Phytoplankton light absorption properties were investigated at the surface and subsurface chlorophyll a maximum (SCM) layer in the East China Sea (ECS), a marginal sea which is strongly influenced by ...the Changjiang discharge in summer. Results from ECS were compared with those from the Tsushima Strait (TS) where the influence of Changjiang discharge is less. The probable controlling factors, packaging effect (cell size) and pigment composition of total chlorophyll a (Tchl a)-specific absorption coefficient (aph*(λ)) were examined by the corresponding measurements of pigments identified by high-performance liquid chromatography. We observed distinct phytoplankton size structure and thereby absorption properties between ECS and TS. At the surface, mixed populations of micro-, nano- and pico-phytoplankton were recorded in ECS while pico-phytoplankton dominated in TS, generating a lower average aph*(λ) in ECS than in TS. Within SCM, average aph*(λ) was higher in ECS than in TS because of the dominance of nano- and micro-phytoplankton in ECS and TS, respectively. By pooling surface and SCM samples, we found regular trends in phytoplankton size-fraction versus Tchl a; and correlations between aph*(λ) and Tchl a consistent with previous observations for the global ocean in TS but not in ECS. In ECS phytoplankton size-fraction was not correlated with Tchl a, which consequently caused poor relationships between aph*(λ) and Tchl a. The abnormal values mainly originated from the surface low-salinity waters and SCM waters beneath them. At high Tchl a, aph*(λ) of these samples was substantially higher compared to the values in TS and from the global regressions, which was attributable to the lower micro-phytoplankton fraction, and higher nano- and/or pico-phytoplankton fractions in ECS. These observations indicated that the distinct light absorption properties of phytoplankton in ECS were possibly influenced by the Changjiang discharge. Our findings imply that general bio-optical algorithms proposed based on the correlations between aph*(λ) and Tchl a or the patterns in size-fraction versus Tchl a are not applicable in ECS, and need to be carefully considered when using these general algorithms in river-influenced regions.
Urban thermography is a non‐invasive measurement technique commonly used for building diagnosis and energy efficiency evaluation. The physical interpretation of thermal images is a challenging task ...because they do not necessarily depict the real temperature of the surfaces, but one estimated from the measured incoming radiation. In this sense, the computational rendering of a thermal image can be useful to understand the results captured in a measurement campaign. The computer graphics community has proposed techniques for light rendering that are used for its thermal counterpart. In this work, a physically based simulation methodology based on a combination of the finite element method (FEM) and ray tracing is presented. The proposed methods were tested using a highly detailed urban geometry. Directional emissivity models, glossy reflectivity functions and importance sampling were used to render thermal images. The simulation results were compared with a set of measured thermograms, showing good agreement between them.
Urban thermography is a non‐invasive measurement technique commonly used for building diagnosis and energy efficiency evaluation. The physical interpretation of thermal images is a challenging task because they do not necessarily depict the real temperature of the surfaces, but one estimated from the measured incoming radiation. In this sense, the computational rendering of a thermal image can be useful to understand the results captured in a measurement campaign. The computer graphics community has proposed techniques for light rendering that are used for its thermal counterpart. In this work, a physically based simulation methodology based on a combination of the finite element method (FEM) and ray tracing is presented. The proposed methods were tested using a highly detailed urban geometry. Directional emissivity models, glossy reflectivity functions and importance sampling were used to render thermal images. The simulation results were compared with a set of measured thermograms, showing good agreement between them.
Ecuador es un país que cuenta con gran número de grupos indígenas, entre ellos la nacionalidad Shuar, un grupo conservado por factores geográficos, lingüísticos y culturales. El objetivo de este ...trabajo fue establecer el origen genético de la población Shuar. Se analizaron 46 AIM-InDels, 17 Y-STR de hombres, y se secuenciaron las regiones HV1 y HV2 del ADN mitocondrial de 55 individuos no emparentados por apellidos y árbol genealógico, después de la firma del consentimiento informado, pertenecientes a las comunidades Shuar de Kumbatza y Yukateis de la parroquia Huambi, Cantón Sucúa de la provincia de Morona Santiago. Los resultados de microsatélites autosómicos mostraron un desvío al equilibrio Hardy-Weimberg debido a la endogamia; en el estudio del ADN del cromosoma Y se encontró el haplogrupo Q original de América y en el análisis del ADN mitocondrial se determinó el haplogrupo B que corresponde a población nativoamericana. Los marcadores de ancestría determinaron que la etnia Shuar tiene un componente nativoamericano del 98,7%, y la presencia de los haplogrupos fundadores de los nativoamericanos evidencia que ha sido una población conservada sin mezclas con los grupos europeos y afrodescendientes del Ecuador.
Los casos con cromosomas en anillo constitucionales se enmarcan dentro de las enfermedades raras. En el Registro Nacional de Alteraciones y Variantes Cromosómicas Humanas del Ecuador, desde 1990 a la ...fecha, con aproximadamente 29.000 cariotipos, 21% presenta alteraciones, de las cuales, los cromosomas en anillo representan el 0,25%. Los cromosomas en anillo registrados corresponden a los siguientes cromosomas: 4 (20%), 6 (6,7%), 9 (6,7%), 10 (6,7%), 13 (6,7%), 15 (13,3%) y sin determinar (40%). Todos los casos fueron identificados por citogenética convencional. A continuación se presentan seis de los 15 casos en los cuales se han aplicado otros estudios como FISH, MLPA, arrays de mapeo genético o secuenciación NGS; se describieron los mecanismos de formación del anillo, que incluyen pérdida de telómeros e inversión-duplicación-deleción en uno de los casos, se ha realizado el seguimiento de los pacientes y se estableció la correlación genotipofenotipo; además, se compararon con otros casos de cada tipo de anillo informados en la literatura mundial en que se comparan las características clínicas, puntos de rotura y extensión de material genético involucrado en pérdidas y ganancias. La experiencia con estos casos evidencia que el fenotipo de los pacientes es producto de la cantidad de material genético perdido y no del dinamismo del anillo.
La crisis económica de Ecuador de 1999, ocasionó la migración al exterior de tres millones de ciudadanos. Ese éxodo masivo ha sido el mayor en la historia de este país latinoamericano. El presente ...artículo indaga en las consecuencias de la migración vistas desde el arte cinematográfico. Analiza dos películas de directores ecuatorianos: la ficción Prometeo deportado de Fernando Mieles, realizada en 2010 y que cuenta la historia de un grupo de ecuatorianos encerrados en una sala de un aeropuerto europeo, en espera de ser deportados, y el documental El grill de César de Darío Aguirre, producido en 2013, que narra el retorno al país del hijo migrante y el reencuentro con su padre. Más allá de los estudios y de las cifras que se pueden citar en torno al problema social más significativo para el Ecuador en la década inicial del Siglo XXI, es a través del arte, y en este caso específico del cine, como se puede “sentir” lo que ha representado para este país el drama de la migración.
En diálogo con los planteamientos de Héctor Abad Gómez, en este texto se interroga el papel de la educación superior de nuestro tiempo, aportando elementos para trascender de una salud pública ...domesticada y funcionalista. Aquí se aboga por una universidad como espacio de autoconciencia social, en el que sea posible un pensamiento intercultural, construido en estrecho vínculo con las comunidades, y que sea capaz de una crítica radical de la voraz sociedad de mercado. Se llama la atención sobre la determinación social de la ciencia y el momento crítico que atraviesa la salud pública en el presente, subordinada al modelo fármaco-biomédico y al pensamiento sucursalista predominante. Trascender la salud pública hegemónica y construir una universidad descolonizada obliga a repensar la manera de construir el objeto “salud” y las formas de pensarlo; implica el desarrollo de un pensamiento crítico radical de la mercantilización de la vida, y la recuperación de los saberes y sabidurías propias. Es el desafío de la salud colectiva latinoamericana del siglo XXI.
En objetivo de este artículo, es construir una visión actual de la realidad investigativa frente a los principales actores de la investigación científica con seres humanos en el Ecuador y su ética en ...el desarrollo de ciencia. Analiza la situación actual de la normativa legal y reglamentaria que intervienen en el desarrollo científico y la necesidad de conseguir que la investigación constituya una actividad de impulso y formación en las universidades e instituciones. Se plantea que la investigación nacional está aquejada de trabas, nuevas y más sofisticadas, regulaciones, controles internos inadecuados y punitivos, desconocimiento del derecho intrínseco y autónomo de instituciones e investigadores, lo que lleva a que la producción en ciencia sea muy escaza.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) infection is one of the principal causes of amphibian declines worldwide. The presence of Bd has been determined in Gastrotheca riobambae tadpoles that inhabit ...ponds in Quito's Metropolitan Guangüiltagua Park, Ecuador. This study sought to determine whether these tadpoles are infected and to determine the presence of chytridiomycosis in another frog species, Pristimantis unistrigatus, which also inhabits the park and has different reproductive biology and distinct behavioral habits. We used end-point and real-time PCR techniques to detect and quantify Bd infection. At 1 yr, samples were taken from the skin of P. unistrigatus using swabs and were also taken from the mouthparts of G. riobambae tadpoles. It was found that the two species were infected with a Bd prevalence of 39% (53/135) in G. riobambae tadpoles and 15% (57/382) in P. unistrigatus frogs. The two types of samples (tissue and swabs) from mouthparts showed differences in the zoospores per microliter loads (x̄=1,376.7±3,450.2 vs. x̄=285.0±652.3). Moreover, a correlation (r2=0.621) was discovered between the monthly mean maximum temperature of the pond with disease prevalence in G. riobambae tadpoles. Infection levels in the P. unistrigatus population varied significantly over time, and distance to the pond was a determinant factor for infection intensity.
This study tests a framework that examines the role of several mental health factors (mood, wellbeing, health consciousness, and hoarding) on individuals' overconsumption behavior under the novel ...coronavirus context. This examination is relevant to public health literature because it increases our knowledge on how the context of COVID-19 pandemic affects people's mental health and provides answers to why individuals engage in overconsumption behavior. Additionally, this research also follows a cross-cultural perspective aiming to understand how individuals from different cultural orientations cope with the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a cross-sectional study that compares samples from two countries: Ecuador (
= 334) and USA (
= 321). Data was collected via an online survey. The timing of data collection was set during the mandatory lockdowns and social distance measures taken by both countries to fight against the COVID-19 virus breakout. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the theorized framework. Multi-group analysis was used to explore cultural orientation differences among the relationships included in the model.
The results indicate that individuals' mood state has a positive relationship with health consciousness, as people try to regulate their health concerns by maintaining positive perceptions of their subjective wellbeing. Further, the increased concern individuals express in their health is responsible for them to engage in overconsumption behavior. Cultural orientation (individualism vs. collectivism) moderates the relationship between mood and health consciousness. No moderation effect was found for the relationship between health consciousness and overconsumption.
The COVID-19 pandemic has generated negative effects in individuals' mental health. Findings from this study suggest that maintaining a positive mood is important for individuals at the time of mandatory lockdowns, and this effort is related to a greater concern and awareness of their health. Further, health consciousness is responsible to stimulate overconsumption behavior. This chain of effects can be explained by individuals' interest in their wellbeing. Culture plays a role in these effects. People from individualistic countries (USA) compared to people from collectivistic countries (Ecuador) demonstrate greater motivation in maintaining their positive mood by showing greater health consciousness.
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