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Point-of-care ultrasound is an emerging tool in critical care areas. In the study we are discussing, the ultrasonographic findings are compared and contrasted with the radiographic ones in patients with COVID-19.

El ultrasonido en el punto de atención es una herramienta emergente en la atención de las áreas críticas. En el estudio que comentamos, se comparan los hallazgos ultrasonográficos y se contrastan con los radiográficos en pacientes con COVID-19.

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El estado de la funcionalidad de la familia influye en la calidad nutricional de sus miembros. El objetivo del presente estudio fue describir el estado nutricional de población pediátrica y la funcionalidad familiar en una unidad educativa pública en la provincia Cotopaxi, Ecuador, durante 2020. Se desarrolló una investigación descriptiva transversal, en la que participaron 179 familias de alumnos con edades entre 5 y 19 años, cuyos padres o tutores legales aportaron los datos de interés. La población pediátrica estuvo conformada por 91 niños/as de 5 a 9 años y 88 adolescentes de 10 a 19 años. El 54,7% correspondió al sexo femenino. En este contexto predominó el estado nutricional normal en los menores de edad y las familias funcionales (57%). La funcionalidad familiar se asoció significativamente con el grupo etario y el estado nutricional atendiendo a la talla/edad. Sin embargo, esa variable resultó independiente con respecto al estado nutricional según IMC/edad.

The state of family functionality influences the nutritional quality of its members. This study aimed to describe the nutritional status of the pediatric population and family functionality in a public educational unit in the Cotopaxi province, Ecuador, during 2020. A cross-sectional descriptive research was developed. The population was constituted by 179 families of students aged between 5 and 19 years old, whose parents or legal guardians provided the data of interest. The pediatric population consisted of 91 children from 5 to 9 years old and 88 adolescents from 10 to 19 years old. 54.7% corresponded to the female sex. In this context, normal nutritional status prevailed in minors and functional families (57%). Family functionality was significantly associated with age group and nutritional status according to height/age. However, this variable was independent with respect to nutritional status according to BMI/age

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Optogenetic switches allow light-controlled gene expression with reversible and spatiotemporal resolution. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, optogenetic tools hold great potential for a variety of metabolic engineering and biotechnology applications. In this work, we report on the modular optimization of the fungal light-oxygen-voltage (FUN-LOV) system, an optogenetic switch based on photoreceptors from the fungus Neurospora crassa. We also describe new switch variants obtained by replacing the Gal4 DNA-binding domain (DBD) of FUN-LOV with nine different DBDs from yeast transcription factors of the zinc cluster family. Among the tested modules, the variant carrying the Hap1p DBD, which we call "HAP-LOV", displayed higher levels of luciferase expression upon induction compared to FUN-LOV. Further, the combination of the Hap1p DBD with either p65 or VP16 activation domains also resulted in higher levels of reporter expression compared to the original switch. Finally, we assessed the effects of the plasmid copy number and promoter strength controlling the expression of the FUN-LOV and HAP-LOV components, and observed that when low-copy plasmids and strong promoters were used, a stronger response was achieved in both systems. Altogether, we describe a new set of blue-light optogenetic switches carrying different protein modules, which expands the available suite of optogenetic tools in yeast and can additionally be applied to other systems.

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In Spain, Health Education is included in the Early Childhood Education curriculum, but teachers do not manage to develop it effectively. We intended to verify the opinion of the students of the Early Childhood Education Degree of the universities of Andalusia about their education and the relevance of this subject. The research was conducted on a population of 2,178 students, using the questionnaire as the main instrument. Its validation required measuring its internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient and exploratory factor analysis. The students consider essential Child Health Education training (87.8%), and affirmed that the one they received in the official curricula had been weak. The subjects offered are mostly focused on the promotion of healthy lifestyles (61.5%) and prevention (38.5%). On the other hand, they consider first aid training very important. We propose the implementation of a complete and appropriate Health Education in the training of teachers.

En España, la Educación para la Salud se encuentra integrada en el currículo de Educación Infantil, pero los docentes no llegan a desarrollarla de manera efectiva. Pretendemos constatar la opinión del alumnado del Grado de Educación Infantil de las universidades de Andalucía sobre su formación e importancia de esta materia. La investigación se ha realizado sobre una población de 2178 estudiantes, utilizando como instrumento principal el cuestionario. Para su validación medimos su consistencia interna con el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach y el análisis factorial exploratorio. El alumnado estima muy necesaria la formación en Educación para la Salud infantil (87,8%), calificando como deficitaria la recibida en los planes de estudio oficiales. Las materias ofertadas se enfocan en su mayoría a la promoción de hábitos de vida saludables (61,5%) y al ámbito de la prevención (38,5%). En cambio, estiman de gran importancia una formación en primeros auxilios. Proponemos se implante con carácter obligatorio una completa y adecuada Educación para la Salud en la formación del profesorado.

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Resumen En España, la Educación para la Salud se encuentra integrada en el currículo de Educación Infantil, pero los docentes no llegan a desarrollarla de manera efectiva. Pretendemos constatar la opinión del alumnado del Grado de Educación Infantil de las universidades de Andalucía sobre su formación e importancia de esta materia. La investigación se ha realizado sobre una población de 2178 estudiantes, utilizando como instrumento principal el cuestionario. Para su validación medimos su consistencia interna con el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach y el análisis factorial exploratorio. El alumnado estima muy necesaria la formación en Educación para la Salud infantil (87,8%), calificando como deficitaria la recibida en los planes de estudio oficiales. Las materias ofertadas se enfocan en su mayoría a la promoción de hábitos de vida saludables (61,5%) y al ámbito de la prevención (38,5%). En cambio, estiman de gran importancia una formación en primeros auxilios. Proponemos se implante con carácter obligatorio una completa y adecuada Educación para la Salud en la formación del profesorado.

Abstract In Spain, Health Education is included in the Early Childhood Education curriculum, but teachers do not manage to develop it effectively. We intended to verify the opinion of the students of the Early Childhood Education Degree of the universities of Andalusia about their education and the relevance of this subject. The research was conducted on a population of 2,178 students, using the questionnaire as the main instrument. Its validation required measuring its internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient and exploratory factor analysis. The students consider essential Child Health Education training (87.8%), and affirmed that the one they received in the official curricula had been weak. The subjects offered are mostly focused on the promotion of healthy lifestyles (61.5%) and prevention (38.5%). On the other hand, they consider first aid training very important. We propose the implementation of a complete and appropriate Health Education in the training of teachers.

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Optogenetic switches permit accurate control of gene expression upon light stimulation. These synthetic switches have become a powerful tool for gene regulation, allowing modulation of customized phenotypes, overcoming the obstacles of chemical inducers, and replacing their use by an inexpensive resource: light. In this work, we implemented FUN-LOV, an optogenetic switch based on the photon-regulated interaction of WC-1 and VVD, two LOV (light-oxygen-voltage) blue-light photoreceptors from the fungus Neurospora crassa When tested in yeast, FUN-LOV yields light-controlled gene expression with exquisite temporal resolution and a broad dynamic range of over 1,300-fold, as measured by a luciferase reporter. We also tested the FUN-LOV switch for heterologous protein expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where Western blot analysis confirmed strong induction upon light stimulation, surpassing by 2.5 times the levels achieved with a classic GAL4/galactose chemical-inducible system. Additionally, we utilized FUN-LOV to control the ability of yeast cells to flocculate. Light-controlled expression of the flocculin-encoding gene FLO1, by the FUN-LOV switch, yielded flocculation in light (FIL), whereas the light-controlled expression of the corepressor TUP1 provided flocculation in darkness (FID). Altogether, the results reveal the potential of the FUN-LOV optogenetic switch to control two biotechnologically relevant phenotypes such as heterologous protein expression and flocculation, paving the road for the engineering of new yeast strains for industrial applications. Importantly, FUN-LOV's ability to accurately manipulate gene expression, with a high temporal dynamic range, can be exploited in the analysis of diverse biological processes in various organisms.IMPORTANCE Optogenetic switches are molecular devices which allow the control of different cellular processes by light, such as gene expression, providing a versatile alternative to chemical inducers. Here, we report a novel optogenetic switch (FUN-LOV) based on the LOV domain interaction of two blue-light photoreceptors (WC-1 and VVD) from the fungus N. crassa In yeast cells, FUN-LOV allowed tight regulation of gene expression, with low background in darkness and a highly dynamic and potent control by light. We used FUN-LOV to optogenetically manipulate, in yeast, two biotechnologically relevant phenotypes, heterologous protein expression and flocculation, resulting in strains with potential industrial applications. Importantly, FUN-LOV can be implemented in diverse biological platforms to orthogonally control a multitude of cellular processes.

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Glycerol is one of the most important by-products of alcohol fermentation, and depending on its concentration it can contribute to wine flavor intensity and aroma volatility. Here, we evaluated the potential of utilizing the natural genetic variation of non-coding regions in budding yeast to identify allelic variants that could modulate glycerol phenotype during wine fermentation. For this we utilized four Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (WE - Wine/European, SA - Sake, NA - North American, and WA - West African), which were previously profiled for genome-wide Allele Specific Expression (ASE) levels. The glycerol yields under Synthetic Wine Must (SWM) fermentations differed significantly between strains; WA produced the highest glycerol yields while SA produced the lowest yields. Subsequently, from our ASE database, we identified two candidate genes involved in alcoholic fermentation pathways, ADH3 and GPD1, exhibiting significant expression differences between strains. A reciprocal hemizygosity assay demonstrated that hemizygotes expressing GPD1WA , GPD1SA , ADH3WA and ADH3SA alleles had significantly greater glycerol yields compared to GPD1WE and ADH3WE . We further analyzed the gene expression profiles for each GPD1 variant under SWM, demonstrating that the expression of GPD1WE occurred earlier and was greater compared to the other alleles. This result indicates that the level, timing, and condition of expression differ between regulatory regions in the various genetic backgrounds. Furthermore, promoter allele swapping demonstrated that these allele expression patterns were transposable across genetic backgrounds; however, glycerol yields did not differ between wild type and modified strains, suggesting a strong trans effect on GPD1 gene expression. In this line, Gpd1 protein levels in parental strains, particularly Gpd1pWE, did not necessarily correlate with gene expression differences, but rather with glycerol yield where low Gpd1pWE levels were detected. This suggests that GPD1WE is influenced by recessive negative post-transcriptional regulation which is absent in the other genetic backgrounds. This dissection of regulatory mechanisms in GPD1 allelic variants demonstrates the potential to exploit natural alleles to improve glycerol production in wine fermentation and highlights the difficulties of trait improvement due to alternative trans-regulation and gene-gene interactions in the different genetic background.

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En Ecuador la incidencia de obesidad, diabetes y otras afecciones crónicas de salud, que se han asociado parcialmente con cambios en los hábitos alimentarios, está aumentando y muchas veces se acentúa en los centros urbanos más pequeños. El consumo omnipresente de arroz blanco es probablemente una práctica alimentaria presente en esta transición nutricional, mientras que el consumo de alimentos tradicionales saludables como la quinua permanece generalmente bajo. En nuestra encuesta realizada en 2013, el 67% de los 240 residentes encuestados en la pequeña ciudad andina de Riobamba informaron que preferirían comer "arroz de quinua" (quinua preparada como arroz) por lo menos dos veces por semana en lugar de arroz blanco. Con el objetivo de reintroducir el consumo regular de quinua en los hogares de esta población, a finales de 2015 se inició una intervención para promover el consumo de arroz de quinua 3 veces por semana, entre 131 adultos en Riobamba. Entre la línea de base y los datos obtenidos al final de la intervención cuatro meses más tarde, no hubo cambios significativos en el IMC observado. Sin embargo, a los 2, 4 y 7 meses post-basal, el 52%, 40% y 47% de los encuestados, respectivamente, informaron haber disfrutado del consumo de arroz de quinua en lugar de arroz blanco, afirmando que les gustaba "mucho" o "en general", y el 64%, 55% y 68% de los encuestados refirieron que "definitivamente" o "muy probablemente" continuarán consumiendo quinua en lugar de arroz, por lo menos a veces. Estos hallazgos sugieren una aceptación modesta de esta (re)introducción de un alimento tradicional y saludable, aunque otras investigaciones más amplias y extensas podrían evaluar con mayor precisión los posibles impactos en la salud de este tipo de cambio reportado en los hábitos alimentarios de la población.

Abstract: In Ecuador the incidence of obesity, diabetes and other chronic health conditions -- which are partly due to changes in dietary behavior -- has been increasing, often most dramatically in smaller urban centers. The ubiquitous consumption of white rice is likely one important factor in this nutritional transition, while the consumption of traditional healthy foods such as quinoa remains generally low. In a 2013 survey we conducted, 67% of the 240 residents surveyed in the small Andean city of Riobamba reported they would prefer eating quinoa "rice" at least twice weekly instead of white rice. With the objective of encouraging more normative household consumption of quinoa in this population, in late 2015 an intervention was begun to promote consumption of quinoa rice 3 times a week among 131 adults in Riobamba. Between the baseline and the termination of the intervention four months later, no significant change in BMI was observed. However, at 2, 4 and 7 months' post-baseline, 52%, 40% and 47% of respondents, respectively, reported enjoying consumption of quinoa rice instead of white rice either "very much" or "in general," and 64%, 55% and 68% of respondents "definitely" or "very likely" planned to continue doing so. Our findings suggest a modest acceptance of this (re)introduction of a traditional and healthy food, though further and more extensive research could assess with greater precision the potential health impacts of such reported changes in dietary habits. Reintroducción del consumo regular de Quinua en Riobamba, Ecuador: estudio piloto.

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Introducción: La sífilis congénita (CS) se mantiene como un importante problema de salud pública. aún no se consigue satisfacer la atención prenatal, a pesar del aumento de cobertura, las acciones implementadas muestran baja efectividad en su prevención. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) estima que, globalmente, la mayoría de las infecciones de sífilis materna no se tratan y tienen un título suficientemente elevado (RPR ≥ 1: 8) como para causar una exposición fetal significativa a T. pallidum. Métodos: Es un estudio epidemiológico observacional y retrospectivo sobre la prevalencia, en el que se revisaron datos del Instituto Nacional de Censos y Estadísticas (INEC). Los datos se obtuvieron de los informes anuales de nacimiento, Se utilizó el programa SPSS 17.0 y Excel. Resultados: Se encontraron 2.210 casos de sífilis congénita en los últimos 16 años, con un incremento importante en los años 2003 y 2013 con 192 y 193 casos respectivamente. Discusión: La prevalencia de CS en el Ecuador igual que el resto de América se incrementa posiblemente la falta de control médico el sub diagnóstico y sub registro son factores importantes que impiden el control adecuado y por el contrario aumenten sistemáticamente. Los primeros años de registro (2000 a 2003) muestran casos tan altos como el final de la línea de base (2012 a 2016) este hecho podría deberse a la falta de prevención. Los registros presentados en el año 2008 tienen un pico que debe analizarse teniendo en cuenta la forma de registro. La presencia de falso positivo podría cuestionarse debido a nuevas técnicas de diagnóstico Conclusión: Los esfuerzos por disminuir la incidencia de sífilis congénita no han sido suficientes y según los datos obtenidos no se lograron cumplir las metas propuestas por la OMS y asumidas por el País, El desconocimiento por parte de los médicos que llevan el control prenatal y quienes reciben recién nacidos en los hospitales existiendo un alarmante sub registro y en otros casos un tratamiento poco eficiente y a destiempo. Sigue siendo la Sífilis congénita un problema médico social fácil de tratar si se diagnostica y trata oportunamente.

Introduction: Congenital syphilis (CS) remains an important public health problem. The prenatal care is still not achieved, despite the increase in coverage, the actions implemented show low effectiveness in its prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, overall, the majority of maternal syphilis infections are not treated and have a sufficiently high titer (RPR ≥ 1: 8) to cause significant fetal exposure to T. pallidum. Methods: This is an observational and retrospective epidemiological study on prevalence, in which data from the National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC) were reviewed. The data was obtained from the annual birth reports. The SPSS 17.0 program and Excel were used. Results: We found 2,210 cases of congenital syphilis in the last 16 years, with a significant increase in the years 2003 and 2013 with 192 and 193 cases respectively. Discussion: The prevalence of CS in Ecuador, like the rest of the Americas, possibly increases the lack of medical control, the sub-diagnosis and sub-registration are important factors that prevent adequate control and, on the contrary, increase systematically. The first years of registration (2000 to 2003) show cases as high as the end of the baseline (2012 to 2016) this fact could be due to the lack of prevention. The records presented in 2008 have a peak that must be analyzed taking into account the registration form. The presence of false positive could be questioned due to new diagnostic techniques Conclusion: Efforts to reduce the incidence of congenital syphilis have not been sufficient and, according to the data obtained, the goals proposed by the WHO and assumed by the country were not achieved. The lack of knowledge on the part of the doctors who carry out prenatal care and they receive newborns in hospitals, there is an alarming sub-registry and in other cases an inefficient and untimely treatment. Congenital syphilis remains a social medical problem easy to treat if diagnosed and treated promptly

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AIM: To report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) study conducted in Quito, Ecuador. METHODS: A device-associated healthcare-acquired infection (DA-HAI) prospective surveillance study conducted from October 2013 to January 2015 in 2 adult intensive care units (ICUs) from 2 hospitals using the United States Centers for Disease Control/National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN) definitions and INICC methods. RESULTS: We followed 776 ICU patients for 4818 bed-days. The central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate was 6.5 per 1000 central line (CL)-days, the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rate was 44.3 per 1000 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days, and the catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rate was 5.7 per 1000 urinary catheter (UC)-days. CLABSI and CAUTI rates in our ICUs were similar to INICC rates [4.9 (CLABSI) and 5.3 (CAUTI)] and higher than NHSN rates [0.8 (CLABSI) and 1.3 (CAUTI)] - although device use ratios for CL and UC were higher than INICC and CDC/NSHN's ratios. By contrast, despite the VAP rate was higher than INICC (16.5) and NHSN's rates (1.1), MV DUR was lower in our ICUs. Resistance of A. baumannii to imipenem and meropenem was 75.0%, and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to ciprofloxacin and piperacillin-tazobactam was higher than 72.7%, all them higher than CDC/NHSN rates. Excess length of stay was 7.4 d for patients with CLABSI, 4.8 for patients with VAP and 9.2 for patients CAUTI. Excess crude mortality in ICUs was 30.9% for CLABSI, 14.5% for VAP and 17.6% for CAUTI. CONCLUSION: DA-HAI rates in our ICUs from Ecuador are higher than United States CDC/NSHN rates and similar to INICC international rates.