Colombian Caribbean Region Research Articles

ExPro as psycho-affective stimulators through experiential marketing in nonprofit organizations

Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la relación de los proveedores de experiencia (ExPro) como estimuladores psicoafectivos del marketing experiencial en organizaciones sin fines de lucro de la región del Caribe colombiano; se enmarcó en la metodología complementaria, de tipo correlacional y diseño no experimental, transaccional, de campo. Durante el periodo comprendido del 1 de enero/2018 al 30 de noviembre/2018; se aplicó un cuestionario de escala Likert, validado a discreción de 5 expertos y con un coeficiente alfa de Cronbach 0.85 (Muy alto); dirigido a una población de 273 jóvenes entre 18 y 25 años en los departamentos de Córdoba y Sucre intervenidos socialmente por 5 fundaciones. Los datos estadísticos se procesaron en Microsoft Excel2010, SPSS v25 y @risk (método Montecarlo), posteriormente los resultados fueron discutidos e interpretados con 3 expertos en marketing, a través del método hermenéutico o interpretativo; se utilizó como herramienta para el análisis cualitativo el software Atlas.ti8, generando criterios para la ponderación y diseño de reglas de inferencia en el módulo de lógica difusa (Matlab2017), para obtener los siguientes resultados: desviación estándar de 0.23982, correlación entre variables de 0.666 (moderadamente positiva). En consecuencia, se generaron 7 normas para el módulo de inferencia para simplicar de 5 categorías de la escala Likert a 3 categorías según su proporcionalidad: Fuerte: 3.41 - 5.00, Medio: 2.61 - 3.40 y Débil: 1.00 - 2.60; como hallazgo significativo, el personal interno (Expro) genera una mayor influencia entre los estimuladores psico-afectivos, en las organizaciones sin fines de lucro.

Chikungunya outbreak (2015) in the Colombian Caribbean: Latent classes and gender differences in virus infection.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus of the Togaviridae family, is part of a group of emergent diseases, including arbovirus, constituting an increasing public health problem in tropical areas worldwide. CHIKV causes a severe and debilitating disease with high morbidity. The first Colombian autochthonous case was reported in the Colombian Caribbean region in September 2014. Within the next two to three months, the CHIKV outbreak reached its peak. Although the CHIKV pattern of clinical symptomatology has been documented in different epidemiological studies, understanding of the relationship between clinical symptomatology and variation in phenotypic response to CHIKV infection in humans remains limited. We performed a cross sectional study following 1160 individuals clinically diagnosed with CHIKV at the peak of the Chikungunya outbreak in the Colombian Caribbean region. We examined the relationship between symptomatology and diverse phenotypic responses. Latent Class Cluster Analysis (LCCA) models were used to characterize patients’ symptomatology and further identify subgroups of individuals with differential phenotypic response. We found that most individuals presented fever (94.4%), headache (73.28%) and general discomfort (59.4%), which are distinct clinical symptoms of a viral infection. Furthermore, 11/26 (43.2%) of the categorized symptoms were more frequent in women than in men. LCCA disclosed seven distinctive phenotypic response profiles in this population of CHIKV infected individuals. Interestingly, 282 (24.3%) individuals exhibited a lower symptomatic “extreme” phenotype and 74 (6.4%) patients were within the severe complex “extreme” phenotype. Although clinical symptomatology may be diverse, there are distinct symptoms or group of symptoms that can be correlated with differential phenotypic response and perhaps susceptibility to CHIKV infection, especially in the female population. This suggests that, comparatively to men, women are a CHIKV at-risk population. Further study is needed to validate these results and determine whether the distinct LCCA profiles are a result of the immune response or a mixture of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Our findings could contribute to the development of machine learning approaches to characterizing CHIKV infection in other populations. Preliminary results have shown prediction models achieving up to 92% accuracy overall, with substantial sensitivity, specificity and accuracy values per LCCA-derived cluster.

Estimation Model of Electricity Generation with the Wind in the Colombian Caribbean Region Using Probability Distribution Functions

The reduction in the availability of fossil fuels and global warming has led to alternatives in recent years for the generation of electric power. One of the biggest booms is the electric generation with wind turbines. This article presents an analysis of the characteristics of wind in two areas of Colombia in order to determine a statistical model and to verify the viability of implementing a system for obtaining energy through wind power. The two areas are located in the departments of Cesar (Alfonso Lopez) and Magdalena (Simon Bolivar), in the Colombian Caribbean area, which has the greatest potential for this type of project. It has been found out that the Alfonso Lopez station has a maximum operating period of 739 consecutive hours, with a probability of 10.9716% and it will operate continuously for a time greater than or equal to 9.3748 hours. The high asymmetry coefficient ensures a greater number of durations, higher than 9.3748 hours, while the Simon Bolivar station has a total number of useful series of 158918 with 28969 stops in the 2009-2013 period, with a probability of 4.7348% that it operates for a time greater than or equal to 5.4858 hours. It has been found out that the dispersion values are the lowest in the latter case, indicating that there is little variety in the duration of operation, from which it can be obtained that the Alfonso Lopez station has a greater wind potential than the Simon Bolivar one, so the construction of this wind farm is recommended in Magdalena zone. With the proposed model, an estimation of the potential can be made and control logics based on SPC can be proposed.

Development of Lutzomyia evansi immature stages in peridomiciliary environment in a leishmaniasis urban focus in the Colombian Caribbean

In the Caribbean region of Colombia, Lutzomyia evansi is recognized as the vector for Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis. Identifying breeding sites and surveying abundance of immature phlebotomine sand flies in urban foci of leishmaniasis are useful tool to design new vector control strategies. The objective of this study was to describe the natural breeding sites of Lu. evansi in peridomiciliary vegetation in a peri-urban area of the Colombian Caribbean region. Between 2013 and 2015, 466 microhabitats were sampled, collecting 621 kg of soil samples. The explored microhabitats were bases and tree holes, fallen trees, animal caves, leaf litter, domestic animal shelters, and the inside of dwellings. The immature phlebotomines were recovered by direct search under the stereoscope and incubation of soil samples. In total, 103 microhabitats, associated with 17 arboreal species, were identified as natural breeding sites. Of 422 immature sandflies detected, 98.6% were found in soils at the base of the trees. Eight species of the genus Lutzomyia were identified, of which Lu. evansi (52.6%) was the most abundant, followed by Lu. rangeliana, Lu. cayennensis cayennensis, Lu. atroclavata, Lu. micropyga, Lu. trinidadensis, Lu. dubitans and Lu. gomezi. The arboreal species Cordia alba was the most used by phlebotomines for the development of their immature stages. From 63 natural breeding sites identified 268 immatures were recovered including 176 Lu. evansi. The accumulated precipitation showed correlation (R2 = 0.643, p = 0.013) with the abundance of developmental stages, which increased in September and October. The natural breeding sites of Lu. evansi exhibited a local pattern of occurrence dependent on rainfall. The physicochemical analysis of the soil samples showed that the natural sites for C. alba were categorized as fertile loam soils. This is the first systematic study that estimates the temporal variation of immature sand flies in peridomiciliary vegetation in a peri-urban focus of leishmaniasis in Colombia.

Computational Intelligent Approaches for Non-Technical Losses Management of Electricity

This paper presents an intelligent system for the detection of non-technical losses of electrical energy associated with the fraudulent behaviors of system users. This proposal has three stages: a non-supervised clustering of consumption profiles based on a hybrid algorithm between self-organizing maps (SOM) and genetic algorithms (GA). A second stage for demand forecasting is based on ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) models corrected intelligently through neural networks (ANN). The final stage is a classifier based on random forests for fraudulent user detection. The proposed intelligent approach was trained and tested with real data from the Colombian Caribbean region, where the utility reports energy losses of around 18% of the total energy purchased by the company during the five last years. The results show an average overall performance of 82.9% in the detection process of fraudulent users, significantly increasing the effectiveness compared to the approaches (68%) previously applied by the utility in the region.

PCV53 EFFECTIVENESS OF A CARDIOVASCULAR RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN THE INCIDENCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN A LOW-INCOME POPULATION FROM THE CARIBBEAN REGION OF COLOMBIA

Evaluate the effectiveness of a cardiovascular risk management program “De Todo Corazon” (DTC) on the incidence of cardiovascular events (CVE) in a low-income population from the Caribbean region of Colombia. This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients with 20 to 76 years affiliated to insurer company and enrolled to the DTC program were considered as the study population. The data source was an administrative database of all 128,263 patients between Jan 2015 and Dec 2018. The main outcome was the reduction in the risk of a CVE (stroke, AMI or CHF) based in the time-person exposed to the intervention. Four different time thresholds were considered for stablishing exposure status: six months, one year, two years and four years. Propensity score-weighted Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association between exposure to the program and the incidence of CVE. Exposed to the DTC program had a significantly lower risk of a cardiovascular outcome in the 1-year ( HR : 0.878, (IC95% 0.770 – 1.001), p = 0.051), 2 years ( HR : 0.517, (IC95% 0.472 – 0.565), p < 0.001) and 4 years ( HR : 0.447, (IC95% 0.418 – 0.479), p < 0.001) but not in the 6-month (HR : 1.046, (IC95% 0.879 – 1.245), p = 0.612). Control of blood pressure was associated to a lower risk of a CVO in all scenarios of exposure (6-month = HR : 0.373, (IC95% 0.339 – 0.410), 1-year = HR : 0.375 (IC95% 0.327 – 0.390), 2 years = HR : 0.366 (IC95% 0.329 – 0.407), 4 years = HR : 0.358 (IC95% 0.332 – 0.385)(p<0.001). The DTC program was shown to be effective in the reduction of the risk of a CVE after one year of exposure. Population-based interventions may be an important strategy for the prevention of CVE in low-income individuals.

PCV56 COMPARISON OF THE FRAMINGHAM, PROCAM AND MODIFIED FRAMINGHAM RISK SCORES FOR PREDICTING CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN A COHORT FROM A CARDIOVASCULAR PREVENTION PROGRAM IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION OF COLOMBIA

To compare the Framingham, PROCAM and modified Framingham risk scores for predicting cardiovascular events (CVE) in a cohort from a cardiovascular prevention program in the Caribbean Region of Colombia

PCV52 EFFECTIVENESS OF A CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM IN THE CONTROL OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN A LOW-INCOME POPULATION FROM THE CARIBBEAN REGION OF COLOMBIA

To evaluate the effectiveness of a cardiovascular disease prevention program in the control of cardiovascular risk factors in a low-income population from the Caribbean region of Colombia A retrospective cohort study was conducted. A population of 128,265 patients enrolled in the “De todo corazón” program between 2013-2018 with hypertension (HTA), diabetes mellitus (DM2), dyslipidemia or chronic kidney disease (CKD) was considered for eligibility. A paired analysis was conducted by selecting patients enrolled in 2016 with at least one year of follow-up. Baseline and follow-up scenarios were constructed by selecting the last measurement of clinical variables in a 3-month period after the date of enrollment and the last measurement available in the study period. Patients with blood pressure (BP) <140/90, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) <=100mg/dl) and glycated hemoglobin (hba1c) <=7.5% were considered as controlled. Paired t-test and McNemmar test were used to compare clinical values and proportion of patients controlled in both scenarios. Paired mean differences and Cohen´s D statistic were used as absolute and relative measures of effect size. A p value <0.050 was considered significant A sample of 17,713 (13.8%) patients was obtained. 65.0% were women, had a mean(SD) age of 59.5(13.0) and 61.8 (13.0) years at baseline and follow-up. Prevalence of HTA, DM2, dyslipidemia and CKD were 94.4%, 30.6%, 58.2% and 17.6%, respectively. No change in prevalences was observed. At follow up, an increase in proportion of patients with frequent physical activity (n=10,723: +28.1%), controlled BP (n=16,691: +28.6%) and controlled LDL (n=9,139; +33.0%) was observed (p<0.001). Systolic BP, diastolic BP and LDL reduced in their mean values (mean difference, Cohen´s D) (-3.0mmHg;0.15), (-4.1 mmHg;0.25) and (-10.0 md/dL; 0.19), respectively (p<0.001). No significant change was observed in hba1c (p=0.229) The DTC program is effective in the promotion of physical activity and control of BP and LDL

PMU5 PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS TO PSYCHOTIC SUBSTANCE USE IN LOW-INCOME ADOLESCENTS FROM THE CARIBBEAN REGION OF COLOMBIA

To estimate the prevalence and associated factors to psychotic substance use in low-income adolescents from the Caribbean region of Colombia A cross sectional study was conducted. Adolescents between 10-24 years of age residents in 21 municipalities were randomly selected from the population affiliated to a subsidized-regime insurance company between 2014-2018. A previously constructed questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding sociodemographic variables and potential risk factors. Prevalence of lifetime use of substance abuse was assessed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to establish associated factors. Absolute and relative frequencies were compared with the Chi2 test and continuous variables were compared with the t-test. A p value <0.050 was considered significant A total of 35,214 adolescents with a mean (SD) age of 16.0 (4.1) years were included. Of these, 55.7% were women and 63.9% lived in urban areas. The lifetime prevalence of psychoactive substance use was 1.9% (95% CI: 1.7-2.0) and a higher prevalence of use was found in males compared to females (2.8% and 1.1%). A positive association between age and substance use was found (10-14yr: 0.7%; 15-19yr: 2.4% and 20-24yr: 2.9%). Compared to tobacco (4.4%), alcohol (28.8%) was the most frequent substance consumed by individuals. Risk factors for substance consumption were (OR 95% CI) being older than 14 years (15-19yr=OR 3.2; 2.4-4.2 and 20-24yr=OR 4.4; 3.3-5.8)(p<0.001), feeling sad/empty most of the time (OR 2.3; 1.8-2.9), having suffered constant physical abuse by parents (OR 2.8; 1.0-6.9), have executed school bullying (OR 2.0; 1.5-2.6) and urban residence (OR 1.6; 1.3-2.1). a correlation between substance use and adverse outcomes in mental health, family function and quality of life was found. Policies should consider the influence of social determinants of health in the consumption of psychotic substances in adolescents

XVI National Meeting on Optics and VII Andean and Caribbean Conference on Optics and its Applications

The XVI National Meeting on Optics and VII Andean and Caribbean Conference on Optics and its applications (XVI ENO - VII CANCOA) were successfully held together from 26th to 30th of November, 2019, at the Universidad de Cordoba, Montería, Colombia. The events brought together Colombian and Latin-American students, professionals, and researchers with interests on optics and photonics, thus offering them the opportunity to share and discuss their last research and findings, as well as to facilitate and encourage their mutual cooperation. This Proceedings issue compiles oral and poster presentations that were submitted by the authors and rigorously reviewed by a special committee designated by the Journal of Physics Conference Series (JPCS) editor for Colombian Conferences led by the Foundation of Researches in Science and Technology of Materials (FORISTOM).In order to organize the XVI ENO - VII CANCOA according to the slogan Light and optics for the Colombian Caribbean Region, the “Red Colombiana de Óptica (RCO)” with the sponsor of the universities at the Colombian Caribbean Region. The main goal was to present the Colombian Caribbean as a region with growing interests and maturity in topics related to optics and photonics. A total of 63 oral presentations and 22 posters were presented. Four recognitions were given: two of them for undergraduate presentations and the other two for graduate presentations.The RCO is a nonprofit society that seeks the strengthening of collaborations between researchers in optics, photonics, and spectroscopy in Colombia. It also encourages the dissemination of knowledge in optics, photonics, and spectroscopy in all areas of knowledge. More information about the network can be found on the webpage www.srco.org.co.The National Meeting on Optics was created to facilitate the exchange of ideas between Colombian researchers on optics and photonics. The first meeting was held in 1987 in Medellín, Colombia and has been realized without interruption with two-year of periodicity.The organizing and editorial committee of the XVI ENO - VII CANCOA hopes you enjoy the reading of this volume of the JPCS. Besides, we wish to thank all authors and participants for providing their valuable contributions for this proceeding as well as the reviewers for their constructive recommendations and criticism aiding to improve the presented articles. Likewise, we are confident that this issue will serve as a reference for optics, spectroscopy and photonics research in Colombia and Latin-America.List of Organizing Committee, Scientific Committee, Editorial Committee, Invited Speakers, Organizing Institutions, Sponsors, Logos, Photos are available in this pdf.

PCV61 EFFECTIVENESS OF A CARDIOVASCULAR RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN REDUCING THE PROBABILITY OF PREMATURE DEATH DUE TO CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN REGION

Effectiveness of a cardiovascular risk management program in reducing the probability of premature death due to cardiovascular events in the Colombian Caribbean region This was a cross-sectional study. The age at death due to an acute myocardial infraction (AMI), stroke, congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients enrolled (n=128,263) and not enrolled (n=1,088,225) to the DTC program was compared. CVE within the enrolled population were identified if the hospital admission date was after the date of enrollment. Patients>=20 years were included, and only the first CVE observed were selected. A premature death was defined if a CVE occurred in women <60 years and men <55 years. A multivariate logit model was estimated, and odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were reported. A total of 13,415 CVE (AMI=4,703 (36.31%), stroke=4,781 (36.69%) and CHF=3,507 (29.83%)) were identified. In the DTC cohort, 6,483 (48.33%) CVE occurred. Patients in the DTC cohort were less likely to have premature death due to a CVE compared to those not enrolled (OR 95% CI); (OR = 0.470; 0.302 - 0.718) (p <0.001). By type of event, it was only significant for stroke (OR = 0.161; 0.059 - 0.373)(p <0.001), but not for AMI (OR = 0.650; 0.288 - 1.421)(p = 0.640), CHF (OR = 0.767; 0.288 - 1.421)(p = 0.43). Being enrolled in the DTC program for cardiovascular risk management, reduces the probability of premature death between approximately 22% and 70%, compared to not being included. The DTC program is effective for reducing the risk of premature death, especially in patients with stroke.

Business model for the optimization of energy consumption by VAC equipment in service sector buildings

Electricity consumption has been growing in recent decades, and it is estimated that air conditioning accounts for 30% of a building’s total electricity consumption. However, in hot climates this percentage may be even higher, which has led to the development of energy management techniques aimed at reducing the high electric bills paid by end users. This article proposes a business model for the commercialization of intelligent solutions for the optimization of electricity consumption by air conditioning equipment (VAC) in service sector buildings. The study used the Canvas methodology to validate the proposed model, in combination with other techniques such as SCAMPER, interviews, and discussion groups, among others, to validate the proposed business model aimed at the introduction of new techniques for the commercialization of air conditioning. Service-sector buildings exposed to the climate conditions of the Colombian Caribbean region were used as case study. The results summarize the characteristics of the business model, including the respective validations of the nine “Canvas” modules, which enabled reviewing two possible scenarios offering different alternatives for implementation of this initiative.

Correlations and path analysis for quantitative characteristics in semi-prostrate cowpea bean genotypes (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp)

The cowpea is the most important legume in the Colombian Caribbean, due to its positive impact on the food and nutritional security of low-income rural families. It is cultivated by small producers, but its yields per hectare do not exceed 600 kg, due to the use of obsolete cultivars. The objective of the research was to estimate the correlations between seven quantitative characters and the path analysis between grain yield and six quantitative characters, with the results of the evaluation of 10 genotypes of semi-prostrate growth habit, high grain yield, grown in eight environments of the humid and dry tropics of the Colombian Caribbean region, under the randomized complete blocks design, with four repetitions. Significant differences between environments, genotypes and genotype x environment interaction were detected. Genotypic correlations were of greater magnitude than phenotypic, highlighting the correlation between grain width (GW) and grain yield (GY), rP = 0.69 *, rG = 0.78 *, also between the weight of 100 seeds (100SW) and GW, rP = 0.97 **, rG = 0.99 **. The characters GW and number of pods per plant (NPP) had positive direct effects on the GY, with an indirect negative effect of NPP by way of GW, while the height of the first pod (HFP), the number of seeds per pod (NSP) and the 100SW directly and negatively influenced the GY of the 10 semi-prostrate cowpea cultivars.

Energy, Economic, and Environmental Evaluation of a Proposed Solar-Wind Power On-grid System Using HOMER Pro®: A Case Study in Colombia

The electrical sector in the Caribbean region of Colombia is currently facing problems that affect its reliability. Many thermo-electric plants are required to fill the gap and ensure energy supply. This paper thus proposes a hybrid renewable energy generation plant that could supply a percentage of the total energy demand and reduce the environmental impact of conventional energy generation. The hybrid plant works with a photovoltaic (PV) system and wind turbine systems, connected in parallel with the grid to supply a renewable fraction of the total energy demand. The investigation was conducted in three steps: the first stage determined locations where the energy system was able to take advantage of renewable sources, the second identified a location that could work more efficiently from an economic perspective, and finally, the third step estimated the number of PV solar panels and wind turbines required to guarantee optimal functioning for this location using, as a main method of calculation, the software HOMER pro® for hybrid optimization with multiple energy resources. The proposed system is expected to not only limit environmental impacts but also decrease total costs of electric grid consumption from thermoelectric plants. The simulations helped identify Puerto Bolivar, Colombia, as the location where the hybrid plant made the best use of non-conventional resources of energy. However, Rancho Grande was found to offer the system more efficiency, while generating a considerable amount of energy at the lowest possible cost. An optimal combination was also obtained—441 PV arrays and 3 wind turbines, resulting in a net present cost (NPC) of $11.8 million and low CO2 production of 244.1 tons per year.

Phylogeny and toxicological assessments of two Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii morphotypes from the Caribbean region of Colombia

Phylogeny and toxicological assessments of two Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii morphotypes from the Caribbean region of Colombia

TiO2 thin films sensitization with natural dyes extracted from Bactris guineensis for photocatalytic applications: Experimental and DFT study

TiO2 thin films, sensitized by an anthocyanins-rich extract of a common species found in the Colombian Caribbean region (Bactris guineensis fruits), were used for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. The sensitization process was verified by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the anthocyanins were carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD), which provided the total content anthocyanin equivalent to delphinidin chloride (TAEDC) per mL of the extract, of 10.0 ± 0.8 µg TAEDC/mL. Here, three main anthocyanins were identified, being cyanidin-3-rutinoside the most abundant constituent (ca. 76%). The interaction of the dyes with a TiO2 slab model and their adsorption energies were determined through computational simulations. In addition, the molecular modelling evidenced that the sensitization of the semiconductor improved the light absorption in the visible range of the spectrum. As a final point, the photocatalytic test showed that the photocatalytic activity increased 26% for TiO2/B. guineensis thin films under visible radiation respect to bare TiO2.

Elaphidiini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from the Caribbean region of Colombia: New species, taxonomic notes and new geographical records

Two new species of Elaphidiini from Colombia are described: Sphaerion costae sp. nov., and Mephritus costae sp. nov. The keys to species of Sphaerion Audinet-Serville, 1834 and Mephritus Pascoe, 1866 are translated and modified to include the new species. Chromatic variations of Mephritus apicatus (Linsley, 1935) are reported. Moreover, the geographical distribution is expanded for 12 species of Elaphidiini.

Behavioral Aspects of Phlebotomine Sand Flies Associated with a Case of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Atlántico, Northern Colombia.

.After the first autochthonous case of cutaneous leishmaniasis was reported in the Atlántico department in the Caribbean region of Colombia, entomological sampling was conducted in the specific areas where the infection might have occurred. CDC traps were installed inside and outside dwellings in the peri-urban and rural areas of a settlement in the municipality of Luruaco. Sampling was performed during the night with protected human bait, and phlebotomine sand flies were actively sampled from potential diurnal resting sites within dwellings. Ten species of the genus Lutzomyia were identified; Lutzomyia evansi was the dominant species (78%) in the rural and peri-urban areas as well as in the different sampled habitats, followed by Lutzomyia panamensis and Lutzomyia gomezi. There was a 100% household infestation by Lu. evansi, and its indoor mean abundance was 13.3 sand flies/CDC trap/night. The indoor mean abundance of Lu. panamensis and Lu. gomezi was only 0.9 and 0.8 sand flies/CDC trap/night, respectively. Female Lu. evansi were collected with protected human bait, mostly in the peridomestic area, with sustained activity during the night and a slight increase in the activity from 19:00 to 23:00 hours. Of the total sand flies captured in the diurnal resting sites, 73.1% were collected from the walls of bedrooms and corresponded to Lu. evansi, Lutzomyia cayennensis cayennensis, and Lutzomyia trinidadensis. Owing to their vectorial importance, the species on which entomological surveillance should be focused are Lu. evansi, Lu. panamensis, and Lu. gomezi. The biting and resting behavior reported in this study will help guide vector prevention and the control of leishmaniasis within the study area.

Diversidad espacial del ensamblaje de escarabajos coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) en cinco ecoregiones de Sucre, costa Caribe Colombiana

La biodiversidad cambia en el espacio-tiempo generando gradientes complejos. Estos gradientes afectan la estructura de las comunidades creando dos posibles patrones de recambio espacial, reemplazo o anidamiento. Existen pocos estudios que busquen analizar los cambios de la diversidad a lo largo de gradientes ambientales en la región Caribe de Colombia. Buscando entender estos cambios, se realizó un muestreo en cinco ecorregiones del Caribe colombiano (Golfo de Morrosquillo, Montes de María, Sabanas, San Jorge y La Mojana) usando a los escarabajos coprófagos como un grupo bioindicador. En cada región se estableció un transecto lineal con 20 trampas de caída cebadas con excremento. Se evaluaron las diferencias en la abundancia, riqueza, Shannon-índice, equidad y grupos funcionales entre ecorregiones y condiciones ambientales. Un total de 923 individuos pertenecientes a 27 especies fue recolectado. La tribu Deltochilini y el género Canthon fueron los más diversos. La especie más abundante fue Silvicanthon aequinoctialis. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en los parámetros medidos entre las ecorregiones. La diversidad Beta presenta un claro patrón espacial demostrando un alto recambio y un bajo anidamiento. Los Montes de María presentaron la mayor diversidad, asociada con la conservación de fragmentos de bosque. Es fundamental generar estrategias de conservación y crear un nuevo Parque Nacional Natural para los Montes de María, previniendo el impacto negativo causado por la expansión de la frontera agrícola y ganadera. Finalmente, este estudio representa un primer esfuerzo para entender los patrones espaciales de los escarabajos coprófagos en el Caribe colombiano, relacionando los gradientes ambientales con la dinámica espacial de la diversidad.

Characterization of eggplant producers in the Caribbean region of Colombia: socio-economic aspects and local production technology

Eggplant represents one of the most widely accepted vegetables in the Colombian Caribbean region due to its cultural and socio-economic importance. In this region, 585 ha were cultivated with a production of 4,298 t, in 2018, grouping 900 growers and representing 93% of the national production. However, despite its representativeness, no characterization studies of the species are evidenced. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reveal the socioeconomic, productive, and technologicalaspects linked to eggplant cultivation in productive areas from the Colombian Caribbean region. In that order, structured surveys were designed and applied. The information was analyzed through multivariate statistical methods, such as Gower’s distance and Ward’s hierarchical agglomerative clustering method. In general, the results revealed a low-medium technological level associated with eggplant production in thisregion of Colombia. Of the five groups identified, the highest level of schooling was found in groups GIV and GV, which also obtained the highest yields with 35 t ha-1 and 32 t ha-1, respectively. Sowings predominate in the month of April; this activity is related to the occurrence of precipitation in this period and the general lack of irrigation technologies by growers.