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

The aim of this article is to describe the configuration and economic evolution of Uruguayan commercial television groups from their birth in 1956 until 2022. From a political economy of communication perspective, the construction of quantitative databases, and an analysis from the industrial economy, we reconstruct these groups’ birth, development, and crisis, as well as their relationship with political power. The advent of multinational pay television groups into the Uruguayan market, as well as convergence in the audiovisual sector, most recently expressed in the development of streaming VOD platforms, had a negative impact on the revenues of national media groups, leading to their decline and subsequent economic crisis. This situation was contrasted with the impact suffered by other groups in the region with greater economic solvency. Finally, we analyzed the concession of licenses obtained by the Uruguayan groups in 2022, which will allow them to sell television and fixed data simultaneously. Although this measure, also convergent, may strengthen the national groups, it is not yet possible to predict its future impact.

The media are fundamental in reproducing global ideas and visions on climate change. This study sought to analyze the social imaginaries of youth in relation to climate change in four digital media. 193 news items published from September 2012 to December 2020 were identified conducting a thematic content analysis. Imaginaries found had different degrees of crystallization: traditional imaginaries linked to institutions, violence, and climate vulnerability; alternative imaginaries, highlighting scientific youth, Greta Thunberg, and peaceful protest, and instituting imaginaries, exhibiting a youth aware of environmental inequity, activist, and capable of offering solutions. The challenge is posed for social communicators and researchers to transcend punitive and adult-centric visions of youth to others that recognize their leadership and contributions to climate action.

Introduction: Reading original papers is fundamental in science. Medical schools have formulated strategies to improve competencies in research, including literature search and critical reading. Objective: To describe trends in perceptions about scientific literature and the reading of scientific papers, and to evaluate the association between the number of original papers read and perceptions about the scientific literature in human medicine students exposed to a curricular strategy to improve research competencies. Method: A cross-sectional study at a private university in Peru. A self-administered virtual questionnaire was applied, this evaluated the perceptions about scientific literature (eight items), motivations to read original papers (five items), importance (seven items), and ease to read (seven items) the sections of the original paper, finally asked for the number of original papers read per week. The trend of the items in the years of study was evaluated with a chi-square for trend. The association between the number of original articles read and perceptions about the scientific literature were evaluated using binary logistic regression. Results: 227 students participated, an increasing linear trend of 43.5% to 72.7% was found between the second and sixth year of study to the statement “know how to find scientific articles on a certain topic”, a similar trend was also found from 37.7% to 77.3% for “I know how to identify scientific articles relevant to the problem I am investigating”. The number of articles readed per month increased the perception of confidence regarding some skills with the scientific literature. Conclusions: Medical students presented a growing trend in their perception of their ability to find scientific articles and identify those relevant to their research. In the context of a curricular strategy to build investigative skills, the more articles read, the better the perception of confidence in dealing with scientific literature.

Introduction: The processes are in almost all the processes of interaction and coordination to complete demanding physical and mental tasks in the future, assuming in medicine, the passage from biological algorithms to artificial ones with error elimination and optimal management putting information with greatest benefit to humans. Objective: To determine the perception of the usefulness of the application of the theory of algorithms for the solution of clinical problems through the application of algorithmic reasoning. Material and method: To evaluate the perception of the application of the theory of algorithms in the solution of clinical, theoretical and real problems, the perception of the usefulness of the theory of algorithms in medical students was explored, through the application surveys before and after an educational intervention. Results: After the intervention, the perception of the students is that the majority (more than 70%) considers that they are essential for doctors, that their use is evident in the medical literature and that it is necessary to have a deep knowledge of the subject to be treated. Regarding the usefulness for learning, the majority (more than 60%) consider that they serve to describe or remember a topic, to explain or summarize and to organize and establish solutions to a problem. The opinions of the student body were predominantly positive for the usefulness of the algorithms. Conclusion: The theory of algorithms provides a methodological alternative for learning since different areas of medical knowledge are integrated, it requires one or several ways of solution and that help to describe or explain the pathology, or for its application in a real context of care. to the patient.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected university processes and theses are no exception. The closure of universities and virtual sessions has altered the process of preparing a thesis. Objective: Identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the preparation, development and execution of the undergraduate thesis. Method: A descriptive study was designed that included graduates of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Lima-Peru). The survey technique was used through a questionnaire with virtual open questions. Analysis categories included: impact on thesis development, challenges experienced, and coping strategies. Results: 42 graduates were surveyed, 55% women. The impact was perceived in the selection of the study topic, execution of the thesis project, acquisition of resources, administrative processes, coordination with the thesis advisor, adaptation to a new investigative technique, loss of motivation, interest in topics other than the thesis and impact on mental health. Thesis students state that they have applied some strategies to face the impact of the pandemic: modify their investigative technique, adapt environments for the execution of in vitro experiments, more frequent meetings with advisers and friends in a virtual way. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the undergraduate thesis of the Faculty of Dentistry. This impact has affected the selection of the study topic, execution of the thesis project, acquisition of resources and administrative processes.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered severe consequences for the physical and emotional health of the general population. Objective: Describe the emotional profiles and the habits of physical activity, sleep, tobacco, and alcohol consumption in physiotherapy students, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of university physiotherapy students through a Google forms. We used the PANAS scale to assess positive and negative affect, the PSQI questionnaire to assess sleep quality, and the IPAQ-S questionnaire for physical activity. Results: We included 60 students between 17 and 22 years old, primarily female (71.7%). Most participants reported having a low consumption of alcohol (43.3%) and tobacco (96.7%). A higher proportion reported a high level of physical activity (53.3%) and considered it decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic (76.7%). Regarding sleep quality, most students reported poor sleep (66.7%). We identified one emotional profile “positive,” related to positive affect, and three profiles related to negative affects; “upset,” “anxious,” and “guilty.” Conclusions: Based on the description of the emotional response and the physical activity, sleep, alcohol, and tobacco consumption habits of the participants, it is suggested to establish psychological support programs, emphasizing the management of the emotional resources that the students have to face stressful situations caused by the confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, more and more journals are involved in the creation of visual abstracts. It is a simple, concise, and graphic summary that includes the methodology and the most relevant findings of an article. It has the characteristic of being easily interpreted and understood by someone who has not read the full text of the article from which it comes. It is presented in a graphic design that combines icons, predefined structure, and colors. It is usually carried out by the authors themselves as well as by the editors of the magazines. The main objective of a journal when displaying visual abstracts is to increase its presence on social networks and thereby indirectly increase the number of readers of its research articles, thus increasing citations and impact factors. Research in medical education helps enhance learning through new techniques, tools, and resources. An increase in the reading of this type of research and the attraction of readers through visual abstracts would have a positive impact in the classroom. In addition, it will allow medical students to take on the role as creators and consumers. The inclusion of visual abstract design as a poster presentation at academic meetings and conferences is a novel suggestion. The recommendations set forth in this article seek to promote the use of visual abstracts as a means of disseminating research in medical education.

One of the greatest challenges for medical schools is to rethink, research and adapt technologies for learning and knowledge acquisition to processes of empathic communication, social, cultural and professional exchange, and of emotional harmony for university stakeholders. The evaluation of the level of achievement of the competences that physicians need to develop is a fundamental task in their training process. Cell phones and electronic tablets offer a great number of possibilities to include new ways of evaluation and recording of information during the development of students’ competencies. In the framework of evaluations through Entrusted Professional Activities (EPAs), the implementation of mobile applications (Apps) to capture data and provide feedback to students is increasing every day. Studies have been conducted to identify successes and barriers in incorporating Apps to assess EPAs. The purpose of this article is to describe how technologies for learning and knowledge acquisition were incorporated in the implementation of the electronic application “MedAPProc” in the formative evaluation through Entrusted Professional Activities in the medical internship of the Medical Surgeon major of the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The needs, advantages and limitations of swithcing from paper to electronic formats in order to improve and make more efficient the evaluation of students’ competencies performance are described.

Introduction: Student scientific societies (SSS) are learning communities where students form their research competencies. Objective: To elaborate a contextualized profile of the characteristics of the student scientific societies (SSS) in the existing health sciences programs in Peru. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was designed using documentary analysis and a survey. The population was all existing SSSs in Peru until December 2020, explored through their social networks and surveys of their leaders. The categories used for the study of the SSSs were: conformation, institutional membership, visibility, trajectory and academic-scientific activities. Results: Of the 143 universities analyzed in Peru, 105 had at least one program related to Health Sciences, 32.4% (n=34) had at least one SSS; most of them were in state universities. Eleven universities presented more than one SSS, so a total of 52 SSSs were registered, 71.2% (n=37) in the Human Medicine program. The founding period of the SSSs ranged from 1991 to 2020. Their main activities included: teaching courses on scientific writing, publication of articles, participation in competitions, workshops and seminars related to research methodology. Conclusions: The contextualized profile of the SSSs allows documenting the presence of research seedbeds for more than 30 years in Peru; these are found in approximately one third of the universities with at least one program in the health sciences, being an experience mostly developed in state universities.

Ontologies are tools that describe knowledge domains, considering the concepts and relationships among them, as well as their limits. They provide an abstract representation of a field of knowledge, that can be understood by humans and digital devices. As complex systems that posit the terms used by an academic community to define and describe a topic, they facilitate search, recovery, visualization and analysis of knowledge domains, including health professions education. The goal of this paper is to discuss the relevance of these tools for scientific disciplines, to provide an overview of the design, development and construction of ontologies, and to analyze the challenges and difficulties in their definition and classification.