Universitas Scientiarum

<font color="#000080">Universitas Scientiarum (Univ. Sci.) is registered at the ISSN National Centre (ISSN 0122-7483 printed version, ISSN 2027-1352 online version) and indexed in Scopus, Chemical Abstracts (CA), SciELO, Google scholar, ULRICHS-WEB, Latindex, Periódica, Redalyc, Indice Bibliográfico Nacional (Publindex), and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Universitas Scientiarum is a refereed scientific journal and is edited at the Faculty of Sciences of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia) and has been published continuously since 1987. Universitas Scientiarum publishes original papers, reviews, brief communications, editorials, letters to the Editor, and reviews of books, handbooks and meetings. The journal receives manuscripts in Spanish, Portuguese or English. The journal will accept papers on any subject of natural, physical or exact sciences.<br></font><br>

List of Papers (Total 482)

Morphology and morphometric relationships for sagitta otoliths in Lutjanus argentiventris (Pisces: Lutjanidae) and Hyporthodus acanthistius (Pisces: Serranidae) from the Colombian Pacific Ocean

Fish earstones, or otoliths, are inner ear structures that can be studied to determine a fish’s age and are a source of taxonomically informative data. In the present work, sagitta otoliths of the Yellowtail snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris) and the Red grouper (Hyporthodus acanthistius) were collected in the Colombian Pacific, and their key morphological features were studied...

Global dynamics of humoral and cellular immune responses to virus infection

We study the global stability of a model of virus dynamics with consideration of humoral and cellular immune responses. We use a Lyapunov direct method to obtain sufficient conditions for the global stability of virus free and viruspresence equilibriums. First, we analyze the model without an immune response and found that if the reproductive number of the virus is less than or...

Conductimetry: a rapid alternative technique for chlorides determination in cheese

The correlation of two instrumental techniques for chlorides determination in Colombian cheese, Queso Molido Nariñense (a type of white cheese), was analyzed. Potentiometry of chloride precipitation is the standard technique to determined salt in cheese. Conductimetry is an alternative technique. Samples of Queso Molido Nariñense were made. In the processed cheeses the salt...

Reducing Cr6+ in electroplating wastewater with Bacillus cereus strain B1

In this study Bacillus cereus was used to evaluate the Cr6+ reducing capacity in electroplating effluents. TheCr6+ bioreduction assays were carried out using real waste water (RWW) from an electroplating plant and artificial wastewater (AWW), with and without added glucose. The AWW was prepared using Ni ,Zn ,Cu, Pb, and Cr salts, simulating RWW concentrations. The Cr6...

Checklist of marine elasmobranchs of Colombia

A review and update to the shark and ray species recorded for the marine waters of Colombia was carried out. A total of 206 species had been recorded in the literature, of which 138 species (76 sharks and 62 rays) could be confirmed from museum records, catches, photographs, and videos. No evidence was found for 25 species, but their distribution included neighboring countries...

Assessing salt-stress tolerance in barley

Identifying naturally existing abiotic-stress tolerant accessions in cereal crops is central to understanding plant responses toward sstress. Salinity is an abiotic stressor that limits crop yields. Salt stress triggers major physiological changes in plants, but individual plants may perform differently under salt stress. In the present study, 112 barley accessions were grown...

Assessment of a multiplex detection method for Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes in cow milk

Raw cow milk is considered one of the most important vehicles for pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. These three bacteria are responsible for foodborne diseases. Routine microbiological methods to detect these microorganisms in cow milk can be complicated and time consuming. The aim of this work was to evaluate a method...

Checklist of marine elasmobranchs of Colombia

A review and update to the shark and ray species recorded for the marine waters of Colombia was carried out. A total of 206 species had been recorded in the literature, of which 138 species (76 sharks and 62 rays) could be confirmed from museum records, catches, photographs, and videos. No evidence was found for 25 species, but their distribution included neighboring countries...

Effectiveness of vertical subsurface wetlands for iron and manganese removal from wastewater in drinking water treatment plants

Population growth and urbanization pose a greater pressure for the treatment of drinking water. Additionally, different treatment units, such as decanters and filters, accumulate high concentrations of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), which in many cases can be discharged into the environment without any treatment when maintenance is performed. Therefore, this paper evaluates the...

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L., Solanaceae)

Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana, L.) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Solanaceae family that produces an edible berry appreciated for its nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties. Its production is often limited by diseases and reproducible fruit quality. Recent studies have reported genes associated with fruit quality and resistance response to the root-infecting...

Assessing salt-stress tolerance in barley

Identifying naturally existing abiotic-stress tolerant accessions in cereal crops is central to understanding plant responses towards stress. Salinity is an abiotic stressor that limits crop yields. Salt stress triggers major physiological changes in plants, but individual plants may perform differently under salt stress. In the present study, 112 barley accessions were grown...

Reducing Cr6+ in electroplating wastewater with Bacillus cereus strain B1

In this study Bacillus cereus was used to evaluate the Cr6+ reducing capacity in electroplating effluents. The Cr6+ bioreduction assays were carried out using real wastewater (RWW) from an electroplating plant and artificial wastewater (AWW), with and without added glucose. The AWW was prepared using Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cr salts, simulating RWW concentrations. The Cr6...

Influence of indentation test factors on the mechanical response of the skin

This study proposes in vivo tests and design of experiments to determine the influence of experimental factors on the mechanical response of the soft tissue. The experimental factors considered are: room temperature (A), indentation velocity (B), indenter temperature (C), pump pressure (D) and muscle activation (E). An inverse method was developed to obtain the constants for...

Nutrient absorption in Tithonia Diversifolia

Tithonia diversifolia is a robust shrub that has high ecological plasticity and adaptability, high capacity of nutrient absorption and high nutrient contents. These characteristics make Tithonia diversifolia be considered as a multi-purpose plant, such as for animal feed, soil decontamination and soil restorer. Likewise, it is a plant with high ecological plasticity and...

Thermo-kinetics of Forest Waste Using Model-Free Methods

Thermal behaviour of pine needles (Pinus Roxburghii) is examined through a thermogravimetry technique. The dried samples of pine needles undergo the non-isothermal decomposition at temperature range of 308-1173 K. The heating rates used for experimental purposes are: 5 ◦ C min-1, 10 ◦ C min-1 and 15 ◦ C min-1. Kinetic parameters of thermal decomposition reactions of pine needles...

A novel textile wastewater treatment using ligninolytic co-culture and photocatalysis with TiO2

Textile industries produce effluent waste water that, if discharged, exerts a negative impact on the environment. Thus, it is necessary to design and implement novel waste water treatment solutions. A sequential treatment consisting of ligninolytic co-culture with the fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete crhysosporium (secondary treatment) coupled to TiO2/UV photocatalysis...

Complete Colombian Caribbean loggerhead turtle mitochondrial genome: tRNA structure analysis and revisited marine turtle phylogeny

The loggerhead marine turtle, Caretta caretta, is a widely distributed and endangered species that is facing critical population decline, especially in Colombian Caribbean rookeries. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data are of great importance for the description, monitoring, and phylogenetic analyses of migratory turtle populations. In this study, the first full mitochondrial genome...

Decreased rotavirus infection of MA104 cells via probiotic extract binding to Hsc70 and ß3 integrin receptors

Probiotic bacteria are microorganisms beneficial to human health, useful to improving biological conditions. Thanks to probiotic bacteria the symptoms of viral infections can be alleviated. Different mechanisms whereby probiotic bacteria exert they antiviral effect have been proposed. The aim of this study was to determine whether probiotic bacteria extracts bind to receptors of...

Application of physico-chemical indexes and BMWP / Col. to establish the impact of urbanization on Río Frío (Bucaramanga, Colombia)

In this study, samples from four different sites were collected from Río Frío, a stream crossing the city of Bucaramanga (Colombia). The course evaluated started in the suburban area and finished in the vicinity where Río Frío becomes the tributary of Río de Oro. Invertebrates were identified belonging to different phyla: Annelida, Mollusca, and Arthropoda, corresponding to five...

An investigation on the effect of humidity on the zero signal of a strain gauge measuring system

Humidity is one of the most important ambient factors influencing torque calibration readings. The present study addresses the effect of relative humidity on the readings of reference torque transduction and amplification devices. The results revealed a linear effect of increasing humidity on the readings of a DMP40 torque amplifier and a torque transducer at four different...

A novel textile wastewater treatment using ligninolytic co-culture and photocatalysis with TiO2

Textile industries produce effluent wastewater that, if discharged, exerts a negative impact on the environment. Thus, it is necessary to design and implement novel wastewater treatment solutions. A sequential treatment consisting of ligninolytic co-culture with the fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete crhysosporium (secondary treatment) coupled to TiO2 /UV photocatalysis...

Cellulases production on paper and sawdust using native Trichoderma asperellum

Microbial cellulases are industrially used enzymes that catalyze the cleavage of the glycosidic bonds of cellulose. This hydrolysis yields sugars that can be used in processes such as bioethanol production. These enzymes are mainly produced by fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma via submerged or solid state fermentation with cellulosic materials as substrates. Recent...

Soil macrofauna in areas with different ages after Pinus patula clearcutting

In Andean high montane areas, the establishment of exotic tree forests changes the soil dynamics and its biodiversity. Soil macrofauna act as indicators of ecosystem successional processes, and may have an important role in ecological restoration processes after clearcutting exotic tree plantations. The aim of the present study was to understand how soil macrofaunal assemblies...

Complete Colombian Caribbean loggerhead turtle mitochondrial genome: tRNA structure analysis and revisited marine turtle phylogeny

The loggerhead marine turtle, Caretta caretta, is a widely distributed and endangered species that is facing critical population decline, especially in Colombian Caribbean rookeries. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data are of great importance for the description, monitoring, and phylogenetic analyses of migratory turtle populations. In this study, the first full mitochondrial genome...

On the Pareto compliance of the averaged hausdorff distance as a performance indicator

The averaged Hausdorff distance Δ p is an inframetric, recently introduced in evolutionary multiobjective optimization (EMO) as a tool to measure the optimality of finite size approximations to the Pareto front associated to a multiobjective optimization problem (MOP). Tools of this kind are called performance indicators, and their quality depends on the useful criteria they...