Potential high-quality growing tea regions in Ecuador: an alternative cash crop for Ecuadorian small landholders.

BACKGROUND: Agriculture is the main means of subsistence for most of the population in developing countries. Crops that can increase their value with in situ processing have a big impact on the small landholder's economics. Moreover, crops such as coffee and cocoa beans have been very important for Ecuadorian farmers. In this study, we wanted to analyze if the climatic conditions exist for growing high-quality tea in Ecuador and determine the areas that will be less affected by global climate change in the future. RESULTS: We used a GIS (geographic information systems) based analysis, together with ecological niche modeling to determine areas in Ecuador where Ceylon and Nilgiris tea varieties could be grown, which will maintain similar ecological conditions in the future, and have a high agricultural aptitude. In total, there are more than 150 000 ha in Ecuador that could be converted to high-quality tea plantations, most of them in the coastal provinces, with some specific areas in the Andean foothills. CONCLUSION: Ecuador has a significant amount of land with the potential to grow high-quality tea, with no significant ecological niche modifications due to climate change in the long-term future. Tea is a viable and potentially highly profitable crop for small landholders and should be considered by local stakeholders. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Eating behavior disorders in patients hospitalized in a Mental Health Service]. / Trastornos de la alimentación en pacientes hospitalizados en un Servicio de Salud Mental Pediátrico.

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders (ED) have a high prevalence during adolescence, associated with high morbidity and mortality. In our country, there are no data that characterize adolescent inpatients with ED. OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze hospitalizations of children and adolescents due to ED admitted in a Pediatric Mental Health Service (PMHS). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Data were collected from the clinical record of patients with ED hospitalized in the PMHS of the Hospital Roberto del Río during 2005-2015. The following admission variables were studied: cause for hospitalization, ED type, nu tritional status, systemic involvement, and psychosocial variables (psychiatric comorbidities, family functioning, abuse, and suicide ideation/attempt). The t-Student test was used for quantitative varia bles and the chi-square or Fisher Test for qualitative variables for the comparison between groups. RESULTS: 93 patients were included, with an average age of 14.6 years, 84% of them were women. The most frequent diagnosis was anorexia nervosa (AN) (71%) and the most frequent cause for hospita lization was the failure of outpatient treatment, followed by suicide ideation/attempt. At admission, 40% of the patients had malnutrition, 96% psychiatric comorbidity, and 88% family dysfunction. CONCLUSION: AN was the most frequent ED among inpatients and the failure of outpatient treatment was the main cause for hospitalization. The latter could be explained, in part, by the high prevalence of family dysfunction and psychiatric comorbidity of patients and their families which would com plicate outpatient treatment.

Trastornos de la alimentación en pacientes hospitalizados en un Servicio de Salud Mental Pediátrico / Eating behavior disorders in patients hospitalized in a Mental Health Service

INTRODUCTION: Los trastornos de la alimentación e ingesta (TAI) tienen una elevada prevalencia durante la adolescencia, asociándose a alta morbimortalidad. En nuestro país no existen datos que caractericen a los adolescentes con TAI que requieren hospitalización. OBJETIVO: Describir y analizar las hospitaliza ciones debidas a TAI en niños y adolescentes en un Servicio de Salud Mental Pediátrico (SSMP). PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Se recolectaron los datos de los registros clínicos de pacientes con TAI hospitalizados en el SSMP del Hospital Roberto del Río entre 2005-2015. Se estudiaron las variables de ingreso: motivo de hospitalización, tipo de TAI, estado nutricional, repercusión sistémica y variables sicosociales (comorbilidades siquiátricas, funcionamiento de la familia, abuso e ideación/intento suicida). Para la comparación de variables cuantitativas entre grupos se utilizó el test t-Student y para variables categóricas chi-cuadrado o Test Fisher. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 93 pacientes, me diana de edad 14,6 años, 84% género femenino. El diagnóstico más frecuente fue anorexia nerviosa (AN) (71%) y la causa más frecuente de hospitalización fue el fracaso del tratamiento ambulatorio, seguido por ideación/intento suicida. Al ingreso, 40% de los pacientes presentaban déficit nutricio nal, 96% comorbilidad psiquiátrica y 88% disfunción familiar. CONCLUSIÓN: La AN fue el TAI más frecuente dentro de los pacientes hospitalizados y el fracaso del tratamiento ambulatorio el principal motivo de ingreso. Esto último podría ser explicado, en parte, por la alta prevalencia de disfunción familiar y comorbilidad psiquiátrica de los pacientes y su familia, que estaría complicando el trata miento ambulatorio.

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders (ED) have a high prevalence during adolescence, associated with high morbidity and mortality. In our country, there are no data that characterize adolescent inpatients with ED. OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze hospitalizations of children and adolescents due to ED admitted in a Pediatric Mental Health Service (PMHS). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Data were collected from the clinical record of patients with ED hospitalized in the PMHS of the Hospital Roberto del Río during 2005-2015. The following admission variables were studied: cause for hospitalization, ED type, nu tritional status, systemic involvement, and psychosocial variables (psychiatric comorbidities, family functioning, abuse, and suicide ideation/attempt). The t-Student test was used for quantitative varia bles and the chi-square or Fisher Test for qualitative variables for the comparison between groups. RESULTS: 93 patients were included, with an average age of 14.6 years, 84% of them were women. The most frequent diagnosis was anorexia nervosa (AN) (71%) and the most frequent cause for hospita lization was the failure of outpatient treatment, followed by suicide ideation/attempt. At admission, 40% of the patients had malnutrition, 96% psychiatric comorbidity, and 88% family dysfunction. CONCLUSION: AN was the most frequent ED among inpatients and the failure of outpatient treatment was the main cause for hospitalization. The latter could be explained, in part, by the high prevalence of family dysfunction and psychiatric comorbidity of patients and their families which would com plicate outpatient treatment.

[Risk factor of intestinal colonization with vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp in hospitalized pediatric patients with oncological disease]. / Factores de riesgo de colonización por Enterococcus spp resistente a vancomicina en pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados con patología oncológica.

BACKGROUND: The isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp (ERV) has increased significantly within the last few years, along with the risk of infection and dissemination of these bacteria. Our aim was to determine risk factors (RF) for intestinal colonization in hospitalized pediatric patients with oncological disease at Hospital de Niños Roberto del Río. METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2013 a transversal study was performed with 107 rectal swabs and processed with a PCR for ERV. The patients were classified as "colonized with ERV" and "not colonized with ERV" and we evaluated possible RF for intestinal colonization in both groups. RESULTS: VRE colonization was found in 51 patients (52%). The median of time elapsed between oncological diagnosis and VRE colonization was 35 days. The significant RF associated with VRE colonization were days of hospitalization prior to study, neutropenia and treatment with antibiotics within 30 days prior to study and mucositis. CONCLUSIONS: According to the RF revealed in this study we may suggest prevention standards to avoid ERV colonization. This is the first investigation in our country in hospitalized pediatric patients with oncological disease and processed with a multiplex PCR for ERV, therefore it is a great contribution about this subject in Chile.

Factores de riesgo de colonización por Enterococcus spp resistente a vancomicina en pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados con patología oncológica / Risk factor of intestinal colonization with vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp in hospitalized pediatric patients with oncological disease

Background: The isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp (ERV) has increased significantly within the last few years, along with the risk of infection and dissemination of these bacteria. Our aim was to determine risk factors (RF) for intestinal colonization in hospitalized pediatric patients with oncological disease at Hospital de Niños Roberto del Río. Methods: Between January 2012 and December 2013 a transversal study was performed with 107 rectal swabs and processed with a PCR for ERV. The patients were classified as "colonized with ERV" and "not colonized with ERV" and we evaluated possible RF for intestinal colonization in both groups. Results: VRE colonization was found in 51 patients (52%). The median of time elapsed between oncological diagnosis and VRE colonization was 35 days. The significant RF associated with VRE colonization were days of hospitalization prior to study, neutropenia and treatment with antibiotics within 30 days prior to study and mucositis. Conclusions: According to the RF revealed in this study we may suggest prevention standards to avoid ERV colonization. This is the first investigation in our country in hospitalized pediatric patients with oncological disease and processed with a multiplex PCR for ERV, therefore it is a great contribution about this subject in Chile.

Introducción: El aislamiento de Enterococcus spp resistentes a vancomicina (ERV) ha presentado un incremento significativo en los últimos años, aumentando el riesgo de infección por esta bacteria y favoreciendo su diseminación. Nuestro objetivo es determinar los factores de riesgo (FR) de colonización intestinal de ERV en pacientes oncológicos internados en el Hospital de Niños Roberto del Río. Método: Entre enero de 2012 y diciembre de 2013 se realizó un estudio transversal de colonización rectal por ERV mediante muestras de hisopado rectal obtenidas en 107 pacientes efectuando RPC múltiple para ERV. Se dividió en grupo "portador" y "no portador" y se evaluó los posibles FR para colonización por ERV. Resultados: Se encontró colonización por ERV en 51 pacientes (52%). El tiempo transcurrido desde el diagnóstico oncológico y la colonización presentó una mediana de 35 días. Los FR encontrados con asociación significativa fueron el número de días de hospitalización previa, neutropenia, uso de antimicrobianos 30 días previos y mucositis. Conclusión: De acuerdo a los FR encontrados podemos sugerir medidas de prevención para colonización por ERV. Esta es la primera investigación realizada en nuestro país en pacientes oncológicos pediátricos y que utiliza la técnica de RPC múltiple para ERV, lo que permite un aporte significativo sobre este tema en Chile.