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Unraveling the intricate spatial and temporal complexities of vegetation represents a crucial key to understanding ecosystem functioning. Drones, as cutting-edge technology, hold immense potential in bridging the gap between on-ground measurements and satellite remote sensing data. Nonetheless, a multitude of challenges still looms, with one of the foremost being the nuanced identification of scales that strike a balance between capturing maximum complexity while minimizing measurement errors. To explore how current research deals with the above-mentioned challenges, we carried out a literature survey on research studies employing drones to characterize natural and semi-natural vegetation. We selected papers related to the role of spatial and/or temporal complexity in ecosystem state, function and/or services. Our result showed that most studies focused on ecosystem state, whereas function and services were barely addressed. Similarly, the effects of spatial or temporal scales on vegetation heterogeneity (complexity) are rarely studied even though drone technology seems ideal for this task. Since heterogeneity differs between ecosystems and its comprehension is greatly influenced by the features of the survey, careful design is important to maximize the efficiency and the range of complexity captured by the survey. However, in reality, most studies do not follow any specific planning of the drone survey according to the case study characteristics. In fact, we found a positive trend between spatial resolution and extent of the study area, and no significant relationship between spatial resolution and accuracy, regardless of the characteristics of the given ecosystem type. Specifically designed studies need to be carried out to further explore the effects of changing spatial and temporal resolution on complexity captured across ecosystem gradients, and establish the optimal resolution for different ecosystem types to assure transferability and operational use in land management. Despite the mentioned challenges and research gaps, drones represent a powerful and effective tool to explore vegetation complexity in new ways and dimensions. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need to define the appropriate methods for each scope., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

A biphasic system composed of two deep eutectic solvents (DES) sharing a common hydrogen-bond donor exhibits a tuneable phase behavior and efficient metal partitioning, yielding an improved separation selectivity of trivalent from divalent metal ions compared to the equivalent aqueous system.

Objective: Access to healthcare can be interpreted as the interaction between need, demand and the supply of services, and involves passing through different stages. However, the journey through these stages can be threatened (or facilitated) by the influence of dimensions such as acceptability, availability, accessibility, adaptation, and appropriateness. The aim of this work is to identify which dimensions are activated at each stage of the access process., Methods: A bibliographic review was conducted in Spanish and English using the Lilacs, PubMed databases, and the general search engine Google Scholar. Out of a total of seventy-four articles, twenty-one were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria., Results: It was found that, at the need stage, dimensions of acceptability and appropriateness could be activated; the perception stage could be influenced by the dimension of acceptability; the stage of seeking care could be affected by the dimensions of acceptability, availability, accessibility, and adaptation; the stage of utilizing services is influenced by the dimensions of availability, accessibility, and adaptation, while the outcomes stage is impacted by the dimensions of acceptability and appropriateness., Conclusions: Identifying the dimensions that can be activated at each stage of the access process to healthcare services is useful for decision-makers aiming to design policies that optimize patient navigation through the healthcare system by enhancing facilitating actions and/or minimizing obstructive measures.

Marine caves constitute vulnerable habitats with unique and diverse biocoenoses. Monitoring these habitats is still challenging, which hinders the ability to evaluate global and local pressures that threatens their ecological value. In this study, ecological quality is estimated in twenty-one marine caves distributed along the northern and southern coasts of the Alboran Sea, a highly understudied area regarding marine caves. For that purpose, adjustments on the original Cave Ecosystem Based Quality Index (CavEBQI) are suggested in order to efficiently estimate the ecological quality of marine caves. Several methodological aspects regarding the assessment of biotic coverage, the visual census of motile fauna and the plasticity of the index usability were evaluated. Ecological quality of marine caves was in average "good" although it ranged between "poor", "moderate" and "good" depending on the features of each cave. This study emphasizes the importance of adapting biotic indicators to biogeographical differences and technological advancements., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The complex relationship between water, energy, food, and ecological systems, known as the WEFE nexus, has emerged as a major topic in the debate about sustainable economic development and resource management. This subject is of special interest in Mediterranean coastal areas as rapid economic expansion driven by population growth, higher influx of tourists, and intensification of agriculture is leading to structural water scarcity conditions. However, addressing the diverse range of issues associated with the nexus is a difficult task due to the existence of intricate interconnections, interdependencies, and nonlinearities within and across its various components. Accordingly, this case study applies a combination of participatory systems modeling and network analysis tools to yield insights into the complexity of this nexus in Axarquia, a region with features that make it an example of water-stressed jurisdictions in the Mediterranean. Overall, our results provide a strong foundation to understand the dynamics that govern this nexus in regions where the availability of freshwater resources is a significant concern. Furthermore, they lay the groundwork for the development of models and scenarios to simulate the impact of various policies and interventions on the overall system., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aims: In this study, we examined the relationship between 131 suicide related Google search terms, grouped into nine categories, and the number of suicide cases per month in Ecuador from January 2011 to December 2021., Methods: First, we applied time-series analysis to eliminate autocorrelation and seasonal patterns to prevent spurious correlations. Second, we used Pearson's correlation to assess the relationship between Google search terms and suicide rates. Third, cross-correlation analysis was used to explore the potential delayed effects between these variables. Fourth, we extended the correlation and cross-correlation analyses by three demographic characteristics - gender, age, and region., Results: Significant correlations were found in all categories between Google search trends and suicide rates in Ecuador, with predominantly positive and moderate correlations. The terms 'stress' (.548), 'prevention' (.438), and 'disorders' (.435) showed the strongest associations. While global trends indicated moderate correlations, sensitivity analysis revealed higher coefficients in men, young adults, and the Highlands region. Specific patterns emerged in subgroups, such as 'digital violence' showing significant correlations in certain demographics, and 'trauma' presenting a unique temporal pattern in women. In general, cross correlation analysis showed an average negative correlation of -.191 at lag 3., Conclusion: Google search data do not provide further information about users, such as demographics or mental health records. Hence, our results are simply correlations and should not be interpreted as causal effects. Our findings highlight a need for tailored suicide prevention strategies that recognize the complex dynamics of suicide risk across demographics and time periods.

Background: The DAPA-CKD study showed that dapagliflozin added to standard treatment reduced the risk of chronic kidney disease progression, and death from renal or cardiovascular causes compared to placebo., Objective: Assess the cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin and standard treatment versus standard treatment alone for chronic kidney disease within the Colombian health system., Methods: We employed a Markov model based on the DAPA-CKD study, tailored to the Colombian scenario. The model forecasted hospitalizations for heart failure, overall and cardiovascular mortality, and chronic kidney disease progression over a 10-year horizon with a 5% discount rate., Results: Dapagliflozin combined with standard treatment is a cost-effective intervention in treating stage 2-4 CKD. In the base case, the ICER was US $5,366, below 1 GDP (US $6.558) per capita. This was consistent in the sensitivity analyses., Conclusion: Our study showed that dapagliflozin, when combined with standard treatment, is cost-effective against standard treatment alone, aligning with Colombia's willingness-to-pay threshold.

Background : Quarantine is one of the most effective strategies to control outbreaks of communicable diseases. Individuals under isolation or quarantine experience both physical and mental effects. Therefore, given its widespread implementation around the world, it is pertinent to analyze this effect on physical and mental health. The psychosocial impact model, which divides four dimensions into two main points, exposure or protection and positive or negative responses, was used to analyze the psychosocial impact of quarantine. Objectives : The present study aimed to investigate the psychosocial impact of people exposed to or protected from quarantine. Methods : We conducted a search for primary articles in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we meta-analyzed five of them. Results : Quarantined individuals were more likely to experience anxiety ( K = 4; OR = 2.62) and depressive symptoms ( K = 6; OR = 1.61) compared to those who did not undergo quarantine. Researchers discuss a twofold increase in the probability of anxiety or depression among those in quarantine. As a result, advancing interventions that reduce this impact is critical for both health and the global economy. Conclusions : In terms of economic variables, the non-moderation of GDP per capita and the moderation of the GINI index stand out, demonstrating that countries must move toward policies that promote the reconstruction of more resilient and inclusive societies.

Introduction: Research on work-family dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic shows that family demands increased for workers, particularly those with children. This heightened family-to-work conflict negatively affects the subjective well-being of parents and their children. However, these outcomes have been mainly examined on individuals without considering the family as the unit of analysis. This study aimed to explore the relationships between family-to-work conflict, psychological distress, and family life satisfaction in dual-earner parents with adolescent children during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the potential mediating role of psychological distress among FtoWC and family life satisfaction and the moderating role of household monthly income were tested., Methods: The non-probabilistic sample in Chile comprised 860 dual-earner parents and one of their adolescent children (mean age 13.5 years, 50.8% female). Parents answered an online questionnaire with FtoWC scale, whereas parents and adolescents answered the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale and the Satisfaction with Family Life Scale. Analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling and the mediation actor-partner interdependence model., Results: FtoWC was directly linked to lower family life satisfaction in fathers and via a mediating role of psychological distress in both parents. Mothers' FtoWC was related via the mediating role of the fathers' psychological distress to fathers' lower family life satisfaction and via the mediating role of the adolescents' psychological distress to adolescents' lower family life satisfaction. Monthly household income moderated three APIM model paths involving mothers' variables., Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of implementing family-oriented workplace policies. Such policies may help mitigate both parents' experiences of FtoWC and their resulting psychological distress., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted without commercial or financial relationships that could create a conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Schnettler, Miranda-Zapata, Orellana, Saracostti, Poblete, Concha-Salgado, Lobos, Adasme-Berríos, Lapo, Beroiza, Riquelme-Segura, Sepúlveda and Thomas.)

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of several vaccine brands-Pfizer, Astra, and Sinovac-against symptomatic COVID-19 without information on vaccination at the individual level., Methods: We use data of mass vaccination programs-specifically, for sexagenarians and quinquagenarians-in three large municipalities of Mexico (Monterrey, Guadalupe, and San Nicolás) to conduct a two-step time series estimation procedure involving a synthetic control group. The data covers the period between the first week of March 2020 and the first week of October 2021., Results: Vaccine effectiveness is a concave function of time. At the peak, Pfizer reaches 92.6 % effectiveness, Astra 83.6 % and Sinovac 65.6 %. This occurs 9 to 12 weeks after the first shot., Conclusion: The results indicate that the three vaccines protect against symptomatic COVID-19. Nevertheless, they offer different levels of protection. The results also suggest that VE-under a two-shot scheme-reaches its peak 9 to 16 weeks after the first shot. Moreover, there seems to be a trade-off between achieving higher efficiency by administering the 2nd shot earlier or extending the protection period by administering it later., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We explore the association between adulthood employment patterns and later life health among men and women in four liberal regime countries: two from Europe (England and Switzerland) and two from the Americas (United States and Chile). We carefully harmonized life-history data from the surveys SHARE (N = 1,143), HRS (N = 4,006), ELSA (N = 3,083), and EVDA (N = 802). The samples included individuals born between 1944 and 1954, with information on employment histories from age 15 to 65 and on 11 health outcomes in later life. In line with welfare regime and health literature, we find significant differences in health outcomes between countries, which are likely explained by differences in health systems. However, we extend previous literature by showing that positive health outcomes are consistently explained by standard employment histories, and poor health outcomes are consistently explained by non-standard employment histories. Importantly, men and women following the same employment pathway across countries are either similarly penalized or compensated in their health. This suggests that it is not gender per se that affects health in later life, but the employment trajectory experienced. Nonetheless, women are disproportionately more likely to experience non-standard employment and thus suffer a greater health disadvantage. Policy measures to mitigate negative health effects of non-standard employment trajectories may therefore pay attention to the specific reasons why women are more likely to experience non-standard trajectories., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Entrepreneurship is widely recognized as a vital driver of economic growth, yet its relationship through different stages with broader, non-purely monetary dimensions still needs to be explored. This research seeks to fill this gap by investigating the association between human development and entrepreneurship, recognizing the crucial role of environmental conditions in shaping entrepreneurial activity. Our cross-country Bayesian analysis shows strong evidence that a nation's level of human development is associated with entrepreneurial activity in three stages: early entrepreneurship, intention for future engagement, and discontinuation of ventures. Our findings expand the intricate relationship between entrepreneurship and economic variables, highlighting the importance of environmental conditions in shaping entrepreneurial behavior. This article emphasizes that promoting robust entrepreneurial ecosystems requires considering integral dimensions such as human development. Policymakers and researchers should broaden their perspectives to encompass these holistic dimensions to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurial growth., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Rojas et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Francisella tularensis is a vector-borne zoonotic bacterium that causes tularemia, a disease of great importance for animal and public health. Although wild lagomorphs are considered one of the major reservoirs of this bacterium, information about the circulation of F. tularensis in European wild rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) and Iberian hare ( Lepus granatensis ) populations in Europe is still very limited. In Spain, F. tularensis is present in northern central regions, with recurrent outbreaks occurring annually. However, southern Spain has been neglected in terms of monitoring and research. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of F. tularensis in wild lagomorphs in the Mediterranean ecosystems of southern Spain through using molecular techniques. Spleen samples from 774 European wild rabbits and 178 Iberian hares were collected on 135 hunting grounds between the 2017/2018 and 2022/2023 hunting seasons. A primer set targeting the 16S rRNA gene was used for the detection of F. tularensis DNA. None of the 952 (0.0%; 95%CI: 0.0-0.4) wild lagomorphs sampled showed presence of F. tularensis DNA. Our finding indicates the absence or very low circulation of the bacterium in wild rabbit and Iberian hare populations in the Mediterranean ecosystems of southern Spain, denoting a limited risk of transmission of this pathogen from wild lagomorphs to other sympatric species, including human beings, in this Iberian region.

Lockdowns, restrictions on people's movements and gatherings, and other COVID-19 containment measures have had economic, social, and environmental effects. The pandemic resulted in major disruption to food systems, highlighting serious weaknesses in the way such systems are currently configured. However, the pandemic also created important opportunities to develop transformative actions enabling the creation of more resilient and sustainable food systems. In this paper, we delve more deeply into the strategies developed by consumers, as key stakeholders in the food system, through an in-depth survey and statistical analysis of changes in consumers' habits during the pandemic lockdowns. We adopt a city-region food system (CRFS) approach to explore ways to enhance food system resilience to future crises. Data were collected through a telephone survey of a representative sample (600 consumers), conducted in the region of Madrid in May 2021. First, descriptive analyses allowed different consumer strategies to be identified. Differences in food preferences and behaviour changes between individuals in the sample were analysed by age, gender, income, and level of education using exponential family Principal Component Analysis (EPCA), logistic regression, and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). Lastly, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to classify the consumer strategies into four discrete profiles. The findings show significant differences in consumers' responses according to age, income, and level of education. Additionally, the results highlight increased consumption of local and organic products, and online shopping, as typical strategies employed by consumers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, alternative food networks were shown to play a key role in enhancing food security. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between urban and rural areas. Our discussion addresses this apparent homogeneity in consumers' habits from a resilient CRFS approach., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Leveraging the co-benefits of investments in health and climate can be best achieved by moving away from isolated financing approaches and adopting co-financing strategies, which aim to improve the outcomes of both sectors. We propose a framework for studying co-financing for health and climate that considers the degree of integration between sector funding, and whether arrangements are 'passive', when cross-sectoral goals are indirectly affected, or 'strategic', when they are pre-emptively supported to build resilience and sustainability. We conducted a rigorous, evidence-focused review to describe co-financing mechanisms according to a framework, including the context in which they have been employed, and to identify enablers and barriers to implementation. We searched the international literature using Pubmed and Web of Science from 2013 to 2023, the websites of key health and climate agencies for grey literature and consulted with stakeholders. Our review underscores the significant impact of climate change and related hazards on government, health insurance and household health-related costs. Current evidence primarily addresses passive co-financing, reflecting the financial consequences of inaction. Strategic co-financing is under explored, as are integrative co-financing models demanding cross-sectoral coordination. Current instances of strategic co-financing lack sufficient funding to demonstrate their effectiveness. Climate finance, an under used resource for health, holds potential to generate additional revenue for health. Realizing these advantages necessitates co-benefit monitoring to align health, climate mitigation and adaptation goals, alongside stronger advocacy for the economic and environmental benefits of health investments. Strategic co-financing arrangements are vital at all system levels, demanding increased cross-sectoral collaboration, additional funding and skills for climate integration within health sector plans and budgets, and mainstreaming health into climate adaptation and mitigation plans. Supporting persistent health needs post-disasters, promoting adaptive social protection for health and climate risks, and disseminating best practices within and among countries are crucial, supported by robust evaluations to enhance progress., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.)

Climate change associated with human activities alters marine ecosystems and causes imbalances and abrupt changes in sea conditions. Scarce freshwater resources for human consumption often prompt the construction of desalination plants, which discharge significant amounts of brine into the sea, potentially elevating salinity levels. Furthermore, global trade together with higher temperature and pollution can facilitate the spread of parasites. The aim of this study was to assess the potential effects of salinity, an abiotic stressor, and Scaphanocephalus sp. parasitic infection responsible for black spot disease, a biotic stressor, on Coris julis, a common fish in the Balearic Islands (Spain). Fish were sampled from an area affected by a desalination plant, one with a high rate of parasite infection and a control area, and biomarkers were analysed in the liver, gills and epithelial mucosa. Both salinity and the parasite induced increases in catalase (CAT) and glutathione s-transferase activities in the liver, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) did not show significant changes. The effects of salinity were evident to a greater extent in the gills with an increase in the activity of all enzymes, as well as in the production of reactive species. The effects of the parasite were mainly observed in the mucus with significant increases in CAT and SOD activities. Regarding immune response markers in the mucus, both stressors induced an increase in lysozyme and alkaline phosphatase activities, and in the case of the parasite, also an increase in immunoglobulins. Malondialdehyde, as an indicator of oxidative damage, remained unchanged. In conclusion, both abiotic and abiotic stress induce a stress situation in C. julis that responds by activating its antioxidant and immune defence mechanisms but does cause oxidative damage. The differential tissue response to different stressors highlights the value of analysing multiple tissues to detect early indicators of diverse impacts on marine fauna., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study explores the relationship between task-oriented behaviors, self-efficacy, and leadership emergence in women STEM students, grounded in the context of prototypical leadership theory and self-efficacy theory. Prototypical leadership theory emphasizes the alignment of leadership behaviors with group expectations, which, in STEM fields, are often task-oriented. The research examines how task-oriented behaviors, such as planning, decision-making, and supervision, influence women's self-perception of leadership ability and their subsequent emergence as leaders. Our results show a positive relationship between task-oriented behaviors and self-efficacy and a positive relationship between self-efficacy with leader emergence, with academic experience further ngthening this link. As students' progress through their programs, engaging in more teamwork and leadership tasks, their self-efficacy enhances, leading to stronger leadership emergence. Also, we found an indirect effect from task-oriented behavior to leader emergence via self-efficacy. These findings have significant implications for fostering leadership in women, particularly in STEM. The study calls for educational programs to enhance opportunities for women to develop these behaviors early on, ensuring their growth into leadership roles in STEM fields.

The Sustainable Development Goal 2 aims to eradicate hunger. However, many small island developing states (SIDS) face challenges in achieving this goal due to their reliance on the global market and susceptibility to crises. This paper focuses on Comoros, one of the least studied SIDS located in the Indian Ocean, to examine its food security and nutritional vulnerability. The findings reveal that Comoros experiences limited access to sufficient and nutritious diets, which are excessive in fat and deficient in key micronutrients. This situation is similar to other SIDS in the Pacific and the Caribbean, which also exhibit the convergence of the malnutrition triple burden. This paper further assesses the impact of changing food prices during the initial year of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on food security and nutrition in Comoros, serving as a case study for SIDS. Using microsimulations, we estimate the effects on food access, sufficiency, and adequacy at the household level. The results indicate a decline in food access and purchasing power for all households, particularly the poorer and rural. Additionally, food sufficiency has markedly decreased, leading to an additional 5,000 households (3.3% of all households) experiencing inadequate daily calorie intake. The study also highlights a reduction in the consumption of organ meats, fruits, and vegetables, resulting in decreased daily iron and folate intakes. This is particularly concerning given the high prevalence of anemia among women in Comoros and other SIDS. To address these challenges, policies promoting the consumption of fresh, nutrient-rich foods with low fat content are crucial to mitigate the malnutrition triple burden and curb the increasing trend of non-communicable diseases in these countries., Competing Interests: No authors have competing interests, (Copyright: © 2024 Custodio et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: The rapid emergence of COVID-19 urged policy responses worldwide, focusing on vaccination and mobility restrictions. Chile represents a unique scenario for analyzing personal preventive measures amid intensive communication and vaccination campaigns. This study aims to explore changes in population adherence to non-pharmacological preventive measures during the pandemic and the factors that explain this adherence each year., Methods: 386 individuals who participated in two population-based studies (2021 and 2022) were considered. An interview was conducted to measure adherence to self-care practices, and case and contact tracing by the health authorities. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to measure change between 2021 and 2022, bivariate analysis, and a linear regression model for each year were performed., Results: Mask-wearing in public places was the most commonly used measure (95.9% in 2021, 89.9% in 2022). Follow-up of cases and cases contacts by the health authority had high coverage in 2021 (94.3% and 83% respectively). A greater decrease was observed in contact tracing in 2022 totaling 33.3%. An increase in the score of adherence to preventive practices was observed in 2022 (p < 0.00). The regression model showed in 2021 that women were more likely to adopt preventive behaviors (95% confidence interval: 0.27 to 1.13) and the overweight/obese had higher adherence compared to normal body mass index (95% confidence interval: 0.06 to 0.98). In 2022 being a young adult (30 to 49 years) predicted the adoption of behavioral precautions (95% confidence interval: 0.00 to 1.32)., Conclusions: Adherence to preventive measures increased even with high vaccination coverage, likely due to the epidemiological situation with the Omicron variant circulating in 2022., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. At the same time, the funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results., (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

In a highly competitive market, word-of-mouth (WOM) has become one of the most effective ways to attract new customers, as consumer opinions are seen as reliable and have a direct impact on their consumption habits. Based on this premise, the present study aimed to analyze the factors that influence fast-food restaurant consumers in Chile in their intention to share word-of-mouth information. A quantitative approach was adopted for this analysis, using a cross-sectional and correlational design, which included 739 Chilean fast-food consumers, who were given a 25-item questionnaire. This questionnaire was developed from previous research in the field and validated by a panel of experts in marketing and research. The data analysis was conducted using the statistical software Smart PLS 4, allowing for the evaluation of the model's convergent and discriminant validity, as well as facilitating hypothesis testing through structural equation modeling. The results showed that the physical atmosphere of the restaurants generates both hedonic and utilitarian value for consumers, which increases their satisfaction and reinforces their intention to recommend these restaurants. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into consumer behavior, offering a solid foundation for strategic decision making that could enhance the positioning of restaurants in the market and create a loyalty cycle among customers.

A country's national income broadly depends on the quantity and quality of workers and capital. But how well these factors are managed within and between firms may be a key determinant of a country's productivity and its GDP. Although social scientists have long studied the role of management practices in shaping business performance, their primary tool has been individual case studies. While useful for theory-building, such qualitative work is hard to scale and quantify. We present a large, scalable dataset measuring structured management practices at the business level across multiple countries. We measure practices related to performance monitoring, target-setting, and human resources. We document a set of key stylized facts, which we label "the international empirics of management". In all countries, firms with more structured practices tend to also have superior economic performance: they are larger in scale, are more profitable, have higher labor productivity and are more likely to export. This consistency was not obvious ex-ante, and being able to quantify these relationships is valuable. We also document significant variation in practices across and within countries, which is important in explaining differences in the wealth of nations. The positive relationship between firm size and structured management practices is stronger in countries with more open and free markets, suggesting that stronger competition may allow firms with more structured management practices to grow larger, thereby potentially raising aggregate national income., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

In the context of the fourth industrial revolution, this study examines the digital transformation of the luxury industry through a bibliometric analysis of 236 articles (1991-2022) and a bibliographic coupling of research from 2022 to 2024. The analysis identifies key trends, including the use of digital tools to enhance customer engagement, the growing role of review-based feedback in the tourism sector, value creation through innovative products and promotional strategies, and the advances in sustainability via digitalization. Despite these hot trends, many firms in the luxury sector have not yet involved in a real digital transformation, as they have only digitalized specific aspects of their operations. The findings suggest that while luxury firms are embracing digital tools to meet the expectations of digitally native consumers, they face the challenge of balancing innovation with the preservation of their core values. The study concludes that digital transformation is not merely an operational shift but a strategic imperative for the future competitiveness and profitability of the luxury sector., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Bagaza virus (BAGV; Orthoflavivirus bagazaense) is an emerging vector-borne flavivirus affecting avian species with severe implications for animal health, and whose zoonotic potential has also been suggested. The aim of the present study was to monitor the epidemic outbreak of BAGV in wild birds from Spain in 2021. BAGV cases were confirmed in game bird species, including red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) and common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) from 24 hunting areas. Suspected cases (clinical signs and/or mortality compatible with BAGV infection but without molecular confirmation) were also detected in 11 additional hunting areas. The outbreaks showed a seasonality mainly restricted to July and August. Estimated morbidity [25.8 % (95 %CI: 11.3-40.3) in partridges and 8.7 % (95 %CI: 0.0-18.0) in pheasants] and mortality rates [27.3 % (95 %CI: 12.5-42.1) in partridges and 13.0 % (95 %CI: 1.9-24.1) in pheasants] were found in the affected hunting areas. In addition, 215 non-game birds belonging to 46 different species were sampled by passive surveillance upon admittance to rehabilitation centres during 2021. BAGV infection was detected for the first time in green woodpecker (Picus viridis), spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), white stork (Ciconia ciconia) and cynereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), expanding the host range of this emerging pathogen. In contrast to other species, game birds showed distinct BAGV related lesions, primarily myocarditis and encephalitis in addition to inflammatory infiltrates and necrosis in the liver and kidney. Molecular analyses revealed a homology of 97.4-98.0 % and 92.5-92.7 % between the BAGV sequences obtained in the present study (492 bp) and those isolated in 2010 and 2019 in southern Spain, respectively. These results allow to hypothesise about the likely silent and endemic circulation of BAGV since 2010 in this European region, although repeated virus reintroduction from neighbouring territories cannot be ruled out. Our findings evidence the sanitary, ecological and conservation implications of the re-emerged BAGV for wild birds, also emphasising the need to increase surveillance for monitoring and early detection of flavivirus dynamics in high-risk areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors of this study has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in different European countries. Since 2013, clinical and fatality cases associated with CCHFV infection have been reported in humans in Spain. During the last few years, endemic circulation of this virus has been detected in ticks and wild ungulates in this country, but the role of other sympatric wild species in the sylvatic cycle of this multi-host virus remains poorly understood. The aims of the present study were to assess exposure to CCHFV in wild lagomorphs in southern Spain, a CCHFV endemic area, and to determine the presence of the virus in ticks feeding on these species. Serum samples from 473 European wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and 162 Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis), and 120 ticks feeding on 85 of these wild lagomorphs were collected on 133 hunting grounds between 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 hunting seasons. The presence of antibodies against CCHFV was assessed in all serum samples using a commercial ELISA, whereas ticks were tested for the presence of CCHFV-RNA by a multiplex RT-qPCR that detects all known genotypes of this virus. None of the 635 (0.0 %; 95 %CI: 0.0-0.6) lagomorphs tested had anti-CCHFV antibodies and CCHFV-RNA was not found in any of the 120 (0.0 %; 95 %CI: 0.0-3.0) ticks analyzed. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first epidemiological study conducted on CCHFV in Iberian hare worldwide. Our findings indicate absence of exposure to CCHFV in European wild rabbit and Iberian hare populations, as well as in their ticks, which suggests that they do not seem to play a relevant role in the epidemiology of CCHFV in Mediterranean ecosystems of southern Spain., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors of this study has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Parents play a crucial role in deciding what foods to introduce to their infants during the transition from milk to solids. This study examined the challenges they face, including adherence to official complementary feeding recommendations and the struggles and concerns across different stages of feeding. Specifically, this study focused on the initial stage (transition from breastmilk/formula to mashed foods), middle stage (consumption of mashed foods and some fingerfoods, transitioning towards family foods) and late stage (complete transition to family diet). Findings from 22 semi-structured interviews with Swiss parents reveal that, despite being well-informed, practical obstacles such as returning to work, limited time for preparing homemade foods, managing multiple children, and food preferences often hinder adherence. Safety concerns like allergies and choking were prominent early on but decreased as infants grew older and parents gained confidence. In the middle phase, concerns shifted towards pesticides, indicating a growing awareness of food quality. Maintaining a healthy diet was a constant concern, with early reassurance from breastfeeding or formula feeding giving way to worries about balanced nutrition as solids became more prominent. Time constraints were particularly significant in the first two stages, due to the effort of preparing small amounts of mash and later cooking separate meals. Tailored support and clear communication can help parents navigate these challenges and promote healthier feeding practices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Co-author Luisma Sanchez-Siles works for the Institute for Research Nutrition, Hero Group., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Introduction: the European Commission and a Task Force of 7 EU member States, led by Germany and involving Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands, have been trying to set maximum levels for vitamin and mineral supplementation in fortified foods and food supplements. After submitting it to all member States for consideration, the Commission will consult the stakeholders. Objectives: to analyze the evolution and current situation on various issues related to this purpose. Methods: evaluation and comments on the applicable EU legislation, evolution of the nutrient reference values in the EU and suggestions for their possible update, compilation on the tolerable upper intake levels in the EU and their recent updates, possible alternatives when there are no tolerable upper intake levels in the EU, and dietary intake surveys carried out in some countries of the EU. Results: analysis of two different models for establishing maximum levels on supplementation in the EU and comparison between both models. Conclusions: are formulated on the two objectives to be achieved in setting the maximum amounts for this supplementation, that is to say, to avoid that the tolerable upper intake levels of some nutrients are exceeded and, at the same time, to correct intake deficits in other nutrients, in order to prevent health risks on population groups; in addition, the updating of the nutrient reference values and their expansion with specific values for children under 3 years old are suggested.

This study explores the human capital, vulnerability and integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Peru, emphasizing their difficulties in obtaining decent work and assimilating as productive members of Peruvian society. This study aims to investigate the challenges faced by Venezuelan migrants and refugees in integrating into Peruvian society as productive members. Using a descriptive and exploratory approach, data were collected via a questionnaire from 1193 Venezuelan migrants and refugees seeking assistance from an NGO in Lima, Peru. This study's findings address a critical gap in the existing literature, revealing that despite high levels of education, many migrants struggle utilize their skills and knowledge effectively, leading to significant brain waste due to precarious employment conditions and suffering through their exposure to various vulnerabilities. These findings underscore the need for public policies and practices that address the improvement of migrants' and refugees' living conditions and the promotion of Decent Work., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Valentina Schmitt reports financial support and administrative support were provided by 10.13039/100020677University of Lima. Oscar Melo-Vega-Angeles reports administrative support was provided by University of Lima. Oscar Melo-Vega A. reports a relationship with University of Lima that includes: employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: (1) Most parents are concerned about their children's time on mobile devices., Background: (2) Unrestricted access is associated with increased use of mobile devices in children., Background: (3) Parents are concerned about early exposure to mobile devices by children., Background: (4) Parental presence influences children's mobile device usage time., Background: (5) Need for education and collaboration., to describe the norms and perceptions of a sample of Spanish parents and guardians on the use of mobile devices (smartphone and/or tablet) by their children and their association with such use., a quantitative, analytical, cross-sectional, online, exploratory study was conducted with a non-probability sample of parents or guardians of children using smartphones or tablets. The virtual questionnaire consisted of 44 questions and was available at https://www.kenkolab.org/participa/ ., the total number of participants (parents or guardians) was 183 people. It was observed that 26.2% of parents admitted that their children had free and unrestricted access to smartphones or tablets. Associations were identified between time spent using mobile devices and parental attitudes, such as permission without time limitation and use as a reward or punishment. Approximately half of the respondents believe that their children use the mobile device longer than recommended., most parents exercise some control over their children's use of devices. Acting on parental norms and perceptions is vital to success in addressing children's time spent on mobile devices. Community nursing could be a vehicle for education in healthy screen consumption habits in early childhood.

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, this study investigates the impact of new technology on organizational work dynamics. By integrating the Job Demands-Resources theory and the Episodic Process Model, we examine the cognitive mechanisms that influence task performance during decision-making episodes. Our research focuses on episodic job demands and resources, emphasizing the mediating role of task absorption in the relationship between these factors and task performance. Our findings reveal that episodic job resources positively affect task absorption and performance, while job demands moderate the relationship between job resources and task absorption. Employing the Beer Distribution Game alongside neuroscience-based eye-tracking techniques, we analyze visual attention dynamics during decision-making episodes, providing novel insights into the interplay between task absorption and task performance. Theoretically, our study highlights the significance of task absorption in understanding how episodic job resources impact decision-making performance. Practically, our results advocate for the implementation of decision-making-focused skills development through physiological measures such as neurofeedback training programs. This research underscores the importance of individual time management in enhancing task performance, contributing to a nuanced understanding of job resources, job demands, and task absorption in the context of technological transformation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Motivation for the study. To document the evolution of COVID-19 in rural Amazonian populations, which are still little known., Background: Main findings. COVID-19 spread rapidly through rural communities, initially spreading to mestizo hamlets and later affecting indigenous communities. Rural mortality varied by region and ethnicity. Social distancing was difficult, and travel to receive government vouchers contributed to contagion., Background: Implications. Identifying the factors that contributed to contagion and the barriers to the adoption of protective measures in rural Amazonian populations will help to face future pandemics., Objectives.: To analyze the evolution of COVID-19 in rural populations of Loreto and Ucayali in the early stage of the pandemic., Materials and Methods.: A community-level longitudinal observational study was conducted and based on two rounds of telephone surveys with local authorities of more than 400 indigenous and non-indigenous rural communities in Loreto and Ucayali, in July and August 2020. We collected information on cases and deaths by COVID-19 in their communities, protective measures adopted and if state assistance was received in the early stage of the pandemic. Descriptive statistics allowed us to evaluate the evolution of the pandemic after the initial outbreak and compare the trends of the two regions, as well as between indigenous and non-indigenous populations., Results.: In July 2020, COVID-19 had reached 91.5% of the communities, although deaths from COVID-19 were reported in 13.0% of the communities, with rural mortality being higher in Ucayali (0.111%) than in Loreto (0.047%) and in non-indigenous communities. By August, prevalence decreased from 44.0% to 32.0% of communities, but became more frequent in indigenous communities, and those in Ucayali. Traveling to the city to receive state bonuses and difficulties maintaining social distancing contributed to the spread., Conclusions.: Our findings show the evolution of COVID-19 in rural communities and point to important areas of attention in future public policies, for the adoption of protective measures and reconsidering strategies for the distribution of assistance in the face of future pandemics., Background: Motivation for the study. To document the evolution of COVID-19 in rural Amazonian populations, which are still little known., Background: Main findings. COVID-19 spread rapidly through rural communities, initially spreading to mestizo hamlets and later affecting indigenous communities. Rural mortality varied by region and ethnicity. Social distancing was difficult, and travel to receive government vouchers contributed to contagion., Background: Implications. Identifying the factors that contributed to contagion and the barriers to the adoption of protective measures in rural Amazonian populations will help to face future pandemics.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize promoting and protecting women's rights and privileges. As a result, an increasing body of academic literature describes the various actions taken by different stakeholders to empower women. Amongst the initiatives implemented in many nations, microfinance and financial inclusion programs play a major role. This article aims to present an overview and synthesis of the research on the notion and practices of microfinance and its influence on entrepreneur women's empowerment. In order to do so, this study uses bibliometric techniques over a selection of papers extracted from the Web of Science database, to disentangle the knowledge structure of this academic field. According to our findings, the study of microfinance and women's empowerment is growing, with 470 publications, 963 authors, 67 nations and 36 research areas. Research topics include poverty reduction, gender issues in entrepreneurship, microfinance and women empowerment, and women in microcredit. An additional bibliographic coupling analysis has revealed the hottest research topics, showing the main gaps in the literature that suggest potential directions for future research., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

In the current consumer context, the trend towards a healthy lifestyle has significantly increased the demand for healthy foods. This study aims to identify the relationship between the brand image (BI) and purchase intention (PI) of these products and how variables such as perceived brand quality (BPQ) and brand satisfaction (BS) influence brand trust (BT) and brand loyalty (BL) in this relationship. The methodology includes a quantitative approach, using non-probability convenience sampling. Using an online survey, data were collected from 637 consumers. Analyses were performed using structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS). The results show no significant correlation between BI and PI, but BI significantly impacts BPQ, BS, BT, and BL. Furthermore, BPQ positively influences BS, BT, and BL, but it does not have a direct influence on PI. The findings suggest that a positive brand image satisfies consumers and generates long-term trust and loyalty. However, perceived quality does not always translate into purchase intention due to various barriers. Practical implications highlight the importance of building a strong and positive brand image to encourage demand for healthy products.

This paper employs a new framework based on internationally available indicators to conduct a comparative analysis of electricity generation among Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, using data from 2021, the most recent available. Two multivariate techniques, cluster analysis and factor analysis, are used in this study. In recent years, electricity generation in the region has increased significantly, largely driven by the economic growth of these nations. A notable trend is the rising contribution of renewable energy sources, which accounted for 55 % of total generation in 2021, thanks to the region's exceptional climatic and geographic conditions. However, the absence of overarching supranational policies has led to significant disparities in energy strategies across these countries, both in design and implementation. Among the 20 LAC countries studied, 35 % do not reach a 50 % share of sustainable electricity generation. Understanding how these countries group regarding sustainable electricity generation is essential for identifying their key characteristics. The analysis yields three fundamental conclusions: first, the selected indicators are highly effective in achieving the study's objectives; second, the principal differences between the identified groups are largely influenced by each country's level of development and reliance on renewable energy sources; and third, from a policy perspective, there is a clear need for a supranational framework to support the national efforts and strategies being independently pursued by these countries, particularly regarding the design and implementation of energy policies. This paper contributes to bridging the gap in the international academic literature concerning sustainable electricity generation in LAC region, and it aligns with studies focused on the analysis of renewable energy sources and sustainable development., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

This study delves into the intricate interplay between gender stereotypes and financial reporting through an aspect-level sentiment analysis approach. Leveraging Big Data comprising 129,251 human face images extracted from 2085 financial reports in Chile, and employing Deep Learning techniques, we uncover the underlying factors influencing the representation of women in financial reports. Our findings reveal that gender stereotypes, combined with external economic factors, significantly shape the portrayal of women in financial reports, overshadowing intentional efforts by companies to influence stakeholder perceptions of financial performance. Notably, economic expansion periods correlate with a decline in women's representation, while economic instability amplifies their portrayal. Furthermore, the financial inclusion of women positively correlates with their presence in financial report images. Our results underscore a bias in image selection within financial reports, diverging from the neutrality principles advocated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). This pioneering study, combining Big Data and Deep Learning, contributes to gender stereotype literature, financial report soft information research, and business impression management research., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by non-scaring hair loss and preservation of hair follicles. The information available on disease course, and clinical features of AA is scarce worldwide, and almost nonexistent in Colombia., Objective: To determine the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients diagnosed with AA who presented to a dermatology consultation in five Colombian cities., Material and Methods: This was a retrospective and multicenter study on data from an ongoing National Registry of Alopecia Areata in Colombia (RENAAC) collected in Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Medellin, Colombia from March 2022 through April 2023. Data was recorded in a standardized form by trained physicians. The variables were expressed as measures of central tendency and dispersion, and absolute and relative frequencies., Results: A total of 562 patients were included, 59.4% of whom were women, aged between 15 and 49 years (63.9%) with a mean disease course of 1.7 years. The most common finding was multiple plaque (53.2%), the predominant AA subtype was patchy (71.4%), and 29.5% of the patients had a past dermatological history, 18.3% had a past endocrinological history, and 8.9% had a past psychiatric history. The treatments most widely used were steroid injections (76.4%), 5% topical minoxidil (46.4%), followed by high-potency corticosteroids (42.5%)., Study Limitations and Conclusions: AA was slightly predominant in women. As seen in other populations, this disease had an earlier onset in men vs women. Presentation in pediatric age was uncommon. The previous history of other dermatological diseases was checked in almost one third of the patients. Analysis of the co-presentation of AA with other autoimmune diseases is biased due to excluding patients with systemic erythematous lupus from the study., (Copyright © 2024 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Complementary feeding is a critical milestone for parents, who must decide the extent to which they feed their infants with homemade foods (HMFs) or commercial infant foods (CIFs). The current study focused on how parents perceive and evaluate CIFs and what drives them to use these products. Understanding the wide variety of factors that influence parents' decisions to use CIFs as a food source is crucial to helping them make more balanced food choices for their infants. Data from an online survey with 858 German parents revealed their negative perceptions of CIFs, particularly in terms of nutritional quality and texture, and concerns that CIFs contain higher levels of pesticides and heavy metals compared to HMFs, despite acknowledging the expertise of the infant nutrition industry. These perceptions were likely to be driven by the 'natural-is-better' belief and parents' desire for control over the ingredients in their infants' meals, contributing to their skepticism towards CIFs. Additionally, our study found that while many parents know traditional nutrition guidelines, they are less familiar with recent updates. Parents' benefit beliefs about CIFs and parents' trust in the food industry strongly influenced the use of CIFs, while infant age and parent gender had a less strong, yet significant influence on CIFs consumption. Overall, the present study offers new quantitative insights into the factors that motivate parents to use CIFs. Furthermore, it underscores the need for health authorities to improve their communication strategies towards parents concerning new dietary guidelines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To quantify the incremental impact that population dispersion has on the number of health personnel in Primary Care in Alto Aragón, using a reproducible method., Method: Descriptive observational study that compares health the number of health personnel (family medicine, pediatrics and nursing) in EAP and PA emergencies in 2019 in an unpopulated and dispersed territory such as Huesca, with the number that would correspond to it by applying population ratios per professional of hypothetical constructs with different population densities., Results: Huesca, with respect to the national average, has 39% more PA health personnel. There are 239 additional professionals (112 in family medicine, 2 in pediatrics and 115 in nursing), 130 in emergencies and 109 in EAP. With the average of the five most densely populated provinces, it would reduce this staff by 49%, and with the average of the five least densely populated provinces, it would increase it by 12%., Conclusions: There is a relationship between low population density and a greater number of family medicine and PC nurses, but not with pediatrics. The powerful incremental effect that dispersion has on health care spending gives it a relevant role in the regional financing system. Comparing PC health personnel in scenarios with different population density is a useful method for quantifying the impact of dispersion., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The National Vaccination Plan against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 was launched by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection on 14 February 2021. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CoronaVac in preventing the three clinical outcomes of infection, hospitalisation, or death, in a real-world scenario., Design: This was a population-based retrospective dynamic cohort study using a multivariate Cox model to calculate hazard ratios to estimate vaccine effectiveness from 17 February 2021 to 30 June 2022. The data were collected from surveillance systems for 12 months for each individual. Four cities were selected on the basis of the reliability of their data bases., Results: The rates of CoronaVac effectiveness were 32% (95% confidence interval [CI] 31-33) for preventing infection, 55% (95% CI 54-56) for hospitalisation, and 90% (95% CI 89-90) for death, at the end of follow-up. These findings were more consistent during the first 4 months. Compared with the unvaccinated group, homologous booster doses appeared to increase effectiveness in preventing hospitalisation, whereas heterologous booster doses increased protection for both hospitalisation and death. Booster doses did not improve effectiveness among those already vaccinated with CoronaVac, even when they received heterologous boosters., Conclusions: CoronaVac demonstrated effectiveness in preventing death and hospitalisation during the first year of follow-up, but its effectiveness in preventing infection was lower, decreasing rapidly after the first 4 months of follow-up. The effectiveness was higher among children aged between 3 and 12 years, and among adults aged ≥60 years. Booster doses did not improve effectiveness among those already vaccinated with CoronaVac., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by non-scaring hair loss and preservation of hair follicles. The information available on disease course, and clinical features of AA is scarce worldwide, and almost nonexistent in Colombia., Objective: To determine the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients diagnosed with AA who presented to a dermatology consultation in five Colombian cities., Material and Methods: This was a retrospective and multicenter study on data from an ongoing National Registry of Alopecia Areata in Colombia (RENAAC) collected in Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Medellin, Colombia from March 2022 through April 2023. Data was recorded in a standardized form by trained physicians. The variables were expressed as measures of central tendency and dispersion, and absolute and relative frequencies., Results: A total of 562 patients were included, 59.4% of whom were women, aged between 15 and 49 years (63.9%) with a mean disease course of 1.7 years. The most common finding was multiple plaque (53.2%), the predominant AA subtype was patchy (71.4%), and 29.5% of the patients had a past dermatological history, 18.3% had a past endocrinological history, and 8.9% had a past psychiatric history. The treatments most widely used were steroid injections (76.4%), 5% topical minoxidil (46.4%), followed by high-potency corticosteroids (42.5%)., Study Limitations and Conclusions: AA was slightly predominant in women. As seen in other populations, this disease had an earlier onset in men vs women. Presentation in pediatric age was uncommon. The previous history of other dermatological diseases was checked in almost one third of the patients. Analysis of the co-presentation of AA with other autoimmune diseases is biased due to excluding patients with systemic erythematous lupus from the study., (Copyright © 2024 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although the medium- and long-term sequelae of survivor of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) of any cause have been documented, little is known about the way in which COVID-19-induced ARDS affects functional disability and exercise components. Our aims were to examine the medium-term disability in severe COVID-19-associated ARDS survivors, delineate pathophysiological changes contributing to their exercise intolerance, and explore its utility in predicting long-term functional impairment persistence., Methods: We studied 108 consecutive subjects with severe COVID-19 ARDS who remained alive 6 months after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. Lung morphology was assessed with chest non-contrast CT scans and CT angiography. Functional evaluation included spirometry, plethysmography, muscle strength, and diffusion capacity, with assessment of gas exchange components through diffusing capacity of nitric oxide. Disability was assessed through an incremental exercise test, and measurements were repeated 12 and 24 months later in patients with functional impairments., Results: At 6 months after ICU discharge, a notable dissociation between morphological and clinical-functional sequelae was identified. Moderate-severe disability was present in 47% of patients and these subjects had greater limitation of ventilatory mechanics and gas exchange, as well as greater symptomatic perception during exercise and a probable associated cardiac limitation. Female sex, hypothyroidism, reduced membrane diffusion component, lower functional residual capacity, and high-attenuation lung volume were independently associated with the presence of moderate-severe functional disability, which in turn was related to higher frequency and greater intensity of dyspnea and worse quality of life. Out of the 71 patients with reduced lung volumes or diffusion capacity at 6 months post-ICU discharge, only 19 maintained a restrictive disorder associated with gas exchange impairment at 24 months post-discharge. In these patients, 6-month values for diffusion membrane component, maximal oxygen uptake, ventilatory equivalent for CO 2 , and dead space to tidal volume ratio were identified as independent risk factors for persistence of long-term functional sequelae., Conclusions: Less than half of survivors of COVID-19 ARDS have moderate-severe disability in the medium term, identifying several risk factors. In turn, diffusion membrane component and exercise tolerance at 6-month ICU discharge are independently associated with the persistence of long-term functional sequelae., (Copyright © 2024 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Leishmaniosis, caused by phlebotomine sand fly-borne Leishmania spp., is a multi-host and zoonotic disease in tropical, subtropical and temperate climates, worldwide. Leishmania infantum is the only endemic pathogenic species in Europe, and exposure to this protozoan has previously been reported in a wide range of wild mammals, including felids. However, the information about the exposure of the threatened Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) to L. infantum is still very scarce. Consequently, the aims of the present large-scale epidemiological study were: (1) to evaluate the circulation of L. infantum in the free-ranging and captive Iberian lynx populations and (2) to investigate potential risk factors associated with L. infantum exposure during the study period, between 2010 and 2022. A total of 783 Iberian lynxes from captive (n = 296) and free-ranging (n = 487) populations were sampled from different areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Exposure to L. infantum (positive to indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in serum and/or real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in spleen samples) was detected in 80 of the 783 lynxes, so the estimated prevalence (95 % confidence limits) was 10.2 % (8.1-12.3 %). Specifically, anti-Leishmania antibodies were found in 12 of the 469 lynxes (2.6 %; 1.1-4.0 %) and L. infantum kDNA was detected in 68 of the 333 lynxes (20.4 %; 16.1-24.8 %) with a Ct range from 26.0 to 38.0 (median: 36.0). One seroconversion and one seroreversion were observed among the 42 Iberian lynxes longitudinally sampled. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high homology (99.9-100 %) with other L. infantum sequences obtained from wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) and humans from Spain. The multivariate analysis identified the habitat status (free-ranging) and age (adult and subadult) as risk factors potentially associated with L. infantum exposure in Iberian lynxes. Our results indicate moderate and widespread circulation of this pathogen in the Iberian lynx populations, suggesting its potential role as spillover hosts in Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems. Additional studies are warranted to determine the clinical impact of L. infantum exposure in this threatened species., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors of this study has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The importance of knowing the impact of work on people's health has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Burn Out (BO) syndrome arises from the tension emerging from the conflictive interaction between the worker and his or her employment. The objective was to describe the prevalence and frequency of diagnosis of BO in the health human resources of critical services of the Bahía Blanca Municipal Hospital in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. The study population was the medical and nursing staff of the Intensive Care (IT), Emergency Medicine (SMU) and Clinic services who worked with COVID-19 during 2021. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) questionnaire was used and complementary closed questions to identify, among these cases, those that were diagnosed and treated by the institution.Results: Of the 219 workers, 55.3% (121/219) were nurses. In the SMU, 25% (24/96) of respondents had BO, followed by 20.4% (11/54) in Clinic and 8.7% (6/69) in IT (p value=0.004). Only 5.5% (12/219) of the total were diagnosed with BO by the institution and of this group, two people (0.9%) had previously consulted for characteristic symptoms.Discussion: A high prevalence of BO and a marked underdiagnosis were evident at the institutional level during the pandemic. Although the IT Service had the highest demand for attention, it was the one that presented the lowest BO values in relation to other services., (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)

Introduction: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latin American labor markets continue to be quantified, to identify the social and economic impacts that this pandemic had, and to design more efficient public policies that would protect the most vulnerable groups. For this reason, the research question was as follows: what were the changes in the labor formality rates before and two years after the main contingency measures of the COVID-19 pandemic were implemented?, Methods: Using data from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, the formality rate (τ) was analyzed, which was calculated using a weighted average between the formal employment rates of the number (i) of economic sectors (p) in a specific period (t)., Results: The results suggest that the weighted labor formality rate increased in the countries of the region. These changes in formality could be the result of greater capital accumulation, the integration of productive processes, the integration of commercialization processes, and differentiated fiscal stimuli (i.e., the intrasectoral aspect), but it was not due to the displacement of workers from highly informal economic sectors to more formalized sectors (i.e., the intersectoral component)., Discussion: The findings emphasized the precarious situation of women in the region, regardless of the country, particularly in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. These findings suggest the need to design public policies that reverse the current situation of the labor market and prevent future economic shocks, with special emphasis on the informal sector and women., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Martínez-Martínez, Reyes-Martínez, Mideros Mora, Sánchez Pilco and Rodríguez Salme.)

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of mortality worldwide; however, few studies have been conducted to measure the impact of the distribution of healthcare services on ischemic stroke fatality. This study aimed to explore the relationship between three ischemic stroke outcomes (incidence, mortality, and fatality) and accessibility to hospitals in Spain, considering its economic development. A cross-sectional ecological study was performed using data on hospital admissions and mortality due to ischemic stroke during 2016-2018. Gross geographic product (GGP) per capita was estimated and a healthcare accessibility index was created. A Besag-York-Mollié autoregressive spatial model was used to estimate the magnitude of association between ischemic stroke outcomes and economic development and healthcare accessibility. GGP per capita showed a geographical gradient from southwest to northeast in Spain. Mortality and case-fatality rates due to ischemic stroke were higher in the south of the country in both women and men aged 60+ years. In women and men aged 20-59 years a EUR 1,000 increase in GGP per capita was associated with decreases in mortality of 5% and 4%, respectively. Fatality decreased 3-4% with each EUR 1,000 increase of GGP per capita in both sexes and in the 20-59 and 60+ age groups. Decreased healthcare accessibility was associated with higher fatality in the population aged 60+. Economic development in southwest Spain would not only improve employment opportunities but also reduce ischemic stroke mortality. New health related strategies to improve hospital accessibility should be considered in more sparsely populated regions or those with worse transport and/or healthcare infrastructure.

The term food loss and waste (FLW) refers to discarded food during the different stages of the food chain. Food loss occurs during the initial stages of the food chain, and food waste occurs during the final stages. The relation between FLW and circular economy (CE) is particularly important for countries which are beginning to implement actions or regulations on this topic. These proposals may have an impact in strategic sectors of their economy. The objective of this review document was to analyse the regulations of FLW and CE in some countries located throughout the European Union, Asia, Africa and Latin America. To fulfil this objective, FLW and CE regulations were identified and analysed in 12 countries located in the aforementioned regions. The analysis showed that France, Spain, Japan and Uruguay included objectives related to FLW in their CE legislations focusing on food waste reduction, whereas China, Chile, Argentina and Mexico did not include FLW in their CE legislations. African countries did not have CE legislations in place yet. France and Japan have had more success in the reduction of FLW. In conclusion, CE regulation should include FLW regulation to achieve more efficiency at reducing and reusing these residues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Abstract : The strong increase in global demand for lithium, driven by the ion battery market and the use of this non-metallic mineral in various economic sectors such as mining (as a non-metallic and non-renewable mineral), health, technology, and geopolitical issues, has fueled the development of disruptive innovation, with new products linked to knowledge creation. These developments have included, among other things, the use of new processing techniques, the creation of new high-capacity cathode materials, the investigation of new sources of lithium, and increased recycling of lithium-ion batteries. This article's primary goal is to assess how this knowledge gap is related with innovation issues using the analysis of the scholar as a case study. Additionally, the examination of public policy related to the lithium business will be continued and updated in this publication. This study uses computerized bibliometric analysis based on the R program and Biblioshiny, a web interface for Bibliometrix analysis. One of the earliest studies to examine the discrepancy between lithium production and consumption based on innovation is this one. The research's contribution is to highlight the disparities and gaps in knowledge generation between producer and consumer countries, which creates a great opportunity to develop better public policies that use existing knowledge and promote collaborations between mining and technology companies for the development of a more sustainable, efficient, effective and competitive industry with future societies., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Claudia Pezoa-Fuentes reports was provided by Austral University of Chile–Campus Isla Teja. Claudia Pezoa Fuentes reports a relationship with 10.13039/501100009833Austral University of Chile–Campus Isla Teja that includes: non-financial support. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Surgical programming is a priority for hospital management due to its impact on health., Objective: To analyze the aspects that affect the surgical programming in a secondary care hospital in Mexico., Material and Methods: Hospital operating room programming records for 2021 were consulted. Surgical interventions, operating room usage times, causes of deferrals, surgical delay and turnover times were described. Percentages, mean and standard deviation were estimated; the analysis was carried out with chi-squared and Student's t. A panel of experts was integrated to identify the factors that affect the performance of operating rooms., Results: In 2021, the hospital had 2660 records of surgical programming for 2317 patients; 2.7% of surgeries were deferred. Mostly urgent (46.1%) and scheduled (43.5%) surgeries were performed. The average surgical delay time was 65 minutes and the turnover time was 92 minutes; these times were inadequate in emergency surgeries, in night and evening schedules surgeries (p < 0.05). Deficiencies in surgical time management and surgery scheduling with a degree of urgency ≥ 7 days mainly affected the performance of the operating room., Conclusion: Surgical programming of the hospital presents areas of opportunity for improvement and shows factors that affect surgical management, useful for similar hospitals., (Licencia CC 4.0 (BY-NC-ND) © 2024 Revista Médica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social.)

Although mortality caused by Sarcoptes scabiei has been reported in European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis), there is a lack of detailed information regarding the exposure of wild lagomorph species to this parasite. Here, we aimed to determine the seroprevalence and potential risk factors associated with S. scabiei exposure in European wild rabbits and Iberian hares in Mediterranean ecosystems of southern Spain. Between 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 hunting seasons, serum samples from 464 wild rabbits and 132 Iberian hares were collected from 100 hunting grounds in Andalusia (southern Spain). Sera were tested using an in-house indirect ELISA to detect specific anti-S. scabiei antibodies based on the immunodominant protein Ssλ20ΔB3. The overall apparent individual seroprevalence was 15.9% (95/596; 95%CI: 13.0-18.9). Antibodies against S. scabiei were detected in 11.6% (54/464; 95%CI: 8.7-14.5) of the European wild rabbits and 31.1% (41/132; 95%CI: 23.2-39.0) of the Iberian hares. Species (Iberian hare), age (adults) and geographical area (western Andalusia) were identified as risk factors potentially associated with S. scabiei exposure using generalized estimating equation analysis. By applying spatial analysis, two significant cluster of high seropositivity were detected in western and central Andalusia, respectively. The seroprevalence values obtained provide evidence of endemic, widespread and heterogeneous exposure to S. scabiei among wild lagomorph populations in Spanish Mediterranean ecosystems. Our findings underscore the importance of implementing integrated surveillance programs for sarcoptic mange in wild lagomorphs as well as in other sympatric species., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the authors of this study has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)