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Cotton and oil-based fibre consumption is highly problematic because the growth of these materials often requires fertilisers and toxic pesticides. Less environmentally damaging alternative fibres are urgently required. This study investigates Manila-hemp paper-yarn textile fabrics. Manila-hemp (abacá) is a species of banana grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. Knitted structures of paper, cotton, viscose, and polyester yarns are tested and compared. Tensile strength tests are also performed. Paper yarn shows low shrinkage and no pilling, which are excellent characteristics for use in the textile and clothing industries. However, its poor handleability/knittability, high stiffness, and hard grip must be resolved for the widespread application of paper yarn in the textile industry in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latin America (LATAM) plays an important role in the world's production of aquatic animals and is the second most productive region in the world. Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Perú contribute 87% of LATAM aquaculture production. The fish welfare in aquaculture is of increasing public concern globally, and LATAM is no exception, growing in importance for fish farmers, authorities, and scientists. Although the topic is somewhat controversial, the welfare status of farmed fish has direct implications for their production and the sustainability of the industry. Therefore, this study analyses scientific papers on animal welfare in farmed fish, from the six countries in LATAM with the highest aquaculture production. The main objectives were to quantify the number of papers published between 2000 and 2023 on fish welfare by using scientific databases. A total of 285 papers were found for the period analysed. The country with the largest number of publications was Brazil (75.79%), followed by Chile (13.33%), Mexico (7.02%), Peru (1.75%), Ecuador, and Colombia (1.05%). Nile tilapia was the most studied species, appearing in 30.18% of the publications, with most of the studies mainly dealing with nutrition (32.28%). The growth of aquaculture is leading to joint efforts to generate knowledge on welfare issues, especially in poorly studied species with high production, to create policies that help minimize welfare risks. Given this, the insights generated by this review could be a useful addition to approaches investigating the trends and concepts of fish welfare in LATAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of child labor in Ecuador, employing advanced statistical tools like logistic regression, neutrosophic Likert scales, and similarity measures to deepen the understanding of this social issue. The integration of these methodologies allows for a nuanced assessment of the various socio-economic factors contributing to child labor. By capturing the uncertainty in human responses, the research highlights the complex interplay between poverty, household income, education levels, and labor types on the incidence of child labor. Key findings suggest that rural location, the age of the child, and the informal nature of the head of the household's work are the most significant predictors of child labor. Notably, parental education appears to have a less direct influence. Despite various efforts, including government monetary transfers through programs like the BDH, child labor persists, indicating the need for more targeted interventions.The paper proposes future research to extend these models to a broader demographic and geographic data set, emphasizing the potential for these methods to be applied to a variety of social issues. The development of computational tools to automate neutrosophic analysis could greatly benefit large-scale studies, potentially aiding policymakers in designing more effective interventions for vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics (ISAG) is an international conference that was held, on average, every 3–4 years in different European cities between 1990 (Grenoble) and 2008 (Nice). These symposia usually offer an opportunity for researchers from Latin American countries and Europe as well as other countries to review the state of knowledge in geosciences on the Andes. After a long period without an edition, the 8th ISAG was organized for the first time in a Latin American country, Ecuador, from 24th to 26th September 2019. The organizing committee led by Pablo Samaniego relied heavily on the Instituto Geofísico of the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN) and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), in particular through its office in Quito, and through the Laboratoire Mixte International in France and Ecuador: "Seismes et Volcans dans les Andes du Nord" (LMI-SVAN); and the French Embassy in Ecuador. Field trips in tectonics, seismotectonics and volcanology at emblematic sites in Ecuador were organized by researchers from the IRD (Isterre and LMV), the Institut de Radio Protection Nucléaire (IRSN), IG-EPN and the University of Geneva. Four invited speakers gave presentations: Peter Molnar (University of Boulder) on the mechanisms of the Andes uplift, Suzanne Kay (Cornell University) on its magmatism, Victor Ramos (University of Buenos Aires) on the scientific approaches developed through time for the Andean orogeny and Eric Calais (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris) on the difficulty of dialog between seismic risk specialists and the authorities in Haiti. The symposium also provided an opportunity for more than 250 participants to meet, with more than 80 oral presentations and over 150 posters. As a result of this conference, the Editor of the Journal of South American Earth Sciences proposed to the organizing committee to publish a special issue on the contours of these presentations. Following the peer review process, 19 papers are published in this special issue. These manuscripts reflect the various disciplinary fields, geophysics and deep imaging, tectonics, volcanism, geomorphology and seismic hazard, from the local scale to the Andes as a whole. Not surprisingly, a higher density of works is found in Ecuador and the northern Andes (Figure 1). As this collection of articles reflects the outlines of a symposium and not a specific scientific question, our aim here is not to develop a synthesis of current knowledge on the Andes. We therefore present these articles in sequence, by discipline, although this categorization may appear subjective since some articles are multidisciplinary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ecuador, the ideology of mestizaje has resulted in the denial or minimization of racism against Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples. This denial coexists, however, with the consciousness of racialized difference. If racism is most of the time minimized and naturalized, in this paper I propose that we need to consider the circumstances that may generate awareness of racism and a public speaking up against it. Comparing two cases involving Afro-descendant and Indigenous people in conflict with external actors, I analyze the role that different forms of violence play in the public articulation of racism. I contend that violent physical conflict may result in breaking the silence on state racism, while diffuse or slow forms of violence may result in the backgrounding of explicit denunciations of racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study harnesses advanced time series models ARIMA, ETS, and SARIMA, coupled with neutrosophic statistics, to forecast unemployment trends through interval-based predictions. Transforming these predictions into neutrosophic forms enables the quantification of indeterminacy, providing a nuanced interpretation of potential economic scenarios. The integration of neutrosophic statistics enhances the interpretative power and accuracy of these models, offering a deeper insight into the inherent uncertainties of economic forecasting. The approach reveals not only the variabilities and potential outcomes within the unemployment rates but also strengthens the decision-making processes by presenting data that encompass both precision and indeterminacy. This paper underscores the importance of advanced statistical methods in economic predictions, suggesting further exploration into other economic metrics and advocating for a broader application of neutrosophic statistics to enhance the reliability of economic forecasting across diverse contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State negotiations constitute the foundation for the development of each nation, relying on the acquisition of resources and services. Public procurement not only has economic and social impacts but also demands that public officials ensure compliance with the law. However, some of these officials have violated the legal principles of public procurement, seeking to obtain benefits, goods, or personal services without legal backing. In studies conducted in Ecuador, this phenomenon has been analyzed in relation to the variability of indeterminacies that public officials face in interpreting regulations. Therefore, this paper focuses on analyzing and defining the levels of indeterminacy present in the neutrosophic variable that influences the functioning of state negotiations. The use of neutrosophic statistics is suggested for modeling the study to detect indeterminacies of the variable in each dimension. Among the neutrosophic results, the misuse of government policies in state negotiation processes is identified as the sole criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an investigation of the factors influencing the decision to purchase processed food based on traffic-light labeling (TLL). To achieve this, we use data from the official National Survey of Health and Nutrition, which gathered information on 26,532 individuals aged between 19 and 59 between 2011 and 2013. Employing a probit regression to assess the likelihood of buying food based on TLL, we identify a positive association between income level and the probability of buying food based on TLL; indeed, our model suggests that a 1% increase in monthly income increases by 0.008 the probability of buying food based on TLL. We infer that people with higher levels of income are more aware of the benefits of TLL and healthy food habits. Our results also suggest that the probability of basing purchasing decisions on TLL is higher for overweight people compared to those of normal weight, that is, overweight people buy their processed food paying more attention to TLL compared to normal weight people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a notion of mergeable weighted majority games with the aim of providing the first characterization of the Colomer–Martínez power index (Colomer and Martínez in J Theor Polit 7(1):41–63, 1995). Furthermore, we define and characterize a new power index for the family of weighted majority games that combines ideas of the Public Good (Holler in Polit Stud 30(2):262–271, 1982) and Colomer–Martínez power indices. Finally, we analyze the National Assembly of Ecuador using these and some other well-known power indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acne is a common disease that is associated with scarring and substantial psychosocial burden. The Global Burden of Skin Disease reported that the burden from acne as measured by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from 188 countries and specifically that it is greatest in Western Europe, high-income North America and Southern Latin America. This paper aimed to identify risk factors for acne scarring specific to the Ecuadorian population in order to adapt the 4-ASRAT tool accordingly. Methods: This was an observational prospective study. Participants were recruited to complete a survey that was developed based on the potential risk factors for acne scarring and had facial photographs taken. To determine risk factors and their respective weighting, a logistic regression was performed. Results: The study included 404 participants. Results from univariate analyses indicated that being male (OR = 2.76 95%CI [1.72; 4.43]), having severe or very severe acne scarring (OR = 4.28 95%CI [1.24; 14.79]), acne duration over 1 year (OR = 1.71 95%CI [1.12; 2.60]), oily skin (OR = 2.02 95%CI [1.27; 3.22]) and the presence of acne on the neck (OR = 2.26 95%CI [1.30; 3.92]), were all significantly associated with the presence of acne scarring. Male sex (2.56 95%CI [1.58;4.17]), oily skin (1.96 95%CI [1.20;3.20]) and severe or very severe acne (3.75 95%CI [1.05;13.37]) remained significant risk factors for acne scarring in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: By identifying acne scarring risk factors and applying the tool in everyday dermatology visits, we can reduce the physical and psychological burden that acne scarring causes in the adolescent and adult populations. Further research should be conducted to reassess potential risk factors and complete the adaptation of the tool for the Ecuadorian population, with a larger and more representative study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State negotiations constitute the foundation for the development of each nation, relying on the acquisition of resources and services. Public procurement not only has economic and social impacts but also demands that public officials ensure compliance with the law. However, some of these officials have violated the legal principles of public procurement, seeking to obtain benefits, goods, or personal services without legal backing. In studies conducted in Ecuador, this phenomenon has been analyzed in relation to the variability of indeter-minacies that public officials face in interpreting regulations. Therefore, this paper focuses on analyzing and defining the levels of indeterminacy present in the neutrosophic variable that influences the functioning of state negotiations. The use of neutrosophic statistics is suggested for modeling the study to detect indeterminacies of the variable in each dimension. Among the neutrosophic results, the misuse of government policies in state negotiation processes is identified as the sole criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecuador is a country with several climate zones. However, their behaviour is similar throughout the year, with no peaks of extreme temperatures in the various seasons. This paper is a first approach to study the adaptive comfort behaviour in several areas and populations of the country. Considering the ASHRAE 55-2020 model, energy simulation programmes are applied not just to the current climate scenario but also to the climate change scenarios of 2050 and 2100. The results of locations are analysed and compared to determine their performance. Thanks to their climate characteristics, adaptive comfort models could be applied as a passive strategy, using natural ventilation for building indoor comfort improvement, particularly social dwellings. According to previous studies, some prototypes have not considered the climate determinants in each region. Given the geographic situation of the study areas, the adaptive comfort model could be applied in all cases. Percentages of application of natural ventilation and heating and cooling degree hours have similar behaviours according to the climatic region, with a variation greater than 30% among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the emissions of the three most sold categories of light vehicles: sedans, SUVs, and pickups. The research is carried out through an innovative methodology based on GPS and machine learning in real driving conditions. For this purpose, driving data from the three best-selling vehicles in Ecuador are acquired using a data logger with GPS included, and emissions are measured using a PEMS in six RDE tests with two standardized routes for each vehicle. The data obtained on Route 1 are used to estimate the gears used during driving using the K-means algorithm and classification trees. Then, the relative importance of driving variables is estimated using random forest techniques, followed by the training of ANNs to estimate CO2, CO, NOX, and HC. The data generated on Route 2 are used to validate the obtained ANNs. These models are fed with a dataset generated from 324, 300, and 316 km of random driving for each type of vehicle. The results of the model were compared with the IVE model and an OBD-based model, showing similar results without the need to mount the PEMS on the vehicles for long test drives. The generated model is robust to different traffic conditions as a result of its training and validation using a large amount of data obtained under completely random driving conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the importance of understanding the personality traits of teachers and their impact on the educational process. It mentions the existence of stable personality traits and variable personality states that vary over time. It also refers to the five-factor personality model (FFM), which includes the domains of Extraversion, Affability, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience. The study is carried out in the context of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ecuador, where professors perform functions related to teaching, research, extension, and academic management. It is noted that emotional contagion between teachers and students can be relevant in this environment. The paper presents a qualitative analysis based on a Neutrosophic Cognitive Map (NCM) of nine personality traits: Empathy, Openness to Experience, Introversion, Emotional Stability, Kindness and Respect, Flexibility, Excessive Authoritarianism, Neuroticism and Egocentrism. The causal relationships between these traits are highlighted, emphasizing the importance of empathy as a central factor. It discusses how traits such as empathy, kindness, patience, and emotional stability contribute to a positive and productive learning environment. Furthermore, it is noted that the modification of negative traits, such as excessive authoritarianism and egocentrism, can improve the professional development of teachers and benefit students in the long term. Finally, this study is compared with previous research, and it highlights that the results may vary. For example, a study that did not find significant relationships between personality traits and teaching performance is mentioned, while this study suggests that excessive authoritarianism and egocentrism can affect communication with students and the quality of training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper opens the black box of policy co-production processes presented by the Colombian and Ecuadorian governments, regarding the traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, in keeping with the necessities of Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this paper is to analyze what similarities and differences there exist in the role of the Ecuadorian and Colombian States as organizers, guarantors of plural expression, and facilitators of public deliberation, and how policymakers have opened the space for Indigenous peoples for producing traditional knowledge policy. The paper turns to qualitative research focused on collecting information from public actors. The data obtained assesses our working hypothesis that the role of the State in the production of traditional knowledge policy has been more democratic in Ecuador than in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea that not all types of consumption benefit well-being is not new. However, its recent formalization within the framework of the behavioral and social sciences has led to a rapid expansion of knowledge about the goods that are most effective in increasing happiness. Most evidence has been obtained from the developed world and with a focus on broad categories that ignore meaningful heterogeneities. This paper contributes to this domain by conducting a detailed analysis of the relationship that happiness has with a variety of market goods and with aggregate measures of purchasing power. We do this using the data of Ecuador, a country characterized by a relational-oriented culture, high collectivist values, structural inequalities, and weak political institutions. Throughout the paper, we tested various hypotheses related to this particular context. The results show that consumption is superior to income as a predictor of happiness. Higher levels of happiness can also be seen among people who spend more on relational and time-saving goods; less on health and alcohol; and own a good quality of dwelling. As for basic goods, some seem beneficial in the whole sample analysis, but they exhibit a stronger relationship with happiness among the poor. Additionally, we find that, in most cases, public goods as well as paying taxes correlate negatively with happiness. Moreover, we identify some heterogeneities that shed light on the behavior of the poor and that reflect unequal distribution of household tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to describe the process of creating CHARG—Corpus de Habla Radiofónica de Guayaquil (the Guayaquil Radiophonic Speech Corpus). It is the first systematized spoken corpus for this rather under-researched variety of Spanish. Guayaquil is the most populated city of Ecuador, while its capital city is Quito. Therefore, Ecuador is a rare case of a Spanish-speaking country with two major urban centers that belong to two separate dialectal zones, offering a very peculiar sociolinguistic context. CHARG is a corpus composed of Guayaquil radio programs. Its structure is organized by non-linguistic criteria (program type) in order to ensure a representative and balanced sample. The paper describes the design of the corpus (defining the study population, sample and stratification) and its construction (recording procedure, speakers and speech style coding, transcription and annotation). As a result, CHARG consists of 24 h of transcriptions and annotations of recordings from 142 speakers. The paper's potential use is twofold: since it presents a step-by-step procedure of corpus construction that can be replicated, the readers might be interested in both the procedure and the corpus itself as a research material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International retirement migration (IRM) is known to be an important factor for regional economic development in some low-and middle-income countries. However, IRM's effects on land prices and real estate markets, especially housing, are controversial. Using the case study of the Andean city of Cotacachi, Ecuador, this paper discusses the economic and socio-spatial effects of IRM-related construction of comparatively high-priced retirement homes on indigenous communities' access to land and housing prices in the urban area. Based on the analysis and collection of quantitative and qualitative data, the paper identifies that IRM-related foreign investments result in increased prices of (agricultural) land and urban housing. This especially affects indigenous communities as they are historically marginalized in access to land. To understand the IRM-related effects, we contextualize and discuss these in light of the historical control of land by landowning élites. Our data show that recent IRM-oriented real estate development—paired with highly uneven postcolonial distribution of land—has unequal socio-spatial effects: land-rich élites benefit from selling land to both local and foreign investors, while landless and land-poor indigenous communities face increasing difficulty in accessing land for agriculture. La migración internacional de jubilados (MIJ) es conocida como un factor importante para el desarrollo económico regional en algunos países. Sin embargo, sus efectos sobre los precios del suelo y los mercados inmobiliarios son controversiales. A partir de un estudio en la ciudad de Cotacachi, Ecuador, este artículo analiza los efectos económicos y socio-espaciales de la construcción de viviendas de alto valor para jubilados extranjeros, en relación con el acceso a la tierra en las comunidades indígenas y el precio de la vivienda. El artículo identifica que las inversiones extranjeras relacionadas con la MIJ provocan un aumento en los precios de la tierra y la vivienda urbana. Esto, a su vez, afecta especialmente a las comunidades indígenas. Con el fin de entender los efectos relacionados con la MIJ, discutimos los mismos, a la luz del control histórico de la tierra por parte de las élites terratenientes. Nuestros datos reflejan que el desarrollo inmobiliario relacionado con la MIJ junto con la distribución postcolonial de la tierra tiene efectos socio-espaciales desiguales: las grandes élites terratenientes se benefician de la venta de tierras, mientras que las comunidades indígenas (sin) o pobres en tierras enfrentan grandes dificultades para continuar con la agricultura. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper are studied two soil profiles from the soil map in scale 1:25 000 of the fluvial plain region Carrizal-Chone, in Manabi province, Ecuador. One of profiles is a soil fluvic Feozem by tree vegetation and the other is a fluvic eutric Cambisol by long time cultivated condition. It is studied the changes of the physical soil properties by the anthropogenic conditions, with changes in the soil structure, volume density, and the increasing of the dispersion factor. In this paper is demonstrated the change from a Feozem soil to a Cambisol soil because the long time cultivated action [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of probabilistic graphical models, in this paper, we present a new framework for exploring relationships among indicators commonly included in the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). In particular, we propose an Ising model with covariates for modeling the MPI as an undirected graph. First, we prove why Ising models are consistent with the theoretical distribution of MPI indicators. Then, a comparison between our estimates and the association measures typically used in the literature is provided. Finally, we show how undirected graphs can complement the MPI policy-relevant properties, apart from discovering further insightful patterns that can be useful for policy purposes. This novel approach is illustrated with an empirical application for the global MPI indicators of Guinea and Ecuador, taking living areas and monetary poverty as covariates, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) to understand the diverse behavior of municipal governments in Ecuador to find common elements that influence the well-being of citizens in the short and long term. Information gathering was conducted in two stages: in the first one, a group of 16 national experts was consulted to develop the initial FCM; in the second stage, local experts from 220 municipalities were interviewed to collect information on the general validity of initial FCMs and specific values given to concepts and relationships in their municipalities. Results show the importance of certain concepts for long-term municipal performance, such as the need for a competitive entrepreneurial sector, improving human resources in the municipality, and, particularly, having a competent mayor with leadership skills and a forward-looking vision that enables the development of municipal projects required to reach an efficient and equitable coverage of goods and services throughout the city. Through the application of genetic algorithms, the FCM was calibrated to ascertain the long-term dynamics of municipal development and the optimal values of the concepts that would optimize the attainment of the set objectives. The derived outcomes suggest the desirability of the maintenance of, in principle, unwanted structures like financial transfers from the central government and the need to exploit natural resources to attain urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic's early stages severely impacted global fisheries, particularly areas heavily reliant on imported food and tourism like the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. To contain the spread of the virus, a full lockdown was implemented. However, the collapse of the tourism industry precipitated the worst economic crisis in the history of this multiple-use marine protected area. This paper examines the impact of the pandemic's early stages on consumption patterns and seafood security in the Galapagos from consumers' perspective, drawing on online surveys conducted during the lockdown. Our findings revealed pre-existing seafood insecurity across the archipelago, further exacerbated by the pandemic on the least-populated island. Nevertheless, the seafood system displayed moderated resilience to the pandemic's socioeconomic disruptions. A variety of adaptive responses were adopted by Galapagos residents to cope with the lockdown. Consumers modified their seafood consumption habits, while fishers adapted their harvesting and marketing strategies. Such adaptive responses were shaped by the unique socioeconomic characteristics of each inhabited island and the ability of seafood suppliers to shift from a tourism- and export-oriented to a resident- and domestic-oriented market. This transition has created novel opportunities to foster a systemic transformation of the Galapagos seafood system to enhance its resilience against future crises caused by new pandemics, climate change, or other natural and anthropogenic drivers of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to analyze the implications for the social sciences of online crimes, specifically fraud and pedophilia in Ecuador. The methodology used is justified in the conception of systematized reviews, using the analytical framework of systematized reviews in Human and Social Sciences. Databases such as Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Web of Science (WOS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), among others, were used. The conclusions point to the need to increase research on these crimes from the social sciences, the application of the phenomenological approach, the investigation of myths and beliefs about these phenomena, the promotion of public policies and the promotion of interdisciplinarity with other behavioral sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership is fundamental in Ecuadorian companies, driving the development, efficiency and competitiveness of their employees. In Ecuador's mining companies, leadership is crucial to creating an innovative environment; leaders not only guide, but also inspire teams to achieve ambitious goals. They encourage creativity, the adoption of sustainable technologies and solutions, and promote a culture of innovation that benefits the mining industry and business progress in Ecuador. This paper was developed to evaluate how leadership influences the organizational climate for innovation in a mining company in Ecuador. Statistical models of factor analysis were applied to establish which type of leadership has the greatest influence on the organizational climate for innovation in the company studied. Relationships were found between transformational and transactional leadership factors with flexibility and innovation support, while task orientation in the field of innovation is influenced by elements of passive leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon footprint is one of the main factors for measuring CO emissions2, this atmospheric gas represents a worldwide environmental problem. Currently, universities are making inroads into the solution through the quantification and mitigation of CO2. Academic activities and the delivery of physical documents generate high amounts of paper consumption and consequently levels of CO2, which establishes a problem. The objective is to estimate the carbon footprint of the Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (UTEQ) located in Ecuador. The methodology employed consisted of a quantification of the number of files registered in the academic system per year. The files were multiplied by an average number of sheets obtained through a survey applied to teachers. The carbon footprint was determined by multiplying the CO emission factor2 by annual paper consumption. The emissions obtained are 3.21 ton CO2 eq to 3.00 ton CO2 eq for the year 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, respectively. The virtual education implemented at UTEQ contributed to the fulfillment of climate change objectives, due to the non-emitted CO2 emissions determined in this study, an issue that is related to the achievement of a green university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, climate change is not the only threat facing our planet. There are also other types of pollution such as waste that poisons soils and water and kills plants, harming humans and animals. Sustainability represents a key issue for the actual Global Citizen. For this reason, our article is dedicated to offering biofriendly solutions to decrease wastes, give them a positive meaning, such as a substrate for an edible oyster fungus with nutritive and biological properties usefully for humans. Three types of wastes such as coconut coir, pine sawdust, and paper waste—representative symbols of pollution in Ecuador—have been tested as suitable growing substrate for the edible fungi Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm by analyzing parameters such as Biological Efficiency, Mushroom Yield, and Productive Rate. The influence of these "waste" substrates on the nutritive (protein content), biological characteristic (antioxidant activity), and the content of human-health-sustaining compounds (phenols, flavonoids) were also evaluated using the Kjeldahal, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and Folin–Ciocalteu methods. The results indicate that all the waste products represent desirable substrates for growing the edible fungi, with more focus on coconut coir waste (one of the principal pollution problems in Ecuador), but that also achieved the increase in the fungi's desirable characteristics. Coconut coir waste could be an environmentally friendly solution that also offers for humans additional nutritive and healthy benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on Deleuze and Guattari's theorising of transversality, this paper offers an ethnography of life-with-oil in the city of Esmeraldas, home to Ecuador's largest oil refinery complex and a chokepoint of the country's oil export logistics. The paper elaborates how desires, struggles, and wagers that shape everyday life in the city, which appear peripheral to the formal circulation of oil, are in fact constitutive of how hydrocarbon capital is enacted. Transversal desires move in and out of the logistics of oil flow, sometimes hosting and facilitating, other times choking the dynamics of said flow. I rely on the aesthetics and potentialities of the ethnographic ground to get at the disruptions, ruptures, and shifts through which transversal flows become part of the logistics of oil flow in Esmeraldas, and to remain attentive to what is obscured in master narratives about oil in capitalist systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present the results of the determination of dissatisfactions based on the gaps detected in the students' expectations about the services offered by the different departments of the "Instituto Superior Tecnológico Bolivariano" (ITB) and what each of them perceives concerning those services, so, we delve into the root causes that provoke them. With this point of reference, in the future it is intended focusing on the management towards the continuous improvement of the involved processes, guaranteeing the satisfaction and fulfillment of the institutional strategic objectives. SERVQUAL model is used for allowing us to measure the quality of the service and determine the existing gaps between expectations and perceptions in each of the dimensions under study, namely: tangibility, reliability, response capacity, security, and empathy. SERVQUAL model is applied in a neutrosophic framework to deal with the indeterminacy and uncertainty of students' opinions. Thus, we convert a Likert-type scale into triple membership functions of single-valued triangular neutrosophic numbers per interviewed, to represent: agreement, indeterminacy, and disagreement. The comparison lead to in a decrease in the quality of the services perceived against expectations in the period evaluated. We provide a partial result that constitutes the continuity of the application of the approach within the institutional scheme started in 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on the stigma associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis, a vector-transmitted parasitic disease, focuses on aesthetic appearance affectation as the leading cause of stigmatisation. However, Indigenous populations in the hinterland of Amazonian Ecuador trigger stigma expressions by recognising (muco)cutaneous leishmaniasis, primarily through atypical smell, followed by the odd voice sound, appearance and taste. This empirical way of recognising symptoms relies on embodied forms of identifying a disease, contrasting the Western supremacy of visuality and demanding to be understood via multi-sensorial anthropology. Through ethnographic research and data retrieved from eighty-three semistructured interviews and fifteen focus groups in seven Ecuadorian ethnic groups – including six Indigenous groups in the Amazon region – this paper analyses how the sensorium is a health thermometer. Findings reveal that differentiated cultural responses to a sense of peril, contagion and social (self)rejection, understood as stigma expressions, are linked to the holistic approach to health (or well-being) shared by Indigenous populations. In forest societies, well-being is explained through successful (non-)human relationships, and disease permeates through bodies that lack balanced relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional knowledge, much like scientific knowledge, is the product of observation and reflection from the relationship between people and their habitat. This paper documents the first inventory of native names and ethnozoological information of snakes in the language of the Shiwiar-Chicham (SC) and Kichwa (KW), for those territories located in the Pastaza and Napo basins, Amazonia of Ecuador. Additionally, we analyzed the diversity of native names with the Shannon-Wiener index (D). A total of 50 snake species are inventoried, where 36 species (80%) and 49 (100%) snakes possessed a name in the SC and KW languages, respectively. The KW language (D = 4.02) presented a greater diversity of names assigned to snakes, in comparison to the SC language (D = 3.04). The great cultural and linguistic diversity demonstrates that there is still a need to document and safeguard the ethnozoological knowledge related to snakes in the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper engages with the policy mobilities debate by examining the 2016 Ecuadorian spatial planning law. It explores the existing tensions between the constitutional framework and the spatial planning tools outlined by the law which were the result of a process of adaptation of external planning models influenced by international organizations. It shows how the long-term consequences of property rights and a rural understanding of indigeneity shaped spatial planning tools, therefore suggesting the implication of path dependence in the outcome of policy mobilities. The contribution is based on participant observation, desk-research and semi-structured interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the relationship between epistemic difference and hermeneutical injustice, starting from an example discussed by Townsend and Townsend: the case of the Kichwa Indigenous People of Sarayaku v. Ecuador before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. My thesis is that translation is inevitably at work in communicative exchanges involving epistemic difference, and that considering the problem of translation allows us to refine our understanding of epistemic injustice and mobilise further resources to respond to it. In a first step, I will discuss McGlynn's critique of Townsend and Townsend's approach, and in particular the notion of discursive injustice elaborated by Kukla. Drawing on the notion of symbolic institution as theorised by the Belgian phenomenologist Marc Richir, I will show how translation is at work in this case, seeking to pinpoint the hermeneutical injustice at play. In a second step, I will reflect on the different paradigms of translation and argue for a broad, processual and layered conception of it. Building on Antonio Gramsci's concept of translatability of languages, I will introduce the notion of epistemic translatability as that which allows translational strategies to be devised across epistemic difference in order to counter hermeneutical injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the allocation of climate adaptation aid in sub-national and local jurisdictions in Ecuador. We examine the influence of physical and socioeconomic vulnerability and local capacity as explanatory variables for aid allocation. As part of the study, we introduce projections of physical vulnerability to determine whether inter-generational aspects of climate justice are taken into account, and use geographically weighted regression models to study the spatial distribution of aid allocation in sub-national and local jurisdictions. The findings show that physical and socioeconomic vulnerabilities influence the allocation of adaptation aid. However, projected changes in patterns of precipitation and temperatures are not associated with this variable. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of current climate aid is uneven, leaving clusters of vulnerable jurisdictions unattended. Finally, the study finds no association between local capacity and the allocation of adaptation aid. Findings suggests a bias towards allocating more adaptation aid in areas with more intense current weather events, and that the allocation of adaptation aid may not contribute to creating adaptation scenarios where justice for current and future generations is central to decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Xylaria is a diverse and ecologically important genus in the Ascomycota. This paper describes the xylariaceous fungi present in an Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest and investigates the decay potential of selected Xylaria species. Fungi were collected at Yasuní National Park, Ecuador during two collection trips to a single hectare plot divided into a 10-m by 10-m grid, providing 121 collection points. All Xylaria fruiting bodies found within a 1.2-m radius of each grid point were collected. Dried fruiting bodies were used for culturing and the internal transcribed spacer region was sequenced to identify Xylaria samples to species level. Agar microcosms were used to assess the decay potential of three selected species, two unknown species referred to as Xylaria 1 and Xylaria 2 and Xylaria curta, on four different types of wood from trees growing in Ecuador including balsa (Ochroma pyramidale), melina (Gmelina arborea), saman (Samanea saman), and moral (Chlorophora tinctoria). ANOVA and post-hoc comparisons were used to test for differences in biomass lost between wood blocks inoculated with Xylaria and uninoculated control blocks. Scanning electron micrographs of transverse sections of each wood and assay fungus were used to assess the type of degradation present. Results: 210 Xylaria collections were sequenced, with 106 collections belonging to 60 taxa that were unknown species, all with less than 97% match to NCBI reference sequences. Xylaria with sequence matches of 97% or greater included X. aff. comosa (28 isolates), X. cuneata (9 isolates) X. curta and X. oligotoma (7 isolates), and X. apiculta (6 isolates)., All Xylaria species tested were able to cause type 1 or type 2 soft rot degradation in the four wood types and significant biomass loss was observed compared to the uninoculated controls. Balsa and melina woods had the greatest amount of biomass loss, with as much as 60% and 25% lost, respectively, compared to the controls. Conclusions: Xylaria species were found in extraordinary abundance in the Ecuadorian rainforest studied. Our study demonstrated that the Xylaria species tested can cause a soft rot type of wood decay and with the significant amount of biomass loss that occurred within a short incubation time, it indicates these fungi likely play a significant role in nutrient cycling in the Amazonian rainforest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the behavior of Ecuadorian private banking during the period 2000-2021, using aggregate information on trends in the banking sector and accounting data for the main banks. Based on a heterodox theoreticalhistorical approach, we highlight the link between the neoliberal structural reforms, the banking crisis, dollarization and the transformations of the banking sector. The results highlight the fact that the operation of the Ecuadorian banking system under formal dollarization not only recreates well-known elements of former financial fragility but also introduces new variables typical of the 21st-century banking universe that are a source of instability and hinder the financing objectives for the socio-economic development of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper entitled "Two independent real-time precursors of the 7.8 M earthquake in Ecuador based on radioactive and geodetic processes – Powerful tools for an early warning system", Toulkeridis et al. (2019) claim that they found radiation and GPS signal anomalies before the April 16th 2016 Pedernales earthquake (Ecuador) and that their findings can be used to forecast earthquakes in the medium and short term in active continental margins. Using an extended data set that overlaps Toulkeridis et al. (2019) study period, we find: (1) the success rate of predicting earthquakes using radiation anomalies is 2.5 %; (2) radiation anomalies, including the one recorded during the hours before the M 7.8 earthquake, temporally correlate with local rainfall; (3) Toulkeridis et al. (2019) GPS results are physically unrealistic and inconsistent with previously published GPS and InSAR analysis; (4) there is no anomaly in the GPS time series before the earthquake. Therefore, Toulkeridis et al. (2019) results are not reliable evidence of precursors to the M 7.8 earthquake in 2016 in Ecuador, and their proposed method cannot be used to forecast earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The content of this paper involves a crucial phenomenon in the analysis of the labor market: the description of adequate female employment in Ecuador. The present paper examines the relationship between the behavior of the female employment rate and the evolution of some of the most critical variables of direct selling firms in Ecuador, such as sales revenue, solvency ratio, liquidity ratio, and assets return. The panel data technique of dynamic mean groups [ardl (1,1,1)] was used to generate empirical evidence. It was found that the liquidity ratio, solvency ratio, and income of direct selling firms show an effect statistically significant on adequate female employment. However, it is considerably small, implying that the productive linkages generated by these firms do not tend to substantially impact the generation of better-quality jobs for women in Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In issue 183 of the Journal of Social Sciences, different studies are presented on voices and career paths, identities, and resistances. One of the studies analyzes the working conditions of call center workers in Costa Rica and their perspective on their work. Another study investigates the waist weaving done by female artisans in Peru and their contribution to the preservation of cultures and identities. The implementation of the Supported Employment method in companies in Mérida, Mexico, for people with disabilities is also examined. In addition, bibliometric analyses of graduation papers in Anthropology are presented, as well as reflections on mobilizations in El Salvador, the perception of insecurity among university students in Ecuador, Bourdieu's social critique, and the concept of inequality in political discourse in Costa Rica. [Extracted from the article]

As interest grows in facilitating, funding, and investigating inclusive innovation processes in agrifood systems in the Global South, a need has emerged for middle-range theory that can describe the key features and causal dynamics of these processes across diverse contexts. This paper advances theory-building by testing and refining an existing middle-range theory of inclusive innovation processes in agrifood systems in the Global South through a case study of an inclusive innovation process involving smallholder farming communities in the Ecuadorian Andes. We used a case study replication design to test the initial theory. To develop the case study, we conducted primary qualitative research, including interviews, informal personal communications, and document reviews. Data analysis was conducted in two phases: in the first phase, we developed a timeline and causal narrative of the case and in the second phase, we conducted inductive and deductive thematic analysis. We find that each component of the existing middle-range model played an important role, as predicted, in the inclusive innovation process described in the case study. Our analysis also reveals additional component categories, including process inputs, initial contextual conditions, and actor-level mechanisms, that featured prominently in the case but were omitted from the existing theory. The case also revealed a more nuanced, phased causal dynamic than that described in the existing middle-range model and identified intermediate pilot results as boundary objects that expanded the inclusivity of the innovation process and triggered the causal dynamics predicted by the existing theory. Our findings inform a revision to the existing mid-level model, contributing to building an empirically validated theory of how inclusive innovation processes unfold in agrifood systems that sheds light on specific features of these processes that are important for promoting inclusivity. [Display omitted] • Theoretical models of inclusive innovation processes in agrifood systems are in early stages of development. • This paper tests and refines an existing model through a case study of a sucessful inclusive innovation process. • The revised model contains components and a phased causality that more accurately reflect the dynamics of the case. • New components include inputs, initial contextual factors, actor-level causal mechanisms, and early results. • Pilot results serve as boundary objects that trigger motivation to engage among a wider and more diverse set of actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diphenolic diterpene carnosol was isolated from several species of the family Lamiaceae, including Lepechinia mutica, a medicinal plant endemic to Ecuador. The compound has exhibited high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, and antifungal properties, as well as promising cytotoxicity against prostate, breast, skin, leukemia, and human colon cancer cell lines. In this paper, we developed and validated a simple, accurate, and reliable analytical HPLC-UV-ESI-IT-MS method, carried out on a C18 column, which is potentially suitable to quantify carnosol in plant extracts. The procedure complied with the established ICH validation parameters of analytical range (linearity in the range of 0.19–5.64 μg/g dried leaves; REAVERGE = 4.9%; R2 = 0.99907), analysis repeatability (RSD = 2.8–3.6%), intermediate precision (RSD = 1.9–3.6%), accuracy (estimated as % carnosol recovery in the range of 81 to 108%), and robustness. Finally, the LOD (0.04 µg/mg) and LOQ (0.19 μg/mg) values of carnosol/dried leaves were determined. Using this validated method, the content of carnosol in L. mutica was estimated to be 0.81 ± 0.04 mg/g of dried leaves (0.081%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is centered in valuing from the pedagogic didactic point of view the importance of the practical professional pre, and how through a systemic didactic work you can contribute to the development of professional abilities. For it, it is indispensable to discern the paper of the theoretical knowledge in the process of teaching learning practice, summing up the interaction centers the theoretical thing and the practical thing. In this analysis the methods configuration relationship were used, the dialectical one as system and concrete historical analysis when studying the practical professional pre in the Ecuadorian reality. Lastly this study ago a characterization of the main deficiencies of the practical professional pre and their incidence in the ways of performance of the professional futures in the universities of Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case of the private media confiscated in Ecuador at the beginning of Rafael Correa's presidency (2007-2017) led to complex economic, legal, and professional circumstances for the media companies and their journalists. This paper aims to share a broad and documented perspective on the origin and development of the issue at hand by combining three methods for its approach: the historical method, analysis of media policies and in-depth interviews. Implementing regulatory procedures to devise structures for adjustment and censorship towards private media promoted a media reshaping that resulted on the stockpiling of important nationwide media companies (TV, radio, and magazines) into the state-owned entities umbrella. These confiscations took place at a sensitive time for the banking system that owned several of these media, which had been affected by a severe economic, social, and political crisis. The legal actions filed by owners of the confiscated media have rendered it impossible to sell the companies. Furthermore, the precarious financial status turned them into undesirable targets for possible buyers. Out of the seventeen privates media companies owned by the government in 2008, only two are still active in 2023. The other fifteen companies went bankrupt or are currently undergoing liquidation. This measure, while advantageous for the political power, represented an economic and journalistic failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and illustrates five new species of Gloeandromyces (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) associated with tropical American bat flies (Diptera, Streblidae). These are Gloeandromyces cusucoensis sp. nov. from Trichobius uniformis in Costa Rica and Honduras, G. diversiformis sp. nov. from Strebla wiedemanni in Costa Rica, G. plesiosaurus sp. nov. from Trichobius yunkeri in Panama, G. pseudodickii sp. nov. from Trichobius longipes in Ecuador and Panama, and G. verbekeniae sp. nov. from Strebla galindoi in Ecuador and Panama. The description of these five species doubles the number of known species in the genus. Morphological characteristics, host association, and a three-locus (18S nuc rDNA, 28S nuc rDNA, TEF1) phylogenetic reconstruction support placement of these taxa in the genus Gloeandromyces. Three of the new species are polymorphic; they have multiple morphotypes that grow in specific positions on the host integument: G. diversiformis f. diversiformis, f. musiformis, and f. vanillicarpiformis; G. plesiosaurus f. asymmetricus and f. plesiosaurus; and G. verbekeniae f. verbekeniae and f. inflexus. Finally, a dichotomous key to all species and morphotypes is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Supreme and Constitutional courts or tribunals playing an increasingly significant role in shaping extractive policies in Latin America, scholars should turn their attention to the impacts of judicial decisions on policy processes. This phenomenon is of considerable interest to scholars of policy integration, as constitutional interpretations by the courts have the potential to reframe policy issues and address the effects of policy fragmentation. In this paper, we investigate the influence of high courts on the creation of integrative spaces that seek to convey a commitment to guaranteeing constitutional rights. Our study focuses on Colombia, Ecuador, and Guatemala where we analyze the role of high courts in initiating policy integration processes. First, it contributes to the processual approach to policy integration by highlighting the role of the courts in initiating policy integration processes. In doing so, we depart from the usual focus on integration as a design of governments, instead highlighting how governments and other actors react to integration mandates issued by the courts. Furthermore, we contribute to current debates on how high courts enhance the State's responses to social conflicts by protecting constitutional rights, identifying the conditions under which judicial decisions can produce effective policy integration. Our research is based on the analysis of court documents gray literature and semi-structured interviews conducted with key informants and country experts. The findings underscore the importance of goal compatibility between high courts and dominant actors within policy subsystems, in mobilizing the resources required to form and operate integrative spaces. Applicable enforcement mechanisms and conflict expansion by policy challengers complete the conditions that allow court decisions to produce effective policy integration. Finally, the strategic and contextual nature of actors' engagement in integration processes suggests that policy integration is no panacea for tackling complex issues and improving policy delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2016 Habitat III conference, the global urban policy framework based on the New Urban Agenda and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG11) has been adopted in an increasing number of countries worldwide. Through a comparative methodological approach, the paper analyses the making process of the Ecuadorian National Urban Agenda and the Bolivian National Urban Policy from the perspective of the involved international agents, to reflect upon the role of the time dimension in the localisation of global urban policy and its relationship with the policy transfer space. In doing so, the analysis sheds light on the role played by sequence and timing in influencing the outcomes of the localisation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, energy decarbonization due to integrating renewable energy sources presents important challenges to overcome. The intermittent nature of photovoltaic systems reduces power quality by producing voltage variations and frequency deviations in electrical system networks, especially in weak and isolated distribution systems in developing countries. This paper presents a power smoothing method for improving the low-pass filter and moving average for grid-connected photovoltaic systems. This novel method includes state-of-charge monitoring control of the supercapacitor's energy storage system to reduce the fluctuations of photovoltaic power at the point of common coupling. A case study for a microgrid in a high-altitude city in Ecuador is presented with exhaustive laboratory tests using real data. This research aims to improve energy power quality in electrical distribution systems to cope with the growth of renewable penetration. The results demonstrate significant power quality and stability improvements achieved through the proposed method. For instance, the power smoothing method effectively reduced power fluctuations by 16.7% with the low-pass filter, 14.05% with the ramp-rate filter, and 9.7% with the moving average filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is the intentional intervention in the forest landscape to recover biological diversity and ecosystem functions, improving human well‐being in altered landscapes. The general objective of the present study was to understand the state of the art of research that potentially contributes to FLR practices in the Amazon. We carried out a comprehensive literature review using the Web of Science platform, considering papers published between 2000 and 2020 to understand the state of knowledge on restoration strategies that support FLR in the nine Amazonian countries and the nine states of the Brazilian Amazon. We selected 362 articles that met our inclusion criteria after analyzing 1,205 articles. We found that Brazil, followed by Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador, has the largest number of published articles on FLR. Agroforestry (37.88%) and natural regeneration (30.35%) were the most common FLR strategies across all countries and Brazilian states. Most studies investigated ecological functioning (33%), vegetation structure (31%), and tree diversity (15.5%). Forest restoration strategies (forest plantation, natural regeneration, or silviculture) are reported in most studies (57.23%), in comparison to restoration strategies of agricultural lands (agroforestry systems or improved fallow; 42.77%). We found an increase in publications describing restoration strategies over time in the Amazon, especially from 2012 onwards, with a peak in 2018. Future studies in the Amazon region should address socioeconomic issues and expand the geographic scope within the Amazon, as well as the FLR strategies and the ecosystem attributes investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]