Ecuadorian Sierra Research Articles

Atypical presentation of a case of renal tuberculosis and cardiac muscle bypass

Tuberculosis is an endemic disease in several countries, despite having treatment and cure available. The most common form is pulmonary, but it can also affect any other organ or tissue. A male patient, 43 years old, with important sociodemographic history, as he lives at 3 000 meters above sea level in a rural area of the Ecuadorian Sierra, presents acute weight loss and asthenia. He had two hospital admissions with an interval of 1 month, during which he required intensive care for comprehensive management. During the first hospitalization, he presented abdominal septic shock, acute renal failure, and acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography was performed, which revealed a muscular bridge in the anterior descending artery. During the second hospitalization, he presented septic shock with a urinary focus. As the symptoms were similar and no underlying diagnosis was found to trigger instability, a simple and contrast-enhanced CT scan was performed, which showed suggestive images of a renal abscess and bilateral apical nodules with a tree-in-bud pattern in the chest. Therefore, a study was performed to detect tuberculosis

Adherence to the mediterranean diet in an urban population of the ecuadorian sierra

Introduction: mediterranean diet is characterized by being balanced, varied, and includes the necessary nutrients for the life of the human being, the moderate intake of red wine has antioxidant characteristics, it prevents atherosclerosis becoming a cardiovascular protector, likewise the nuts contribute to the reduction of triglycerides.Objective: determine the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in an urban population of the Ecuadorian highlands.Methods: quantitative research, with a non-experimental descriptive correlational approach, cross-sectional, carried out in August 2022, which uses a questionnaire as a tool which was applied to a population of 133 people who constitute the sample of participants.Results: the results were tabulated using the Excel 2016 version software, obtaining scientific data. The study reflects that 66,2 % of the population shows low or poor adherence and 33,8 % show good adherence to the consumption of a Mediterranean diet, in many of the respondents the intake of carbonated drinks, high-calorie products such as cakes or commercial confectionery has become a habit forming these as a fundamental part of their diets.Conclusions: the mediterranean diet is a new concept for our country, however, there is a large amount of scientific evidence of the benefits that it brings to the nutritional status in addition to the prevention of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension

Somatización, ansiedad y depresión en mujeres víctimas de violencia de pareja íntima

Various studies have noticed that women victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) also report having various types of health-related problems. However, health systems do not appear to have established procedures to recognize these problems ( i. e. , psychophysiological) in women. This study assessed somatic symptoms, anxiety, and depressive characteristics in women who have been victims of IPV. These symptoms were assessed using the scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). The sample consisted of 50 women victims of IPV from the Ecuadorian sierra. Group participants came from two different cities: the first group included 28 women victims of IPV from Riobamba. Their ages ranged from 15 to 58. These women were receiving psychological services from a not-for-profit organization in the city. The second group included 22 women with similar characteristics between the ages of 27-63. This group of women came from the southern regions of Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. Women in this group were receiving services from two different places offering help to women experiencing IPV. Sixteen percent of women reported having a medium level of “anxiety” (some level of stress), and 14 % reported having a high level of tension and stress. Thirty-four percent of women reported medium levels of “anxiety-related disorders”. These women reported having specific fears, little confidence in themselves and negative perspectives of their future. Sixteen percent of the women reported high levels of anxiety. They reported imitations in daily life ( i. e. , specific fears and feelings of insecurity in social situations). Thirty percent of women reported having medium levels of “depression” (sensitivity, pessimism, and feeling unhappy part of the time). Eighteen percent of women reported having high levels of “depression” (notable unhappiness and dysphoria). Forty-four percent of women in this study reported having some type of physical problem. These findings suggest that women who are victims of IPV could benefit from receiving mental health services aimed at managing their tension, stress, specific fears, and symptoms of depression. They also suggest that women victims of IPV could benefit from receiving training to increase their social competency and medical assistance to address their somatic complaints. Findings in this study are somewhat divergent from the results observed in previous investigations. Previous studies identified that most women who experienced IPV report symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, in this study, only a relatively low percentage of women reported having these symptoms. The sole utilization of the PAI as a method of evaluation may not have been sufficient to identify these symptoms. These results suggest the importance of using qualitative methods ( i. e. , clinical interview) or more holistic methodologies ( i. e. , clinical interview and tests) to better assess mental health symptoms in this group of women. It is also possible that the PAI might not be the most adequate tool to assess these symptoms in this population. The results of this investigation do reveal the importance of evaluating other mental health symptoms in women victims of IPV: post-traumatic stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Future studies should focus on assessing these symptoms using other assessment methodologies ( e. g. instruments designed to assess post-traumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive disorder). The efficiency of health systems evaluations and interventions depends on the methodologies used to assess problems. The sole use of one instrument such as the PAI may not provide sufficient information about symptoms experienced by women experiencing IPV. Health systems should use batteries of instruments in conjunction with the clinical interviewing processes to readily assess symptoms. However, such an alternative may not be entirely feasible taking into account that such methodology requires more time and likely financial support to acquire tests. https://doi.org/10.16888/interd.2023.40.1.11

Comparative Analysis of the Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of a Morphotype Of Oregano (O. Vulgare L.) Cultivated in Two Locations of the Ecuadorian Sierra

Oregano (O.vulgare L.) is a species introduced in the Ecuadorian flora. Because of its properties it is highly appreciated and consumed, and it is important to determine the nature of its benefits. The chemical composition and the content of functional compounds responsible for the antioxidant activity of the plant identified by the INIAP Germplasm Bank as ECU-20229 were evaluated. It was cultivated in two areas of the provinces of Imbabura (Italquí) and Pichincha (Tumbaco). The whole plant and its parts (root, stem and leaves) were analyzed in order to determine where the highest content was found. Proximal analysis, minerals, polyphenols and total flavonoids were analyzed, as well as the antioxidant capacity. The analyses carried out on the plant parts showed significant differences, determining the influence of the environment where it was grown. It was possible to determine the presence of nutrients such as protein, fat and carbohydrates, which is higher in the leaves; macro elements are abundant in the stem and leaves and micro elements are found in greater quantity when it was cultivated in Italquí, as well as the content of polyphenols and total flavonoids; the antioxidant capacity is higher in the environmental conditions of Tumbaco. The properties described for this plant have been proven to benefit human and animal health, as well as adding value to its wasted parts. 

Enantiomeric Composition, Antioxidant Capacity and Anticholinesterase Activity of Essential Oil from Leaves of Chirimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.).

Annona cherimola Mill. is a native species of Ecuador cultivated worldwide for the flavor and properties of its fruit. In this study, hydrodistillation was used to isolate essential oil (EO) of fresh Annona cherimola leaves collected in Ecuadorian Sierra. The EO chemical composition was determined using a non-polar and a polar chromatographic column and enantiomeric distribution with an enantioselective column. The qualitative analysis was carried out by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer and quantitative analysis using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector. The antibacterial potency was assessed against seven Gram-negative bacteria and one Gram-positive bacterium. ABTS and DPPH assays were used to evaluate the radical scavenging properties of the EO. Spectrophotometric method was used to measure acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. GC-MS analysis allowed us to identify more than 99% of the EO chemical composition. Out of the fifty-three compounds identified, the main were germacrene D (28.77 ± 3.80%), sabinene (3, 9.05 ± 1.69%), β-pinene (4, 7.93 ± 0.685), (E)-caryophyllene (10.52 ± 1.64%) and bicyclogermacrene (11.12 ± 1.39%). Enantioselective analysis showed the existence of four pairs of enantiomers, the (−)-β-Pinene (1S, 5S) was found pure (100%). Chirimoya essential oil exhibited a strong antioxidant activity and a very strong anticholinesterase potential with an IC50 value of 41.51 ± 1.02 µg/mL. Additionally, EO presented a moderate activity against Campylobacter jejuni and Klebsiella pneumoniae with a MIC value of 500 μg/mL.

Consumo de fibra dietética y su relación con rasgos de ansiedad y depresión en adultos de la sierra ecuatoriana durante la emergencia COVID-19

Introduction: During the period of confinement due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), both food consumption and the emotional functionality of the population have been affected and modified as an adaptation response to the provisions of local governments. Objective: To analyze the consumption of dietary fiber and its relationship with anxiety and depression traits in adults in the ecuadorian sierra region during this health emergency. Metodology: Cross-sectional design study, made up of a sample of 170 adults of both sexes, who were surveyed online during April and May. The instruments for data collection were a frequency of consumption of food sources of fiber and the Kessler-K10 scale of psychological distress. Results: There is no evidence of a relationship between fiber consumption and anxiety and depression traits. In the legumes group, cereals, tubers and nuts, there is evidence of a consumption in adequate frequency and quantity in both sexes, as for fruits and vegetables in both sexes the recommendation is not met. Regardless of sex, occupation, home area and consumption of food sources of dietary fiber, the population presents moderate anxiety and depression features according to the Kessler scale. Conclusion: The change in the diet of the young adult population during confinement has been favorable in terms of the consumption of dietary fiber, a situation that could constitute a protective factor for the development of emotional disorders and a benefit for the immune system.

Land degradation and the link to increased livelihood vulnerabilities among indigenous populations in the Andes of Ecuador

There is a long history of oppression, poverty, and struggle for survival among the indigenous populations of the Ecuadorian Sierra. Using mixed methods, this article examines the natural resource trends creating livelihood challenges for three rural communities in the Andes of Ecuador and how those challenges are impacting the population’s livelihood security and resilience. Study results indicate that soil degradation linked to land overuse and erosion have led to decreasing agriculture production and economic hardship. This challenging dynamic has led many community members to migrate to cities in search of work and negatively impacted the health of young children and their mothers. The high prevalence of low height-for-age (59.5%), low weight-for-age (26.1%), and anaemia (78%) in children under 5 and an anaemia prevalence of 30% among mothers highlights the severity of malnutrition among the population. These results suggest the need for an intervention that sustainably addresses the agricultural production and consumption challenges faced by the three communities.

Survival analysis of patients with heart failure in the Ecuadorian Sierra Norte between 2015 and 2020

La insuficiencia cardíaca constituye una de las causas más importantes de morbimortalidad a nivel mundial. En países en vías de desarrollo existe escasa evidencia respecto al pronóstico de esta enfermedad. Por este motivo el presente estudio tiene como objetivo establecer las causas más importantes de insuficiencia cardíaca y determinar la supervivencia en función de su etiología en pacientes diagnosticados con insuficiencia cardíaca en un Hospital General de segundo nivel ecuatoriano. Se efectuó un estudio mono céntrico, retrospectivo, de prevalencia, en 284 pacientes ambulatorios, con diagnóstico de insuficiencia cardíaca, durante los años 2015-2020. Las diferencias entre los subgrupos se analizaron estadísticamente mediante pruebas de ANOVA y se realizó el análisis de supervivencia por el método actuarial y regresión de Cox. La principal causa de insuficiencia cardíaca fue la hipertensiva (55,5%), seguida de la etiología isquémica (20,8%). El análisis de supervivencia evidenció que la sobrevida global a 5 años fue del 17%, con tiempo promedio de vida de 3,46 años. La principal causa de insuficiencia cardíaca entre los pacientes fue la hipertensiva y la supervivencia global a 5 años es inferior a la reportada en otros estudios.

An Approach for identifying Crops Types using UAV Images in the Ecuadorian Sierra

An Approach for identifying Crops Types using UAV Images in the Ecuadorian Sierra

Trajectories of Vulnerability of Rural Territories in the Ecuadorian Andes: a Comparative Analysis

While the peasant populations of the Ecuadorian Sierra have been marked by multiple constraints in their history, for thirty years, the liberal policies that aimed at the “modernization” of the primary sector of the economy in Ecuador have led to profound changes in the Andean regions. From fieldwork conducted in the provinces of Azuay, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo, during which interviews with institutional actors and surveys within family farms were carried out, it was highlighted that the disappearance of public agricultural services, the promotion of chemical pesticides and the development of mining have favored the disunity of the peasant groups. In addition, we observed that in recent years, family farmers have developed agricultural practices that have adverse effects on the environment while, at the same time, their food security was not ensured. Finally, the work done over the past three years provides an opportunity to take stock of the negative effects of the “modernizing” project of the primary sector in Ecuador and, through the comparison of several local situations, to characterize the extension of the trajectory of vulnerability of Andean rural territories.

Eruption Source Parameters for forecasting ash dispersion and deposition from vulcanian eruptions at Tungurahua volcano: Insights from field data from the July 2013 eruption

Tungurahua volcano, located in the central area of the Ecuadorian Sierra, is erupting intermittently since 1999 alternating between periods of quiescence and explosive activity. Volcanic ash has been the most frequent and widespread hazard provoking air contamination episodes and impacts on human health, animals and crops in the surrounding area. After two months of quiescence, Tungurahua erupted violently on 14th July 2013 generating short-lived eruptive columns rising up to 9km above the vent characterized as a vulcanian eruption. The resulting fallout deposits were sampled daily during and after the eruptions to determine grain size distributions and perform morphological and componentry analyses. Dispersion and sedimentation of ash were simulated numerically coupling the meteorological Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) with the volcanic ash dispersion FALL3D models. The combination of field and numerical studies allowed constraining the Eruption Source Parameters (ESP) for this event, which could be used to forecast ash dispersion and deposition from future vulcanian eruptions at Tungurahua. This set of pre-defined ESP was further validated using two different eruptions, as blind test, occurring on 16th December 2012 and 1st February 2014.

Linking Smallholders to the New Agricultural Economy: The Case of the Plataformas de Concertación in Ecuador

This article examines the challenges of linking smallholders to high-value food markets by looking at the experience of the Plataformas programme in the Ecuadorian Sierra. Multiple evaluation methods are employed to ensure identification of program impact. The findings suggest that the programme successfully improved the welfare of beneficiary farmers, as measured by yields and gross margins. These benefits are achieved through improving the efficiency of agricultural production and through selling at higher prices. No significant secondary health or environmental effects were found. Overall, the programme provides clear evidence that combining production support with facilitating market access can be successful.

How do Agricultural Programmes Alter Crop Production? Evidence from Ecuador

Evaluating agricultural programmes requires considering not only the programmes’ influence on input and output indicators, but also considering the relationship between these indicators as embodied in the production technology. This article examines the impact on production of an intervention in the Ecuadorian Sierra designed to improve returns to potato production through training and through linking smallholders to high-value markets. Critical to identifying the impact of the programme is the careful construction of a counterfactual and meticulous data collection. To assess the impact of the programme on production, a weighted estimation, where weights are constructed through propensity score matching, is employed to estimate a production function within a damage abatement framework. The function incorporates a series of interaction terms to assess the impact of the programme on the production technology. The findings provide evidence that the programme enhances yields both through a general shift in technology as well as increased input use. The results suggest that the use of effective farming techniques that are learned through the programme induce this technological shift

Nature conservation, rural livelihoods, and territorial control in Andean Ecuador

The Ecuadorian sierra, or Andean region, has during recent decades witnessed a marked expansion of nature conservation initiatives. This paper explores the relations and tensions between this proliferation of conservation interventions and the struggles of rural Andean communities to assert territorial authority and to consolidate their livelihoods. Through an analysis of three rounds of conservation initiatives in an indigenous campesino cooperative in the south-central sierra, I argue for a conceptualization of the outcomes and trajectories of conservation as coproduced through histories of interaction between conservation actors and rural resource users. Within this analytical framework, I underscore the importance of taking into account the agency of rural communities, their historical landscape claims, and the dynamism of their livelihood interests.

Effects of agricultural practices on the hydrodynamics of a deep tilled hardened volcanic ash–soil (Cangahua) in Ecuador

Abstract The rehabilitation of indurate pyroclastic formations of the Ecuadorian Sierra (cangahua) paves the way for the development of new agricultural areas. The material derived from the fragmentation of the hardened volcanic ashes is strongly prone to pluvial erosion, essentially because it has a fine silty–sandy texture, and because contains no organic matter and no clay minerals. Rainfall simulation was implemented before and after three cycles of cultivation to asses the evolution of soil structure and its susceptibility to erosion. The cultivated plots were Surface soil crusting occurred rapidly within the cultivated plots when compared to the recent tilled cangahua. Runoff and soil loss were generally higher on plots with lower structural stability and generally exhibited higher clay content. In agreement with the structural stability measured in a laboratory, organic matter inputs increase the soil porosity. This condition had no effect on the structural stability of the soil, resistance to crusting, and therefore little impact on surface runoff and erosion. The preferred option for land with these soils would be no tillage and a permanent soil cover (pasture) if they were to be utilised for agriculture.

Changes in population and land use over time in the Ecuadorian Amazon

This paper draws upon a detailed longitudinal survey of households living on agricultural plots in the northern three provinces of the Ecuadorian Amazon, the principal region of colonization by migrants in Ecuador since the 1970s. Following the discovery of petroleum in 1967 near what has subsequently come to be the provincial capital and largest Amazonian city of Lago Agrio, oil companies built roads to lay pipelines to extract and pump oil across the Andes for export. As a result, for the past 30 years over half of both Ecuador's export earnings and government revenues have come from petroleum extracted from this region. But the roads also facilitated massive spontaneous in-migration of families from origin areas in the Ecuadorian Sierra, characterized by minifundia and rural poverty. This paper is about those migrants and their effects on the Amazonian landscape. We discuss the data collection methodology and summarize key results on settler characteristics and changes in population, land use, land ownership, technology, labor allocation, and living conditions, as well as the relationships between changes in population and changes in land use over time. The population in the study region has been growing rapidly due to both natural population growth (high fertility) and in-migration. This has led to a dramatic process of subdivision and fragmentation of plots in the 1990's, which contrasts with the consolidation of plots that has occurred in most of the mature frontier areas of the Brazilian Amazon. This fragmentation has led to important changes in land tenure and land use, deforestation, cattle raising, labor allocation, and settler welfare.

Once Upon a Time in Ecuador: Memories of Miki

I arrived as a graduate student at the University of Illinois in the fall of 1961, joining the relatively new Department of Anthropology under the direction of Joseph B. Casagrande. Muriel (Miki) Crespi (nee Kaminsky) had already been a graduate student for a full year. We became fast friends immediately. Shy, timid, quiet, and midwestern, I was not exactly a likely running buddy. But from the beginning, she was my mentor. After all, she was already wiser in the mysteries of graduate school; and as time passed, I came to know her as a wonderfully warm, intelligent woman from New York who also happened to be Jewish. I had never before connected with anyone who was so urbane and effortlessly gregarious. Mick's and my friendship further blossomed in our shared selection of Dr. Casagrande as our dissertation advisor and of Ecuador as our fieldwork area. Early on, Miki knew she wanted to study the impact of land reform on a government-owned hacienda high in the Ecuadorian sierra, working primarily with Indios or campesinos. She saw nothing out of character to live at an elevation of 11,000 feet, nor to speak Quechua. She left Illinois briefly to go to Cornell to learn the rudiments of Quechua. (Later she was devastated to find that the Quechua taught at Cornell was a different dialect altogether.)

Growing up monolingual in a bilingual community: The Quichua revitalization paradox

The present investigation concerns language ideology and language practices in relation to a language shift – from Quichua-Spanish bilingualism to Spanish monolingualism – that seems to be under way. The analyses are based on fieldwork in an Ecuadorian sierra community characterized by ethnic revitalization. Among adult comuneros, the vernacular is seen as an essential part of their Indian cultural heritage. In the children's daily lives, the adults, particularly women and the elderly, speak Quichua among themselves, yet children are not addressed in the vernacular by either parents or elder siblings, and those under 10 years of age are generally more or less monolingual in Spanish. The paradoxical mismatch between ideology and daily practices – the ethnic revitalization paradox – is analyzed in light of Quichua speaking practices in intergenerational encounters, and in children's play dialogues. Ultimately, being Quichua means something different to members of each generation.

Demographic growth and spatial organisation: a representation in model form of active processes in the Bolívar province of Ecuador

The rural dynamics of the Ecuadorian Sierra are the result of the three-fold influence of demographic pressure, modes of land occupation and migration. The Bolívar province, situated on the outer slopes of the western Cordillera is of particular importance as it is a key territory in regional migration. Demographic growth, which is in fact fairly high, gives rise to a fairly low rate of population increase locally but a very high level of emigration towards the lowlands of the pediment, towards the country's major cities, Quito and Guayaquil, and also into Amazonia. When we add to this the two models of spatial organisation among the mestizos and the campesinos, we can clearly see the source of the conflict that is shaking the Sierra, namely, who should cultivate and who should control. The study is based on three levels of analysis. First, we look at the relationship between the Bolívar province and the rest of the country. Secondly, we analyse things at a regional level and using different chorotypes. Lastly, we focus on a small valley, examining the unequal distribution of land and the diversity of resources which give rise to three distinct socio-spatial systems: hacienda, mestizos and campesinos which are represented in a hillside model.

Quichua‐Castilian bilingualism in the Ecuadorian Sierra

This paper will explore issues of bilingualism in the Ecuadorian Sierra. To a degree, the paper has been stimulated by the discontent manifested by the Sierra Indians in the protest marches and blockades of November 1992; in their turn these were provoked by the 500 year anniversary of South America's discovery. To develop the study, attention must be directed to the precedents of bilingualism in the Sierra, how it happened, of what it consisted and how it developed. The impact of bilingualism on Indian education, especially as it is manifested in the rural primary school, needs also to be viewed through a lens which reveals the competition between the Castilian and Quichua languages and the subsequent linguistic interference that has occurred. The humanitarian and democratic policies of recent Ecuadorian governments has resulted in new emphasis being laid on the modernisation and education of the Sierra Indian. Problems encountered in rural literacy programmes are explored in the context of the assumptio...