Abstract: The objective of this research was to evaluate the predictors of intention towards the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in Bolivian university professors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Theory of planned behavior was taken as reference. A quantitative, descriptive and correlational investigation was carried out. A questionnaire was validated through a sample of 250 teachers from the Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University. Using structural equation modeling and the McNemar's test, the results showed that during confinement the teachers were motivated to use different ICT as pedagogical tools for teaching, especially those that refer to Web 2.0. In conclusion, the dimensions of the theory of planned behavior (attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control) have a positive and significant impact on the intention towards the use of ICT.

Resumen: El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar los predictores de la intención hacia el uso de tecnología de la información y comunicación (TIC) en profesores universitarios de Bolivia durante la pandemia por COVID-19. Se tomó como referencia la teoría del comportamiento planificado. Se llevó a cabo una investigación cuantitativa, descriptiva y correlacional. A través de una muestra de 250 profesores de la Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno se validó el cuestionario. Usando modelación de ecuaciones estructurales y la prueba McNemar, los resultados mostraron que la experiencia durante el confinamiento motivó a los profesores a usar diferentes TIC como herramientas pedagógicas para la docencia, en especial aquellas que se refieren a la Web 2.0. Se concluye que las dimensiones de la teoría del comportamiento planificado (actitudes, norma subjetiva y control conductual percibido) impactan de manera positiva y significativa sobre la intención hacia el uso de TIC.

Abstract Introduction: Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) acrylic resins are used to make dentures for edentulous patients. Objective: To find out the prevalence of Candida species in patients with and without removable prostheses from a dental clinic in León, Guanajuato, as well as to assess the antifungal effect and biological behavior of an experimental PMMA with silver nanoparticles for its possible application in prostheses. Method: To identify Candida species, smear samples were obtained from the palatal mucosa of 140 patients aged ≥ 60 years. The experimental PMMA with silver nanoparticles was placed in Candida albicans cultures, which were stained with the Live/Dead® kit for analysis under confocal microscopy; subsequently, it was implanted in Wistar rats in order to know its behavior in the surrounding tissues. Results: Candida albicans was the most prevalent species in the evaluated patients, followed by Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei. The acrylic resin with silver nanoparticles significantly decreased the presence of Candida albicans. In the animal model, a discrete and controlled inflammatory reaction was found, which indicated biocompatibility of the acrylic resin that was used. Conclusions: It is possible for the nanostructured material with antifungal effect to be used in order to promote the reduction of oral Candida infections in edentulous patients.

Resumen Introducción: Las resinas acrílicas de polimetilmetacrilato (PMMA) son utilizadas para elaborar dentaduras para pacientes edéntulos. Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia de las especies de Candida en pacientes con y sin prótesis removibles de una clínica de odontología en León, Guanajuato; así como valorar el efecto antifúngico y el comportamiento biológico de un PMMA experimental con nanopartículas de plata para su posible aplicación en prótesis. Métodos: Para identificar las especies de Candida se obtuvieron muestras para frotis de la mucosa palatina de 140 pacientes con edad ≥ 60 años. El PMMA experimental con nanopartículas de plata fue colocado en cultivos de Candida albicans, los cuales fueron teñidos con el kit Live/Dead® para su análisis bajo microscopia confocal; posteriormente, se implantó en ratas Wistar para conocer su comportamiento en los tejidos circundantes. Resultados: Candida albicans fue la especie más prevalente en los pacientes valorados, seguida de Candida tropicalis y Candida krusei. La resina acrílica con nanopartículas de plata disminuyó significativamente la presencia de Candida albicans. En el modelo animal se encontró reacción inflamatoria discreta y controlada, lo cual indicó la biocompatibilidad de la resina acrílica utilizada. Conclusiones: Es posible utilizar el material nanoestructurado con efecto antifúngico para promover la reducción de infecciones orales por Candida en pacientes edéntulos.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Leiomyomas are the most common pelvic tumors, with multiple clinical presentations throughout a woman's life. It is unusual for them to appear during pregnancy and to merit surgical treatment, especially for acute abdomen secondary to degeneration. OBJECTIVE: To provide and expose the process of diagnosis, surgical treatment and obstetric outcome in a patient with a giant leiomyoma with pregnancy-associated degeneration. CLINICAL CASE: A 34-year-old primigravida patient, 22.1 weeks pregnant. She came to the emergency department with acute abdomen, fever and ventilatory impairment secondary to a giant leiomyoma that occupied the entire abdomen and compressed abdominal and thoracic structures. Due to the clinical deterioration, surgery was decided to remove the two fibroids: the larger one measuring 35 x 20 cm and weighing 9150 g. The postoperative evolution was favorable. The postoperative evolution was favorable as well as the prenatal control. The pregnancy was terminated by elective cesarean section at 38.1 weeks, without maternal or perinatal complications. CONCLUSION: Myomectomy during pregnancy is a safe procedure to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality in selected cases.

Resumen ANTECEDENTES: Los leiomiomas son los tumores pélvicos más comunes, con múltiples presentaciones clínicas a lo largo de la vida de la mujer. Es inusual que aparezcan durante el embarazo y que ameriten tratamiento quirúrgico, sobre todo por abdomen agudo secundario a degeneración. OBJETIVO: Aportar y exponer el proceso de diagnóstico, tratamiento quirúrgico y desenlace obstétrico en una paciente con un leiomioma gigante con degeneración asociado al embarazo. CASO CLÍNICO: Paciente de 34 años, primigesta, con 22.1 semanas de embarazo. Acudió a Urgencias con abdomen agudo, fiebre y daño ventilatorio secundario a un leiomioma gigante que ocupaba la totalidad del abdomen y comprimía las estructuras abdominales y torácicas. Debido al deterioro clínico se decidió la intervención quirúrgica para extraer los dos miomas: el mayor de 35 x 20 cm y 9150 g. La evolución posoperatoria fue favorable lo mismo que el control prenatal. La finalización del embarazo fue por cesárea electiva a las 38.1 semanas, sin complicaciones maternas ni perinatales. CONCLUSIÓN: La miomectomía durante el embarazo es un procedimiento seguro para disminuir la morbilidad y la mortalidad materna y fetal en casos seleccionados.

INTRODUCTION Anemia is the main nutritional problem in Cuban preschool children, prompting several interventions to prevent and control it. An enhanced national strategy was established in 2008, and particular attention paid to the eastern provinces, the region with greatest challenges in social determinants of health. OBJECTIVE Determine anemia prevalence in children aged 6-59 months in Cuba's five eastern provinces in three separate years within a decade, as well as association of anemia with epidemiological and nutritional factors, to assess impact of Cuba's Comprehensive Plan for Prevention and Control of Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Cuba. METHODS Cross-sectional studies of children aged 6-59 months (completed) were conducted in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Hemoglobin levels were measured to diagnose anemia (hemoglobin <110 g/L) and data were collected on independent variables such as age, sex, area of residence (urban or rural), daycare center enrollment, birth weight, breastfeeding history, and maternal anemia during pregnancy. Frequency distributions were created and comparisons tested with the chi square, and odds ratios calculated with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS Anemia prevalence in the region fell from 31.8% in 2005 to 26% in 2011; most of cases were mild (hemoglobin: 100-109 g/L). Prevalence was higher in children aged 6-23 months than in those aged 24-59 months throughout. No significant differences were found in anemia prevalence between boys and girls. Prevalence was higher in rural than in urban areas in 2005 (p = 0.026) and 2011 (p = 0.012). Daycare enrollment emerged as a protective factor in all three years. Low birth weight was associated with anemia only in 2011 (OR 1.74, CI 1.04-2.92). Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for six months increased over the study period; lack of breastfeeding was found to be associated with anemia in 2005 (OR 1.57, CI 1.05-2.34). Maternal anemia at onset of and during pregnancy was a significant risk factor in 2005 (OR 1.98, CI 1.27-3.10) and 2011 (OR 1.43, CI 1.05-1.94). CONCLUSIONS Although anemia prevalence steadily decreased over the study period, it continues to be a public health problem in Cuba and anemia prevention and control measures should be maintained and strengthened: interventions for women of childbearing age, fostering exclusive breastfeeding of infants through their sixth month, and encouraging compliance with recommendations on complementary feeding per Cuba's nutritional guidelines for children aged <2 years. Further evaluation is needed to identify the causes of anemia in the population of preschool children.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco and alcohol are currently the most widely consumed legal psychoactive substances in the world. They represent a heavy burden for health and society in almost all populations. Increasing consumption of both substances is a trend observed in women. OBJECTIVE: Describe the profile of women aged >15 years residing in urban areas of Cuba with respect to tobacco and alcohol consumption. METHOD: Basic information on tobacco and alcohol consumption by Cubans aged >15 years in urban areas was obtained from the Second National Survey on Risk Factors and Chronic Diseases (2001), a national descriptive cross-sectional study, the objective of which was to determine the frequency and epidemiological characteristics of the urban population's main chronic disease risk factors. Sampling design was complex stratified multi-stage cluster. Of a sample of 23,743 individuals, 22,851 were surveyed, representative of 6.8 million Cubans. A questionnaire and structured interview were used. Variables were tobacco and alcohol use, as well as sociodemographic factors: sex, age, educational level, skin color, marital status, type of full-time employment and perceived economic situation. Prevalence, with 95% confidence intervals, and male:female prevalence ratios were estimated. RESULTS: Women who smoked were predominantly aged 40-59 years; had completed less than university education; of black skin color; divorced; laborers, service workers or managers, and with a perceived economic situation as very poor. Women who consumed alcohol were predominantly aged 15-59 years, had at least middle school education, of mestizo or black skin color, of marital status other than widowed; there was no typical profile for occupation or perceived economic situation. Women who were both smokers and alcohol consumers were predominantly 20-59 years, of black or mestizo skin color, of marital status other than widowed; with no typical profile for educational level, occupation or perceived economic situation. CONCLUSIONS: The first nationwide socioeconomic profile of Cuban women using tobacco, alcohol or both constitutes a baseline for comparison to results of a new national study now under way, permitting evaluation of trends over time and effectiveness of prevention and control efforts.

World population aging and of Cuba is a demographic phenomenon associated with the scientific and technical revolution of XX century; its consequences joined to sociodemographic characteristics may to affect the quality of life. The aim of present paper is to characterize the quality of life related to health of elderlies in our country, to data from the II National Survey of Risk Factors of Non-communicable diseases of Cuba for 2001. Authors estimated absolute numbers, means, percentages and odds ratio with their 95 % confidence intervals. Confuse effect of variables was controlled using a logistic regression model. Quality of life related to an optimal health significantly improved with the increasing schooling of subjects from the primary school up to university level from 36.2 % to 52.6 %, OR = 1.1 (1.019; 1.266). There was worsening with age increase, OR = 0.96 (9.953; 0.973); a unfavorable perception of economic situation, OR = 0.61 (0.491; 0.766) and to be of female sex, OR = 0.47 (0.416; 0.540). Some socioeconomic variables influenced on the quality of life related to health of elderlies and to magnitude of this influence must to be assessed to approach this age group.

El envejecimiento poblacional del mundo y de Cuba es un fenómeno demográfico asociado con la revolución científico técnica del siglo XX; sus consecuencias unidas a características socio-demográficas pueden afectar la calidad de vida. Este trabajo pretende caracterizar la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud de los adultos mayores en el país, con los datos de la II Encuesta Nacional de Factores de Riesgo de Enfermedades no Trasmisibles de Cuba en el 2001. Se calcularon números absolutos, medias, porcentajes y Odds Ratio con sus intervalos de confianza al 95 %. El efecto confusor de las variables se controló con un modelo de regresión logísitica. La calidad de vida relacionada con la salud óptima mejoró significativamente al aumentar la escolaridad de los individuos desde primaria hasta la universidad, de 36,2 a 52,6 %, OR=1,1 (1,019;1,266). La empeoraron significativamente el aumentar la edad, OR=0,96 (0,953; 0,973); percibir desfavorablemente la situación económica, OR=0,61 (0,491; 0,766) y pertenecer al sexo femenino, OR=0,47 (0,416; 0,540). Algunas variables socio-demográficas influyen sobre la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud de los adultos mayores y la magnitud de esta influencia debe valorarse para el manejo de este grupo de edad.

The adolescent is exposed to risk factors as smoking, in which the family plays a very significant role. This paper describes the family influence on smoking in adolescents aged 15-19, within the framework of the II National Survey of Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases done in Cuba in 2001. 1 915 adolescents from 8 847 families were interviewed. Percentages and odds ratios with 95 % of confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Life prevalence and the present smoking habit in adolescents were 12.7 % and 9.0 %, respectively. Male adolescents smoke more (11.5 %) than females (6.3 %). The family history of smoking significantly influences on the tobacco consumption among female adolescents, although the present proportion of Cuban adolescents consuming tobacco is lower than in other periods and in other countries.

El adolescente está expuesto a factores de riesgo como el tabaquismo, en el cual la familia juega un papel muy importante. Este trabajo describe la influencia familiar en el tabaquismo en los adolescentes de 15 a 19 años, en el marco de la II Encuesta Nacional de Factores de Riesgo de Enfermedades no Trasmisibles del 2001, en Cuba. Se entrevistaron 1 915 adolescentes, de 8 847 familias. Se calcularon porcentajes y Odds Ratio con su intervalo de confianza al 95 %. La prevalencia de vida y el hábito de fumar actual en los adolescentes es de 12,7 % y 9,0 %, respectivamente. Los adolescentes masculinos fuman significativamente más (11,5 %) que las adolescentes femeninas (6,3 %). Los antecedentes familiares de tabaquismo influyen significativamente en el consumo de tabaco de las adolescentes femeninas, aunque la proporción actual de adolescentes cubanos que consumen tabaco es menor que en otras épocas y en otros países.

Smoking is harmful for health and may cause a number of diseases such as cancer and problems in quality of life. The objective of the present paper is to describe the quality of life related to the health of people actively exposed to smoking through EuroQol-5D, taking data from the Second National Survey of Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in Cuba in 2001. Absolute numbers, percentages, odd ratios with 95 % confidence intervals were estimated and also logistic regression was modelled. The percentage of individuals with quality of life related to optimal health condition significantly differed between those exposed and those non-exposed to smoking (66,78 % and 58,93 % respectively) and controlling for exposure, there were still differences between these percentages according to sex, age and marital status. Estimated odd ratios for this model were 3,36, 1,02 and 3,60, respectively.

El consumo de tabaco es nocivo para la salud y puede ocasionar distintas enfermedades como el cáncer y afectaciones en la calidad de vida. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud de las personas expuestas activamente al tabaco, mediante el EuroQol-5D, tomando los datos de la II Encuesta Nacional de Factores de Riesgo de Enfermedades no Trasmisibles de Cuba en el 2001. Se calcularon números absolutos, porcentajes, odds ratio con su intervalo de confianza al 95 % y se modeló con una regresión logística. Los porcentajes de individuos con calidad de vida relacionada con la salud óptima difieren significativamente entre expuestos y no expuestos de 66,78 a 58,93 % y controlando la exposición también hubo diferencias entre estos porcentajes por sexo, edad y estado civil. Los odds ratio estimados en el modelo fueron 3,36, 1,02 y 3,60, respectivamente.

Physically active lifestyle improves the feelings of general welfare and health, being sedentary lifestyle one of the modifiable risk factors of highest prevalence in general population. The health-relative quality of life explores perception of the individual about his health and the impact of health interventions; this prompted the description of the health-relative quality of life in sedentary and non-sedentary people in Cuba . Absolute numbers, percentages and confidence intervals were estimated. Being a sedentary person leads to a significant reduction of the optimal health-relative quality of life. Among men with optimal health-relative quality of life, the ratio of non sedentary to sedentary men was higher, but this ratio was different in women due to other factors that were not controlled. As age increases, the number of persons with optimal health-relative quality of life for non-sedentary and sedentary lifestyles lowers significantly. Because of their additional activity, the non-sedentary people exhibited higher percentage of optimal health-relative quality of life than sedentary persons on account of their main activity.

El estilo de vida físicamente activo, mejora las sensaciones de bienestar general y la salud, siendo el sedentarismo uno de los factores de riesgo modificables de mayor prevalencia en la población. La calidad de vida relativa a salud explora la percepción que tiene el individuo de su salud y del impacto de las intervenciones sanitarias, ello motivó la descripción de la calidad de vida relativa a salud de sedentarios y no sedentarios en Cuba. Se calcularon números absolutos, porcentajes e intervalos de confianza. Ser sedentario disminuye significativamente la calidad de vida relativa a salud óptima. Dentro de los hombres con calidad de vida relativa a salud óptima, los no sedentarios están en mayor proporción que los sedentarios, en las mujeres el comportamiento es diferente lo que puede deberse a otros factores que no se controlaron. Al aumentar la edad, disminuye significativamente la proporción de personas con calidad de vida relativa a salud óptima para no sedentarios y sedentarios. Los no sedentarios por su actividad adicional presentaron mayor porcentaje de calidad de vida relativa a salud óptima que los no sedentarios por su actividad principal.

The sexually transmitted infections in general and, specially, HIV/AIDS in adolescents and young individuals, are a serious health problem. The risk for suffering from them is very related to sexual behavior and the ways to protect oneself, among other factors. This led us to conduct the study to identify the sexual behavior and the use of condom as a means of protection from these diseases, and as a previous stage to an intervention study. The sample was composed of 100 adolescents and young people from a health area of Centro Habana municipality. A self-applied questionnaire was designed. The main results were as follows: 61 % of the surveyed had an active sexual life, the initiation of sexual relations occurred between 15 and 19 years old in 44 %, and before 20 years old in 55 %.Condom was never used in 30 % of the females surveyed, and ocassionally in 49 %. The main causes given not to use it were that it was uncomfortable and that her partner did not like it.

Las infecciones de transmisión sexual en general, y de manera especial, el VIH/SIDA en los adolescentes y jóvenes constituyen un serio problema de salud y el riesgo de padecerlas está muy relacionado con el comportamiento sexual y las formas de protegerse, entre otros factores. Esto motivó el estudio para identificar los comportamientos sexuales y el uso del preservativo como medio de protección hacia estas enfermedades, como etapa previa a un estudio de intervención. La muestra la integraron 100 adolescentes y jóvenes de un área de salud del municipio Centro Habana. Para dar salida a los objetivos se confeccionó un cuestionario autoaplicado. Los principales resultados fueron: el 61 % de los encuestados tenía vida sexual activa, el inicio de las relaciones ocurrió en un 44 % en las edades comprendidas entre los 15 y los 19 años, y en el 55 %, antes de los 20. El preservativo no se usó nunca en el 30 % de las encuestadas y ocasionalmente en un 49 %. Las principales causas argumentadas para no usarlo fueron expresar que resultaba incómodo y que no le gustaba a su pareja.

An upward trend in sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) is observed worldwide, which results from sexual relations beginning at earlier ages. Such situation moved us to carry out a descriptive crosswise study using an equiprobabilistic sample of 1 108 adolescents who studied in junior high schools in the City of Havana, with the objective of knowing their sexual behaviours, criteria on persons affected with an STD, histories of these diseases and opinions about the quality of information received on STD. Data were obtained from an interview which was structured and prepared for this and. It was found that average age of initiation of sex relations was 13,19 y for females and 12,08 years for males. Half of the interviewed students considered that STDS were characteristic of immoral people and criminal settings. The most referred diseases according to the percent of teenagers were pediculosis pubis and herpes genitalis in males, and monoliasis and trichomoniasis in females. Rounghly 40 % of students stated that the quality of information on sexual matters was moderate or poor.

Se observa en el mundo una tendencia ascendente en la ocurrencia de las enfermedades de transmisión sexual (ETS), a expensas de un desplazamiento de las relaciones sexuales a edades cada vez más tempranas, tal situación motivó el interés de realizar un estudio descriptivo transversal con una muestra equiprobabilística de 1 108 adolescentes que cursaban estudios de secundarias básicas en Ciudad de La Habana, con el objetivo de explorar comportamiento sexual, criterios sobre las personas que adquieren una ETS, antecedentes de estas enfermedades y opiniones sobre la calidad de la información en ETS. La información se obtuvo mediante una entrevista estructurada y elaborada para tales fines. Se encontró que la edad media de iniciación de las relaciones sexuales ocurrió a los a los 13,19 años para el sexo femenino y a los 12,08 para el masculino, más de la mitad de los entrevistados consideró que las enfermedades de transmisión sexual eran de personas inmorales y de ambientes marginales. Las enfermedades más referidas por el mayor porcentaje de adolescentes fueron la pediculosis pubis y del herpes genital para el caso de los varones y para las hembras las moniliasis y las trichomoniasis. El 40,0 % aproximadamente consideró de regular a deficiente la calidad de la información recibida en temática sexual.

The observed increase of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in Cuba aroused the interest of carrying out a study aimed at exploring risky sexual behaviours and attitudes, and histories of STD. A crosswise descriptive study was undertaken using a randomized sample taken from the universe of adolescent students in the City of Havana during 1995-96 school year. The sample was made up by 2 793 teenagers aged 11-19 years (1 370 females and 1 423 males). Previously trained experts linked to this field collected data by means of a structured interview which had been drawn up for this end. It was confirmed that more than half of adolescent students did not use condon in their sexual intercourse 57 % had more than one sexual partner along the year, 40 % believed it was difficult to keep only one partmer whereas 35 % had more than one sexual partner at the same time. Riski and protected sexual habits were noticed, with 39 % for oral-genital and 21,4 % for genital-anal. 22 % for the interviewd adolescent said they had histories of STD.

En Cuba, se ha observado un incremento de las enfermedades de transmisión sexual (ETS) en los adolescentes, lo cual motivó el interés de realizar un estudio con el objetivo de expolorar los comportamientos y actitudes sexuales riesgosos y el antecedente de ETS. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal con una muestra aleatoria tomada del universo de estudiantes adolescentes de Ciudad de La Habana del curso escolar 1995-1996. La muestra estuvo constituida por 2 793 adolescentes entre 11 y 19 años de edad (1 370 hembras y 1 423 varones). La información se recogió por especialistas vinculados con la actividad previo entrenamiento mediante una entrevista estructurada con un instrumento elaborado para tales fines. Se constató que más de la mitad de adolescentes no usaban preservativos en las relaciones sexuales; 57,0; 40,0 y 35 % respectivamente, tuvieron más de una pareja al año, creyeron que era difícil mantener la pareja o tenían más de una pareja sexual. Fueron referidos hábitos sexuales riesgosos sin protección en el 39 % para el hábito oro-genital y 21,4 % para el genito-anal. Refirieron antecedentes de ETS el 22 % de los entrevistados.