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Abstract The public sectors of developing countries require strengthened capacity in health informatics. In Peru, where formal university graduate degrees in biomedical and health informatics were lacking until recently, the AMAUTA Global Informatics Research and Training Program has provided research and training for health professionals in the region since 1999. The Fogarty International Center supports the program as a collaborative partnership between Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru and the University of Washington in the United States of America. The program aims to train core professionals in health informatics and to strengthen the health information resource capabilities and accessibility in Peru. The program has achieved considerable success in the development and institutionalization of informatics research and training programs in Peru. Projects supported by this program are leading to the development of sustainable training opportunities for informatics and eight of ten Peruvian fellows trained at the University of Washington are now developing informatics programs and an information infrastructure in Peru. In 2007, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia started offering the first graduate diploma program in biomedical informatics in Peru.

Abstract Background Low-cost handheld computers (PDA) potentially represent an efficient tool for collecting sensitive data in surveys. The goal of this study is to evaluate the quality of sexual behavior data collected with handheld computers in comparison with paper-based questionnaires. Methods A PDA-based program for data collection was developed using Open-Source tools. In two cross-sectional studies, we compared data concerning sexual behavior collected with paper forms to data collected with PDA-based forms in Ancon (Lima). Results The first study enrolled 200 participants (18–29 years). General agreement between data collected with paper format and handheld computers was 86%. Categorical variables agreement was between 70.5% and 98.5% (Kappa: 0.43–0.86) while numeric variables agreement was between 57.1% and 79.8% (Spearman: 0.76–0.95). Agreement and correlation were higher in those who had completed at least high school than those with less education. The second study enrolled 198 participants. Rates of responses to sensitive questions were similar between both kinds of questionnaires. However, the number of inconsistencies (p = 0.0001) and missing values (p = 0.001) were significantly higher in paper questionnaires. Conclusion This study showed the value of the use of handheld computers for collecting sensitive data, since a high level of agreement between paper and PDA responses was reached. In addition, a lower number of inconsistencies and missing values were found with the PDA-based system. This study has demonstrated that it is feasible to develop a low-cost application for handheld computers, and that PDAs are feasible alternatives for collecting field data in a developing country.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to medical education systems and medical students worldwide, making it necessary to adapt teaching to a remote methodology during the academic year 2020–2021. The aim of this study was to characterize the association between medical professionalism and dropout intention during the pandemic in Peruvian medical schools. Methods: A cross-sectional online-survey-based study was performed in four Peruvian medical schools (two public) during the academic year 2020–2021. Medical students, attending classes from home, answered three scales measuring clinical empathy, teamwork, and lifelong learning abilities (three elements of medical professionalism) and four scales measuring loneliness, anxiety, depression, and subjective wellbeing. In addition, 15 demographic, epidemiological, and academic variables (including dropout intention) were collected. Variables were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The study sample was composed of 1107 students (390 male). Eight variables were included in an explanatory model (Nagelkerke-R2 = 0.35). Anxiety, depression, intention to work in the private sector, and teamwork abilities showed positive associations with dropout intention while learning abilities, subjective wellbeing, studying in a public medical school, and acquiring a better perception of medicine during the pandemic showed a negative association with dropout intention. No association was observed for empathy. Conclusions: Each element measured showed a different role, providing new clues on the influence that medical professionalism had on dropout intention during the pandemic. This information can be useful for medical educators to have a better understanding of the influence that professionalism plays in dropout intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral tripodal ligands having an asymmetric center are used as chiral solvating agents for sulfoxides and metal ion sensing. Tetradentate TPA coordination compounds have solid state structures containing 5-, 6-, and 7-coordinate metal ions exhibiting coordination geometries. A set of tripodal ligands were studied to provide a detailed analysis of their conformational behavior and to determine factors dictating the axial chirality of the complexes.

The enthalpies of ionization of zinc-bound water in the complexes (ZntrenOH2)2+ and (ZnMe6trenOH2)2+ are determined by titration calorimetry and potentiometric methods. The difference in the zinc-water acidity is due to enthalpic effects. High acidity of the complex (ZnMe6trenOH2)2+ compared to (ZntrenOH2)2+ is due to the low inonization enthalpy of the former. The observed enthalpic control denotes the ability of coordination complex to stabilize charge.

The crystallographic analysis indicates that Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes of tripodal ligands containing an alkyl substituent on one arm posses helical asymmetry with the handedness characterized by the configuration of the chiral carbon atom. The study investigates a means to control the direction of the propeller twist, providing a route to coordination with highly asymmetric environments around the electrophilic coordination site of the metal ion. The asymmetric, propeller-like conformation of TPA derivatives when complexed with Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions is studied.

Objective: To report the results of a needs assessment of research and training in Medical Informatics (MI) and Bioinformatics (BI) in Latin America. Methods and results: This assessment was conducted by QUIPU: The Andean Global Health Informatics Research and Training Center. After sending email invitations to MI-BI related professionals from Latin America, 142 surveys were received from 11 Latin American countries. The following were the top four ranked MI-related courses that a training programme should include: introduction to biomedical informatics; data representation and databases; mobile health; and courses that address issues of security, confidentiality and privacy. Several new courses and topics for research were suggested by survey participants. The information collected is guiding the development of curricula and a research agenda for the MI and BI QUIPU multidisciplinary programme for the Andean Region and Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training in Biomedical Informatics is essential to meet the challenges of a globalized world. However, the development of postgraduate training and research programs in this area are scarce in Latin America. Through QUIPU: Andean Center for Training and research in Informatics for Global Health, has developed the first Certificate and Master's Program on Biomedical Informatics in the Andean Region. The aim of this article is to describe the experience of the program. To date, 51 students from Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela have participated; they come from health ministries, hospitals, universities, research centers, professional associations and private companies. Seventeen courses were offered with the participation of faculty from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, USA, Mexico and Peru. This program is already institutionalized at the School of Public Health and Administration from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Peru, there are no formal university graduate programs in biomedical and health informatics, and there is a lack of other health informatics programs. AMAUTA, a joint program between the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) in Lima and the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle has been training Peruvian health professionals since 1999 regarding biomedical and health informatics. In 2007, UPCH is offering the first Graduate Diploma Program in Biomedical Informatics in the country.