North Of Colombia Research Articles

Competitiveness of the use of solar energy in an educational institution in Santa Marta (North of Colombia)

The objective was to determine the competitive advantages provided by the use of photovoltaic solar energy in the educational process of an educational institution in the District of Santa Marta, capital of the department of Magdalena in Northern Colombia. Non-experimental, cross- sectional and descriptive study, where the survey technique was applied. The study sample was 120 parents and 10 teachers. The results of the study showed that both teachers and parents have a favorable perception regarding the cost implications experienced by the educational institution based on the use of photovoltaic solar energy, with advantages from an economic point of view as well as in Regarding the added value based on the use of this type of energy, however, this potential is not fully exploited, given that there is a lack of clear knowledge regarding the profiles of the students and their needs according to the educational levels; on the other hand, the educational plan of the institution is not aligned with the care of the environment through the use of renewable energies and the objectives of the use of Photovoltaic Solar Energy are not clear either. On the other hand, the necessary information and guidance is not provided to teachers to promote the educational process by taking advantage of this energy, nor does it offer training or training for its efficient use.

Genetic damage among children living in agricultural areas in the North of Colombia

Genetic damage among children living in agricultural areas in the North of Colombia

Acute human leptospirosis in a Caribbean region of Colombia: From classic to emerging risk factors.

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide incidence, with a broad spectrum of health risk factors. The objective was to determine risk factors associated with acute human leptospirosis and to explore predictive variables of risk to human leptospirosis. The study was carried out in the Department of Córdoba, in the north of Colombia. We conducted a longitudinal prospective descriptive study with non-probabilistic sampling, which included 339 patients suspected of leptospirosis. Positive cases were confirmed by MAT and PCR. The determination of social and environmental risk factors was done with a survey on epidemiological and environmental variables to establish an association between cases of leptospirosis and risk factors as well as predictive variables. We found 19.8% (67/339) cases of acute leptospirosis, and the seroprevalence was 27.1% (92/339). The most frequent serogroups were Sejroe, Australis, Pomona, Batavie, Pyrogenes and Grippotyphosa. We identified the following risk factors: age between 10 and 19 years (OR = 2.571; 95% CI); pig ownership (OR = 2.019; 95% CI); bathing or recreational activities in lake/lagoon (OR = 3.85; 95% CI) and in dams (OR = 3.0; 95% CI); floodings 30 days before the onset of symptoms (OR = 2.019; 95% CI), and a mean temperature of 28°C (p 0.044; 95%CI). As significant predictor variables, we identified age (10-19 years), bathing or recreational activities in the lake/lagoon, and flooding 30 days before symptoms were again evidenced. This region presents classic risk factors (pig ownership) and emerging environmental risk factors (recreational practice or bathing in a lake/lagoon and flooding 30 days before the onset of symptoms), and demographic factors such as young age (10-19 years). These factors are also predictors of human cases of acute leptospirosis and provide contextual information on environmental and public health that should be considered for epidemiological surveillance in this endemic area.

Association Between Suicidal Behaviour and Cannabis and Tranquilizer use, Depression, Aggression and Other Borderline Personality Traits Among Students in Sincelejo, Colombia

ObjectiveThis objective of this study is to examine the association between suicidal behaviour and substance use, depression, aggressiveness and borderline personality traits among adolescents from Sincelejo, a rural city in the north of Colombia. MethodsThis cross sectional study included 352 participants selected by purposive sampling, from a public and a private school located in Sincelejo, Sucre district, in the north of Colombia. Students ages ranged from 12 to 18 years old (mean, 15.09±1.82). The participants completed three screening tools: a socio-demographic questionnaire, a screening instrument to collect information related to the frequency of use of some substances, such as tobacco and cannabis, and a self-report inventory to assess various personality and psychopathology domains. A series of t-tests, ANOVA and linear regression analyses were conducted. ResultsPhysical aggression (t=7.74; p <0.01), cognitive depression (t=5.03; p <0.01), affective depression (t=8.24; p <0.01), affective instability (t=3.46; p <0.01), few social relationships (t=3.36; p <0.01), self-harm (t=3.45; p<.01), cannabis and tranquilizer use (t=2.83; p <0.05; and t=2.37; p <0.05) had a significant independent relationship with suicidal behaviour. Aggression (t=2.59; p <0.05), components of depression (t=9.03; p <0.01) and borderline personality traits (t=4.12; p <0.01) also predicted suicidal behaviour. ConclusionsMore longitudinal studies are needed in this area to identify the causal relations between the factors studied and the suicidal behaviour of young people in Sincelejo.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated factors in the population victim of violence in Cordoba, Colombia

IntroductionThe Department of Cordoba is located in the north of Colombia and is a key territory for understanding the political violence that the country has experienced. Cordoba has suffered the armed conflict with various groups present in the area. In the category of victimizing acts, more than 30,000 victims of forced displacement have been reported and 4,621 for forced disappearance.ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of PTSD and associated factors in a population victim of violence in Cordoba, Colombia.MethodsDesign: cross-sectional, using quantitative data. Participants: victims of forced displacement in Cordoba (n=95), of whom 42.75% (n=45) were men and 57.25% (n=50) were women. The mean age of the participants was 40.7 (SD 14.1) Instruments: Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) (Blake et al., 1990) was administered to check clinical symptoms of the Disorder; to assess the causes of symptoms was administered The PTSD Checklist PCL-C is a short version of the PTSD Checklist – Civilian version (Weathers, 1993). Additionally, the BDI was administered to assess depression and STAI to measure anxiety. Data analysis: a Student’s t-test was used to assess the difference by gender and age groups. Descriptive statistics were also used to identify clinical characteristics of the sample.ResultsIn relation to the activation factor, it was found that the men in the sample presented significant differences compared to the women [Activation. F= (1.117) = .79; p = 0.00]. Meanwhile, PTSD was presented equally in both sexes and in all age groups with a prevalence of 26% of the sample. The most prevalent events assumed to cause the disorder were extreme human suffering and natural disaster. Depression levels were moderate in 33.3% of the population and state anxiety showed a level of 77.8% of the sample.ConclusionsOur study finds that 26% of the population suffered from PTSD and in a significant percentage comorbidities were found with depression, anxiety, added to the vulnerability of those who have experienced these events, that is, revictimization, low access to social services, low schooling and poverty. It is important to consider the multifactorial nature of PTSD and its relationship with the presence of traumatic events (Bados, 2015; Kessler et al., 2014). In Colombia there is a challenge related to the intervention of this population, which constitutes future lines in our research.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Numerical Modelling of Free Surface Agitation in a Coastal Lagoon by Roadway Path Influence

The development and construction of highway infrastructure are essential in developing countries, whereas its layout and construction sometimes interact with the coastal environment. One problem to attend to is that the outline and geometry designs impact as little as possible on the hydrodynamic circulation of coastal bodies in order to alter the associated ecosystem as little as possible. The study area is located in the north of Colombia, and is made up of a continental coastal zone (Mallorquín Lagoon) and a marine zone (Caribbean Sea), in which a highway is projected that provides communication between two locations. This study presents the application of a numerical model previously developed and modified by the Berkhoff equation, which is developed in a finite difference scheme and has been validated and applied in different works in coastal and fluvial shallow water areas. The application of the model was carried out in a hydrodynamic circulation research project for a one-way highway through a coastal lagoon, where the knowledge of the magnitude of the incident wave height in the structure of the road body is necessary for the design, protection elements, and road geometry. Two numerical simulation scenarios were carried out, specifying normal conditions and extraordinary wave conditions in the month of November with a simulation time of 15 days, obtaining the velocity field associated with coastal currents, waves, and wave modification phenomena, such as refraction, diffraction, and reflection, which provide the height of the incident wave on the highway and the recirculation patterns in the coastal lagoon to identify alterations in the ecosystem. The results of the wave height in each scenario and the velocity field provide values to be used in the design, type of armor, and dimensions of the protection works required for the proper functioning of the road structure.

First report of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the North of Colombia.

Aedes albopictus is considered a potential vector of arboviruses in Colombia. Females and males naturally infected with dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses have already been found in this country. We document the first record of Ae. albopictus in the Cordoba department, in North of Colombia. The finding was carried out during Ae. aegypti collection activities in the Ayapel, Montelibano, Planeta Rica, Pueblo Nuevo and Puerto Libertador municipalities. The entomological material was collected in water containers such as cement water tanks, tanks, bottles, tires, abandoned toilets, and plastic lids with natural water located in the intradomicile, peridomicile, and extra-domicile spaces of the homes. We collected 658 Ae. albopictus samples in the larva and pupa stages, and once these reached adulthood, we determined that 389 were female and 269 were male. This is the first record of the presence of Ae. albopictus in the Cordoba department.

Student and Teacher Perspectives on Co-created CLIL-Appropriate Materials Focused on Critical Thinking and Active Citizenship

The International Relations English program at a university in the north of Colombia is a CLIL-based program. Students share an interest in issues related to rights and politics, both locally and globally. Colombia arrived at a historical juncture with the signing of the peace accords between the government and FARC guerrillas in 2016. However, this coincided with an extreme polarisation of political discourse. This polarisation was evident throughout the 2016 plebiscite on the peace agreements and further intensified in the build-up to the 2018 presidential elections. In response, teachers and students created a web series where students outlined the candidates’ critical proposals without revealing the candidates’ identities. Students researched the proposals and worked with a teacher to prepare English transcripts of the proposals. Eight videos were created, shared via social media, and made available to local English teachers at secondary and university levels. The project’s purpose was to encourage active citizenship and foment a more critical analysis of the candidates’ proposals. To achieve this, students utilised the anonymity of the candidates and English as the chief medium of communication. This project allowed teachers to use authentic and relevant student-generated materials to encourage more critical discussion. The students involved in the project reported feelings of political efficacy and civic engagement. Teachers expressed satisfaction at having contextually rich language materials. This project indicates the potential for student-generated materials to provide contextually relevant and highly motivating educational materials.

Environmental life cycle assessment (E-LCA) and social impact assessment (SIA) of small-scale biorefineries implemented in rural zones: the avocado (Persea Americana var. Americana) case in Colombia.

The objective of this study is to compare the environmental and social performance of two small-scale avocado biorefineries implanted in a rural zone in the North of Colombia. Two small-scale biorefineries were proposed. Small-B1 addressed to produce avocado oil and animal feed, and Small-B2 focused on the guacamole production. The environmental analysis was done by applying the life cycle assessment methodology. Then, agronomic information and process simulation were required to complete the analysis. Moreover, the water footprint of the avocado crops was estimated. Both biorefineries were compared with the direct avocados production and commercialization. The social assessment was achieved by the estimation of quantitative indicators related to wages, jobs, and working hours. The agricultural carbon and water footprints of the creole avocado crop were 0.59kg CO2-eq/kg and 2.13 m3/kg. In the same way, Small-B1 and Small-B2 obtained a carbon and water footprints of 8.99kg CO2-eq/kg and 6.63 m3/kg and 0.72kg CO2-eq/kg and 1.38 m3/kg, respectively. The hotspots of the creole avocado crop are related to the use of fertilizers and fungicides. Then, new strategies should be implemented to reduce the farmer's dependency. The social analysis exhibit a high resilience of the Small-B1 biorefinery since a salary increase to worker about 50% can be proposed. In addition, the installation of this biorefinery can create more than ten jobs. A disjunction was found between the economic, environmental, and social analyses. Thus, the need to establish a multidimensional strategy to design sustainable biorefineries is presented.

Spatial and temporal variation of the macrophyte assemblage in Santo Tomás, a wetland in the Caribbean Colombian

Abstract: Aim The associated flood events to floodplain of many rivers in the world affect the composition and structure of aquatic biota due the water levels variation can ensure ecological integrity of associated wetlands. This study describes the spatial and temporal variation in the macrophyte assemblage in the Santo Tomás wetland during seasonally flood-pulsed of the Magdalena River (North of Colombia). Methods For eight months, between 2017 and 2018 samplings were carried out in three stations for composition and abundance of aquatic macrophytes. Spatio-temporal pattern of richness was estimated with Chao methodology and vegetation cover was calculated using Kruskal-Wallis and U Mann-Whitney tests. A range abundance curve was used for species dominance between samplings and stations. A non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) was used to analyze the Spatio-temporal distribution, Canonical Correspondence Analysis (ACC) was performed to relate the physicochemical variables to the species composition. Results A total of 24 species of aquatic plants distributed in 23 genera and 15 families were registered in the transects. The most abundant species (% of vegetation cover) were Ipomoea aquatica (19%), followed by Ludwigia helminthorrhiza (14%) and Eichhornia azurea (13%). The most frequent life form was free-floating, followed by the emergent one. The Spatio-temporal changes and the highest values of richness and vegetation cover in the Santo Tomás wetlands occurred during the filling and high waters period. L. helminthorrhiza, E. azurea, Pistia stratiotes, Neptunia oleracea, I. aquatica, Salvinia auriculata, and Hymenachne amplexicaulis were the most dominant species. The quality water of Santo Tomás Wetlands showed spatial and temporal variations during flooding pulse and some physicochemical variables such as organic matter (COD, BOD5), pH, depth, ammonia, and fecal coliforms were related to macrophyte community composition Conclusions Spatial and temporal changes of aquatic plants in Santo Tomás wetlands were related to the flooding pulse of Magdalena River.

Variability of Nitrogen Mineralization from Organic Matter in Agricultural Soils in the North of Colombia

Abstract Variation of Nitrogen mineralization (Nm) and its relationship to physicochemical factors in soils of an irrigation district in the North of Colombia was evaluated. Physicochemical parameters were measured in topsoil (0–30 cm) samples taken from 22 points in agricultural lands (10 in the dry season, 12 in the wet season). Nm was estimated from organic matter (OM) content. Soil parameters in the study area are suitable for crop development, although they present variations between the dry and wet season, where the soil pH varies of slightly acidic to neutral and the OM content decreases. Additionally, in the dry season there was a positive correlation with pH, OM and C/N ratio and, during wet season between OM, sand, clay and bulk density. In both seasons, a negative correlation between silt and Nm was common. Environmental and soil conditions in the study area are favourable for Nm because during the dry season the accumulation of OM is favoured. Understanding how physicochemical factors influence Nm is essential for agricultural activities and the development of sustainable ecosystem services. Keywords: N transformation, Physicochemical properties, Physicochemical interactions

Association Between Suicidal Behaviour and Cannabis and Tranquilizer use, Depression, Aggression and Other Borderline Personality Traits Among Students in Sincelejo, Colombia

ObjectiveThis objective of this study is to examine the association between suicidal behaviour and substance use, depression, aggressiveness and borderline personality traits among adolescents from Sincelejo, a rural city in the north of Colombia. MethodsThis cross sectional study included 352 participants selected by purposive sampling, from a public and a private school located in Sincelejo, Sucre district, in the north of Colombia. Students ages ranged from 12 to 18 years old (mean, 15.09±1.82). The participants completed three screening tools: a socio-demographic questionnaire, a screening instrument to collect information related to the frequency of use of some substances, such as tobacco and cannabis, and a self-report inventory to assess various personality and psychopathology domains. A series of t-tests, ANOVA and linear regression analyses were conducted. ResultsPhysical aggression (t=7.74; p <0.01), cognitive depression (t=5.03; p <0.01), affective depression (t=8.24; p <0.01), affective instability (t=3.46; p <0.01), few social relationships (t=3.36; p <0.01), self-harm (t=3.45; p<.01), cannabis and tranquilizer use (t=2.83; p <0.05; and t=2.37; p <0.05) had a significant independent relationship with suicidal behaviour. Aggression (t=2.59; p <0.05), components of depression (t=9.03; p <0.01) and borderline personality traits (t=4.12; p <0.01) also predicted suicidal behaviour. ConclusionsMore longitudinal studies are needed in this area to identify the causal relations between the factors studied and the suicidal behaviour of young people in Sincelejo.

ADGRL3, FGF1 and DRD4: Linkage and Association with Working Memory and Perceptual Organization Candidate Endophenotypes in ADHD.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable neurobehavioral disorder that affects children worldwide, with detrimental long-term consequences in affected individuals. ADHD-affected patients display visual–motor and visuospatial abilities and skills that depart from those exhibited by non-affected individuals and struggle with perceptual organization, which might partially explain impulsive responses. Endophenotypes (quantifiable or dimensional constructs that are closely related to the root cause of the disease) might provide a more powerful and objective framework for dissecting the underlying neurobiology of ADHD than that of categories offered by the syndromic classification. In here, we explore the potential presence of the linkage and association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), harbored in genes implicated in the etiology of ADHD (ADGRL3, DRD4, and FGF1), with cognitive endophenotypes related to working memory and perceptual organization in 113 nuclear families. These families were ascertained from a geographical area of the Caribbean coast, in the north of Colombia, where the community is characterized by its ethnic diversity and differential gene pool. We found a significant association and linkage of markers ADGRL3-rs1565902, DRD4-rs916457 and FGF1-rs2282794 to neuropsychological tasks outlining working memory and perceptual organization such as performance in the digits forward and backward, arithmetic, similarities, the completion of figures and the assembly of objects. Our results provide strong support to understand ADHD as a combination of working memory and perceptual organization deficits and highlight the importance of the genetic background shaping the neurobiology, clinical complexity, and physiopathology of ADHD. Further, this study supplements new information regarding an ethnically diverse community with a vast African American contribution, where ADHD studies are scarce.

First record of the Clam Shrimp Leptestheria venezuelica Daday, 1923 (Crustacea: Brachiopoda: Spinicaudata) from the North of Colombia

Large branchiopods has been distributed in temporary waters around the world, but the knowledge about these organisms in Colombia is poorly known, especially leptesteriids, we report a new record of the Clam Shrimp Leptestheria venezuelica Daday, 1923 from the north of Colombia.

One Hundred Years of Solitude: rediscovery of Catasticta lycurgus (Godman amp; Salvin, 1880), a yellow butterfly from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae).

Catasticta lycurgus is a striking endemic butterfly, restricted to high elevation habitats in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, an isolated mountain range separate from the Andes in the north of Colombia. The type, which for almost a hundred years was the only known specimen, was collected in 1878 by Frederick Simons in the vicinity of Atánquez and was sent to the UK to be described by renowned naturalists Godman and Salvin in 1880. In 1972, explorers Adams and Bernard collected a second specimen of C. lycurgus in the locality of San Pedro at 2,900m of elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. These two specimens were the only known ones for many decades until recently, when Colombian entomologists found the species again in San Pedro de la Sierra and later, when a female was discovered in 2013. Here, we report the rediscovery of this rare and charismatic species, with new specimens collected near the type locality, which have not been reported previously. The female of C. lycurgus is described and illustrated for the first time as well the male genitalia of this species. We combine all information available to provide some insights on the systematic relationships of this species within the genus Catasticta Butler, discuss its distribution and provide a preliminary conservation assessment. Despite the newly collected specimens, the species remains very rare in the field and in collections.

Sizing of Hybrid Photovoltaic-Wind Energy Systems Based on Local Data Acquisition

Although there are different alternatives to provide energy, there are still remote regions with no nearby possibilities of having an electricity supply that meets their basic needs. Colombia, like many countries, does not have uniform environmental conditions; therefore, applying models for the dimensioning of energy systems based on renewable energy can be inefficient and expensive, making it difficult to access electricity in isolated places. The research aims to develop a sizing strategy for a hybrid system based on locally acquired environmental information to size a system that takes advantage of the natural resources available in the local in the best possible way. Information is collected through a data acquisition system on local environmental conditions, system requirements are established based on energy demand, and a mathematical model is sought that represents the electrical behavior. The model makes it possible to analyze the system’s behavior under variable environmental conditions in the region, thus guaranteeing an adequate dimensioning for a constant supply of low-power energy suitable for residential use. This article presents an alternative to characterize a hybrid power generation system (photovoltaic/wind turbine) through data collected on-site, which, when properly processed, allows the dimensioning of a more appropriate hybrid system to the environmental conditions the environment. The system was implemented in an experimental farm of the University of Pamplona located in the north of Colombia. Based on this strategy, a hybrid system was designed and installed to meet energy demands efficiently.

Recent findings on indigenous navigation in the North of Colombia

Recent findings on indigenous navigation in the North of Colombia

Physicochemical Characterization of the Waters of the Sinú River, Downstream of the Urrá Reservoir, North of Colombia

Physicochemical Characterization of the Waters of the Sinú River, Downstream of the Urrá Reservoir, North of Colombia

Water quality assessment in a wetland complex using Sentinel 2 satellite images

This research was carried out in a wetlands complex of great environmental and socioeconomic importance located in the north of Colombia, highly impacted by different anthropic activities that take place in the region, e.g., livestock, agriculture and urban wastewater disposal. Field measurements of pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen were performed at 22 sites located in the Bajo Sinu wetlands complex. This wetlands complex includes Cienaga Guatinaja, Cienaga Momil and Cienaga Sopal. Through a linear regression analysis between field-measured variables and the reflectance values of the Sentinel 2 image, models to represent the spatial variability of the different water quality parameters were obtained. In addition, water quality maps for drinking and aquatic protection life use were created based on Colombian standards. All generated models have a determination coefficient (R2) > 0.7, except for temperature with R2 ≈ 0.6. The five models are characterized by having correspondence in the electromagnetic spectrum with the areas belonging to the near infrared and the visible spectrum. These models, obtained from Sentinel 2 images in combination with GIS tools, allowed a complete analysis that contributes to the spatial–temporal monitoring of the studied aquatic ecosystems.

Tectono-magmatic implications of the Jurassic volcanic and volcanoclastic record of the Santa Marta Massif (Colombia)

The Lower-Middle Jurassic volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks of the Santa Marta Massif (SMM) record the magmatic evolution of a continental arc developed on the NW margin of Gondwana. However, the lack of a comprehensive description of these successions has made it difficult to understand the geologic processes that occurred during the onset, development, and termination of the volcanic activity. Our new U–Pb zircon ages, whole-rock geochemistry, and petrographic analyses suggest that volcanism started at ca. 191 Ma, similar to plutonic activity, likely after the slab rolled-back from a previous flat-slab subduction zone. During this initial stage, the volcanic deposits consisted of andesite-basaltic andesite and trachy-andesite rocks, of calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline character and dominantly metaluminous affinity. At ca. 177–168 Ma, the geologic record included andesite-basaltic andesites, dacites and, rhyolites of high-K calc-alkaline to calc-alkaline character, and peraluminous to metaluminous affinity. Finally, before cessation, at ca. 167–163 Ma, the volcanism presented andesite-basaltic andesite, trachy-andesite, trachyte and rhyolite compositions, with dominantly high-K calc-alkaline character, and peraluminous to metaluminous affinity. The geochemical comparison with coeval volcanic units deposited in La Guajira, Middle Magdalena Valley, Perijá, and San Lucas ranges indicate a similar magmatic evolution in the north of Colombia. The causes of the cessation of magmatic activity are still unknown, however, these may be associated with the generalized extensional event that was triggered by the breakup of Pangea.