Tablet-based assessments of depression and social support among cancer patients in Quito, Ecuador

Objectives: To assess depression and distress among outpatients at a cancer hospital in Quito, Ecuador using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Distress Thermometer and correlate level of personal support identified using measures from Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) with the level of depression and distress. Methods: Patients were randomly selected in an outpatient oncology setting. The PHQ-9, ECR and Distress Thermometer were administered on electronic tablets. Results: Distress Thermometer scores and ECR-S scores of patients in an intimate relationship correlated with PHQ-9 scores. Low levels of personal support predicted elevated depression and distress. High education, older age and employment were protective factors for depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Depression among cancer outpatients in Quito, Ecuador is effectively identified using the computer tablet-based screening instruments, PHQ-9 and the Distress Thermometer. Lack of interpersonal support is identified as a significant vulnerability factor for depression in this cancer population.Según la OMS la depresión mayor es la tercera causa de morbilidad en el mundo y afecta aproximadamente 151.2 millones de personas. Por otro lado se ha observado que hasta un 50% de pacientes oncológicos presentan depresión mayor, y esto es uno de los mayores contribuyentes para determinar la calidad de vida. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la prevalencia de depresión en la población de pacientes oncológicos de SOLCA con el Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente (PHQ-9) y encontrar una asociación en los niveles de angustia, en los niveles de apoyo interpersonal en paciente con y sin depresión. Para realizar este estudio visitamos al hospital de SOLCA, Quito, para obtener una muestra representativa de la población. Los pacientes fueron seleccionados al azar en un entorno de oncología ambulatoria. El PHQ -9, ECR y Termómetro de angustia fueron administrados en tabletas electrónicas. Se observó que los niveles bajos de apoyo interpersonal predijeron elevados niveles de depresión y angustia. Por otro lado se demostró que la educación superior, la edad avanzada y el empleo eran factores de protección para los síntomas depresivo

Implantes cortos una alternativa eficaz en implantología (revisión bibliográfica)

This paper is a review to the current literature about the possibility of place short implants as an alternative, forehead the possibility of previous surgery for alveolar remodeling bed, and the placement of long implants in the absence of bone. This will be analyzed factors such as type of bone, implant length and diameter, crown-root ratio, surface of the implant surgery and prosthetic loading phases. Dental implants are a more conservative alternative to the replacement of lost tooth structure, but the decision to implement certain protocols requires a thorough analysis of each case, always considering a reverse planning as the best way to determine the protocol to be executed in certain cases. The lack of alveolar bone, often constitutes a limiting factor in the treatment of implant placement, suggesting as previous protocol execution of the alveolar bed reshaping surgeries that require certain drawbacks especially the patient, it will increase one's time and inconvenience of surgery prior to the placement of dental implants, so that the possibility of short implants must be carefully analyzed and considered even the possibility of long implant placement in the absence of dental bone. Thus this work aims at using a systematic and thorough review will determine the feasibility of implementing the proposed treatment.El presente trabajo constituye una revisión a la literatura actual, sobre la posibilidad de colocar implantes cortos como alternativa, frente a la posibilidad de realizar cirugías previas para remodelación de lecho alveolar, y a la colocación de implantes largos en ausencia de hueso. Para lo cual serán analizados factores como el tipo de hueso, la longitud y diámetro del implante, índice corono-radicular, superficie del implante, fases quirúrgicas y carga protésica. Los implantes dentarios constituyen una alternativa de lo mas conservadora para la reposición de estructuras dentales perdidas, sin embargo la decisión de ejecutar determinados protocolos exige un minucioso análisis de cada caso, considerando siempre una planificación reversa como la mejor manera para decidir el protocolo a ser ejecutado en determinados casos. La ausencia de hueso alveolar, se constituye muchas veces en una limitante al tratamiento de colocación de implantes, sugiriendo como protocolo previo la ejecución de cirugías remodeladoras del lecho alveolar que exigen ciertos inconvenientes sobre todo al paciente, además de aumentar el tiempo y las propias molestias de una cirugía precedente a la colocación del implante dental, de tal manera que la posibilidad de colocación de implantes cortos debe ser minuciosamente analizada y considerada incluso sobre la posibilidad de colocación de implantes largos en ausencia de hueso dental. De esta manera este trabajo pretende mediante una sistemática y minuciosa revisión determinara la factibilidad de ejecutar el tratamiento propuesto

Our Features and Our Fictions

Not included

Migration and Identity in Host-Communities: Global North and South Influence on Ecuadorian Identity

In the South American region that encompasses Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, patterns of human mobility have been predominantly influenced by various forms of internal conflict and limited economic prospects. The relative political, social, and economic stability which Ecuador has experienced in the region since the beginning of the 21st century, however, has made it a desired destination for many of its neighbor’s displaced populations and opportunity seekers. Similar factors have also enticed certain populations proceeding from areas of higher global development to settle into the nation’s tranquil environment. These Ecuadorian circumstances allow two very distinct groups of individuals, who exist in a migrant condition – migrants from the Global South (i.e., Colombian, and Venezuelan) and migrants from the Global North (i.e., U.S. and European) – to become an influencing force on the attitudes and perspectives of the communities and members of the communities which have become hosts to them. The accounts that were gathered from 21 interviewees from two sites experiencing these conditions (Cotacachi and Otavalo) about each migrant group, themselves as a host-community, and the shared context of all three communities, allowed for direct comparisons of the factors that influence personal, communal, and societal identity narratives. Predominantly, the conditions attributed to the members of the Global South were negative and counterintuitive towards local aspirations, while the Global North’s were mostly positive in nature, and beneficial. The strongest comparisons arising from the self-conceptualization of locals in an increasingly globalizing present and future, the relative and hierarchical standing which each migrant group has in this global context, and how each migrant community fits into the expectations of the locals’ global narratives. The contexts of these contrasting migrant groups, and the local perspective of their condition and impact as migrants in their communities, provided a drastic comparison from which to explore how individual identity is shaped and negotiated in the Ecuadorian communities that experience both immigrant influxes. Abstract (Spanish) En la región de Sudamérica que abarca Colombia, Ecuador, y Venezuela, los patrones de movilidad humana han sido influenciados predominantemente por varias formas de conflicto interno y prospectos económicos limitados. Sin embargo, la relativa estabilidad política, social, y económica que Ecuador ha habituado en la región desde el comienzo del siglo 21, ha hecho del país un destino deseado por muchas poblaciones vecinas desplazadas, y aquellos buscando oportunidades. Factores similares también han atraído ciertas poblaciones procedentes de áreas con un mayor desarrollo global a establecerse dentro del ambiente tranquilo del país. Estas circunstancias ecuatorianas permiten que dos grupos distintos de individuos quienes existen en una condición migratoria – migrantes procedentes del Sur Global (ej., colombianos y venezolanos) y migrantes que vienen del Norte Global (ej., EE.UU., y europeos) – se conviertan en una fuerza influyente en las actitudes y perspectivas de las comunidades y miembros de las comunidades en las cuales han sido acogidos. Las experiencias recopiladas de 21 entrevistados de dos sitios que experimentan estas condiciones (Cotacachi y Otavalo) sobre cada grupo de migrantes, sobre ellos mismos como comunidad de acogida, sobre y el contexto compartido por todas las tres comunidades, permitieron una comparación directa de los factores que influyen en narrativas de identidad personal, comunal, y social. Predominantemente, las condiciones atribuidas a los miembros del Sur Global fueron negativas y contraproducentes a las aspiraciones locales, mientras las condiciones atribuidas la Norte Global fueron mayormente positivas y beneficiales. Las comparaciones más significativas emergieron de la conceptualización propia de la población local en un presente y futuro cada vez más globalizado, la posición jerárquica relativa que cada grupo migrante tiene en un contexto global, y cómo cada comunidad migrante encaja en las expectativas locales de narrativas globales de estos grupos migrantes. El contexto de estos contrastantes grupos migrantes, y la perspectiva de su condición e impacto como migrantes en las comunidades, provee un cotejo drástico del cual fue posible explorar cómo la identidad es moldada y negociada en las comunidades ecuatorianas que reciben ambos flujos inmigrantes

Identification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Supercritical Pyrolysis Products of Synthetic Jet Fuel S-8 and Methylcyclohexane

Inside the pre-combustor fuel lines of future high-speed aircraft, at supercritical conditions, hydrocarbon fuels react to form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and eventually solid deposits. These deposits can block fuel lines and lead to undesirable effects for the aircraft operation. To elucidate the pathways that lead to the formation of PAH (and ultimately, solids formation), the identification of the PAH products generated by the reactions is critical. In this context, two fuels have been analyzed: synthetic jet fuel S-8 and methylcyclohexane. Synthetic jet fuel S-8 is important due to its non-petroleum origin. Methylcyclohexane is important due to its endothermic behavior. Therefore, the goal of this study is the identification of the PAH products from the supercritical pyrolysis of synthetic jet fuel S-8 and from the pyrolysis of methylcyclohexane. With the purpose of identifying the unknown PAH, each pyrolysis product mixture has been analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection, and by high-pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet-visible diode-array and mass spectrometric detection (HPLC/UV/MS). The HPLC/UV information has allowed the identification of sixty-one and thirty-nine different products from the supercritical pyrolysis of synthetic jet fuel S-8 and from the supercritical pyrolysis of methylcyclohexane, respectively, at the most drastic conditions. Further interpretation of the UV spectra by means of the alkyl substitution effect, the UV solvent based adjustment, and the Annellation Theory, and confirmation of product identities using the MS spectra have provided irrefutable clues for the identification of twenty-four PAH from the synthetic jet fuel pyrolysis and sixteen PAH from the methylcyclohexane pyrolysis, respectively. Out of the eighty-five total PAH products reported from the supercritical pyrolysis of synthetic jet fuel S-8, twenty-nine unsubstituted PAH with six or more rings have never before been identified in the pyrolysis of a long-chain alkane fuel. In addition, out of the fifty-five total PAH products reported from the supercritical pyrolysis of methylcyclohexane, fifteen unsubstituted PAH with six or more rings have never before been identified as products of methylcyclohexane. Finally, it has been observed that the increases of temperature, pressure, and residence time, favor the formation of heavier PAH„Ÿthe precursors to the solid deposits

Arsenic in rice agrosystems (water, soil and rice plants) in Guayas and Los Rios provinces, Ecuador

Geogenic arsenic (As) can accumulate and reach high concentrations in rice grains, thus representing a potential threat to human health. Ecuador is one of the main consumers of rice in South America. However, there is no information available about the concentrations of As in rice agrosystems, although some water bodies are known to contain high levels of the element. We carried out extensive sampling of water, soil, rice plants and commercial rice (obtained from local markets). Water samples were analysed to determine physico-chemical properties and concentrations of dissolved arsenic. Soil samples were analysed to determine total organic C, texture, total Fe and amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides (Fe-ox), total arsenic (tAs) and the bioavailable fraction (As-Me). The different plant parts were analysed separately to determine total (tAs), inorganic (iAs) and organic arsenic (oAs). Low concentrations of arsenic were found in samples of water (generally 80%) in all parts of the rice plants. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Adults with sedentary lifestyle, overweight, obesity and the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea hypoapnea syndrome in a sample of the Ecuadorian population

Overweight, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle have been associated with poor sleep quality, which includes obstructive sleep apnea-hypoapnea syndrome. The objective of this research was to relate sedentary lifestyle, overweight, and obesity as risk factors for developing obstructive sleep apnea-hypoapnea syndrome in a sample of Ecuadorian adults. For this research, adults over 18 years of age belonging to 17 provinces of Ecuador were considered as the study population, the non-probability sampling technique was used for convenience, and different questionnaires were used for data collection: Berlin questionnaire was used to evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea-hypoapnea syndrome, Epworth sleepiness questionnaire for the study of sleep quality, as well as the IPAQ international physical activity questionnaire. Among the most important results, 61.4% women, 95.2% mestizos, 47.8% people were those who performed high physical activities, 82.4% resided in the urban areas. Participants with normal weight predominated, 57.7%. It was found that 10.3% of the surveyed population presents a high risk of suffering from obstructive sleep apnea-hypoapnea syndrome. When relating it to the physical activity variable, it was observed that sedentary people have 17.3% of suffering from the syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea-hypoapnea, when relating to overweight and obesity we found 10.85% and 63.6%, respectively. These differences were statistically significant p < 0.05. In conclusion, the risk of obstructive sleep apnea-hypoapnea syndrome was related to sedentary, overweight, and obese people. Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome sedentary lifestyle, physical activity, overweight, obesity. Resumen En los últimos años se ha asociado al sobrepeso, obesidad y sedentarismo como causas de una mala calidad del sueño que han provocado enfermedades como el síndrome de apneahipoapnea obstructiva del sueño. El objetivo de la investigación fue relacionar el sedentarismo, sobrepeso y obesidad como factores de riesgo para desarrollar el síndrome de apneahipoapnea obstructiva del sueño en una muestra de personas adultas ecuatorianas. Para la investigación se tomó como población de estudio a personas adultas mayores de 18 años pertenecientes a 17 provincias del Ecuador, se utilizó la técnica de muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia, para la recolección de datos se utilizó diferentes cuestionarios: cuestionario de Berlín que evalúa el riesgo de padecer síndrome de apnea-hipoapnea obstructiva del sueño, cuestionario de somnolencia de Epworth para el estudio de la calidad del sueño y el cuestionario internacional de actividad física IPAQ. Entre los resultados más importantes se resalta mujeres 61,4%, mestizos 95,2%, personas que realizan actividades físicas altas 47,8%, residen en la zona urbana 82,4%. Predominaron los participantes con normopeso 57,7%. Se encontró que el 10,3% de la población encuestada presenta riesgo alto de padecer síndrome de apnea-hipoapnea obstructiva del sueño, al relacionar con la variable de actividad física se pudo observar que las personas sedentarias tienen un 17,3% de padecer síndrome de apneahipoapnea obstructiva del sueño, al relacionar con el sobrepeso y obesidad encontramos el 10,85% y 63,6% respectivamente, estas diferencias fueron estadísticamente significativas p<0,05. En conclusión, el riesgo de padecer el síndrome de apnea-hipoapnea obstructiva del sueño se relacionó con las personas con sedentarismo, sobrepeso y obesidad. Palabras Clave: Síndrome de Apnea-Hipoapnea Obstructiva del Sueño, SAHOS, Actividad Física, Sobrepeso, Obesidad

Development and validation of the multicultural sensitivity scale for pre-service teachers

This study developed and validated an instrument to measure the multicultural sensitivity among pre-service teachers. Items capturing the concept of multicultural sensitivity were developed through literature review, open-ended questionnaires, interviews, and focus-group discussions. The items were checked for content validity and then tested in different teacher education institutions in Mindanao, Philippines. The 45-item 7-point Likert scale was tested by 573 pre-service teachers and Exploratory Factor Analysis suggested a 28-item scale. The shortened version was tested by 461 pre-service teachers. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted to verify the factor structure and results confirmed the 28-item scale composed of three factors for the personal dimension – ethnocentrism, intercultural effort, and intercultural stress – and two factors for the professional dimension – exhibiting multiculturalism and monocultural orientation. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency and the measurement of the construct was found to be invariant for both ethnic majority and minority.status: Published onlin