Networks of paranoia: narratives of crime and detection in 21st century Latin America

This dissertation studies Latin American narratives of crime in the twenty-first century, arguing that these texts waver between the hyper-rationality of the crime fiction genre, and an affective state of paranoia. This project argues for a new understanding of crime fiction in the region, one that is not focused on urban life or a national literary history, but is grounded instead on the “networks” that organize contemporary everyday life. Throughout, I engage with the theoretical notions of paranoia and cognitive mapping found in the works of Frederic Jameson and Ricardo Piglia. Chapters One and Two explore the presence of technological networks in crime narratives. In Chapter One, I study the appearance of cellular phones in Brazilian films arguing that the technology allegorizes the social world, producing a paranoia grounded on interconnectivity. The films analyzed in this chapter, Jose Padilha’s Tropa de Elite 2: O inimigo agora é outro and Sérgio Bianchi’s Os Inquilinos, depict the use of mobile communication by the state, in the case of Padilha’s film, and a criminalized other that threatens domestic stability, in Bianchi’s film. In Chapter Two, I turn to a seemingly anachronistic technology, the train, to study neoliberal criminality along the post-NAFTA Mexican railways, where organized crime, “legitimate” capitalism, and migrants making their way to the United States intersect. Focusing on the train known as “The Beast,” this chapter looks at how this machine concretizes neoliberal interconnectivity. In this chapter I’m especially interested in how popular narratives about the train, Cary Fukunaga’s film Sin Nombre and Oscar Martinez’s chronicles Los migrantes que no importan, represent the flows of people, goods, and money moving from Central America to the United States, and the types of criminal activities that can (or cannot) be mapped along the migrant route. Chapters Three and Four are broadly centered on networks of finance and narcotrafficking. In Chapter Three I analyze Horacio Castellanos Moya’s La diabla en el espejo and Patricia Lara’s Hilo de sangre azul, two novels centered on financial crimes. Through paranoid female detectives, these novels present the post-conflict context of these countries as rife with suspicion and mistrust, where the more “legitimate” side of capitalism becomes linked to narcotrafficking. In Chapter Four I turn to Juan Villoro’s Arrecife, a novel that explores how tourism and narcotrafficking, two of Mexico’s most important links to the outside world, become linked. In this chapter I place Villoro’s text in the rich literary history of the paranoid, Caribbean space present in Cold War spy fiction. Because of this, I read the novel through Ian Fleming’s travel writing. I argue that Villoro critiques the consumption of these seemingly isolated, edenic spaces; a critique that can be ultimately extended to the global consumption of crime fiction

La aplicación de los principios de celeridad y debido proceso en los procesos de cobro coactivo en Colombia : un análisis desde su naturaleza y la normatividad vigente. 2006-2015

Este trabajo de investigación tiene por título, "La aplicación de los principios de Celeridad y Debido Proceso en los Procesos de Cobro Coactivo en Colombia; un análisis desde su naturaleza y la normatividad vigente, a partir del año 2006 y hasta la actualidad". El problema jurídico que evidenciamos y que motiva la presente investigación es el siguiente: ¿La forma en la que ha sido interpretado el Cobro Coactivo desde su naturaleza jurídica, en el ordenamiento jurídico Colombiano ha influido negativamente en la aplicabilidad de los principios de celeridad y debido proceso, en los procesos de Cobro Coactivo? El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo general efectuar un análisis sobre la forma en la que se armonizan los principios de celeridad y debido proceso en el Cobro Coactivo como potestad excepcional en cabeza de la administración pública, bajo el sistema normativo dispuesto en el Código de Procedimiento Civil, la Ley 1066 de 2006 y el Estatuto Tributario

Base-free Oxidative Esterification of HMF over AuPd/nNiO-TiO2. When Alloying Effects and Metal-support Interactions Converge in Producing Effective and Stable Catalysts

Furan-2,5-dimethylcarboxylate (FDMC), along with ethylene glycol (EG), is the key monomer to produce (poly-(ethylene-furanoate) (PEF). Noble metal-based catalysts can convert hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) to FDMC in methanol through liquid phase catalytic oxidative esterification. In this work, the catalytic performance of Au, Pd and AuPd NPs supported on nanosized nickel oxide (nNiO) have been evaluated under base-free conditions at 90 degrees C and 3 bar O-2. Synergistic effects between Au and Pd imparted high activity and higher yield to FDMC compared to the monometallic counterparts. The role of support was also investigated by depositing AuPd NPs on TiO2 and nNiO-TiO2. Remarkable yield to FDMC (85 % after 8 h) and high stability were observed over AuPd/ nNiO-TiO2 catalyst. This peculiar catalytic behavior could be imputed to the formation of trimetallic AuPdNi particles offering highly active interfacial sites

Evaluación de Subproductos de Cloración y su efecto mutagénico en agua para consumo humano

Proyecto de Investigación Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Extensión (VIE). Escuela de Química. Centro de Investigación y de Servicios Químicos y Microbiológicos (CEQIATEC), Centro de Investigación en Protección Ambiental (CIPA), 2013Se investigó la presencia de subproductos de desinfección como trihalometanos (THMs) por medio de la técnica de microextracción en fase sólida (HEADSPACE / SPME Solid Fase Microextraction / GS-MS), utilizando un Cromatógrafo de Gases Varian 450 acoplado a Espectrómetro de Masas. Se analizaron en total 39 muestras de agua, provenientes de fuentes de agua subterránea (nacientes) administradas por la Municipalidad del Cantón Central de Cartago y agua de origen superficial (Plantas de tratamiento completo) dispensada por los sistemas de Tratamiento de AyA/Cantón Central de Cartago, y los Sistema de Tratamiento de AyA de Moravia, Guadalupe y Pavas, con un total de 156 subproductos determinados y cuantificados correspondiendo estos a: cloroformo, bromodiclorometano, dibromoclorometano y tribromoclorometano. En las muestras de agua de sistemas de tratamiento completo se encontró que de 80 subproductos analizados, 12 de estos superaron el máximo admisible de acuerdo al Reglamento Nacional de Calidad de Agua para consumo humano, mientras que de los acueductos abastecidos de aguas subterráneas administrados por la Municipalidad de Cartago, de 76 subproductos analizados solo uno de ellos superó el valor máximo permitido. Los trihalometanos encontrados de acuerdo a la Agencia Internacional de Investigación en Cáncer (por sus siglas en inglés IARC) se ubican en el grupo 2 B con evidencia de producir cáncer en animales. Se encontró gran variación de la presencia de estos subproductos en las muestras de agua de los abastecimientos que corresponden a agua con tratamiento completo (agua superficial tratada) correlacionando con lo reportado ya en la literatura, no obstante se reportó por primera vez la casi ausencia total de subproductos en cantidades que superen los máximos permitidos en aguas de origen subterráneo correlacionando con menor cantidad de carbono orgánico total, menor cantidad de cloro agregado (cloro combinado) y por ser acueductos más pequeños, menor cantidad de cloro residual. Con respecto a la formación de los subproductos, de acuerdo a la literatura, se pudo afirmar que la misma se ve favorecida con el aumento de la dosis de cloro (no necesariamente el cloro residual) y el aumento del tiempo de contacto agua-cloro, por cuanto el contenido de THMs a la salida de las plantas de tratamiento se incrementa posteriormente en muchos casos en la red, debido principalmente al mayor tiempo de contacto con la materia orgánica y con sustancias orgánicas de biofilmes en la red. De acuerdo a determinaciones anteriores en muestreos control de agua municipal el promedio de cloro residual de las plantas de tratamiento es de 1.1 mg/L y el de los sistemas de agua subterránea es de 0,6 mg/L

Size, nanostructure, and composition dependence of bimetallic Au-Pd supported on ceria-zirconia mixed oxide catalysts for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol

A bimetallic Au-Pd catalyst supported on ceriazirconia with Au:Pd molar ratio 0.8 has been synthesized using a simultaneous deposition-precipitation method and oxidized at 250, 450, and 700 $^\circ$C in order to modify its particle size, nanostructure, and composition. Combined Xray energy dispersive spectroscopy and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis clearly evidence that the bimetallic Au-Pd catalyst oxidized at 250 $^\circ$C is made up of a mixture of monometallic Au and Pd and bimetallic Au-Pd nanoparticles with Au:Pd ratios varying over a wide range. Increasing oxidation temperature leads to a stronger interaction between Au and Pd. Meanwhile, a slight increase of particle size and a narrowing of the Au:Pd ratio in the bimetallic nanoparticles take place. Compared with titania and activated carbon supports, the resistance against sintering at high temperatures of Au-Pd metal particles supported on ceriazirconia is proven to be higher. A synergistic effect has been observed for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol on these catalysts. The catalytic activity decreases only slightly after oxidation at 450 $^\circ$C. However, oxidation at 700 $^\circ$C results in much lower catalytic activity. Migration of Pd onto Au particles during oxidation of benzyl alcohol enhances the catalytic activity of a physical mixture of monometallic Au and Pd supported on ceriazirconia catalysts. This fact, jointly with an analysis of the intrinsic activity, reveals the influence of the actual nature of Au-Pd interactions in the bimetallic particles, which points to higher activity of Au@Pd or Au@Pd@Pd nanostructures on ceria-zirconia support.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Evidence of a complex structure within the 2013 August 19 coronal mass ejection: Radial and longitudinal evolution in the inner heliosphere

Context. Late on 2013 August 19, a coronal mass ejection (CME) erupted from an active region located near the far-side central meridian from Earth’s perspective. The event and its accompanying shock were remotely observed by the STEREO-A, STEREO-B, and SOHO spacecraft. The interplanetary counterpart (ICME) was intercepted by MESSENGER near 0.3 au and by both STEREO-A and STEREO-B near 1 au, which were separated from each other by 78° in heliolongitude. Aims. The main objective of this study is to follow the radial and longitudinal evolution of the ICME throughout the inner heliosphere and to examine possible scenarios for the different magnetic flux-rope configuration observed on the solar disk and measured in situ at the locations of MESSENGER and STEREO-A, separated by 15° in heliolongitude, and at STEREO-B, which detected the ICME flank. Methods. Solar disk observations are used to estimate the “magnetic flux-rope type”, namely, the magnetic helicity, axis orientation, and axial magnetic field direction of the flux rope. The graduated cylindrical shell model is used to reconstruct the CME in the corona. The analysis of in situ data, specifically the plasma and magnetic field, is used to estimate the global interplanetary shock geometry and to derive the magnetic flux-rope type at different in situ locations, which is compared to the type estimated from solar disk observations. The elliptical cylindrical analytical model is used for the in situ magnetic flux-rope reconstruction. Results. Based on the CME geometry and on the spacecraft configuration, we find that the magnetic flux-rope structure detected at STEREO-B belongs to the same ICME detected at MESSENGER and STEREO-A. The opposite helicity deduced at STEREO-B might be due to that fact that it intercepted one of the legs of the structure far from the flux-rope axis, in contrast to STEREO-A and MESSENGER, which were crossing through the core of the magnetic flux rope. The different flux-rope orientations measured at MESSENGER and STEREO-A probably arise because the two spacecraft measure a curved, highly distorted, and rather complex magnetic flux-rope topology. The ICME may have suffered additional distortion in its evolution in the inner heliosphere, such as the west flank propagating faster than the east flank when arriving near 1 au. Conclusions. This work illustrates how a wide, curved, highly distorted, and rather complex CME showed different orientations as observed on the solar disk and measured in situ at 0.3 au and near 1 au. Furthermore, the work shows how the ambient conditions can significantly affect the expansion and propagation of the CME and ICME, introducing additional irregularities to the already asymmetric eruption. The study also manifests how these complex structures cannot be directly reconstructed with the currently available models and that multi-point analysis is of the utmost importance in such complex events.Agencia Estatal de Investigació

Evaluación de la confiabilidad de microrredes eléctricas aisladas por el método de árbol de fallas

The reliability of a microgrid isolated with distributed sources such as photovoltaic systems, wind turbine generation and storage devices, given the stochastic behavior of renewable resources is assessed. By modeling of generation sources and using the Monte Carlo simulation method (SMC) and fault tree analysis, a graphical interface that allows the calculation of reliability indexes of the system is implemented and considering that depend on the size thereof, set by the number of panels, turbines, storage devices and failure rates of the components. These variables will be freely modified, so that the tool will allow the user a quick view of the changes that these variables fluctuations cause in the system reliability.El presente artículo tiene por objeto evaluar la confiabilidad de una microrred aislada con fuentes de generación distribuida, tales como sistemas fotovoltaicos, turbinas eólicas y dispositivos de almacenamiento, teniendo en cuenta el comportamiento estocástico de los recursos renovables. Mediante el modelamiento de las fuentes de generación y utilizando el método de simulación de Montecarlo (SMC) y el análisis de árbol de fallas, se implementa una interfaz gráfica que permite el cálculo de índices de confiabilidad del sistema y, considerando que dependen de la dimensión del mismo, configurada por el número de paneles, turbinas, dispositivos de almacenamiento y tasas de falla de los componentes del mismo. Estas variables serán de libre modificación, de modo que la herramienta le permita al usuario una visualización rápida de los cambios que dichas alteraciones producen en la confiabilidad del sistem

Size, nanostructure, and composition dependence of bimetallic Au–Pd supported on ceria–zirconia mixed oxide catalysts for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol

A bimetallic Au–Pd catalyst supported on ceria–zirconia with Au:Pd molar ratio 0.8 has been synthesized using a simultaneous deposition–precipitation method and oxidized at 250, 450, and 700 °C in order to modify its particle size, nanostructure, and composition. Combined X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS)and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)analysis clearly evidence that the bimetallic Au–Pd catalyst oxidized at 250 °C is made up of a mixture of monometallic Au and Pd and bimetallic Au–Pd nanoparticles with Au:Pd ratios varying over a wide range. Increasing oxidation temperature leads to a stronger interaction between Au and Pd. Meanwhile, a slight increase of particle size and a narrowing of the Au:Pd ratio in the bimetallic nanoparticles take place. Compared with titania and activated carbon supports, the resistance against sintering at high temperatures of Au–Pd metal particles supported on ceria–zirconia is proven to be higher. A synergistic effect has been observed for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol on these catalysts. The catalytic activity decreases only slightly after oxidation at 450 °C. However, oxidation at 700 °C results in much lower catalytic activity. Migration of Pd onto Au particles during oxidation of benzyl alcohol enhances the catalytic activity of a physical mixture of monometallic Au and Pd supported on ceria–zirconia catalysts. This fact, jointly with an analysis of the intrinsic activity, reveals the influence of the actual nature of Au–Pd interactions in the bimetallic particles, which points to higher activity of Au@Pd or AuPd@Pd nanostructures on ceria–zirconia support

Lectura de contexto y abordaje psicosocial desde los enfoques narrativos Valledupar, Curumaní.

En Colombia la atención psicosocial a víctimas del conflicto armado ha sido un proceso en el que se han vinculado el Estado y organizaciones civiles, con el principal objetivo de atenuar los impactos de la violencia por el conflicto armado en nuestro país. La atención psicosocial para las victimas ha sido un desafío para los profesionales que intervienen, ya que como primera medida deben reconocer la complejidad de este fenómeno para así encontrar la manera adecuada de aliviar el sufrimiento de los afectados por el conflicto mediante la generación e implementación de programas de atención dirigidos a la población en situación de vulneración o riesgo de vulneración de sus derechos. Por otra parte, se evidencia que una de las dificultades de este planteamiento está en que todas las víctimas tienen el mismo derecho a ser reparadas por haber sido sometidas a actos de violencia y bajo este principio de igualdad la atención debe ser para todos; la dificultad está en que algunas personas toman una postura rígida frente a aquellos los que pretenden reinsertarse a la sociedad civil, son señalamientos a la ligera que han hecho que los resultados de este procesos se vean afectados. Analizaremos entonces el relato 4, donde el joven Edison Medina, permite que se conozca un poco sobre un caso donde además de víctima fue victimario del conflicto armado de Colombia, con el propósito de comprender un poco los motivos y las circunstancias en las que un joven puede tomar una decisión equivocada. La atención psicosocial entonces, se concentra en el reconocimiento de los recursos individuales con los que cuentan las personas y las comunidades afectadas por hechos de victimización y la implementación de estrategias colectivas de trabajo, en las que se privilegia el restablecimiento de valores comunitarios con el propósito de que sus resultados generen el bienestar de la población afectada, así como también para el interés general de nuestro país.In Colombia, psychosocial care for victims of the armed conflict has been a process in which the State and civil organizations have been linked, with the main objective of mitigating the impacts of violence due to the armed conflict in our country. Psychosocial care for victims has been a challenge for the professionals involved, since as a first step they must recognize the complexity of this phenomenon in order to find the appropriate way to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the conflict through the generation and implementation of programs of attention directed to the population in situation of violation or risk of violation of their rights. On the other hand, it is evident that one of the difficulties of this approach is that all victims have the same right to be repaired for having been subjected to acts of violence and under this principle of equality the attention must be for all; the difficulty is that some people take a rigid position in front of those who seek to reintegrate themselves into civil society, they are lightly pointed out that have caused the results of this process to be affected. We will analyze then the story 4, where the young Edison Medina, allows to know a little about a case where as well as victim was the victim of the armed conflict in Colombia, with the purpose of understanding a little the reasons and circumstances in which a young You can make a wrong decision. Psychosocial attention, then, focuses on the recognition of the individual resources available to people and communities affected by acts of victimization and the implementation of collective work strategies, in which the re-establishment of community values is privileged for the purpose of that their results generate the welfare of the affected population, as well as for the general interest of our country