Environmental conflicts, particularly within the pig industry in Chile, pose serious ecological, social, and economic challenges. This study focuses on analyzing the bioethical aspects of the ongoing environmental conflicts at an industrial pig farm in the Maule Region’s rural localities. Employing heuristic and hermeneutic methodologies, the research analyzed over 790 documents, such as environment agency reports, legislation, and community testimonials. The findings underscore severe environmental harm, highlighted by air and water pollution caused by waste and emissions from pig farms. These environmental issues correlate with significant health problems in the community, including respiratory diseases and psychological stress. Furthermore, the study outlines the socio-economic repercussions, such as unsustainable water use and the detrimental impacts on local agriculture and livelihoods. The findings advocate for the enhanced management of natural resources, further scientific investigation, and the adoption of sustainable practices to ensure environmental justice and improve the well-being of impacted communities.

Misophonia is a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds or stimuli associated with such sounds, called triggers. The aim was to validate a questionnaire on self-perception of the type of sound, visual identification, and origin of sounds in adults with suspected misophonia by Spanish-speaking people. An interview was conducted with a total of 395 participants, divided into four distinct blocks of questions: the trigger of misophonia, the visual identification of gestures or actions related to selective sounds, the emotional closeness between listener and sender, and the impact on the daily personal relationships of the person with misophonia. Each block used classical test theory to factorially validate the instrument. The first group of questions gave as a result four factors: mouth and throat sounds, environmental sounds, material sounds, and pronunciation sounds (Cronbach’s alpha = .929; KMO = 0.894). The second group identified two dimensions of reaction to actions and gestures, one related to movements of the mouth and throat and the second to body movements or exaggerated gesticulation (Cronbach’s alpha = .840; KMO = 0.819). The third block linked low and high emotional closeness factors (Cronbach’s alpha = .690; KMO = 0.633). The fourth block obtained a factor for daily chores and another for affective relationships (Cronbach’s alpha = .861; KMO = 0.820). The questionnaire offers valuable insights into the nature of misophonia, and the necessity for further research in this field. These findings emphasize the importance of developing a comprehensive understanding of misophonia to enhance diagnosis.

Introduction Small-scale and artisanal mining are historical activities in Chile that are deeply rooted in the region and economically significant. However, their workers face high levels of exposure to occupational hazards in informal conditions, with no adapted tools for occupational health surveillance. The available instruments are designed for formal companies and do not consider the operational context of artisanal miners. Objective To adapt and validate the content of a battery of questionnaires designed to identify working conditions affecting artisanal and small-scale mining workers in Chile. Methods An instrumental study was conducted in four phases: document review of national and international protocols; participatory risk identification with union leaders; development of thematic questionnaires; content validation through the judgment of 25 experts in occupational health, mining, psychometrics, and statistics. One hundred and fifty-five items were evaluated according to criteria of clarity, relevance, sufficiency, and coherence, using Aiken’s V coefficient (threshold ≥ 0.80). Results 87% of the items met the threshold in all four criteria. Aiken’s scores ranged from 0.77 to 0.98. The diesel exposure module obtained the highest scores, while the working conditions module showed less clarity (0.77), justifying the modification or elimination of 41% of its items. A new questionnaire on exposure to chemical agents was created by integrating modules. As a result of the adjustment process, the final battery consisted of six thematic questionnaires. Conclusions This is the first questionnaire set with favorable content validity to assess working conditions in Chilean artisanal mining, a sector with high labor informality. It represents an initial validation step. Further studies should evaluate reliability, construct validity, and field applicability.

Background: Cardiac surgeries in Chile lack a national registry for systematic data collection and analysis, limiting insights into procedural outcomes and patient demographics. In response to this gap, we developed a web-based platform to support the documentation of high-complexity cardiac surgeries. Objective: This study aimed to design, develop, and implement a cardiac surgery data collection and analysis platform that conforms to international standards to support clinical decision-making and research initiatives. Methods: A web-based platform was developed using the model-view-controller architecture, incorporating input from health care professionals and based on the fourth European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery adult cardiac surgical database report. The platform captures more than 160 clinical variables across 15 categories, spanning preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative stages. Results: The most significant outcome of this study is the development of the first online platform for documenting cardiac surgeries in Chile. Since its implementation in 2014, the platform has documented more than 4800 cardiac surgeries, establishing it as the largest database for a single institution in Latin America. The platform offers real-time access to data, supports planning and resource allocation, and enables the systematic evaluation of clinical outcomes. Integrating the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II risk model enables a standardized assessment of mortality risk. Conclusions: The platform contributes to the collection of cardiac surgery data in Chile, enabling evidence-based clinical decision-making and informed public health planning. It has documented cardiac surgeries for 10 years and has become the official registry tool for cardiac surgeries. By 2026, its application will be extended to 2 more centers, with the expectation that it will soon become the national database of cardiac surgeries. Future developments should improve scalability, interoperability, and data analysis to establish a national registry and further align Chilean cardiac surgery practices with international standards.

Organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides are widely used, but their combined effects on brain health remain unclear. This study analyzed observational research from 2014 to 2024 on their simultaneous exposure and its association with neurobehavioral, neurodegenerative, and neurological disorders through a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines in PubMed and Web of Science. Studies assessing co-exposure with validated methods and reporting brain health outcomes were included, while reviews, animal studies, and those without simultaneous exposure data were excluded. Risk of bias in cohort studies was evaluated using ROBINS-E. Of the 34 studies included, nine were cohort studies, four with low risk of bias and four with concerns related to sample size or exposure assessment. Three linked co-exposure to attention deficits and cognitive decline in children. Evidence on neurodegenerative diseases and autism spectrum disorder was inconsistent due to conflicting results. Cross-sectional and case-control studies associated co-exposure with depression and anxiety but lacked follow-up data. Variability in exposure assessment reduced comparability. Research remains limited, indicating possible neurodevelopmental effects and the need for standardized methodologies to refine risk assessment.