Search

The wastewater treatment at paper industry that uses recycled fibers as one of its raw materials generates a sludge rich in cellulose fibers, which once dehydrated is called "paper waste". This waste has become an environmental problem because of its high generation rate. Although several alternatives of valorization have been studied, in Medellin none of them has been implemented on an industrial scale; the necessity is still there, that is why the land disposal of this waste appears as the most immediate way to manage it. Combined with the problem of disposition, it is the selection of the suitable site to make it, for which a methodology to be applied in the evaluation and selection of the optative sites for the disposition of remainders of paper industry was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to identify complementary strategies for urban freight logistics in a low emission zone (LEZ) that can be implemented in downtown Medellin, Colombia. The strategies will be executed by identifying the characteristics and problems of the business establishments in the area and the entrepreneurs’ opinions. Design/methodology/approach: First, a literature review is performed to identify global and complementary strategies for the future LEZ, which is the study subject. Then, a “pilot” zone (a main corridor) of downtown Medellín is selected, and the business establishments of the area are identified to spot problems and evaluate possible strategies for the future LEZ. This identification and evaluation phase is conducted by interviewing logistics managers in 105 establishments selected in the corridor for analysis. Findings: One of the outstanding findings concerns the specificity of the logistics and mobility problems in downtown Medellin, located in Colombia, a developing country. The main issues are traffic congestion, lack of regulation and control in loading and unloading areas, as well as inadequate infrastructure for these operations. These obstacles significantly impact business activities and air quality in the area. The proposed solutions to complement the LEZ strategy for freight transport focus on improving regulation, establishing specific loading and unloading areas, exploring sustainable transportation options such as the cargo bike, and supporting small and medium-sized businesses. This emphasizes the situation’s complexity and the need for a comprehensive approach to address these logistical and environmental challenges. Originality/value: This study analyses urban freight logistics strategies that complement the traffic flow restriction policies imposed by low-emission zones. Unlike other studies that address these two issues independently, this paper specifically examines how to improve a LEZ as a comprehensive strategy to reduce the environmental impact of freight transport. In addition, it is noted that most publications tend to focus on passenger mobility strategies, which highlights the potential for research in the freight logistics field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Innovar: Revista de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents a methodology to estimate the multidimensional poverty index using spatial data at the street block level. The data used in this study were obtained from Open Street Maps and ESA's land use cover, which are freely available sources of spatial information. The study employs five machine-learning algorithms, including Catboost, Lightboost, and Random Forest, to estimate the multidimensional poverty index with spatial granularity. The results indicate that these models achieve promising performance in predicting poverty levels in Medellín, Colombia. The results showed that the Random Forest algorithm achieved the highest performance, with an MAE of 0.07504. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the multidimensional poverty estimate was highly correlated with the true values of the distribution. This work contributes to predicting multidimensional poverty by demonstrating the potential of machine learning algorithms to utilize accessible spatial data. By providing evidence of the feasibility of estimating poverty levels at a granular spatial level, this methodology offers a powerful tool for policymakers to make poverty social interventions with low-cost evidence. Furthermore, this study has important implications for poverty eradication efforts in developing countries, where access to reliable data remains challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the problem regarding the optimal operation of photovoltaic (PV) generation sources in AC distribution networks with a single-phase structure, taking into consideration different objective functions. The problem is formulated as a multi-period optimal power flow applied to AC distribution grids, which generates a nonlinear programming (NLP) model with a non-convex structure. Three different objective functions are considered in the optimization model, each optimized using a single-objective function approach. These objective functions are (i) an operating costs function composed of the energy purchasing costs at the substation bus, added with the PV maintenance costs; (ii) the costs of energy losses; and (iii) the total CO2 emissions at the substation bus. All these functions are minimized while considering a frame of operation of 24 h, i.e., in a day-ahead operation environment. To solve the NLP model representing the studied problem, the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) and its SNOPT solver are used. Two different test feeders are used for all the numerical validations, one of them adapted to the urban operation characteristics in the Metropolitan Area of Medellín, which is composed of 33 nodes, and the other one adapted to isolated rural operating conditions, which has 27 nodes and is located in the department of Chocó, Colombia (municipality of Capurganá). Numerical comparisons with multiple combinatorial optimization methods (particle swarm optimization, the continuous genetic algorithm, the Vortex Search algorithm, and the Ant Lion Optimizer) demonstrate the effectiveness of the GAMS software to reach the optimal day-ahead dispatch of all the PV sources in both distribution grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the scope for upscaling and transnational transfer of participatory landslide risk management strategies for informal settlements in Latin America. Drawing on lessons from transdisciplinary action-research in three neighbourhoods in Medellín, Colombia, and one in São Paulo, Brazil, the paper discusses how bottom-up approaches were developed to co-produce landslide risk management in both Global South cities, in a way that optimises the collaboration between communities and relevant governmental bodies. The analysis focuses on mitigation and 'agreement-seeking', from the perspectives of scale, power and knowledge, which help understand the parallels between co-production of landslide risk management and co-production of urban services. Two key conclusions are that landslide risk management should be built into neighbourhood upgrading and management, and that both community and the state have stronger roles to play in landslide risk management from their respective capacities. The paper also reflects on the role of academia in enabling co-production of landslide risk management through engaging with local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the optimal sizing of islanded microgrids (MGs), which use diesel generators to supply energy in off-grid areas. The MG under study integrates photovoltaic (PV) and diesel generation, a battery energy storage System (BESS), and an inverter for the connection between AC and DC voltage buses. Levelised cost of energy (LCOE) and annual system cost (ASC) are considered economic indicators, while the loss of power supply probability (LPSP) is used as a reliability indicator. Fiscal incentives such as the tax benefits and accelerated depreciation applied in Colombia are considered for the optimally sizing of each MG element. Solar measurements were taken at a weather station located in the main campus of Universidad de Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia at a latitude of 6.10 and longitude of −75.38. The objective function is the minimization of the total energy delivered from the power sources that successfully meets the load. The model was implemented in Python programming language considering several scenarios. Two cases were evaluated: the first one considered PV panels, a BESS and a diesel generator, while the second one only considered PV panels and a BESS. The option that does not include the diesel generator turned out to be the most expensive, since additional PV and BESS resources are required to meet the load profile. Furthermore, it was found that the LCOE was lower when tax benefits were taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Derecho del Estado is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Semestre Económico is the property of Sello Editorial de la Universidad de Medellin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is widely acknowledged that disaster risk reduction is a development issue best addressed locally with community involvement, as an integral part of local development. Yet there are many constraints and realities that complicate the attainment of this ideal. This paper reviews the experience in disaster risk reduction in a range of cities, including Manizales, Colombia, which has integrated risk reduction into its development plan and its urban environmental management. The city government has also established an insurance programme for buildings that provides coverage for low-income households. The paper further describes and discusses the experiences of other city governments, including those of Santa Fe in Argentina and Medellín in Colombia. It emphasizes how, in order to be effective, disaster risk reduction has to be driven locally and must include the involvement of communities at risk as well as local governments. It also has to be integrated into development and land use management. But the paper emphasizes how these key local processes need support from higher levels of government and, very often, inter-municipal cooperation. Political or administrative boundaries seldom coincide with the areas where risk reduction needs to be planned and implemented. The paper also includes some discussion of innovations in national systems and funds to support local disaster risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Colombia is now projecting a new, positive image to the world after overcoming a past characterised by politically inspired guerrilla warfare and violent conflict with narco-trafficking cartels which had ravaged the country for decades. Even before the country's transformation, other intermediate place institutions - cities and regions - had already taken significant steps towards territorial change and marketing. This paper outlines the processes involved in urban and social transformation in the city of Medellín and in the marketing of the coffee region, as illustrative cases of city re-branding and regional branding, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There are several risk factors associated with developing mental disorders among people over 60 years of age. Mental health encompasses multiple domains or capacities, which can comprise the psychological wellbeing of older people. Therefore, resilient coping, self-compassion, self-esteem, hopelessness, quality of life, and depression are considered the characteristics and adaptive mechanisms that bring together the main risk and protective factors for imbalance in mental wellbeing. Objective: This study aimed to establish the demographic, social, and family factors, as well as the clinical characteristics and lifestyle habits that influence the mental health of the elderly people in the city of Medellin, in the year 2021, to build a mental health index. Methodology: This study adopts a quantitative approach, employs retrospective temporality, and utilizes secondary sources. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with the SABAM Project (health and mental wellbeing of older adults from five cities in Colombia in 2021 by its Spanish acronym) database (secondary source), which is part of the research group "Public Health Observatory" of CES University (Medellin, Colombia). The database comprised 500 records of people aged over 60 years from the city of Medellin in 2021. While constructing the index, a principal component analysis was used, along with the Varimax method for factor analysis rotation. Results: The median age of the general population was 67 years (IQR 6372); for men, the median age was 66 years (IQR 63-71) and for women, the median age was 67 years (IQR 63-72). An association was found between low socioeconomic levels, alcohol consumption, and the level of higher education (university--postgraduate) with low levels of the Mental Health Index in people over 60 years of age in Medellin during the year 2021. Conclusion: A quantitative model was developed to predict either a positive or negative prognosis in the mental wellbeing of the population over 60 years of age in the city of Medellin. The model was also used for the development of a sociodemographic profile highlighting the impact on mental health among people over 60 years of age with limited economic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Applied Economics / Economía Aplicada is the property of FEA-RP, Universidade de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios de Derecho is the property of Estudios de Derecho and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios de Derecho is the property of Estudios de Derecho and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Derecho del Estado is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Air pollution includes particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which eventually reach the placenta, triggering adverse perinatal outcomes through long-term exposure. Lately, air pollution has increased over the Metropolitan Area of Medellin-Colombia (MAMC), but its effects on pregnancy are still unknown. In this research, a real-time analysis of total airborne PAHs was made using a photoelectric sensor for residential places influenced by the industrial and traffic sources affecting the southern and northern MAMC during the second peak of the bimodal tendency for PM2.5 emissions in this region. Additionally, individual PAHs were analyzed by GC/MS coupled with pressurized hot water extraction methodology. The data were applied using an inhalation intake model to assess pregnancy exposure. The average concentration of PAHs in the southern MAMC was three times higher than in the northern MAMC, where the missed abortion rate has been 1.4 times higher according to the database. Previous research indicates that PAHs act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during pregnancy and that even heavy congeners could reside in umbilical cord blood. Finally, the annual series of missed abortion rates in the MAMC exhibited a significant correlation with the annual average levels of PM2.5, which were associated with PAHs through correlation analysis (r2 = 0.69, p < 0.01). While this significant correlation does not imply causality, our results suggest an important connection between both variables, opening a gap for a deeper understanding of how regions with high PAH convergence influence the missed abortion rates in MAMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies in the West suggest that tombstone cost is associated with longevity. The objective of this observational study was to investigate the association between tombstone cost and longevity in a large cemetery in Latin America. Methods: Age at death was obtained from 2,273 consecutive death certificates held at the San Pedro Cemetery Museum in Medellín in Colombia. Subjects died in 2022, 2021, or 2020. Tombs are arranged in galleries in the cemetery and tombstone cost was based on the material from which the tombstone was made, its position in the gallery, and its ornamentation. Analysis of variance was used and the assumption of equal variance was not violated. Results: Approximately 77% of tombstones were of low cost, 21% of medium cost, and 2% of high cost. Data from 1,751 subjects were used to investigate differences in longevity according to tombstone cost while adjusting for sex, civil status, violent death, and year of death. Longevity was similar in the low-cost group and medium-cost group: 64.3 years (63.2, 65.3) versus 63.3 years (61.3, 65.3) [estimated mean (95% confidence interval)]. Longevity was lower in the high-cost group: 47.0 years (40.1, 53.9). Conclusions: The inverse association between tombstone cost and longevity would suggest that people in Medellín are inclined to spend more on tombstones when commemorating the tragic death of a young person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ánfora is the property of Universidad Autonoma de Manizales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Landslides are socio-natural hazards. In Colombia, for example, these are the most frequent hazards. The interplay of climate change and the mostly informal growth of cities in landslide-prone areas increases the associated risks. Landslide early warning systems (LEWSs) are essential for disaster risk reduction, but the monitoring component is often based on expensive sensor systems. This study presents a data-driven approach to localize landslide-prone areas suitable for low-cost and easy-to-use LEWS instrumentation, as well as to estimate the associated costs. The approach is exemplified in the landslide-prone city of Medellín, Colombia. A workflow that enables decision-makers to balance financial costs and the potential to protect exposed populations is introduced. To achieve this, city-level landslide susceptibility is mapped using data on hazard levels, landslide inventories, geological and topographic factors, and a random forest model. Then, the landslide susceptibility map is combined with a population density map to identify highly exposed areas. Subsequently, a cost function is defined to estimate the cost of LEWS monitoring sensors at the selected sites, using lessons learned from a pilot LEWS in Bello Oriente, a neighbourhood in Medellín. This study estimates that LEWS monitoring sensors could be installed in several landslide-prone areas with a budget ranging from EUR 5 to EUR 41 per person (roughly COP 23 000 to 209 000), improving the resilience of over 190 000 exposed individuals, 81 % of whom are located in precarious neighbourhoods; thus, the systems would particularly reduce the risks of a social group of very high vulnerability. The synopsis of all information allows us to provide recommendations for stakeholders on where to proceed with LEWS instrumentation. These are based on five different cost-effectiveness scenarios. This approach enables decision-makers to prioritize LEWS deployment to protect exposed populations while balancing the financial costs, particularly for those in precarious neighbourhoods. Finally, the limitations, challenges, and opportunities for the successful implementation of a LEWS are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of HiSTOReLo: Revista de Historia Regional y Local is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Centro Editorial Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Economicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal is the property of Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Universitas Humanística is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Gerencia y Políticas de Salud is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Anagramas is the property of Editorial Universidad de Medellin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuadernos de Administración (01203592) is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista EIA is the property of Escuela de Ingenieria de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Antípoda is the property of Universidad de los Andes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista EIA is the property of Escuela de Ingenieria de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Theologica Xaveriana is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The sources of aggregates for construction materials in the area surrounding Medellín, Western Colombia, are experiencing a significant decrease due to the depletion of their resources and reserves and the policies of land use in territorial planning. The objective of this study is to identify and assess the potential sources of aggregates for the construction industry in Medellín. A lithological characterization is made in the field and laboratory tests are performed to determine the physical and chemical behaviour of the rocks in the lithostratigraphic units. The study allowed us to define the properties and quality of rocks and to map sand and gravel in unconsolidated deposits in the weathering zone of granitic rocks and in stratified rocks. The results allowed us to define the preliminary physical and chemical quality of these rocks and assess their potential as raw material for use in the construction industry. This work constitutes a tool for civil and mining authorities in making decisions on land-use policies and the proper use of resources in the face of the growth and demand requirements of these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety net programs, common in settings with high informality like Latin America, often use a means test to establish eligibility. We ask: in settings in which organised crime provides lucrative opportunities in the informal market, will discouraging formal employment via benefits eligibility criteria increase criminal enterprise activity? We link administrative socioeconomic microdata with the universe of arrests in Medellín over a decade, and exploit exogenous variation in formal-sector employment around a socioeconomic-score cutoff, below which individuals receive generous benefits if not formally employed. Regression discontinuity estimates confirm this policy reduced formal-sector employment and generated a corresponding increase in arrests associated with organised crime. We do not find increases for crimes unlikely to be associated with organised entities, such as crimes of impulse or opportunity. Effects on arrests are strongest in neighbourhoods where organised crime is most prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collecting and interpreting self-reported outcomes among people with hemophilia A supports the understanding of the burden of the disease and its treatment to improve holistic care. However, in Colombia, this information is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the knowledge, perception and burden of hemophilia A from the patients' perspective. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the context of a hemophilia educational bootcamp held from November 29th to December 1st, 2019, in Medellin, Colombia. The bootcamp was organized by a hemophilia patient association responsible for contacting and inviting patients with hemophilia A (PwHA). Information on patients' health beliefs, treatment experiences, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was obtained through focus groups, individual interviews and the Patient Reported Outcomes, Burdens and Experiences (PROBE) questionnaire. A total of 25 moderate or severe PwHA were enrolled in this study and completed the PROBE questionnaire. Acute pain was the most frequently reported symptom, with 88% of the patients reporting the use of pain medication. Difficulty with activities of daily living was reported by 48%. Furthermore, 52% reported having more than 2 spontaneous bleeding events in the last year. Treatment was administered at home for 72% of patients, with regular prophylaxis as the most common treatment regimen. In terms of overall HRQoL, the median EQ-5D VAS score was 80 (IQR: 50–100). PwHA in Colombia still suffer from disease complications related to bleeding events, pain and disability that affect their HRQoL, which highlights the need to develop patient-centered initiatives to improve the wellness of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is considered a reemerging disease-causing agent in domestic dogs because it presents high divergence among circulating strains worldwide. In Colombia, the South America-3 and South America/North America-4 lineages co-circulate in domestic dogs, both in the Medellin metropolitan area. In this paper, two full CDV genomes from each viral lineage circulating in Medellin were sequenced; we explored the phylogenetic relationship with the available genome sequences; we described the presence of CDV mutations in the South America-3 and South America/North America-4 lineages associated with adaptation to human cells and a crossing of the species barrier and pathogenicity; and we established the evolutionary rates and time of the closest common ancestor for each gene and characterized the presentation of multiple genomic sites by positive selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document presents a master–slave methodology for solving the problem of optimal operation of photovoltaic (PV) distributed generators (DGs) in direct current (DC) networks. This problem was modeled using a nonlinear programming model (NLP) that considers the minimization of three different objective functions in a daily operation of the system. The first one corresponds to the minimization of the total operational cost of the system, including the energy purchasing cost to the conventional generators and maintenance costs of the PV sources; the second objective function corresponds to the reduction of the energy losses associated with the transport of energy in the network, and the third objective function is related to the minimization of the total emissions of CO 2 by the conventional generators installed on the DC grid. The minimization of these objective functions is achieved by using a master–slave optimization approach through the application of the Vortex Search algorithm combined with a matrix hourly power flow. To evaluate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach, two test scenarios were used, which correspond to a grid-connected and a standalone network located in two different regions of Colombia. The grid-connected system emulates the behavior of the solar resource and power demand of the city of Medellín-Antioquia, and the standalone network corresponds to an adaptation of the generation and demand curves for the municipality of Capurganá-Choco. A numerical comparison was performed with four optimization methodologies reported in the literature: particle swarm optimization, multiverse optimizer, crow search algorithm, and salp swarm algorithm. The results obtained demonstrate that the proposed optimization approach achieved excellent solutions in terms of response quality, repeatability, and processing times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is scarce information about ischemic stroke in young patients in Colombia. To get insights about this phenomenon, this study describes the etiologies and risk factors of ischemic stroke in young patients in a third level complexity referral hospital in Medellin, Colombia.Methods: A retrospective observational cross-sectional study was carried out reviewing the medical records of patients between 18 to 49 years old admitted for the first time for ischemic stroke, from January 2009 to December 2019. The sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors, and etiological classification of ischemic stroke according to the Trial of Org 10,172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) were described.Results: Two hundred thirty-seven cases were found. The most frequent risk factors were arterial hypertension (31.7%), smoking (29.5%) and alcohol intake (23.2%). There was a greater number of traditional cardiovascular risk factors at older ages. The TOAST classification was large-artery atherosclerosis (6.8%), cardioembolism (17.7%), small-vessel disease (7.6%), other determined etiology (25.7%) and undetermined (42.2%). Within cardioembolism, the most common high-risk source was valve replacement, and the most common moderate-risk source was patent foramen ovale. Craniocervical arterial dissection (11.4%) and substance abuse (2.9%) were the two most frequent sources within other determined etiologies. The most common compromised vascular territory was the anterior (55.7%).Conclusions: The high frequency of traditional risk factors in young patients highlights the need to optimize primary and secondary prevention plans. This study provides new insights about the relevance of illicit substance abuse in Colombia as a cause of stroke in young patients, unlike the previous one conducted in Bogotá. Infectious causes were other peculiarities found. It is necessary to investigate the reasons for the high proportion of undetermined causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín de Ciencias de la Tierra is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents an approach to the relationship between land use planning and socioeconomic residential segregation, from the location of social housing in Medellin, Colombia, during the period 2006-2011. The first part introduces the land use regulations regarding the location of social housing, identifying ambiguities in the current spatial plan. Next, we present the intersection of regulatory information and the location of the projects that were under construction during the study period, highlighting the need to consider the location as an important characteristic of social housing and residential segregation as a phenomenon that must be recognized and worked on land use planning in our cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Virtual Universidad Católica del Norte is the property of Revista Virtual Universidad Catolica del Norte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The idea of considering the relationship established between Youth and Communication springs from the research "Musical Youth Mediations" which explores youth cultural production via the appropriation of alternative media. In this paper, we acknowledge the communicative developments present in web portals and recording studios which have been appropriated by the young and their culture, particularly the hip hop movement in Medellín. We consider this movement is a space that allows for identity ascription and a feeling of belonging, facts which in turn are strengthened by the development of their own languages, and that they help the young in exercising their skills to become active agents in reshaping their lives and their immediate surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Virtual Universidad Católica del Norte is the property of Revista Virtual Universidad Catolica del Norte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, a characterization from the specific case of the file applied by the Forging Futures Foundation and the Assembly of Cooperation for Peace in Spain, Social Action, the Prosecutor and the Ombudsman, Saint Bonaventure University, People's Training Institute is made, within the framework of the 9 district days to the attention to the victims of the armed conflict in the city of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area since May 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the results of a cross-sectional study conducted with a randomized sample of 447 low-income children between 2.5 and 4 years of age selected from the files of a health institution in Medellin, Colombia. The patients were examined in 2007 using the modified criteria of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS); the first caries code was not used. Clinical examination was carried out by three examiners previously trained in the ICDAS. The inter-examiner agreement was rated as good (kappa 0.73 - 0.82). The prevalence of untreated caries was 74.7% (335) with a mean of 9.7 ± 9.4 affected surfaces. The prevalence of caries (treated and untreated) was 74.9% (335). The mean dmf-s was 7.6 ± 9.7. The prevalence of non-cavitated lesions on at least one tooth surface was 73.4%. Cavitated lesions were more frequent on smooth surfaces than on occlusal surfaces (respectively 64.7% and 46.8%; p value < 0.001). Only 25.1% (112.5) of the children had no clinical signs of caries according to the ICDAS criteria. It was concluded that dental caries is a highly prevalent condition in this Colombian population, the main contributor being non-cavitated lesions. There was an association between caries and oral hygiene practices, such as the amount of toothpaste used, and also between caries and the occurrence of a previous dental visit (p value < 0.00). Eating habits constituted no statistically significant association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One out of every two people in this world lives in a city. A sense of wealth and increased opportunities, have been traditionally associated with the cities if compared with the rural areas. Nowadays cities expansion is experiencing the growth of large slum areas -notably in developing countries- threatening all levels of quality of life of their population. This paper presents some of the characteristics and circumstances associated with the origins of slums and their consequences in the urban core. It presents the integral approach of the local government of Medellin in Colombia applied within former slum areas, including the introduction of an aerial massive transportation system known as "Metrocable" (aerial mono-cable gondolas) which was introduced, connecting the informal areas of the Northeastern communes, with the rest of the urban network "Metro". It is suggested by the results that the strategies that accompanied the Public Space and Mobility programs, initiated a radical transformation on internal and external perceptions within the area. This transformation was based not only on the real-estate finances, but on the understanding of the socio-spatial fundamentals and the community-oriented planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study the consumption pattern, expectations and satisfaction of the population of Medellin with Tetra Pak packages, the treatment given to them now when they are discarded and the conduct to be followed, knowing that the Tetra Pak is recyclable, then the process to recover partially debris from Tetra Pak is modeled and marketed as intermediate goods, eligible to be reinstated within various production processes. Several operating policies through a discrete event simulation built in Extend are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the most important results of a research focused on the construction process of architectonical concrete, presenting as a final result a handbook with recommendations on how to build architectonical concrete elements in the city of Medellin (Colombia). Architectonical concrete is a construction material which is able to supply both structural stability and definitive finishing. The research started by the definition of existing defects as well as their measuring techniques and tolerances. A statistical study was made in order to determine the most common defects on concrete surfaces in Medellin city. Possible causes of the most common defects were determined and, as a result of the analysis of each cause, general and particular solutions were given. General solutions focused on materials, equipment and the building process whereas particular solutions were given to each defect. Finally, the results herein presented constitute an advance in developing a regional specification, which will allow for the standardization of the processes involved on architectonical concrete construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies technologies for the agro-industrial sector which supposedly are important in the future and which are necessary to create the competences that allow us to offer the required knowledge for the innovation of products, processes and services in this sector and which help us to identify and to define new economic activities and to strengthen the existing ones in the region [1]. That is why we can identify the need for prospective studies with respect to Agro-industrial Engineering programs with the objective to create the foundation for the education of professionals with adequate profiles y competences. Professionals who are prepared to face a variety of changes which could come up in the future. This project consists in a prospective study using the DELPHI method, prioritizing the principal areas, topics and technologies which should be emphasized in the faculty of Agro-industrial Engineering in the University Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia. This study presents a list of technologies which are most relevant in the education process of the faculty of Agro-industrial Engineering with respect to the area of production, transformation, management and commercialization and logistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the vast majority of genomic research cohorts are made up of participants with European ancestry. Genomic medicine will only reach its full potential when genomic studies become more broadly representative of global populations. We are working to support the establishment of genomic medicine in developing countries in Latin America via studies of ethnically and ancestrally diverse Colombian populations. The goal of this study was to analyze the effect of ethnicity and genetic ancestry on observed disease prevalence and predicted disease risk in Colombia. Population distributions of Colombia's three major ethnic groups – Mestizo, Afro-Colombian, and Indigenous – were compared to disease prevalence and socioeconomic indicators. Indigenous and Mestizo ethnicity show the highest correlations with disease prevalence, whereas the effect of Afro-Colombian ethnicity is substantially lower. Mestizo ethnicity is mostly negatively correlated with six high-impact health conditions and positively correlated with seven of eight common cancers; Indigenous ethnicity shows the opposite effect. Malaria prevalence in particular is strongly correlated with ethnicity. Disease prevalence co-varies across geographic regions, consistent with the regional distribution of ethnic groups. Ethnicity is also correlated with regional variation in human development, partially explaining the observed differences in disease prevalence. Patterns of genetic ancestry and admixture for a cohort of 624 individuals from Medellín were compared to disease risk inferred via polygenic risk scores (PRS). African genetic ancestry is most strongly correlated with predicted disease risk, whereas European and Native American ancestry show weaker effects. African ancestry is mostly positively correlated with disease risk, and European ancestry is mostly negatively correlated. The relationships between ethnicity and disease prevalence do not show an overall correspondence with the relationships between ancestry and disease risk. We discuss possible reasons for the divergent health effects of ethnicity and ancestry as well as the implication of our results for the development of precision medicine in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education for sustainable development in universities provides the university's community (i.e. students, administrative and academic staff) with the skills and capabilities needed to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. Education for sustainable development has been introduced into curricula, research, outreach activities and campus operations. Several tools exist nowadays to assess this incorporation. Most of them are focused on the environmental aspect of campus operations and within academic issues but do not consider the entire system. This research aimed to propose an integration of sustainability throughout the university as a system, considering existing tools and frameworks, and proving the theoretical proposal in an empirical context. Thus, this paper focuses on sustainability from a whole-institution perspective, analysing the university as a system conformed of two subsystems, the academic and the administrative. The research used a sequential, mixed-method. The quantitative phase undertook a literature review using bibliometric and content analysis, followed by a qualitative phase using the thematic analysis method to develop the University Sustainability concept. The University Sustainability analysis integrated education for sustainable development aspects for the academic subsystem and the corporate sustainability paradigm for the administrative subsystem. Consequently, a sustainability measurement scale for the University Sustainability concept was developed and proved using the exploratory factor analysis. The survey was applied to directors, academic and administrative staff, and under and post-graduate students of two private universities located in Medellin, Colombia. A total of 1799 useable responses were collected and analysed with SPSS software. The analysis' outcome exposed all factors loaded above 0.40, and overall, the alpha coefficient was 0.930. Results revealed the reliability and validity of the instrument. Hence, the University Sustainability concept was validated, and its measurement scale is suitable to be used in assessing the sustainability of universities holistically. The evidence from the studied universities shows the relevance of corporate sustainability and social issues in the developed University Sustainability concept. • University sustainability considered the academic and administrative subsystems. • Administrative subsystem was highly related with corporate sustainability. • Academic subsystem embraced education for sustainable development in higher education. • High reliability measurement scale assesses holistically sustainability in universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Correct positioning and alignment of dental implants are crucial to successfully meet the aesthetic and functional criteria in implant-prosthetic rehabilitation. When an implant is in the wrong position, especially in the esthetical zone, there are limited options to solve it. Some techniques have been described to reposition implants, such as reverse torque, trephine drills, and segmental osteotomies; current approaches aim to reduce the damage of the periimplant tissues. Case presentation: A 20-year-old man with good general health was referred to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department of the CES University, Medellin Colombia in 2017, He had undergone a previous camouflage orthodontic therapy for a dental Class III, which finished in 2014, posteriorly a dental implant was placed in 2015 to replace upper right lateral incisor (1.2) before vertical growth of maxilla was complete; therefore, the implant was retained in a coronal position. A segmental osteotomy was suggested to reposition the implant in a more caudal position, a 3D surgical cut guide obtained by virtual planning was used to increase osteotomy accuracy and lower human error, to avoid the risk of damaging the adjacent tissues and to achieve a predictable result. Conclusions: The segmental alveolar osteotomy is an effective alternative to reposition an implant; however, it must be carefully planned because human error remains a possibility that may affect the final result. Therefore, 3D planning is a better way to minimize these mistakes during the surgical procedure and the final position of the implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]