Catholic University of Uruguay
Recent publications
Within Latin America, the evidence surrounding intergenera-tional learning experiences remains limited. This study addresses this gap and marks a significant contribution to the literature by evaluating a Uruguayan intergenerational learning program using a systematic mixed-methods approach-the first of its kind in this country. Over eight workshops, the program assessed levels of wellbeing and involvement among older adult participants through observation, a series of interviews and focus groups. The findings revealed medium-to-high levels of well-being, increased involvement over time and a desire for program continuity. Notably, participants expressed interest in assuming leadership roles in planning and found smaller group settings to be more beneficial to engagement. The results provide comprehensive insights into participant preferences for intergenerational programs and their effectiveness. These findings pave the way for future research and the development of tailored intergenera-tional programs that cater to the unique sociocultural context of Uruguay and beyond. Contribution to the field − Using a systematic mixed methods approach, this study reports on the empirical evidence of a Uruguayan interge-nerational learning experience. This pilot project serves as a model for diverse cultural contexts, showing the successful adaptation of an Australian program to Uruguay and its potential for replication across Latin America. − Highlights the importance of leadership and participation of older people not only at the time of the implementation of the workshops but over the entire design process. − Underscores the benefits of smaller group dynamics for fostering meaningful intergenerational connections.
This study investigates the impact of a professional development programme in formative assessment (FA) for high school mathematics teachers. Through a collaborative approach between researchers and in-service teachers, a 16-week online course was designed focusing on feedback strategies, peer co-assessment, and student engagement. A mirrored scale was used where teachers and students reported frequency of FA practices. Pre-post tests were used to measure FA knowledge and practices in teachers (n = 110), as well as their self-efficacy. In students (n = 1029), mathematics learning and FA practices implemented by their teachers were evaluated. The results highlight a significant moderate effect on teachers’ self-efficacy, and large effects in FA knowledge, and implementation of FA practices, with noticeable changes perceived by both teachers and their students. Students perceived larger improvements in collaborative practices and peer assessment and weaker changes in practices that involved them in self assessment. Additionally, a transfer of these changes to students’ mathematics learning was observed, indicating that students’ reports of FA practices significantly impact their mathematics performance. This study underscores the importance of involving students in the FA process to improve mathematics learning.
Open-source tools and PDKs facilitate the design, implementation and silicon validation of integrated circuits, circumventing the traditional barriers associated with this field. Power integrated circuits, conversely, are increasingly relevant in modern systems targeting energy-efficient applications. In this study, the design of a power integrated circuit is examined from the perspective of open-source silicon design, which has recently emerged as a feasible approach for acquiring functional silicon-proven designs with low entry barriers. Utilizing this workflow, we showcase the complete design, simulation, layout, and experimental validation of an integrated multilevel dc-dc converter: specifically, a three-level flying capacitor buck converter. Our system converts 3.3V dc bus levels to 1.8V and below, for a measured peak efficiency of 89.3%. The maximum measured load current is 250mA, using two conversion cores operating in interleaved mode. The system has been implemented in 6.27mm 2 of active area using the Skywater 130nm standard CMOS technology open-source PDK.
In Latin American social studies, the lived religion approach has emerged as a fresh perspective for examining individuals’ tangible interactions with the sacred in their daily lives. Through a qualitative systematic review, this article sheds light on the academic production utilising the lived religion framework to unravel Latin American spirituality. By navigating thematic nuances and scholars’ critical findings, this study reveals the contributions of the lived religion approach within the Latin American context, exploring scholars’ motivations for its adoption. Amid this exploration, a central question arises: Is lived religion genuinely innovative for Latin American religious studies? This article aims to critically assess the incorporation of the lived religion approach in Latin American literature, examining its motivations and contributions to the perspective of lived religion from the Global South.
Psychonarratology is a discipline that combines classic frameworks in narratology and psycholinguistics. The goal of this review article is to highlight the contributions that recent evidence from causality processing studies, conceptual metaphor theory and embodied cognition can make to Psychonarratology, in order to promote a more comprehensive study of narrative. We argue that, in order to increase its descriptive and explanatory power, Psychonarratology would benefit from a more strongly interdisciplinary approach. This approach would integrate grounded theoretical cognition and recent methods from different disciplines. With this aim, we review study evidence that highlights the fundamental link between cognition and causal connections in narratives, as well as proposals from conceptualization theories. These approaches indicate that metaphorical mappings and discourse connections play a crucial role in the establishment of narrative sequences. Moreover, we elaborate on the contributions that recent advances in research on embodied cognition, causality processing and Conceptual Metaphor Theory can make to the theoretical and methodological framework of Psychonarratology, such as promoting the design of more ecologically valid tasks, and the study of narrative production and comprehension by non-neurotypical participants.
Brewers’ spent grain (BSG), a nutrient-rich by-product, offers the food industry a sustainable opportunity. This study explores consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for food products enriched with BSG, focusing on the influence of sustainability logos and brand information. Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE), analyze how these attributes impact consumer preferences for two products: BSG-enriched bread and chocolate dessert. Key variables included the presence of sustainability logos and BSG information, brand type (premium, low-cost, or no-brand), and price. An online survey was conducted, and the multinomial logit (MNL) model was applied to the data (n = 402). Overall, these results suggest that sustainability logos and BSG information positively influence consumer choices, although brand significance varies across product categories. For bread, the brand plays a critical role in purchasing decisions, while for chocolate dessert, the price is the main decision factor. This research highlights that through the addition of BSG, the bread and chocolate manufacturing industry in Uruguay can increase profits with a premium price and improve product quality, transforming the food industry and advancing sustainable development.
In Latin American comparative politics, a tension exists between North Americanization and parochialism. While certain academic scholarship is published in Scopus-indexed journals that engage with “mainstream” Global North literature, other works are found in non-indexed outlets, focusing solely on their home countries and fostering parochial scientific communities. To assess this tension in graduate program curricula, we compiled an original dataset of comparative politics readings from 21 universities across nine Latin American countries. Our network analysis reveals a centralized structure influenced by mainstream readings, challenging the expectation of parochialism. In addition to the mainstream content, universities tend to incorporate readings from regional journals to facilitate cross-case comparisons. However, these materials are inconsistently shared, resulting in fragmentation of content from Latin American sources. Our findings contribute to and challenge the North Americanization versus parochialism debate, showing that future scholars receive similar mainstream training but encounter diverse regional materials during their PhD studies.
Objectives This study aimed to assess the effects of a virtual Mindful Self-compassion (MSC) intervention on mindfulness and self-compassion, empathy, stress, and well-being in Uruguayan primary school teachers, during COVID-19 times. Method A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study was conducted with an active control intervention that involved practicing Kundalini yoga (KY). Uruguayan volunteer female teachers were randomly assigned to MSC or KY 9-week virtual training. They completed self-reported psychometric tests and an empathy for pain task (EPT) at pre- and post-training, and follow-up (3 months). Results At post-MSC training, mindfulness (observing, non-reactivity, and total mindfulness) and self-compassion (self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness, and self-judgment) increased. The empathy dimensions perspective-taking increased and personal distress decreased. Stress decreased and well-being increased. Concerning EPT, the accuracy in attributing intentionality to the harm inflicted, i.e., the intentionality comprehension accuracy, increased. At follow-up, observing and total mindfulness remained elevated, and non-judging increased. Common humanity remained elevated and personal distress remained decreased. Comparing MSC with KY trainings at post-training, the psychometric tests showed that personal distress was lower in the MSC group. At follow-up, observing and total mindfulness were higher in the MSC group. No differences between groups were found for the EPT at post-training and follow-up. Conclusions Virtual MSC training increased mindfulness and self-compassion, associated with higher well-being, reduced stress, and increased empathy in primary school teachers in Uruguay. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.
Collective action is a powerful tool for social change and is fundamental to women and girls’ empowerment on a societal level. Collective action towards gender equality could be understood as intentional and conscious civic behaviors focused on social transformation, questioning power relations, and promoting gender equality through collective efforts. Various instruments to measure collective action intentions have been developed, but to our knowledge none of the published measures were subject to invariance testing. We introduce the gender equality collective action intention (GECAI) scale and examine its psychometric isomorphism and measurement invariance, using data from 60 countries (N = 31,686). Our findings indicate that partial scalar measurement invariance of the GECAI scale permits conditional comparisons of latent mean GECAI scores across countries. Moreover, this metric psychometric isomorphism of the GECAI means we can interpret scores at the country-level (i.e., as a group attribute) conceptually similar to individual attributes. Therefore, our findings add to the growing body of literature on gender based collective action by introducing a methodologically sound tool to measure collective action intentions towards gender equality across cultures.
This study aimed to determine the influence of yerba mate infusion and iron supplements on hemoglobin levels in pregnant women in Uruguay. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 95 postpartum women, aged 18 to 45 years, who were human milk donors. The study assessed yerba mate and iron supplement consumption habits, as well as the prevalence of anemia during pregnancy. Results showed that 2.4% of women had anemia at the beginning of pregnancy and 14.3% at the end. Additionally, 53% of the women consumed yerba mate, 2.2% did not use iron supplements, and 15.7% did not meet daily iron requirements. No significant differences were found between yerba mate consumption, iron supplementation, and anemia. In conclusion, hemoglobin levels decreased, and anemia prevalence increased as pregnancy progressed, with no significant differences linked to yerba mate or iron supplement consumption.
Early detection of autism is important for timely access to diagnostic evaluation and early intervention services, which improve children's outcomes. Despite the ability of clinicians to reliably diagnose autism in toddlers, diagnosis is often delayed. SenseToKnow is a mobile autism screening application (app) delivered on a smartphone or tablet that provides an objective and quantitative assessment of early behavioral signs of autism based on computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML). This study examined the accuracy of SenseToKnow for autism detection when the app was downloaded and administered remotely at home by caregivers using their own devices. The SenseToKnow app was administered by caregiv-ers of 620 toddlers between 16 and 40 months of age, 188 of whom were subsequently diagnosed with autism by expert clinicians. The app displayed strategically designed movies and a bubble-popping game on an iPhone or iPad while recording the child's behavioral responses through the device's front-facing camera and touch/inertial sensors. Recordings of the child's behavior were then automatically analyzed using CV. Multiple behavioral phenotypes were quantified and combined using ML in an algorithm for autism prediction. SenseToKnow demonstrated a high level of diagnostic accuracy with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92, sensitivity of 83.0%, specificity of 93.3%, positive predictive value of 84.3%, and negative predictive value of 92.6%. Accuracy of the app for detecting autism was similar when administered on either a caregiver's iPhone or iPad. These results demonstrate that a mobile autism screening app based on CV can be delivered remotely by caregivers at home on their own devices and can provide a high level of accuracy for autism detection. Remote screening for autism potentially lowers barriers to autism screening, which could reduce disparities in early access to services and support and improve children's outcomes.
Numerous countries around the globe have undertaken efforts aimed at enhancing political representation. One of these efforts has taken the institutional form of reserved seats or ethnic districts where individuals must choose where to deposit their votes. In this paper, we ask if group consciousness and organizational membership affect the choice to vote on these types of districts. Using a mixed-methods approach by combining semi-structured interviews with elites and a subgroup analysis of a conjoint experiment in a sample of Afro-Colombians, we find evidence that group consciousness affects the preferences for ethnic districts over territorial ones. Contrary to initial expectations, we observe that membership in ethnic organizations does not significantly alter preferences for ethnic districts among surveyed individuals. These findings indicate that individuals with high levels of group consciousness tend to choose to participate more in mechanisms and institutions that can enhance the group’s political representation.
Background To analyze the evidence about the influence of the suturing technique and material in terms of the percentage of mean root coverage (%MRC) following root coverage therapy in teeth diagnosed with single/localized gingival recession defects (GRD) via a monolaminar coronally advanced flap. Methods The protocol of this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024514043). A literature search was conducted to identify investigations that fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Variables of interest were extracted, subsequently categorized, and qualitatively analyzed. Results A total of 15 randomized clinical trials, including 301 localized GRD in non‐molar sites classified as Miller class I‐II/RT1, in 253 patients were included. The studies reporting the combination of sling and single interrupted sutures, or interrupted sutures alone showed an MRC of 70.2%±16.6%, and 74.1%±0.75%, respectively. The highest MRC was observed in the studies using polyglactin 910 with a pooled value of 76.6% ± 15.3%, and monofilament materials, with a pooled MRC of 74.8%±7.1%. When the suturing diameter was evaluated, the highest pooled MRC with values of 79.1%±9.8% was observed with the use of 5‐0. Conclusions For the treatment of single/localized GRD in non‐molar sites via a monolaminar coronally advanced flap, the use of a combination of sling and single interrupted sutures, or single interrupted sutures, polyglactin 910 or monofilament materials, and material diameter of 5‐0 showed a higher MRC as compared to the use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and silk with/without dressing, and other suture diameters. Key points There were no differences in the percentage of root coverage achieved between the use of sling and single interrupted, versus single interrupted sutures alone on the treatment of single/localized GRD in non‐molar sites. Polyglactin 910 and monofilament sutures resulted in a higher percentage of root coverage achieved as compared to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and silk with/without dressing. The use of 5‐0 material diameter showed the highest percentage of root coverage achieved. Plain language summary This study was primarily aimed at evaluating how different suturing techniques and materials could affect the percentage of root coverage in single/localized recession defects, without the use of soft tissue substitutes or autogenous soft tissue grafts. After the pooled analyses of 15 randomized clinical trials that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, we observed that the adequate selection of suturing techniques, materials, and size could lead to a higher percentage of root coverage. Specifically, the use of single interrupted with or without sling sutures at the most coronal portion, Polyglactin 910 or monofilament materials, and size of 5‐0 showed a higher percentage of root coverage as compared to the use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and silk with/without dressing, and other suture diameters.
Predicting childhood blood lead levels (BLLs) has had mixed success, and it is unclear if individual- or neighborhood-level variables are most predictive. An ensemble machine learning (ML) approach to identify the most relevant predictors of BLL ≥2μg/dL in urban children was implemented. A cross-sectional sample of 603 children (~7 years of age) recruited between 2009–2019 from Montevideo, Uruguay participated in the study. 77 individual- and 32 neighborhood-level variables were used to predict BLLs ≥2μg/dL. Three ensemble learners were created: one with individual-level predictors (Ensemble-I), one with neighborhood-level predictors (Ensemble-N), and one with both (Ensemble-All). Each ensemble learner comprised four base classifiers with 50% training, 25% validation, and 25% test datasets. Predictive performance of the three ensemble models was compared using area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), precision, sensitivity, and specificity on the test dataset. Ensemble-I (AUC: 0.75, precision: 0.56, sensitivity: 0.79, specificity: 0.65) performed similarly to Ensemble-All (AUC: 0.75, precision: 0.63, sensitivity: 0.79, specificity: 0.69). Ensemble-N (AUC: 0.51, precision: 0.0, sensitivity: 0.0, specificity: 0.50) severely underperformed. Year of enrollment was most important in Ensemble-I and Ensemble-All, followed by household water Pb. Three neighborhood-level variables were among the top 10 important predictors in Ensemble-All (density of bus routes, dwellings with stream/other water source and distance to nearest river). The individual-level only model performed best, although precision was improved when both neighborhood and individual-level variables were included. Future predictive models of lead exposure should consider proximal predictors (i.e., household characteristics).
This study investigated the perception of Uruguayan consumers towards hybrid dairy‐like products, including beverages and yogurts made with a mix of milk and plant proteins from canola, hemp, or soy. The study was conducted online with 261 participants, using a 2 × 4 experimental design to analyse consumer responses to product type and protein source. Results showed that dairy yogurt was the most preferred. Among plant protein ingredients, canola and hemp were the most and least preferred, respectively. Consumers rated each product on purchase intention, environmental friendliness, and other attributes through a comprehensive questionnaire. Findings indicated significant variation in purchase intentions based on product and protein type. Canola‐based products were seen as more environmentally friendly compared to soy. Attributes such as ‘Healthy’, ‘Contains calcium’, and ‘Contains proteins’ positively affected purchase intentions, while negative perceptions about flavour impacted intentions adversely. Cluster analysis revealed significant differences across clusters regarding protein preferences and product types.
In this letter, three battery-powered, custom Internet of Things (IoT) sensor nodes for the agribusiness, are presented: first, a Sigfox-based temperature-humidity index (THI) sensor to monitor the impact of heat stress in livestock, then a LoRaWAN version of an estrus detection collar for dairy farms, and finally a NB-IoT low-power A-GPS geolocation device for animals. Detailed power consumption measurements are presented and compared to highlight the benefits of each low-power wide-area network technology for the industry. The measured energy to transmit a single 10Byte payload packet was 90, 20, and 90 mJ for Sigfox, LoRa, and NB-IoT, respectively. With an adequate power management strategy, the nodes could operate up to 10 years in the case of the THI and estrus detector, and >1 yr in the case of the GPS tracker, powered by a single 1900 mA h LiSOCl2\cdot \mathrm {h}~\mathrm {LiSOCl}_{2} battery.
In this work, modeling, simulation, and experimental measurements of a LoRaWAN network aimed at implementing a dense farm-area network (FAN) in the agrifood industry are presented. First, the network is modeled for a farm of the future, with as many sensors as would be useful, for the four main productive chains in Uruguay as a study case: livestock, timber, agriculture, and dairy industries. To this end, a survey of commercial sensors was conducted, a few farms were visited, and managers and partners in agrocompanies were interviewed. A LoRaWAN network with a single gateway was simulated to estimate the efficiency (related to data packets lost), in the case of a 1000 ha cattle field with more than 1500 sensors and some cameras sharing the network. Finally, the network efficiency was measured, using 30–40 LoRa modules @ 915 MHz, transmitting at pseudorandom times to emulate up to thousands of LoRa sensor nodes. The simulated and measured results are very similar, reaching > 92% efficiency in all cases. Sites bigger than 1000 ha on the four main productive chains were also simulated. Additionally, energy consumption and transmission distance measurements of LoRaWAN modules are presented, as well as an overview of the economic aspects related to the deployment of the network to corroborate them fit the requirements of a FAN in the agribusiness.
This work aimed to analyse the effect of particle size on bioactive compounds of different by-products. Orange, apple, and grape-wine by-products obtained from industrial production were dried and ground at two sizes: 1 mm and 0.5 mm. Pomaces were analysed in composition (protein, fat, carbohydrates, moisture, and ash contents) and bioactive compounds (total phenol content by Folin– Ciocalteu method and antioxidant capacity by FRAP assay) and submitted to an in-vitro digestion. FESEM was used to observe the microstructure of samples. All pomaces showed high fibre content (21.7, 31.2, and 58.9 g/100 g, in apple, orange, and grape pomace respectively). Total phenol content in raw material was higher in grape > orange > apple, with no differences (apple) or slight differences (grape and orange) between 1 mm and 0.5 mm particle size. Grape pomace was observed as a porous, more accessible structure, where extracting polyphenols was easier. Orange pomace’, was compact and apple pomace structure was even more compact hindering the raw materials polyphenol extraction. After digestion, total phenol content increased in orange and apple pomace for both particle size. In apple, bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds showed a 5 fold increase for 1 mm sample size and a 4 fold increase for 0.5 mm sample size. In orange, for both sizes bioaccessibility increased but to a lesser extent (2.4 fold). In the case of grape pomace, although polyphenol content decreased after digestion (0.7 fold for both sizes), they showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Regarding the effect of particle size on total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, no trend was found in this work for the fruit pomaces studied. In the case of grape and apple, grinding at 1 mm should be adequate regarding antioxidant capacity while in the case of orange, it may be better to use a pomace ground at 0.5 mm.
Resumo Objetivo: conhecer as percepções de liderança de enfermeiros durante a pandemia da COVID-19 em hospitais universitários brasileiros, pela concepção dos conceitos do referencial de John Kotter e seu modelo de mudança de oito etapas. Método: pesquisa multicêntrica de natureza qualitativa e delineamento analítico. A amostra foi constituída por 139 enfermeiros atuantes na COVID-19 entrevistados mediante um roteiro de entrevistas semiestruturadas, categorizadas por meio de análise de conteúdo de Bardin com base nos conceitos de John Kotter e seu modelo de mudança de oito etapas. Resultados: os achados resultaram em importantes percepções dos enfermeiros acerca da liderança durante o enfrentamento da COVID-19, que apresentaram características condizentes com os preceitos de Kotter. Evidencia-se uma liderança baseada na busca pelo conhecimento, pautada em uma comunicação polida, facilitando o trabalho em equipe por meio de uma relação de confiança e respeito. O reconhecimento da complexidade e dificuldade que é exercer a liderança do enfermeiro, principalmente, em contextos de crise. Conclusão: as percepções dos enfermeiros reforçam elementos essenciais para a prática da liderança, como a importância pela busca de conhecimentos múltiplos, comunicação polida, relação baseada na confiança e respeito, e o reconhecimento da complexidade em liderar, apresentando, assim, características acerca dos preceitos de Kotter.
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1,074 members
Gustavo Vazquez
  • Department of Computer Sciences
Mati Dodel
  • Department of Social Sciences
Alvaro Pardo
  • Department of Electrical Engineering
Roberto Horta
  • Institute of Competitiveness
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Montevideo, Uruguay
Head of institution
Mons. Dr. Nicolás Cotugno Fanizzi SDB