Victims’ collective memory and transitional justice in post-conflict Colombia: The case of the March of Light

The construction of victims’ collective memory in post-conflict Colombia is crucial to understanding the violent past and its social consequences. This article argues that victims’ initiatives, such as the March of Light, are facilitating an active role of local communities in the configuration of their memory regimes after the war. Addressing a participative action research approach, this article’s significance rests in the idea that Colombian victims’ groups from Eastern Antioquia are establishing three particular types of collective memory developing the March of Light every week. It establishes that this effort is a powerful instrument to claim truth and reparation in Colombia, helping the ongoing process of transitional justice in the country. It demonstrates that the tension between official and non-official narratives of collective memory is an essential part of transitional justice scenarios in which the clash of values defines positions of power, visibility and recognition inside contexts of social transition

Communicative Citizenship, Preliminary Approaches

In order to understand the relationship between communication, citizenship and rights it is necessary to analyse three fields separately: the political communication field, the social communication field and the cultural communication field. This research has developed a concept of communicative citizenship, a model and methodological tools to create a comprehensive and integrative approach to the relationship between communication, citizenship and rights, and overcome this gap. The project includes the analysis of socio communicative regimes in an armed conflict context (Colombia), a multicultural context focusing on migrants' political action (United Kingdom), and a society where Governmental control affects communicative and political rights (Italy). To describe, analyse and understand how these conditions affect the human rights field and how it is possible to claim for justice, equality and freedom from a communicative perspective, are the final aims of this research

Mobile Solutions to the Mexican Kidnapping Epidemic (MAKE). Beyond Elite Counter- Measures towards Citizen-Led Innovation

This paper presents an overview of the project Mobile Solutions to the Mexican Kidnapping Epidemic (MAKE): Beyond Elite Counter-Measures towards Citizen-Led Innovation. This initiative has charted the shifting topography of the Mexican kidnapping epidemic and examined various ‘mobile solutions’ that have emerged to counter it. The purpose of this research intervention has been to shed new light on this illicit industry and its effects, to provide a deeper understanding of kidnapping that informs and innovates citizen-led responses. The project has two aims. First, to engage with activists, victims and their families to explore the potential of citizen-led counter-kidnapping. Second, to track the complex mobilities triggered by kidnapping, examining those ‘mobile solutions’ that have emerged in response to it. Aware that activist-citizens are developing their own strategies to address this threat, this initiative not only sets out to document and to understand their approaches, but also to explore how everyday practices and technologies can be adapted into them. It spotlights how kidnapping both reiterates and exacerbates social and security inequalities, our analysing the strategies deployed by elites and subalterns, as well as the transborder and migratory effects of kidnapping. The key research question at the core of this project is: how do you counter kidnapping when you cannot access private solutions or rely on the state? Answering this question, we are working to develop a portfolio of counter-kidnapping resources that build community resilience and strengthen civic action against this pervasive threat to Mexican society. Working collectively with civic-action groups, victims groups, human rights defenders and technology specialists, this initiative is currently co-producing a counter-kidnapping toolkit that we will make available to ordinary Mexican citizens. This project is designed to not just build counter-kidnapping capacity in Mexico from the perspective of citizen-led innovation. Its ultimate aim is to leave a legacy of empowered Mexican citizens who will continue to collectively confront this threat, bringing forward much needed social change, and contributing to more sustainable security across Mexican society.This initiative echoes ongoing Latin American debates about how social justice can be achieved ‘from below”, as well as how security can be achieved in states of impunity. In the realm of counter-kidnapping policy interventions, we are conscious of the ‘hard’ policy transfers of military tactics and security expertise that are flowing from Colombia to Mexico in relation to kidnapping. However, this project sets out to open new channels for ‘soft’ transfers; to facilitate and forge connections between civic activists that hold the potential to catalyse and inspire innovative counter-kidnapping approaches that are both citizenled but also tailored to context

The effect of individual and classroom moral disengagement on antisocial behaviors in Colombian adolescents: A multilevel model

The present study examined the predictive effect of moral disengagement (within and between classrooms) on antisocial behaviors in Colombian adolescents, as well as the interaction of moral disengagement with classroom composition by age, socioeconomic status (SES), and perceived teacher–student relationship quality. Multilevel modeling was used to identify individual, compositional, and contextual effects on antisocial behaviors. The predictive variables were: (a) classroom mean score (i.e., between-classroom analysis), and (b) student deviation from the classroom mean score (i.e., within-classroom analysis). The sample included 879 students nested in 24 seventh-grade classrooms in three Colombian cities. The results showed that age, SES, and moral disengagement at the within-classroom level predicted antisocial behaviors. At the between-classroom level, antisocial behaviors were predicted by higher moral disengagement and lower aggregate SES. In addition, significant interactions were found between moral disengagement at the within-classroom level and SES at the between-classroom level. The findings expand our knowledge of the interdependence between individual and classroom contexts in the exercise of moral agency during adolescence

Using quality risk management in the plantibody HB-01 manufacturing by transgenic tobacco Plants for vaccine production

The production of biopharmaceuticals by transgenic plants is a promising choice to achieve the multi-kilogram amount of products needed to treat many human diseases. However, this scientific field is still lacking of approved specific guidelines regarding points to consider for manufacturing and application of these products. In such sense, the implementation of new manufacturing processes and quality systems using the quality risks management is recognized as something of prime importance in the current pharmaceutical industry. In this work, we summarize the application of the FMEA method to design the manufacturing process of a plantibody, employed in the hepatitis B vaccine production to ensure the vaccine high quality.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Using quality risk management in the plantibody HB-01 manufacturing by transgenic tobacco Plants for vaccine production

The production of biopharmaceuticals by transgenic plants is a promising choice to achieve the multi-kilogram amount of products needed to treat many human diseases. However, this scientific field is still lacking of approved specific guidelines regarding points to consider for manufacturing and application of these products. In such sense, the implementation of new manufacturing processes and quality systems using the quality risks management is recognized as something of prime importance in the current pharmaceutical industry. In this work, we summarize the application of the FMEA method to design the manufacturing process of a plantibody, employed in the hepatitis B vaccine production to ensure the vaccine high quality.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Promoting prosocial behaviour among Colombian adolescents: the evaluation of a universal school-based program using a multi-informant perspective

The present study evaluated the efficacy of an Italian school-based intervention programme adapted in three Colombian sites (Medellín, Manizales, and Santa Marta) in promoting prosocial behaviour among adolescents. Using a pre-test-post-test design with a multi-informant approach, the present study assessed 451 students (Mage = 12.77, SD = 1.06) of the intervention group and 428 students (Mage = 12.64, SD = 1.01) by using self-report and peer rating measures of prosocial behaviour. After establishing the measurement invariance across time and informants, a latent difference score model showed the positive effect of the intervention programme in improving prosocial behaviour evaluated by peers (Cohen’s d = .379) among Colombian adolescents, across all three sites. Implications of the study will be discussed

Using quality risk management in the plantibody HB-01 manufacturing by transgenic tobacco Plants for vaccine production

The production of biopharmaceuticals by transgenic plants is a promising choice to achieve the multi-kilogram amount of products needed to treat many human diseases. However, this scientific field is still lacking of approved specific guidelines regarding points to consider for manufacturing and application of these products. In such sense, the implementation of new manufacturing processes and quality systems using the quality risks management is recognized as something of prime importance in the current pharmaceutical industry. In this work, we summarize the application of the FMEA method to design the manufacturing process of a plantibody, employed in the hepatitis B vaccine production to ensure the vaccine high quality.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Effectiveness of an mHealth intervention combining a smartphone app and smart band on body composition in an overweight and obese population: Randomized controlled trial (EVIDENT 3 study)

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) is currently among the supporting elements that may contribute to an improvement in health markers by helping people adopt healthier lifestyles. mHealth interventions have been widely reported to achieve greater weight loss than other approaches, but their effect on body composition remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to assess the short-term (3 months) effectiveness of a mobile app and a smart band for losing weight and changing body composition in sedentary Spanish adults who are overweight or obese. Methods: A randomized controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted involving the participation of 440 subjects from primary care centers, with 231 subjects in the intervention group (IG; counselling with smartphone app and smart band) and 209 in the control group (CG; counselling only). Both groups were counselled about healthy diet and physical activity. For the 3-month intervention period, the IG was trained to use a smartphone app that involved self-monitoring and tailored feedback, as well as a smart band that recorded daily physical activity (Mi Band 2, Xiaomi). Body composition was measured using the InBody 230 bioimpedance device (InBody Co., Ltd), and physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: The mHealth intervention produced a greater loss of body weight (–1.97 kg, 95% CI –2.39 to –1.54) relative to standard counselling at 3 months (–1.13 kg, 95% CI –1.56 to –0.69). Comparing groups, the IG achieved a weight loss of 0.84 kg more than the CG at 3 months. The IG showed a decrease in body fat mass (BFM; –1.84 kg, 95% CI –2.48 to –1.20), percentage of body fat (PBF; –1.22%, 95% CI –1.82% to 0.62%), and BMI (–0.77 kg/m2, 95% CI –0.96 to 0.57). No significant changes were observed in any of these parameters in men; among women, there was a significant decrease in BMI in the IG compared with the CG. When subjects were grouped according to baseline BMI, the overweight group experienced a change in BFM of –1.18 kg (95% CI –2.30 to –0.06) and BMI of –0.47 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.80 to –0.13), whereas the obese group only experienced a change in BMI of –0.53 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.86 to –0.19). When the data were analyzed according to physical activity, the moderate-vigorous physical activity group showed significant changes in BFM of –1.03 kg (95% CI –1.74 to –0.33), PBF of –0.76% (95% CI –1.32% to –0.20%), and BMI of –0.5 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.83 to –0.19). Conclusions: The results from this multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial study show that compared with standard counselling alone, adding a self-reported app and a smart band obtained beneficial results in terms of weight loss and a reduction in BFM and PBF in female subjects with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 and a moderate-vigorous physical activity level. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to ensure that this profile benefits more than others from this intervention and to investigate modifications of this intervention to achieve a global effect