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El Oro province undergoes a high rate of student's withdrawal from distance courses offered by the local university. The distance education model gives for granted that the regular teachers are proficient for remote tutoring. This research attempts to reveal the state-of-art of this educative model in a provincial university. The study focused on a quantitative-qualitative explorative approach to determine, whether, if withdrawal is more frequent in introductory courses or not. Among the main causes for withdrawal were found: (1) the naive of learners in high education programs, (2) the inconsistency of the university proposals (academic and administrative) and; (3) the most important, the deficiencies in remote tutoring

Background and Objectives While recognizing the acknowledged difference in dementia prevalence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, most previous studies were conducted in the Global North. This study aims to examine the relationship between Indigenous ethnic identity and dementia status with a special focus on urban–rural differences among older adults in Ecuador. Research Design and Methods Data came from Ecuador's Survey of Health, Welfare, and Aging, derived from a probability sample of households in Ecuador. The final sample comprised 4,984 adults aged 60 or older. Dementia status was assessed through 3 indicators: low scores on a cognitive assessment, the number of difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living, and self-reported dementia diagnosis. Logistic regression and multivariate decomposition analyses were utilized. Results Indigenous participants, even after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors, exhibited a higher likelihood of having dementia compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Among Indigenous participants, those residing in rural areas had a higher likelihood of having dementia status, while there was no significant urban–rural difference observed among non-Indigenous participants. Rural residency and covariates explain 91.0% of the observed difference in dementia prevalence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous older adults. Discussion and Implications Indigenous older adults who are living in rural areas are at particularly high risk of having dementia largely because they have presently recognized modifiable risk factors. These findings underscore the urgent need to prioritize provisions of appropriate and equitable service related to dementia for Indigenous people living in rural areas outside high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a flora and fauna dataset for the Mira-Mataje binational basins. This is an area shared between southwestern Colombia and northwestern Ecuador, where both the Chocó and Tropical Andes biodiversity hotspots converge. We systematized data from 120 sources in the Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) standard and geospatial vector data format for geographic information systems (GIS) (shapefiles). Sources included natural history museums, published literature, and citizen science repositories across 13 countries. The resulting database has 33,460 records from 6,821 species, of which 540 have been recorded as endemic, and 612 as threatened. The diversity represented in the dataset is equivalent to 10% of the total plant species and 26% of the total terrestrial vertebrate species in both hotspots. The dataset can be used to estimate and compare biodiversity patterns with environmental parameters and provide value to ecosystems, ecoregions, and protected areas. The dataset is a baseline for future assessments of biodiversity in the face of environmental degradation, climate change, and accelerated extinction processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm kernel cake (PKC), a byproduct of palm oil extraction, serves an important role in Ecuador's animal feed industry. The emergence of yellow-orange fungal growth in PKC on some cattle farms in Ecuador sparked concerns within the cattle industry regarding a potential mycotoxin-producing fungus on this substrate. Due to the limited availability of analytical chemistry techniques in Ecuador for mycotoxin detection, we chose to isolate and identify the fungus to determine its association with mycotoxin-producing genera. Through molecular identification via ITS region sequencing, we identified the yellow-orange fungus as the yeast Candida ethanolica. Furthermore, we isolated two other fungi—the yeast Pichia kudriavzevii, and the fungus Geotrichum candidum. Molecular identification confirmed that all three species are not classified as mycotoxin-producing fungi but in contrast, the literature indicates that all three have demonstrated antifungal activity against Aspergillus and Penicillium species, genera associated with mycotoxin production. This suggests their potential use in biocontrol to counter the colonization of harmful fungi. We discuss preventive measures against the fungal invasion of PKC and emphasize the importance of promptly identifying fungi on this substrate. Rapid recognition of mycotoxin-producing and pathogenic genera holds the promise of mitigating cattle intoxication and the dissemination of mycotoxins throughout the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dilemas Contemporáneos: Educación, Política y Valores is the property of Dilemas Contemporaneos: Educacion, Politica y Valores and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río is the property of Editorial Ciencias Medicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: festivals contribute to increasing heritage diversity. This research contributes to promoting the transformation of festivals into scenarios that favor access to the dissemination of the arts with criteria of equity towards women tourists. Objective: the purpose of this work is to investigate the participation of female tourists during Festival of Living Arts in Loja-Ecuador in 2018 in order to determine if both men and women have a full and equal participation in culture; as well as to infer future trends. Method and technique: this research use a quantitative approach of exploratory scope; 353 surveys were applied. Data were analyzed based on the regression tree technique and Chisquare Interaction Detection Analysis. Additionally, four test statisticians were used. Results: the probability of attendance of female tourists and their expenses were lower than men. Women tourists preferred plays, dance and gastronomic exhibitions. Prices were perceived as high, this would cause a return of a small percentage of female tourists. Conclusions: the cultural offer of the festival is not inclusive for female tourists. If this trend persists, attendance would become polarized. The right of female tourists to take part as attendees in the activities of art festivals should be a commitment of the city, as public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psicoperspectivas is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Escuela de Psicologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There are nearly 7 million nursing professionals in the Region of the Americas, representing more than 56% of human health resources. The regulation of professional practices promotes and protects professional integrity, ensuring professionals are competent and well qualified. The Forum on Nursing Practice Regulation in the Region of the Americas aimed to present the regulatory frameworks for the professional practice of nursing; discuss strategic actions to support professional regulatory bodies; analyze requirements for licensing and renovating licenses; and share successful experiences in nursing regulation. The Forum counted on the participation of 83 guests in-person, with representatives from 17 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean. The COFENplay platform registered the participation of 6,906 spectators. The debates in the event led to the proposal of the following recommendations: promote a national discussion with key-actors, including the Ministries of Health, Education, and Work and Employment, to advance regulation in the countries; recommend an intersectoral articulation with the topic of Human Health Resource regulation; generate a common base for the identification of information on regulation; and broaden the research about these topics, as well as the ability to generate and analyze data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotourism is a concept that is expanding rapidly throughout the world without exception, given its versatility to value the elements of geodiversity and geoheritage; landscape elements without an apparent use or benefit usually find in geotourism a window that can exploit unsuspected conditions. Culebrillas Lagoon, located in the southern center of the Ecuadorian Andes, represents a hydrographic unit of glacio–lacustrine origin as a typical hidden place that conceals a valuable geotourism potential. Culebrillas is marked by a series of fluvio–glacial morphologies, whose forms hide an important cultural heritage expressed in its festivities, myths, and legends which have been celebrated through the centuries. Inca and Cañari civilizations have been, in the past and present, the original groups that inhabited this sector, and important vestiges of their presence are still evident, as in the case of the Qhapaq Ñan or the Inca road system. The present investigation allowed the generating of information about elements of geoheritage and other related resources that have various potential uses, and which highlight the intrinsic values present in this area, complementing each other from a holistic socio–environmental and geotourism perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the study of perfectionistic automatic thoughts (PAT) has increased given its maladaptive nature since it is link to numerous psychological disorders. From our knowledge, no previous research has addressed the relationship between PAT and the four components of aggressive behavior (anger, hostility, verbal aggression, and physical aggression). This study had a double goal. The first aim was to identify distinct profiles of PAT in a sample of 3060 Ecuadorian undergraduates (M age = 22.7, SD = 2.46). The second aim of this study was to determine whether or not statistically significant differences exist between these profiles, based on the four components of aggressive behavior. The Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (PCI) and the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) were used. Five profiles with different intensities in the dimensions of perfectionistic automatic thoughts were identified by Latent Class Analysis ((1) No-Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts, (2) Low Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts, (3) High Perfectionistic Demands, (4) Moderate Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts, and (5) High Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts). The moderate and high perfectionistic automatic thoughts profiles obtained the highest mean scores for all components of aggressive behavior (i.e., the four factors that make up AQ: Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility), while the No-perfectionistic automatic thoughts and Low perfectionistic automatic thoughts profiles had the lowest mean scores. These results provide new knowledge about the prevalence of PAT in the context of Ecuador. Also, they suggest further research on the topic given the positive relationship of PAT and aggressive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Científica de Ciencias de la Salud is the property of Revista Cientifica de Ciencias de la Salud and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Técnica Energía is the property of Centro Nacional de Control de Energia CENACE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research analyzed the behavior of receptive tourism in Ecuador and its relationship with the economy of the US. An index was developed to measure instability and crisis levels as well as the vector autoregressive (VAR) models, cointegration, as well as hypothesis tests through vectors. The findings indicate that Ecuador endured a crisis 12 out of 19 years; on the other hand, while the US entered a crisis, the figures of Ecuadorian tourism improved. Likewise, the GDP's inverse growth movement influenced the reduction in the number of tourists. Therefore, expenditure capacity decided the touristic destination, not so Ecuador's internal cost index. Finally, it was proven that the average expenditure of a foreign tourist was reduced across time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación is the property of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseno y Comunicacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. Colistin is an antibiotic of last resort for treating serious Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, the misuse of colistin, especially as an animal growth promoter, has contributed to increasing antimicrobial resistance, mediated mainly through plasmid transfer of the mcr-1 gene. This study assessed the prevalence of phenotypic and molecular colistin resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Ecuador in healthy humans and their chickens and pigs. Methods. Fecal samples were collected from humans and their chickens and pigs in two rural coastal and Amazon regions between April and August 2020. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated and identified using conventional techniques. Phenotypic resistance was determined using the broth microdilution technique, and the mcr-1 gene was detected using conventional polymerase chain reaction. Results. A total of 438 fecal samples were obtained from 137 humans, 147 pigs and 154 chickens. The prevalence of E. coli isolates was 86.3% (378/438) and K. pneumoniae, 37.4% (164/438). Overall, the mcr-1 gene was found in 90% (340/378) of E. coli isolates, with higher prevalences found in isolates from coastal regions (96.5%, 191/198), humans (95.6%, 111/116) and chickens (91.8%, 123/134); for K. pneumoniae, the gene was found in 19.5% (32/164) of isolates, with equal distribution between regions and hosts. Only four isolates, two E. coli and two K. pneumoniae, showed phenotypic resistance: mcr-1 was present in both E. coli strains but absent in the K. pneumoniae strains. Conclusions. Despite a low prevalence of phenotypic resistance to colistin, the high prevalence of the mcr-1 gene in E. coli is of concern. Ecuador's ban on using colistin in animal husbandry must be enforced, and continual monitoring of the situation should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Simple Summary: Prototheca bovis is a non-photosynthetic alga ubiquitously distributed in water, sewage and soil. The alga appears to be responsible for a significant proportion of bovine mastitis cases in some countries, and occurs worldwide in tropical and temperate climatic areas. To date, no effective and economically favorable treatment is available, and control therefore requires culling of the infected animals. In the present study, we isolated P. bovis from 15.1% of cows with chronic mastitis from a tropical region in Ecuador. Species identification was carried out by nucleotide sequence analysis of the cytochrome b (cytB) gene. This is the first report that confirms the presence of P. bovis in cattle with mastitis in Ecuador. The genus Prototheca, a unicellular, non-photosynthetic, yeast-like microalgae, is a pathogen of concern for the dairy industry. It causes bovine mastitis that currently cannot be cured, and hence generates significant economic losses in milk production. In this study, for the first time in Ecuador, we identify Prototheca bovis as the etiologic agent of chronic mastitis in dairy cattle. Milk samples (n = 458) of cows with chronic mastitis were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Microscopy and cytB gene sequencing were used to identify Prototheca, whereby Prototheca bovis was isolated from 15.1% (n = 69) of the milk samples, one of the highest infection rates that can be found in the literature in a "non-outbreak" situation. No other Prototheca species were found. We were unable to isolate the alga from environmental samples. We showed that P. bovis was relatively resistant to disinfectants used to sterilize milking equipment on the cattle farms where it was isolated. We discuss how to avoid future infection and also hypothesize that the real prevalence of Prototheca infection in bovine mastitis is probably much higher than what was detected. We recommend a protocol to increase the diagnostic yield in the bacteriology laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the elements addressed in the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030, is the achievement of food sovereignty. This important issue takes relevance in the debates at the level of states, among which is Ecuador, which recognizes it as a right to its citizens from its Magna Carta. Despite being a widely addressed topic and to which substantial resources are destined, obstacles persist in its implementation. Therefore, it is proposed as the objective of this investigation: the analysis of the relevance of obstacles to the achievement of food sovereignty in Ecuador through Neutrosophic Soft Sets. To meet the proposed objective, empirical methods such as the interview and a neutrosophic soft set model were used. As a result, it was obtained that from the four initial statements, only three were true and that their relevance in the subject addressed was given by the following hierarchy: first of all the need to guarantee vulnerable groups the right to healthy eating, second, the fact that the allocations of resources to peasant producers are scarce in order to increase food production in the area and finally, the insufficient legal framework to guarantee the right to food sovereignty of Ecuadorians, in correspondence with the international pronouncements and The Constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor perfidy in Ecuador is a real current problem. There are irregularities in the labor sector that can affect the labor rights of workers, which perpetuates deception and ignorance on the part of those affected. Knowing the causes and consequences of labor perfidy allows projecting solutions to reduce its effect on the working society. The analysis of preliminary studies and surveys defines certain levels of indeterminacy in the answers obtained by a group of lawyers and workers. This integration between neutrosophic sets allows us to reflect, through the representation of neutrosophic statistics, the level of deterioration of the factors that intervene in the violation of labor rights. Consequently, the existing indeterminacy forces carry out the modeling of each element of the group studied to analyze the levels of associated deterioration in Ecuador. As a result, it is defined to propose strategies focused on restructuring regulations to mitigate their impact on the working society of Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath of deaths and illnesses gave rise in Ecuador to a conflict between the official versions published about the tragedy and those that were also made known by alternative sources, through the social network Twitter and others. The crisis caused by serious problems in the field of health revealed the important role of communication media arising from modern technologies, enabling citizen participation in the construction of media reality. Qualitative and quantitative research techniques yielded results that show how society receives contradictory information about the same facts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Kalanchoe, mostly indigenous from Madagascar and Tropical Africa, is widely traded for ornamental value. In this study, we provided an updated list of wild and cultivated Kalanchoe taxa in Ecuador; we analyzed the temporal–spatial pattern of their records, and we categorized the invasion status for each taxon and its environment preferences. The records of any taxa belonging to this genus were compiled from an extensive search using various information sources. Our results confirmed the presence of 16 taxa of Kalanchoe in the country. Seven species and a hybrid were detected in the wild. Kalanchoe densiflora, K. laxiflora, K. pinnata, K. tubiflora, and K. ×houghtonii were categorized as invasive. We detected invasive records of some of these plants in protected areas. Almost all taxa had at least one record as cultivated, suggesting that the invasion pathway is ornamental trade. Kalanchoe pinnata individuals in the wild were recorded in the four biogeographic regions of Ecuador, which could be associated with the wide range of precipitations and temperatures in which the species may dwell. Our study highlights the importance of reducing the ornamental value and limiting the use of Kalanchoe taxa with invasive potential in horticulture and promoting, instead, the use of indigenous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dozens of commercial RT-qPCR kits for SARS-CoV-2 detection are available with or without Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by FDA or other regulatory agencies. Objective: We evaluated the clinical performance of two SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR kits designed and produced in South America, "COVID-19 RT-PCR Real TM FAST (CY5)" (ATGen, Uruguay) and "ECUGEN SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR" (UDLA-STARNEWCORP, Ecuador), for RT-qPCR SARS-CoV2 detection using "TaqMan 2019-nCoV Assay Kit v1" (Thermofisher, USA) as a gold standard technique. Results: We report a great clinical performance and analytical sensitivity for the two South American kits with sensitivity values of 96.4 and 100%, specificity of 100% and limit of detection in the range of 10 copies/uL of RNA extraction. Conclusions: "COVID-19 RT-PCR Real TM FAST (CY5)" and "ECUGEN SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR" kits are reliable SARS-CoV-2 tests made in South America that have been extensively used in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador. These locally produced SARS-CoV-2 tests have contributed to overcome supply shortages and reduce diagnosis cost, while maintaining the high quality standards of FDA EUA commercially available kits. This approach could be extended for other diagnostic products to improve infectious diseases surveillance at middle and low income countries beyond COVID-19 pandemic. Author summary: COVID-19 pandemic is the worst public health crisis that humanity has faced in the last decades. To success controlling the virus spread an unprecedented amount on molecular tests based on the technique called PCR has been necessary. To carry out viral infection tests, commercial kits are normally used by clinical laboratories. Those commercial kits are mainly produced in industrialized countries and that means a disadvantage in the access to COVID-19 testing in developing countries. Here we present the results of the evaluation of two commercial kits produced in South America for local stakeholders, showing how good quality biotech products can help to fight COVID-19 pandemic in low and middle income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this research study is to examine international relations between countries of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN, in Spanish) and assess their effects on international trade flows between Ecuador and CAN members. Two perspectives are considered. The first perspective evaluates whether there are significant changes in Ecuador's exports to CAN countries. The second perspective considers significant changes, if any, in Ecuador's imports from CAN countries. To model the series, an ARMAX (Auto-Regressive Moving Average model with exogenous inputs) model is applied. The results show that import flows have increased significantly in Ecuador. It is predicted that this will remain on an upward trend since the values of the constant and the intercept of the models remain significant. It is concluded that the flow of international trade between CAN members is highly dynamic, which reinforces the importance of this type of trade agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamochaeta cabrerae, G. simplicicaulis, and G. subfalcata are newly reported for Ecuador, and the presence of G. humilis is confirmed. Four species have been previously recorded: G. americana, G. pensylvanica, G. purpurea, and G. sphacelata. These new records of Gamochaeta are described, illustrated and their distributional maps are presented. A key to the Ecuadorian species of Gamochaeta is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents results from Ecuador's 2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. It mentions indicators on the basis of which grades are assigned including organized sport participation, active transportation, and sedentary behavior. The report card reveals that Ecuadorian children and adolescents are insufficiently active, therefore, preventive strategies are urgently needed to promote physical activity as well as to prevent sedentary behaviors among children.

On January 5 2021, Ecuadorian COVID-19 genomic surveillance program detected a suspicious case of the B.1.1.7 lineage (alpha variant) of SARS-CoV-2 in Los Rios province, later confirmed by genome sequencing. The patient travelled from the UK by the end of December 2020. By contact tracing, several new cases were detected confirming B.1.1.7 transmission and spreading in Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archivos Venezolanos de Farmacología y Terapéutica is the property of Archivos Venezolanos de Farmacologia y Terapeutica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers, and melanoma is a highly preventable cancer. In Ecuador, few studies have evaluated the awareness levels of the population about the disease. For this reason, the objective of this study was to measure the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding skin cancer and its determining factors. Methods. A cross-sectional analysis using an online self-assessment questionnaire containing 40 questions was delivered. A total of 537 participants were included in this study. Knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were assigned to each participant based on the number of correct or appropriate responses. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate crude and adjusted odds ratios. Results. In total, 75% of participants referenced knowledge of the harmful effects related to noncontrolled solar exposure. Concerning sunscreen, 76.7% knew the reason for using it. The female group was 1.68 times more likely to get a higher score than the male group, and the groups between 61–70 and 71–80 years were 0.30 and 0.17 times less likely to get a higher score compared with the less than 20-years-old group, respectively. Conclusions. The findings of this study indicate the requirement to increase the population's knowledge about skin cancer and possible protection measures. For this reason, the prevention and health promotion programs at a national level from primary healthcare centers are recommended. Due to the limitation of the representativeness of the sample, the use of more studies among Ecuadorian residents of the low socioeconomic level and replication in different provinces of Ecuador is justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Protected areas (PAs) are important tools for biodiversity conservation. In developing countries, incomplete information about the presence of non-native species makes it difficult to develop strategies to manage this threat to biodiversity. Although a list of non-native species for continental Ecuador has recently been published, information on the status of these species in PAs in terms of invasiveness and impacts is scarce. This study presents a method that proposes criteria to prioritize the management of non-native phanerogam plants and terrestrial vertebrate species in eight PAs in the coastal region of Ecuador, based on the minimal information available. The study area covers 79.6% of all coastal PAs. For the non-native species inventory, we collated information from global biodiversity databases, research papers, theses and project repositories from local private and public universities, public institutions, and management plans for the selected PAs. To categorize the monitoring priority of the non-native species from the selected PAs, we used a pipeline scheme based on species invasion risk principles. We registered 78 non-native species within the eight PAs, consisting of 64 phanerogam plants and 14 terrestrial vertebrates. The PA with the highest non-native plant species richness is Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve (ER) with 25 species (39.1%; n = 64). For terrestrial vertebrates, the highest non-native species richness was in Isla Santay National Recreation Area (NRA) (71.4%; n = 14). 15.6% of the phanerogam plants and 78.5% of the terrestrial vertebrates were classified in the high priority category. The majority of non-native plants are categorized as "more studies required", reflecting the state of art of invasion ecology in this country. This method allowed us to classify the species based on theoretical and occurrence data. It can potentially be replicated throughout the country and used as a rapid assessment method, complemented with specific invasion/impact studies on PAs in Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several molecular kits are available for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, mostly lacking of proper clinical evaluation due to the emergency caused by COVID19 pandemia, particularly at developing countries like Ecuador. Objective: We carried out an evaluation of the clinical performance of "AccuPower SARS-CoV-2 Real Time RT-PCR kit" (Bioneer, South Korea) for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis using 2019-nCoV CDC EUA kit (IDT, USA) as a gold standard. Results: 48 clinical specimens were included on the study, 38 tested SARS-CoV-2 positive and 10 SARS-CoV-2 negative for 2019-nCoV CDC EUA kit. For "AccuPower SARS-CoV-2 Real Time RT-PCR kit", only 30 were SARS-CoV-2 positive, indicating a low clinical performance with sensitivity of 78.9%. Moreover, the limit of detection for "AccuPower SARS-CoV-2 Real Time RT-PCR kit" was estimated to be higher than 40,000 viral RNA copies/mL of sample. Conclusions: Proper clinical performance evaluation studies from government agencies at developing countries should be mandatory prior to clinical use authorization of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis kits, particularly when those kits lack of either FDA or its country of origin clinical use authorization, to prevent the distribution of low quality products that may have a negative impact of COVID19 surveillance at developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancy process might be threaten by several complications. Affectations in the thyroid gland provoke that not enough thyroid hormone is produced, altering the heart rate, the body temperature and all the aspects of the metabolism. This research aims to develop a method that allows the estimation of complications generated by hypothyroidism during pregnancy. The method is based on the modeling of uncertainty using neutrosophic numbers under a multi-criteria approach. As the main result, a case study is carried out at the IESS Ambato Hospital in Ecuador, where the applicability of the proposed method is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe and quantify the magnitude and distribution of stunting, wasting, anaemia, overweight and obesity by wealth, level of education and ethnicity in Ecuador.Design: We used nationally representative data from the 2012 Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey. We used the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) as a proxy of wealth. The MPI identifies deprivations across three dimensions (health, education and standard of living). We defined education by years of schooling and ethnicity as a social construct, based on shared social, cultural and historical experiences, using Ecuadorian census categories.Setting: Urban and rural Ecuador, including the Amazon rainforest and the Galapagos Islands.Participants: Children aged <5 years (n 8580), adolescent women aged 11-19 years (n 4043) and adult women aged 20-49 years (n 15 203).Results: Among children <5 years, stunting and anaemia disproportionately affected low-wealth, low-education and indigenous groups. Among adolescent and adult women, higher rates of stunting, overweight and obesity were observed in the low-education and low-wealth groups. Stunting and short stature rates were higher in indigenous women, whereas overweight and obesity rates were higher in Afro-Ecuadorian women.Conclusions: Malnutrition differs significantly across sociodemographic groups, disproportionately affecting those in the low wealth tertile and ethnic minorities. Rates of stunting remain high compared with other countries in the region with similar economic development. The effective implementation of double-duty actions with the potential to impact both sides of the double burden is urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthurium bustamanteae Croat, E. Freire, R. Bleiweiss & F. Sornoza Molina is here described and illustrated. The species is an Ecuadorean member of section Cardiolonchium Schott and has a reddish inflorescence that is visited by birds and arthropods. The species is most similar to A. sanguineumEngl., another bird-visited species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Urbanization is often related to better economic and living standards and, according to the United Nations, by the mid-21st century, 70% of humankind will live in urban areas. Currently, roughly 80% of the populations in North and South America are urbanized, compared to the global average of 55%. Meanwhile, inequality has also been increasing swiftly, and Latin America is among the most unequal regions in the world. With global urbanization and inequality trends rising, examining the urban areas of a Latin American country could shed light on potential evolution paths. Hence, this article outlines the social and economic evolution of Guayaquil and Quito, the two primary cities of Ecuador. In the 20th century, Guayaquil had economic and demographic advantages; however, Quito has since surpassed Guayaquil on several social, demographic and economic indicators. This article suggests that Guayaquil's relative stagnation is due to an institutional framework favouring the economic and political elites and supports the argument that inclusive local processes and governance (or the lack thereof) can support (or hinder) local economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ecuador, despite having taken aggressive and early measures to stop the progression of the pandemic (COVID-19), ended up becoming an epicenter of the pandemic in Latin America, and with the collapse of its health care system. The authors describe three patients who had confirmed COVID-19 and met the criteria for hospital admission but could not be assigned a hospital bed in a resource-limited country. The patients included a 72-year-old male, an 82-year-old female, and a 56-year-old male. They typically presented with fever, dyspnea, loss of taste and smell, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Oxygen saturation during the initial evaluation ranged from 80-89%. Laboratory results reported lymphopenia and neutrophilia, with leukocytosis in two patients. Inflammatory markers were also elevated for all three patients. CT scan findings showed bilateral ground-glass pulmonary opacities. SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in all three patients by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Home-based treatment was established. At the time of writing this report, all patients remain asymptomatic and with negative COVID-19 testing. Telemedicine and home-based treatment were essential assets in the care of these severely ill patients living in a low-resource setting where not all patients who have criteria to be admitted into the hospital are able to find a place in a collapsed health care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• "Isopollo COVID19 detection kit" for RT-LAMP based SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis show a poor clinical performance with sensitivity of 61.9. • "Isopollo COVID19 detection kit" presented a good sensitivity only for viral loads above 100.000 copies/mL of sample. • Emergency use authorization at country of origin should be mandatory for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR diagnosis kits prior to importation to developing countries like Ecuador. Multiple molecular kits are available for the diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) worldwide, with many lacking proper clinical evaluation due to the emergency caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly in developing countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical performance of the Isopollo COVID-19 detection kit (M Monitor, South Korea) for reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, using the SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) protocol as the gold standard. A total of 220 clinical samples were included in the study; 168 samples were SARS-CoV-2-positive and 52 samples were SARS-CoV-2-negative according to the SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR protocol. For the Isopollo COVID-19 detection kit, only 104 out of 168 samples were SARS-CoV-2-positive. This result shows a low clinical performance, with sensitivity of 61.9% for the evaluated RT-LAMP assay. Proper clinical performance evaluation studies by regulatory agencies in developing countries such as Ecuador should be mandatory prior to clinical use authorization of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis kits, particularly when those kits lack either US Food and Drug Administration or country of origin clinical use authorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. AKT1 encodes the kinase B alpha protein. The rs121434592, rs12881616, rs11555432, rs11555431, rs2494732, and rs3803304 single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified in the AKT1 kinase gene. Activated AKT1 phosphorylates downstream substrates regulating cell growth, metabolism, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and drug responses. It is essential to know how breast cancer risk is associated with histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics and genotype polymorphisms in a high altitude Ecuadorian mestizo population. This is a retrospective case-control study. DNA was extracted from 185 healthy and 91 affected women who live 2,800 meters above sea level. Genotypes were determined by genomic sequencing. We found a possible association between the noncoding intronic variant rs3803304 and breast cancer risk development: GG (odds ratio [OR] = 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-20.9; P ≤ 0.05; Q > 0.05). Regarding pathologic characteristics, we found significant risk between estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2 status and molecular subtypes (P ≤ 0.001; Q ≤ 0.05). On the other hand, we did not find risk between variants and histopathological characteristics. Despite the small sample size, we found that the intronic variant, AKT1 rs3803304, may act as a predictive biomarker in the risk of developing breast cancer in the high altitude Ecuadorian mestizo population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyse patterns of knowledge, comprehension, attitudes and practices regarding the traffic light label placed on processed food packages to inform Ecuadorian consumers about levels of added fat, sugar and salt.Design: Twenty-one focus group discussions organized by age group, sex and place of residence. Interviews with representatives of companies that manufacture or market processed foods. Analysis of regulations and structured observations of processed food labels.Setting: Cities and towns in Ecuador's coastal, highland and eastern lowland regions.Subjects: One hundred and seventy-eight participants in twenty-one focus group discussions and nine key informants.Results: Focus group participants knew about the traffic light label and understood the information it conveys, but not all changed their attitudes and practices related to the purchase and consumption of processed foods. Children, adolescents and adult males reported using the information infrequently; adolescents interested in health and adult women used the label the most to select products. Representatives of companies that manufacture or market processed foods generally opposed the policy, stating that the information is misleading. Nevertheless, some companies have reduced levels of added fat, sugar or salt in their products.Conclusions: The traffic light label is an effective tool for conveying complex information. Its potential contribution to reduce consumption of products with high levels of fat, sugar and salt could be enhanced by promoting healthy diets among consumers who have not changed purchasing and consumption behaviour, by placing the label on front panels and by monitoring the production and marketing of processed foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media are a social phenomenon which impact the way people communicates, especially among consumers and businesses, they also influence increasingly on the opinion of the social circles, at the same time, tourism is part of the strategic sectors that require momentum and strengthening entrepreneurship, necessitating characterize the use consumer social networking tourism. The descriptive research has done with 260 social network users involved in tourism activities during the last year. This research is based on what it was already established that digital tourist consumers not only prefer activities of descant and adventure in their vacation plans, but also use social networks as a tool for information search, whose references are basically for their purchase decision and they are recognized as promoters of the tourist product and service purchase decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disorder with high morbidity and mortality worldwide whose complications generate multiple costs. In Ecuador, only a few healthcare institutions have implemented management protocols aimed to reduce costs and to improve the quality of life of patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term (1-year) and long-term (5-year) costs and savings in the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) of hemodialyzed CKD patients by comparing calcitriol and paricalcitol in a large social security hospital in Quito, Ecuador.Methods: The estimation model assessed the resources used in the management of SHPT by comparing prospectively the cost savings within 1-year and 5-year time horizon with calcitriol and paricalcitol. Hospitalization, erythropoietin (EPO), treatment doses, intravenous iron consumption, and medical supplies were estimated according international references, based on the initial parathormone level (iPTH) of patients. The Ecuadorian National Reference costs (2014-2015) and institutional costs were used to calculate treatment costs. A statistical sensitivity analysis was also performed.Results: The study was based on data from 354 patients of whom 147 (41.4 %) had a value of iPTH in the range 300-600 pg/ml, 45 (12.8 %) in the range 601-800 pg/ml, and 162 (45.7 %) over 800 pg/ml. The 1-year estimated costs per patient for calcitriol and paricalcitol, respectively, were: medication, 63.88 USD and 1,123.44 USD; EPO, 19,522.95 USD and 16,478 USD; intravenous iron 143.21 USD and 187.76 USD. Yearly hospitalization costs per patient were 11,647.99 USD with calcitriol and 8,019.41 USD with paricalcitol. Total yearly costs per patient amounted to 31,378.02 USD with calcitriol and 25,809.50 USD with paricalcitol. Total savings using paricalcitol were 5,568.52 USD per patient compared with calcitriol. The 5-year cumulative medication costs were 319 USD for calcitriol and 2,403 USD for paricalcitol; EPO with calcitriol was 97,615 USD and with paricalcitol 82,394 USD; intravenous iron with calcitriol was 716 USD and paricalcitol 939 USD. Hospitalization costs for patients with calcitriol and paricalcitol were 43,095 USD and 62,595 USD, respectively. Total savings using paricalcitol amounted 32,414 USD per patient compared with calcitriol.Conclusions: Paricalcitol use generated more cost savings than calcitriol after 1 and 5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to analyze the content of the sitcoms produced by the Ecuadorian television, in order to visualize the stereotypes naturalizing the social imaginary about gender and sexuality. Taking the content analysis as a methodology, with a sample of four sitcoms produced by Ecuadorian producers, the results will show the need of responsibly providing social transformations in gender, as relevant producers of the recreation of imaginary and perceived stereotype in the television viewer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ecuador's current nutrition policies have not taken adequate notice of the double burden of malnutrition and continue to focus on stunting and to a lesser extent on overweight, without addressing the simultaneous presence of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight or obesity (OW/OB). Objective: The aim of this article was to describe the prevalence and distribution of undernutrition (stunting, anemia, and zinc deficiency), overweight, and obesity in Ecuador to explore the evolving double burden of malnutrition at the national, household, and individual levels and to discuss whether current public health policies are addressing the double burden. Design: Data from the 2012 Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT-ECU) was used to estimate the dual burden of malnutrition at the national, household, and individual levels in children <5 y old, school-aged children, and women of reproductive age. Results: In 13.1% of households, mothers with excess body weight coexist with a stunted child <5 y old. Moreover, among households with overweight or obese mothers, 12.6% have an anemic child and 14% have a zinc-deficient child. At the individual levels, the coexistence of OW/OB and stunting, anemia, or zinc deficiency was found in 2.8%, 0.7%, and 8.4% of school-ages children, respectively. In addition, 8.9% and 32.6% of women aged 12-49 y have excess body weight and anemia or zinc deficiency, respectively. Conclusions: This article shows the coexistence of high rates of undernutrition and OW/OB at the individual, household, and national levels in Ecuador. Although integrated approaches to address the emerging double burden are required, public health policies to date have not responded adequately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This research study examines the presence and impact of the 165 universities that are part of the four Andean countries (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia) on the most important online research networks (Researchgate.net and Academia.edu), in order to establish the degree of use and penetration of these new tools that enable scientific communication, collaboration and interaction, and incorporate alternative scientific reputation evaluation systems that expand the traditional the visible and invisible colleges of science. Method. The study is based on quantitative and qualitative research techniques and social networks analysis (SNA). Results. The presence and impact of the Andean universities in the online research networks is heterogeneous, but generally emerging and growing, and still divergent in terms of reputation in comparison to the results achieved in other international university rankings of long-standing tradition. Discussion and conclusions. The online research networks and their techno-social tools (Web 2.0 and 3.0) are convergent digital ecosystems of software services, repositories and open and networked communication platforms that allow researchers: to share their academic and professional profile within a specific area of knowledge dissemination and exchange; to create lists of users related within one or more scientific disciplines in order to be able to monitor them, and share information contacts, projects, documents, notes, collaborations and research studies with them; to create scientific networks; to access and download references and scientific works available online; and to calculate and monitor the qualitative and quantitative value (scientific social capital), popularity and impact of their own and others' citations, interactions and publications. The results of the metrics used by these new research networks are moderately similar to those provided by the major university and scientific evaluation systems, but are still inadequate to measure research institutions in developing non-Anglo-Saxon countries. The challenge of the universities from developing countries and the new online research networks -launched after 2007-- is to manage the efficiency and recognition of their scientific reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]