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    Hyssop-infused Electrospun Nanofiber Mask for Antiviral Protection
    (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2025-10-02)
    Elham Khalili
    ;
    Fatemeh Mehrabi
    ;
    Zahra Sotoudehnia Korrani
    ;
    HESAM, KAMYAB  
    The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in demand for effective face masks to prevent virus transmission. Face masks serve as protective barriers, reducing the spread of infectious aerosols between individuals. This has accelerated global research and development efforts focused on mask technologies. Traditional masks, such as surgical masks and R95 respirators, often involve a trade-off between breathability and filtration efficiency. Electrospun nanofiber membrane–based face masks have gained significant attention due to their nanoscale pores, lightweight design, and high filtration efficiency, making them commercially viable and widely adopted. The integration of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and graphene has further enabled the development of advanced, multifunctional, reusable filtration membranes with higher adsorption capacity. Unlike these existing approaches, this study introduces a novel antiviral face mask that uniquely combines cellulose acetate nanofibers with hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) essential oil, a herbal additive that has not previously been explored in electrospun mask design. The nanofibers, produced via electrospinning, exhibit diameters ranging from 35 to 75 nm, significantly enhancing their ability to capture small particles, including viruses, compared with conventional masks. The incorporation of hyssop essential oil not only provides natural antiviral and antibacterial functionality but also differentiates this mask from other herbal oil–based or graphene/MOF-enhanced membranes. Experimental testing demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, the dual advantage of superior PM2.5 filtration efficiency (99.6%) and improved breathability over R95 masks highlights the practical benefits of this design. This dual-function mask offers a promising solution for both air pollution control and COVID-19 prevention by combining advanced filtration with active pathogen inactivation.
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    Food insecurity and sociodemographic factors in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Pan American Health Organization, 2018)
    Novoa Sanzana Stephanie
    ;
    Moya Valero José
    ;
    MOREJÓN  TERÁN, YADIRA ALEJANDRA  
    ;
    Castillo-bellot Israel
    Objective. To understand the association of food insecurity with sociodemographic factors in a sample population in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in 10 countries in Latin America using an online survey through various digital platforms from October 14, 2020 to February 15, 2021. Statistical analysis of data was performed by applying descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis. Results. Of a total of 6 357 surveys, 58.2% of respondents experienced food security, 29.3% were slightly food insecure, 9.2% were moderately food insecure, and 3.3% were severely food insecure. Concerning the association food insecurity and sociodemographic variables, there is a significant association in the variables studied, including area of residence, education level, occupation, number of persons in the household, household with children younger than 10 years of age, and socioeconomic level. Conclusions. These findings indicate that sociodemographic factors associated with food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America were rural residence; complete and incomplete basic and secondary schooling; occupation (homemaker, unemployed, and self-employed); low, medium-low, and medium socioeconomic level; household with more than four persons; and household with children younger than 10 years of age.
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    Food Purchase Prioritization During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin America
    (Informa UK Limited, 2023-07-04)
    Laura Quezada Acuña
    ;
    Samuel Durán-Agüero
    ;
    José Moya-Osorio
    ;
    MOREJÓN  TERÁN, YADIRA ALEJANDRA  
    ;
    Luisa Pérez Ocampo
    The paper determines the prioritization of household food purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic confinement in Latin America. This is a multicenter, cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire including sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and food purchasing prioritization information was sent through digital platforms. A total of 6,357 individuals participated; 83.6% were women, 56.3% belonged to the middle socioeconomic level. Low socioeconomic level was correlated with high prioritization of rice/pasta, potatoes, cookies, sugar/bread, flours, and sweets. The higher the socioeconomic level, the higher the purchasing of alcohol, nuts, vegetables, and meats. Purchase prioritization is related to the socioeconomic level of the participants. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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    Social determinants of food insecurity experienced by Ecuadorian women during the COVID-19 pandemic of Summer 2020: an online survey at the individual level
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-01-01)
    Tannia Valeria Carpio Arias
    ;
    Marta Guijarro-Garvi
    ;
    MOREJÓN  TERÁN, YADIRA ALEJANDRA  
    ;
    María Teresa Ruíz-Cantero
    ;
    Candace Nykiforuk
    The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified concerns about food insecurity, prompting its investigation. An online pilot survey anonymously gathered responses from a non-probabilistic sample of 2058 Ecuadorian women. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Food Insecurity Experience Scale was used to measure moderate or severe food insecurity (MSFI). Data quality was assessed using the Rasch item response theory model; this is a single-parameter logistic model that considers food insecurity severity as a latent trait. The analysis produced MSFI prevalence rates with 90% confidence level margins of error (90%MoE). The highest MSFI was found in women: lacking resources for personal expenses (29.53%, 90%MoE = 3.21) compared to those who had them (12.47, 90%MoE = 1.40); who live in the Amazon region (21.37, 90%MoE = 4.24) versus those living in Highlands (17.66%, 90%MoE = 1.77) or in Coast (13.44%, 90%MoE = 2.40); with three or more children (20.97%, 90%MoE = 4.71) against those without children (12.63%, 90%MoE = 3.57); who experienced income reduction during confinement (18.31%, 90%MoE = 2) compared to those who did not (15.71%, 90%MoE = 1.85); and who are rural (18.13%, 90%MoE = 2.83) versus urban residents (16.63%, 90%MoE = 1.55). This study highlights that the most vulnerable Ecuadorian women experienced the highest food insecurity levels during lockdown, emphasizing the need to consider the intersection between income and sociodemographic factors and their impact on women's food insecurity in future research and policymaking.
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    The Transformation of the Ecuadorian Private Television RTU: Marketing Strategies and COVID-19
    (Springer Nature Singapore, 2023-09-05)
    Ana Cecilia Vaca-Tapia
    ;
    Verónica Crespo-Pereira
    ;
    Manuel Escourido-Calvo
    ;
    MANCIATI ALARCON, ROBERTO XAVIER  
    TV consumption has increased due to COVID-19 crisis. The demand of local and valuable news has been crucial for this rise. Under the premise that the pandemic crisis could have acted as a trigger for the adoption of new forms of content production and advertising formulas for many broadcaster, this paper analyzes the transformation of the Ecuadorian national private television channel RTU. The research carried out the RTU’s financial analysis of 2018, 2019 and 2020 to understand its economic situation and the consequences of the decisions and initiatives implemented in the last years. The research also carried out semi-structured interviews with the aforementioned broadcaster managers and experts in order to understand the changes fostered given the new economic, social and technical scenario. The research allows us to evidence that the linear TV is on crisis, in special among younger audiences. RTU has drastically reduced its team due to the decrease of revenue in advertising ad the unattractive content to young audiences. Having in mind this situation, RTU is encouraging innovation on human resources management, revenue streams (digital advertising formats), distribution platforms (social network) and products/content adapted to society demands such as short videos, influencers, interaction and feedback.
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    Assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic progression in Ecuador through seroprevalence analysis of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibodies in blood donors
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2024-06-21)
    Aníbal Gaviria
    ;
    TAMAYO TRUJILLO, VICTOR RAFAEL  
    ;
    PAZ CRUZ, ELUIS ANDRES  
    ;
    Francisco Cevallos
    ;
    CADENA ULLAURI, SANTIAGO ANDRE  
    Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory illness caused by the RNA virus SARS-CoV-2. Globally, there have been over 759.4 million cases and 6.74 million deaths, while Ecuador has reported more than 1.06 million cases and 35.9 thousand deaths. To describe the COVID-19 pandemic impact and the vaccinations effectiveness in a low-income country like Ecuador, we aim to assess the seroprevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in a sample from healthy blood donors at the Cruz Roja Ecuatoriana. Methods: The present seroprevalence study used a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies in months with the highest confirmed case rates (May 2020; January, April 2021; January, February, June, July 2022) and months with the highest vaccination rates (May, June, July, August, December 2021) in Quito, Ecuador. The IgG and IgM seroprevalence were also assessed based on sex, age range, blood type and RhD antigen type. The sample size was 8,159, and sampling was performed based on the availability of each blood type. Results: The results showed an overall IgG and IgM seroprevalence of 47.76% and 3.44%, respectively. There were no differences in IgG and IgM seroprevalences between blood groups and sex, whereas statistical differences were found based on months, age range groups, and RhD antigen type. For instance, the highest IgG seroprevalence was observed in February 2022 and within the 17-26 years age range group, while the highest IgM seroprevalence was in April 2021 and within the 47-56 years age range group. Lastly, only IgG seroprevalence was higher in RhD+ individuals while IgM seroprevalence was similar across RhD types. Discussion: This project contributes to limited data on IgG and IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in Ecuador. It suggests that herd immunity may have been achieved in the last evaluated months, and highlights a potential link between the RhD antigen type and COVID-19 susceptibility. These findings have implications for public health strategies and vaccine distribution not only in Ecuador but also in regions with similar characteristics.