Early childhood caries (ECC) is a highly prevalent oral disease among children worldwide, arising from multiple contributing factors. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with ECC in preschool children attending a hospital in Ica, Peru. This observational cross-sectional study involved 186 children evaluated during two dental health campaigns organised by a hospital in Ica, Peru. Oral examinations were conducted by two trained paediatric dentists, while haemoglobin levels were measured by two nurses. Mothers or caregivers completed questionnaires to provide relevant sociodemographic and behavioural data. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify variables significantly associated with ECC (p < 0.05). The maximum likelihood method was used to assess the contribution of demographic, clinical and other factors—such as oral hygiene and cariogenic diet—using odds ratios (ORs) and regression coefficients to indicate the magnitude and direction of their effects. The prevalence of ECC was 76.88
Objective. To determine the molecular characterization of Panstrongylus chinai from northern Peru and its phylogenetic relationship with Ecuadorian populations using the Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit I (COI) gene. Materials and methods. We analyzed three adult female P. chinai specimens from populations reared under laboratory conditions, from rural localities in the department of Piura. The legs of each specimen were dissected from the coxa to the tibia, discarding the tarsi and nails, then the DNA was extracted, and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the COI gene was carried out. The PCR products were sequenced by Sanger and analyzed with DNA sequences of the COI gene of P. chinai from Ecuador, obtained from the NCBI portal, Genbank. The DNA sequences of the study, together with similar sequences found in the NCBI database, were inserted into the MEGA v.11 software to construct a phylogenetic tree. They were then transferred to the DnaSP v.5 software for molecular characterization by haplotypes. Results. Molecular characterization revealed the presence of three haplotypes circulating in the department of Piura, different from the haplotype previously reported in Ecuador. Likewise, phylogenetic analysis suggests the emergence of the evolutionary process of cladogenesis, in which the Ecuadorian variant may have originated from populations of P. chinai from northern Peru. Conclusions. P. chinai from Ecuador and northern Peru have different molecular characteristics and a descending phylogeny, which infer distribution from Peru to Ecuador.
Introduction: Ultra-processed foods are industrial products made from refined ingredients, additives, and preservatives, with high sugar, fat, and salt content. Objective: To determine the relationship between the intake of ultra-processed foods and the risk of diabetes mellitus in relatives of patients diagnosed with diabetes in a vulnerable area of Callao in Peru. Materials and methods: Observational and correlational cross-sectional study. Conducted in a vulnerable area of the Callao Region in Peru during 2025, a questionnaire on the frequency of consumption of ultra-processed foods and the Findrics test were used to measure the level of risk of diabetes and were applied to a sample of 120 relatives of patients with diabetes, determined by simple random probability sampling. Results: 59.2% of participants reported high or very frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods, predominantly products such as sugary drinks, cold cuts, and fast food. Likewise, 53.3% of respondents had a moderate to very high risk of developing T2D. Statistical analysis using Spearman’s coefficient (ρ = 0.632; p < 0.01) showed a moderate and significant positive relationship between the two variables, where higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of TD. Conclusions: Frequent consumption of UPPs is directly related to an increased risk of TD in the relatives evaluated, who share environmental, dietary, and genetic factors with relatives already diagnosed.
Este estudio se justifica por la necesidad de comprender factores modificables que explican la disminución del rendimiento en bachillerato y orientar intervenciones escolares costo-efectivas; tuvo como objetivo determinar la relación entre los hábitos de estudio y el rendimiento académico en estudiantes de educación media. Se empleó un enfoque cuantitativo, diseño no experimental, transversal y correlacional, con muestra por conveniencia de 213 estudiantes; se aplicó el CASM-85 (53 ítems dicotómicos) para hábitos y un cuestionario de 15 ítems Likert para rendimiento (α=.989; piloto α=.956); el análisis se realizó en SPSS 27. Los resultados mostraron rendimiento medio (M=45) y hábitos en “tendencia positiva” (M=27,23), con debilidades en realización de tareas y manejo de distractores; la correlación entre hábitos y rendimiento fue muy alta y significativa (r=.891; p<.001) y las asociaciones por dimensiones oscilaron entre r=.793 y r=.881. Se concluye que la organización del tiempo, la planificación, la autorregulación y la atención en clase son palancas clave para elevar el logro, por lo que se recomienda implementar tutorías, acompañamiento docente y estrategias de estudio estructuradas que consoliden prácticas consistentes.
