Introduction: the research evaluates the effect of two types of organic fertilizers on the morpho-agronomic characteristics of two varieties of Jamaica (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) under field conditions in the Tena canton, Napo province, Ecuador. Objectives: to evaluate the effect of the application of poultry manure and worm humus on the growth, development, and yield of two varieties from Jamaica, and to identify the morpho-agronomic differences between them. Methodology: variables such as germination percentage, plant height, leaf width and length, days at flowering, fruit weight per plant and yield were analyzed. Data were evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's mean comparison tests at 5% significance. Results: the results showed significant differences in the percentage of germination between varieties, with Estrella Costeña (88 %) standing out compared to Patriota (76.3 %). In the morpho-agronomic variables related to vegetative growth, the fertilizer factor was highly significant, evidencing that poultry manure and worm humus promoted greater leaf development and a higher plant height compared to the control treatment without fertilization. During the reproductive phase, organic fertilizers accelerated flowering and increased the weight of fruit per plant, which was reflected in an increase in yield. Conclusions: the results indicate that, although variety influences initial vigor and germination capacity, organic fertilization is the most crucial factor in determining the final yield of the Jamaican crop. General area of study: Agronomy. Specific area of study: Plant nutrition. Item type: Original.

Introduction. Gears are essential and expensive elements in industrial processes that suffer severe operational wear. To mitigate catastrophic failures and unplanned downtime, it is crucial to implement effective diagnostic strategies that continuously monitor the mechanical condition of the system. Objective. To analytically evaluate and compare the behavior and sensitivity of vibrational and ultrasonic signals in the presence of common fault modes in spur gears. Methodology. In this applied research with an experimental design, a practical approach was used through the recording and processing of dynamic signals from a parameterizable test bed. Global vibration and sound pressure measurements were collected using specialized sensors under controlled conditions of induced defects. Results. Statistical analysis showed that the root-mean-square vibration velocity parameter (VRMS) has a direct and superior correlation for detecting mechanical angular misalignments. Conversely, the overall ultrasonic sound pressure level (NPT) demonstrated exclusivity and high sensitivity against the progression of severe wear on the tooth flanks. Meanwhile, ultrasound waveform analysis proved to be more favorable for detecting broken gear teeth. Conclusion. It was determined that the complementary combination of vibrational analysis and passive ultrasound optimizes timely diagnosis in spur gear transmissions. The joint use of both techniques reduces predictive uncertainty by specializing each tool according to the geometric nature of the fault. General Area of Study: Industrial Maintenance. Specific area of study: Condition-Based Maintenance. Type of study: Original article.

Introduction: the incorporation of uncertainty in heat conduction models allows us to represent random perturbations present in various physical processes. Objectives: the objective of this research is to compare the deterministic and stochastic formulations of the one-dimensional heat equation under additive Gaussian white noise and to analyze the influence of thermal diffusivity on the propagation of uncertainty. Methodology: a validated and reproducible computational simulation for stochastic partial differential equations was implemented in the MATLAB software, considering a deterministic model using the Crank-Nicolson scheme and a stochastic formulation using the Euler-Maruyama method. Uncertainty was modeled with additive Gaussian white noise and evaluated using 200 Monte Carlo simulations in aluminum, stainless steel, and wood. RMSE, maximum variance, and average thermal energy were used as metrics. Results: the means of the Monte Carlo assembly showed a high agreement with the deterministic solution. The increase in noise intensity increased the statistical dispersion, while the average thermal energy remained practically constant. Conclusions: in conclusion, thermal diffusivity acts as a natural uncertainty dampening mechanism, mainly affecting the variability of the solution without significantly modifying the average dynamics of the diffusive process. General area of study: Applied Mathematics. Specific area of study: Computational simulation. Type of study: Original articles.

Introduction. Salinity may leave the onset of germination unchanged while impairing the formation of functional seedlings, early growth, and biomass accumulation in soybeans. Objective. To evaluate the response of soybean seeds to 0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl using early germination, seedling normality, growth, and biomass indicators. Methodology. A completely randomized design was used with three treatments and six experimental units per treatment, each containing 50 seeds from a commercial lot whose varietal identity was not declared. The test was maintained for eight days at 25 ± 2 °C under a 12 h photoperiod. Germination on day 5, normal seedlings on day 8, shoot and root lengths, water loss, and dry mass were measured. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test at 5%. Results. Day-5 germination remained between 88.83% and 94.00%, with no statistical differences. In contrast, normal seedlings decreased from 83.33% in the control to 57.83% and 45.83% at 50 and 100 mM. At 100 mM, shoot and root lengths reached 1.85 and 3.20 cm, water loss increased to 79.34%, and root and shoot dry mass decreased to 0.06 and 0.87 g. Conclusion. The evaluated seed lot retained a high capacity to initiate germination, whereas early seedling establishment was sensitive to NaCl, especially at 100 mM. Seedling normality, growth, and biomass discriminated against stress more effectively than the first germination count. General area of study: Agricultural sciences. Specific area of study: Plant physiology and seed technology. Type of study: Original article.

Introduction. Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) are an oilseed legume of global importance, highly sensitive to soil salinity. Globally, 6–7% of the Earth's land surface faces salinity problems, significantly impacting agriculture, especially in Latin America where 31 million hectares are affected. The germination phase is particularly susceptible to saline stress, causing osmotic imbalance and ionic toxicity that compromise essential physiological processes. Objective. The objective was to evaluate the salinity tolerance of peanut seeds under NaCl concentrations of 0, 50, and 100 mM, by measuring germination percentage, root and stem length, and dry biomass. Methodology. A completely randomized design was used with the INIAP 383 Pintado variety, with six replicates per treatment. The seeds were disinfected and germinated on Germitest paper under controlled conditions (25.8 ± 2°C) for 10 days. Germination percentages, growth, and mineral analysis were evaluated. Results. The results showed that at 50 mM NaCl, germination at five days did not differ statistically from the control; however, by the tenth day it was significantly reduced to 72.50%. The 100 mM concentration caused drastic reductions in all variables: germination (50.33%), root length (3.49 cm), and biomass, accompanied by Na+ accumulation (2036.30 ppm) and a decrease in the K+/Na+ ratio (0.05). Conclusion. It is concluded that peanuts exhibit moderate tolerance to saline stress during germination under 50 mM NaCl, while 100 mM significantly compromises germination, initial growth, and seedling ionic balance. General Area of Study: Agronomic sciences. Specific area of study: Plant physiology and seed technology. Type of study: Original articles.

Introduction: in the contemporary educational scenario, the teaching-learning of mathematics faces the challenge of promoting a deep understanding of concepts, overcoming traditional approaches focused on the mechanical repetition of procedures. Objectives: the objective of the study was to design and implement a pedagogical strategy based on six interactive activities with GeoGebra and to describe the variations observed in the understanding of the relationships between lines in ninth grade students of a bilingual intercultural rural institution in the canton of Guaranda, Ecuador. Methodology: a quantitative, applied, and field approach was adopted, with a pre-experimental single-group design with pre-test and post-test measurements (O₁–X–O₂). The population consisted of 60 students, and, through non-probabilistic convenience sampling, a sample of 15 students was selected for the intervention. An objective test, an analytical rubric and an observation sheet were used; Because the instruments had different maximum scores, the raw results were transformed into a common percentage scale. Results: the descriptive evaluation showed favorable variations in the four competencies analyzed: graphic interpretation, slope calculation, parallelism and perpendicularity, and graphic-algebraic relationships. Conclusions: the results support the pedagogical relevance of integrating GeoGebra, multiple representations and contextualized teacher mediation, although, due to the characteristics of the design, they do not allow establishing causality or statistical generalization. It is recommended that future research use parallel and validated instruments, comparison groups, larger and more diverse samples, and longitudinal follow-ups to examine the stability and transferability of the observed learning. General area of study: Education. Specific area of study: Mathematics didactics and educational technology. Type of item: original.

Introduction: Spelling is a fundamental skill for the development of written communication, fostering the expression of ideas and students' academic performance; however, difficulties persist regarding the proper application of accentuation rules for words stressed on the last, penultimate, and antepenultimate syllables, which limits the quality of written work among upper basic education students. Objective: To evaluate the implementation of interactive activities using Wordwall to strengthen the teaching-learning process of Language and Literature specifically focusing on spelling skills involving these three stress patterns among tenth-grade students at the Alangasí Fiscal Educational Unit. Methodology: The research employed a mixed-methods approach with a quasi-experimental design, utilizing pre-test and post-test instruments with a sample of 32 students; additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four teachers to gauge their perceptions of the proposed intervention. Results: Initial difficulties in mastering accentuation rules were observed, followed by improvement after the implementation of Wordwall activities, with success rates ranging from 93.3% to 100% across the evaluated categories; meanwhile, teachers expressed a favorable view of Wordwall as a tool that contributes to learning. Conclusion: The use of interactive activities via Wordwall proves effective in strengthening spelling skills, fostering dynamic, participatory, and innovative teaching-learning processes. General Area of Study: Pedagogy. Specific area of study: High School Pedagogy. Type of study: Original article.

Introduction. Pitahaya is a crop of economic importance in Ecuador. Objective. To evaluate the physicochemical, antioxidant, colorimetric, and microbiological properties of dehydrated flours with agroindustrial potential derived from the stems and husks of pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus). Methodology. Both plant materials (pith flour [HP] and peel flour [HC]) were collected. The samples were sorted, cut, and dehydrated at 40 °C, and then ground (particle size of 354 µm). A completely randomized experimental design was used with five treatments (T0-1: HP; T0-2: HC; T1: 40 g HP + 20 g HC; T2: 30 g HP + 30 g HC; and T3: 20 g HP + 40 g HC). The physicochemical, antioxidant, colorimetric, and microbiological properties were evaluated for each treatment. Results. The results showed that, in terms of physicochemical composition, the husk treatment (T0-2) had the highest dry matter content (95.25%) and lowest moisture content (4.75%), indicating greater stability, while the leaf stalk meal (T0-1) had the highest ash content (17.45%), indicating a high mineral content. The pH ranged from 5.57 to 6.42, with no variations in titratable acidity. Antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in T0-2, with values of 26.99 for ABTS and 17.05 for DPPH, while total phenols showed no statistically significant differences among treatments (5.57–6.04 mg GAE/g). In the colorimetric analysis, pure leaf stalk flour exhibited greater lightness (L* = 70.65), while the peel showed greater red intensity (a* = 25.40) and negative b* values (−5.41). Microbiological analysis revealed mold and yeast counts ranging from 118.67 to 948.33 CFU/g, with T3 being the treatment with the lowest microbial load. Conclusion. It is concluded that pitahaya peel improves antioxidant capacity, provides natural colorants, and reduces the microbial load. General Area of Study. Food Science and Technology. Specific area of study. Characterization and valorization of agricultural and livestock waste. Type of study. Original articles.