ABSTRACT
The research was applied to the Faculties of Engineering, who took on the challenge in the process of student knowledge acquisition, fostering skills and attitudes that typically require a practical and laboratory component, in a virtual learning environment. The purpose was to evaluate the levels of achievement of practical learning in virtual laboratories (VL) with the use of computer software, as a challenge for the educational sector during the pandemic in such a way that they must be maintained, enhanced and adapted to the new reality due to positive result in engineering subjects. For the investigation, the students of the first and sixth cycle engineering subjects of the Ricardo Palma University (URP) and the National Technological University of Lima Sur (UNTELS) were selected as samples. The methodology considered two phases, in the first the characteristics of the sample were determined and in the second the questionnaire and rubric were applied. The questionnaire with a Likert scale to the indicators (availability of computer equipment, simulation software, laboratory guides and practical learning) and the rubric to determine the learning results through the diagnostic, formative and summative evaluation carried out by the teacher in the virtual laboratory. The results showed a high percentage at the level of good (achieved) and in some subjects an excellent level (outstanding achievement) was obtained, however, there is still work to be done on learning that is in process and at the beginning, as a need for improve the pedagogical strategies (methodologies, tools and didactic components) that the virtual, blended and face-to-face teaching-learning process will demand, from now on. © 2022 Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Purpose : Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a form of asthenopia that manifests with symptoms such as eye pain/discomfort, headache, and blurred vision, among others. Early identification of CVS is especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to an increase in virtual schooling and digital screen time among children worldwide. This study seeks to evaluate differences in etiologies of eye pain, treatment recommendations, and the relationship between refractive errors and eye pain in the pediatric population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods : After IRB approval, we retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who visited our tertiary care institution between 2018 and 2021 with a chief complaint of eye pain, determined by the encounter's primary ICD-10 code. Patients who visited before 03/11/2020, when the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, were classified as the pre-pandemic group (PPG), while patients who consulted after this date were classified as the during-pandemic group (DPG). Demographics, symptoms, refractive error, treatment, and schooling method were recorded as covariates and analyzed using a Chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Results : 38 patients were included in the study (21 PPG;17 DPG). The mean age was 10.1 ± 3.2 years, and the majority were African American (44.7%). Virtual school attendance for the PPG and DPG was 4.8% and 58.8%, respectively (P<0.05) (Table 1). There was a higher prevalence of reported blurry vision, headaches, eye redness, eye swelling, and rubbing among DPG patients (Table 1). Counseling on screen time minimization was more likely to be documented in the DPG (Table 2). A greater proportion of patients were prescribed new glasses in the DPG though there was no significant relationship between eye pain and refractive error or anisometropia in either group (P>0.05). Conclusions : The increased prevalence of CVS symptoms in the DPG suggests an association between virtual schooling and CVS in children. There is a role for ophthalmologists to improve rates of counseling for the prevention of eye pain-related symptomatology with digital device usage. Further studies will survey parents to assess their awareness of conservative treatments for eye pain such as artificial tears and decreased screen time.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been in our daily practice for almost 2 years now. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have aimed to study its most immediate effects on patients to find the best line of treatment or, at least, mitigate its worst outcomes. Nevertheless, we also know some long-term health consequences such as fatigue, sleep difficulties, headache, among others, but its long-term kidney effects are not entirely clear yet. The aim of this study was to describe if coronavirus disease's (COVID- 19) severity increases the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression after a previous hospitalization and observe if there are any additional risk factors that could help us predict this outcome. METHOD: In this study, a sample of consecutive patients who required admission due to COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic (from March to May of 2020) was recruited. Patients were followed for 12 months since initial admission. The composite outcome of the study included either death or CKD progression. CKD progression was defined as incremental progression to a higher KDIGO CKD stage compared to baseline pre COVID-19 renal function [(in mL/min/1.73 m2): estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60;stage 3a: 45-59;stage 3b: 30-44;stage 4: 15-29;stage 5: <15], or dialysis initiation. Cardiovascular disease was defined as a history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease. Chronic lung diseases included asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic bronchitis. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 93 patients, of which 14 (15.1%) died during follow-up. Of those alive 12 months after initial admission, 17 (21.5%) suffered CKD progression. No patient required renal replacement therapy. Patients that suffered the composite outcome presented a higher prevalence of cancer, tended to be slightly older and suffered from additional comorbidities more frequently (Table). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, previous history of CKD [odds ratio (OR): 1.066 (0.433- 2.624);P = 0.889], severe or critical COVID-19 on admission [OR: 0.657 (0.24-1.8);P =0.414] or ICU admission [OR: 0.986 (0.082-11.898);P = 0.991] failed to predict the composite outcome. CONCLUSION: Our main hypothesis was that COVID-19 sequelae should be due to an exaggerated activation of the immune system against the virus. Thus, patients that suffered severe COVID-19 should be expected to develop more long-term health consequences of the infection when compared with those with milder disease. However, we failed to prove any link between COVID-19 severity and long-term CKD progression. History of CKD or ICU admission was also unable to predict the composite outcome. Previous studies have described a relationship between COVID-19 severity and adverse renal outcomes, a relationship that we failed to observe. These discrepancies could be due to the small sample size of our study and the different definition of CKD progression applied. In addition, age could act as a potential modifier of CKD progression after admission due to COVID. More studies are required to further clarify the mechanisms and long-term renal consequences of COVID-19 and define potential lines of treatment. (Table Presented).
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: During the last 2 years, we have witnessed several waves of the COVID-19 pandemic characterized by massive infections among the general population, sudden increases in the number of hospitalizations and variable rates of complications and mortality among patients. Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been described as a common and serious complication of COVID-19. However, multiple factors that are involved in the development of this complication have been modified throughout these months, including the appearance of new variants of the virus, the modification of treatment protocols or the advancement of vaccination among the general population. In this study, we aimed to compare the rates of AKI among patients who required admission due to COVID-19 in the first and current (sixth) waves of the pandemic. METHOD: Consecutive patients that required admission due to COVID-19 in a tertiary referral hospital during the first (March to May 2020) and current (December 2021) waves of the pandemic were enrolled in the study. Patient characteristics, rates of AKI incidence, 28-day mortality and in-hospital length of stay were compared between groups. Viral infection was confirmed by real-time RT-qPCR in all cases. AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines using peak serum creatinine and acute dialysis criteria. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to define potential predictors of AKI. RESULTS: Table 1 summarizes demographic and clinical characteristics among enrolled patients. Compared with the current wave, patients admitted during the first wave were older, had higher baseline serum creatinine and lower baseline eGFR. During the first wave, patients presented higher peak serum creatinine values and a higher incidence of in-hospital AKI. Age, male sex, hypertension, diabetes, CKD and pandemic wave were included in multivariate logistic regression analysis as potential predictors of AKI. Only past history of hypertension [OR 2.867;95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.279-6.424;P-value: .011] and CKD (OR 2.418;95% CI 1.237-4.73;P-value: .01) independently predicted AKI in the sample. CONCLUSION: Despite multiple changes that have occurred throughout the pandemic, including new treatment protocols, the appearance of new variants of the virus with different clinical profiles or the extensive application of vaccines, these changes have not translated into a significant decrease in the risk of AKI among patients admitted due to COVID-19, which appears to still be conditioned mainly by comorbidities of each patient, including past history of CKD. (Table Presented).
ABSTRACT
The research describes the automation of the distribution network in order to provide a reliable electrical energy system for the development of the activities generated during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural areas in Peru. The proposed objective is to implement the communications architecture using equipment with General Package Radio Service (GPRS) technology and interconnect it with a relational database and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) graphical interface. The system made it possible to monitor the status signals in real time, as well as to achieve precise and rapid control of the protection and reconnection equipment responsible for the automatic correction of faults in the distribution network. Regarding the maximum demand for energy during the 2020 period, the billing statistics showed a significant reduction due to the cessation of activities in a large part of the industrial, commercial and services sector, caused by the declaration of a state of emergency for management of the health crisis caused by COVID-19;This atypical behavior caused power outages due to system failures, such as short circuits and overloads, determining a series of problems for users as they were affected in their remote work activities, virtual classes and telehealth, among others. It is concluded that the equipment used in automation allows recording the failure reasons, the protection functions used, the phase in which the failure occurred, among other parameters without the presence of maintenance personnel, as well as supplying energy continuously. to meet remote activities in this pandemic. © 2021 Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions. All rights reserved.