O2 Saturation Predicted the ICU Stay of COVID-19 Patients in a Hospital at Altitude: A Low-Cost Tool for Post-Pandemic.

Background and Objectives: Patients at high altitudes with COVID-19 may experience a decrease in their partial oxygen saturation (PO2S) levels. The objective was to assess the association between PO2S and intensive care unit (ICU) stay in patients at high altitudes with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: Clinical records of 69 COVID-19 patients (36% women) admitted to the ICU were analyzed. Median values were considered for intra-group categories ("≤11 days" and ">11 days" in the ICU) and for PO2S height categories ("<90%" and "≥90%"). Logistic regression and linear regression models adjusted for confounding variables were used. Results: Patients with >11 days in the ICU had 84% lower odds of having a PO2S ≥ 90% (OR: 0.16 [CI: 0.02, 0.69], p = 0.005) compared to those with ≤11 days in the ICU. An increase in PO2S by 1% reduced ICU stay by 0.22 days (ß: -0.22 [CI: -0.33, -0.11], p < 0.001), potentially leading to a reduction of up to 1.44 days. Conclusions: PO2S is a crucial factor in estimating ICU stays for COVID-19 patients at high altitudes and serves as an accessible and cost-effective measure. It should be used in infected patients to complement the prognosis of post-pandemic ICU stay.

Perceived instructor presence, interactive tools, student engagement, and satisfaction in hybrid education post-COVID-19 lockdown in Mexico.

Interactive communication platforms have been widely used to support online teaching. However, during the Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic they gained unprecedented relevance since they allowed educational processes to continue. This study investigated the relationship among interactive communication technology tools, perceived instructor presence, student satisfaction and engagement in hybrid courses post-COVID-19 lockdown. An electronic questionnaire was administered to 1086 students from a public university in Mexico that implemented a hybrid class model using Microsoft Teams after the lockdown. Jamovi and WarpPLS were used to perform confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that interactive technological communication tools positively impact the instructor's perceived presence, student satisfaction and engagement. Similarly, commitment significantly positively impacted student satisfaction. The model demonstrated a good fit. The findings were consistent with studies before and during the lockdown. The instructor's perceived presence promotes student engagement and satisfaction, and Microsoft Teams effectively facilitates this presence. These findings suggest that interactive communication tools are and will be significant in educational contexts and modalities. This study provides useful insights for educators, course designers and educational administrators, emphasizing effective communication with students and implementing interactive technological communication tools to enhance hybrid learning in the post-pandemic era.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Services in Brazil's Healthcare System: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provoked disruptions in healthcare delivery, leading to the cancellation and postponement of various health services, including surgery. Numerous countries closed their borders and established laws mandating the use of face masks and social distancing and enforced lockdowns, and various activities were constrained. Brazil, the largest and most populous country in Latin America, also experienced a rapid and sustained surge in infections and deaths. Brazil was the most severely impacted nation in Latin America. The impact of the pandemic on surgical services in Brazil has not been adequately studied since most studies only cover the early phases of the pandemic. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical services throughout the entire period. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional design was used to examine surgical cases from 2019 to 2022 and compared the following indicators: (1) number of hospital admissions, (2) length of hospital stay (LOS) (in days), and (3) volume of urgent and elective procedures. Data was divided into four time periods, pre-pandemic (March-December 2019), pandemic (March-December 2020), recovery (March-December 2021), and post-pandemic (March-December 2022), and was analyzed for the number of admissions and LOS based on surgical procedures performed by stratifying according to region, sex, age, and type of surgery (urgent versus elective). Results The number of admissions for surgical procedures ranged between 859,646 and 4,015,624 for 2019, 686,616 and 3,419,234 for 2020, 787,791 and 3,829,019 for 2021, and 760,512 and 3,857,817 for 2022 for the category of region; 4,260,900 and 5,991,775 for 2019, 3,594,117 and 4,984,710 for 2020, 4,182,640 and 5,590,808 for 2021, and 4,077,651 and 5,561,928 for 2022 for the category of sex; and 2,170,288 and 3,186,117 for 2019, 1,516,830 and 2,825,189 for 2020, 1,748,202 and 3,030,272 for 2021, and 1,900,023 and 2,859,179 for 2022 for the category of age. The variable age showed a comparable trend, albeit with an expressive decline for surgeries in the age range of 0-19 years. The LOS (in days) for surgical procedures ranged between 110,157 and 910,846 for 2019, 58,562 and 897,734 for 2020, 67,926 and 904,137 for 2021, and 100,467 and 823,545 for 2022. Thoracic surgery indicated no statistically significant difference in the number of admissions and LOS. Elective surgeries had a decline in the number of admissions and LOS, a 13% and 9.3% decline between 2019 and 2020, respectively. Urgent surgeries experienced a slight decrease in admissions and LOS, with a decline of 2.4% and 2.8% between 2019 and 2020, respectively. Conclusions Population characteristics, such as age, sex, and region, showed decreased hospital admissions during the pandemic, followed by a recovery toward pre-pandemic levels afterward. The number of surgical admissions and the length of hospital stays decreased during the pandemic but gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels in the recovery and post-pandemic phases. Notably, thoracic surgery remained statistically consistent across all periods, indicating its emergency nature compared to other surgeries. Thus, we conclude that the pandemic had minimal impact on thoracic surgery cases, contributing to a stable trend.

Post-pandemic Economics and Health Equity Comment on "Ensuring Global Health Equity in a Post-pandemic Economy".

This article aims to compare the foundations of the post-pandemic economy and its impact on health equity, according to Labonté with the economics theory. The methodology developed is based on bibliometrics analysis, the documents, and specifications for a cluster of concepts, allowing deepened exposure of Labonté, complementing with the latest publications on the post-pandemic economy. Finally, the results agreed with Labonté about to economic development for achieving an economy that allows health equity considering sustainable development and the possibility of achieving the livelihood of Green New Deal as a basis.

Validation of an Abbreviated Scale of the CENVI Questionnaire to Evaluate the Perception of School Violence and Coexistence Management of Chilean Students: Differences between Pandemic and Post-Pandemic.

The objective of the study was to specify an abbreviated model of the school coexistence questionnaire for non-violence (CENVI) for students from 5th to 8th grade (9 to 14 years old), in order to determine the perception of violence and management of school coexistence, and the differences between Mapuche and non-Mapuche students. A total of 1870 students from schools in the city of Temuco (Chile) responded to the CENVI questionnaire. There were two samples: (1) Pandemic, with online, face-to-face and hybrid classes; and (2) Post-pandemic, with face-to-face classes. Sample 1 consisted of 848 students aged 9 to 15 years (M = 11.90; SD = 1.27). Sample 2 consisted of 1022 students aged 9 to 14 years (M = 11.46; SD = 1.14). The questionnaire was validated using expert inter-judgment and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. A good fit of the proposed model to the data and good internal consistency measured according to the composite reliability were found, and convergent validity was demonstrated. Mapuche students perceived more physical violence and social exclusion. Cut-off points were proposed for the interpretation of the results. In the data, the effect of Coexistence Management on School Violence was null. The discussion approaches the findings from the literature on education in spaces of socio-cultural diversity in a Mapuche context.

Mental Health of University Students When Returning to Face-to-Face Classes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Depression, anxiety and stress are multifactorial affective disorders that could manifest through a set of symptoms, both physical and psychological, that affect the quality of life and performance of people who suffer from them. In this sense, the present research had the objective of evaluating depression, anxiety and stress in students of the Faculty of Engineering of a Peruvian public university when returning to face-to-face classes. The research was developed under a quantitative approach and is of a non-experimental design of the descriptive cross-sectional type. The sample consisted of 244 students who responded to the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, an instrument with adequate psychometric properties. According to the results, the students presented low levels of depression and anxiety. However, they showed moderate levels of stress. On the other hand, it was found out that the three variables were directly and significantly related. In the same way, it was found that there were statistically significant differences regarding the levels of depression, anxiety and stress related to gender, age group, family responsibilities and professional career. Finally, it was concluded that there were symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in students of the Faculty of Engineering of a Peruvian public university when returning to face-to-face classes.

Cansancio emocional y bienestar psicológico en estudiantes peruanos de enfermería durante la pospandemia por la COVID-19 / Emotional exhaustion and psychological well-being in Peruvian Nursing students during COVID-19 post-pandemic

Introducción: La pandemia por la COVID-19 ocasionó una serie de repercusiones y cambios drásticos en la salud mental de los estudiantes de pregrado, como el cansancio emocional, lo cual pudo afectar su bienestar psicológico. Objetivo: Determinar si existe relación entre el cansancio emocional y el bienestar psicológico de los estudiantes de la carrera profesional de enfermería. Método: El enfoque fue cuantitativo, el diseño no experimental y el tipo, descriptivo-correlacional de corte transversal. La muestra estuvo conformada por 184 estudiantes a quienes se les aplicó la Escala de Cansancio Emocional y la Escala de Bienestar Psicológico para Adultos, instrumentos adaptados para estudiantes y con adecuados niveles de validez basada en el contenido y confiabilidad. Para identificar la relación entre las variables de estudio se aplicó el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson. Resultados: El 63 por ciento de los estudiantes evidenciaron niveles moderados de cansancio emocional y el 75 por ciento tuvieron altos niveles de bienestar psicológico. Por otro lado, se observó una correlación inversa entre las variables cansancio emocional y bienestar psicológico (r= -0,267; p< 0,05). Asimismo, se encontró que las mujeres presentaron mayores niveles de cansancio emocional que los varones. Conclusiones: Existe relación inversa y significativa entre el cansancio emocional y el bienestar psicológico de los estudiantes de Enfermería durante la pospandemia(AU)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a series of repercussions and drastic changes in the mental health of undergraduate students, such as emotional exhaustion, which would have affected their psychological well-being. Objective: To determine if there is a relationship between emotional exhaustion and the psychological well-being of Nursing students. Method: The approach was quantitative, the design was non-experimental and the type was descriptive - correlational, cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 184 students to whom the Emotional Fatigue Scale and the Psychological Well-Being Scale for Adults were applied, instruments adapted for students and with adequate levels of validity based on content and reliability. To identify the relationship between the study variables, the Pearson correlation coefficient was applied. Results: 63 percent of the students showed moderate levels of emotional exhaustion and 75 percent had high levels of psychological well-being. On the other hand, an inverse correlation was observed between the variables emotional exhaustion, and psychological well-being (r= -0.267; p< 0.05). Likewise, it was found that women presented higher levels of emotional exhaustion than men. Conclusions: There is an inverse and significant relationship between emotional exhaustion and the psychological well-being of Nursing students during the post-pandemic(AU)

Concern about the Spread of COVID-19 in Regular Basic Education Teachers When Returning to Face-to-Face Classes.

During the health emergency caused by COVID-19, a series of sensations such as fear, stress, and concern about contracting the virus were developed. Despite the fact that in recent months infection rates have been significantly reduced due to vaccination campaigns, the return of teachers to face-to-face classes established in Peru from April 2022 has increased once again the fear that contagion levels could grow. Therefore, the objective was to analyze the concern of regular basic education teachers about the spread of COVID-19 when returning to face-to-face classes. A quantitative investigation was carried out; the research design was observational and the type of study was descriptive cross-sectional. The sample was made up of 648 teachers who responded to the Scale of Concern for the Contagion of COVID-19, an instrument with adequate psychometric properties. The results show that 43.8% of teachers had moderate levels of concern about the spread of COVID-19, 38.7% had low levels, and 17.5% had high levels. Teachers reported most recurrent concerns about some risks in educational institutions and the fear of spreading COVID-19 to their relatives or people with whom they lived. On the other hand, it was found that some sociodemographic, occupational, and medical variables were significantly associated with this concern (p < 0.05). Then, it was concluded that teachers had moderate levels of concern about the spread of COVID-19 when returning to face-to-face classes.

Prevalence and variables associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among Chilean higher education students, post-pandemic.

Background: Mental health among university students is a public health problem in Chile, understanding that this population is susceptible to mental disorders. Objective: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and variables influencing depression, anxiety, and stress in Chilean university students. Method: A representative sample (n = 1,062) of Chilean university students and a cross-sectional study design were used. Bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed to identify risk factors associated with symptomatology. They were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A questionnaire with sociodemographic variables was applied in November 2022, in addition to the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21), instruments with excellent reliability in this population (α = 0.955; ω = 0.956). On the other hand, the Questionnaire of Problematic Alcohol and Drug Consumption (DEP-ADO) was applied. A descriptive analysis was performed, followed by bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression using SPSS version 25. The variables showed a value of p <0.05; they were declared statistically significant in the final model. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted to a 95% confidence interval (95% CI), which was used to determine the independent predictors. Results: The prevalence of mental health problems in this population was high, with depressive symptoms in 63.1% of the sample; 69.2% with anxiety; 57% with stress; 27.4% with problematic alcohol consumption; and 14.9% with inappropriate marijuana consumption. Some 10.1% of the sample reported daily medication with antidepressants and/or anxiolytics. Concerning significant variables for depression, these were: being female, belonging to sexual, not having children, having problematic marijuana use, and using prescription drugs. Concerning anxiety, the significant variables were being a woman, belonging to sexual minorities, being an adolescent, and consuming prescription medication. Finally, concerning stress, the significant variables were being a woman, belonging to sexual minorities, being a student dedicated exclusively to academic activities, and taking prescription medication. Conclusion: Chilean university students presented a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress, where being female and belonging to sexual minorities seem to be the variables that have the greatest impact on susceptibility to mental health problems. These results should call the attention of political and university authorities in Chile to improve this population's mental health and quality of life since they are the following professional generation of our country.

Travel behavior and activity resilience regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: An approach based on smartphone panel data.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes around the world. The circumstances resulted in a radical shift in people's lives, including the way they move around the cities and/or carry out their activities. This study carries out a travel behavior analysis using commuting panel data collected over 7 days using smartphones. The study focuses on the Maceió Metropolitan Area (MMA), which is in the state of Alagoas in the northeast region of Brazil. Cluster analysis, using the k-means algorithm, divided the sample into three groups of travel behavior: Group A ("Infrequent travelers, for work or shopping trip purposes and very prone to do remote work"), Group B ("Intermediate travelers, for work or shopping trip purposes and prone to do remote work"), and Group C ("Frequent travelers, for work or meal purchases and not likely to do remote work"). Groups B and C are predominantly formed by individuals who carry out activities that are less likely to do remote work. By analyzing the groups, it is possible to understand the changes that occurred during the period studied (September/October 2020) and what are the expectations for a post-pandemic scenario, associated with each behavioral group. It was observed that "Working" was the main trip purpose during the pandemic and that the possibility of teleworking depends on the type of activity carried out. Making a scale of the resilience of activities considering the replacement of out-of-home activities by in-home remote activities, it can be observed that Group A was the most resilient, followed by Group B and C, respectively. For the post-pandemic scenario, Groups A and B are also the most likely to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and continue carrying out other remote activities, such as grocery shopping and meals, replacing, in the future, predominantly trips using ICTs.

Factors for the implementation of the circular economy in Big Data environments in service companies in post pandemic times of COVID-19: The case of Colombia.

In emerging economies, Big Data (BD) analytics has become increasingly popular, particularly regarding the opportunities and expected benefits. Such analyzes have identified that the production and consumption of goods and services, while unavoidable, have proven to be unsustainable and inefficient. For this reason, the concept of the circular economy (CE) has emerged strongly as a sustainable approach that contributes to the eco-efficient use of resources. However, to develop a circular economy in DB environments, it is necessary to understand what factors influence the intention to accept its implementation. The main objective of this research was to assess the influence of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral norms on the intention to adopt CE in BD-mediated environments. The methodology is quantitative, cross-sectional with a descriptive correlational approach, based on the theory of planned behavior and a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). A total of 413 Colombian service SMEs participated in the study. The results show that managers' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived norms of behavior positively influence the intentions of organizations to implement CB best practices. Furthermore, most organizations have positive intentions toward CE and that these intentions positively influence the adoption of DB; however, the lack of government support and cultural barriers are perceived as the main limitation for its adoption. The research leads to the conclusion that BD helps business and government develop strategies to move toward CE, and that there is a clear positive will and intent toward a more restorative and sustainable corporate strategy.

Public views on tourist beach environment from multinational countries and ensuing changes during global epidemic.

The continuous endemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus brought a halt to the world's activities from February 2020. Our study intends to gauge public perceptions on the consequences of post-pandemic changes on the marine environment, particularly as they are related to tourist beach amenities. Totally, 16 nations' knowledge and views on various environmental viewpoints over the effects of epidemic were gathered through public polls live on social media during social confinement in 2020. The results indicate that around 85% of respondents were most concerned about the alarming sights of widespread plastic trash and the increase of dangerous biomedical wastes through wastewater in the marine ecosystem. The outcomes of this study will undoubtedly aid in the establishment of a management strategy and for future studies on the consequences of any epidemic on the beaches.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the profile and preferences of urban mobility in Brazil: Challenges and opportunities.

Daily commuting characteristics were highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, since restriction of the movement of people was one of the main preventive measures adopted. Understanding of the effects that the pandemic had on mobility is essential to help in mitigating the problems arising from this crisis, while also providing an opportunity for the implementation of sustainable policies in the post-pandemic period. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the impacts of the pandemic on the profile of travel behavior and mobility preferences in Brazil, using a case study of cities located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The data obtained from an online survey were modeled using exploratory factor analysis, resulting in the extraction of 15 main factors that explain behavioral changes in mobility due to the effects of the pandemic, as well as future perspectives. In the pandemic period, the use of private vehicles grew as the main mode of transport to the principal activity. Conversely, the use of public transport decreased drastically, due to compulsory measures taken by the health authorities to prevent the spread of the new virus. There was also greater receptivity to the adoption of active mobility, especially the bicycle, although it is necessary to provide better conditions for use of this transport mode. The findings support the development of public policies to reduce urban mobility problems and to provide guidelines for sustainable planning in the post-pandemic period.

Interdisciplinary approaches to the teaching of forensic science in the Forensic Science Undergraduate Program of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, before and after COVID-19.

In 2013, the Forensic Science Undergraduate Program (FSUP) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico was created in response to an alarming criminal situation in Mexico, as well as to the radical reform of its criminal justice system. Its mission is to educate and train ethical, critical, and humanistic forensic scientists capable of conducting inquiries that meet scientific quality standards and assist the justice system in firmly linking legal rulings to the available evidence. At the time, it was the first such program in the country, and the contributions that interdisciplinary forensic scientists could make to criminal investigations were largely unknown among forensic and legal practitioners. During its existence, providing an interdisciplinary, competence-based education to students has been one of the main challenges. To overcome it, teaching and assessment approaches-centered on the achievement of specifically forensic competencies as learning outcomes and the integration of forensic disciplines towards the resolution of simulated cases-have been devised to help develop the professional skill set expected of graduates. The COVID-19 pandemic led to adapting these approaches to distance or hybrid modes of learning, increasing their versatility and enriching the pedagogic repertoire of the FSUP. Currently, the main impact of the program lies in the successful incorporation of some of its graduates to agencies belonging to or related to the criminal justice system, such as the National Prosecutor's Office, the Commission for Truth and Justice for the Ayotzinapa Case, and the National Commission for the Search of Missing and Disappeared Persons, among others.

Reflexive pedagogy at the heart of educational digital transformation in Latin American higher education institutions.

This paper makes a critical review of educational and operational issues related with pandemic and postpandemic lessons in Latin American higher education institutions (LATAM HEI), as background for uncovering key elements to innovate educational practices in technology-mediated higher education. The authors adapted the reflexive pedagogy framework to conduct in depth analysis of innovation experiences mediated with educational technologies and draw conclusions for curricular and digital transformation of LATAM HEI.

A construction and demolition waste management model applied to social housing to trigger post-pandemic economic recovery in Mexico.

Buildings consume 40% of raw material and primary energy and generate 35% of industrial waste worldwide, making this sector play a main role in raw material depletion, energy consumption and carbon emissions which provoke great environmental impact and worsen Global Warming. Latin American countries including Mexico have the world's highest urbanisation rate (84%) but lack effective construction and demolition waste (CDW) management to thrive in regenerative sustainability, climate change mitigation and post-pandemic economic recovery. This work applies the Spanish current model to quantify on-site 61 Mexican social housing CDW with surveys to workers and supervisors as an additional source of data. The results of the case study show that social housing consumes 1.24 t.m-2 of raw materials and produces 0.083 t.m-2 of CDW. Cement-based, ceramic and mixed CDW represent 83.44% of total CDW. When considering inert soil as a recyclable resource, 78% of the remaining CDW ends in landfills and only 22% of it goes to recycling plants. The implementation of this methodology will deliver sustainable CDW management in Mexico, by minimising CDW production, promoting related legislation and allowing replacement of current construction materials for eco-efficient ones. Furthermore, these data can broaden the Spanish coefficients of the construction resources that become CDW to build an internationally sourced database.

Strategies for talent engagement and retention of Brazilian Nursing professionals

ABSTRACT Objective: To reflect on how human resource health managers and talent managers may engage and retain experienced nursing professionals in Brazil. Methods: Reflection based on studies on global and Brazilian-specific nursing professionals and retention, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The pandemic worsened working conditions for all health professionals. Nursing professionals were particularly affected. Nurses have been viewed as "heroes" and "essential" frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite the universal praise for their efforts, it seems uncertain if they were actually considered and managed like talent. Final considerations: In order to develop a sustainable healthcare system supported by sufficient experienced nursing talent, healthcare human resource managers and talent managers must develop and implement impactful nursing talent retention and engagement strategies. We highlight possible strategies targeting experienced nursing talent that will help to sustain the Brazilian healthcare system, post-pandemic.

Challenges to detect SARS-CoV-2 on environmental media, the need and strategies to implement the detection methodologies in wastewaters.

Understanding risks, putting in place preventative methods to seamlessly continue daily activities are essential tools to fight a pandemic. All social, commercial and leisure activities have an impact on the environmental media. Therefore, to accurately predict the fate and behavior of viruses in the environment, it is necessary to understand and analyze available detection methods, possible transmission pathways and preventative techniques. The aim of this review is to critically analyze and summarize the research done regarding SARS-COV-2 virus detection, focusing on sampling and laboratory detection methods in environmental media. Special attention will be given to wastewater and sewage sludge. This review has summarized the survival of the virus on surfaces to estimate the risk carried by different environmental media (water, wastewater, air and soil) in order to explain which communities are under higher risk. The critical analysis concludes that the detection of SARS-CoV-2 with current technologies and sampling strategies would reveal the presence of the virus. This information could be used to design systematic sampling points throughout the sewage systems when available, taking into account peak flows and more importantly economic factors on when to sample. Such approaches will provide clues for potential future viral outbreak, saving financial resources by reducing testing necessities for viral detection, hence contributing for more appropriate confinement policies by governments and could be further used to define more precisely post-pandemic or additional waves measures if/ when needed.