Non-invasive mechanical ventilation in patients admitted to a provisional center for moderate COVID-19 patients

Introduction:Non-invasive mechanical ventilation is a ventilatory alternative for COVID-19 cases. Background:To describe the characteristics and evolution of non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) in patients discharged from Provisional Center for moderate COVID-19 patients in Figali, Panama. Methods:A descriptive, retrospective, longitudinal stu was carried out in all adult patients discharged from June to July 2021 and who received non-invasive mechanical ventilation. A questionnaire was used using the digital individual medical record as primary source. Descriptive statistics techniques were used. Results:35.9% of the patients (78/217) who were admitted required non-invasive mechanical ventilation on the ninth day of symptoms and the second day after admission. 62.8% (49/78) were obese and 29.5% (23/78) hypertensive. The respiratory rate 30 and the decrease in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio decided the begining of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in 56.4% (78/217) of those admitted. 62.8% (49/78) had moderate-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and the severity was related to ventilation failure out of the total number of ventilated patients. Ventilation was successful in 65.4% (51/78). PaO2/FiO2 <150 (62.9%), respiratory rate 30 (55.6%) and physical exhaustion (51.85%) decided ventilation failure. Conclusions:Non-invasive mechanical ventilation is an effective procedure in COVID-19 patients and moderate or severe respiratory distress;although its success is related to the less severe forms. Low PaO2/FiO2, together with symptoms, were key indicators to assess the begining, success or failure of NIMV;not so the values of PaO2, PaCO2 and SpO2.

Manifestations of Support to Others in the Course of the Pandemic Crisis in Panama

The Covid-19 quarantine, its effects and impact, not only escalated into a slowed down global economic growth but also the modification of people's values and its manifestations. The purpose of this article is to reveal the manifestations of help and support to others, whether prosocial behaviors or simple solidarity, that developed from the crisis situation brought by the pandemic in the Republic of Panama. This article delivers quantifiable descriptions on the association of demographic data and prosocial actions performed by a sample of 502 survey participants during the time of the pandemic. Results suggest that social interaction in the form of emotional accompaniment and food provision were the most commonly performed prosocial actions during this period in general. According to sex, women were more inclined to offer advice and provide mentorship, while men were more inclined to offer making repairs. There is a statistically significant association between actions and levels of education where those with university degrees are mostly represented when it comes to giving money and paying off bills.

The irruption of the political after the pandemic: The case of Panama.

This article analyzes the emergence of new political agendas as a result of the social mobilization that took place in Panama during the pandemic and how these were finally translated into a new institution for the negotiation of public policies –The Single Roundtable for Dialogue (Mesa Única de Diálogo). Analytical narratives are used based on secondary sources. To this end, the literature and various indicators were examined and a newspaper search was conducted on the phenomenon studied. The hypothesis is that, although there have been previous protests in the Panamanian nation, there is a before and an after in relation to the one that occurred in July, 2022, in terms of the meaning and scope of the demands of mobilized actors. It was a moment of political irruption, in which those who do not usually have a voice demonstrated that they have one. This text characterizes the conditions of public policies in the Panamanian political system;describes the social and economic effects of COVID-19;and describes the process of political irruption and emergence of new agendas during the mobilization. The conclusions illustrate how the aforementioned protests constituted an interruption of the previous equilibrium of the country, where the notion of the public had been distorted and needed to be reformulated. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] En este artículo se analiza la emergencia de nuevas agendas políticas producto de la movilización social ocurrida en Panamá durante la pandemia y cómo estas se tradujeron, finalmente, en una nueva institución para las negociaciones de las políticas públicas: la Mesa Única de Diálogo. Se emplean las narrativas analíticas basadas en fuentes secundarias;para ello se revisó la literatura y distintos indicadores y se realizó una búsqueda hemerográfica sobre el fenómeno estudiado. Como hipótesis se plantea que, si bien han ocurrido protestas previas en la nación panameña, existe un antes y un después en relación con la ocurrida durante julio de 2022 en términos del sentido y el alcance de las reivindicaciones de los actores movilizados: se trata de un momento de irrupción de lo político, en el cual quienes no suelen tener voz se manifiestan por tenerla. En el texto se caracterizan las condiciones en que se han dado las políticas públicas en el sistema político panameño, se describen los efectos sociales y económicos de la covid-19, así como el proceso de irrupción de lo político y la emergencia de nuevas agendas durante las movilizaciones. En las conclusiones se ilustra cómo las mencionadas protestas constituyen una interrupción de los equilibrios previos de un país, donde la noción de lo público ha estado deformada y requiere ser replanteada. (Spanish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Íconos. Revista de Ciencias Sociales is the property of FLACSO Ecuador (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Sistema de recomendación integrado para el autocontrol emocional en adultos mayores con cuadro postcovid-19 en Panamá

: The effects of the pandemic can translate into a variety of physical and emotional reactions that are affecting the population, particularly the elderly Panamanian population, who have not been able to overcome the mainly emerging challenges of an infectious disease with health implications. physical and has also profoundly affected their well-being and mental health. To allow the Panamanian elderly population to improve emotional self-control and mental relaxation, we propose a software architecture for the development of a recommendation system integrating: artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and mobile applications. Keywords: Covid-19, AI, IoT, Mobile apps, Machine learning. 1.Introducción La Covid-19 es, sin lugar a duda, la mayor catástrofe del siglo XXI, probablemente la crisis global más significativa después de la segunda guerra mundial. En este artículo, proponemos el diseño de una arquitectura altamente integral y flexible basada en diferentes elementos de TIC que permitirá extraer datos de un sensor, analizarlos y realizar recomendaciones a pacientes panameños adultos mayores con afecciones psicológicas o reacciones emocionales posteriores al contagio de la Covid-19 (post-covid-19), basado en la utilización de componentes como IA, IoT y aplicaciones móviles para lograr el autocontrol emocional y relajación mental.

Ethical dilemmas and reflections in a collaborative study with children during the pandemic

This chapter explores the ethical dilemmas that emerged in situ from an ethnographic study in collaboration with Latin American children and youngsters. It was developed in the challenging conditions of isolation and lockdown, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In such times, a group of eight researchers from different geographical locations in the Americas looked into the ways children reorganise, reconstruct and reinterpret their daily lives in social isolation. The methodological approach, which enabled dialogue and conversation, began through a system of correspondence-in oral, written, recorded, drawn, photographed and audiovisual forms-among Latin American children. The expectations about the viability of this field-work modality brought, from the beginning, ethical challenges that required continuous adjustments, agreements, rectifications, adaptations and explicit reflection on such ethical aspects. Here we focus on three challenges that we analyse individually, although in practice they were interconnected. The first one was the dilemma regarding perception and use of time. The second ethical challenge is based on the fact that we recruited the young participants through friendships and kinship networks that each of the eight researchers previously had. The third challenge was connected to the decision to communicate through letters (a markedly confessional, private and intimate epistolary genre) that were both intervened by our 'special' position and also taken as ethnographic documents. In our fieldwork, in the specific spatial and temporal situations we worked, we understand the self as emerging from intersubjectivity and knowledge relations as co-created between researcher and researched. Thus, ethical decisions are made during the research process itself and, for us, in situ ethics entails a reciprocal commitment, between children, youth and adults as co-researchers, to adjust themselves to the developments and boundaries of the ethnographic field. This also allowed the participants to manage the adjustments in this specific and situated context that circumscribed everybody, seeking answers in conversations and paying careful attention to the situation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Unequal literacy development and access to online education in public versus private Panamanian schools during COVID-19 pandemic

National and international tests have yielded low reading comprehension results for education in Panama, although there is limited information regarding literacy development and performance. There are wide gaps in social inequality, access to technology, and public versus private school achievement. Considering this, after a year off from regular face-to-face classes and a partial transition to online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the present study utilizes existing data to carry out a pre-post comparison of the reading performance of fourth (n = 167) and sixth (n = 164) grade students in the province of Panama employing a subsample stratified by educational system for comparability (Mann–Whitney U test, α = 0.05). The pre-post comparison was also carried out independently in both the public (n = 235) and private (n = 106) systems, as well as an additional comparison of the average weekly hours of online academic engagement in both systems during the pandemic in fourth (n = 117) and sixth grade (n = 109). The results support a significant decrease in reading performance. Based on the comparative analysis, findings indicate that public school students interacted online with their teachers significantly less than their private schools' counterparts;and that, in the same sample, only the public-school students exhibited a significant decrease in reading speed by phonological and lexical route with a medium effect size compared to pre-pandemic standards, greater than those reported in other contexts. This highlights the need to develop effective strategies to narrow the existing educational gaps in the country, which seem to have widened due to the pandemic, with particular emphasis on reading performance in primary school. Copyright © 2023 Cubilla-Bonnetier, Grajales-Barrios, Ortega-Espinosa, Puertas and De León Sautú.

Social Media and Its Importance in Digital Communication, Before, during and after the COVID Era: Case of Panama

In the last two years, there has been an abrupt change in the use of the Internet and Social Media. For many, these digital media have become the foundation of our lives and we rely on them without giving too much thought to what makes them work or who makes them possible. Its stability gives us stability, allowing people from almost every continent to move seamlessly between their offline and online lives. And yet, billions of peoplemust also navigate this abrupt change without reliable access to the Internet and digital media. This article presents a sample of the role played by social media in the harshest part of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the very particular case of Panama. © 2022 IEEE.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through the Power of Play

As we work to educate our children in effective ways, supporting their efforts to make a positive difference reaps benefits for both students and society.

Putting Values to the Test in Times of Pandemic

As everyday security becomes more important in society, reflection on scientific evidence obtained in relation to other areas of knowledge is required. The purpose of the article was to explore and analyze social perceptions of values in crisis situations. A correlational hypothesis is proposed, according to which it is demonstrated that, as societies' levels of economic and personal security vary, so do their perceptions of their values and the importance they assign to them. The methodology used was quantitative and correlational, with data obtained through online surveys distributed on social media platforms from June to October 2020, with the participation of 502 adults aged 18 and over. The main results showed that respect was perceived as the most necessary value to face the crisis by women and men and across age groups, while happiness and cultural diversity were the least important in relation to gender and age variables. Schools and households appeared to be the places identified as the most significant foci of values education, not the religious communities to which the participants belonged. However, the results related to religious affiliation revealed that the younger generation (18-30-year-olds), which represented one third of the respondents, did not have any religious beliefs. This may limit the applicability of this conclusion. Findings from this study contribute to the understanding of value-system changes during crises;therefore, further interdisciplinary study of value systems and incidences of values in the Panamanian context are recommended.

COVID-19 anxiety, depression and stress in Latin American health professionals: characteristics and associated factors

Due to the pandemic, an increase in mental health problems has been reported in members of the health personnel, with the self-report being an initial way of evaluating it. The objective was to determine the factors associated with the perception of repercussions in the mental sphere in health professionals in Latin America before COVID-19. An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out between June and August 2020 in Latin America. The perception of repercussions was measured through an instrument previously validated in Peru, which was taken virtually from 406 doctors, nurses and others;this was crossed versus other variables. The main concern was returning home and infecting their family (22% strongly agree), followed by feeling the abuse because they do not give them the necessary amount of personal protective equipment (13% strongly agree) and perceiving mental exhaustion for all the activities they did (12% strongly agree). In the multivariate analysis, the older there was a lower perception of mental repercussion (aPR: 0.98;95% CI: 0.97-0.99;p value = 0.012);In addition, those who had a greater perception of repercussions in the mental sphere also had more anxiety at a low level (aPR: 1.84;95% CI: 1.14-2.98;p value = 0.013) and post-traumatic stress (aPR: 2.28;95% CI: 1.61-3.22;p value <0.001), adjusted for depression and stress. Despite being an exploratory analysis, important associations were found in the mental sphere;which should continue to be investigated in larger studies.

Telehealth in Latin America: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Face of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use and importance of telehealth and telemedicine globally. In industrialized countries, stay-at-home measures and changes to government regulations regarding telehealth resulted in an over 100-fold increase in demand within weeks. The COVID-19 has raged across Latin America for most of 2020, with associated high rates of illness and death. The objective of this article is to review some of the successes and challenges of telehealth in Latin America and highlight opportunities for action within the context of COVID-19. We identify several positive trends in telehealth adoption across the region as well as some promising case studies on the use of telehealth platforms for delivering care when needed. We also identify barriers that have limited the scale of telehealth in Latin America during the current phase of the pandemic. Limiting factors include inadequacies in long-term evolution telecommunication availability and access to digital trainings for healthcare workers. In addition, political commitment, legislation, and regulation have yet to catch up with demand. Finally, we present opportunities to more effectively scale these technologies, across Latin America for the current emergency, as well as reducing or controlling healthcare costs, addressing health disparities, and providing improved health care, especially in rural areas.

Overcoming obstacles in Panama to starting a renal biopsy program in a rural area during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the many implemented restrictions, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has rendered some tasks more difficult, for instance, the evaluation of outpatients. Panama's tertiary care hospital for kidney biopsy referral was transformed into a COVID-only hospital in order to assist the large number of COVID-19 patients. In order to face the impossibility of following patients with nephrotic or nephritic syndrome, a biopsy program was implemented in a southern province in Panama. Thirty kidney biopsies were carried out over a 1-year period. This experience shows that kidney biopsy programs, that are usually run only in large referral centers, can also be implemented in small nephrology centers, allowing to obtain accurate diagnoses and to guide correct treatment.

Clinical characterization of patients with moderate COVID-19

Introduction: In Panama, temporary centers for medical care were created in some public establishments to meet the massive demand for cases with COVID-19.

PREVALENCE OF PEDIATRIC FUNCTIONAL GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS UTILIZING THE ROME IV CRITERIA IN 3 LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES

INTRODUCTION: According to ROMA IV (R-IV), in schoolchildren and adolescents in Colombia and Ecuador, the prevalence to present some functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) is 21.2%-22.3% being the main FGID the functional constipation (FC). There’s no data about infants and toddlers in latinoamerican countries (Latam). OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of FGIDs in children in 3 Latam countries according to R-IV. METHODS: 11493 children in Colombia, Ecuador and Panama were included: 1382 infants aged 0-12 months (Group A, 7.3+/-3.7 months), 2631 toddlers aged 1-4 years (Group B, 2.5+/-0.9 years old), 2791 schoolchildren aged 8-12 years (Group C, 10.6+/-1.2 years) and 4689 adolescents aged 13-18 years (Group D, 14.8+/-1.4 years). FGIDs were identified through the Questionnaire of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rome IV (QPGS-IV). RESULTS: The prevalence to present some FGID was 15.8% in infants;23.3% in toddlers;21.1% in schoolchildren and 22.1% in adolescents;being the most frequent FGDI in the Group A, colic (7.6%), regurgitation (6.4%) and FC (4.7%);in the Group B, FC (17.6%), cyclic vomiting syndrome (5.4%) and functional diarrhea (0.3%);in the Group C, FC (12.5%), functional dyspepsia (2.8%) and irritable bowel syndrome (1.8%), and the Group D, FC (11.1%), functional dyspepsia (3.9%) and functional abdominal pain (1.9%). There were more FGDIs in infants with caesarean section (OR=1.7 95%CI=1.22-2.41 p=0.0010), toddlers with previous diarrhea (OR=1.7 95% CI=1.39-2.23 p=0.0000), in schoolchildren with previous dengue infection (OR=2.0 95%CI=1.24-3.25 p=0.0019) and adolescents in covid-19 confinement (OR=1.4 95%CI =1.13-1.78 p=0.0013). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence for FGIDs was lower in infants whose main FGDI was colic;the FC was one of the main FGIDs in all the age groups, being associated in children younger than 4 years old to caesarean section and history of diarrhea and children between 8-18 years old to history of dengue and confinement.

Election of 2018 and its Impact over the Political System of Pakistan

Modern era is the era of representative democracy. For the continuation of democracy and participation of public in decision making process of state, the electoral process has pivotal importance in democratic setup. Elections work as a tool to gage the opinion of people about policies of government. Free and fair elections guarantee the stability and continuation of democratic political order. In Pakistan elections are held after the period of five years. During last twenty years, four general elections were held, with periodic intervals. Each and every time governments that were elected as a result of these elections made different impacts over the political system of Pakistan. The current research will evaluate the impacts of the 2018 election over the political system of Pakistan.

U.S. bound journey of migrant peoples InTransit across Dante's Inferno and Purgatory in the Americas.

Rapid rise of population migration is a defining feature of the 21st century due to the impact of climate change, political instability, and socioeconomic downturn. Over the last decade, an increasing number of migrant peoples travel across the Americas to reach the United States seeking asylum or cross the border undocumented in search of economic opportunities. In this journey, migrant people experience violations of their human rights, hunger, illness, violence and have limited access to medical care. In the 'Divine Comedy', the Italian poet Dante Alighieri depicts his allegorical pilgrimage across Hell and Purgatory to reach Paradise. More than 700 years after its publication, Dante's poem speaks to the present time and the perilious journey of migrant peoples to reach safehavens. By exploring the depths and heights of the human condition, Dante's struggles resonate with the multiple barriers and the unfathomable experiences faced by migrant peoples in transit across South, Central, and North America to reach the United States. Ensuring the safety of migrant peoples across the Americas and elsewhere, and attending to their health needs during their migratory paths represent modern priorities to reduce social injustices and achieving health equity.

Lessons learned in the care of patients with COVID-19 at the provisional comprehensive center of Figali, Panama

Introduction: The conversion of various buildings as hospital centers for the medical care of patients with COVID-19 is a necessary solution in light of the high demand of cases and the limitation of hospital beds.

An analysis of post-pandemic scenarios and prospects for the shipping industry: perspective from Guadeloupe. (Special issue: What are the prospects for the post-pandemic Caribbean cruise industry?.)

Purpose: The maritime port in Guadeloupe, a French island in the Lesser Antilles, is set to be transformed into a major logistics hub catering to the Greater Caribbean and the Lesser Antilles. The increase in shipping generated by expansion of the Panama Canal and the development of the cruise industry are the two main factors which contributed to the shift in the Island's policy that aims to capitalise on the increase in the expected shipping traffic in the region. This article examines various areas and policies which have been implemented so far by the Port of Guadeloupe and considers the innovative ways used to achieve its objectives and raises the question as to whether the Guadeloupian development in the logistics area is likely to be a force to be reckoned with in the Caribbean region. Design/methodology/approach: The approach employed involves the analysis of material extracted from published articles and information from periodic progress reports obtained from the Port of Guadeloupe. Findings: The study showed that the Port of Guadeloupe had implemented various changes to achieve its objectives of becoming a major logistics hub in the region and "the smart port" of the Caribbean, which is likely to represent a challenge to Jamaica's aspiration to be the major port in the Caribbean. Research limitations/implications: Much of the published information accessed on the Guadeloupian Port and elsewhere is written in French, which could limit access to English speakers in conducting related research. Practical implications: Rapid logistic port development is taking place in the shipping arena in the French-speaking Caribbean and the Guadeloupian logistic hub's aim to be the number one "smart port" in the region could be realised sooner than expected. Social implications: If the Port of Guadeloupe achieves its objectives, it could impact on jobs in the shipping industry in the English-speaking Caribbean and affect people's standard of living. Originality/value: The question as to whether the Port of Guadeloupe is a threat to other Caribbean ports has not yet been explored and the findings of this investigation would be useful to other port authorities.

Study of Pedestrian Zone According to Superblock Criteria in the Casco Antiguo of Panama

The Casco Viejo of Panama is an area with great potential to develop a pedestrian zone, as it is an attractive area for travelers to visit. For this development to be carried out safely, it is recommended that the site is analyzed based on superblock criteria to ensure pedestrians can move through the streets in a free and accessible way regardless of their physical condition. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the current state of the road infrastructure, as we did in this research. The methodology consisted of field visits where information was gathered on the distribution of space so that ideal routes for pedestrian tourists could be ensured. We surveyed the state of the sidewalks, their physical condition, minimum widths, heights, their accessibility, and the presence of obstacles that block movement from one point to another. We also assessed the characteristics of the roads, safe crossings and signs, the current management of parking in illegal areas, and the system of public transport routes. The results describe the current problems, which are, firstly, the issue of poor pedestrian and cyclist mobility due to the lack of space available on public roads as a result of poorly parked cars and the placement of bollards. Secondly, free movement is impossible for the disabled due to the absence of ramps and railings, which prevents the integration of this group in the area.

COVID-19 and Candida auris co-infection: an increasing threat

Candida auris has emerged in recent years as an important cause of hospital infection outbreaks around the world. C. auris is an intensive care unit (ICU) environmental colonizer and many hospital environments may harbor C. auris transmission. In addition, in 2020, other countries: Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Panama, Colombia and the United States - documented cases of C. auris infection, mostly in patients with a history of COVID-19 infection, highlighting that in the first three countries no isolates were reported prior to this period. Therefore, it is noteworthy that both COVID-19 and C. auris share at least six characteristics that should be highlighted: (a) both pathogens may remain on surfaces, including hospital floors, beds, bedrails, poles, air conditioners and windows;(b) both may present high mortality rates;(c) both pathogens require standard laboratory methods for diagnosis;(d) both present treatment difficulties due to multidrug resistance (C. auris) or no effective medical therapy (SARS-Cov-2);(e) both are globally distributed causing outbreaks in healthcare facilities;(f) both present risk factors, including in cases of mechanical ventilation, diabetes mellitus, protracted ventilator-assisted management, immunosuppression, chronic kidney disease, etc. There is much to be learned about these infectious diseases, particularly in countries with poor hygiene, high population density and intense migratory flows, not to mention international travel contributing substantially to both pandemics. Vigilance practices by hospital committees for infection control and routine diagnostic processes for determining C. auris fungal infection in COVID-19 patients should be implemented. Modern diagnostic tests must be made available worldwide, as well as access to adequate antifungal therapy to manage C. auris infection. All of the aspects mentioned will effectively contribute to reducing mortality by COVID-19 and enable monitoring the emergence of C. auris.