Universidad de Las Américas

Dynamic Learning by Importing: New Insights Using the Local Projections Approach and Matching Techniques

ABSTRACT We study the dynamic effect of learning by importing on the productivity of Ecuadorian manufacturing firms that start to import intermediate inputs. To this end, we apply the local projections methodology to firm‐level data combined with matching techniques. Our results...

Proposal and validation of a transferable high-resolution monitoring framework with hotspot analysis for adaptive urban spatial planning in the Global South.

Adaptive spatial planning requires robust spatiotemporal monitoring of urban land use and land cover change, yet no consensus exists on appropriate spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions for cities in the Global South. This study addresses this gap by developing and validati...

Association between muscle quality index and time to stand up from the prone position in community-dwelling older adults

Both muscle strength and muscle quality are essential factors for preserving autonomy and functionality in older adults (OA). However, the relationship between muscle quality index (MQI) and the time to stand up from the prone position (SPP) in this population is unknown. The pri...

Long-Term Aesthetic Performance of Freehand Direct Anterior Composite Resin Restorations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Colour Alteration, Marginal Discolouration, and Surface-Quality Deterioration

Background: Freehand direct composite resin veneers offer a minimally invasive approach for managing aesthetic alterations in anterior teeth; however, their long-term colour alteration and surface performance remain uncertain. This systematic review evaluated colour alteration, m...

Method Sensitivity in Façade-Based Traffic Noise Exposure and Health-Burden Assessment in Quito

Strategic noise maps represent a valuable tool for the characterisation of urban soundscapes, but their transformation into indicators related to the exposed population and health effects remains a matter of methodology, particularly in the absence of dwelling-level information....

Landmark-defined two-dimensional lung configuration in women with osteogenesis imperfecta type III: an exploratory geometric morphometric pilot study

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type III is a rare disorder in which severe thoracic deformity may alter pulmonary anatomy. This exploratory pilot study assessed whether the relative two-dimensional configuration of four reproducible pulmonary landmarks differs between adult women w...

Horizontal mitochondrial transfer and mitochondrial transplantation in skin: protection against UVR-induced ROS damage and enhancement of cell proliferation and wound healing

Skin homeostasis, protection against ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and wound repair depend on coordinated interactions among melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. Horizontal mitochondrial transfer (HMT) is a naturally occurring form of intercellular communication in which m...

Thyrotoxic Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis in Colombia: From a Single Case to a Review of the National Experience

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a reversible but potentially severe complication of thyrotoxicosis characterized by acute muscle weakness and hypokalemia resulting predominantly from intracellular potassium redistribution. Although classically associated with Asian populat...

Can Diagnostic Delay Amplify Drug Resistance in Tuberculosis? A Critical Integrative Reflection on Bacterial Adaptation, Persistence, Within-Host Evolution, and Heteroresistance

Background/Objectives: Drug resistance in tuberculosis remains one of the major challenges to global disease control. Traditionally, its emergence has been attributed to factors such as treatment interruption, poor adherence, and the selective pressure exerted by antimicrobial ag...

Antitumor-Relevant Evaluation of Liquid and Microencapsulated Lepidium meyenii and Bactris gasipaes Extracts Reveals Species- and Formulation-Dependent Activity

Lepidium meyenii and Bactris gasipaes are traditionally consumed plant foods with documented antioxidant and inflammation-related activities and emerging evidence of cancer-related biological effects. Accordingly, we compared the antitumor-relevant activity of these chemically di...

Clinical and Epidemiological Profile of Atrial Fibrillation in a High-Altitude Tertiary-Care Setting

Background and Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and a major cause of stroke, heart failure, and death. Evidence on AF in Latin American and Andean tertiary-care settings remains limited. The objective was to describe the demogra...

Biofeedback‐Based Therapy in Patients With Myofascial Orofacial Pain and Bruxism: An Umbrella Review

BACKGROUND: Biofeedback therapy is increasingly used to manage myofascial orofacial pain and bruxism, but the overall strength and consistency of the evidence remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: This umbrella review aimed to synthesize and critically evaluate evidence from systematic rev...

Amazon Forgotten Fishes. How the remarkable diversity of freshwater fishes is critical to people, rivers and forest

Across the vast sweep of the Amazon Basin, thousands of rivers, streams and floodplain lakes flow in an immense, interconnected waterscape— home to an unparalleled diversity of freshwater fishes. More than 2,700 species have so far been recorded, with dozens more added each year...

Frutopia: A Hybrid Tangible Serious Game for Multisensory Interaction and Tactile Exploration

Serious games have demonstrated significant potential for supporting learning, cognitive stimulation, and skill development. However, most existing solutions rely predominantly on visual and auditory interaction, while the integration of real tactile experiences remains limited d...

Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Glycemic Control, Insulin Resistance, Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

ABSTRACT Objectives Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, impaired insulin secretion, and increased cardiometabolic and inflammatory burden. Zinc plays a key biological role in insulin synthesis, storage, signalling and antiox...

Prevalence of Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava in Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most frequently reported anatomical variant of the thoracic systemic venous system. While its association with congenital heart disease (CHD) is well recognized, its prevalence within CHD populations and its relative occurrence co...