Seed germination and early root growth are decisive for crop establishment, yet responses to ionic environments can be strongly genotype-dependent. This study evaluated the effect of supplementing an agar-based in vitro system with a commercial NPK fertilizer on the germination dynamics and early morphometry of Raphanus sativus L. Three commercial varieties were tested (Agrosad, AS; Agrícola Santo Domingo, ASD; Garden Elite, GE) under two media: 1.5% agar without fertilizer (A) and 1.5% agar + NPK fertilizer at 3 g/L (AF), using a completely randomized 3×2 factorial design. Germination was recorded at 24, 48, and 72 h to compute final germination (%G), mean germination time (MGT), germination speed index (IVG), and coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG); root length was measured at 72 h. MANOVA (Pillai’s trace) indicated significant effects of Variety, Fertilization, and their interaction, confirming that fertilizer responses depended on genotype. While AS and GE maintained high %G (>88%) under AF, fertilization generally delayed germination (higher MGT) and reduced vigor (lower IVG). ASD showed the strongest inhibition, with %G dropping from 88.89% (A) to 25.93% (AF) and the lowest IVG (1.23). Root elongation was significantly reduced by fertilization in ASD and GE, whereas AS exhibited consistently shorter roots with no significant response. PCA summarized 86.36% of the total variance in the first two components, separating treatments along a vigour/architecture axis (IVG and root length positive; MGT negative) and a germination capacity axis (%G), and hierarchical clustering identified five response groups. Overall, a low-cost agar + fertilizer system effectively discriminated genotype-specific sensitivity to an ionic environment during early establishment, highlighting the need to consider variety-dependent thresholds when using commercial fertilizers for in vitro screening.

Seed germination and early root growth are decisive for crop establishment, yet responses to ionic environments can be strongly genotype-dependent. This study evaluated the effect of supplementing an agar-based in vitro system with a commercial NPK fertilizer on the germination dynamics and early seedling traits of Raphanus sativus L. Seeds were tested in two solid media: A (1.3% agar, no fertilizer) and AF (1.3% agar supplemented with 0.45 g of granular NPK fertilizer (15–30–15) per 200 mL medium), using a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial design. Germination percentage and synchrony are key constituents of seedlot evaluation because they jointly capture both viability and the temporal coordination of emergence. However, final germination percentage alone does not reflect the timing and uniformity of germination, which can be critical for predicting establishment and subsequent performance. Therefore, indices such as mean germination time (MGT), coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG), and interval germination rates are frequently employed to describe germination dynamics. In addition to germination dynamics, early seedling morphometry (e.g., root and hypocotyl traits) can provide complementary information on early vigor and stress sensitivity under contrasting media or environmental conditions. Root elongation was significantly reduced by fertilization in ASD and GE, whereas AS exhibited consistently shorter roots with no significant response. PCA summarized 86.3% of the total variance in the first two components, separating treatments along a vigour/architecture axis and a germination capacity axis (%G), and hierarchical clustering identified five response groups. Overall, a low-cost agar + fertilizer system effectively discriminated genotype-specific sensitivity to an ionic environment during early establishment, highlighting the need to consider variety-dependent thresholds when using commercial fertilizers for in vitro screening.

El objetivo general del estudio fue analizar los avances recientes en la ingeniería de proteínas aplicada al desarrollo de vacunas sintéticas, destacando los desafíos actuales y las oportunidades para investigaciones futuras. Se empleó una metodología basada en una revisión bibliográfica, con la búsqueda de estudios recientes en bases de datos científicas relevantes. Los principales resultados indicaron que la ingeniería de proteínas ha facilitado el diseño de vacunas más precisas, estables y efectivas, como las vacunas contra el VPH y la hepatitis B, lo que ha permitido reducir significativamente la prevalencia de estas enfermedades. Además, se resaltó la rapidez en el desarrollo de vacunas basadas en ARNm durante la pandemia de COVID-19, demostrando su gran potencial para enfrentar emergencias sanitarias globales. Estos avances no solo mejoraron la capacidad de respuesta ante patógenos emergentes, sino que también optimizaron la inmunogenicidad y seguridad de las vacunas. No obstante, persisten desafíos como la estabilidad térmica de las proteínas recombinantes, crucial para su distribución en regiones con infraestructuras limitadas, y la desigualdad en el acceso global a las vacunas. Se identificaron áreas clave para mejorar tanto en el desarrollo tecnológico como en la equidad de acceso, lo que podría tener un impacto transformador en la salud pública mundial.

A bibliometric analysis was conducted to evaluate the use of graphene and its derivatives in biotechnology, with a focus on biosensors and tissue engineering. A total of 3,151 Scopus-indexed documents (2010– 2024) were analyzed using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer to assess scientific production, citations, international collaboration, and thematic evolution. Results showed an annual growth rate of 30.98%, with China, South Korea, and Iran leading research output. In biosensors, graphene derivatives (GO and rGO) have been integrated with nanometals, polymers, and 3D architectures to develop sensitive devices for clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety. In tissue engineering, their combination with biomaterials such as chitosan, collagen, and hydroxyapatite has enhanced mechanical and bioactive properties, supporting bone, cardiac, and neural regeneration. Emerging trends include multifunctional hybrid materials, portable technologies, non-invasive diagnostics, and 3D bioprinting. Despite progress, challenges remain in synthesis standardization, clinical validation, and large-scale production

Governments across Latin America and the Caribbean have invested heavily in home devices and connectivity, yet whether these resources narrow or widen socioeconomic achievement gaps remains unclear. Using Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 microdata from 13 education systems (N = 89,339), this study examines whether home digital resources (ICTRES) moderate the socioeconomic gradient (ESCS) in mathematics and reading, using plausible values, multiple imputation, and Fay-corrected replicate weights. The results point to amplification rather than compensation: the ESCS × ICTRES interaction was positive in mathematics (β = 2.90) and reading (β = 1.83), and the mathematics gradient rose from 9.05 points at low ICTRES to 15.57 at high ICTRES. This pattern held when ESCS was residualized on ICTRES. Adding ICTRES reduced the baseline mathematics gradient (19.46 points) by 37.0%, but this attenuation largely reflects variance shared by two partially overlapping indices, so the accompanying decomposition is reported only descriptively. Country gradients ranged from 12.02 points (Dominican Republic) to 22.13 (Chile), with significant cross-national heterogeneity. These cross-sectional associations show that more home technology is not, by itself, accompanied by narrower socioeconomic gaps; read alongside prior intervention research, they suggest that access-only digital equity policies are unlikely to close them.