RSS 1.0Artículos científicos
Producción científica referida principalmente a los artículos cientificos indexadas en bases de datos internacionales con afiliación UPC.
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Área de Ciencias [3]
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Carrion’s Disease: More Than a Sand Fly–Vectored Illness(Public Library of Science, 2016-10-01)No presenta resumen.Acceso abierto
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Older adults with disability in extreme poverty in Peru: How is their access to health care?(Public Library of Science, 2018-12-01)Background Disability rates increase with age. In 2012, Peruvian older adults ( 65 years) represented 9% of the population. Additionally, older population reported disabilities at about 5 times the rate of Peruvians between 36 and 64 years old, and 30% of older population lived in poverty. Peruvian seniors living in extreme poverty experience disabilities and the extent of their access to healthcare is unknown. Objective This study assesses associations between disability and access to healthcare among Peruvians older individuals living in extreme poverty. Methods Secondary analysis of a national representative population based survey that utilizes information from Peru’s 2012 survey Health and Wellbeing in Older Adults (ESBAM), which includes older adults living in extreme poverty. We define disability in terms of the Activities of Daily Living (ADL disability) framework. Healthcare access was assessed as having any of Peru’s available health insurance schemes combined with preventive health services (vision assessment, influenza vaccination, blood pressure assessment, diabetes screening, and cholesterol assessment). Poisson robust regression models were used to evaluate the associations among relevant variables. Prevalence Ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were reported. Results Data from 3869 individuals (65 to 80 years old), of whom 1760 (45.5%) were females, were analyzed. The prevalence of ADL disability was 17.3% (95%CI: 16.0%-18.4%). In addition, more than 60% had never received any of the preventive measures evaluated, except for the blood pressure assessment. In the adjusted model, people with ADL disability had 63% less probability of having extensive insurance, compared to those without disability (p<0.05). Conclusions This study shows that this Peruvian older population living in extreme poverty has limited access to healthcare services. Although there was no consistent association between ADL disability and the healthcare access, there is an urgent need to reduce the inequitable access to healthcare of this poor Peruvian older population.Acceso abierto
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DNA aptamers for the recognition of HMGB1 from Plasmodium falciparum(Public Library of Science, 2019-04-01)Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) for malaria are restricted to a few biomarkers and antibody-mediated detection. However, the expression of commonly used biomarkers varies geographically and the sensibility of immunodetection can be affected by batch-to-batch differences or limited thermal stability. In this study we aimed to overcome these limitations by identifying a potential biomarker and by developing molecular sensors based on aptamer technology. Using gene expression databases, ribosome profiling analysis, and structural modeling, we find that the High Mobility Group Box 1 protein (HMGB1) of Plasmodium falciparum is highly expressed, structurally stable, and present along all blood-stages of P. falciparum infection. To develop biosensors, we used in vitro evolution techniques to produce DNA aptamers for the recombinantly expressed HMG-box, the conserved domain of HMGB1. An evolutionary approach for evaluating the dynamics of aptamer populations suggested three predominant aptamer motifs. Representatives of the aptamer families were tested for binding parameters to the HMG-box domain using microscale thermophoresis and rapid kinetics. Dissociation constants of the aptamers varied over two orders of magnitude between nano- and micromolar ranges while the aptamer-HMG-box interaction occurred in a few seconds. The specificity of aptamer binding to the HMG-box of P. falciparum compared to its human homolog depended on pH conditions. Altogether, our study proposes HMGB1 as a candidate biomarker and a set of sensing aptamers that can be further developed into rapid diagnostic tests for P. falciparum detection.Acceso abierto
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Efficacy and harms of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis(Public Library of Science, 2020-12-01)Background Efficacy and safety of treatments for hospitalized COVID-19 are uncertain. We systematically reviewed efficacy and safety of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods Studies evaluating remdesivir in adults with hospitalized COVID-19 were searched in several engines until August 21, 2020. Primary outcomes included all-cause mortality, clinical improvement or recovery, need for invasive ventilation, and serious adverse events (SAEs). Inverse variance random effects meta-analyses were performed. Results We included four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 2296) [two vs. placebo (n = 1299) and two comparing 5-day vs. 10-day regimens (n = 997)], and two case series (n = 88). Studies used intravenous remdesivir 200mg the first day and 100mg for four or nine more days. One RCT (n = 236) was stopped early due to AEs; the other three RCTs reported outcomes between 11 and 15 days. Time to recovery was decreased by 4 days with remdesivir vs. placebo in one RCT (n = 1063), and by 0.8 days with 5-days vs. 10-days of therapy in another RCT (n = 397). Clinical improvement was better for 5-days regimen vs. standard of care in one RCT (n = 600). Remdesivir did not decrease all-cause mortality (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.28, I2 = 43%) and need for invasive ventilation (RR 0.57, 95%CI 0.23 to 1.42, I2 = 60%) vs. placebo at 14 days but had fewer SAEs; 5-day decreased need for invasive ventilation and SAEs vs. 10-day in one RCT (n = 397). No differences in all-cause mortality or SAEs were seen among 5-day, 10-day and standard of care. There were some concerns of bias to high risk of bias in RCTs. Heterogeneity between studies could be due to different severities of disease, days of therapy before outcome determination, and how ordinal data was analyzed. Conclusions There is paucity of adequately powered and fully reported RCTs evaluating effects of remdesivir in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Until stronger evidence emerges, we cannot conclude that remdesivir is efficacious for treating COVID-19.Acceso abierto
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Spanish version of the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale: evidence of validity and factorial invariance in Peru(Springer, 2020-01-01)The Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (SCBCS) is a brief measure of compassion, created in English and translated into Brazilian Portuguese. Nonetheless, to date, no study has assessed the psychometric evidence of its Spanish translation. This study examines the evidence of validity, reliability, and factorial invariance according to the gender of a Spanish version of the SCBCS. Participants included 273 Peruvian university students (50.9% women) with an average age of 21.23 years (SD = 3.24); divided into two groups of men and women to conduct the invariance factor analysis. Other measures of mindfulness, well-being, empathy, and anxiety were applied along with the SCBCS. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated that a unifactorial model adjusted significantly to the data (χ2 = 12,127, df = 5, p =.033, χ2 /df = 2.42, CFI =.998, RMSEA =.072 [CI90%.019,.125]; SRMR =.030, WRMR =.551) and presented good reliability (α =.90 [95%.88–.92]; ω =.91). Moreover, correlations between the SCBCS and other measures of mindfulness (r =.53, p <.05, cognitive empathy (r = 55; p <.05), affective empathy (r =.56, p <.05), well-being (r =.55, p <.05), and anxiety (r = −.46; p <.05) supported the convergent and discriminant validity. Likewise, the multiple-group CFA supported the factorial invariance according to the gender of the SCBCS. Results indicate that the SCBCS possesses evidence of validity, reliability, and invariance between men and women for measuring compassion toward others in Peruvian undergraduate students. SCBCS is expected to be used by researchers, healthcare professionals, teachers, and others as a useful measure of compassion in college students.Acceso restringido temporalmente
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Personalized Cognitive Counseling Reduces Drinking Expectancy Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in Lima, Peru: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial(Springer, 2020-11-01)Personalized cognitive counseling (PCC) is an evidence-based intervention designed to modify HIV-related risk behavior. We assessed the impact of PCC on sexual behavior, drinking expectancy, and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in a 6-month randomized controlled trial among 153 HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Peru. Study retention was ≥ 90%, with three HIV infections (3 Control) and 19 cases of GC/CT (10 Control, 9 PCC) at 6 months. There was a decline in condomless receptive anal intercourse in the Control (0.74, 95% CI 0.60-0.91; p < 0.01) and PCC arms (0.72, 0.55-0.94; p = 0.02) at 6-month follow-up. There was a decrease in drinking expectancy at 6 months among participants endorsing alcohol use in the PCC arm (0.89, 0.83-0.96; p < 0.01), versus no change in the Control arm (0.98, 0.92-1.04; p = 0.54). PCC was efficacious in reducing drinking expectancy and HIV risk among MSM and TW in Peru.Acceso restringido temporalmente
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Polygenic prediction and GWAS of depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation/self-harm in a Peruvian cohort(Springer Nature, 2020-09-01)Genome-wide approaches including polygenic risk scores (PRSs) are now widely used in medical research; however, few studies have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in South America. This study was designed to test the transferability of psychiatric PRSs to individuals with different ancestral and cultural backgrounds and to provide genome-wide association study (GWAS) results for psychiatric outcomes in this sample. The PrOMIS cohort (N = 3308) was recruited from prenatal care clinics at the Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal (INMP) in Lima, Peru. Three major psychiatric outcomes (depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation and/or self-harm) were scored by interviewers using valid Spanish questionnaires. Illumina Multi-Ethnic Global chip was used for genotyping. Standard procedures for PRSs and GWAS were used along with extra steps to rule out confounding due to ancestry. Depression PRSs significantly predicted depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation/self-harm and explained up to 0.6% of phenotypic variation (minimum p = 3.9 × 10−6). The associations were robust to sensitivity analyses using more homogeneous subgroups of participants and alternative choices of principal components. Successful polygenic prediction of three psychiatric phenotypes in this Peruvian cohort suggests that genetic influences on depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation/self-harm are at least partially shared across global populations. These PRS and GWAS results from this large Peruvian cohort advance genetic research (and the potential for improved treatments) for diverse global populations.Acceso restringido temporalmente
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Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma: Prognostic factors for the recurrence and metastasis and clinicopathological characteristics at an oncological hospital in Peru(BMJ Publishing Group, 2020-07-01)Background/aims Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the most frequent malignant tumour of the conjunctiva, with scarce recurrence and infrequent metastasis. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical and pathological characteristics of this neoplasm and to identify the prognostic factors for recurrence and metastasis in a cancer hospital in Peru. Materials and method A longitudinal, retrospective study of 176 consecutive patients diagnosed with SCC of the conjunctiva. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated. In addition, Kaplan-Meier curves were performed, and Cox regression was used to determine prognostic factors for recurrence and metastasis over time. Result Only 12.5% presented tumour size ≤5 mm. The highest proportion according to the histopathological type was the well-differentiated infiltrative forms (40.9%), and according to tumour, node, metastases (TNM), stage T3 was the most frequent (31.3%). The most performed initial treatment was orbital exenteration (38.6%). The proportion of recurrence was 6.8% and 8.0% for metastasis. The annual survival rate was 7% and the annual metastasis rate was 6%; for recurrence after 5 years, the survival rate was 11% and the metastasis rate was 14%. No prognostic factor evaluated was significant. Conclusion This is the most extensive patient study in Latin America with CSCC, with a high proportion of advanced histopathological grade, TNM stages, and radical treatments such as exenteration. Recurrence rates on average are similar to other reported studies, and it describes the rates of metastasis that have been poorly described in the literature.Acceso restringido temporalmente
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Altitude and excess mortality during COVID-19 pandemic in Peru(Elsevier B.V., 2020-10-01)We have read with interest the short communication published by Segovia-Juarez et al., 2020 in Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology establishing that high altitude reduces the infection rate of COVID-19 but not the case fatality rate in the Peruvian setting. We support this hypothesis, however there could be an important number of under registered deaths on account of a low rate of diagnostic tests performed per inhabitant and mostly in symptomatic patients (Pasquariello and Stranges, 2020).Acceso abierto
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Anxiety, distress, and turnover intention of healthcare workers in Peru by their distance to the epicenter during the COVID-19 crisis(American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2020-10-01)We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the anxiety, distress, and turnover intention (likelihood to leave their current job) of healthcare workers in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results reported that 21.7% healthcare workers in Peru experienced severe anxiety, whereas 26.1% of them experienced severe mental distress. A higher level of education related with a lower level of anxiety. Younger workers had a higher level of turnover intention than their older colleagues did. Healthcare workers in the private sector had a higher turnover intention than those in the public sector. Most importantly, people who were geographically far from Lima, the epicenter in Peru, during the outbreak experienced less anxiety and mental distress, corroborating the ripple effect and disconfirming the typhoon eye theory. However, the direction of these relationships can change depending on the type of institutions (public versus private) and the type of employees' contract (full time versus part time). Our research helps provide insights for clinical professionals in identifying the vulnerable groups to mental disorders in Peru. This is the first study to assess anxiety, mental distress, and turnover intention in healthcare workers in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic. CopyrightAcceso abierto
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First report of a primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the bladder in a newborn(Elsevier Inc., 2021-01-01)Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is part of the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors. The present case reports a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of rare location in the bladder in a newborn. It was evaluated with prenatal ultrasound and postnatal tomography that revealed a mass in the posterior wall of the bladder. The patient underwent partial cystectomy with subsequent analysis of the surgical piece removed, the histopathological study indicated a tumor of mesenchymal origin, and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the diagnosis of PNET of the bladder. Satisfactory result and short-term follow-up.Acceso abierto
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Up to 206 Million People Reached and Over 5.4 Million Trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Worldwide: The 2019 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation World Restart a Heart Initiative(NLM (Medline), 2020-08-04)Sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is the third leading cause of death in industrialized nations. Many of these lives could be saved if bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation rates were better. "All citizens of the world can save a life-CHECK-CALL-COMPRESS." With these words, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation launched the 2019 global "World Restart a Heart" initiative to increase public awareness and improve the rates of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and overall survival for millions of victims of cardiac arrest globally. All participating organizations were asked to train and to report the numbers of people trained and reached. Overall, social media impact and awareness reached up to 206 million people, and >5.4 million people were trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation worldwide in 2019. Tool kits and information packs were circulated to 194 countries worldwide. Our simple and unified global message, "CHECK-CALL-COMPRESS," will save hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide and will further enable many policy makers around the world to take immediate and sustainable action in this most important healthcare issue and initiative.Acceso abierto
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Linguistic activism in the translation from Spanish to Quechua: An analysis of the Letras TV Willakun(Editorial de la Facultad de Filosofia y Letras - Universidad de Buenos Aires, 2021-01-12)As of the publication of the Law on Indigenous Languages (Law 29735), the use of native languages in any public and private space has become more relevant in Peru. The proof of this are television projects that include languages other than Spanish; even the creators of this content demonstrate a position in favor of the diffusion of the native languages and their culture. The objective of this article is to analyze the translation work performed by the interpreters of the micronoticist Letras TV Willakun to evaluate it as a case of language activism in favor of theQuechua language and culture. The work concludes that, after interviewing the interpreters and part of the program’s audience, this is a case of important developing activism in the university environment, despite its difficulties in the translation process.Acceso abierto
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Common behaviors related to corruption in Lima university students(Associação Ibérica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informação, 2020-12)Corruption is one of the main problems in Peru, along with crime and citizen insecurity, violence against women, drug use, poverty and unemployment. The latter has increased in recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the study was to determine common behaviors associated with corruption among university students from Lima, Peru. Among the common behaviors identified, it was found that students, at least once, had bought pirated products (94.4%), offered false excuses to their parents to justify where they were (88.5%), and cheated on exams (74.4%). These behaviors were observed in both men and women. The results show that these behaviors are the result of a broader educational problem that has permeated the morals and ethics of society.Acceso abierto
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Lean Thinking Simulation Model to Improve the Service Performance in Fast Food(2021-01-01)The fast food industry, specifically the service department, has experienced sustainable economic growth and has evolved in the application of substantial methods, however, it has presented a slowdown due to deficient operation level provided in the customer service area. A large number of customers do not make the purchase owing to a series of unmet trends that face the consumer behaviour which leads to significant economic losses and inefficient service. They have therefore focused their efforts on finding impulse mechanisms through allowing them to migrate to less costly processes and/or to achieve better utilisation of available resources without success. This research inquires into the effectiveness of the Lean Thinking Simulation (LTS) model, which consists in the development of a set of methodological phases and the adaptation of the technological support termed as Digital Change to improve the performance of customer service in Peruvian fast food. The main result of this practical study was defined by a Dashboard in real-time, and as a first approximation of the model, a 17.03% improvement can be shown in the performance of customer service on the fast food selected.
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A Mechanical Development of a Dry Cell to Obtain HHO from Water Electrolysis(2021-01-01)This article proposes a mechanical development of a dry cell in order to obtain HHO through water electrolysis. Calculations and technical specifications of the materials used for implementation are supported by mathematical, physical and chemical formulas and theories (Faraday´s Law, electrolysis process and mechanical design). The importance of mechanical design is focused on achieving efficient use of the energy provided to the cell that allows the H2 and O2 molecules to be separated without overheating the cell, evaporating the water, loss of current due to the geometry of the electrodes (Foucault Current). Moreover, choosing materials for proper implementation and physical robustness is mandatory. In addition, the mechanical design is not justified in different articles. Nevertheless, the mechanical design of the cell and the efficiency in the production of HHO are related. Therefore, the mechanical design and the calculations were performed, as well as the construction of the dry cell to obtain HHO. The results of the implementation and production were placed and compared with what theoretically the dry cell should produce from the law of Faraday. Finally, the volumetric flow of HHO obtained was 2.70 L per minute. It means a production efficiency of 98.68%. It is higher than the majority of the dry cells.Acceso abierto
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A Geometric Design of Traffic-Light Roads Crossing Using the Continuous Flow Intersections Methodology to Reduce Points of Primary Conflicts Caused by Left Turns(2021-01-01)The continuous flow intersections (CFI) increase the operational capacity of road systems with congestion problems, by using shared lanes located at the access points before the intersection. However, the CFI presents road safety risks that increase the likelihood of vehicle collision. This article proposes a geometric design composed of raised delineators at a traffic-light intersection, whose objective is to eliminate the points of primary conflicts caused by the left turns of the vehicles. To do this, a study was conducted to identify the different maneuvers present in a wide cross-type intersection in a commercial area located in the city of Lima. A total of 3219 vehicles was collected, of which 561 vehicles turned left demonstrating the high density of this type of maneuver. The effectiveness of the proposed design is validated using a microsimulation in the Vissim program. The results show that it was reduced from 58 to 8 points of conflict, increasing operational capacity by 34.97%. Finally, the risks caused by CFI decreased by 83%.
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Supply chain cost research: a bibliometric mapping perspective(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., 2020-01-01)Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on logistics and supply chain costs to provide an analysis of sources of publication, citations and authorship using bibliometric analysis techniques (VOSviewer and CitNetExplorer tools). Design/methodology/approach: A review of 756 articles published during the period 2014 to 2019 referenced in the Scopus database was performed. The review was limited to articles published in English and directly related to logistics and supply chain costs. Findings: The research identified more than 2,000 authors representing more than 5,000 keywords and 10,000 references from a total of 155 journals investigated. A critical synthesis of the resulting data revealed several insights about various aspects of studies in this field. For instance, the review identified a scarcity of academic publications in three key areas, namely “supply chain,” “optimization” and “transportation”, which are concepts focused on the total supply chain. Originality/value: This research highlights important areas of attention for both researchers and practitioners considering costs associated with logistics and supply chain operations and strategies. The results can also help identify thematic areas, journals and topics for future research. The paper identifies and proposes research areas to contribute to the literature when challenges to investigating logistics and supply chain costs are discussed.Acceso restringido temporalmente
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The value of supply chain integration in the Latin American agri-food industry: trust, commitment and performance outcomes(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., 2020-01-01)Purpose: This paper aims to explore the antecedents and performance outcomes of supply chain integration in the agri-food industry in Latin America, a context that the literature on supply chain management has not extensively addressed. The quinoa supply chain, an industry that has encountered a boost in market demand in the past year, is selected as the unit of analysis. Supply chain integration dynamics are analyzed to provide recommendations about integration strategies and benefits in the agricultural sector. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual model was designed in this study, which includes the drivers (i.e. trust and commitment) and outcomes (i.e. operational and economic performance) of supply chain integration. The relationships were verified through a unique survey, the data of which were collected from 79 respondents operating at different levels of the Peruvian quinoa supply chain (i.e. suppliers, producers and customers). The proposed hypotheses were tested through the partial least squares (PLS) regression. Findings: The results underscore the relevance of trust and commitment as enablers of supply chain integration initiatives in the agri-food industry. These factors are particularly essential for involving the farmers who are the most upstream actors in the supply chain and characterized by unstructured organizations. A high level of integration in these types of supply chain enhances the capacity to improve operational performance, which in turns positively affects the main economic indicators. Originality/value: This study contributes to the discussion of supply chain integration in the agri-food industry, which remains unexplored thus far. It relies on a multitier collection of responses, which is extended to all the levels of the quinoa supply chain, thereby providing the study with a unique depth of analysis. Furthermore, this work contributes to the ongoing discourse on the performance impact of supply chain integration, which several SCM scholars have recently questioned.Acceso restringido temporalmente
