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Mold deterioration of historical documents in archives and libraries is a frequent and complex phenomenon that may have important economic and cultural consequences. In addition, exposure to toxic fungal metabolites might produce health problems. In this work, samples of broths of fungal species isolated from the documentary material and from indoor environmental samples of the Archive of Bogotá have been analyzed to investigate the presence of mycotoxins. High resolution mass spectrometry made possible to search for a large number of mycotoxins, even without reference standards available at the laboratory. For this purpose, a screening strategy based on ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–QTOF MS) under MS E mode was applied. A customized home-made database containing elemental composition for around 600 mycotoxins was compiled. The presence of the (de)protonated molecule measured at its accurate mass was evaluated in the samples. When a peak was detected, collision induced dissociation fragments and characteristic isotopic ions were also evaluated and used for tentative identification, based on structure compatibility and comparison with literature data (if existing). Up to 44 mycotoxins were tentatively identified by UHPLC–QTOF MS. 34 of these tentative compounds were confirmed by subsequent analysis using a targeted LC–MS/MS method, supporting the strong potential of QTOF MS for identification/elucidation purposes. The presence of mycotoxins in these samples might help to reinforce safety measures for researchers and staff who work on reception, restoration and conservation of archival material, not only at the Archive of Bogotá but worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schedule conformance depends on construction activities starting and finishing on time. However, construction activities are often delayed because construction flows necessary to start their execution are unavailable. Construction flows can be classified into: labor, equipment, workspace, materials, precedence, information, and external. Current construction models do not formally represent, measure, and track all flow types. Hence, field managers lack formal methods for managing flows and instead rely on their intuition and experience managing them. This paper presents a construction model based on activities and flows called the activity–flow model (AFM). The AFM formally represents the activities, the flows, and their interactions. The AFM was validated prospectively through its implementation on three building projects that were in different phases (foundations, core and shell, and finishing), at different geographic locations (Bogota, Copenhagen, and Lima), and used different planning and control methods (master schedule and weekly planning, last planner system, and location-based management system). The AFM was able to represent all the activities and flows in the test projects, track variations of activities and flows, and quantify activity and flow variability. Field managers can use the metrics enabled by the AFM to plan and control the project. Such proactive flow management can help field managers improve flow readiness, which should reduce activity delays and improve schedule conformance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to develop and test the effects of a field math intervention program on both number and geometry knowledge. The intervention was developed based on three basic skills previously associated with mathematical performance: symbolic number knowledge, mapping processes and spatial reasoning. The participants were 117 preschoolers from six schools in Cali and Bogotá. The children were assigned to an intervention group (N = 55) or a control group (N = 62). The intervention lasted 11 weeks with 3 sessions per week where the children participated in different game-based activities. Tests of numerical and geometric knowledge were administered before and after the intervention. The effects of the intervention were tested twice, immediately after the program ended and six months later. The results show that the children in the intervention group improved more than the control group in both number and geometry. The second posttest revealed a significant intervention effect for geometry, but not for numerical knowledge. The implications of these mixed patterns of results are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the updated estimation method for estimating the transmission rate changes over time. The models for the population dynamics under SEIR epidemic models with stochastic perturbations are analysed the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bogotá, Colombia. We performed computational experiments to interpret COVID-19 dynamics using actual data for the proposed models. We estimate the model parameters and updated their estimates for reported infected and recovered data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to understand how micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can be innovative while developing their reputation. In doing so, this study focuses on companies classified as promoters of Colombia's "orange economy," which relates to the country's cultural and creative diversity. Firms with a non-technological emphasis also require knowledge, innovation, and reputation to perform better. In this regard, the study is based on the work of Hormiga and Garcia-Almeida (2016) who proposed the relationship between accumulated knowledge and innovation as background of reputation. In this paper, the purpose is to understand the internal reputation-building process carried out by MSMEs and the variables that intervene. Therefore, this research accounts for how MSMEs can build their reputation through innovation and accumulated knowledge. For this, a survey was conducted in 320 orange economy MSMEs located in Bogotá, Colombia, and the relationship of these variables was statistically tested through a quantitative analysis of multivariate data. Innovation was found to not impact the performance of companies, but this can be associated to factors that were not considered in this research. However, it is proposed to refine the original model by considering the manager's perspective. It is recommended that entrepreneurs invest resources in accumulating internal (tacit) knowledge to improve skills that enhance reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population growth has led to the intensification of average daily traffic (ADT), highlighting vehicles as one of the major sources of heavy metal (HM) pollution in cities. The objective of this paper is to conduct a spatial analysis of the HM pollution associated with road-deposited sediments (RDSs), based on the ADT observed in the main roads of a Latin American megacity (Bogotá, Colombia). The following risk indices were considered: Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Integrated Pollution Index (IPI), Ecological Risk Index (ERI), Comprehensive Potential Ecological Risk Index (CERI), Hazard Index (HI), and Carcinogenic Risk Index (CRI). The findings confirm that a size fraction < 250 μm is the most suitable for studying the risk of HMs in the RDS from the indices considered. The best HMs indicative of the relationship with ADT are Ni, Cu, and Pb. The Pb is the HM of most attention, and Cr gains positions for its toxicity level during the evaluation of ecological, non-carcinogenic, and carcinogenic risks, respectively. Finally, the linear regression models developed between ADT and each of the risk indices considered have a better fit (R2 > 0.910) compared to the linear regression models developed between ADT and HM concentrations (R2 > 0.322). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the prevalence of conflict and fragility continue to rise around the world, research is increasingly heralded as a solution. However, current ethical guidelines for working in areas suffering from institutional and social fragility, insecurity or violent conflict have been heavily critiqued as highly abstract; focussed only on data collection; detached from the realities of academia in the Global South; and potentially extractive. This article seeks to respond to that assessment by spotlighting some of the most prevalent challenges researchers face in the pursuit of ethical working practices. It explores the material and epistemic injustices that often shape and underpin research structures and relationships in these contexts. The paper draws on the authors' experiences of research in conflict-affected and fragile contexts over the last fifteen years and on workshop discussions with researchers based in fragile and conflict-affected contexts conducted in Amman, Bogotá and Dhaka in 2019-2020. The paper works from the premise that achieving ethical research in fragile spaces is not dependent solely on activity at the site of research, but also on decisions made across the entire ecosystem of a research project. It therefore interrogates the full research landscape, from funding models, to research design (including research topics, partnerships, methods, participant selection, and researcher positionality), to dissemination plans and ethical gatekeeping. The paper critically reflects on inequities in the processes of knowledge production about conflict and fragility and the key ethical challenges that researchers encounter. It highlights the need for further guidance, support and accountability to ensure ethical research practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: During the study of the bryoflora of Bogotá, individuals of Syntrichia papillosa were found in urban localities. The aim of this contribution is to confirm the presence of this epiphytic species to the Colombian flora. Materials and methods: Living plants and herbarium material from the Natural History Museum (BM), the New York Botanical Garden (NY) and Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis (JBB) herbaria, were analyzed. Recently collected specimens were deposited in JBB. Results: A conspectus of the morphological features of the species based on herbarium specimens are provided, along with morpho-anatomical photographs. Further, the presence of the species in different localities belonging to the area around Bogotá was confirmed. Conclusion: This paper confirms the presence of Syntrichia papillosa in the surroundings of Bogotá. This species is known from Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North America, Africa, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Ecuador. Thus, the genus Syntrichia is represented in Colombia by eight taxa: S. andicola, S. bogotensis, S. breviseta, S. fragilis, S. kingii, S. lacerifolia, S. laevipila and S. papillosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IoT environments are continuously changing. Changes may come from the service, connectivity, or physical layers of the IoT architecture. Therefore, to function appropriately, the system needs to dynamically adapt to its environment. In previous work, we posited eight challenges to foster adaptation through all architecture layers of IoT systems. In this paper, we address the challenges to manage the inclusion of new devices and devices' transient connection , by means of dynamic adaptations incorporated into our proposed software architecture for adaptive IoT systems. To manage dynamic adaptations, we extend the reference IoT architecture with our specialized components. In particular, we use (1) ontologies and instances to represent the domain knowledge; (2) a matching algorithm to pair services and IoT devices, taking into account their functional requirements, quality attributes and sensors properties; and (3) a match update algorithm used whenever sensors become (un)available. We evaluate the effectiveness of our solution with respect to the accuracy of matching services and IoT devices, and the response to environment changes. • This paper presents a new adaptive architecture for IoT Systems. • Ontology matching algorithm-based architecture to manage transient connections. • Functional, non-functional, and QoS matching algorithm between IoT components. • Matching algorithm with better precision and recall compared with the gold-standard. • Architecture deployed in a real case study for a SUDS system in the city of Bogotá. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the student's academic performance in the School of Engineering at Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogota Campus. The impact is assessed from a quantitative approach based on (i) student's grades, (ii) student's progress in their curriculum and (iii) dropped courses. In addition, results from a faculty survey (qualitative approach) are presented to expand some explanatory perspectives on the main academic changes during the pandemic. Results show a significant increase in the average numerical grade as well as in the probability of a course being dropped during the pandemic conditions. Furthermore, the student's average curriculum progress per semester grew approximately 18%. A differentiated academic impact, depending on sex and family income was observed which may be included in future post-pandemic programs. The survey reflects a new faculty's perspective on evaluation tools and methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper seeks to establish an Industry 4.0 maturity model for manufacturing SMEs. This research presents the characteristics of the proposed model, which takes the elements and the scope of the fourth industrial revolution, as well as the dimensions and assessment scales of some maturity models already applied. Likewise, this document shows the modeling process and the model's validation in SMEs in the city of Bogotá-Colombia. Design/methodology/approach: To determine the criteria of the maturity model, 6 major stages have been established: Literature Review, Development of the model; Validation of the model; Application of the model; Data analysis; and Conclusion and Recommendations. Findings: Considering the validation of some maturity models shown in the literature review, and aligned with the purpose of this article, 8 dimensions have been established to measure the maturity level of SMEs: Service; Operations; Quality; Products; Documented information-Big Data; Leadership and strategy; Communication; and Culture and people. A model has been generated that allows evaluating the degree of compliance in each dimension for manufacturing SMEs. The model can be applied to companies in any industry. Also, it can determine the degree of implementation compliance of companies in the same sector. Research limitations/implications: According to the literature reviewed, SMEs, especially those in Latin America, still do not have a culture of applying the elements of Industry 4.0. Therefore, in the research, it was not easy to understand the intrinsic variables of Industry 4.0 that SMEs have applied in different areas, which does not allow us to have the current context of SMEs and from that perspective to have a better simulation of the business model maturity. Practical implications: The model presented in this document serves as a basis for SMEs in Latin America to establish a baseline measurement in relation to the application of Industry 4.0 elements in companies. Social implications: What is intended with this work is to frame a baseline so that companies can understand their current maturity level in terms that industry 4.0 could cover. Likewise, they can generate actions for the appropriation of new technologies that allow them to be more competitive. This document can be taken and applied by those entrepreneurs companies who wish to measure their operations. Originality/value: The essential point for the generation of the maturity level measurement model is focused on determining the necessary dimensions on which the evaluation is based. In the literature found, most models focus their dimensions on measuring the digital in their processes and tangentially evaluate the organizational structure and the relationship between them. Additionally, the authors who address the organization as a whole do not reveal the details for SMEs to self-evaluate. The models found have only been implemented to evaluate one company alone or individually. This model presents the core dimensions holistically and explicitly, taking important criteria such as quality, service, communication, and the culture of all employees. Additionally, it shows in detail the model that allows SMEs of the manufacturing sector to self-assess themselves in each dimension and in turn the degree of the business sector in which they are or belong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To aim of the paper was to describe the neurological features of the physical examination in patients with Hansen's disease who were treated in Bogotá, Colombia. We carried out a descriptive study of all patients with a Hansen's disease diagnosis treated at a referral center between 2003-2018. There were 327 eligible electronic health records (EHRs) with a final sample of 282 subjects. Leprosy was most common in males (57.45%), median age at the diagnosis was 54 years, and lesions of the lower limbs were more common (75.1%). The median time from disease onset to consult was 12 months. Most of them were classified as having lepromatous leprosy (39.7%). Pain over the median nerve trunk was the most common manifestation of disease (28%), followed by pain over the radial trunk (22%). Sensitive alterations were more common than motor ones. Specifically, the posterior tibial nerve was affected in nearly half of subjects. Dual impairment was more common in the ulnar nerve (13.8%). Some disability was apparent in 23.8% of subjects; predominantly grade 1 disability. Findings regarding age, leprosy type, and the frequency of individual nerve compromise were consistent with reports from other countries. Nerve trunk thickening was infrequent, which might be a consequence of subjectiveness in the examination and sample differences in sex distribution, degree of disability and time since disease onset. The frequency of morbidity and disability found in this sample, though low when compared with other series, fails to meet public health goals, including those limiting disability in younger subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a stochastic epidemiological model is presented as an extension of a compartmental SEIR model with random perturbations to analyze the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Bogotá D.C., Colombia. This model incorporates the spread of COVID-19 impacted by social behaviors in the population and allows for projecting the number of infected, recovered, and deceased individuals considering the mitigation measures, namely confinement and partial relaxed restrictions. Also, the role of randomness using the concept of Brownian motion is emphasized to explain the behavior of the population. Computational experiments for the stochastic model with random perturbations were performed, and the model is validated through numerical simulations for actual data from Bogotá D.C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper analyses the success factors and barriers of sustainable continuous improvement practices in terms of company's maturity level. The key factors are necessary to establish strategies that reduce the risk of improvement failure and increase the company's maturity level. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a multi-case analysis of the success factors in the implementation of continuous improvement. This lead to comparison between the factors identified from the literature review and the practice of the continuous improvement programs in four large successful companies located in Bogota, Colombia applying Bessant's maturity model. Findings: The results identified five success factors and three barriers that companies should consider while implementing sustainable continuous improvement programs. The key success factors are availability of resources; management commitment; employee participation in improvement task identification; clear and realistic objectives; and, finally, existence of a leader. The major barriers are lack of alignment between organizational and continuous improvement objectives; lack of motivation in the team; and, resistance to change. The results confirm that, in spite the high maturity, it is necessary to align the organizational and continuous improvement objectives. Research limitations/implications: Since this research is a multi-case study, it is limited in terms of results generalizability for companies of different sizes, sectors and context. The academic and practical contribution of this paper is providing a better understanding of sustainable continuous improvement practices in Latin-American emerging economies. Originality/value: The present research provides an integral analysis of the key success factors, the barriers, the level of maturity and the behaviours that the companies should implement to achieve the sustainability of continuous improvement in emerging economies such as Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the understanding that older women in Cafam Day Center (Centro Dia Cafam) of Bogotá have of their spirituality and its function in their lives. It is the result of a field investigation in which theology and nursing teachers took part. The study's purpose was to offer academic elements to improve the spiritual accompaniment of older women in the medical environment and in geriatric pastoral work. Studies of this nature underline the description of the spiritual experience of the older individual, but ignore the analysis of the spiritual quality that rules the lives of these persons. Our study analyzes the types of divine representation that support the spiritual universe of older women who attend the Cafam Day Center, the types of spirituality derived from such representations and the spiritual risks inherent to a situation in which gods and spirituality merge into a retributive dynamic of fear and obedience. The study bases itself on the theoretical dynamics of the transcendental anthropological method whose premise states that the human being is able to have a deep inner experience of God's reality, a transcendental experience that takes place with no other mediation than ourselves, while God's reality takes place in an act of self-communication. The study bases itself on the theoretical dynamics of the transcendental anthropological method whose premise states that the human being is able to have a deep inner experience of God's reality, a transcendental experience that takes place with no other mediation than ourselves, while God's reality takes place in an act of self-communication. This paper is divided in three parts: first, it presents the research method, which is followed by the explanaition of its procedure (participants and procedure implemented in the construction of data); and it concludes with the presentation of the results and some conclusions drawn from the investigative process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is the persistent increase of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) that could be caused by several pathologies. It is capable of promoting organ dysfunction, thereby increasing the mortality rate of human patients. As for cats and dogs, there are still few reports on how this pressure can be monitored and treated as a routine for admitted and hospitalized animals and on its relationship with the mortality of the patients. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to report a case of IAH secondary to chronic diaphragmatic rupture in a dog, which was treated with a temporary abdominal closure (TAC). A bitch was admitted to the veterinary hospital to undergo an elective ovariohysterectomy when it was diagnosed with a diaphragmatic rupture and displacement of the liver and intestinal loops in the chest. After repositioning these structures in the abdominal cavity, tension was observed in the abdomen. A temporary abdominal closure was then performed with a Bogota bag. Immediately after the surgery, the IAP was measured, presenting a value of 15 mmHg, indicating that there was an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. The animal was hospitalized, and IAP was monitored. After 24 hours, IAP was 5.8 mmHg when the Bogota bag was removed, and definitive celiorraphy was performed. The patient showed satisfactory clinical progress and was discharged 72 hours after the surgical procedure. The treatment used for IAH proved to be effective and contributed to the quick and satisfactory recovery of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Urban mobility is one of the most relevant themes in discussions regarding quality of life in large urban centers worldwide. It is a challenge that local governments have been facing due to a significant growth in the urban population. The purpose of this study is to analyze the changes in public transport made by the local government in the city of Bogotá, Colombia Design/methodology/approach - It is an in-depth case study of a qualitative nature, based upon primary (interviews and observation) and secondary data. Data was collected in Brazil and Colômbia. Findings - The case signaled a significant change process by improving urban mobility through the implementation of successful public policies and strategies. The findings indicated that transforming a chaotic public transport system into a point of reference in this field is a notable effort. Practical implications - This study provides insights to public administrators that manage organizations that operate complex systems and pluralistic contexts Originality/value - This paper contributes to the field by discussing a unique case study in which the administration of a large capital of a South American country promoted a substantial change in the urban mobility system, tackling obstacles and developing an efficient approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission dynamics of the coronavirus—COVID-19—have challenged humankind at almost every level. Currently, research groups around the globe are trying to figure out such transmission dynamics under special conditions such as separation policies enforced by governments. Mathematical and computational models, like the compartmental model or the agent-based model, are being used for this purpose. This paper proposes an agent-based model, called INFEKTA, for simulating the transmission of infectious diseases, not only the COVID-19, under social distancing policies. INFEKTA combines the transmission dynamic of a specific disease, (according to parameters found in the literature) with demographic information (population density, age, and genre of individuals) of geopolitical regions of the real town or city under study. Agents (virtual persons) can move, according to its mobility routines and the enforced social distancing policy, on a complex network of accessible places defined over an Euclidean space representing the town or city. The transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 under different social distancing policies in Bogotá city, the capital of Colombia, is simulated using INFEKTA with one million virtual persons. A sensitivity analysis of the impact of social distancing policies indicates that it is possible to establish a 'medium' (i.e., close 40% of the places) social distancing policy to achieve a significant reduction in the disease transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: this paper focused on: (i) developing a deterioration model based on support vector machines (SVM) from its regression approach to separate the prediction of the structural condition of sewer pipes from a classification by grades and predict the scores obtained by failures found in CCTV inspections; and (ii) comparing the prediction results of the proposed model with the ones obtained by a deterioration model based on SVM classification tasks to explore the advantages and disadvantages of their predictions from different perspectives. Materials and methods: The sewer network of Bogota wasthe case study for this work in which a dataset consisting of the characteristics of 5031 pipes inspected by CCTV (obtained by GIS) was considered, as well as information on external variables (e.g., age, sewerage, and road type). Probability density functions (PDF) were used to convert the scores given by failures found in CCTV into structural grades. In addition, three techniques were used to evaluate the predictions from different perspectives: positive likelihood rate (PLR), performance curve and deviation analysis. Results: it was found that: (i) SVM-based deterioration model used from its regression approach is suitable to predict critical structural conditions of uninspected sewer pipes because this model showed a PLR value around 6.8 (the highest value among the predictions of all structural conditions for both models) and 74 % of successful predictions for the first 100 pipes with the highest probability of being in critical conditions; and (ii) SVM-based deterioration model used from its classification approach is suitable to predict other structural conditions because this model showed homogeneous PLR values for the prediction of all structural conditions (PLR values between 1.67 and 3.88) and deviation analysis results for all structural conditions are lower than the ones for the SVM-based model from its regression approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a critical reflection on insights into the ongoing endeavours for community engagement by Ayara and MAL; two urban grassroot organisations in Bogota, Colombia, where a long history of internal conflicts has resulted in diverse human right violations. The paper presents examples of the grassroots organisations’ unique methods of engagement that promotes building collective intelligence from the bottom–up through creative collaboration and design processes, leading to rebuilding social fabrics that support the common good for the people of Bogota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzed the labor participation of recent Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. For this, a mixed methods design was used. First, some characteristics of Venezuelan migrants were compared with natives. Second, five individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with Venezuelans with informal jobs in Bogotá. Venezuelan migrants participated more in the labor force than natives. However, 9 out of 10 Venezuelan workers did not have social security, despite having more education than the natives. It suggests the existence of a segmented labor market with multiple and confluent vulnerabilities. Also, it is observed the importance of migrants' social networks to obtain a job. Finally, it is proposed to apply public policies that help migrants regularize their documentation and join formal jobs according to their skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On October 26, 2016, a large-scale mass movement occurred surrounding the Medellín-Bogotá highway, near the municipality of Copacabana. This paper investigates the physical and legal conditions of the place where the landslide occurred, and thus, to corroborate the causes, the possibility of avoiding or preventing the phenomenon and the influence of anthropic activities in the sector. To determine the susceptibility to mass movements and verify the physical conditions, it was carried out by means of geological mapping, geomorphology and interpretation of satellite images. The legal and bibliographic review was consulted in the reports of the event, the PBOT of the municipality of Copacabana and the mining file of the Cantera Las Nieves. The area was found to be highly susceptible to mass movements, and exploitation in the Cantera Las Nieves triggered the landslide, which could be avoided. Similar phenomena could occur in the near future in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses analytical applications of the business model canvas (BMC) formulated by Osterwalder & Pigneur [1]. From this model, a methodological tool was devised and used as part of an academic research project, in which the categories (blocks) of the BMC were taken as conceptual categories and further processed through a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). The specifics of reversing the business model canvas are examined, since the model was conceived for entrepreneurs and not strictly for the analysis of pre-existing companies. The application of the tool was done within the multidisciplinary mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) project 'Business dynamics of the audiovisual industry in Bogota', which was carried out from October 2017 to May 2019 at Manuela Beltran University in Bogota, Colombia. The methodological tool was applied to 32 key companies and four institutions of the local audiovisual industry through semi-structured interviews with people in managerial positions. The nine blocks of the BMC were conceptually developed to analyse the empirical data, holding them as internal variables. The assessment of the variables revealed opportunities for the growth and development of the companies and the whole industry, as well as patterns for the existing business models of the companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: An analysis of the air quality of Bogotá by identifying clouds during the period from 2013-2017 and verifying patterns of behavior between cloud formation and the concentration of particulate matter is presented. Materials and methods: The study sample includes data provided by the Bogotá Air Quality Monitoring Network (RMCAB), taking into account the concentration of particulate matter, temperature, precipitation, wind direction and wind speed. The data are compared with Landsat 8 satellite images and different combinations of spectral bands through the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) ArcGis. Results and discussion: A high model correlation is reflected in a percentage greater than 90%, presenting a greater coincidence with a periodicity of two years during the dry period; it is possible to observe that the concentration of pollutants follows the trend of the wind vector lines, and the concentration has a direct correlation with cloud formation, which is influenced by temperature, wind speed and wind direction. Conclusions: This paper provides an alternative for the measurement of particulate matter and contributes to the collection of information on this research topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Contributory factors to motorcycle crashes vary among populations depending on several aspects such as the users' profiles, the composition and density of traffic, and the infrastructure features. A better understanding of local motorcycle crashes can be reached in those places where a comprehensive analysis is performed. This paper presents the results obtained from a case study analysis of 400 police records of accidents involving motorcycles in Bogota. Method To achieve a deeper level of understanding of how these accidents occur, we propose a systemic approach that uses available crash data. The methodology is inspired by accident prototypical scenarios, a tool for analysis developed in France. Results When grouping cases we identified three categories: solo motorcycle accidents, motorcyclist and pedestrian accidents, and accidents involving a motorcycle and another vehicle. Within these categories we undertook in-depth analyses of 32 groups of accidents obtaining valuable information to better comprehend motorcyclists' road crashes in a local context. Recurrent contributory factors in the groups of accidents include: inexperienced motorcyclists, wide urban roads that incite speeding and risky overtaking maneuvers, flowing urban roads that encourage high speed and increased interaction between vehicles, and lack of infrastructure maintenance. Practical Applications The results obtained are a valuable asset to define measures that will be conveniently adapted to the group of accident on which we want to act. The methodology exposed in this paper is applicable to the study of road crashes that involve all types of actors, not only the motorcyclists, and in contexts different than those presented in Bogota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction presents a special issue on biological constraints on learning. The special issue includes a number of papers about various conceptual, methodological, empirical, and theoretical aspects of this important topic. The papers are summarized here after a brief historical and conceptual outline. The introduction ends with a discussion of some conceptual aspects of the topic. This special issue stemmed from a symposium on biological constraints on learning that was organized for the XVII Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Comparative Psychology in Bogotá, Colombia, September 2014. The symposium sought to revisit the topic of biological constraints on learning. Such is the aim of this special issue as well, guided by the conviction that the topic demands further study. Some of the most important researchers in the area were invited to contribute. Their acceptance indicates the topic's enduring importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic accidents are of worldwide concern, as they are one of the leading causes of death globally. One policy designed to cope with them is the design and deployment of road safety systems. These aim to predict crashes based on historical records, provided by new Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, to enhance traffic flow management and promote safer roads. Increasing data availability has helped machine learning (ML) to address the prediction of crashes and their severity. The literature reports numerous contributions regarding survey papers, experimental comparisons of various techniques, and the design of new methods at the point where crash severity prediction (CSP) and ML converge. Despite such progress, and as far as we know, there are no comprehensive research articles that theoretically and practically approach the model selection problem (MSP) in CSP. Thus, this paper introduces a bibliometric analysis and experimental benchmark of ML and automated machine learning (AutoML) as a suitable approach to automatically address the MSP in CSP. Firstly, 2318 bibliographic references were consulted to identify relevant authors, trending topics, keywords evolution, and the most common ML methods used in related-case studies, which revealed an opportunity for the use AutoML in the transportation field. Then, we compared AutoML (AutoGluon, Auto-sklearn, TPOT) and ML (CatBoost, Decision Tree, Extra Trees, Gradient Boosting, Gaussian Naive Bayes, Light Gradient Boosting Machine, Random Forest) methods in three case studies using open data portals belonging to the cities of Medellín, Bogotá, and Bucaramanga in Colombia. Our experimentation reveals that AutoGluon and CatBoost are competitive and robust ML approaches to deal with various CSP problems. In addition, we concluded that general-purpose AutoML effectively supports the MSP in CSP without developing domain-focused AutoML methods for this supervised learning problem. Finally, based on the results obtained, we introduce challenges and research opportunities that the community should explore to enhance the contributions that ML and AutoML can bring to CSP and other transportation areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Colombian capital, Bogotá, has undergone massive growth in a short period of time. Naturally, this growth has increased the city’s water demand. The prediction of this demand will help understand and analyze consumption behavior, thereby allowing for effective management of the urban water cycle. This paper uses the Least-Squares Support Vector Machines (LS-SVM) model for forecasting residential, industrial, and commercial water demand in the city of Bogotá. The parameters involved in this study include the following: monthly water demand, number of users, and total water consumption bills (price) for the three studied uses. Results provide evidence of the model’s accuracy, producing R2 between 0.8 and 0.98, with an error percentage under 12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), but they can play a significant role in climate change mitigation by adopting and implementing GHG emission reduction plans, policies and measures. Circular economy measures are recognized to contribute significantly to decarbonization. However, in the literature there is a lack of quantitative analyses on circular measures in cities and their impact on urban GHG emissions. The paper aims to contribute to the literature on the relation between circular cities and climate change mitigation by focusing on circular interventions applicable in three high-impact sectors in cities: energy systems, mobility and built environment, in order to investigate their impacts in terms of emission reductions and contribution to decarbonization. The study covers four cities around the world accounting for more than 10 million of inhabitants and 2,000 km2 of metropolitan area: Bogotá, Colombia; Genoa and Milan, Italy; Glasgow, UK. The methodology uses a Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) modelling approach to develop production and consumption-based emission baselines for the four cities and to assess impacts of selected circular measures in the three sectors on the baselines. According to the in-depth analysis of the four considered urban contexts, the majority of the emissions generated by activities carried out within the urban borders are emitted outside the borders in the form of emissions scope 3, thus demonstrating how today's cities are large consumers of goods produced outside their borders, requiring the use of a consumption-based approach for emissions inventory. The results on the modelling of the GHG reduction impact of circular measures show that there is a relevant emission reduction potential in Scope 1 and 2 emissions in cities and highlight the need to prioritize decarbonization of electricity supply in order to ensure relevant emission reductions across the three sectors. The results also demonstrate the potential to reduce supply-chain Scope 3 emissions through urban measures. [Display omitted] • Four different urban contexts around the world are taken in account. • Three sectors are investigated: energy, mobility and built environment. • A consumption-based emission accounting method is used to assess the effective impact of cities. • Impacts of different GHG emission reduction interventions are evaluated for each city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), but they can play a significant role in climate change mitigation by adopting and implementing GHG emission reduction plans, policies and measures. Circular economy measures are recognized to contribute significantly to decarbonization. However, in the literature there is a lack of quantitative analyses on circular measures in cities and their impact on urban GHG emissions. The paper aims to contribute to the literature on the relation between circular cities and climate change mitigation by focusing on circular interventions applicable in three high-impact sectors in cities: energy systems, mobility and built environment, in order to investigate their impacts in terms of emission reductions and contribution to decarbonization. The study covers four cities around the world accounting for more than 10 million of inhabitants and 2,000 km2 of metropolitan area: Bogotá, Colombia; Genoa and Milan, Italy; Glasgow, UK. The methodology uses a Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) modelling approach to develop production and consumption-based emission baselines for the four cities and to assess impacts of selected circular measures in the three sectors on the baselines. According to the in-depth analysis of the four considered urban contexts, the majority of the emissions generated by activities carried out within the urban borders are emitted outside the borders in the form of emissions scope 3, thus demonstrating how today's cities are large consumers of goods produced outside their borders, requiring the use of a consumption-based approach for emissions inventory. The results on the modelling of the GHG reduction impact of circular measures show that there is a relevant emission reduction potential in Scope 1 and 2 emissions in cities and highlight the need to prioritize decarbonization of electricity supply in order to ensure relevant emission reductions across the three sectors. The results also demonstrate the potential to reduce supply-chain Scope 3 emissions through urban measures. [Display omitted] • Four different urban contexts around the world are taken in account. • Three sectors are investigated: energy, mobility and built environment. • A consumption-based emission accounting method is used to assess the effective impact of cities. • Impacts of different GHG emission reduction interventions are evaluated for each city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the acceptability of the implementation of a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane in the north of Bogota (Colombia), a strategy that is compatible with the policies of the mobility master plan of the city. Although the idea of using HOV lanes dates back to the 70's, it is still a valid alternative which is widely documented that produces positive impacts on travel times, accident rates, greenhouse emissions, among others. The study is based on discrete choice survey experiments which allowed calibrating a multinomial logit model. The calibrated model indicated that the acceptability of the HOV lane is very sensitive to travel times experienced by current car users. The model also identified the segment of the population with the highest acceptability for the proposal, which would consist of women over 31 years old, who travel for purposes related to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global contribution of all kinds of organizations to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is noteworthy. Calculating, reporting, reducing, and compensating for carbon footprints are the appropriate steps to take to guide companies toward a path that is compatible with their country's objectives for the fulfillment of the Paris Agreement. In Latin American countries, carbon footprint reporting is limited and incipient. This paper aims to start closing this gap by assessing the carbon footprint of a university operating in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Based on a city input-output table (IOT) nested in a multiregional input-output (MRIO) table framework, we estimate the three categories of the carbon footprint (scopes 1, 2, and 3) identified by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol using an improved multiregional tiered hybrid analysis of the university's energy and other input expenditures. Our results show that 94% of the entire institution's footprint is attributed to scope 3, which represents indirect emissions linked to the upstream value chain. The results allow us to identify emission hotspots and their impact on the supply chain, which can be helpful for reducing costs and encouraging organizations, users, and suppliers to make more sustainable decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first systematic atmospheric corrosion assessment in Bogota. Main facts about the study are related with special characteristics of the City, such as population (more than eight million inhabitants), and altitude (2600 m over the sea level). Relative humidity, temperature, and sulphate dioxide (SO2) concentration were measured. Simultaneously, corrosion rate of AISI-SAE 1006 plain steel was measured throughout a year. Results show that atmospheric corrosion is between low and medium levels, C2-C3, according to the ISO 9223 standard. Nevertheless, estimations from meteorological parameters produce lower corrosivity and, taking into account SO2 concentrations, corrosivity in places with higher relative humidity, are higher than corrosivity measured on steel coupons. In general, the main pollution problem is particulate matter, but higher corrosion rates were directly associated with SO2 levels. Gaps between found results and international estimation methodologies are evident. Some relative explanations are proposed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parking lots in most major cities service at least two very distinct types of (market) segments: the first one, comprised of non-subscribed (drive-in) customers that pay variable (higher) fees according to their time in the lot; and the second one, comprised of subscribed customers who pay a fixed (flat) discounted rate. Thus, parking lot operators face the decision of how many subscriptions to sell in order to maximize their revenue, taking into account that denial of service (lack of available parking spots) produces negative effects on their long-term success. In this paper, we develop an approximate solution for this problem based on integer programming and discrete-event simulation techniques and apply our approach to a case study in the city of Bogotá. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The bulk of existing work on the statistical forecasting of air quality is based on either neural networks or linear regressions, which are both subject to important drawbacks. In particular, while neural networks are complicated and prone to in-sample overfitting, linear regressions are highly dependent on the specification of the regression function. The present paper shows how combining linear regression forecasts can be used to circumvent all of these problems. The usefulness of the proposed combination approach is verified using both Monte Carlo simulation and an extensive application to air quality in Bogota, one of the largest and most polluted cities in Latin America. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current demand of Bogota's BRT system (TransMilenio) is causing critical overcrowding throughout the system, particularly in bus stations. The behaviour of individual passengers in such stations is simplistic, yet the resulting crowd dynamics are complex, as the majority of regular users of the system may attest. Discrete models such as cellular automata have proved helpful in simulating simplistic-local vs. complex-global behaviour in similar contexts. Thus, the aim of this study is to characterise a cellular automata model of a TransMilenio station that may serve as a tool to help us better understanding these dynamics, and also as a test-bed for the proposal of mitigation strategies. The paper describes representations and algorithmic aspects of the model and presents preliminary simulations that demonstrate the feasibility of the discussed considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic accident detection is an important strategy governments can use to implement policies intended to reduce accidents. They usually use techniques such as image processing, RFID devices, among others. Social network mining has emerged as a low-cost alternative. However, social networks come with several challenges such as informal language and misspellings. This paper proposes a method to extract traffic accident data from Twitter in Spanish. The method consists of four phases. The first phase establishes the data collection mechanisms. The second consists of vectorially representing the messages and classifying them as accidents or non-accidents. The third phase uses named entity recognition techniques to detect the location. In the fourth phase, locations pass through a geocoder that returns their geographic coordinates. This method was applied to Bogota city and the data on Twitter were compared with the official traffic information source; comparisons showed some influence of Twitter on the commercial and industrial area of the city. The results reveal how effective the information on accidents reported on Twitter can be. It should therefore be considered as a source of information that may complement existing detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the development of a CNC micro-lathe concept, continuing with the research in the development of machine tool prototypes by LATEMM. A micromachining center developed in 2004-2005 at Universidad de los Andes was studied, and based on the results obtained, a new prototype was proposed. The motivation behind the design and construction of this machine tool was to achieve higher precision in the machining process compared with conventional turning produced in macro machine tools. A machine, with spindle rotation speed up to 300 000 rpm was achieved, the cutting tool moves in two axes through step motors connected to worm gear reductions, thus resolution of 1µm is achieved. The interpolator was programmed based on DDA integration. The machine was set under a stereoscope to visualize the machining operations with zoom up to 30X. Micromachining was reached adopting NC control and it was possible to characterize micro-turned cortical bone samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries, lack of sanitation coverage and continuously growing populations are increasing the pressures on receiving waters. In the context of Bogotá (Colombia), this paper presents an overview of earlier, recent and ongoing research towards improved management of urban drainage systems using an integrated modeling framework. Research results have shown that there is a need to assess the urban drainage system as one entity, when considering pollution control objectives, and optimum management and operation. This holistic approach offers an opportunity to investigate the interactions among sub-systems and the impact of the whole system on the river water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the evidence regarding the association between air pollution and health comes from studies in the USA. Nevertheless, air pollution has become a concern also for local authorities of Latin-American cities and Bogotá, Colombia is no exception. This paper will develop a model to define a concentration-response function between three of the most important air pollutants in Bogotá and the daily respiratory hospital admission counts in the city during the year of 1998. This article pretends to further work on this area by giving the first step towards a more detailed estimation of the costs of air pollution in Bogotá. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: This descriptive study identified health behaviors practiced by lOth-grade students enrolled in public schools in Bogota Colombia. A modified version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey assessed the health-related behaviors of 1,730 students. In this paper data for tobacco, alcohol, and psychoactive substances use are discussed. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine statistical significance among selected behavioral risk areas and the independent variables that were nominally scaled. Data from the study revealed a high use of gateway substances (tobacco and alcohol) among high school students in Bogota but lower usage, when compared to US students, of other mind-altering substance such as marijuana, inhalants, and cocaine. (J Sch Health. 2000;70(9):377-380) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the PM10 concentrations and influences of atmospheric condition (AC) and land coverage (LC) on a high-pollution megacity (Bogota, Colombia) from a public health viewpoint. Information of monitoring stations equipped with measuring devices for PM10/temperature/solar-radiation/wind-speed were used. The research period lasted eight years (2007–2014). AC and LC were determined after comparing daily PM10 concentrations (DPM10) to reference limits published by the World Health Organization (WHO). ARIMA models for DPM10 were also developed. The results indicated that urban sectors with lower atmospheric instability (AI) had a 2.85% increase in daily mortality (DM) in relation to sectors with greater AI. In these sectors of lower AI, impervious LC predominated, instead of vegetated LC. An ARIMA analysis revealed that a greater extent of impervious LC around a station led to a greater effect on previous days' DPM10 concentrations. Extreme PM10 episodes persisted for up to two days. Extreme pollution episodes were probably also preceded by low mixing-layer heights (between 722–1085 m). The findings showed a 13.0% increase in WHO standard excesses (PE) for each 10 µg/m3 increase in DPM10, and a 0.313% increase in DM for each 10% increase in PE. The observed average reduction of 14.8% in DPM10 (−0.79% in DM) was probably due to 40% restriction of the traffic at peak hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The seismic and wind behavior of permeable façades is experimentally evaluated. • Tests assess components and overall performance of the façade. • The research includes static and dynamic tests of full-scale specimens. • For design purposes, an amplification factor is proposed. • Results demonstrate a good global behavior of the façade (with periodic maintenance). In building engineering, non-structural components represent a significant cost of the overall budget of a construction project. However, in many cases their design is essentially based on architectural criteria rather than on structural performance mainly because the structure stability does not necessary rely on them. Among nonstructural elements, façades are one of the most visible and expensive components where innovation is very popular. Permeable cable-supported façades are a recent frontage proposal designed to allow not only flexible exterior finishes, but also the flow of natural light and the apparent building transformation according to the daytime and light; however, their structural performance for wind and earthquake loads is still a subject of research. This paper, for the first time, experimentally evaluates the wind and seismic behavior of these type of façades. A five-step comprehensive approach is proposed for the evaluation of cable-supported masonry facades including field and laboratory tests. In the first step, the individual capacity of the connections and materials of the system is evaluated under standardized and non-standardized procedures. The next step consisted in quantifying the fundamental vibration periods and the modal shapes of the façade system including the effect of the border and hanging conditions. The following phase is to estimate the wind load using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In order to understand the effect of the wind at the different scales of the structure, simulations are performed starting with few bricks and progressively increasing the size of the computational model until assessing the entire building. These analyses allow understanding how the micro and macro components distribution and geometry can affect the wind in-and-out-flow and the possibility of vortexes. Then, a full-scale experimental sub-assembly specimen of a representative module of the façade is subjected to uniformly distributed pressures; the setup considered the border conditions, tension loads, and actual materials. Finally, the seismic assessment phase includes a simplified non-linear procedure to calculate critical accelerations at the building roof, and shaking-table tests of full-scale specimens subjected to these demands. The proposed methodology is apply to a case study consisting on a 40-m height permeable façade of the 12-story Santafe Foundation Hospital located in Bogota (Colombia). The main conclusions of this study are: (1) the dynamic properties of the system mainly rely on the cable tensioning and mass of the system; (2) fundamental vibration frequencies of the façade are much higher than wind demands, so no wind-related amplifications are expected; (3) the façade porosity avoids that high wind pressures may be developed; and (4) for design level earthquakes no major damage is expected. Overall, results show an appropriate performance of this type of façades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the impact of active demand–side management strategies, including Energy Management Systems (EMS), Photovoltaic Systems (PV) and changes in the domiciliary energy consumption habits is analyzed. In order to perform the study, the city of Bogota and the municipality of Cajica in Colombia -South America were selected, since, despite of their proximity, these places are exposed to different solar radiation levels. Based on this, two photovoltaic system designs with different technical specifications were proposed to analyze their behavior with respect to energy consumption and cost, when implemented together with a change of domiciliary energy consumption habits in lightning circuit usage. The implementation of these strategies allows achieving energy savings between 18 % and 27 %, according to the chosen photovoltaic system, and mainly due to changes in the energy consumption habits of users. Likewise, the interconnected system achieves a decrease of CO 2 emissions between 85 % and 86 % approximately in this circuit, making a contribution to the environmental care. Nevertheless, the Active demand-side management (ADSM) strategy regulation is one of the challenges that Colombian government must undertake, so the domestic user receives economic incentives that motivate him to modify his consumption and acquire new technologies that facilitates its adoption. The implementation of this strategies in national and international contexts may contribute significantly to a more efficient electric power systems in general, because it starts from the active participation of residential users with elements such as their own electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) is the practice of capturing and storing stormwater for later use. In addition to being an alternative source of water for non-potable applications, RWH is also used to effectively reduce stormwater runoff volumes and pollutant loads dropped into sewage systems. RWH is typically carried out by placing a variety of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in different locations of the urban landscape. However, because of the staggering number of potential combinations of SUDS typologies and spatial configurations that can be used, identifying a strategy that optimally selects and allocates SUDS to maximize the benefits of RWH is a complex endeavor. One of the challenges that emerges during the optimal design and location of these systems is incorporating the inherent uncertainty of the rainfall. In this paper, we develop a flexible computational framework that couples a Geographic Information System (GIS) with a two-stage stochastic mixed integer linear program (TS-MILP) to select and locate SUDS in order to minimize the use of potable water for irrigation and reduce the water runoff at a minimum cost. This framework incorporates an iterative participatory approach to engage stakeholders in the decision-making process. We tested the proposed methodology on a case study for the central campus at Universidad de Los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia). Our results showed that the expected value of the total runoff volume and the consumption of potable water can be reduced up to 67% and 50%, respectively. • A flexible computational framework to select and allocate SUDS was developed. • The objectives are minimizing the use of potable water for irrigation and reducing the water runoff at a minimum cost. • A Geographic Information System (GIS) is coupled with a two-stage stochastic mixed integer linear program (TS-MILP). • The proposed methods can be easily adapted to incorporate a wide variety of stakeholder requirements or preferences. • An iterative participatory approach is used to include stakeholders in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitigation and prevention of environmental impacts is still a challenge for most companies, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The literature shows that researchers are paying attention to the concept of eco-efficiency, and that companies are making significant efforts to develop sustainable methodologies, as a result of consumer pressure or for government enforcement reasons. However, there is still a lack of concrete initiatives implemented at SME level. The aim of this paper is to present a conceptual framework that may be used to examine to what extent SMEs understand the eco-efficiency concept and implement sustainability strategies. This has been achieved through the identification of the following four specific factors: availability of an environmental management system, environmental knowledge, organizational culture, and environmental monitoring and control. The limitations and research gaps in the specific context have been analyzed, and a conceptual framework that allows the eco-efficiency implementation to be assessed has been proposed. An exploratory study has been carried out on 17 wood industry SMEs from Bogotá, Colombia. The results show that most SMEs are unaware of the existing sustainability strategies and environmental practices. Nevertheless, all the SMEs agreed that the environment requires more attention and they are therefore interested in sustainability strategies to help decrease their negative impact and increase their cost-effectiveness and competitiveness. Image 102748 • A conceptual framework to assess the eco-efficiency level in SMEs is presented. • Environmental management strategies and managerial orientations are considered. • The framework was applied to examine Colombian SMEs in the wood sector. • The results show that efforts to implement sustainability strategies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Armed conflict in Colombia has a history of 50 years that continues to this day. According to the Victims Record of Colombia, from 1985 to 2013 2.683.335 women have been victims of the armed conflict. Women have been described as the main victims of the armed conflict, especially in the Colombian cultural context that in some regions is still considered to be a 'machista' and patriarchal one. In contrast, some authors have explicitly stressed Colombian women's agency instead of positioning them only as victims. Some of them are described as 'survivors' of the war, emphasizing their impressive resistance to the outcomes of war and forced displacement. In contrast to the background of these scholarly discussions, our study focused on how displaced women living in Bogotá themselves articulate their experiences of agency and victimization. This paper will therefore explore how women, in reconstructing their life stories, expressed the tussles between victimization and agency. Methods: We used qualitative methods conducted within an ethnographic approach. Based on ten years of experience in the neighborhood and one year of fieldwork, we collected the life stories of twenty internally displaced mothers, and ran eight workshops with them. We analyzed the narratives with a specific focus on how women expressed victimization and agency in four important periods in their life that related to the process of displacement: when they left home, when they became pregnant, when they were forced to leave their towns, and when they arrived in Bogotá. Results: Participants' life stories showed how they struggled with agency during their lives. They were victims of abuse and violence during childhood and finally decided to leave their homes. They decided to have their babies despite the fact that they were abandoned by their partners and families, and after doubts about and attempts to have an abortion. Throughout the process of displacement the participants had been engaged in ambiguous relationships with armed groups. Finally they arrived in Bogotá and faced adverse circumstances but were looking for better opportunities for them and their children. Conclusion: The analysis of how internally displaced women narrated their life stories showed us that the concepts that dominate scholarly debates about agency, victimization and survivorship do not do justice to the life stories of the participants in our study. These stories show that changes with a major impact were loaded with ambiguity and were characterized by helplessness, lack of control and agency simultaneously. The reconstruction of these life stories goes beyond the stereotype of displaced women as only 'victims', but points also to their agency and courageous decisions they made in contexts that were not controlled by them and where support was often lacking. Instead of label them, it is important to understand the complexity of the life experiences of IDW, in order to build policies that offer them aids as victims, but also build policies and intervention programs that empower them as agents in order to support them during resettlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the design of medium and long-term management alternatives for urban waste generated in cities, precisely forecasting urban solid waste generation rates in order to minimize its resulting environmental impacts is of the utmost importance. This paper presents a comparative analysis of three artificial intelligence modeling tools to forecast solid waste generation in the city of Bogotá, for which significant increases in the quantities of waste produced are expected in the coming years. The first model used to analyze data was the decision tree through machine learning, which is a non-parametric algorithm that models data separation limitations based on learning decision rules on the input characteristics of the model. Support vector machines were the second method implemented as a forecasting model, which are based on local separation functions of information, called "KERMES." These functions interpose a plane separation between a set of nearby data (local) and its separation flexibility depends on the type of function. Lastly, recurrent neural network models to forecast data were implemented, which have yielded positive results. The design of their architecture is useful in exploring temporal correlations among the same. Python was used to carry out the data analysis and implement the forecasting models. Notebooks technology was employed to visualize and display the data, which codes interactive digital files that envelop both the models' code and description, while visualizing the results obtained, which facilitates the analysis and manipulation of the information contained therein. Information in these types of tools may be analyzed separately and correlated among the same. This comparative behavioral analysis of models led to the determination that, for this type of forecasting with a limited amount of data, support vector machines are more efficient given the type and quantity of available information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the changes that have been produced in the temperature, humidity, precipitation, and edaphic parameters due to the presence of vertical gardens in the wetland "La Vaca" in Bogotá (Colombia). There are some conflicts in this wetland regarding the uses of the land due to the illegal urbanization settlements in flood-prone zones; to which a loss of the natural space of the wetland and the effects of climate warming is added. For this reason, vertical gardens are presented as an alternative for the solution to the aforementioned problems, since their implementation can act as a control barrier to possible floods considering their properties of water retention and temperature control. This work also sets its sight on knowing what changes have been produced in the environmental variables mentioned before with the presence of vertical gardens, and also on studying its temporal and spatial variability in the environment of the study area. The investigation begins with the installation of three vertical gardens with floating vegetation systems, installation of drip irrigation, and organic fertilizer built from the invasive vegetation of the wetlands. Subsequently, in the absence of vertical gardens, control areas are proposed for comparison with climatic and edaphic measurements. Finally, different statistical analyzes are performed, such as the comparison of means with parametric and non-parametric tests, among others, to determine spatial differences, and the changes that have been produced in time series. Vertical gardens are an alternative of "green growth" that make it possible to restore green areas and Riparian Buffer Zones in wetlands, using the resources of the environment to reduce costs in possible floods and the effects that are generated by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article gives information about the Second IEEE Andean Regional Conference, which was held in Bogotá, Colombia during 10-13 August 2004. It was successfully accomplished by the interchange and discussion of advances and developments in the fields of electronics, bioengineering, telecommunications, computing and electric power technologies, among professionals, industrials, business leaders, and researchers from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The conference consisted of plenary sessions, lectures conducted by outstanding international professionals, roundtable discussions, paper expositions, a poster show, an industrial and sponsors exhibition, and tutorials for each of the five technical areas covered in this event. The communications area received more than 40 submissions, 12 of which were selected as papers and four as posters.