Champeta’s Heritage: Diasporic Music and Racial Struggle in the Colombian Caribbean

The shifts and fractures introduced by UNESCO heritagisation processes, unleashed in the Colombian Caribbean from the early noughties, have been particularly acute when it comes to music practices. Eight out of ten Colombian practices inscribed on UNESCO’s heritage lists are indeed either music-based or strongly music-related. This paper focuses on the ways in which champeta—an urban music-based identity crafted in the city of Cartagena from the mid-1980s—has engaged in official and unofficial processes of heritagisation, in which practitioners have struggled to revise the locally contested and racialized burden borne by their cultural practice. Delving into the Afrocentric aims laid out by Afro-descendants and pioneers of champeta music—born out of a Caribbean remake of “African” music styles such as soukous—this community-based heritagisation process reveals itself as unsympathetic to hegemonic power formations, hence challenging those involved in the creation of heritage lists. This paper problematizes the relation between tangible and intangible heritage in Cartagena by assessing the impact of implementing safeguarding measures in tangible landmarks particularly enmeshed in colonial and slave history. It also explores how multiculturalism and heritage have become scenarios for political struggle in Colombia, hence shaping social and academic grounds for discussing issues such as cultural ownership, racial identification, musical genealogies and political upheaval.Les déplacements et les fractures provoqués par les processus de patrimonialisation de l’UNESCO, qui ont affecté les Caraïbes colombiennes depuis le début des années 2000, ont été particulièrement sensibles dans le domaine des pratiques musicales. En effet, parmi les pratiques colombiennes inscrites sur les listes du patrimoine de l’UNESCO, huit sur dix sont fondées sur la musique ou fortement liées à la musique. Cet article porte sur la manière dont la champeta — une identité forgée autour de la musique urbaine de la ville de Cartagena à partir du milieu des années 1980 — a été prise dans des processus officiels ou non officiels de patrimonialisation, et sur les luttes engagées par ceux qui la pratiquent contre la charge sociale et l’absence de reconnaissance pesant sur leur pratique culturelle. En examinant les revendications afrocentriques des afrodescendants et des pionniers de la musique champeta — issue d’un remake caribéen de styles musicaux « africains » tels que le soukous —, on s’aperçoit que ce processus de patrimonialisation au fort ancrage communautaire résiste aux formes de pouvoir hégémoniques, et constitue un défi pour ceux qui œuvrent à la création des listes patrimoniales. Cet article problématise la relation entre patrimoine matériel et immatériel à Cartagena, en évaluant l’impact des mesures de sauvegarde des monuments matériels notoirement liés à l’histoire coloniale et esclavagiste. Il explore également la façon dont le multiculturalisme et le patrimoine sont devenus des scénarios de lutte politique en Colombie, où ils forment dès lors un terrain social et académique pour débattre de questions relatives à la propriété culturelle, à l’identification raciale, aux généalogies musicales et aux soulèvements politiques

Diseño y validación analítica de una PCR duplex para la detección de Ehrlichia y Rickettsia en garrapatas

ABSTRACT: Ehrlichia and Rickettsia are two major rickettsial genera transmitted by ticks that affect a number of wild and domestic animal species and human populations around the world. Objective: To design and validate a duplex PCR for Ehrlichia and Rickettsia in ticks. Methods:Assay validation included testing for sensitivity,specificity, reproducibility, and robustness of the PCR. The groELand 23sr RNAgenes were used for Ehrlichia and Rickettsia, respectively. Results: The limit of detection was one hundred gene copies per 50 μLof reaction for Ehrlichia spp, and one gene copy of Rickettsia per 50 μL of reaction. In general, the primers of the test only amplified in silico those bacterial agents for which they were originally designed, with the exception of the primers for Rickettsia that also amplified Methylocystis sp. The test was reproducible (intermediate precision) 96.7% of the times for both agents. The test was robust enough to tolerate concentration changes of all reagents with the exception of Taq DNA polymerase. Conclusions: The validation results indicated that this PCR is useful for detection in both bacterial genera and it is a good candidate for diagnostic validation.RESUMEN: Ehrlichia spp. y Rickettsia spp.son dos de los principales géneros rickettsiales transmitidos por garrapatas que afectan a animales silvestres, domésticos y humanos alrededor del mundo. Objetivo: diseñar y validar una prueba PCR duplex para Ehrlichia y Rickettsia en garrapatas. Métodos: la validación de la prueba incluyó ensayos de sensibilidad, especificidad, reproducibilidad y robustez. En la PCR se usó groEL y ARNr 23S como genes blanco para Ehrlichia y Rickettsia, respectivamente. Resultados: el límite de detección fue de 100 copias del gen por 50 μL de reacción para Ehrlichia spp y una copia del gen de Rickettsia por 50 μLde reacción. En general, los cebadores de la prueba solo amplificaron in silico los agentes bacterianos para los cuales fueron originalmente diseñados, con la excepción de los cebadores de Rickettsia que también amplificaron Methylocystis sp. La prueba fue reproducible (precisión intermedia) en un 96.7% de las veces para ambos agentes. La prueba fue suficientemente robusta como para tolerar cambios de concentración de los diferentes reactivos, con excepción de la Taq DNA polimerasa. Conclusión: los resultados de validación indican que la PCR es útil para detectar ambos géneros bacterianos y podría usarse para validación diagnóstica

The efficacy and safety of Baoji Tablets for treating common cold with summer-heat and dampness syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Despite the high incidence and the economic impact of the common cold, there are still no effective therapeutic options available. Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used in China to treat the common cold, there is still a lack of high-quality clinical trials. This article sets forth the protocol for a high-quality trial of a new TCM drug, Baoji Tablets, which is designed to treat the common cold with summer-heat and dampness syndrome (CCSDS). The trial is evaluating both the efficacy and safety of Baoji Tablets. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is designed as a multicenter, phase II, parallel-group, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. A total of 288 patients will be recruited from four centers. The new tablets group are administered Baoji Tablets 0.9 g and dummy Baoji Pills 3.7 g. The old pills group are administered dummy Baoji Tablets 0.9 g and Baoji Pills 3.7 g. The placebo control group are administered dummy Baoji Tablets 0.9 g and dummy Baoji Pills 3.7 g. All drugs are taken three times daily for 3 days. The primary outcome is the duration of all symptoms. Secondary outcomes include the duration of primary and secondary symptoms, changes in primary and secondary symptom scores and cumulative symptom score at day 4, as well as an evaluation of treatment efficacy. DISCUSSION: This is the first multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized and placebo-controlled trial designated to treat CCSDS in an adult population from China. It will establish the basis for a scientific and objective assessment of the efficacy and safety of Baoji Tablets for treating CCSDS, and provide evidence for a phase III clinical trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The registration number is ChiCTR-TRC-13003197

¿Is the R project for statistical computing appropriate for computational intelligence?

En este artículo, se revisa el proyecto R para el cálculo estadístico y gráficos. Se presenta una revisión de las principales características del ambiente y del lenguaje de programación subyacente. Se muestra la utilidad de esta herramienta para programar paradigmas de las ciencias de la computación por medio de varios ejemplos. Finalmente, se argumenta por qué el lenguaje R es una herramienta interesante para desarrollar software en el campo de la inteligencia computaciona

BIOCOMERCIO Y NEGOCIOS VERDES COMO ESTRATEGIA PARA EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE EN EL DEPARTAMENTO DE RISARALDA.

Esta es una investigación aplicada de tipo descriptiva, la cual se desarrolló en el municipio de Belén de Umbría en el Departamento de Risaralda, a través de la implementación de la metodología AYDM (Análisis y desarrollo de mercados) desarrollada por la FAO (Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura), en  13 cadenas productivas.  Su principal objetivo es el desarrollo de la estrategia de negocios verdes y el Biocomercio en este municipio.  Promoviendo así, la participación y el desarrollo socioeconómico de la comunidad a través de la aplicación de los principios universales del Biocomercio. De igual manera,  se generó  articulación interinstitucional, la cual  permite el fortalecimiento de las cadenas productivas y el desarrollo empresarial a través de la creación de productos innovadores de base biotecnológica. Además de, fortalecer  el desarrollo sostenible y la competitividad del municipio y del departamento. 

Organic solvents as risk factor for autoimmune diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Genetic and epigenetic factors interacting with the environment over time are the main causes of complex diseases such as autoimmune diseases (ADs). Among the environmental factors are organic solvents (OSs), which are chemical compounds used routinely in commercial industries. Since controversy exists over whether ADs are caused by OSs, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess the association between OSs and ADs. Methods and Findings: The systematic search was done in the PubMed, SCOPUS, SciELO and LILACS databases up to February 2012. Any type of study that used accepted classification criteria for ADs and had information about exposure to OSs was selected. Out of a total of 103 articles retrieved, 33 were finally included in the meta-analysis. The final odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained by the random effect model. A sensitivity analysis confirmed results were not sensitive to restrictions on the data included. Publication bias was trivial. Exposure to OSs was associated to systemic sclerosis, primary systemic vasculitis and multiple sclerosis individually and also to all the ADs evaluated and taken together as a single trait (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.25-1.92; p-value, 0.001). Conclusion: Exposure to OSs is a risk factor for developing ADs. As a corollary, individuals with non-modifiable risk factors (i.e., familial autoimmunity or carrying genetic factors) should avoid any exposure to OSs in order to avoid increasing their risk of ADs

Tracing the origin of the panda's thumb

© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. We investigate the relative development of the carnivoran radial sesamoids to untangle the evolution of this iconic structure. In the pandas (both giant and red), this `false thumb¿ is known to perform a grasping role during bamboo feeding in both the red and giant pandas. An original locomotor role has been inferred for ailurids, but this remains to be ascertained for ursids. A large sample of radial sesamoids of Indarctos arctoides from the Miocene of Batallones-3 (Spain) indicates that this early ailuropodine bear displayed a relatively hypertrophied radial sesamoid, with a configuration more similar to that of the red panda and other carnivorans than to that of giant pandas. This false thumb is the first evidence of this feature in the Ursidae, which can be linked to a more herbivorous diet. Moreover, in the two extant pandas, the false thumb should not be interpreted as an anatomical convergence, but as an exaptive convergence regarding its use during the bamboo feeding, which changes the evolutionary view of this singular structure.This study was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2011-25754, CGL2011-28681 and RYC–2009–04533 to D.M.A.). A.V. is a researcher in formation in the CSIC program JAE-PRE_CP2011 (CSIC program‘ Junta para la ampliación de estudios’), co-funded by the European Social Fund and has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement no. 226506 (SYNTHESYS; SE-TAF-3637),Peer Reviewe

Tuberculosis bovina por Mycobacterium bovis en fincas ganaderas de Colombia

El nombre “tuberculosis” se origina de los nódulos, denominados “tubérculos”, los cuales se forman en ganglios linfáticos del animal afectado. La tuberculosis bovina es una enfermedad crónica de los animales provocada por la bacteria Mycobacterium bovis, un bacilo que pertenece al género Mycobacterium, el cual guarda relación con las bacterias causantes de tuberculosis humana y aviar. Aunque se ha identificado principalmente en el ganado vacuno, también se han presentado casos en donde se describe la tuberculosis bovina tanto en animales domésticos y no domésticos. M. bovis se ha identificado en búfalos, bisontes, ovejas, cabras, caballos, cerdos, jabalíes, etc