Prevalence of falls and intrinsic risk factors in older adults. Barranquilla (Atlántico), Colombia

Introduction: Fall risk can be related to multiple factors, whether they are of extrinsic or intrinsic nature. Falls are considered the main mechanism of accidental injury in the elderly. Objective: To determine the prevalence of falls and intrinsic risk factors in older adults in the city of Barranquilla (Colombia). Materials and methods: A descriptive correlation study was carried out on 98 institutionalized and community elderly adults from Barranquilla (Atlántico), Colombia. A survey on intrinsic risk factors was applied; the risk of falling was measured with the Berg scale and levels of Vitamin D in the blood were established. Results: The participant’s average age was 75 years old, considering that the oldest ages were in the institutionalized population. The general prevalence of falls was 49% in the last year, 68.8% of the population that presented falls were women, and the highest proportion of falls occurred with residents of geriatric homes (52,1%). Women coming from the community fell more than men(91,3%) showing statistical significance compared to falls (p-value of 0,002). The consumption of antihypertensive drugs was the one with the highest proportion (92%), which showed statistical significance for the institutionalized population (p-value of 0,0224). The high and moderate risk of falls was higher in the institutionalized population(32%). Insufficient vitamin D levels (79,2% of those that fell) had a higher prevalence in women, without statistical significance. Conclusion: The elderly population has a high prevalence of falls, especially in women and in the population institutionalized in geriatric centers. The facts that presented statistical significance were being a woman and coming from the community, along with the consumption of antihypertensives in the institutionalized population.Introducción: el riesgo de caídas es de carácter multifactorial, ya sea debido a factores extrínsecos o intrínsecos. Las caídas se consideran el principal mecanismo de lesión no intencional en los mayores. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de caídas y factores de riesgo intrínsecos en personas adultas mayores de la ciudad de Barranquilla (Colombia). Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo correlacional, realizado en 98 adultos mayores, tanto institucionalizados como en comunidad, residentes en Barranquilla (Atlántico), Colombia. Se aplicó una encuesta sobre factores de riesgo intrínsecos; el riesgo de caída se midió con la escala de Berg y se establecieron niveles de Vitamina D en sangre. Resultados: el promedio de edad fue de 75 años, con edades más avanzadas en poblacióninstitucionalizada. La prevalencia general de caídas fue de 49 % en el último año. El 68,8 % de la población que presentó caídas fueron mujeres, con mayor proporción de caídas en los residentes en hogares geriátricos (52,1 %). Las mujeres provenientes de la comunidad se cayeron más que los hombres (91,3 %) lo cual muestra significanciaestadística frente a las caídas (p = 0,002). El consumo de antihipertensivos fue el de mayor proporción (92 %), lo cual demuestra que es estadísticamente significativa para la población institucionalizada (p = 0,0224). El riesgo de caída alto y moderado fue mayor en la población institucionalizada (32 %). El 79,2 % de los individuos que presentaron caídas presentó niveles de vitamina D insuficientes. Conclusión: la población adulta mayor presenta una alta prevalencia de caídas, especialmente las mujeres y la población institucionalizada en centros geriátricos. Los hechos que presentaron significancia estadística fueron ser mujer y provenir de la comunidad, junto con el consumo de antihipertensivos en población institucionalizada.Introducción: el riesgo de caídas es de carácter multifactorial, ya sea debido a factores extrínsecos o intrínsecos. Las caídas se consideran el principal mecanismo de lesión no intencional en los mayores. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de caídas y factores de riesgo intrínsecos en personas adultas mayores de la ciudad de Barranquilla (Colombia). Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo correlacional, realizado en 98 adultos mayores, tanto institucionalizados como en comunidad, residentes en Barranquilla (Atlántico), Colombia. Se aplicó una encuesta sobre factores de riesgo intrínsecos; el riesgo de caída se midió con la escala de Berg y se establecieron niveles de Vitamina D en sangre. Resultados: el promedio de edad fue de 75 años, con edades más avanzadas en poblacióninstitucionalizada. La prevalencia general de caídas fue de 49 % en el último año. El 68,8 % de la población que presentó caídas fueron mujeres, con mayor proporción de caídas en los residentes en hogares geriátricos (52,1 %). Las mujeres provenientes de la comunidad se cayeron más que los hombres (91,3 %) lo cual muestra significanciaestadística frente a las caídas (p = 0,002). El consumo de antihipertensivos fue el de mayor proporción (92 %), lo cual demuestra que es estadísticamente significativa para la población institucionalizada (p = 0,0224). El riesgo de caída alto y moderado fue mayor en la población institucionalizada (32 %). El 79,2 % de los individuos que presentaron caídas presentó niveles de vitamina D insuficientes. Conclusión: la población adulta mayor presenta una alta prevalencia de caídas, especialmente las mujeres y la población institucionalizada en centros geriátricos. Los hechos que presentaron significancia estadística fueron ser mujer y provenir de la comunidad, junto con el consumo de antihipertensivos en población institucionalizada

Methodology for measuring the level of collaboration in a supply chain by making surveys

Faced with uncertain environments, companies have strived to achieve greater collaboration in the supply chain, achieve alignment of actions, objectives, decisions and sharing of information. The objective of the study is to measure the level of collaboration in the supply chain by making use of a survey and designing a generic process for carrying out the measurement in any company, through a reliable and valid instrument for this construction. The data were collected through a survey of clients of the company chosen for research. Statistical methods used include reliability analysis and AHP analysis for obtaining and verifying results. The results show a medium-low level of collaboration in the supply chain of the company towards its customers and a collaboration efficiency of 69%. There were no significant differences in the scores on the level of collaboration of the different indicators, due to the versatile characteristics of the companies, such as: Size, market and differences of charge between the people surveyed

A method for the prediction of the shrinkage in roasted and ground coffee using multivariable statistics

This study seeks to determine the influence of process variables: consumption percentage in the mixture, pasilla percentage in the mixture, storage time, humidity percentage in the product for consumption, humidity percentage in the pasilla, humidity percentage in roasted coffee, average humidity in finished product, average color in roasted coffee, and average color in finished product, for the shrinkage of packed coffee in a coffee processing plant of Arabica type. Using a multiple linear regression model, the study stated that the variables of humidity percentage of roasted coffee and color of roasted coffee have a statistically significant relationship with a confidence of 95% (p-value < 0.05). It was concluded that these variables explain 99.95% of the variability in the shrinkage, and the relation of the shrinkage with the humidity percentage is inversely proportional, but the relation of this variable with the color of roasted coffee is directly proportional. The tests applied to the model wastes proved that the model is suitable for predicting the shrinkage in the process

Evaluation of growth and co2 biofixation by spirulina platensis in different culture media using statistical models

This study was proposed for evaluating the CO2 fixation by Spirulina platensis in different media, in order to understand the growth dynamics of the photosynthetic microalgae, a useful resource for the mitigation of climate change. The percentage of CO2 fixation by the strain S. platensis UTEX LB 2340 was determined during 11 days of sampling, using four (4) culture media. According to the statistical models, spirulina medium represented the best option in terms of cell growth between the tested ones. In this model, the variable day had presented a significant difference, this could be related to the exponential phase of the microorganism used

A method for estimating the age of people in forensic medicine using multivariable statistics

The present study seeks to generate a regression model that allows estimating the age of individuals in the city of Barranquilla (Colombia) from the stages of people’s teeth, in order to generate a tool to help forensic doctors in the identification of bodies in a high degree of decomposition. The model showed that sex and teeth 23, 27, 38, and 47 have a statistically significant relationship with age, and although the model has a medium level of explanation (adjusted R-square of 56%), it is a very useful tool for estimating the age of the inhabitants of Barranquilla given that the current standards are based on studies carried out in other countries with genotypic and phenotypic characteristics that differ from Barranquilla people

Removal of nitrogenous compounds from municipal wastewater using a bacterial consortium: an opportunity for more sustainable water treatments

The integrated management of water resources is a requirement for environmental preservation and economic development, with the removal of nutrients being one of the main drawbacks. In this work, the efficiency of a bacterial consortium (Ecobacter WP) made up of eight bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus cereus, Arthrobacter sp., Acinetobacter paraffineus, Corynebacterium sp., and Streptomyces globisporus was evaluated in the removal of nitrogen compounds in domestic wastewater in a plug flow system, in the extended aeration and bioaugmentation (FLAEBI). To promote the nitrification and denitrification processes, three doses were tested to establish the optimal concentration of the bacterial consortium on a laboratory scale and its subsequent application in an outdoor wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The evaluation period was 15 days for each treatment in the laboratory and WWTP. The parameters monitored both at laboratory and outdoor were pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), ammonium, nitrites, and nitrates. The results indicated that the optimal concentration of the consortium was 30 mg L−1, with a removal of 92% of nitrate at the laboratory and 62% outdoor. Such a difference is attributed to the different operation residence times and the volume that caused different concentration gradients. The consortium studied can be used to promote nitrification and denitrification processes that intervene in the removal of nitrogenous compounds in plants with similar operating conditions, without investment in restructuring or design modification of the WWTP