Universidad Andina del Cusco

Introduction: Dental care anxiety is common and has a direct impact on oral health. Children often experience anxiety and trauma during dental visits, which can hinder timely care. Objective: To evaluate anxiety levels in pediatric patients before dental care, according to age and sex. Methods: The study was carried out under a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design, with a sample of 176 pediatric patients between 3 and 12 years of age, who attended the pediatric dentistry service of a private university in Cusco, during the period from September to December 2023, selected according to selection criteria. The instruments used were: the modified Corah dental anxiety scale (MDAS), which identifies anxiety in five levels. Results: The results showed a predominance of severe anxiety or phobia among patients of both sexes. The level of anxiety was identified to have significant relationship with age. Conclusions: The importance of considering age as a determining factor in dental anxiety in children is emphasized, which requires adapting strategies for each age group due to the fact that the older the age the less anxiety. There is a lack of dependence between anxiety and sex, which suggests the universality of dental anxiety without distinction of gender.

This study provides an in-depth analysis of the experiences of university students who simultaneously balance work and study in a private university in Lima, a growing phenomenon within Latin American higher education. In a context marked by socioeconomic disparities and the increasing privatization of education, this population faces significant tensions that affect their academic, personal, and emotional well-being. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, through structured interviews with three working students selected by convenience sampling. The testimonies were subjected to a manual coding process, considering a priori categories related to their comprehensive experience in university life. The findings show that the dual burden generates high levels of physical fatigue and stress, hindering the fulfillment of academic demands. However, benefits were also identified, such as the strengthening of resilience, autonomy, and satisfaction derived from personal and economic growth. Participants pointed out the existence of institutional gaps: insufficient regulations to respond to the needs of those who work, lack of flexibility in attendance policies, and limited recognition of their complex routines. Additionally, perceptions of faculty attitudes varied from empathy and support to rigidity and low understanding of their daily reality. Regarding improvement proposals, students suggested flexible scheduling, technological enhancements in classrooms, faculty accompaniment sensitive to student diversity, and a review of working conditions associated with pre-professional internships, all aimed at ensuring a sustainable and equitable academic trajectory. The study concludes that private universities must urgently adopt inclusive policies based on student heterogeneity. Recognizing the demands of those who study and work not only promotes comprehensive well-being but also strengthens their persistence and academic success within contemporary higher education.

Objective: To validate a virtual reality (VR) model designed for neuroanatomy learning by evaluating its impact in terms of realism, usefulness, practicality, enjoyment, and recommendation. Materials and methods: A descriptive, instrument-validation study was conducted to assess the model through expert judgment in the field of neuroscience. Forty-two professionals in neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry participated in the study. The system was rated for realism, usefulness, practicality, enjoyment, and recommendation using a structured 13-item questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The VR model, developed through advanced photogrammetry, enabled interactive manipulation of three-dimensional (3D) brain structures. Participants employed VR headsets and hand controllers to explore, in detail, the anatomical and functional relationships within the brain. Results: Participants reported high overall satisfaction with the system, emphasizing both the realism of the images (mean = 4.76, SD = 0.43) and the system’s usefulness in understanding complex 3D relationships (mean = 4.78, SD = 0.41). However, practicality received a slightly lower score (mean = 4.36, SD = 0.61), suggesting opportunities for improvement in the user interface. Enjoyment of the experience also received positive ratings (mean = 4.58, SD = 0.51). In addition, most professionals recommended integrating the system into medical education (mean = 4.64, SD = 0.48), highlighting its potential as a complementary tool to traditional teaching methods. Conclusions: The validated VR model proved to be a valuable tool for neuroanatomy learning, providing an immersive experience that facilitates the understanding of the complex spatial relationships within the brain. Although areas for improvement were identified, particularly regarding system practicality, the findings suggest that this technology has the potential to transform advanced medical education by offering a more engaging, practical, and effective approach. Further refinements in design could enhance its accessibility and acceptance, thereby solidifying its role in contemporary medical education.

El presente artículo examina la aplicación actual de la determinación judicial de la pena en el Perú, centrada en el esquema operativo de tercios y escalonado. Ambos esquemas limitan la discrecionalidad judicial mediante tramos predeterminados que, aunque permiten cierto margen decisorio, suelen imponer sanciones similares a conductas que difieren notablemente en gravedad y reprochabilidad. A partir de un análisis doctrinal y jurisprudencial, se advierte que esta rigidez comprometegravemente principios rectores como la culpabilidad, proporcionalidad y lesividad. Partiendo de la teoría de la proporcionalidad, el artículo sostiene que la valoración integral de la prueba y la evaluación del nivel real de afectación al bien jurídico son esenciales para justificar la reducción o exclusión de la pena cuando la sanción resulte desproporcionada, garantizando así una respuesta punitiva ajustada al reproche efectivo, sin exceder los límites máximos establecidos porlos esquemas vigentes.

Introduction: in recent years, emotional eating has received increasing attention due to its impact on health and well-being. Various studies have shown that emotions can influence eating patterns, leading individuals to eat in response to affective states rather than physiological needs. Objective: to determine whether depression, anxiety, and stress predict emotional eating in a sample of university students from the Peruvian Amazon. Methodology: a quantitative approach was adopted, using a non-experimental predictive design. The sample consisted of 436 university students who completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Emotional Eating Questionnaire, both instruments with adequate psychometric properties. Results: the regression model was statistically significant (F= 75.692, p<0.05), explaining 34.5% of the variance in emotional eating (R²= 0.345). Among the variables assessed, de-pression (β= 0.153, p<0.05), anxiety (β= 0.227, p<0.05), and stress (β= 0.258, p<0.05) significantly predicted higher levels of emotional eating. Additionally, it was observed that women exhibited higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional eating, while younger students showed higher levels of anxiety (p<0.05). On the other hand, no statistically significant differences were found based on employment status or relationship status, except for anxiety (p>0.05). Discussion: although some studies support these findings, further research is needed to corroborate and expand upon these results. Conclusions: depression, anxiety, and stress significantly predict emotional eating among university students from the Peruvian Amazon.

Abstract The present study addresses the challenges of treating complex meningiomas in a low- to middle-income country (L-MIC) with limited access to advanced surgical equipment. The objective is to present innovative low-cost approaches and surgical techniques employed in the absence of a neurosurgical microscope, emphasizing resourcefulness in addressing surgical challenges. The senior author conducted surgical interventions on four patients with complex meningiomas in a middle-income country's grade III hospital. Due to resource limitations, surgeries did not utilize a neurosurgical microscope. Instead, the Modified Pure Endoscopic Approach (MAPEnd) technique, intratumoral hydrogen peroxide infiltration, and water dissection were employed for intraoperative vision and magnification support. Thorough preoperative planning was crucial for successful treatment.The case series includes four illustrative cases ranging from parietal and posterior fossa giant meningiomas to front-parietal and cerebellopontine angle large meningiomas. Despite the limitations, effective tumor resections and favorable patient outcomes were achieved.In resource-limited settings, where access to advanced neurosurgical equipment is constrained, this study demonstrates the successful treatment of complex meningiomas. The combination of water dissection, intratumoral hydrogen peroxide injection, and the MAPEnd method, along with meticulous preoperative planning, promises favorable surgical outcomes. These techniques contribute to neurosurgical innovation and bridge the gap in providing quality surgical care in L-MICs.

The artisanal production of paints using inorganic pigments from the Cusco Valley is considered a sustainable alternative to the use of synthetic industrial paints. This approach not only helps reduce the environmental footprint associated with the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but also utilizes local materials. The present study evaluates the physical and mechanical properties of paints obtained from natural pigments through standardized tests based on the American ASTM standards, focusing on adhesion (ASTM D-3359), drying time (ASTM D-1640), surface hardness (ASTM D-3363), and the performance of the paints when exposed to the environmental factors of Cusco (under real conditions). In this regard, the pigments were extracted from traditional quarries and processed through the sedimentation method (MS) and ball milling (MG). The produced paints were formulated with the addition of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) as a binder and water as a solvent and were applied to standardized panels. The results show that all samples meet the requirements of the technical parameters, demonstrating good adhesion, appropriate drying times, and acceptable hardness for architectural coatings, Chromatic variations (ΔE*) were recorded depending on the processing method and the level of environmental exposure, with paints containing ground pigments (MG) being more resistant to fading. This study concludes that these artisanal formulations represent a technically viable and culturally relevant alternative to industrial coatings, especially in contexts of heritage restoration or sustainable architecture.

Abstract The Bolivian Bamboo Rat (Dactylomys boliviensis)—a large arboreal rodent found in the western Amazon—is known for its distinctive vocalizations and frequent presence in bamboo-dominated forests. While some aspects of its vocalizations have been briefly described, variability in its vocal patterns and times of acoustic activity remain largely unknown. Using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), we investigated and characterized vocalizations in a southwestern region of the Amazon, analyzing acoustic activity patterns and the influence of bamboo forest coverage and moon illumination. The study was conducted at 165 sites in the Madre de Dios region of Peru during the dry seasons of 2017 and 2018, recording 63 vocalizations over 20,790 recorder days. We found no significant variability in vocalization characteristics or structure in this region, suggesting that previous reports might be biased due to the influence of the observer on the activity of animals and the lack of temporal and spatial independence of data. The vocalization of this species followed a distinct pattern of sequential pulses, averaged 28.76 pulses, lasted 31.27 s, and did not show harmonics below 400 Hz. The acoustic activity pattern comprised 2 peaks during the night: 1 between 1 to 2 h and another between 3 and 5 h after sunset. The extent of bamboo-dominated forest cover and moon illumination did not seem to affect the vocalization parameters or nocturnal acoustic activity of this species. Based on our findings, we highlight the benefits of PAM and advocate for its use in future studies on vocal and elusive mammals. Finally, we suggest that future studies should focus on how factors such as the vegetation type and habitat heterogeneity might influence vocal variation, acoustic activity, and occurrence of this species.

Por muchos años, las organizaciones educativas han hecho énfasis hacia la práctica pedagógicas que realizan los docentes, debido a que han sido un recurso importante para el desarrollo de los estudiantes. Por ello, el objetivo del estudio fue determinar la relación entre las buenas prácticas pedagógicas y el desempeño docente. La metodología empleada se basó en el enfoque cuantitativo; también se empleó un diseño no experimental, de corte transversal, considerando una muestra de 209 estudiantes y dos encuestas. Los resultados 62,2% refieren que el método del docente se encuentra en un nivel medio y el 17,7% en un nivel bajo. Asimismo, desempeño docente que evidencian que en la práctica pedagógica el 60,8% refieren que el desempeño docente se encuentra en un nivel medio y el 24,4% en un nivel bajo. Se concluye que existe relación entre las practicas pedagógicas y el desempeño docente de 0,615**.