Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

El Parque Samanes es el parque urbano más grande del Ecuador y el tercero en América Latina. Es una de las áreas protegidas del país, hogar de muchas especies nativas y silvestres, y un espacio de recreación para turistas locales y extranjeros. Asimismo, al ser un bien no excluible y no rival, el Parque Samanes es un bien público. Muchos bienes públicos no tienen un mercado; en consecuencia, no pueden tener un precio. El problema de lo anterior es que no se incorporan en la toma de decisiones, lo que conlleva a su deterioro con el tiempo; el Parque Samanes es un ejemplo de ello. Sin embargo, la población demanda este tipo de bienes, y su valor se refleja en el excedente del consumidor. La valoración económica de bienes sin mercado busca estimar el excedente del consumidor de los bienes públicos. Este excedente se puede utilizar como referencia para proyectos de política pública que busquen preservar el recurso. Esta investigación aplica el método del costo de viaje (método de valoración indirecta) para estimar el excedente del consumidor de los visitantes al sitio. El excedente del consumidor se estimó en 4,50 dólares por visita (por persona).

This paper analyzes whether the US Monetary Policy Uncertainty (MPU) impacts the exchange rate volatility of the Integrated Latin American Market (MILA) countries1, over the period 2004-2022. For this purpose, we employ univariate GARCH models and Vector Autoregressive Markov Switching Models (MS-VAR). Originality lies in the analysis of emerging countries using a dynamic model to observe how currencies volatility is affected through US Monetary Policy changes. This research also reveals how currency volatility evolves and which market is more vulnerable to foreign monetary shocks. Results evidence long memory and persistence in currencies volatility. In particular, the Colombian peso (COP), the Chilean peso (CLP) and the Peruvian sol (PEN) appear to have been affected in their behavior since the unconventional monetary policy measures implemented in 2008 during the global financial crisis. In contrast, the Mexican Peso (MXN) has been affected since the COVID-19 monetary policy changes. In terms of the MS-VAR results, all volatility currencies influence its own previous values. US MPU seems to impact the exchange rates volatility during the high volatility regime.

This investigation delves into the ramifications of beta convergence on the stock markets of the Pacific Alliance countries, scrutinizing data extracted from their annual financial statements. Beta convergence, denoting the gradual mitigation of risk and return disparities in international financial markets, is inexorably entwined with the process of market integration. Employing sophisticated econometric methodologies, the study discerns nuanced convergence or divergence patterns within crucial financial ratios, including the Quick Ratio, Return on Equity (ROE), Return on Assets (ROA), Working Capital, Cash Conversion Cycle, and Debt-to-Equity Ratio, thereby furnishing invaluable insights into corporate performance. The findings therefore contribute decisively to well-informed decision-making processes for discerning investors, analysts, and executives maneuvering within the dynamic and intricately interlinked global financial milieu.

Incentivar la innovación y la productividad en los países de América Latina y el Caribe es un tema central de política para estas economías. En consecuencia, el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el impacto de la inversión en I&D interna y externa –postuladas por muchos como motores del cambio tecnológico y el crecimiento– en el proceso de innovación y productividad laboral para una muestra de empresas formales manufactureras del periodo 2009-2014 de una economía de ingreso medio, Perú, de la región. El análisis de dicho impacto se basa en la estimación de un modelo CDM (siglas debido a Crepón, Duguet, y Mairesse, 2008) de trece ecuaciones, el que sugiere que las empresas en Perú no están aprovechando las ventajas de las actividades de I&D (internas y externas) y continúan dependiendo del capital físico y humano, y no así de los resultados de la innovación, para incrementar la productividad laboral. Estos resultados apuntan a una mayor difusión en los programas que impulsen dichas inversiones.

The COVID-19 outbreak has left a profound economic aftermath, disrupting decades of consistent progress in poverty reduction in several countries. In this context, it is relevant to study the Peruvian economy since it experienced one of the highest COVID-19 mortality rates globally, its GDP declined by 11% and its monetary poverty rate rose to 30%, a situation not observed since 2010. Therefore, to better understand Peru’s socioeconomic landscape after the pandemic, we construct a Multidimensional Poverty Index during the period 2019-2022 and compare it with monetary poverty using data sourced from the National Household Survey. We find that the latter was more volatile than multidimensional poverty. Employing logistic panel regressions, consistent patterns emerge in terms of the signs and statistical significance of the marginal effects for both poverty measurements across various weighting structures and poverty cutoffs. For instance, certain demographic groups, including rural women, those with only primary education, the unemployed and informal workers, exhibit a significantly heightened probability of experiencing both monetary and multidimensional poverty. The pandemic also increased the likelihood of experiencing both types of poverty across all scenarios considered. Conversely, individuals of mestizo ethnicity and those with higher education levels demonstrate a reduced likelihood of experiencing both types of poverty

Background: The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased, particularly the one associated with human papillomavirus (HPV+). These patients have better prognosis than those with HPV- OPSCC.Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the demographic and therapeutic characteristics and outcome of a series of patients treated for HPV+ versus HPV- OPSCC.Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective and observational cohort study using demographic, clinical, therapeutic and follow-up data collected from OPSCC patients treated between January 2019 and December 2021. The data were retrieved from the electronic medical records of the Department of Pathological Anatomy, from the general archive of medical records and from the database of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery.Results: A total of 45 patients were identified, 28 with HPV+ and 17 with HPV- OPSCC. The most common tumor location was the tonsil in 33 cases (73%) and was significantly more common in HPV+ cases (n = 24; 85.7%) versus HPV- cases (n = 9; 52.9%; p = 0.04). The proportion of HPV+ cases treated with radiation therapy alone was higher than that of HPV- patients, (24 versus 8; p = 0.01). Concurrent chemotherapy was more common in HPV- patients (41.2; p = 0.00). The most common stages in HPV+ patients were I and III, with no patients in stage IV, while 10 HPV- patients were in stage IV.Conclusion: Most patients with OPSCC were HPV+ and the tonsil was the most common location; HPVpatients had more advanced disease. 

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy/parathyroidectomy vestibular approach is a scarless alternative to open surgery. Atypical parathyroid tumors account for 1% of primary hyperparathyroidism cases.Fluorescence-guided surgery is a method that allows surgeons to locate and precisely identify the parathyroid glands, thus facilitating their dissection. We report the case of a 29-year-old female patient diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism and an indeterminate thyroid nodule located on the same side. The patient underwent transoral endoscopic vestibular approach combined with indocyanine green angiography to localize the parathyroid glands using near infrared light and compare the overlay view with the white light view. The procedure involved parathyroidectomy and ipsilateral hemithyroidectomy, without complications. The pathological examination reported an atypical adenoma and a benign thyroid nodule. One month after surgery, calcemia and parathormone levels remained normal.

Chylous ascites is a rare complication after abdominal and/or pelvic surgery due to inadvertent injury to the lymphatic vessels during the procedure. We report the case of a 75-year-old female patient with an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with unfavourable vascular anatomy. For this reason, endovascular treatment was not indicated and she underwent aortobi-iliac prosthetic reconstruction requiring ligation of the left renal vein to place an infrarenal clamp. One week later, due to persistent fever and the presence of periprosthetic fluid collection on a computed tomography scan, an axillobifemoral bypass was performed and the aortic prosthesis was removed. On postoperative day 4, a milky output containing 394 mg/dL of triglycerides was discharged through the abdominal drains. A diagnosis of chylous ascites was made. As conservative management failed, intranodal lymphangiography with Lipiodol® was performed, which resulted in a progressive decrease in lymphatic output until it finally stopped after 14 days, avoiding additional surgical intervention.

Background: Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of muscular mass and strength, is a natural consequence of aging, but it also linked to other conditions, including cancer and has been associated with worse postoperative outcomes.Objective: The aim of this study the associations between psoas muscle area and psoas muscle density and anastomotic leak (AL) in colorectal cancer surgery.Material and methods: Patients undergoing elective curative intent surgery for colorectal cancer with primary anastomosis between January 2018 and June 2024 were included. In all cases, the measurement of psoas muscle area and density was determined on the preoperative computed tomography scan at the level of the first and third lumbar (L3) vertebrae. The relationship between both parameters with AL was determined separately in two groups of patients: those who underwent colon resection and those who underwent rectal resection.Results: A total of 135 patients were analyzed: 88 colectomies (16 cases of AL and 72 controls without AL) and 47 rectal resections (7 with AL and 40 controls without AL). There was no association between qualitative variables and AL. Of the quantitative variables, there was only a non-significant association with blood albumin level in the colectomy group (OR 0.286; IQR 0.112- 0.737). Conclusion: In the present study there was no association between AL and muscle mass as assessed by psoas muscle area and density. Anastomotic leak is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon that requires consideration of other variables

Background: fascial dehiscence after laparotomy is a serious problem and its management with simple fascial closure has a high recurrence rate (re-dehiscence).Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the use of mesh during early closure of fascial dehiscence decreases dehiscence recurrence.Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of adult patients with fascial dehiscence after laparotomy who underwent early fascial closure. Patients were divided into two groups: simple fascial closure (control group), and mesh reinforcement (intervention group). The primary outcome was recurrence 30 days after surgery.Results: The population was made up of 32 patients, 24 in the control group and 8 in the intervention group, resulting in a 3:1 ratio. Mean age was 61.09 years and 59.38% were men. The absolute risk of recurrence in patients with simple closure (control group) was 62.5% ( 95% CI, 40.59-81.2) while none of the patients undergoing mesh reinforcement (intervention group) experienced recurrences,demonstrating a statistically significant difference (p = 0.003).Conclusion: The use of mesh for early closure of fascial dehiscence after laparotomy reduces its recurrence without major surgical site complications