Efficiency Analysis of Healthcare Systems in Latin American and Caribbean Countries: An Application Based on Data Envelopment Analysis.

Objectives: Despite the increasing investments in Latin American healthcare, the corresponding improvement in population health is not proportional. This discrepancy may be attributed to the efficiency of resource utilization. This study used the data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology to assess the efficiency of healthcare systems in 23 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Floodplain forests drive fruit-eating fish diversity at the Amazon Basin-scale.

Unlike most rivers globally, nearly all lowland Amazonian rivers have unregulated flow, supporting seasonally flooded floodplain forests. Floodplain forests harbor a unique tree species assemblage adapted to flooding and specialized fauna, including fruit-eating fish that migrate seasonally into floodplains, favoring expansive floodplain areas. Frugivorous fish are forest-dependent fauna critical to forest regeneration via seed dispersal and support commercial and artisanal fisheries.

Rabies transmitted from vampires to cattle: An overview.

Rabies is a zoonotic infectious disease of global distribution that impacts human and animal health. In rural Latin America, rabies negatively impacts food security and the economy due to losses in livestock production. The common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, is the main reservoir and transmitter of rabies virus (RABV) to domestic animals in Latin America.

Towards a unified fold-cusp model for bond polarity scaling: electron rearrangements in the pyrolytic isomerization of cubane to cyclooctatetraene.

Context: This study meticulously examines the criteria for assigning electron rearrangements along the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) leading to bond formation and breaking processes during the pyrolytic isomerization of cubane (CUB) to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) from both thermochemical and bonding perspectives. Notably, no cusp-type function was detected in the initial thermal conversion step of CUB to bicyclo[4.2.

Safety and immunogenicity of a bivalent norovirus vaccine candidate in infants from 6 weeks to 5 months of age: A phase 2, randomized, double-blind trial.

As infants suffer significant morbidity and mortality due to norovirus-related acute gastroenteritis (AGE), we assessed four formulations of the bivalent virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate (HIL-214) in Panamanian and Colombian infants. 360 infants aged 6 weeks to 5 months were randomly allocated to 8 groups to receive three doses of HIL-214 or two doses of HIL-214 and one dose of placebo (Days 1, 56 and 112), where HIL-214 doses contained 15/15, 15/50, 50/50 or 50/150 μg of GI.1/GII.

Decompressive Craniectomy and Hinged Craniotomy for Traumatic Brain Injury: Experience in Two Centers in a Middle-Income Country.

Objective: The goal of a decompressive craniectomy (DC) or a hinge craniotomy (HC), is to treat intracranial hypertension and reduce mortality. Traditionally, the decompression procedure has been performed with cranial bone removal. However, decompression and repositioning the cranial bone, named HC, has been presented as an alternative for certain cases.

Novel Transfer Learning Approach for Detecting Infected and Healthy Maize Crop Using Leaf Images.

Maize is a staple crop worldwide, essential for food security, livestock feed, and industrial uses. Its health directly impacts agricultural productivity and economic stability. Effective detection of maize crop health is crucial for preventing disease spread and ensuring high yields.

Biochemical Control in a Colombian Cohort of Patients With Acromegaly: A 12-Month Follow-Up Study (2017-2023).

Background: Acromegaly, although rare, is associated with multiple manifestations and complications; its high morbidity and mortality makes it a challenge. Treatment involves surgery and pharmacological therapies, focusing on biochemical normalization. This study analyzes the biochemical control in Colombian patients with acromegaly, seeking to improve the understanding of the effects of treatments in the management of the disease.

The dynamic Colombian sign language dataset for basic conversation LSC70.

Sign language is a form of non-verbal communication used by people with hearing disability. This form of communication relies on the use of signs, gestures, facial expressions, and more. Considering that in Colombia, the population with hearing impairments is around half a million, a database of dynamic, alphanumeric signs and commonly used words was created to establish a basic conversation.

More π, please: What drives the formation of unsaturated molecules in the interstellar medium?

We present a computational investigation into the fragmentation pathways of ethanolamine (CHNO, EtA), propanol (CHO, PrO), butanenitrile (CHN, BuN), and glycolamide (CHNO, GlA)-saturated organic molecules detected in the interstellar medium (ISM), particularly in the molecular cloud complex Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) and its molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027.

River co-learning arenas: principles and practices for transdisciplinary knowledge co-creation and multi-scalar (inter)action.

This paper develops the methodological concept of river co-learning arenas (RCAs) and explores their potential to strengthen innovative grassroots river initiatives, enliven river commons, regenerate river ecologies, and foster greater socio-ecological justice. The integrity of river systems has been threatened in profound ways over the last century. Pollution, damming, canalisation, and water grabbing are some examples of pressures threatening the entwined lifeworlds of human and non-human communities that depend on riverine systems.

Shallow groove technique in sextant pattern femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) is a useful technology for anterior segment surgery that creates cleavage planes via photodisruption of ocular tissue. Compared to conventional cataract surgery, FLACS has been thought to potentially improve surgical precision, accuracy, and reproducibility. Its introduction into cataract surgery has enabled the development of new techniques and has been purported to be potentially beneficial in improving surgical safety and providing quicker visual rehabilitation.

Level of Satisfaction Among Patients Using Insulin Administered by Pen vs Vial/Syringe. An Observational Prospective Study.

Purpose: To determine the satisfaction of patients with diabetes mellitus who used subcutaneous insulin application devices in Colombia.

Patients And Methods: An observational prospective study of patients with diabetes mellitus receiving insulin treatment in Colombia. Sociodemographic, comorbidity and pharmacological data were taken from a drug dispensing database.

Postrema area syndrome in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus: Case report.

Introduction: The area postrema, located on the floor of the fourth ventricle, regulates vomiting, fluid balance, osmoregulation, and immunomodulation. First documented in 1896, it has been a subject of scientific interest ever since. Area postrema syndrome (APS) is characterised by intractable nausea, vomiting, or hiccups, typically associated with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

Dye sensitized solar cells: Meta-analysis of effect sensitizer-type on photovoltaic efficiency.

Since Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) was created, a versatile and cost-effective alternative among photovoltaic technology options for power generation and energy transition to combat climate change have emerged. The theoretical and experimental knowledge of DSSCs have increased in regard to their operation in the last three decades of development; it includes the device's components, as well as the most recent innovations in their application and forms of activation. In this work paper, we presented a meta-study of photovoltaic characterization parameters, 329 scientific reports of DSSCs were considered to compare three types of sensitizers (Organometallics, non-metal organic dyes and, natural dyes).

An integrated methodological framework for the validation and verification of clinical testing by qRT-PCR.

This paper outlines a practical method for validating quantitative-qualitative techniques used to detect genetic material through qRT-PCR, specifically focusing on SARS-CoV-2 testing and adhering to ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accreditation standards. Despite the prevalence of quantitative-qualitative screening in genetic testing, comprehensive validation guidelines remain a notable gap in the field. Such guidelines could be applied to other molecular testing areas that rely on these techniques, particularly those involving sample handling, automated extraction, and amplification processes, which can significantly impact results.

Prevalence and Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity Among Adults in Colombia: A Pooled Analysis.

Given the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults in Colombia, estimating the effect of sociodemographic factors on overweight and obesity is crucial for creating and implementing public health policies. A pooled analysis was performed using a multinomial logistic regression model through Colombian Nutritional Situation Surveys held in 2010 and 2015. The study included Colombian adults between 18 and 64 years old (n = 162,119).

Factors associated with clinical alterations in patients diagnosed with HIV.

Background: In recent years, the life expectancy of HIV patients has increased due to the introduction and development of antiretroviral therapies. However, although it has become a chronic pathology, the patients present a higher metabolic, hepatic, and renal risk and a greater aging than the general population.

Objective: To identify the main factors associated with clinical alterations in patients with HIV.

Review - Insect farming for food and feed in the Global South: Focus on black soldier fly production.

Clear differences exist between the Global South and the Global North with respect to economic development. The majority of small and medium-sized insect production farms are located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which face challenges to food production and organic waste management in general. These regions have a long history of insect use, as well as environmental advantages, making production of insects in general - and the black soldier fly in particular - a promising option for sustainable food production and organic waste management.

Experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in Latin America between 2016 and 2020.

Objective: To document the experience with ECMO therapy in healthcare institutions across Latin America between 2016 and 2020.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Private and public health institutions from 7 countries.

Endometriosis and risk of depression among oral contraceptive users: a pooled analysis of cohort studies from 13 countries.

Study Question: Does endometriosis affect the mental health of women using oral contraceptives?

Summary Answer: Among oral contraceptive users, women with endometriosis have a higher risk of depression compared to those without endometriosis, although the absolute risk increase is small.

What Is Known Already: Previous studies have suggested a potential link between endometriosis and mental health issues, but the impact of endometriosis on depression among oral contraceptive users remains unclear.

Study Design, Size, Duration: A secondary pooled cohort study utilizing data from two longitudinal patient-centric studies (INAS-VIPOS and PRO-E2) was conducted across 11 European countries, Colombia and Australia.

[Post-COVID-19 Functional status scale: Concordance between evaluator-administered versus self-assessed version in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome].

Introduction: Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 may present sequelae which are called Post COVID-19 Syndrome or Long COVID in which physical, psychological and/or social complications are evident. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement of the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale (PCFS) of the evaluator-administered version vs patient self-assessed in post-COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Observational study in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 with subsequent recovery.

Cost Analysis of Epilepsy Healthcare in Adults: A Direct Cost Estimate From a Colombian Perspective.

Objectives: To estimate the direct healthcare costs related to outpatient care and hospital stays for adults with epilepsy in the context of the Colombian healthcare system.

Methods: A cost analysis was conducted from a base case, which included direct medical costs related to diagnosis, follow-up, pharmacological and surgical treatment, and in-hospital care for status epilepticus. A Delphi panel was carried out to identify and quantify cost-generating events.