Repositorio de Investigación Universidad Católica de Cuenca

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Determinación del efecto post congelación de microdosis de menaquinona-4 en semen ovino

(Universidad Católica de Cuenca., 2025) Farfán Alvarado, Karen Dayana; Moscoso Piedra, Andrés Leonardo; 0705823151

The ovine semen presents particularly high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in its plasma membrane. This composition causes high instability, making sperm cells prone to reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Oxidative stress (OS), triggered by thermal shock and atmospheric oxygen during cryopreservation, increases susceptibility to lipid peroxidation (LPO). Antioxidant supplementation acts and reacts as a protective strategy against this damage. This study proposed Menaquinone-4 (MK-4), a vitamin K homolog from the Menaquinone group, as a potential sperm antioxidant. We tested in the Reproduction Laboratory at Universidad Católica de Cuenca three microdoses of MK-4 (0.5 µM, 1 µM, 2 µM) to assess its effect on post-thaw ovine semen. Results showed dose-dependent variability compared to the control. At 2 µM, membrane integrity parameters were similar to the control. However, the 0.5 µM dose improved progressive motility. These differences suggest that MK-4 efficacy depends on the enzymatic capacity of sperm cells. The absence of UBIAD1 enzyme in donor gonads, due to the lack of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in sperm cells, limits MK-4 utilization. Therefore, antioxidant performance depends on intracellular enzyme availability. This biochemical limitation explains the inconsistent results across doses. MK-4 may offer cryoprotective benefits under specific cellular conditions, particularly in sperm with active metabolic machinery. Findings highlight the importance of considering enzymatic context when using fat-soluble antioxidants in cryopreservation protocols. Further research is needed to optimize MK-4 concentrations and evaluate its in vivo impact on fertility parameters. Keywords: PUFA; EO; LPO; ROS; UBIAD1

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Plataforma web para monitoreo y visualización de parámetros ambientales en café mediante sensores IoT

(Universidad Católica de Cuenca., 2025) Cedillo Illescas, Ángel Ariel; Encalada Arévalo, María Mercedes; Pazmiño Piedra, Juan Pablo; 015009736; 0104903950

The main objective of this study was to design and develop a web platform for real-time monitoring of air and soil parameters in coffee plantations. The research was carried out at Hacienda La Papaya, Saraguro, Ecuador. The software development methodology used was SCRUM, which is oriented to the creation of fast and adaptable solutions to change. For data collection, an IoT sensor network was implemented using LoRa e32 modules that allowed wireless communication over long distances in areas without internet. The sensors used were: RS485 for the soil (measuring NPK, humidity, temperature, salinity, conductivity, and pH variables) and AM2302 for the air (temperature and humidity). An HLK-RM08 gateway was used for data transmission. For data processing, a backend was structured in Node.js, in charge of receiving and validating the data coming from the sensors and then storing them in the PostgreSQL database. For the visualization of real-time information, Grafana was used to create interactive panels,which allowed a more in-depth analysis of the data. The results obtained demonstrated the functionality and reliability of the platform, the processing and data storage capacity was validated for the end users' needs, which was 500 readings/hour, with a latency of less than one minute in the dashboard. This solution was validated as a viable and low-cost tool that optimizes agronomic management, thus boosting agriculture and creating a base from which it can be expanded with the implementation of predictive modules, georeferencing, and even artificial intelligence.

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Análisis jurídico del otorgamiento de boletas de auxilio y su incidencia en el derecho a la defensa en Ecuador.

(Universidad Católica de Cuenca., 2025) Contreras Zhinín, Miguel Ángel; Mora Verdugo, Juan Andrés; Marín Carangui, Luis Bolívar; 0302187547; 0302767405

This article critically analyzes the use of protection orders in the Ecuadorian legal system and their impact on the right to defense of alleged aggressors. These measures, designed to provide urgent protection to victims of violence, have become a tool widely applied by judges and prosecutors. However, their frequent issuance without prior hearings or review mechanisms has raised serious concerns from a rights-based perspective. The study adopts a qualitative approach and draws on the analysis of legal norms, constitutional rulings, specialized doctrine, and international experiences. The findings reveal that although protection orders fulfill a necessary protective function, their issuance without procedural challenge or sufficient reasoning may directly affect fundamental rights such as the presumption of innocence, technical defense, and legal certainty. Furthermore, cases are identified in which these measures have been misused as tools of pressure in family conflicts, undermining their purpose and damaging the credibility of the justice system. Through a comparative study with countries such as Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico, it is demonstrated that it is possible to implement balanced models that respect both victims’ rights and the guarantees of the accused. The article concludes that the Ecuadorian system requires urgent reforms that incorporate mandatory review hearings, clear protocols, and a genuinely rights-based approach. Only in this way can effective, equitable, and human rights-oriented justice be ensured at all levels of the process. Keywords: protection orders, right to defense, due process

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Las políticas extractivistas del Ecuador y los derechos de la naturaleza. Un estudio crítico

(Universidad Católica de Cuenca., 2025) Álvarez Rodríguez, María Laura; Villavicencio Orellana, María José; Rojas Valdivieso, María Caridad; 0302722863; 0302519384

This research aims to analyze the structural contradiction between the constitutional recognition of the rights of nature in Ecuador and the implementation of extractivist policies, especially in the mining sector. Using a legal-dogmatic, deductive, and analytical approach, the study examines how the current legal framework, particularly the 2008 Constitution, has been systematically undermined by state practices that prioritize economic and transnational interests over life, water, and territory. The methodology included the study of legal, doctrinal, and jurisprudential sources, as well as the analysis of emblematic cases such as Kimsacocha and Fruta del Norte. These reveal a profound disconnect between the discourse of guarantees and the reality of extraction, in which nature is instrumentalized in the name of development. Based on this diagnosis, the research proposes legal reforms aimed at strengthening the binding participation of communities, active social oversight, and the protection of environmental defenders. The study concludes that as long as the State maintains a dual role as guarantor of rights and promoter of extractivism, the rights of nature will remain an unfulfilled constitutional promise, lacking real effectiveness in the territories. Keywords: rights of nature, extractivism, mining policy, good living, communities