Areas Of Colombia Research Articles

Acute Chagas Disease Outbreak among Military Personnel, Colombia, 2021.

We report an acute Chagas disease outbreak among soldiers in Colombia. Trypanosoma cruzi infection was confirmed through parasitology, serology, and molecular methods. Among 9 affected soldiers, 2 died; 7 were hospitalized and received benznidazole treatment, which produced favorable outcomes. Personnel patrolling rural areas in Colombia could be at increased risk for Chagas disease.

Mapping the distribution of armored harvestmen (Opiliones, Laniatores) in Colombia: updated list of species, taxonomic contributions, and insight of diversity in protected areas.

Colombia is a biodiverse country with 1,486 protected areas covering almost 50 million hectares, yet little is known about the biodiversity they harbor, particularly in terms of harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). This study provides a comprehensive updated summary of the armored harvestmen (Laniatores) species found in Colombia with a list of 173 nominal species, focusing on the Laniatores fauna found in protected areas and its diversity is detailed and analyzed. Maps with all records associated with ecoregions and protected areas in Colombia are presented. Additionally, three new Laniatores species are described here: Phalangodusandresisp. nov. from the department of Cundinamarca, and Ventrifurcaphallainasp. nov. and Ampycellafortunatasp. nov. from the department of Valle del Cauca; and a new family assignment is proposed for Paraphalangodus Roewer, 1915, placing it in the family Nomoclastidae. Information available on Laniatores in the National System of Protected Areas is still scarce and promoting strategies to facilitate the regulatory procedures for collecting specimens in these areas and increasing investment in basic science projects, are suggested to improve the understanding and study of the Laniatores fauna and other invertebrates in Colombia. Finally, a chronicle and timeline set of figures of species of Laniatores from Colombia, described by various authors during three periods, is given.

Languages spoken in the Colombian Amazonia: A comparative exercise between the results that follow the Sound Alternations proposal in their structural and areal scopes

Dixon and Aikhenvald (1999) considered the existence of Amazon as a linguistic macroarea, from which it has recognized the separation between Vaupés and Caquetá-Putumayo areas in Colombia (Epps; Michael, 2017), where without georeferencing were used to characterize areal scopes. Through phonological criterium of Sound Alternations (Donegan; Stampe, 2009) in combination with methods without (García-Vallve; Puigbo, 2016 [2002]) and without georeferencing methods (Nerbonne et al., 2018) were applied to twenty-five languages from the compilation of González de Pérez and Rodríguez de Montes (2000), it was inferred that structural classifications aren’t very similar than areal. Moreover, it has found that, respect to phonological criterion, Vaupés isn’t an even terrain, but it’s divided between the North and South.

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles improve growth parameters and mitigate stress associated with climatic variability in avocado fruit

The avocado cv. Hass is one of the most dynamic fruits in the world and is of particular significance in tropical areas, where climate variability phenomena have a high impact on productivity and sustainability. Nanotechnology-based tools could be an alternative to mitigate and/or adapt plants to these phenomena. Our approach was based on identifying changes in temperature and precipitation associated with climate variability in avocado areas in Colombia and proposing mitigation strategies based on the use of nanotechnology. This study had two objectives: (i) to identify variations in temperature and precipitation in avocado-producing areas in Colombia and (ii) to evaluate the effect of calcium phosphate nanoparticles (nano CP) as an alternative to reduce stress in avocados under simulate climatic variability condition. Climatic clusters were determined based on the spatial K-means method and with the climatic temporal series data (1981–2020), a time series analysis we carried out. Later changes in each cluster were simulated in growth chambers, evaluating physiological and developmental responses in avocado seedlings subjected to nanoCaP after adjusting the application form and dose. XRD diffraction shows that the calcium phosphate phases obtained by solution combustion correspond to a mixture of hydroxyapatite and witocklite nanoparticles with irregular morphologies and particle sizes of 100 nm. Three clusters explained ∼90% of the climate variation, with increases and decreases in temperature and precipitation in the range of 1-1.4 °C and 4.1–7.3% respectively. The best-fitted time series models were of stationary autoregressive integrated moving averages (SARIMA). The avocado seedlings had differential responses (P<0.05) depending on the clusters, with a decrease in physiological behavior and development between 10 and 35%. Additionally, the nanoCaP reduced the climatic stress (P< 0.05) in a range between 10 and 22.5%. This study identified the negative effect of climate variability on avocado seedlings and how nanoCaP can mitigate these phenomena.

Mobile ultrasound vascular assessment (MUVA) for remote and conflict areas

PurposeThis study aims to facilitate access to vascular disease screening for low-income individuals living in remote and conflict areas based on the results of a pilot trial in Colombia. Also, to increase the amount of diagnosis training of vascular surgery (VS) in civilians.Design/methodology/approachThe operation method includes five stages: strategy development and adjustment; translation of the strategy into a real-world setting; operation logistics planning; strategy analysis and adoption. The operation plan worked efficiently in this study’s sample. It demonstrated high sensibility, efficiency and safety in a real-world setting.FindingsThe authors developed and implemented a flow model operating plan for screening vascular pathologies in low-income patients pro bono without proper access to vascular health care. A total of 140 patients from rural areas in Colombia were recruited to a controlled screening session where they underwent serial noninvasive ultrasound assessments conducted by health professionals of different training stages in VS.Research limitations/implicationsThe plan was designed to be implemented in remote, conflict areas with limited access to VS care. Vascular injuries are critically important and common among civilians and military forces in regions with active armed conflicts. As this strategy can be modified and adapted to different medical specialties and geographic areas, the authors recommend checking the related legislation and legal aspects of the intended areas where we will implement this tool.Practical implicationsDifferent sub-specialties can implement the described method to be translated into significant areas of medicine, as the authors can adjust the deployment and execution for the assessment in peripheral areas, conflict zones and other public health crises that require a faster response. This is necessary, as the amount of training to which VS trainees are exposed is low. A simulated exercise offers a novel opportunity to enhance their current diagnostic skills using ultrasound in a controlled environment.Social implicationsEvaluating and assessing patients with limited access to vascular medicine and other specialties can decrease the burden of vascular disease and related complications and increase the number of treatments available for remote communities.Originality/valueIt is essential to assess the most significant number of patients and treat them according to their triage designation. This management is similar to assessment in remote areas without access to a proper VS consult. The authors were able to determine, classify and redirect to therapeutic interventions the patients with positive findings in remote areas with a fast deployment methodology in VS.Plain language summaryAccess to health care is limited due to multiple barriers and the assessment and response, especially in peripheral areas that require a highly skilled team of medical professionals and related equipment. The authors tested a novel mobile assessment tool for remote and conflict areas in a rural zone of Colombia.

Marine protected areas in Colombia: A historical review of legal marine protection since the late 1960 s to 2023

This study examines Colombia's legal framework for marine conservation, focusing on its historical developments and progress toward international conservation goals. It analyzes Colombia's unique approach to creating protected areas, beginning with land-based conservation in the late 1960 s and later expanding to coastal and marine areas to evaluate the current marine protection status. The methodologic framework used a map-based approach using the Marine Conservation Atlas (MPAtlas) and the National Unique Register of Protected Areas (RUNAP), which provides detailed information, including the level of protection and size of MPAs. The study emphasizes the importance of community involvement in the implementation and management processes of marine protected areas and recommends evaluating existing Marine Protected Areas against new pressures on the ocean and advancing ecosystem-based ocean management. The article highlights Colombia's success in meeting Aichi Target 11, which aimed to protect 10% of the world's oceans by 2020, and the need for more harmonized legal frameworks and improved management of conservation standards across existing MPAs. The study identifies several challenges facing marine conservation policies in Colombia, including the lack of adequate evaluation mechanisms, corruption, internal conflicts, and limited impact of scientific research on policy implementation. Finally, it highlights the need for a simplified classification system based on conservation objectives, natural characteristics, and allowed uses and activities, following the international standardization proposed by the IUCN.

Mental health problems and resilience in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in a post-armed conflict area in Colombia

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of adolescents are emerging and require particular attention in settings where challenges like armed conflict, poverty and internal displacement have previously affected their mental wellbeing. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptomatology, probable post-traumatic stress disorder and resilience in school-attending adolescents in a post-conflict area of Tolima, Colombia during the COVID-19. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 657 adolescents from 12 to 18 years old, recruited by convenience sampling in 8 public schools in the south of Tolima, Colombia, who completed a self-administered questionnaire. Mental health information was obtained through screening scales for anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), depressive symptomatology (PHQ-8), probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5) and resilience (CD-RISC-25). The prevalence observed for moderate to severe anxiety symptoms was 18.9% (95% CI 16.0–22.1) and for moderate to severe depressive symptomatology was 30.0% (95% CI 26.5–33.7). A prevalence of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of 22.3% (95% CI 18.1–27.2) was found. The CD-RISC-25 results for resilience had a median score of 54 [IQR 30]. These results suggest that approximately two-thirds of school-attending adolescents in this post-conflict area experienced at least one mental health problem such as anxiety symptoms, depressive symptomatology or probable PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies are of interest to establish the causal relationship between these findings and the impact of the pandemic. These findings highlight the challenge that schools have after pandemic to address the mental health of their students in order to promoting adequate coping strategies and implement prompt multidisciplinary interventions to reduce the burden of mental health problems in adolescents.

Uncovering urban circadian pulses based on an animated cartogram: the example of Bogotá

ABSTRACT This paper describes a new kind of dynamic map showing the differing location of ‘day’ and ‘night’ populations and how they balance out over 24 h. To this end, we created a smoothed animated cartogram, with visual effectiveness as the main criterion. The area of study is the Bogotá metropolitan area in Colombia, where an urban mobility survey (EODH) was carried out in 2019. This paper emphasizes the method developed and the discussions which arose over the course of our work. We used R language to process the data and create the animations in order to make them reproducible, following an open-science approach. We mainly used the cartogramR and spatstat packages. The R script is appended.

Smart Rural Communities: Action Research in Colombia and Mozambique

This article contributes to the ongoing discussion on rural development programs aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Global South. The research question examines how the Smart Rural Communities (SRC) framework can support the SDGs as an international cooperation model. The article presents findings from fieldwork action research including a critical analysis of the hegemonic discourse on smart cities and provides final recommendations. Additionally, it introduces the concept of SRC. The fieldwork action research was conducted in post-conflict rural areas in Colombia’s Bolivar region and remote settlements in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. Led by Ayuda En Acción in collaboration with co-operatives such as Mundukide Foundation, Alecop, and LKS from Mondragon Co-operative Corporation, these interventions aimed to engage local communities through Living Labs. They utilized Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and social innovation to promote the well-being of rural residents. The article comprises (i) an introduction; (ii) a literature review; (iii) a presentation of the fieldwork action research in Colombia and Mozambique; (iv) findings from a SWOT analysis and policy recommendations for SRC Living Labs; (v) conclusions addressing the research question. The SRC framework offers valuable insights for international cooperation models striving to achieve the SDGs in the Global South.

Techno-economic models of hybrid systems with renewable energy for rural applications

The decrease in oil production, the rise in environmental pollution, and the impending need to power areas in Colombia that do not currently have access to electricity have given the nation the task of finding new, decentralized, sustainable energy generation methods. Due to its favorable geographic location, renewable energy sources are a very appealing and affordable option in Colombia. This document presents a systematic literature review (SLR) developed to assess the recent techno-economic models and financial strategies in rural electrification using renewable energy systems. As a result, 19 documents were obtained, where the most informed funding sources included governmental, private and mixed shares. According to the information, the financial models were limited to estimate economic variables as levelized cost of electricity and net present cost. Finally, an emphasis on the need of governmental support to promote this kind of projects were reported.

RWD163 Population and Registry-Based Data Generation of Key Epidemiological Data for Cutaneous Melanoma in Colombia

To describe the cutaneous melanoma burden in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area in Colombia, from a population-based perspective in terms of melanoma incidence, mortality, anatomic location, morphological subtype, stage at diagnosis, and relative survival.

Hazardous Elements in Sediments Detected in Former Decommissioned Coal Mining Areas in Colombia: A Need for Environmental Recovery

This study demonstrates an investigation into nanomineralogical and geochemical evolution for the detection of hazardous elements from old, abandoned coal mining deposits capable of causing negative environmental impacts. The general objective of this study is to evaluate the number of nanoparticulate chemical elements in sediments collected during the years 2017 and 2022 from deactivated coal mining areas in the La Guajíra and Cesar regions of Colombia. Sediments were collected and analyzed from areas that experienced spontaneous coal combustion (SCC). The analysis consisted of traditional mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, nanomineralogy by field emission scanning electron microscope-FE-SEM, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope-HR-TEM (energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system-EDS). The analyzed sediment samples contained high proportions of amorphous materials containing the chemical elements As, Cl, Hg, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Se. This study emphasizes the need to implement environmental recovery projects at former, now abandoned coal extraction areas located in the investigated region, as they have negative effects on the environment and human health across large regions.

A wild-blue mutant of the Orange-chinned Parakeet (&lt;i&gt;Brotogeris jugularis&lt;/i&gt;) from Colombia

We report an aberrant, blue-colored, Orange-chinned Parakeet from a population inhabiting an urban area in Colombia. This is the first documented record of a wild-blue mutant for this species through its natural distributional range. Our observations suggest that this mutation occurs at a very low frequency in this population and does not appear to display any selective advantage that could drive a frequency change.

Housing vulnerability, agricultural production, and goods lost estimated to floods in Rio Nuevo a rural community in Colombia

Floods affect households, crops, and assets, especially in rural areas in Colombia; due to the lack of risk management plans, settlements without core services and land use planning, atypical natural phenomena, and climate change. The floods recorded since 1964, in the rural community of Rio Nuevo in the department of C&amp;oacute;rdoba, but there is a lack of estimates of the economic losses and housing vulnerability. The research aim was to determine the degree of physical vulnerability and estimated economic losses in crops and goods due to flooding in the local community of R&amp;iacute;o Nuevo, Valencia Town. The methodological guide for the elaboration of departmental plans for risk management (known in Spanish as PDGR),&amp;nbsp; and the methodology for the economic valuation of potential direct tangible damages, was selected the variables (age, construction, regulations, soil, walls, floors, goods, and crops), questions, surveys to population, available data, proceed to process the information, elaborate maps and analyze. The results reveal physical vulnerability high in Rio Nuevo, with a value of 0.63 on a scale of 0 to 1. The rural community houses built located at a distance of fewer than 30 meters, mainly with wood, the soil of alluvial deposits, faced floods, humidity damages, hardening resistance, and non-quality life. The economic losses estimated between goods and crops were US$174200.22. A poverty condition, poor infrastructure, and unfavorable places, hamper improve the quality of the people. Colombian government need to excecute a proper infrastructure investment to reduce persistence vulnerability and relocated this riverside area, according to its culture and traditions, and protect the economy around crops

Farmers’ preferences and willingness to adopt anaerobic digestion technologies: a case study in rural areas in Colombia

Although Colombia has a great potential for bioenergy production, the national energy matrix still has gaps and challenges when it refers to the promotion, adoption, and implementation of renewable sources of energy. In this study, we investigated the preferences of the local farmers and their willingness to adopt biogas technologies. Based on the results obtained, a protocol for the adoption of biodigesters by small farmers was proposed. The results obtained in this study show that the majority of the respondents of this study are the owners of their land, and use it mainly for agricultural purposes. Although about 56% of the inquiries do not have enough knowledge on how to obtain biogas from agricultural or livestock waste, about 93% are willing to use gas/biogas technologies instead of using firewood and other dry organic waste. Based on the results obtained in this study a protocol to support the development and implementation of biogas technologies in the rural areas of Colombia was proposed, taking into account the bioenergy potential available and the profile of the farmers.

Post-Digital Learning for Rural Development: A Case Study of Open Biotec MOOCs in Colombia

This research presents an experience of post-digital learning of biotechnology in rural areas in Colombia by implementing a massive open online course (MOOC) for biotechnology education called Open Biotec. The objective was to improve Colombian rural development by creating learning communities around five topics: waste management, environmental biotechnology, bioprocesses, alternative energies, and bio-entrepreneurship. The study utilized various methods, including a socioeconomic diagnosis of a subregion of the department of Antioquia, Colombia, and the creation of MOOCs using the Action Research methodology. The pilot test of the training route in biotechnology involved the progressive development of the MOOC courses that comprise it. Around 918 students from rural areas were trained, and statistical analysis showed that the average grade of the students increased significantly from 6.13 to 7.53 and the median from 6.15 to 8.00. The study results demonstrate how the learning experience designed in the Open Biotec MOOC increases the degree of knowledge of students in this field of biotechnology, offering an opportunity to establish sustainable learning communities with participation and collaborative action mediated by virtual tools. The study concludes that rural education in Colombia could be strengthened with a training strategy for rural communities supported by MOOCs focused on the responsible use of local biodiversity from a biotechnological perspective.

Technical-economic evaluation of a portable solar machine of potential use in pumping systems and water purification, through the use of photovoltaic solar technology for non-interconnected areas in Colombia

Technical-economic evaluation of a portable solar machine of potential use in pumping systems and water purification, through the use of photovoltaic solar technology for non-interconnected areas in Colombia

EFL Writing Studies in Colombia Between 1990 and 2020: A Qualitative Research Synthesis

This article provides a comprehensive qualitative synthesis of EFL writing studies published in Colombian journals between 1990 and 2020. We synthesised 63 research reports regarding authorship, publication year, focus, methodology (context, participants, research paradigm, design, and data collection methods and analyses), validity, reliability, ethics, findings, limitations, and further research. Our findings reveal that EFL writing is a developing research area in Colombia, characterised as a predominantly qualitative inquiry into adult writing instruction and learning at universities. From the findings, we propose a research agenda and some guidelines for authors and reviewers to enhance and evaluate research reports.

Optimal design of PV and hybrid storage based microgrids for healthcare and government facilities connected to highly intermittent utility grids

This paper proposes an improved methodology for the optimal sizing of small-scale microgrids conformed by photovoltaic (PV) generation systems and hybrid energy storage systems (batteries + supercapacitors). The methodology is based on a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulation and includes a new way to take advantage of the aging model of the batteries to determine when these storage assets should be replaced. Moreover, the proposed sizing tool offers the possibility of including supercapacitors (SCs) in a microgrid’s design to reduce battery degradation. The tool was put to test by sizing the microgrids for a hospital and a government building in Puerto Carreño, a non-interconnected area in Colombia. A comparison between the proposed methodology and another without considering battery degradation, along with a sensitivity analysis of the storage-acquisition cost parameter in this tool, revealed its usefulness for this kind of microgrid design.

Attack rates on artificial caterpillars in urban areas are higher than in suburban areas in Colombia

Abstract Growing urban expansion can alter ecological processes within trophic networks. Predation on herbivores is known to vary with the size of the area covered by vegetation, successional stage, altitude and predator community structure; however there are gaps in understanding how this occurs in urban and suburban environments. The purpose of this study was to determine whether predation pressure on artificial models of caterpillars varied with the degree of urbanisation and type of substrate. Artificial caterpillars were placed on two types of substrates (leaf vs. stem) in two areas of the city (urban vs. suburban). Total predation was measured as the number of models with evidence of attack by predators, with the predation rate estimated on a weekly basis. Predation was affected by the degree of urbanisation, being higher in urban (x̄ = 9.88%; SD = 4.09%, n = 8) than suburban areas (x̄ = 5.75%, SD = 4.21%, n = 8). Attack marks were observed in 23.8% (n = 125) of artificial caterpillars. The weekly predation rate on leaves (x̄ = 9.63%, SD = 5.95%, n = 8) was higher than that on stems (x̄ = 6%, SD = 4.2%, n = 8). These results suggest that the incidence of predation might vary with the degree of urbanisation and by the type of substrate on which prey organisms are found.