Natural resource-seeking FDI inflows and current account deficits in commodity-producing developing economies

Natural resource-seeking foreign direct investment (FDI) rose substantially during the last two decades as global commodity prices soared. This type of FDI typically is expected to improve the current accounts of recipient countries. Notwithstanding the commodity boom, however, current account balances of many commodity-producing developing economies were negative during 1995–2013. Considering 31 commodity-producing countries, we find that the average net effect of a 1% increase in natural resource-seeking FDI was a 0.23% decline in the current account (measured as percentage of GDP). This surprising result can be explained by the repatriation of profits

Armonización narrativa del problema y acción pública en las políticas culturales colombianas.

Propuesta de armonización interna y externa de la política pública de cultura de Colombia, a partir del estudio de las narrativas del problema y la acción pública formulados en la Ley General de Cultura de 1997 y la Ley Naranja de 2017. Para ello se propone un estudio interpretativo, inductivo a partir del análisis de documentos y entrevistas a tomadores de decisión, académicos y representantes del sector cultural. Con base en la aplicación de las dos técnicas, se propone una reformulación narrativa de las dos leyes, para finalmente realizar una propuesta de armonización de problema público que integra el carácter de derecho y bien común de la cultura para el desarrollo social, cultural y económico, cuyas expresiones vitales dinamizan el patrimonio simbólico creado por y para la comunidad y el sector cultural, y una acción pública que mediada por principios de gobernanza y descentralización con figuras como los gestores culturales, el Sistema Nacional de Cultura y el Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, apuestan por una gestión crítica e innovadora.MaestríaMAGISTER EN POLÍTICAS PÚBLICA

Estimación de la estructura genética de Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) y la dinámica de transmisión de Trypanosoma cruzi en Boyacá, oriente de Colombia

La enfermedad de Chagas es considerada un problema de salud pública en Colombia, donde muchas regiones son endémicas. Triatoma dimidiata es un vector importante después de Rhodnius prolixus, y está ganando importancia en Boyacá, oriente de Colombia. Tras la reciente eliminación de R. prolixus en la región, es fundamental comprender el comportamiento de T. dimidiata y la dinámica de transmisión de T. cruzi. Utilizamos qPCR y Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) para evaluar la infección por T. cruzi, la carga parasitaria, los perfiles de alimentación y el genotipado de T. cruzi para especímenes de T. dimidiata recolectados en nueve municipios de Boyacá y exploramos la genética de la población de T. dimidiata. Encontramos que las poblaciones de T. dimidiata están compuestas por una sola población con características genéticas similares que presentan tasas de infección de hasta el 70%, altas cargas parasitarias de hasta 1.46 × 109 equivalentes de parásitos/mL, un comportamiento alimentario que comprende al menos 17 domos especies tic, sinantrópicas y selváticas, y una amplia diversidad de genotipos TcI incluso dentro de un mismo espécimen. Estos resultados implican que el comportamiento de T. dimidiata es similar al de otros vectores exitosos, teniendo una amplia variedad de fuentes de sangre y contribuyendo a la circulación de diferentes genotipos del parásito, destacando su importancia para la transmisión y el riesgo de T. cruzi para los humanos. A la luz de la eliminación de R. prolixus en Boyacá y los resultados encontrados, sugerimos que T. dimidiata debe convertirse en un nuevo objetivo para los programas de control de vectores. Esperamos que este estudio proporcione suficiente información para mejorar los programas de vigilancia y una futura interrupción efectiva de la transmisión del vector T. cruzi en regiones endémicas.Chagas disease is considered a public health issue in Colombia, where many regions are endemic. Triatoma dimidiata is an important vector after Rhodnius prolixus, and it is gaining importance in Boyaca´, eastern Colombia. Following the recent elimination of R. prolixus in the region, it is pivotal to understand the behavior of T. dimidiata and the transmission dynamics of T. cruzi. We used qPCR and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to evaluate T. cruzi infection, parasite load, feeding profiles, and T. cruzi genotyping for T. dimidiata specimens collected in nine municipalities in Boyaca´ and explored T. dimidiata population genetics. We found that T. dimidiata populations are composed by a single population with similar genetic characteristics that present infection rates up to 70%, high parasite loads up to 1.46 × 109 parasite-equivalents/mL, a feeding behavior that comprises at least 17 domes tic, synanthropic and sylvatic species, and a wide diversity of TcI genotypes even within a single specimen. These results imply that T. dimidiata behavior is similar to other successful vectors, having a wide variety of blood sources and contributing to the circulation of different genotypes of the parasite, highlighting its importance for T. cruzi transmission and risk for humans. In the light of the elimination of R. prolixus in Boyaca´ and the results we found, we suggest that T. dimidiata should become a new target for vector control programs. We hope this study provides enough information to enhance surveillance programs and a future effec tive interruption of T. cruzi vector transmission in endemic regions

Perception and city: analysis of the ‘Cali cómo vamos’ program survey (2005-2014)

Los capítulos que componen este libro dan cuenta de algunos de los modos a través de los cuales es posible abordar la diversidad constitutiva del fenómeno urbano. Cali es, por su historia, por sus pobladores, por el entresijo de procesos que tienen lugar en ella y con ella, por su tamaño, una ciudad diversa, fragmentada, desigual, inequitativa, heterogénea, multifacética. Frente a esto no queda sino aproximarse a ella poco a poco, capa a capa, proceso por proceso. Este libro es un intento por recorrer la ciudad desde la perspectiva de los ciudadanos, analizando y discutiendo lo que implican sus percepciones, contrastándolas con otras más institucionales, más decantadas por los procedimientos académicos y políticos, por los famosos datos \'duros\'; de este contraste, esperamos salgan mejores formas de aproximarse a la ciudad. En el primer capítulo, el profesor Mario Gandini explora la percepción de la ciudadanía sobre los aspectos ambientales y la gestión ambiental que desarrolla la Administración Local. El texto muestra que, con relación a esta última, la calificación que le da la ciudadanía es toda inferior a 3 sobre 5, en temas como: contaminación del aire; contaminación del agua; nivel de ruido; cantidad de árboles; contaminación visual: basuras y escombros en las calle, lo cual evidencia el complejo panorama que atraviesa la ciudad con respecto a este problemaAnálisis del programa Cali cómo vamos, aspectos ambientales. Movilidad y vialidad en Cali: una carrera perdida. Empleo y precios. Sector salud. La educación en Cali: realidades y percepciones. El espacio público y la oferta de cultura y recreación en Cali. Percepción de la seguridad, Cali: 2005 - 2014. Metodología de las encuestas repetidas: un análisis en el marco de la encuesta Cali cómo vamos (2005-2014

Deciphering the introduction and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Colombian Amazon Basin

La pandemia del SARS-CoV-2 ha obligado a las autoridades sanitarias de todo el mundo a tomar importantes decisiones para reducir su propagación. La epidemiología genómica se ha convertido en una herramienta valiosa para comprender las introducciones y la propagación del virus en una ubicación geográfica específica.The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has forced health authorities across the world to take important decisions to curtail its spread. Genomic epidemiology has emerged as a valuable tool to understand introductions and spread of the virus in a specific geographic location

Efficacy of clozapine versus standard treatment in adult individuals with intellectual disability and treatment-resistant psychosis (CLOZAID): study protocol of a multicenter randomized clinical trial

BackgroundIntellectual disability (ID) affects approximately 1% of the worldwide population and individuals with ID have a higher comorbidity with mental illness, and specifically psychotic disorders. Unfortunately, among individuals with ID, limited research has been conducted since ID individuals are usually excluded from mental illness epidemiological studies and clinical trials. Here we perform a clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of clozapine in the treatment of resistant psychosis in individuals with ID. The article highlights the complexity of diagnosing and treating psychopathological alterations associated with ID and advocates for more rigorous research in this field.MethodsA Phase IIB, open-label, randomized, multicenter clinical trial (NCT04529226) is currently ongoing to assess the efficacy of oral clozapine in individuals diagnosed with ID and suffering from treatment-resistant psychosis. We aim to recruit one-hundred and fourteen individuals (N=114) with ID and resistant psychosis, who will be randomized to TAU (treatment as usual) and treatment-with-clozapine conditions. As secondary outcomes, changes in other clinical scales (PANSS and SANS) and the improvement in functionality, assessed through changes in the Euro-QoL-5D-5L were assessed. The main outcome variables will be analyzed using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM), assessing the effects of status variable (TAU vs. Clozapine), time, and the interaction between them.DiscussionThe treatment of resistant psychosis among ID individuals must be directed by empirically supported research. CLOZAID clinical trial may provide relevant information about clinical guidelines to optimally treat adults with ID and treatment-resistant psychosis and the benefits and risks of an early use of clozapine in this underrepresented population in clinical trials.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov: NCT04529226. EudraCT: 2020-000091-37

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Temperature shifts impacts on Leishmania braziliensis

The increasing of the temperature is one of the principal consequences of the climate change, which affect human populations due of the emergence and re-emergency of infection diseases. The Leishmaniases are diseases cause by protozoans’ parasites of the genus Leishmania; these diseases are composed by different clinical manifestations, one of the most important in the New World is Cutaneous Leishmaniasis for which the most common causative species is Leishmania braziliensis. This species as the other members of the Trypanosomatidae family present a genomic plasticity and a particular gene expression regulation that allow to the parasites to adapt and response to several stimulus, for that reason the aim of this study is evaluate the transcriptome profiles of L. braziliensis promastigotes subjected to temperature shifts. To reach this aim the authors performed an RNA-Seq that permitted to find several genes associated with a direct response to the treatments; also, through the growth curves done the authors evidenced a decrease in the cell proliferation in all the temperatures tested, where the most affected was 30°C. The results obtained in this study demonstrated a fast response of L. braziliensis promastigotes to temperature shifts.Dirección de investigación e innovación de la Universidad del Rosari