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El propósito del presente artículo de investigación es analizar el principio de presunción de inocencia y el uso del polígrafo como prueba de confianza en la Policía Nacional del Ecuador. Se buscó comprender la importancia de estos conceptos en el sistema legal ecuatoriano y su impacto en el debido proceso. La metodología empleada consistió en el uso del método analítico para descomponer y estudiar a fondo cada elemento, mediante el uso de la técnica documental para recopilar y analizar información relevante sobre el tema. Entre los resultados más importantes se destaca la relación entre la presunción de inocencia y la garantía de un debido proceso, así como la controversia en torno al uso del polígrafo como prueba de confianza en la Policía Nacional del Ecuador. Como principales conclusiones se destaca la presunción de inocencia como un pilar fundamental en el sistema legal para garantizar la justicia y equidad; se evidenció que el uso del polígrafo planteado como prueba de confianza genera dilemas éticos y jurídicos en el contexto de la Policía Nacional del Ecuador, puesto que es necesario establecer métodos objetivos para medir la probidad y ética de los funcionarios públicos, en respeto a la dignidad humana y otros derechos conexos. Asimismo, se analizó la necesidad de revisar y ajustar las prácticas inquisitivas que puedan vulnerar los derechos de los individuos en el sistema legal ecuatoriano.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process of diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 2015 to 2020. METHODS: Ecological study with quantitative approach. This study was based on diagnosed cases of pulmonary TB reported in the Notifiable Disease Information System in residents of Paraná; as well as through the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state epidemiological bulletin for the year 2020. The study data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: It was found that, although the number of reported pulmonary TB cases (drug-resistant and general) increased between 2015 and 2019, there was a drop in notification in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The notification of TB cases was also influenced monthly during the year according to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. For cases of drug-resistant pulmonary TB, the provision of diagnostic tests and Directly Observed Treatment decreased by more than half in 2020, especially when compared to 2019. CONCLUSIONS: In view of these findings, the influence of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant and general pulmonary TB cases is evident, showing that the pandemic has compromised the advances of recent decades in achieving the goals established for its eradication by 2035.

Comprehensive measures of quality are a research imperative, yet the development of software quality models is a wicked problem. Definitive solutions do not exist and quality is subjective at its most abstract. Definitional measures of quality are contingent on a domain, and even within a domain, the choice of representative characteristics to decompose quality is subjective. Thus, the operationalization of quality models brings even more challenges. A promising approach to quality modeling is the use of hierarchies to represent characteristics, where lower levels of the hierarchy represent concepts closer to real-world observations. Building upon prior hierarchical modeling approaches, we developed the Platform for Investigative software Quality Understanding and Evaluation (PIQUE). PIQUE surmounts several quality modeling challenges because it allows modelers to instantiate abstract hierarchical models in any domain by leveraging organizational tools tailored to their specific contexts. Here, we introduce PIQUE; exemplify its utility with two practical use cases; address challenges associated with parameterizing a PIQUE model; and describe algorithmic techniques that tackle normalization, aggregation, and interpolation of measurements.

Introduction: It has been well reported that medical students do not follow healthy diets overall. Effectively guiding patients to change their health behavior is a crucial skill for primary care providers and family physicians. Our objective was to investigate medical students’ dietary decision-making, including the motivations and barriers that influence their dietary choices. Methods: A self-administered online questionnaire was conducted among preclinical students at one allopathic medical school in the United States. The survey was comprised of questions about students’ dietary goals, habits, and the barriers they face in reaching their nutritional ideals. Trends in the percentage of students who selected each survey answer choice were interpreted. Results: Of the 363 preclinical students provided with the optional survey, 71 (19.6%) chose to participate. The participants’ dietary decisions were predominately driven by convenience. Most students wanted to eat nutritiously to support their well-being but had been eating less healthily since starting medical school due to financial limitations and limited time. Approximately half (46.5%, 33/71) of the participants stated that they would buy the in-house food provided at the medical school campus more often if it better matched their dietary goals, but 36.6% (26/71) would only do so if the new foods were affordable compared to competitor’s prices. Conclusion: There is an opportunity to help medical students meet their dietary goals, which are negatively impacted by personal and structural academic barriers. Further research is needed on the obstacles that institutions face in offering healthy, affordable options to medical students.

Introduction: The severity of COVID-19 in the general population ranges from minimally symptomatic disease to critical illness, which may require hospitalization and progress to death. Methods: A retrospective cohort study carried out with all positive cases of COVID-19 reported in the municipality of Foz do Iguaçu (PR) between the period from March 2020 to December 2021. Data were collected from Bank Notifies COVID-19 is the name of the information system that provides notifications by professionals of suspected and confirmed cases of the disease. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques and calculation of relative risk. Results: 24,647 confirmed cases were identified in the study; among these, 22,211 (90.1%) were not hospitalized and 2436 (9.9%) were hospitalized. Among the 2436 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, 947 (38.9%) died and 1489 (61.1%) recovered. Among the 22,211 outpatients, 93 (0.4%) died and 22,118 (99.6%) recovered. An association between death and the following characteristics was identified among the cases that were hospitalized: male gender, all age groups over 40 years, indigenous race/color, hospital staylength of more than 10 days,hospitalization in a Unified Health System (SUS) bed and in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). According to the clinical characteristics of symptoms and comorbidities, the following prevailed:ities dyspnea, intercostal retraction, cyanosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, smoking, lung disease, kidneydisease, neurological disease, neoplasia, and immunodeficiency. Among the cases that were not hospitalized, death was associated with: malegender, all age groups over 50 years, dyspnea, cyanosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, neurological disease, neoplasia, and liver disease. Conclusions: Older adults, male, and Caucasian people are commonly affected by COVID-19 and can evolve with aggravation when they have modifiable risk factors such as obesity and smoking, as well as nonmodifiable risk factors such as: cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, renal, hypertension, diabetes, and immunosuppression.

Ecuador has gone through a significant reduction in new cases from 2000 (106) to 2023 (12), suggesting a trend towards zero leprosy. An ecological spatiotemporal study design was used to describe the epidemiological distribution of the disease in the country during 2000–2023. Leprosy cases registered by the surveillance system of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Public Health were the data utilized for the study. From January 2000 to December 2023, 1539, incidence cases were diagnosed with leprosy in Ecuador. At the time of diagnosis, the median age was 54 years. Most of the cases were males (71.5%). The proportion of incidence cases in subjects over 50 years was 63% and 1.5% in children ≤ 15 years old. The yearly incidence rate ranged from 8.5/1,000,000 population in 2000 to 0.68/1,000,000 population in 2023, remaining within the low-endemic parameter. In total, 35 cantons reported newly detected leprosy cases in the year 2000. By the end of 2023, only eight cantons actively reported cases of leprosy. High-risk clusters for leprosy were detected in the tropical coastal region of Ecuador. The provinces with the highest number of cases during the study period were Guayas (44.8%) and Los Rios (15.7%), with zero cases being found in the Galapagos Islands. Our study is unique in that it documents a retrospective dataset over a two-decade timespan from a South American country that has effectively applied global guidelines for the control and elimination of leprosy.

Introducción: son indiscutibles los beneficios que aporta la lactancia materna, tanto para la madre como para el hijo, desde el punto de vista inmunológico, nutritivo y afectivo. Además de proporcionar los nutrientes entre ellos vitaminas, minerales y grasas esenciales, fortalece el sistema inmunológico, promueve un fuerte vínculo emocional entre madre e hijo y favorece el desarrollo bucofacial del bebé. Objetivo: describir la relación que existe entre la lactancia materna y el desarrollo bucodental del recién nacido. Método: se realizó́ una revisión bibliográfica y se determinaron para la selección de los artículos criterios inclusión y exclusión. La búsqueda se realzó en Google Schoolar, PubMed, Scielo y MEDLINE. La información analizada se estructuró en dos subapartados: los beneficios generales de la lactancia materna y otro dedicado a los beneficios en el desarrollo bucodental del infante. Resultados: los estudios considerados fueron un total de 11, se clasificaron en dos de investigación y nueve revisiones sistemáticas. Se sugiere que la lactancia materna sea exclusiva hasta los seis meses de edad y se continúe complementando con alimentos sólidos adecuados hasta los dos años de edad. Ofrece una serie de beneficios para el recién nacido en varios aspectos de su desarrollo bucodental, incluyendo la salud y desarrollo del hueso alveolar, musculatura y a la hora de evitar maloclusiones. Conclusiones: la lactancia materna favorece la maduración y desarrollo de los músculos faciales y masticatorios, así como un correcto posicionamiento del maxilar superior y mandíbula, que contribuirá a la correcta formación del sistema estomatognático y la oclusión.

En esta investigación se presenta el diseño y construcción de una estación terrena de bajo costo, compuestas por una antena Yagi, Amplificador de bajo ruido (LNA) y un nodo receptor LoRa que permite recepción de señales de CubeSats basadas en tecnología LoRa, para lo cual se emplearon conceptos de diseño general de antenas y amplificadores electrónicos y se comprobó el diseño mediante pruebas de laboratorio de características eléctricas, radiación de señal y respuesta en frecuencia con lo que se pudo recibir datos de telemetría de los satélites CubeSat LoRa.

Abstract Little effort has been made so far on morphometry and conservation studies in horses of the creole biotype in Ecuador due to preferences toward other breeds or crossbreeds. This research aims to analyze zoometric measures and indexes and the manifestations of sexual dimorphism in Ecuadorian Creole horses. One hundred and one animals were evaluated in 24 de Mayo (29 mares and 81 horses) and 118 in Pichincha (47 mares and 71 horses) in Manabí, all aged over 5 years. Zoometric variables were measured, such as head length and head width; height at the withers and croup; diameters: longitudinal, dorsum-sternal, and bicoastal; width and length of the crou; thoracic and cane perimeters. The measurements presented variations between 3.55% and 10.15% and a highly significant difference (p < 0.01) except for the length of the rump (p = 0.025) and longitudinal diameter (p = 0.102). Zoometric indexes such as cephalic, body, thoracic, the relative depth of the thorax, metacarpop-thoracic, and pelvic were evaluated, and proportionality variations between 2.41% and 8.92% were observed. They presented highly significant differences (p < 0.01) except for the indexes depth relative to chest (p = 0.202) and proportionality (p = 0.014). No sexual dimorphism was observed in general except for the head and body indexes on 24 de Mayo. The zoometric categorization of the animals cannot be concluded due to the marked variation of the data for each sex within and between the cantons due to the existence of high morphometric heterogeneity between them, for which it is necessary to develop selection and cross-breeding criteria.

This research analyzes the monthly drinking water consumption in the residential sector of 46 Ecuadorian towns to determine if there was greater consumption duringthe quarantine’s isolation due to COVID-19 thanthe historical values. Over 28million data were analyzed previously throughthe Box and Whisker Test, ANOVA,and Tukey to getthe average monthly consumption (CMM) and the historical maximums (CMH) for eachyear ofregistration. The standard deviation is calculated to compare the maximum consumption during quarantine (CMC) with the historical one. No town has quarantine consumption more significantthan the historical maximum, but a third of the sample reaches the historical maximum during isolation, which shouldraiseconcernsdue to recurring natural or anthropic emergencies. Consumption during the months of isolation (March, April, May,and June of 2020) hasdistinct patternsthan those of the historical ones and are attributed to migration caused by fear and unemployment caused by COVID-19, which directly affect drinking water consumption.

Abstract Background To analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process of diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 2015 to 2020. Methods Ecological study with quantitative approach. This study was based on diagnosed cases of pulmonary TB reported in the Notifiable Disease Information System in residents of Paraná; as well as through the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state epidemiological bulletin for the year 2020. The study data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results It was found that, although the number of reported pulmonary TB cases (drug-resistant and general) increased between 2015 and 2019, there was a drop in notification in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The notification of TB cases was also influenced monthly during the year according to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. For cases of drug-resistant pulmonary TB, the provision of diagnostic tests and Directly Observed Treatment decreased by more than half in 2020, especially when compared to 2019. Conclusions In view of these findings, the influence of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant and general pulmonary TB cases is evident, showing that the pandemic has compromised the advances of recent decades in achieving the goals established for its eradication by 2035.

La producción agroecológica ocupa posiciones débiles en las cadenas productivas y son relegados a abastecimiento de materia prima y mano de obra barata para mercados urbanos. Este sistema de producción proporciona del 60 al 70% de la producción de alimentos que se consumen en el Ecuador, en especial para la población urbana, que representa el 63%. A través de los años se realizan varios esfuerzos que buscan transformar la sociedad, a través de alternativas productivas y comerciales que distribuyan las ganancias de los sistemas productivos de una manera justa, por lo que la Universidad debe ser parte activa de este proceso de trasformación para que a través de la formación la sociedad se beneficie y llegue a alcanzar un desarrollo sostenible, para lo que se han desarrollado actividades en torno al comercio justo. Para la ejecución de la propuesta, se levantó la información con el diagnóstico de situación inicial a través de talleres participativos. Posteriormente, se aplicó un estudio de mercado para conocer las necesidades del mismo y para lograr los objetivos propuestos; se trabaja en alianza con organizaciones sociales, fundaciones y el municipio de la ciudad, quienes constantemente aportan con actividades que permite garantizar la sostenibilidad de la propuesta.

Objetivo: Describir el proceso en la toma de decisión para la aceptación o rechazo de la vasectomía desde la perspectiva de los hombres mexicanos. Materiales y método: Estudio cualitativo, exploratorio, con metodología en teoría fundamentada, la muestra fue de 17 hombres; la información se recolectó mediante entrevista semiestructurada, con un análisis artesanal. Resultados: La codificación inicial generó 130 códigos, se encontraron 58 códigos focales que dieron origen a 8 códigos axiales. La codificación teórica genero 3 códigos teóricos: alcance de la información; dualidad en la toma de decisión para la vasectomía; factores para la toma de decisión para la vasectomía. La categoría central denominada proceso para la toma de decisión para la aceptación o rechazo de la vasectomía. Discusión: Esta indagación da pauta a interrogantes que se enfoquen más al proceso en la toma de decisión de los hombres, para un mejor entendimiento de este proceso y eventualmente direccionar de mejor manera los programas de promoción de la vasectomía, las intervenciones de salud y políticas públicas acordes a la realidad que viven los hombres. Conclusión: Los hombres viven un proceso “complejo, lleno de altibajos” para poder tomar la decisión de realizarse la vasectomía o bien rechazarla.

This study compared the effects of academic year, college department, and undergraduate or graduate status on Japanese students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2021–2023, an online survey was conducted using the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Systems-Japanese (CCAPS-Japanese) to evaluate students’ mental health; 9395 undergraduate students (4623 female, 4772 male) and 1169 graduate students (380 female, 789 male) responded. Undergraduate students in medicine had lower levels of depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety than those in other departments. Engineering students exhibited the highest level of academic distress. First-year students had the highest levels of generalized and social anxiety but the lowest level of academic distress. Second-year students had the lowest level of depression, and third-year students had the highest level of academic distress. Among graduate students, first-year students had higher levels of depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, and hostility than second-year students. Undergraduates had poorer mental health than graduate students. Females had higher levels of eating concerns than males among undergraduate students. This study revealed that the mental health of university students was affected by various factors. These findings demonstrate the characteristics of university students requiring early support.

Introducción: Ecuador es el décimo país con la tasa de embarazo adolescente más alta en Latinoamérica, este es un problema que tiene consecuencias sociales y económicas. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio es describir los factores asociados al embarazo adolescente en Ecuador utilizando los datos del ENSANUT 2018, y analizar el rol del primer nivel de salud en la atención a este grupo vulnerable. Metodología: Se utilizó los datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (ENSANUT) 2018. El diseño del estudio es descriptivo analítico para el análisis de variables como: edad, nivel educativo, región y área de residencia, conocimiento y uso de métodos anticonceptivos. Resultados: Los hallazgos revelan que la edad, el nivel educativo y la región de residencia son condiciones significativas en la prevalencia del embarazo adolescente. Se observa una correlación entre el nivel educativo y la posibilidad de embarazo en adolescentes. Conclusión: El estudio describe los factores asociados al embarazo adolescente en Ecuador, identifica algunas barreras de acceso al sistema de salud, y concluye enfatizando la necesidad de políticas públicas eficientes y estrategias orientadas a mejorar el acceso a la educación y servicios de salud sexual, y reproductiva para adolescentes, con el objetivo de reducir las tasas de embarazo adolescente y mejorar su calidad de vida en Ecuador.

For this work, iron oxide nanoparticles are synthesized by the co-precipitation method with stoichiometric amounts of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts in a 1:2 ratio in distilled water and the pH is raised by adding an aqueous ammonia solution by controlled dripping. Nanoparticles precipitating after the reaction time are magnetically filtered and stored in ethanol for further analysis. Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles with a slight deviation from the stoichiometry are obtained, with sizes between 7.4 and 12.8 nm and saturation magnetization between 40 and 78 emu/gr. At pH 6, rod-shaped nanoparticles are obtained in addition to spherical ones. With a statistical design, it is shown how the morphological, structural and magnetic properties of the resulting nanoparticles can be manipulated by the synthesis parameters, offering many possibilities to tailor the materials to a wide range of applications.

Background Based on 2021 data, Nigeria had the second largest number of zero-dose children globally estimated at over 2.25 million, concentrated in the northern part of the country due to factors some of which are sociocultural. This study analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and response on childhood vaccination in Northern Nigeria.Methods Using a mixed methods sequential study design in the most populous northern states of Kaduna and Kano, quantitative routine immunisation data for the period 2018–2021 and qualitative data collected through 16 focus group discussions and 40 key informant interviews were used. An adaptation of the socioecological model was used as a conceptual framework. Mean vaccination coverages and test of statistical difference in childhood vaccination data were computed. Qualitative data were coded and analysed thematically.Results Mean Penta 1 coverage declined in Kaduna from 69.88% (SD=21.02) in 2018 to 59.54% (SD=19.14%) by 2021, contrasting with Kano where mean Penta 1 coverage increased from 51.87% (SD=12.61) to 56.32% (SD=17.62%) over the same period. Outreaches and vaccination in urban areas declined for Kaduna state by 10% over the pandemic period in contrast to Kano state where it showed a marginal increase. The two states combined had an estimated 25% of the country’s zero-dose burden in 2021. Lockdowns, lack of transport and no outreaches which varied across the states were some of the factors mentioned by participants to have negatively impacted childhood vaccination. Special vaccination outreaches were among the recommendations for ensuring continued vaccination through a future pandemic.Conclusion While further interrogating the accuracy of denominator estimates for the urban population, incorporating findings into pandemic preparedness and response will ensure uninterrupted childhood vaccination during emergencies. Addressing the identified issues will be critical to achieving and sustaining universal childhood vaccination in Nigeria.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To know the meaning of education in the perioperative period, in women undergoing hysterectomy for benign causes and to determine the effectiveness of educational nursing intervention in improving female sexual function, quality of life and self-esteem in women undergoing hysterectomy for benign causes. Methods: Mixed design, exploratory sequential Qualitative phase semi-structured interviews and content analysis. Quasi-experimental study quantitative phase, non-equivalent control group. 26 women in 2 groups. Instruments: Biosociodemographic, Female Sexual Function Index, SF-36 Questionnaire, Rosenberg Scale. Both groups will receive traditional care and the experimental group will receive nursing educational intervention with web page support. Ethical requirements will be considered. Expected results: The women in the experimental group will improve their sexual function, health-related quality of life and self-esteem in relation to the comparison group. Conclusions: Education in the perioperative period of hysterectomy is essential for the recovery of women who go through this experience.

La inestabilidad patelofemoral es uno de los problemas más frecuentes en pacientes jóvenes, y representa del 2 al 3% de todas las lesiones de rodilla.1 Significa una causa importante de morbilidad debido a la limitación de varias actividades de la vida diaria, y a largo plazo el surgimiento de artrosis.2 La inestabilidad patelofemoral es descripta como la deficiencia de la constricción pasiva que genera un desplazamiento lateral de la patela total o parcial de su posición normal con respecto a la tróclea.3 Los desórdenes patelofemorales son el resultado de una anatomía aberrante, están dados por una alteración en la alineación ósea y generan un desequilibrio biomecánico.4 Existen cuatro factores clásicos que generan inestabilidad patelar: patela alta, displasia troclear, alteración en la distancia (TT-TG) y excesiva inclinación patelar.5 Al generarse una luxación, el ligamento patelofemoral medial (LPFM) se ve afectado en al menos el 25% de los casos. El complemento diagnóstico se realiza a través de rayos X, tomografía computarizada y resonancia magnética. La restauración de la función por tratamiento quirúrgico ha mostrado resultados similares al conservador en primoluxaciones, sin embargo, se ha visto que la reconstrucción del ligamento patelofemoral medial presenta mejores resultados clínicos para el paciente.6 Hasta el momento, hemos intervenido diecinueve pacientes con la técnica descripta, para los cuales no hay reportada una reluxación de rótula y tienen una escala de Lysholm de 87 puntos que se encuentra dentro del parámetro “bueno”.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in numerous solid tumors and is the subject of extensive therapeutic efforts. Much of the research on EGFR is focused on protein dynamics and downstream signaling; however, few studies have explored its transcriptional regulation. Here, we identified two enhancers (CE1 and CE2) present within the first intron of the EGFR gene in models of glioblastoma (GBM) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). CE1 and CE2 contain open chromatin and H3K27Ac histone marks, enhance transcription in reporter assays, and interact with the EGFR promoter. Enhancer genetic deletion by CRISPR/Cas9 significantly reduces EGFR transcript levels, with double deletion exercising an additive effect. Targeted repression of CE1 and CE2 by dCas9-KRAB demonstrates repression of transcription similar to that of genomic deletion. We identify AP-1 transcription factor family members in concert with BET bromodomain proteins as modulators of CE1 and CE2 activity in HNSCC and GBM through de novo motif identification and validate their presence. Genetic inhibition of AP-1 or pharmacologic disruption of BET/AP-1 binding results in downregulated EGFR protein and transcript levels, confirming a role for these factors in CE1 and CE2. Our results identify and characterize these novel enhancers, shedding light on the role that epigenetic mechanisms play in regulating EGFR transcription in EGFR-dependent cancers. IMPLICATIONS: We identify critical constituent enhancers present in the first intron of the EGFR gene, and provide a rationale for therapeutic targeting of EGFR intron 1 enhancers through perturbation of AP-1 and BET in EGFR-positive malignancies.

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Observational studies have yielded heterogeneous results and were subject to important methodological limitations. Aims: To examine the association between the receipt of PPIs and risk of COVID‐19 hospitalizations and severe in‐hospital outcomes or death. Methods: Case–control study among Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries 66+ years old with gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD). Within this population, we identified cases by an incident hospital discharge diagnosis of COVID‐19 from April 1 to December 11, 2020, using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐10‐CM) U07.1, and randomly selected up to 10 controls per case, matched on date and neighborhood. We defined PPI use as a prescription providing ≥15 days of supply in the 30 days before admission, with H2‐receptor antagonist (H2RA) use as the reference to account for indication. We analyzed uncomplicated hospitalizations and hospitalizations with severe outcomes (intensive/coronary care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death), estimating odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with multinomial conditional logistic regression adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, chronic medications, and health care utilization. Results: We matched 25,867 uncomplicated and 12,954 severe hospitalized COVID‐19 cases to 146,972 and 73,104 controls, respectively. Cases tended to be older and have more comorbidities. Relative to H2RA use, we found no association of PPI use with uncomplicated COVID‐19 hospitalization (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.93–1.06) or severe COVID‐19 hospitalization (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.91–1.10). Conclusions: Relative to H2RA use, PPI use was not associated with uncomplicated or severe COVID‐19 hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries with GERD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive measures of quality are a research imperative, yet the development of software quality models is a wicked problem. Definitive solutions do not exist and quality is subjective at its most abstract. Definitional measures of quality are contingent on a domain, and even within a domain, the choice of representative characteristics to decompose quality is subjective. Thus, the operationalization of quality models brings even more challenges. A promising approach to quality modeling is the use of hierarchies to represent characteristics, where lower levels of the hierarchy represent concepts closer to real-world observations. Building upon prior hierarchical modeling approaches, we developed the Platform for Investigative software Quality Understanding and Evaluation (PIQUE). PIQUE surmounts several quality modeling challenges because it allows modelers to instantiate abstract hierarchical models in any domain by leveraging organizational tools tailored to their specific contexts. Here, we introduce PIQUE; exemplify its utility with two practical use cases; address challenges associated with parameterizing a PIQUE model; and describe algorithmic techniques that tackle normalization, aggregation, and interpolation of measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Technical debt (TD) prevention allows software practitioners to apply practices to avoid potential TD items in their projects. Aims. To uncover and prioritize, from the point of view of software practitioners, the practices that could be used to avoid TD items, the relations between these practices and the causes of TD, and the practice avoidance reasons (PARs) that could explain the failure to prevent TD. Method. We analyze data collected from six replications of a global industrial family of surveys on TD, totaling 653 answers. We also conducted a follow up survey to understand the importance level of analyzed data. Results. Most practitioners indicated that TD could be prevented, revealing 89 prevention practices and 23 PARs for explaining the failure to prevent TD. The article identifies statistically significant relationships between preventive practices and certain causes of TD. Further, it prioritizes the list of practices, PARs, and relationships regarding their level of importance for TD prevention based on the opinion of software practitioners. Conclusion. This work organizes TD prevention practices and PARs in a conceptual map and the relationships between practices and causes of TD in a Sankey diagram to help the visualization of the body of knowledge reported in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water of high Andean lakes is strongly affected by anthropic activities. However, due to its complexity this ecosystem is poorly researched. This study analyzes water quality using Sentinel-2 (S2) images in high Andean lakes with apparent different eutrophication states. Spatial and temporal patterns are assessed for biophysical water variables from automatic products as obtained from versions of C2RCC (Case 2 Regional Coast Color) processor (i.e., C2RCC, C2X, and C2X-COMPLEX) to observe water characteristics and eutrophication states in detail. These results were validated using in situ water sampling. C2X-COMPLEX appeared to be an appropriate option to study bodies of water with a complex dynamic of water composition. C2RCC was adequate for lakes with high transparency, typical for lakes of highlands with excellent water quality. The Yambo lake, with chlorophyll-a concentration (CHL) values of 79.6 ± 5 mg/m3, was in the eutrophic to hyper-eutrophic state. The Colta lake, with variable values of CHL, was between the oligotrophic to mesotrophic state, and the Atillo lakes, with values of 0.16 ± 0.1 mg/m3, were oligotrophic and even ultra-oligotrophic, which remained stable in the last few years. Automatic S2 water products give information about water quality, which in turn makes it possible to analyze its causes.

Background. This study investigated the knowledge, attitude, and practices of residents in the Ho municipality towards intestinal helminth infections and their prevention. Method. A descriptive cross-sectional study involving questionnaire administration was conducted among randomly sampled residents of the Ho municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. A minimum sample size of 400 was calculated for subjects using Yamane’s formula for population. Pearson’s chi-square analysis was done to determine any relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and the categories of knowledge, attitude, and practices. Results from data analysis were computed as frequencies and percentages. P

ObjectiveTo establish effective methods of obesity prevention among young adults, we analyzed the relationship between obesity-related food intake and metabolic factors in Japanese university students.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of nutrient intake information and metabolic parameters among 1,206 Gifu University students categorized by body mass index.ResultsThe overweight/obesity rate was significantly higher in males. Additionally, among males, the intake of protein, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, all lipids/fats, and all metabolic parameters including blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and blood pressure significantly differed between the obese and non-obese groups. However, the same comparison among females revealed no significant differences in nutrient intake and significant differences in only half of the parameters. Among males, energy intake from protein and fat was significantly higher in the obese group, while the percentage of total energy intake from carbohydrates and fat was lower and higher, respectively, among females in the obese group.ConclusionsOvereating of protein and fat in males and unbalanced nutrition in females are sex-specific characteristics of Japanese university students with obesity, and metabolic abnormalities in students with obesity are more remarkable in males than in females.

El presente trabajo permite caracterizar las funcionalidades básicas de la trazabilidad y la manera en la que aportan al desarrollo del comercio electrónico en la actualidad. Para el desarrollo de la investigación se utiliza un enfoque cualitativo, empleando los métodos teóricos analítico-sintético e inductivo-deductivo para caracterizar las prácticas de la logística y trazabilidad. Asimismo, se usan estos métodos para analizar conceptos como el comercio electrónico y el modelo de negocio B2C (business to consumer). Como resultados se obtuvieron las bases teóricas sobre la operatividad moderna de la trazabilidad relacionado al comercio electrónico, simplificando procesos tradicionales y ampliando una red tecnológica que aporta a diversas tareas de control, organización y supervisión de productos y servicios. Al culminar este trabajo se presenta una perspectiva general de la influencia de la era digital en los procesos comerciales y logísticos, además de cómo ha cambiado la mente del consumidor virtual respecto de la compra y entrega de los bienes.