Inward FDI in Colombia and its policy context

Colombia used to be a synonym for violence and drugs, but not anymore. Today, the country has one of the best performing economies in Latin America, and violence levels have been dramatically reduced. The outgoing administration made improving investor confidence and the business environment one of the pillars of its policy. As a result of important reforms and aggressive campaigns to promote the country as an attractive location, inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) has risen to unprecedented levels. Due to these positive changes, Colombia has been designated a "top reformer" for the past four years in the World Bank's Doing Business reports, and the new Government has promised to maintain and reinforce efforts to attract foreign investment. Even though IFDI flows decreased in the past two years as a consequence of the economic and financial crisis, many foreign affiliates in Colombia achieved positive profits. A country that a decade ago was avoided is now in many investors' plans

Inward FDI in Colombia and its policy context, 2012

Colombia's current Government, in office since August 2010, has continued to pursue in 2010- 2011 the open policies established by the previous one. The country continues to receive increasing amounts of foreign direct investment (FDI) and has the potential to maintain this positive trend. Although there have been some modifications in the regulatory framework and uncertainty regarding sustainable investment, 2010 witnessed the continuation of positive FDI growth. In 2011, credit-rating agencies recognized the country's efforts and raised Colombia's debt rating up to investment grade, a rating that was lost eleven years ago. To facilitate the further internationalization of the Colombian economy, the Government is expanding the number of its investment and commercial treaties to a wider range of foreign economies. Among others, new bilateral investment treaties with India, China and the United Kingdom, as well as other initiatives, could have a positive impact on IFDI growth and its contribution to economic development

El rol antibacteriano de la activación fotodinámica de agentes fotosensibilizantes nanoencapsulados en los canales radiculares.

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La gestión del conocimiento desde la perspectiva del pensamiento del mestizaje

In the context of an administrative experience at the School of Languages at the University of Antioquia, they are thought different aspects concerning knowledge management. We start from the principle, marked by Mèlich (2002), according to which ethics is not an end but accompanying processes. Then, we think this mana¬gement from the ethics of mestization given by Nouss and Laplantine (2001, 2008) and Nouss (2005), in which complementarity rather than melting and differen¬tialism is proposed. We anticipate our analysis from these two perspectives, and through a qualitative approach of hermeneutical character understand knowledge management, as an act of complementarity where each of the participants of this process brings namely that as a manage¬ment tools, are forming a higher power that favors spaces for quality teaching and learning

Implementacion de un sistema teleoperado con realimentación visual para evasion de obstaculos de un robot movil

El presente proyecto consiste en la implementación de un sistema teleoperado con realimentación visual. Para esto se usa un sistema embebido (mini2440) colocado en un robot móvil con el propósito de controlarlo desde un computador distante, que se comunica con el sistema (mini 2440-robot-móvil) por medio del protocolo TCP. Junto al sistema embebido las envía al sistema remoto por medio del protocolo TCP en el mismo canal. Allí, el usuario recibirá la imagen enviada por el sistema y será capaz de controlar el movimiento del robot al enviar señales de control por medio del protocolo TCP. El sistema embebido, recibe dichas señales y se comunica con el robot por medio del puerto serial (RS 232)Pregrad

Interactive toxicity of a triazole-derivative fungicide and an organophosphate pesticide in the marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931)

Varied agricultural activities integrate with the shrimp farms in the state of Sinaloa on the North-Western Pacific coast of Mexico. Out of many wild species found in this area, the marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei was selected for this study as it is highly sensitive to a wide range of pollutants and because it is the principal marine shrimp for aquaculture in this region. L. vannamei plays an important ecological role in estuarine environments along this coast where it supports one of the most important fishery resources in Mexico. In this study, a tropical marine bioassay was developed to assess the toxicity of pesticides in the shrimp L. vannamei. A flow-through system (FTS) was designed to provide the optimal conditions for shrimp juveniles, which were individually placed in cages to evaluate the moulting rate and behaviour during the experiments, as well as mortality. The FTS was a simple apparatus, consisting of a 16-channel peristaltic pump which delivered the test solution from reservoirs into exposure chambers under controlled conditions (flow rate, temperature and photoperiod). Time-independent exposures were carried out in flow-through conditions for the organophosphate pesticide methyl-parathion, and a triazole-derivative fungicide in two preparations: Tilt (commercial formulation, 25% propiconazole) and technical grade propiconazole. The threshold median lethal concentrations (threshold LC50) were determined for methyl-parathion (4.4 μgJ\ Tilt (1137 μgJ1), and propiconazole (1716 μgJ1). During these tests, the comparative toxicity of the pesticides was examined, and in particular, the toxic contribution of propiconazole in the commercial formulation, Tilt, was established. The toxicity data of each one of the toxicants was also used to assess the interactive toxicity for each form of the fungicide (technical grade and formulation) with methyl-parathion. When methyl-parathion was combined with Tilt, a less than additive effect was found. On the other hand, when methylparathion and technical grade propiconazole were combined, results ranged from a more than additive to a simple additive effect. On the whole, exposure to methyl-parathion produced erratic movements and hypersensitivity, and no indication of moult retardation was observed. On the other hand, exposure to fungicides caused lethargy and slight moult retardation was observed. Feeding inhibition was frequently observed in all tests. When Tilt was used in a subchronic test, several morphological abnormalities occurred in the test organisms in relation to exposure concentration. Other effects observed during this exposure were changes in feeding and motor behaviour, and alterations in moulting rate

Roadmap for the Introduction of a New Dengue Vaccine

Dengue remains the most common vector-transmitted disease in the world despite enormous prevention and control efforts by endemic countries and regions. Today, after decades of research, public health programs contemplate as part of the intervention to control the disease, a safe and effective vaccine against dengue. In this chapter, we review general principles for developing a safe and efficacious vaccine against dengue virus, the current vaccine candidates approved and under research, and the roadmap for the introduction of a new dengue vaccine, based on the procedures, carried out by Mexico, for the licensure and eventual adoption of CYD-TDV vaccine, which concluded with Mexico becoming the first country in the world to grant licensure to a Dengue vaccine in December of 2015. Finally, we discuss the rationale for the adoption of dengue vaccines a public health policy and the paradigm shift required for the efficient adoption of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries

Vulnerability to COVID-19 in older adults with cardiovascular disease

Introduction: the identification of vulnerable population groups through active screening aims to prevent infection through different measures or interventions.Objective: to characterize COVID-19 vulnerable older adults with a personal history of cardiovascular disease.Methods: an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in the Family Medical Clinic 3 of the University Polyclinic “Manuel Piti Fajardo Rivero” in the province of Las Tunas from March to July 2020. The universe consisted of 90 older adults with a personal pathological history of cardiovascular disease aged 65 years or older, working with all of them.Results: female sex was predominant (70 %) and the age group from 65 to 70 (35.6 %). According to personal pathological history, 100 % of the older adults were hypertensive, and 70 % presented cardiovascular diseases other than arterial hypertension. Eighty-five point seven percent of the patients maintained regular therapeutic adherence to the treatments for the underlying diseases. Sixty percent of the patients were compensated during the study period.Conclusions: the vulnerable older adults with a history of cardiovascular disease were mainly women. Arterial hypertension was shown to be the main cardiovascular history. Regular therapeutic adherence and compensation of the baseline disease was common in patients

Vulnerabilidad ante la COVID-19 en adultos mayores con enfermedad cardiovascular

Introduction: the identification of vulnerable population groups through active surveys is aimed at preventing contagion through different measures or interventions.Objective: to characterize vulnerable older adults to Covid-19 with a personal pathological history of cardiovascular diseases.Method: an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted at No-3 Family Doctor’s Office belonging to Manuel Piti Fajardo Rivero University Polyclinic in Las Tunas province, including the period defined between March and July 2020. The target group included 90 old people from 65 years or older having a personal pathological history of cardiovascular disease, working with all of them.Results: it was found a predominance of female sex (70 %) and the age group from 65 to 70 (35,6 %). According to personal medical history, 100 % of older adults were hypertensive, and 70 % suffered from cardiovascular diseases other than hypertension; 85,7 % of the patients maintained a standard therapeutic adherence to the treatments for the underlying diseases; 60 % of the patients were compensated during the period studied.Conclusions: the vulnerable older adults having a history of cardiovascular diseases were mainly female. Hypertension was shown as the main cardiovascular antecedent. Standard therapeutic adherence and stable underlying diseases were common in these patients.Introducción: la identificación de grupos poblacionales vulnerables a través de pesquisa activa tiene como fin prevenir la infección a través de diferentes medidas o intervenciones.Objetivo: caracterizar a los adultos mayores vulnerable a la COVID-19 con antecedentes personales de enfermedades cardiovasculares.Método: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal en el Consultorio Médico de la Familia 3 del Policlínico Universitario “Manuel Piti Fajardo Rivero” de la provincia las Tunas el periodo definido entre marzo a julio de 2020. El universo estuvo constituido por 90 adultos mayores con antecedentes patológicos personales de enfermedad cardiovascular con edad igual o mayor a 65 años, trabajándose con la totalidad.Resultados: se encontró predominio del sexo femenino (70 %) y el grupo de edades de 65 a 70 (35,6 %). El 100 % de los adultos mayores según antecedentes patológicos personales fueron hipertensos, y el 70 % presentó enfermedades cardiovasculares diferentes a la hipertensión arterial. El 85,7 % de los pacientes mantuvo una adherencia terapéutica regular a los tratamientos de las enfermedades de base. El 60 % de los pacientes se mostró compensado en el periodo de estudioConclusiones: los adultos mayores vulnerables con antecedentes cardiovasculares fueron principalmente féminas. La hipertensión arterial se mostró como principal antecedente cardiovascular. La adherencia terapéutica regular y la compensación de la enfermedad de base fue común en los pacientes