El cinismo idealista de Alejandro Carrión (Dossier: Narradores ecuatorianos de la década de 1950)

Este ensayo analiza aspectos de la dilatada labor como periodista, crítico literario, narrador de ficción y, sobre todo, la producción poética del ecuatoriano Alejandro Carrión. Señala que su narrativa, desde muy temprano, evidencia el tono satírico que no abandonaría jamás, tanto como su «vocación festiva de la sedición». Destaca su labor como periodista, principalmente con el seudónimo de Juan sin cielo. Menciona algunos aportes de Carrión en tanto crítico literario, recogidos principalmente en la revista Letras del Ecuador. El hilo conductor del ensayo –a ratos nostálgica semblanza– se nutre de una perspectiva inevitable: ciertos rasgos de su personalidad (su experiencia en «romances y serpientes», la vocación de incisivo y mordaz humorista, su «naturaleza confrontacional» y aguda inteligencia), además de sus dotes de narrador satírico y de poeta.

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.

Antibody isotypes, including IgG subclasses, in Ecuadorian patients with pulmonary Paragonimiasis

An ELISA test was developed to detect Paragonimus-specific antibodies, including IgG subclasses, using P. mexicanus crude water-soluble antigens. The test was standardized to detect antibodies in sera of Ecuadorian patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis and negative controls from the endemic area. The detected mean levels of IgG (0.753, SEM: 0.074) and IgM (0.303, SEM: 0.033) were significantly elevated (P<0.05). Within the IgG subclasses, IgG4 showed the highest detected mean level (0.365, SEM: 0.116) and the other three subclasses showed considerably lower mean levels (IgG1, 0.186 SEM: 0.06; IgG2, 0.046 SEM: 0.01; IgG3, 0.123 SEM: 0.047). The number of P. mexicanus eggs found in sputum of infected individuals showed a positive correlation with the level of antibodies detected for IgM, IgG and its subclasses (P<0.001). The relevance of these findings in Ecuadorian patients suffering from pulmonary paragonimiasis is discussed.

Human papillomavirus infection and its association with cervical dysplasia in Ecuadorian women attending a private cancer screening clinic

Women living in Latin American countries bear a disproportionate burden of cervical cancer, a condition caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). We performed a study in Santa Elena, Guayas (currently Santa Elena Province), Ecuador, to determine how often HPV could be detected in women attending a private cancer screening clinic. Participants underwent a Pap test, and vaginal and cervical swabs were performed for HPV testing by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Each participant completed a verbally administered survey. The mean age of 302 participants was 37.7 years (range 18 to 78 years). The majority of cervical and vaginal specimens contained sufficient DNA to perform PCR. Overall, 24.2% of the participants had either a cervical or vaginal swab that tested positive for HPV. In general, there was a good correlation between the HPV types detected in the cervical and vaginal swabs from the participants, but vaginal swabs were more likely to contain HPV DNA than were cervical swabs. The high-risk HPV types 16, 52, 58, and 59 and the low-risk HPV types 62, 71, 72, and 83 were the most frequently detected HPV types. The number of lifetime sexual partners was positively associated with detection of any HPV type, detection of oncogenic HPV, and abnormal Pap smears. Further studies are needed to determine if these results are representative of all Ecuadorian women and to determine if cervical cancers in Ecuadorian women are caused by the same HPV types found in the swab specimens obtained in this study.

Entry mode choice and market selection of born globals in developing countries: a multiple-case study of the ecuadorian software sector

O fenômeno "Born global" refere-se a empresas que consideram o mercado global como seu contexto natural e que iniciam seu processo de internacionalização muito cedo após sua criação. As teorias tradicionais como o modelo de Uppsala não conseguem explicar este processo. Portanto, outras teorias têm surgido, como a perspectiva de redes. Existem alguns estudos relacionados a esta área, principalmente realizados em países desenvolvidos com pequenos mercados e economias abertas. No entanto, poucos estudos têm sido feitos em economias em desenvolvimento. Além disso, o número de pesquisas quanto à escolha do modo de entrada e seleção de mercados das empresas “born global” é bastante limitado. Consequentemente, este estudo pretende descrever os principais fatores que influenciam a escolha do modo de entrada e seleção de mercados das empresas, de economias em desenvolvimento, nascidas globais. O foco da pesquisa é a indústria de software e um estudo de casos múltiplo foi realizado com três empresas no Equador. A metodologia incluiu entrevistas com fundadores, bem como a coleta de dados secundários. Com base na evidência empírica, verificou-se que os principais fatores que influenciam a escolha do modo de entrada são as restrições financeiras, as receitas esperadas, a velocidade de internacionalização, mercados nicho e a experiência empresarial anterior dos fundadores. Por outro lado, a seleção de mercado é influenciada por semelhanças de língua e cultura, mercados nicho e relações em rede.

Informes de reuniones sobre gestión ambiental de proyectos hidrocarburíferos de Ecuador = Report on meetings on the environmental management of Ecuadorian oil and natural gas projects

Presenta los objetivos y las etapas del programa de trabajo sobre gestion ambiental en proyectos hidrocarboniferos en el Ecuador; y recoge la valoracion y conclusiones de dos seminarios sobre el tema, asi como los resultados del Encuentro colombo-ecuatoriano sobre la dimension ambiental en la explotacion petrolera.

Cigarette smoking and Ecuadorian adolescents: A cross-sectional survey and policy review

This study investigates the relationship between cigarette smoking and adolescents in Ecuador, South America. Using the Social Learning Theory as a basis, the cross-sectional survey focuses attention on such social influences as the smoking habits of family members and peers as well as, the role of cigarette advertisements. Actual use prevalence, access to cigarettes and knowledge and attitudes about smoking are also obtained.^ The survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas, with 50 schools in 40 different communities participating. Two thousand four hundred and fifty-seven adolescents aged 9 to 15 years completed a self-administered questionnaire. This part of the study was conducted in collaboration with the international health organization Amigos de las Americas (AMIGOS). Staff assigned to the AMIGOS Ecuador projects worked with local health and education officials to implement the cross-sectional survey in the field.^ The key informant survey and subsequent policy review were designed to illuminate the social, cultural and institutional environment for anti-smoking activities and interventions in Ecuador. Key individuals involved with this issue on both national and local levels were interviewed. A review of past legislative efforts and present anti-smoking laws was also conducted.^ The current smoking prevalence among the study population was 8.6 percent. Findings from the cross-sectional survey revealed significant positive associations between the smoking habits of siblings and peers and the smoking behavior of the adolescents surveyed. Significant age and gender differences were also found in association with several different variables.^ The policy review found an unfavorable environment for anti-smoking efforts. Several factors contribute to this including, most importantly, lack of funding and lack of public support. The present anti-smoking law is often vague and lacks important provisions, such as a prohibition on selling tobacco products to minors.^ Together, the two surveys provide comprehensive information for the purpose of designing smoking prevention interventions. Using the results from the two surveys, recommendations for intervention are proposed. ^

De Las Vegas a Marina D'or. O como llegar desde el New Jornalism norteamericano de Hunter S. Thompson hasta la nueva narrativa española de Robert Juan-Cantavella

La corriente norteamericana llamada 'Nuevo periodismo', nacida en los años sesenta, supuso para la Periodística tradicional de Estados Unidos toda una revolución por la combinación de elementos literarios con otros propios de la investigación periodística. Hunter S. Thompson, autor de Miedo y asco en las Vegas (1971), con su periodismo gonzo, le iba a dar una vuelta más a la propuesta del New Journalism, llevando al extremo el proceso de inmersión, hasta implicarse personalmente en sus reportajes y acogiendo sobre todo influencias narrativas del movimiento Beat de los cincuenta. Casi 35 años después, en El Dorado, Juan-Cantavella hace un paralelismo entre Las Vegas y la ciudad de vacaciones en la costa mediterránea española, Marina D'Or y desarrolla en este ámbito una novela, protagonizada por su alter ego el periodista punk, Escargot. Novela, periodismo, gonzo, ficción, cuento, punk, ensayo, reportaje, 'aportaje', fragmentación discursiva, diálogos, monólogos interiores, descripciones, comunicados, telegramas, emails, notas de prensa, noticias radiofónicas, canciones, eslóganes, todo cabe para recrear géneros, para releer tradiciones periodísticas y literarias, y llegar a construir algo nuevo. Este trabajo analiza este proceso que va desde el periodismo gonzo, de Miedo y asco en Las Vegas a la narrativa española actual de El Dorado. Se ocupa de discernir los recursos literarios de que se sirve el periodista gonzo para construir sus reportajes y las herramientas periodísticas que nutren la 'narrativa punk' de Juan-Cantavella. Un ejemplo singular de simbiosis periodístico-literaria

De Las Vegas a Marina D'or. O como llegar desde el New Jornalism norteamericano de Hunter S. Thompson hasta la nueva narrativa española de Robert Juan-Cantavella

La corriente norteamericana llamada 'Nuevo periodismo', nacida en los años sesenta, supuso para la Periodística tradicional de Estados Unidos toda una revolución por la combinación de elementos literarios con otros propios de la investigación periodística. Hunter S. Thompson, autor de Miedo y asco en las Vegas (1971), con su periodismo gonzo, le iba a dar una vuelta más a la propuesta del New Journalism, llevando al extremo el proceso de inmersión, hasta implicarse personalmente en sus reportajes y acogiendo sobre todo influencias narrativas del movimiento Beat de los cincuenta. Casi 35 años después, en El Dorado, Juan-Cantavella hace un paralelismo entre Las Vegas y la ciudad de vacaciones en la costa mediterránea española, Marina D'Or y desarrolla en este ámbito una novela, protagonizada por su alter ego el periodista punk, Escargot. Novela, periodismo, gonzo, ficción, cuento, punk, ensayo, reportaje, 'aportaje', fragmentación discursiva, diálogos, monólogos interiores, descripciones, comunicados, telegramas, emails, notas de prensa, noticias radiofónicas, canciones, eslóganes, todo cabe para recrear géneros, para releer tradiciones periodísticas y literarias, y llegar a construir algo nuevo. Este trabajo analiza este proceso que va desde el periodismo gonzo, de Miedo y asco en Las Vegas a la narrativa española actual de El Dorado. Se ocupa de discernir los recursos literarios de que se sirve el periodista gonzo para construir sus reportajes y las herramientas periodísticas que nutren la 'narrativa punk' de Juan-Cantavella. Un ejemplo singular de simbiosis periodístico-literaria

De Las Vegas a Marina D'or. O como llegar desde el New Jornalism norteamericano de Hunter S. Thompson hasta la nueva narrativa española de Robert Juan-Cantavella

La corriente norteamericana llamada 'Nuevo periodismo', nacida en los años sesenta, supuso para la Periodística tradicional de Estados Unidos toda una revolución por la combinación de elementos literarios con otros propios de la investigación periodística. Hunter S. Thompson, autor de Miedo y asco en las Vegas (1971), con su periodismo gonzo, le iba a dar una vuelta más a la propuesta del New Journalism, llevando al extremo el proceso de inmersión, hasta implicarse personalmente en sus reportajes y acogiendo sobre todo influencias narrativas del movimiento Beat de los cincuenta. Casi 35 años después, en El Dorado, Juan-Cantavella hace un paralelismo entre Las Vegas y la ciudad de vacaciones en la costa mediterránea española, Marina D'Or y desarrolla en este ámbito una novela, protagonizada por su alter ego el periodista punk, Escargot. Novela, periodismo, gonzo, ficción, cuento, punk, ensayo, reportaje, 'aportaje', fragmentación discursiva, diálogos, monólogos interiores, descripciones, comunicados, telegramas, emails, notas de prensa, noticias radiofónicas, canciones, eslóganes, todo cabe para recrear géneros, para releer tradiciones periodísticas y literarias, y llegar a construir algo nuevo. Este trabajo analiza este proceso que va desde el periodismo gonzo, de Miedo y asco en Las Vegas a la narrativa española actual de El Dorado. Se ocupa de discernir los recursos literarios de que se sirve el periodista gonzo para construir sus reportajes y las herramientas periodísticas que nutren la 'narrativa punk' de Juan-Cantavella. Un ejemplo singular de simbiosis periodístico-literaria

Seed Dispersal Spectrum of Woody Species in South Ecuadorian Dry Forests: Environmental Correlates and the Effect of Considering Species Abundance

This study examines the seed dispersal spectrum of the tropical dry forests of Southern Ecuador, in an effort to contribute to the knowledge of the complex dynamics of tropical dry forests. Seed dispersal spectrum was described for a total number of 160 species. Relationships of dispersal syndromes with plant growth form and climatic seasonality were explored. For a subset of 97 species, we determined whether dispersal spectrum changes when species abundance, in addition to species number, is taken into account. The same subset was used to relate dispersal syndromes with the environmental conditions. Zoochorous species dominated in the studied community. When considering the individual abundance of each species, however, anemochory was the prevalent dispersal syndrome. We found a significant difference in the frequency of dispersal syndromes among plant growth forms, with epizoochory only occurring in shrub species. The dispersal spectrum was dependent on climatic seasonality. The largest proportion of anemochorous species fructified during the dry season, while zoochorous diaspores dominated during the rainy season. A fourth-corner analysis indicated that the seed dispersal spectrum of Southern Ecuador dry forests is controlled by environmental conditions such as annual precipitation, annual temperature range or topography. Our results suggest that spatio-temporal changes in the environmental conditions may affect important ecological processes for dispersal. Thus, the predominance of one syndrome or another may depend on the spatial variation of environmental conditions.

Climate and grazing control nurse effects in an Ecuadorian dry shrubby community

Positive plant interactions have strong effects on plant diversity at several spatial scales, expanding species distribution under stressful conditions. We evaluated the joint effect of climate and grazing on the nurse effect of Croton wagneri, by monitoring several community attributes at two spatial scales: microhabitat and plant community. Two very close locations that only differed in grazing intensity were surveyed in an Ecuadorian dry scrub ecosystem. At each location, two 30 × 30-m plots were established at four altitudinal levels (1500, 2630, 1959 and 2100 m asl) and 40 microsites were surveyed in each plot. Croton wagneri acted as community hubs, increasing species richness and plant cover at both scales. Beneath nurses mean richness and cover values were 3.4 and 21.9%, and in open areas 2.3 and 4.5%, respectively. Magnitude of nurse effect was dependent on climate and grazing conditions. In ungrazed locations, cover increased and diversity reduced with altitude, while grazed locations showed the opposite trend. In ungrazed plots the interactions shifted from positive to negative with altitude, in grazed locations interactions remained positive. We conclude that the nurse effect is a key mechanism regulating community properties not only at microsite but also at the entire community scale.

Rainfall variability in the upper Napo River Basin, Ecuadorian Amazon

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of elevation and other terrain characteristics over the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall. A comparative analysis was conducted between several methods of spatial interpolations using mean monthly precipitation values in order to select the best. Following those previous results it was possible to fit an Artificial Neural Network model for interpolation of monthly precipitation values for a period of 20 years, with input values such as longitude, latitude, elevation, four geomorphologic characteristics and anchored by seven weather stations, it reached a high correlation coefficient (r=0.85). This research demonstrated a strong influence of elevation and other geomorphologic variables over the spatial distribution of precipitation and the agreement that there are nonlinear relationships. This model will be used to fill gaps in time-series of monthly precipitation, and to generate maps of spatial distribution of monthly precipitation at a resolution of 1km2.