Contribution of technology to the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises in the textile industry in Ecuador

La tecnología tiene actualmente un papel importante en la gestión empresarial a nivel mundial, y se ha convertido en un instrumento fundamental para que las empresas sean cada vez más eficaces, eficientes y competitivas. El presente documento realiza un estudio de cómo el uso de la tecnología se relaciona con el grado de productividad de las pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes) de la industria textil en Ecuador. Este sector industrial es uno de los priorizados de la industria ecuatoriana y las pymes que son el objeto de este estudio pertenecen a la Clasificación Industrial Internacional Uniforme (CIIU) C13 «Fabricación de prendas textiles» distribuidas en todo el país. Para conocer la relación que existe entre tecnología y productividad se aplicó el modelo econométrico de Solow, que utiliza las variables: producción, capital, mano de obra y tecnología, las mismas que al ser combinadas permiten determinar cómo se encuentran los procesos productivos de dichas organizaciones empresariales. Los resultados del estudio, en forma general, muestran la medida en que las variables antes descritas aportan a la productividad de las empresas de la industria textil, y en forma particular, cuál es la influencia del uso de la tecnología en el crecimiento o decrecimiento de la productividad.Technology currently has an important role in global business management, and has become a key tool for companies to become more effective, efficient and competitive. This paper studies how the use technology relates to the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the textile industry in Ecuador. This industrial sector has been prioritised in Ecuadorian industry, and the SMEs that are the purpose of this study is within the International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (ISIC) C13, ‘‘Textile manufacturing’’ distributed throughout the country. In order to determine the relationship between technologyand productivity, Solow’s economic model was applied, using the variables: production, capital,workforce, and technology, which are found in production procedures of these business orga-nisations. The results of the study, in general, show the scope that the previously mentionedvariables contribute to the productivity of companies of the textile industry, and in particular,the influence of the use of the technology in the increase or decrease of the productivity

Bats, Trypanosomes, and Triatomines in Ecuador: New Insights into the Diversity, Transmission, and Origins of Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas Disease

The generalist parasite Trypanosoma cruzi has two phylogenetic lineages associated almost exclusively with bats—Trypanosoma cruzi Tcbat and the subspecies T. c. marinkellei. We present new information on the genetic variation, geographic distribution, host associations, and potential vectors of these lineages. We conducted field surveys of bats and triatomines in southern Ecuador, a country endemic for Chagas disease, and screened for trypanosomes by microscopy and PCR. We identified parasites at species and genotype levels through phylogenetic approaches based on 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes and conducted a comparison of nucleotide diversity of the cytb gene. We document for the first time T. cruzi Tcbat and T. c. marinkellei in Ecuador, expanding their distribution in South America to the western side of the Andes. In addition, we found the triatomines Cavernicola pilosa and Triatoma dispar sharing shelters with bats. The comparisons of nucleotide diversity revealed a higher diversity for T. c. marinkellei than any of the T. c. cruzi genotypes associated with Chagas disease. Findings from this study increased both the number of host species and known geographical ranges of both parasites and suggest potential vectors for these two trypanosomes associated with bats in rural areas of southern Ecuador. The higher nucleotide diversity of T. c. marinkellei supports a long evolutionary relationship between T. cruzi and bats, implying that bats are the original hosts of this important parasite

Impacto de las Abejas (Apis mellifera L.) Como Agentes Polinizadores en el Rendimiento del Cultivo de Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) en el Canton Riobamba, Provincia de Chimborazo

The impact of bees (Apis mellifera L.) as pollinators in the yield of the zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) crop in the Riobamba canton, Chimborazo province, was evaluated using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). This was done using three treatments and three repetitions. The treatments evaluated were: the zucchini cultivation inside the micro tunnel covered with entomological mesh with the presence of bees, the zucchini cultivation inside the micro tunnel covered with anti aphids mesh without the presence of bees, and the open field zucchini cultivation. The evaluated parameters were number of days to the appearance of the fruits, percentage of fertilized and unfertilized flowers, number of fruits per plant, size of fruits, diameter of fruits, weight of fruit, and yield in kg / ha per treatment. The best results achieved in most parametersthat were evaluated such as the percentage of flowering, number of fruits per plant, size of fruit in cm, diameter of fruit in cm, weight of the fruit in grams, yield in kg/ha by treatment, and economic analysis were obtained with the presence of bees (Apis mellifera L.) as pollinating agents in the tunnel. This is in addition to meshes during the flowering stage of the zucchini crop, with an average yield of 14.9 tn/ha.Se evaluó el impacto de las abejas (Apis mellifera L.) como agentes polinizadores en el rendimiento del cultivo de zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) en el cantòn Riobamba, provincia de Chimborazo. Para llevar a cabo esta evaluación se utilizó un diseño de bloques completos a azar (DBCA), con tres tratamientos y tres repeticiones. Los tratamientos evaluados fueron: El cultivo de zucchini dentro del micro túnel cubierto con malla entomológica con presencia de abejas, el cultivo de zucchini dentro del micro túnel cubierto con malla antiáfidossin presencia de abejas y el cultivo de zucchini a campo abierto. Los parámetros evaluados fueron número de días transcurridos después de la aparición de los frutos, porcentaje de flores fecundadas y no fecundadas, número de frutos por planta, tamaño de frutos, diámetro de frutos, peso del fruto y rendimiento en kg/ha por tratamiento. Los mejores resultados alcanzados en la mayoría de los parámetros evaluados como el porcentaje de floración, número de frutos por planta, tamaño de fruto en (cm), diámetro de fruto en (cm), peso del fruto en gramos, rendimiento en kg/ha por tratamiento y análisis económico, se obtuvieron con la presencia de las abejas (Apis mellifera L.) como agentes polinizadores en el túnel con mallas durante la etapa de floración del cultivo de zucchini, con un rendimiento en promedio de 14.9 tn/ha

Evaluación de tres dosis de potasio en la producción de lechuga (Lactuca sativa L. var. Crispa) bajo el sistema hidropónico recirculante NTF bajo invernadero

Three doses of potassium were evaluated in the production of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. Crispa), under the recirculable NFT hydroponic system in the greenhouse of the Department of Horticulture of the ESPOCH. A completely randomized block design was used with three treatments and three replications. The doses evaluated were: low dose (LD) with 224,33 ppm, medium dose (MD) with 470,00 ppm, and high dose (HD) with 716,67 ppm. Evaluated parameters were: potassium content in leaves and root, fresh weights of the aerial part and root, yield per net plot and hectare. The economic analysis was carried out according to the relation benefit/cost. The best results for most of the parameters evaluated were obtained with the low dose (LD), obtaining fresh weights of the aerial part and root of 193,01 and 36,65 g respectively. It has a yield per net plot of 2,04 kilograms and per hectare of 15338,75 kilograms, and the highest cost benefit with 4,63 dollars equivalent to 362,75%. On the other hand, the highest content of potassium in leaves and root up to 40 days after transplant (DAT) was obtained with the medium dose (MD) with 5,13 and 6,00% of total potassium, respectively. In all treatments, maintaining turgor in the plants throughout the cycle is very important. From the agronomic and economic point of view, the use a nutritive solution containing 224,33 ppm of potassium was recommended

Evaluation of Anthocyanin Production in White and Purple Maize (Zea mays L.) Using Methyl Jasmonate, Phosphorus Deficiency and High Concentration of Sucrose

Anthocyanins are plants metabolites that are recognized by its red/purple coloration produced in flowers, seeds and leaves. These molecules are potentially important to the industry for its antioxidant capacity, disease prevention and as a natural dye. Currently, the production of anthocyanins is carried out using in vitro culture of Vitis vinifera and its yield is increased by using elicitors or stress factors. Zea mays is relevant due to its high content of cyanidin-3-β-glucoside anthocyanin. In the present study the production of cyanidin-3-β-glucoside was evaluated with different mechanisms of elicitation using in vivo and in vitro culture of purple and white maize varieties. The highest callus induction (85%) for white maize was obtained in MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/L of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, while for purple maize (93%) was obtained in N6 medium with 2 mg/L of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, using germinated seed as explant for both varieties. Methyl jasmonate was evaluated as an elicitation tool, however no cyanidin-3-β-glucoside was found to be accumulated or produced in vitro. In contrast, using germinated seeds and radicle tissue, elicitation using phosphorus deficiency treatment produced the highest cyanidin-3-β-glucoside accumulation (0.06 mg g−1) in white maize. No elicitation and further production of anthocyanins was found when purple maize were used using this method. Therefore, in vivo elicitation in white maize is a potential method to produce a stable anthocyanin that could be optimized for future applications

Interlaboratory exercise for the analysis of carotenoids and related compounds in dried mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.)

An interlaboratory comparison was done for the analysis of carotenoids in freeze-dried mango. The study was performed from July to September 2018. Mango fruit was freeze-dried, homogenized, and packaged under vacuum conditions in portions of 6 g (test sample). Two test samples were sent to the participating laboratories for analysis. Laboratory results were rated using Z-scores in accordance with ISO 13528 and ISO 17043. The standard deviation for proficiency assessment (also called target standard deviation) was determined using a modified Horwitz function and varied between 10% and 25%, depending on the analyte. Out of 14 laboratories from 10 different countries, 9 laboratories (64%) obtained a satisfactory performance (Z ≤ 2) for the analysis of β-carotene. While for 7 laboratories that analyzed α-carotene, (9Z)-β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin, 4 laboratories (57%) obtained a satisfactory performance. However, only 2 laboratories out of 7 (29%) obtained a satisfactory performance for lutein. Based on the comparability of the analytical results, this study concludes that freeze-dried mango pulp can be used as a reference material for the analysis of α and β-carotene, (9Z)-β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin by applying different analytical procedures for their extraction and quantification.This work was performed within the frame of the TEAM EC2017TEA442A103 VLIR-UOS project “Improving Ecuadorian child nutrition by using mango by-products as potential sources of bioactive compounds”. JV-Ch wants to acknowledge the quality technical support of Samara Fernández de Souza from VITO. VM-P acknowledges Mayra Anaguano from EPN. AZM acknowledges Fabiane C. Petry for the carotenoid analysis, FAPESP (grant 2018/23752-1) and CNPq (grant 309182/2018-2).Peer reviewe

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits—the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants—determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits—almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level.

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs