La Guajira Research Articles

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in Colombia

BackgroundAutosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common genetic cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that requires dialysis. Knowing geographical clusters can be critical for early diagnosis, progression control, and genetic counseling. The objective was to establish the prevalence, geographic location, and ethnic groups of patients with ADPKD who underwent dialysis or kidney transplant in Colombia between 2015 and 2019.MethodsWe did a cross-sectional study with data from the National Registry of Chronic Kidney Disease (NRCKD) managed by the High-Cost Diseases Fund (Cuenta de Alto Costo [CAC] in Spanish) between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019. We included Colombian population with CKD with or without renal replacement therapy (RRT) due to ADPKD. Crude and adjusted prevalence rates were estimated by state and city.Results3,339 patients with ADPKD were included, period prevalence was 9.81 per 100,000 population; there were 4.35 cases of RRT per 100,000 population, mean age of 52.58 years (± 13.21), and 52.78% women. Seventy-six patients were Afro-Colombians, six were indigenous, and one Roma people. A total of 46.07% began scheduled dialysis. The highest adjusted prevalence rate was in Valle del Cauca (6.55 cases per 100,000 population), followed by Risaralda, and La Guajira. Regarding cities, Cali had the highest prevalence rate (9.38 cases per 100,000 population), followed by Pasto, Medellin, and Bucaramanga.ConclusionsADPKD prevalence is lower compared to Europe and US; some states with higher prevalence could be objective to genetic prevalence study.

RANGE EXPANSION IN THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF Xenodon angustirostris PETERS, 1864: A NEW LOCALITY FOR THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN ECOREGION

The false mapaná or false Fer-de-Lance snakes of the genus Xenodon are cryptic, opisthoglyphous, oviparous snakes, rare and poorly represented in biological collections. Hence, the breadth of their distribution ranges is not well delimited. Herein, we extend the geographic distribution range of Xenodon angustirostris based on the discovery of a specimen from the western slope of the Serranía del Perijá, department of La Guajira, Colombia. This new record represents the northernmost locality for the species distribution, adds a new ecosystem and habitat to those previously reported, and provide new evidence that fed the discussion about hypothetical biogeographic units stated for the Colombian Caribbean.

Teachers' digital competence for ICT skills in the 21st century: an assessment of their development

Currently, the role of the teacher in education and its relationship with technological, information, and communication competencies is the subject of much attention in educational contexts. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the results of concurrent mixed research, which evaluated the digital aptitude of teachers concerning ICT skills from a theoretical perspective established by UNESCO and the MEN. Therefore, the study was conducted with the participation of teachers of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of the University of La Guajira, Colombia, to know how they assumed their professional development concerning the technological competencies of the XXI century. The study identifies a very moderate use of active strategies and didactics supported by ICT. Likewise, limitations are found in the classrooms regarding technological infrastructure and connectivity, which hinder the integration of ICTs in the academic and student environment.

ICT and academic transformation in universities

The Covid-19 pandemic transformed the way people interact, necessitating the global adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as both established and emerging resources. Although the University of La Guajira had been integrating face-to-face and virtual modalities, resistance was identified among the teaching staff. This research aimed to clarify the role of teachers in the use of these technologies within teaching and learning processes, employing a quantitative, descriptive approach and a non-experimental field design. The study population consisted of 1,062 students, and the sample included 282 students. Data collection was conducted via a Likert scale questionnaire, which obtained a reliability of 0.859 through Cronbach's Alpha. The study concluded that teachers demonstrate command of technology, utilize basic support equipment, and provide procedural support through explanations, collaboration, guidance, and motivation to enhance performance in accordance with the individual needs of each student.

Evaluation of susceptibility to organophosphates in populations of Aedes aegypti in La Guajira, Colombia

Introducción. El dengue es un problema de salud pública para el departamento de La Guajira. El control se ha enfocado en el vector con el uso de insecticidas, entre ellos los organofosforados. Objetivo. Evaluar el estado de la sensibilidad a insecticidas organofosforados de quince poblaciones de Aedes aegypti (L.) en el departamento de La Guajira, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se realizaron bioensayos para temefos, malatión y metil-pirimifos en larvas de tercer estadio y mosquitos adultos de Ae. aegypti en los municipios de Albania, Barrancas, Dibulla, Distracción, El Molino, Fonseca, Hatonuevo, La Jagua del Pilar, Maicao, Manaure, Riohacha, San Juan del Cesar, Uribia, Urumita y Villanueva, siguiendo la metodología de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la técnica de botellas usando la guía de los de los Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respectivamente. Se determinó la sensibilidad por medio de la razón de resistencia a CL50 y CL95 (RRCL50, RRCL95) para temefos y a dosis y tiempo diagnóstico para temefos, malatión y metilpirimifos en las poblaciones de campo evaluadas, usando como control la cepa sensible Rockefeller. Resultados. Las 15 poblaciones del departamento de La Guajira son sensibles a: temefos (razón de la resistencia a RRCL50<5,0; relación de resistencia a CL95<5,0; 98 a 100 % de mortalidad); metil-pirimifos (99 a 100 % de mortalidad) y malatión (100 % de mortalidad). Conclusión. Con base en los resultados obtenidos, es factible el uso de temefos, malatión y metil-pirimifos para el control de Ae. aegypti en las poblaciones evaluadas.

Prioritization of Territorial Areas for Implementing Inclusive Climate Risk Transfer Mechanisms. Colombia as a Case Study.

The methodologies for prioritizing populated areas regarding the implementation of risk transfer schemes are still limited due to the exclusion of social components. This research proposes a methodology for prioritizing territorial areas when implementing Climate Risk Transfer Mechanisms (CRTM) using the differential risk transfer approach and considering three Colombian regions as a case study. In order to achieve this, we carried out a literature review to identify existing related methodologies. We targeted components such as gender, ethnicity, poverty, exposure and governance. Workshops were also conducted to generate a multisectoral agreement concerning the variables to be included in the multicriteria analysis. Subsequently, we produced a ranking system applying the criteria to 12 departments both with and without Climate Change (CC) conditions. The results of our investigations showed that there are no records of methodologies for prioritizing areas that include variables of vulnerability and governance. The CC rankings indicated modifications to the previous rankings. The prioritized departments thus highlighted were La Guajira, Bolívar, Chocó, Magdalena, San Andres and Sucre. This research applied differential risk transfer to successfully improve the accuracy of the risk transfer mechanism and provides a methodological guide for optimizing technical and financial resources in the decision-making process for CRTM. This methodology is especially useful for territorial areas with low technical and economic capacities and can be replicated worldwide since the data is available through open access.

Paleopalynology in Colombia: a review

Palynology is an important tool for establishing age and interpreting paleoenvironments in both continental and marine deposits. This paper provides a summarized overview of the palynological information published for deposits in Colombia ranging from the Paleozoic to the Miocene-Pliocene. We found 111 publications in indexed journals contain palynological data from 511 sections or wells. Palynology of the Paleozoic in Colombia has been mainly studied in the Eastern Llanos; the Triassic-Jurassic is virtually unknown; there are studies on the Cretaceous in the Eastern Cordillera, the Upper Magdalena Valley, and Catatumbo; the Paleogene has been studied in sedimentary rocks of the Llanos foothills, the Eastern Cordillera, the Middle Magdalena Valley, Catatumbo, and in some isolated spots in La Guajira and the Caribbean while the Neogene has been studied in the Amazon, the Eastern Cordillera, and the Llanos foothills. Recent publications for the Caribbean and Pacific regions and a palynological zonation for the Llanos and its basins have been successfully used in other basins in the country. In recent years, the interest of the Colombian government in exploring new areas for hydrocarbon exploration in the Caribbean facilitated a partnership between the National Hydrocarbons Agency and the University of Caldas to conduct palynological studies in deposits ranging from the Late Cretaceous to the Quaternary. Here we present a summary of the main advances in Caribbean palynology.

Mantle-hosted ophiolitic chromitites from Colombia: implications for petrogenesis and geodynamic evolution

ABSTRACT Chromitite bodies can be found within ophiolitic mantle sections in three locations in Colombia: Medellín, Planeta Rica, and La Guajira. These chromitites are typically massive pods that are often surrounded by lateritic soil in Medellín and Planeta Rica, or small discoidal bodies in La Guajira. Inclusions in chromite are preserved to varying degrees in the three localities: olivine and pargasite are partially preserved in Medellín and Planeta Rica, whereas inclusions in La Guajira chromitites are completely altered to chlorite. Compositionally, chromite from the chromitites is high-Al in Medellín (Cr#[Cr/(Cr+Al) atomic ratio] = 0.41–0.51) and Planeta Rica (Cr# = 0.49–0.57), and high-Cr in La Guajira (Cr# = 0.75–0.76), whereas TiO2 contents are low in the three localities (0.12–0.43 wt%). Regarding trace elements composition, the chromitites are similar to others formed in supra-subduction zone settings; the chromite from the high-Al chromitites is similar to that in MORB/BABB, whereas chromite from the high-Cr chromitites has a strong boninitic affinity. Chromitites from Planeta Rica are richer in Ti, possibly due to the presence of nearby gabbroic bodies and impregnated peridotites. The alteration in chromite rims and silicate matrix is related to metamorphic processes. Bulk-rock platinum-group element (PGE) contents range from 30 to 487 ppb, and chondrite-normalized PGE patterns show the typical enrichment in IPGE relative to PPGE observed in most ophiolitic chromitites. The estimated melts in equilibrium with the different chromitites correspond to MORB-like melts for the Medellín and Planeta Rica chromitites and to boninites for La Guajira chromitites. However, the estimated TiO2 content in the melt is too low for a typical MORB, indicating back-arc basin basalts and a back-arc setting for the formation of the Medellín and Planeta Rica chromitites during the Late Triassic and the Late Jurassic, respectively. La Guajira chromitites are interpreted to have formed in a fore-arc basin related to subduction-initiation during Cretaceous times.

A new species of freshwater crab of the genus Chaceus Pretzmann, 1965 (Brachyura: Decapoda: Pseudothelphusidae) from La Guajira, including distribution and a key to the species of the genus.

We describe and illustrate a new species of Chaceus Pretzmann, 1965, from the Regional Natural Park of the Serranía de Perijá, La Guajira Department, Colombia. This increases the number of Chaceus species to ten, three of them with records only from Venezuela. The species of this genus are distributed in the Sierra de Santa Marta of Colombia and the Serranía de Perijá of Colombia and Venezuela. We distinguished the new species from its congeners mainly by the third maxilliped, with an exopod that is 0.60-0.62 the length of ischium, and by the morphology of the first male gonopod, particularly by the shapes of the mesial, marginal, and lateral processes. We include the distribution of the Chaceus species here and a key for the identification of the species based on the morphology of the first male gonopod.

What makes Colombia's indigenous peoples adopt microgrids? Social acceptance and financial constraints in renewable energy diffusion

Approximately 1.9 million Colombians lacked access to clean and reliable energy in 2020 due to residing in rural non-interconnected zones (NIZ). This lack of reliable electricity is compounded by their geographical isolation which makes them unable to access the National Interconnected System of energy (SIN). Renewable energy microgrids serve as a potential decentralised solution to provide clean energy to these rural hard-to-reach areas. This study analyses the enablers and barriers to diffusing such renewable energy systems from the views of the rural indigenous Wayuu people in La Guajira, Colombia. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observatory research, the strong relative advantage of the innovations, primarily by making accessing water easier, their high combability with current needs and cultural norms, and low complexity creates a high willingness to adopt the microgrids. The close communal ties and communication between different households allow knowledge about the microgrids benefits to spread which further encourage its diffusion. Still, due to financial constraints, diffusion rates are low. Therefore, with national plans to expand renewable energy development in La Guajira and with legislations supporting clean energy to Colombia's NIZs', the Colombian government and relevant development agencies should support the Wayuu people with finances to enable renewable energy microgrid diffusion.

Statistical analysis of social networks as a means of communication for children in educational institutions in Riohacha, La Guajira, Colombia

Technological advancements have impacted human life in various magnitudes, influencing the social, cultural, and educational aspects, particularly among children. The study aimed to examine the influence and impact of social networks concerning issues such as cyberbullying, sexting, grooming, and vamping, among others. Furthermore, different indicators of social network incidence in the school population were explored. According to the conclusions drawn, it was found that the use of social networks negatively affects the academic performance of children in Riohacha, generating social isolation, fear, and both visual and mental fatigue. It was also observed that most children in Riohacha spend between 3 to 4 hours a day on social networks and generally do not use them to carry out inappropriate behaviors. In most cases, they also do not exchange messages or videos not suitable for their age; when this occurs, those involved are removed from their contact lists.

Communication synergy in social networks as an interactive aspect for the development of early childhood education in educational institutions in Riohacha, La Guajira

This research examines the communicative synergy on social media as an interactive aspect in the development of early childhood education. Its objective is to analyze the communicative correlation on social media and its effects on cyberbullying, sexting, grooming, vamping, among others. Additionally, it seeks to determine the conditions of social media use by school-aged children, as well as the advantages they provide in terms of message exchange with other familiar children, friends, and relatives, known adults, friends, and family members. It also aims to identify the disadvantages of social media for school-aged children, particularly regarding the risks of exchanging messages about sex and love with unknown children and adults, and describes how these disadvantages can negatively impact their emotional and physical well-being, as well as their social isolation.

Soil recovery in a chronosequence of revegetated coal mine spoils in Colombian drylands: a view from the assessment of physical-chemical and biological properties

Characterizing changes in soil properties is essential to understand the effect of land rehabilitation practices and the mechanisms that drive such changes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the recovery of physical-chemical and biological properties of Technosols with increasing rehabilitation age in a chronosequence of dry forests (7, 10, and 21 years) in the El Cerrejón open-pit coal mine (La Guajira, Colombia). Based on previous studies that demonstrated a greater effect of surface change on the physicochemical properties of soils, composite samples taken at two depth levels (0–3 cm and 3–20 cm) were analyzed for each site. The studied properties improved over time, increasing significantly with respect to non-rehabilitated sites, mainly near the surface (0–3 cm). Particularly, after seven years, the increases in soil N content and soil P solution were significant (32% and 71%, respectively). The increased structural and functional development of the vegetation over time led to increased inputs of organic materials via fine litterfall. Overall, soil organic matter (SOM) ranged from 63 to 89% in the rehabilitated sites compared with a reference mature dry forest. Increased SOM is a key indicator of recovery in degraded mine spoils, as it has an outsized ability to influence other soil properties. This represents a positive result for the revegetation/restoration strategy applied at the El Cerrejón mine.

Teaching Spanish as a Second Language (SSL) in a Wayúu Indigenous Community in Colombia

This study characterizes Spanish as a second language teaching methodology implemented by a group of three Watúu teachers from three schools in La Guajira (Colombia) who described their teaching practices based on their beliefs and experiences. We followed the methodology of a qualitative case study. The data was collected through a questionnaire, field notes, individual interviews, and a focus group. Thereafter, results evidence that their teaching methodology is strongly bonded to the community’s cosmovision, setting harmony between traditional and communicative teaching models: likewise, it considers students’ needs and promotes their responsibility to safeguard their culture.

A new species of Helietta (Rutaceae, Pteleinae) from Colombia

Helietta hirsuta (Pilocarpinae, Galipeeae, Rutaceae), a new tree species from the dry forest remnants on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, is described, illustrated and compared with Helietta plaeana, whose name has been applied to trees found in Northeast Colombia. This new species is known from two populations in dry forest remnants in La Guajira department, and it is distinguished from the morphologically similar H. plaeana by having a pubescent full developed inflorescence longer than the leaves, rough hairs on the ovaries and puberulous young mericarps.

Analysis and simulation of reverse osmosis equipment: Case of La Guajira, Colombia

Energy resources and potable water are important assets for every country. Electric power produced from renewable sources can be used to provide water desalination systems and meet the energy needs of populations living in isolated and remote areas. This study models and simulates a reverse osmosis (RO) water desalination system using dynamic mathematical models in one dimension, and applies it to water sources from the department of La Guajira, Colombia. Most of the indigenous communities are concentrated in the upper and middle areas of that region, where there are brackish water sources such as groundwater wells that could undergo water purification to improve community’s quality of life. Furthermore, these areas have the best solar radiation potential in Colombia. The Yuyurupana indigenous community was chosen for the study; they are located in the rural area of the municipality of Maicao. This place has a groundwater well with 3055.77 mg/L of total dissolved solids (TDS) and average solar radiation of 4.8 kWh/m2/month. At a feed pressure of 11.65 atm, the system obtained a permeate concentration quality of 317.45 mg/L, which is below the maximum allowable according to the Colombian Ministry of Environment. The specific energy consumption (SEC) was calculated and yielded a value of 0.644 kWh/m3. It requires 152 photovoltaic solar panels and a total area of 294.9 m2 to supply electricity to the system. The mathematical models were validated by comparing results with those of previous studies found in the literature.

Implementation of the classroom pedagogical project 'Managers of Coexistence and Peace' as a strategy for fostering a culture of peace in children in the department of La Guajira

The research focused on coexistence and school peace as part of a scientific project framed within the quality of early childhood education. The experience aimed to contribute to the establishment of a culture of peace through the execution of a psychoeducational program in the child population of the department of La Guajira. The study was conducted with a mixed descriptive approach, based on an action-research design. The results suggest that the implementation of recreational activities and the establishment of pleasant and safe environments promote harmonious coexistence, encourage dialogue in peacebuilding, and reaffirm values. Furthermore, the study revealed that through psychoeducational resources, constructive experiences are generated that allow children and their educators to resolve conflicts peacefully, which strengthened educational communication and contributed to mitigating violence.

Approaching Venezuelan Migration from the Borderland: Dynamics and Identity in La Guajira, Colombia

Abstract Based on an ethnography in the Colombian border state of La Guajira, this article argues that ethnographic research can challenge defaults to methodological nationalism, stark binaries be-tween host and migrant communities, and a framing of Venezuelan migration that flattens the complex realities of individuals in these borderlands who have extensive ties between both Colombia and Venezuela. This article begins by characterizing this border region, describing the relevant history of La Guajira and contemporary dynamics that help situate this specific Venezuelan migration flow. After, I describe the complex identities that form in these borderlands and what exactly “Venezuelan” looks like in this state. Lastly, building on the characterization of the borderland and Venezuelan identity in La Guajira, I offer two examples of how these pieces come together to facilitate certain social interactions and explain migrant experiences.

Strategies for the adoption of innovation processes in agricultural productive units of the Department of La Guajira -Colombia: Literary review and systemic approach

From the appearance of man to the present, food production has been a critical issue in ensuringthe survival of the human species. Over the centuries, agricultural production has evolved with the domestication of plant and animal species and the emergenceof technologies and techniques in production processes, affecting population growthand cities. The research seeks to describe the strategies for adopting innovation processes in the Department of La Guajira -Colombia agricultural production units.The results show that, in the last four decades, innovation strategies have begun to be discussed as a term that has evolved, going from incorporating new technologies to including elements related to efficiency, economic sustainability, sustainability, redesign of organizational structures, and the implementation of best practices that result in quality, quantity, safety and hygiene of agricultural activities. It is concluded that the studies on innovation strategies in agricultural productive units can be about phenomena that promote agricultural innovation, agricultural production models,and improvements in agricultural production processes, of which there is evidence of application in the Department of La Guajira.

Spatial Distribution of Pyrethroid Resistance and kdr Mutations in Aedes aegypti from La Guajira, Colombia.

Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are of great concern to the public health of Colombia. One of the main control strategies for these diseases is the application of insecticides directed at the Aedes aegypti vector. However, insecticide resistance has been increasingly recorded in the country, making control measures difficult. Here, we evaluated the resistance profiles for pyrethroids in populations of Ae. aegypti from La Guajira, Colombia. The frequency (diagnostic dose, DD) and intensity (2×, 5×, and 10× DD) of resistance to permethrin, deltamethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin were determined in 15 populations of Ae. aegypti from La Guajira, Colombia, using the bottle bioassay. The kdr mutations V1016I, F1534C, and V410L, were identified, and their allele and genotype frequencies were calculated. Finally, the mortality values for the analyzed pyrethroids were interpolated following the IDW method for predicting pyrethroid resistance. The populations of Ae. aegypti showed a high frequency of resistance to permethrin with a low to moderate intensity, which was associated with the triple-resistant haplotype LL410/II1016/CC1534. They remain susceptible to deltamethrin and, in some populations, expressed the risk of developing resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin.