en la ciudad de Loja, Ecuador, con el objetivo de identificar las principales fuentes de contaminación y su impacto. Durante tres campañas de muestreo  realizadas entre diciembre de 2022 y enero de 2023, se analizaron parámetros fisicoquímicos como oxígeno disuelto (OD), materia orgánica (DBO5 y DQO), nitrógeno amoniacal (NH4+), caudal, temperatura, conductividad y pH en 69 puntos entre vertidos y quebradas tributarias. En el tramo Malacatos-Zamora se identificaron 56 puntos de descarga, con las quebradas Cater, Alumbre, Viveros, San Cayetano y Las Pavas como principales fuentes contaminantes.  

The present work investigates the seasonal variation in the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils of the leaves of four Salvia species natives of Baja California, Mexico: Salvia apiana, Salvia clevelandii, Salvia munzii, and Salvia pachyphylla.  Camphor and 1,8-cineole were the secondary metabolites with the highest concentrations in the four species throughout the four seasons. In general, the monoterpenoid percentage was greater than that of sesquiterpenoids in the oil composition. The antioxidant activity was measured by various methods: 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•), 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS•+) and β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay. This antioxidant evaluation revealed that this activity depended on the type of metabolites present in the oil and their concentrations, which varied during the four seasons. These results suggest that the essential oil from these Salvias could represent a source of new products with potential use within the food preservation, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Continuous exposure to wood industry waste is associated with damage to genetic material. This study examined the frequency of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities in oral mucosa cells of woodworkers to detect genomic instability and health risks. We collected 91 buccal mucosa samples from woodworkers and, as a control group, 73 office workers samples. Two thousand cells from each sample were analyzed under a fluorescence microscope (100x). The average age of participants was 38.0 ± 11.4. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.7 ± 4.7. In the dust-exposed group, 83.5% of participants were men, and 16.5% were women. Woodworkers participating in the study were exposed to 25 times the Threshold Limit Value-Time Weighted Average of 1 mg/m3. Increased DNA damage biomarkers, the appearance of binucleated cells, and programmed cell death biomarkers allow for identifying a higher health risk for woodworkers compared with the control group. The risks increase in exposed individuals who consume tobacco and alcohol. Woodworkers have a high occupational risk, evidenced by genotoxicity and cytotoxicity associated with exposure to high amounts of wood dust and solvents. The continuous monitoring of cito/genotoxicity biomarkers could be used to develop a systematic method applicable to several industrial sectors with high-risk individuals.

Soursop is a highly perishable climacteric fruit, which limits its commercialization, and for this reason, strategies are being sought to prolong its shelf life. With this focus, this research aimed to test the effect of a bacterial consortium of three strains of Bacillus subtilis applied in pre-harvest to evaluate the quality parameters of the fruit in the postharvest stage. Different stages of fruit development on the tree were selected for application (4, 8 and 12 weeks post-anthesis), in addition to fruit at physiological maturity already harvested. The physicochemical parameters of firmness, titratable acidity, pH, and total soluble solids were evaluated according to AOAC protocols. The expression of the gene coding for the polygalacturonase enzyme was also evaluated. The results revealed that the bacterial consortium positively affects shelf life when applied pre-harvest at 12 weeks of fruit development. This study reveals that the selection of the stage of fruit development is fundamental to achieving positive effects through the application of B. subtilis on the quality of fruits with short shelf life, such as soursop.

Knowledge of organisms’ diversity found in a specific habitat is of utmost importance, due to the roles they play in food chains. Furthermore, diversity of mites associated with the genus Vitis in Mexico is unknown and, sometimes, overlooked despite their importance in determining potential predatory species for biological pest control. In this sense, the predatory mite Raphignathus collegiatus Atyeo, Baker & Crossley, 1961 is reported for the first time under the bark of grapevines, associated with infestations of Planoccocus ficus Signoret in commercial vineyards of the Valle de Guadalupe in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

Livestock farming faces various factors that affect the development of calves, such as the dry season. The purpose of this study was to compare the post-weaning performance of dual-purpose calves raised in stalls fed the same grass species during periods of drought and rain. Nine Girolando Brown Swiss cross calves were used, divided into two groups, the grazing group (GG; n=4) and the stabled group (CG; n=5). A linear fixed effects model with factorial design was implemented. The average daily gain (ADG) during the dry season was observed to be 419±95 g/day/calf and 310±15 g/day/calf for GG and CG, respectively. However, during the rainy season, GG showed an increase while CG showed a decrease in body weight (790±131 and - 110±63 g/day/calf, respectively). During the rainy season, grazing management (GG; $0.88±0.09 USD/day/calf) is 30% less expensive than barn management (CG; $1.25±0.07 USD/day/calf). However, during the drought period, grazing management is only 5.7% cheaper. Appropriate management measures for developing calves must be taken into account depending on whether grazing is extensive or confined, as well as drought or rain conditions.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the faunal and floral richness associated with the different vegetation types present in the Marismas Nacionales Biosphere Reserve, using INEGI Series VII land use and vegetation spatial data and georeferenced species records from the CONABIO National Biodiversity Information System. The Shannon index was calculated, and the results showed that mangrove swamps and bodies of water presented the highest richness. The highest values of the Shannon index corresponded to hydrophilic halophilic vegetation and mangrove swamps.