Developing Latin American Countries Research Articles

Femoral fractures in the immature skeleton: Characterization, risk factors, and treatment options in a developing country

IntroductionFemur fracture is one of the most frequent reasons for admission to paediatric trauma units and has a bimodal incidence. The trauma mechanism varies according to the patient's age. Non-operative treatment continues to be performed, although surgical treatment has gained popularity in recent years. Paediatric orthopaedic traumatologists should always bear in mind the already known general principles of treatment. In this study, we aimed to provide a general characterization of femoral fractures, risk factors, and current definitive treatment methods in a developing Latin American country. Materials and methodsThis is an observational, analytical, retrospective study with a non-probabilistic sample of consecutive cases of skeletally immature patients with femoral fractures treated at a trauma hospital in Asunción, Paraguay, from January to December 2022. Patients with diseases fragile bones and femoral fractures were excluded. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population were analysed. ResultsTraffic accidents were the most frequent cause of femoral fractures in our population. Femur fractures were more common in males. The femoral shaft was the most frequent fracture site. Age was one of the most important criteria for defining the treatment approach, considering non-operative management in children younger than 4 years. ConclusionsFracture of the femoral shaft in male patients is the most frequent presentation at our Institution. Summer vacations and traffic accidents are the main risk factors identified in Paraguayan children who suffer a femoral fracture. Non-operative treatment is preferred in children under 4 years of age, while surgical treatment is preferred in children aged 5 years and above. Paediatric orthopaedic traumatologists should be involved in parent education to promote children's safety, especially by increasing care and vigilance during school vacations and dangers related to traffic accidents.

Factors influencing citizens’ adoption of e-government: an empirical validation in a Developing Latin American Country

ABSTRACT This study identifies the factors influencing citizens’ adoption of e-government in a distrustful region – where service complexity to prevent fraud and corruption is accepted – and bridges the gap in the relevant body of literature. We selected the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, extended with trust factors, using data from 362 respondents, to study an e-government service, in Colombia, a developing country. Trust was the primary influencing factor, followed by cost-benefit expectancy and facilitating conditions. While government support did not influence behavioural intention, the latter remained a strong predictor of use, even though facilitating conditions had no influence.

Economic relations and the public image of China in Latin America: a cross-country time-series analysis

This article investigates the impact of Chinese economic activities in Latin America on the national image of China in the region. Using economic and public opinion data from 17 Latin American countries from 2001 to 2016, this work relates cross-national time-series variations regarding China’s image in Latin America to changes in the economic ties (such as trade, FDI, and contracts) between the perceiving countries and China. Controlling for the size of the economy and the level of its development, the statistical analysis indicates that trade surplus against China in Latin America has a positive effect on the public perceptions of China in the region, while Chinese FDI outflows to Latin America lead to a negative effect. The effects of Chinese contracts, imports, and exports tend not to be statistically significant. We also find less developed Latin American countries with low life expectancy and low educational attainment tend to have a more positive view of China than their richer counterparts in the region. Finally, we find that Latin American countries under presidents with left-wing ideology have a much more positive view of China than countries under presidents with other ideological preferences. Diplomatic relations with China and China’s soft power influence as indexed by the presence of Confucius Institutes do not exhibit a strong impact on China’s national image in Latin America, compared with the dominant political ideology in a Latin American country as reflected in the president’s ideology.

Association of healthcare system factors with childhood leukemia mortality in Peru, 2017–2019: A population-based analysis

BackgroundChildhood leukemia mortality is expected to increase in certain developing Latin American countries by 2030. The development of tailored public health interventions could benefit by understanding the role of healthcare system factors. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the area-level association of healthcare system factors with leukemia mortality among Peruvian children aged 0–19. MethodsWe abstracted province-level death counts from the National Death Registry Information System database between 2017 and 2019. Continuous factors were dichotomized by their median. We fitted multivariate quasi-Poisson regression models for all leukemia and stratifying by subtypes of leukemia. ResultsFrom 2017 to 2019, 755 leukemia deaths were reported. Healthcare system factors associated with mortality varied by leukemia subtype. In lymphoid leukemia, a prolonged travel time to a healthcare facility (RR: 1.26, 95 % CI: 1.01−1.58), a high density of primary care physicians (RR: 1.57, 95 % CI: 1.25−1.97), and a high density of hospitals (RR: 1.64, 95 % CI: 1.23−2.20) were related to mortality. In myeloid leukemia, only a high density of hospitals (RR: 1.76, 95 % CI: 1.06−3.01) was associated with mortality. ConclusionThe province-level healthcare system factors related to mortality varied by leukemia subtype on children aged 0–19. The association found in provinces with a high density of primary care physicians or hospitals suggests a disparity in case identification between the areas with better and worse healthcare capacity. Higher mortality rates in provinces with prolonged travel time to a healthcare facility indicate a centralization of cancer-directed treatment and difficulties with its distribution. Policy summaryTo prevent childhood leukemia deaths, we highlight the need to strengthen the public health system through policies that enhance the distribution of leukemia treatment to locations far away from medical centers. Strengthening the supply, distribution, and adherence to leukemia cancer-directed treatment should be a public health priority for Peru.

Natural resource abundance, nonresource taxation, and corruption: An illustration from developing Latin American countries

AbstractWhy is corruption so prevalent in the majority of developing Latin American countries? While there are several forces driving it, this article focuses on its links to natural‐resource endowment. We present empirical evidence based on a panel dataset of 103 developing countries from 1996 to 2016, suggesting that there is an overall positive relationship between natural‐resource abundance and corruption. What, then, explains the divergent performances of resource‐rich developing economies in the region in terms of corruption? We argue that the workings of a social contract mechanism between the state and citizens mediate the resource–corruption relationship. This article identifies the ability of the state to tax the nonresource sector as a crucial component of such a mechanism, through which the unfavorable effects of natural‐resource abundance on corruption can be alleviated to a certain extent. Finally, our country studies suggest that the direct components of nonresource tax revenues do more to condition the resource–corruption linkage than the indirect components.

Factors Influencing the Consumer Tendency to Use Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM): A Mixed Method Study

Mobile instant messaging (MIM) is currently one of the most influential areas of technology. MIM applications have experienced substantial growth in the number of users; however, research on consumer behavior regarding the use of these applications is relatively scarce. The present study seeks to fill this gap, with the objective of identifying, understanding, and establishing the determinants of MIM use. The current study takes place in Ecuador, a developing Latin American country, and focuses on WhatsApp, the leading MIM application. The study is based on a sequential exploratory mixed method design with 25 in-depth interviews and a subsequent survey of 504 adults. The qualitative phase allows the establishment of a qualitative theoretical model in which the core category studied to understand the tendency of people to use WhatsApp is the perception of its utility. The qualitative phase and a literature review are the basis for formulating the study hypotheses. Finally, the quantitative analysis, based on structural equation modeling, yields the conclusion that network externalities, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use are the constructs that explain the tendency of individuals to use WhatsApp.

“Living the dream”: a closer look into passionate consumer-entrepreneurship in a developing latin american country

This paper contributes to entrepreneurship theory by conceptualising consumer-entrepreneurship as a means to a desired end: to ‘live the dream’. This complements more common functionalist and economically driven definitions. We see this kind of entrepreneurship as avowedly embedded in consumer interests or hobbies. Such conceptualisation is important as we note the move within entrepreneurship scholarship away from articulations of a solitary heroic endeavour influenced by individual factors and behaviours, towards a more relational, interwoven perspective. We draw from literature on consumption, the creation of meaning and on entrepreneurship to weave together this understanding of consumer-entrepreneurship. Based on a qualitative approach, we analyse primary data from four businesses in a developing country to see how porous the work/life boundaries are for actual practitioners ‘living the dream’. We find that the love of a hobby drives the business; that this is shared by fellow enthusiasts; and that from this connection a network of resources is assembled. Such resources support identity projects for the consumer-entrepreneur. This results in blurred work/leisure/life boundaries. Consumer-entrepreneurship, seen as a social practice to achieve life projects, complements entrepreneurship seen merely as a business practice to generate economic outcomes.

There is no need to shout to be heard! The paradoxical nature of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in a Latin American family small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)

Drawing on the paradox and reciprocal stewardship theory, this study focuses on tensions in corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting experienced by a family small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in a developing Latin American country. Prior literature has suggested a prescriptive, tension-free process, led by family members and driven by an interest to protect and enhance the reputation of both the family and the firm. Relying on an in-depth qualitative approach, this study unveils that CSR reporting is not immune to contradictions between familial and external expectations. The findings reveal that religious beliefs can emerge as a strong source of tensions. A reciprocal stewardship perspective allows an understanding of how and why family and non-family members work together and handle paradoxes. A conceptual model is proposed which is based on multiple sources of emergence (family-related, business-related and external sources) and management/avoidance of tensions in CSR reporting, mediated by the types of relationships among family members and between family and non-family members. Implications and opportunities for further research are subsequently presented.

Does educational level predict hearing aid self-efficacy in experienced older adult hearing aid users from Latin America? Validation process of the Spanish version of the MARS-HA questionnaire.

Hearing aids are the most common rehabilitation strategy for age-related hearing loss. However, 25% to 50% of older adults fitted with hearing aids do not wear them post-fitting. Hearing aid self-efficacy has been suggested as one of the key factors that may explain adherence to hearing aids in older adults. The primary aim of this study was to determine a possible association between educational level and hearing aid self-efficacy in older adult hearing aid users from a Latin American country (i.e., Chile). The secondary aim was to determine if in this sample of older adults, hearing aid self-efficacy predicted hearing aid adherence as previously suggested by other studies. The MARS-HA (Measure of Audiologic Rehabilitation Self-Efficacy for Hearing Aids) questionnaire was used to measure hearing aid self-efficacy. This questionnaire was initially adapted into Spanish (S-MARS-HA) using forward and backward translations by bilingual English-Spanish speakers. A sample of 252 older adults fitted with hearing aids at a public hospital in Santiago, Chile, was investigated. Educational level was measured as the number of years of formal education. Participants responded to the S-MARS-HA along with questions exploring social support, attitudes in using hearing aids, participation in social events, and vision and joint problems. Hearing aid adherence was investigated with the use of a question from the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids. All these procedures were conducted at the participants' homes. Pure-tone average (PTA; 500-4000 Hz) in the fitted ear was obtained from the participants' medical records. Univariate and multivariate regression models were constructed to investigate the association between educational level and hearing aid self-efficacy controlling for the covariates of interest (e.g., social support, attitudes in using hearing aids, PTA). The S-MARS-HA showed an adequate construct validity along with a good reliability. Results of the multivariate regression analyses showed that educational level significantly predicted hearing aid self-efficacy. Covariates significantly associated with this outcome included attitudes in using hearing aids and PTA in the fitted ear. Finally, a significant association between hearing aid self-efficacy and adherence to hearing aid use was observed. In conclusion, this study showed a significant association between educational level and hearing aid self-efficacy in older adults from a developing Latin American country. Thus, this variable should be considered when designing and delivering aural rehabilitation programs such as hearing aids to older adults, especially those from developing countries.

Effort-Reward Imbalance, Over-Commitment and Depressive Episodes at Work: Evidence from the ELSA-Brasil Cohort Study.

A growing burden of mental illness, and in particular depression, among workers is a concern of occupational public health. Scientific evidence has revealed consistent associations of work-related stress, as measured by theoretical models, with depression, but mostly so in developed countries. This contribution explores these associations in a developing Latin American country, Brazil, by applying an internationally established work stress model, the effort-reward imbalance (ERI). This model focuses on the work contract where unjust exchange between high efforts spent and low rewards received in turn contributes to stress-related disorders. The model’s extrinsic (‘effort’, ‘reward’) and intrinsic components (‘over-commitment’), as well as their combination, are hypothesized to be related to a higher risk of depressive episodes (DE). Using cross-sectional data from the ELSA-Brasil study, including 10,034 workers from the public sector, we observed increased prevalence ratio (PR) of DE according to ERI scales. The quartiles of highest ‘effort’ (PR = 1.85; 1.44–2.37), highest ‘over-commitment’ (PR = 3.62; 2.80–4.70) and lowest ‘reward’ (PR = 3.44; 2.55–4.64) were associated with DE, on adjusted models, as well was the E–R ratio (PR = 2.47; 1.92–3.17). An additive interaction was identified between the E–R ratio and ‘over-commitment’. The results support the use of ERI as a screening tool for work stress in the Brazilian context and will offer guidance for worksite health promotion programs.

Immersive Virtual Reality as an Adjunctive Non-opioid Analgesic for Pre-dominantly Latin American Children With Large Severe Burn Wounds During Burn Wound Cleaning in the Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study

Background/Aim: Using a within-subjects, within-wound care design, this pilot study tested for the first time, whether immersive virtual reality (VR) can serve as an adjunctive non-opioid analgesic for children with large severe burn wounds during burn wound cleaning in the ICU, in a regional burn center in the United States, between 2014–2016.Methods: Participants included 48 children from 6 years old to 17 years of age with >10% TBSA burn injuries reporting moderate or higher worst pain during no VR on Day 1. Forty-four of the 48 children were from developing Latin American countries. Patients played adjunctive SnowWorld, an interactive 3D snowy canyon in virtual reality during some portions of wound care, vs. No VR during comparable portions of the same wound care session (initial treatment condition randomized). Using Graphic Rating scales, children's worst pain ratings during “No VR” (treatment as usual pain medications) vs. their worst pain during “Yes VR” was measured during at least 1 day of wound care, and was measured for up to 10 study days the patient used VR.Results: VR significantly reduced children's “worst pain” ratings during burn wound cleaning procedures in the ICU on Day 1. Worst pain during No VR = 8.52 (SD = 1.75) vs. during Yes VR = 5.10 (SD = 3.27), t(47) = 7.11, p < 0.001, SD = 3.33, CI = 2.45–4.38, Cohen's d = 1.03 (indicating large effect size). Patients continued to report the predicted pattern of lower pain and more fun during VR, during multiple sessions.Conclusion: Immersive virtual reality can help reduce the pain of children with large severe burn wounds during burn wound cleaning in the Intensive Care Unit. Additional research and development is recommended.

Consumer value creation through clothing reuse: A mixed methods approach to determining influential factors

Clothing reuse is a consumer disposal behavior that has been underexplored, although it has important consequences for the society. From the perspective of customer-dominant logic, reusing clothing is a consumer value creation behavior. To measure this tendency, we conducted a mixed method study in Ecuador, a developing Latin American country. We used 20 in-depth interviews followed by a survey of 425 adults to identify the factors associated with the tendency to reuse clothing. The study also identified gender differences regarding this behavior. Several factors in consumers' lives were revealed that explained the tendency to reuse clothing, including income, occupation, altruism, and physical environment. The study also showed that various population groups (e.g., lower income groups, younger individuals, students, and women) had a greater tendency to reuse clothing.

Neonatal and pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in developing Latin American countries

ObjectiveTo review the principles of neonatal‐pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy, prognosis, and its establishment in limited resource‐limited countries in Latino America. SourcesThe PubMed database was explored from 1985 up to the present, selecting from highly‐indexed and leading Latin American journals, and Extracorporeal Life Support Organization reports. Summary of the findingsExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation provides “time” for pulmonary and cardiac rest and for recovery. It is used in the neonatal‐pediatric field as a rescue therapy for more than 1300 patients with respiratory failure and around 1000 patients with cardiac diseases per year. The best results in short‐ and long‐term survival are among patients with isolated respiratory diseases, currently established as a standard therapy in referral centers for high‐risk patients. The first neonatal/pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation Program in Latin America was established in Chile in 2003, which was also the first program in Latin America to affiliate with the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. New extracorporeal membrane oxygenation programs have been developed in recent years in referral centers in Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Perú, Costa Rica, and Chile, which are currently funding the Latin American Extracorporeal Life Support Organization chapter. ConclusionsThe best results in short‐ and long‐term survival are in patients with isolated respiratory diseases. Today extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy is a standard therapy in some Latin American referral centers. It is hoped that these new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centers will have a positive impact on the survival of newborns and children with respiratory or cardiac failure, and that they will be available for an increasing number of patients from this region in the near future.

Доходная стратификации в России: кросс-страновой и динамический анализ

The paper analyzes general changes in the depth of inequalities in Russian society as a whole and the vector of changes in income stratification model of the mass strata in Russian society in comparison with the dynamics of income stratification models in several other countries — developed European, post-socialist, developing Latin American countries, and China. The two-way connection between income stratification models on one hand, and the historical past and the general vector of political development of these countries on the other, is shown. Paper demonstrates that in terms of the type of income stratification of mass strata Russiais similar to European countries, but it has two distinguishing characteristics. The first one is a pronounced tendency towards the concentration of the population in the “median” group due to the traditional equalizing of the incomes of the mass strata “on the average”. Second is a very large and growing gap between the “top” of society and the rest of Russians, which means a gradual “thinning” of the stratum that connects this “top” with the mass population. Both these tendencies have been intensifying over the years. While statistics shows a seeming reduction in the depth of intra-country income inequalities, in reality, their deepening is taking place in Russia. The analysis was carried out on the basis of extensive empirical material, including FSSS statistical data for 1970‑2016 and three sources of sociological data for 1994‑2017 (International Social Survey Program, Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey — HSE and the Monitoring Study of the Institute of Sociology RAS).

Neonatal and pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in developing Latin American countries

ObjectiveTo review the principles of neonatal-pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy, prognosis, and its establishment in limited resource-limited countries in Latino America. SourcesThe PubMed database was explored from 1985 up to the present, selecting from highly-indexed and leading Latin American journals, and Extracorporeal Life Support Organization reports. Summary of the findingsExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation provides “time” for pulmonary and cardiac rest and for recovery. It is used in the neonatal-pediatric field as a rescue therapy for more than 1300 patients with respiratory failure and around 1000 patients with cardiac diseases per year. The best results in short- and long-term survival are among patients with isolated respiratory diseases, currently established as a standard therapy in referral centers for high-risk patients. The first neonatal/pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation Program in Latin America was established in Chile in 2003, which was also the first program in Latin America to affiliate with the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. New extracorporeal membrane oxygenation programs have been developed in recent years in referral centers in Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Perú, Costa Rica, and Chile, which are currently funding the Latin American Extracorporeal Life Support Organization chapter. ConclusionsThe best results in short- and long-term survival are in patients with isolated respiratory diseases. Today extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy is a standard therapy in some Latin American referral centers. It is hoped that these new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centers will have a positive impact on the survival of newborns and children with respiratory or cardiac failure, and that they will be available for an increasing number of patients from this region in the near future.

Distinguishing Patterns of Learning and Inclusion Through Patterns of Network Formation in Developing Agricultural Clusters.

Distinguishing Patterns of Learning and Inclusion Through Patterns of Network Formation in Developing Agricultural Clusters.

Virology research in a Latin American developing country: a bibliometric analysis of virology in Colombia (2000–2013)

Bibliometric analysis demonstrates that the virology research in Latin America has increased. For this reason, the objective of this study was to evaluate Colombian publications on viruses and viral diseases in indexed journals during the period from 2000 to 2013. The bibliographic data were collected from MedLine, SciELO, LILACS and Scopus databases. The database was constructed in Excel descriptive statistics. The SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) was evaluated using the SCImago Journal &amp; Country Rank in 2013 and was used as an indicator of the quality of the journals used by the Colombian researchers. The total number of papers published was 711, of which 40.4% were published in local journals, and 59.6% were published in foreign journals. Most (89.2%) were original papers. Moreover, 34.2% of the papers were published in collaboration with international researchers, with the United States being the most represented. Of the journals used, 85.6% had an SJR, and 14.4% did not. The median SJR of the papers was 0.789, and the median of the papers with international collaborators was higher compared to the SJR of the papers without international collaboration. Papers were most frequently published in journals whose categories were medicine (miscellaneous), virology, and infectious diseases. The viruses that appeared in the papers more frequently were HIV, dengue, and papillomavirus. This study provides data for use in research, health planning, and policy analysis as it relates to virology in Colombia and other developing Latin American countries.

Understanding United States Foreign Policy Toward Latin America: Lessons From A Comparison of Nafta and the Colombian Trade Promotion Agreement

UNDERSTANDING UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY TOWARD LATIN AMERICA: LESSONS FROM A COMPARISON OF NAFTA AND THE COLOMBIAN TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT Margaret M. Commins Queens University of Charlotte Ongoing issues with violence and drug trafficking in both Mexico and Colombia invite frequent comparisons between the two countries (Bonnor, 2010; Fukuyama and Colby, 2011). Indeed the parallels are significant . Both Mexico and Colombia are marked by some of the highest per capita murder rates in the world, weak and ineffective judicial institutions , and large swaths of each country considered ungovernable. And, perhaps predictably, United States policy toward both countries is similar as well. Plan Colombia, the United States’ response to narco-trafficking and violence in Colombia, and the Merida Initiative, the United States’ response to Mexico’s drug wars, both emphasize military solutions to drug trafficking, combined with varying degrees of emphasis on state-building and socioeconomic development. In terms of United States policy toward Latin America, however, these countries share another commonality, one that is not as well-explored: the United States signed and implemented preferential trade agreements (PTAs) with each. President Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico and President George H.W. Bush of the United States endorsed the notion of a bilateral free trade agreement between their countries in June of 1990. In September, 1990, Canada asked to be included in the negotiations, and the resulting “North American Free Trade Agreement” (NAFTA) was passed by the United States Congress in 1993, and implemented on January 1, 1994. The Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) was signed by President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia and President George W. Bush in November, 2006, passed by the United States Congress in October, 2011, and entered into force on May 15, 2012. Though passed by the United States Congress almost twenty years apart, these agreements are quite similar. Both are preferential trade agreements signed between a developed country, the United States, and a developing Latin American country (and, in the case of NAFTA, another developed country, Canada). Both were initiated and negotiated primarily by Republican administrations, but shepherded through the United States Congress by Democratic presidents. At least rhetorically, both were touted by these presidents as demonstrations of major shifts in United States policy toward Latin America. Both agreements were passed in times of C 2013 Southeastern Council on Latin American Studies and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 73 The Latin Americanist, December 2013 economic and fiscal difficulty for the United States. Both agreements were passed during periods of strain in the multilateral trading system. And, each agreement faced its most significant opposition not from business interests fearing import competition, but from citizen and labor groups worried about a variety of human rights issues, including the treatment of labor and potential environmental degradation. It is common to explain policymakers’ decisions to pursue trade agreements with reference to the demands of powerful economic interests that will benefit from an agreement’s provisions, particularly the opening of foreign markets and increased protection for foreign direct investment (see, for example, Milner, 1988; Rogowski, 1989; Hiscox, 2002). Though economic interests (capital and labor) that will be hurt by increased importcompetition will lobby against free trade agreements, if an agreement includes liberalization that will benefit a sufficiently broad and powerful coalition of economic interests, we can expect policymakers to pursue it. But, explaining U.S. support for NAFTA and CTPA in these terms is problematic. For one, explanations based on the preferences of interest groups are not always as compelling in the case of PTAs, particularly North-South trade agreements like NAFTA and CTPA. The potential economic benefits are usually much smaller. And, because opposition to these agreements is quite strong in the United States, particularly from non-economic interests like environmental and human rights groups, the interest group politics are more complex than those captured by analyses focusing on economic interests. Indeed, negotiating North-South PTAs is relatively costly for U.S. policymakers. These agreements cover a range of issues – from trade and investment to labor standards and environmental protection – and require significant time and attention to negotiate. And, unlike many foreign policy decisions taken by the United States government , trade agreements must be passed by both houses of the United...

The Importance of Neurocysticercosis in Stroke in Rural Areas of a Developing Latin American Country

There is limited information on the prevalence of neurocysticercosis (NCC) among stroke patients, and no community-based survey has addressed this issue. We performed a 3-Phase, population-based study, to assess the prevalence and pathogenesis of stroke in a rural village of coastal Ecuador, where cysticercosis is highly endemic. Twenty stroke patients were found among 642 individuals ≥ 40 years of age. Eighteen of these patients underwent neuroimaging studies and no patient had evidence of NCC or angiitis of intracranial vessels. The serum immunoblot test for the detection of anticysticercal antibodies, performed in 15 of these 20 patients during a previous survey, were negative in 13 cases and the remaining two had a normal computed tomography of the head. This study suggests that NCC is not responsible for the increasing burden of stroke in rural areas of developing countries.

Firm heterogeneity and development: Evidence from Latin American countries

We analyze normalized productivity differences for 15 developing Latin American countries and four firm types: National Domestic, National Exporter, Foreign Domestic, and Foreign Exporter. There are no productivity thresholds for viability, export activity, or multinational activity, but we do find a clear size productivity premium and development productivity premium in the manufacturing sectors. We also find a clear foreign-ownership productivity premium, both for domestic firms and for exporting firms and both for manufacturing sectors and services sectors. In contrast, we only find an export productivity premium for national firms in the manufacturing sectors.