Central University of Ecuador

About: Central University of Ecuador is a education organization based out in Quito, Ecuador. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 2220 authors who have published 1910 publications receiving 15052 citations.

Locals get travellers' diarrhoea too: risk factors for diarrhoeal illness and pathogenic Escherichia coli infection across an urban-rural gradient in Ecuador.

Abstract: Objectives Diarrhoea is a common and well-studied cause of illness afflicting international travellers. However, traveller's diarrhoea can also result from travel between high and low disease transmission regions within a country, which is the focus of this study. Methods We recruited participants for a case-control study of diarrhoea at four sites along an urban-rural gradient in Northern Ecuador: Quito, Esmeraldas, Borbon and rural communities outside of Borbon. At each of these sites, approximately 100 subjects with diarrhoea (cases) were recruited from Ministry of Health clinics and were age-matched with subjects visiting the same clinics for other complaints (controls). Results Travellers to urban destinations had higher risk of diarrhoea and diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) infections. Travel to Quito was associated with diarrhoea (aOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.10-3.68) and travel to Guayaquil (another urban centre in Ecuador) was associated with Diffuse Adherent E. coli infection (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.01-4.33). Compared to those not travelling, urban origins were also associated with greater risk of diarrhoea in Esmeraldas (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.20-4.41), and with higher risk of diarrhoeagenic E. coli infections in Quito (aOR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.16-5.86), with >50% of travel from Quito and Esmeraldas specified to another urban destination. Conclusions This study suggests that individuals travelling from lower-transmission regions (rural areas) to higher transmission regions (urban centres) within a single country are at a greater risk of acquiring a diarrhoea-related illness. Investments to improve water, sanitation and hygiene conditions in urban areas could have impacts on outlying rural areas within a given country.

Commentary: Is vitamin A playing a hidden role in children's lung function?

Abstract: Evaluating for the first time the relationship between vitamin A status and respiratory lung function in children Kassaye et al. studied the vitamin A status and lung function in children aged 6-9 years in Wukro wereda Northern Ethiopia. Previous studies have shown a beneficial effect of short-term vitamin A supplementation on forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and/or forced vital capacity. Unadjusted analysis in the evaluation showed lower FEV1 values in vitamin A deficient children as assessed by Modified Relative Dose Response. Moreover adjusted analysis by age-gender-height reduced the difference in the FEV1 values between vitamin A deficient children and children with normal vitamin A reserves. When more variables were included in the adjusted analysis there was no difference in FEV1 values according to vitamin A reserve status though height and body mass index were directly associated with FEV1 values when vitamin A status and other personnel and health variables were controlled. The finding apparently diminishes the importance of vitamin A in explaining the lung function. However this is unreliable since the critical role vitamin A plays in growth and immunity must be emphasized as integrated in a complex process of reciprocal interactions with other crucial micronutrients.

Análisis cuantitativo y cualitativo del aprendizaje de Programación I en la Universidad Central del Ecuador

Abstract: La presente investigacion analizo, cuantitativa y cualitativamente los procesos de aprendizaje de Programacion I en la Universidad Central del Ecuador, con el fin de identificar las principales problematicas, y proponer metodos y herramientas que conduzcan a mejorar la motivacion y el compromiso de los estudiantes. Para dar respuesta a nuestro objetivo, se realizo un estudio estadistico del porcentaje de estudiantes que aprobaron y reprobaron Programacion I. Mediante encuestas electronicas anonimas, a docentes y estudiantes de Programacion I, se analizo cualitativamente la estrategia de aprendizaje. El analisis de resultados nos muestra que un alto porcentaje de estudiantes reprobo la materia, siendo el docente de la asignatura la variable que mas influye en el indice de aprobados en la misma. Ademas, se observa una relacion entre los estudiantes que aprobaron o reprobaron Programacion II, con el profesor que cursaron Programacion I. La metodologia, herramientas y principalmente el nivel de exigencia usados por los docentes, no fue estandar y la motivacion de los alumnos por el auto-aprendizaje fue muy baja. Como posible solucion a los problemas identificados y herramienta de apoyo en el proceso de aprendizaje de Programacion I, se propuso el uso de Gamificacion de tareas autonomas en un ambiente e-Learning para incentivar y mejorar de esta manera la motivacion del estudiante.

Conducting research on disaster mental health in developing countries: a proposed model

Abstract: The psychological consequences of disasters are known to be significant, but research efforts in developing countries have been sporadic. This paper reports a successful collaborative project conducted in Armero, Colombia, and in Ecuador. It outlines its origins, summarizes its findings, and identifies the essential ingredients that were responsible for its positive outcome. It is recommended that these guidelines be adhered to for the development of similar projects elsewhere, to ensure a significant impact on advancing the field, policy-making, delivering appropriate mental health care, and training of providers.

Gestión del riesgo organizacional de fraude y el rol de auditoría interna

Abstract: Vertiginous change in technology has led to global and full-scale business growth, which implicitly has caused organizations to face new contingencies, exogenous factors such as globalization or issue of international regulations and endogenous factors due to the increase in operations, have completely modified the classical organizational structure, resulting exposed to surprising levels of risk, including fraud. The frequent facts that come from corrupt practices impact not only the organizations where they are committed, but the society and in general the State where they execute their operations. The objective of the current research was based on the analysis of the internal audit role against the fraud risk management with a quantitative approach of the economic impact in the organizations and qualitative of the different international standards issued, as well as of diverse doctrinal studies made on this matter. Both the international standards and the legislation issued by the nations seek to increase the credibility of the information reported to the regulatory bodies, strengthen preventive mechanisms and encourage the organizations’ responsibility for fraud risk management. However, there are still pending issues for legislation, such as the imperative adoption of such international regulations and the mandatory implementation of an independent Internal Audit unit in all companies that contributes to generate value and strengthen transparency in them.