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This systematic literature review examines the panorama of interculturality in rural contexts of bilingual education in Latin America. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge in Latin America and identify key themes, challenges, and gaps in the field. The review highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing linguistic and cultural diversity, particularly in marginalized rural communities. It also discusses the lack of adequate resources and educational policies as significant challenges to promoting intercultural bilingual education in these contexts. The findings underscore the need for further research and the development of effective strategies to enhance intercultural understanding and bilingual education in Latin American rural areas.

Some human activities have caused a serious environmental crisis, producing irreversible damage and loss of resources and diversity, which is why a strong sustainability approach is required to keep human activities within planetary boundaries. However, a strong sustainability concept can be difficult for teachers to convey and for students to grasp, because it has few practical examples and applying it seems utopian. This article presents a teaching strategy of active learning for teaching strong sustainability at the university level and evaluates its usefulness for empowering students for another type of relationship with the environment. The teaching strategy is supported by a pedagogy that promotes critical thinking and recognizes learning as a way of questioning and empowering oneself. The teaching strategy was successfully applied in three university subjects that promote environmental education. Based on an online questionnaire to enrolled students (N = 87; 46F, 41M), the perspective of the teacher and the critical-thinking of authors, it was demonstrated that the teaching strategy allowed the strong sustainability concept to be appropriated by students of different disciplines, and demonstrated the feasibility of its practical application. Finally, the teaching strategy can be useful for teaching several disciplines, for curricular integration, and for promoting societal changes to achieve sustainability.

This paper describes the implementation and student learning outcomes of a nationwide professional development program for lower secondary and upper secondary school teachers to integrate computational thinking into the K-12 curriculum. Computational thinking comprises important concepts and skills that all students should develop to take an active role in a global society. However, teaching computational thinking is challenging. There are few teachers with the knowledge and skills to integrate computation into their courses. In this program, the participating teachers implemented a set of lesson plans that included both unplugged activities to scaffold student learning, and 'plugged' activities following a use-modify-create learning progression with the Micro:bit device to practice these skills. The study used a quasi-experimental design to compare students' level of computational thinking between the program participants and a control group. The results suggest a positive effect of the learning activities on student computational thinking knowledge and skills as compared to the control group. This result persists after controlling for school context and student gender. This study provides an explicit approach to implementing these activities in the context of a developing country and assesses their effectiveness in a large-scale study.

This paper reports an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study on speaking assessment approaches in a teacher education program at a Colombian university. The study aimed to explore how four in-service English language teachers approach the assessment of students' speaking skill. The data were gathered through classroom observations, interviews, and documentary analysis. Results revealed teachers' preference for summative assessment practices to determine students' progress regarding speaking. As a conclusion, teacher professional development in terms of language assessment may be seen as an alternative to develop significant assessment processes where students, teachers, and the institution can be benefited.

A growing number of higher education institutions have adopted tools to promote mobile learning. However, studies into the driving factors of its adoption are insufficient. This article identifies the aspects that have an effect on the adoption of mobile learning (m-learning) among university students. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and technology acceptance model (TAM) have been shown to be valid and powerful models in the research on the adoption of learning technologies. Based on TPB and TAM, we propose a model to explain how perceptions influence m-learning adoption among Colombian university students. To confirm the acceptability of the model, a self-administered questionnaire was applied to 878 undergraduate university students from the Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano (ITM), a higher education institution in Colombia. The results suggest that all of the constructs of TPB and TAM have a moderate impact on the intention to adopt m-learning. Specifically, perceived usefulness and attitude have a significant influence on students' acceptance of m-learning. These results can stimulate future research and promote an effective diffusion of m-learning in developing countries.

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze how the legitimacy of the policy of external quality assurance (EQA) in Colombian higher education has evolved over the past 30 years through an examination of its two main instruments: the compulsory control of minimum quality standards for academic programs and institutions (registro calificado) and accreditations of excellence for programs and institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the methodology of process-tracing, this paper offers a review of the main sequences of the policy of EQA in Colombian higher education: the origins (1990-1998), the expansion (1998-2011) and the contestation (2011-2021). In each sequence, the sources of the substantive and procedural legitimacy of the policy are analyzed. This analysis is based on qualitative data comprising semi-structured interviews with key informants, online information from the 2011 and 2018 student protests and official documentation. Findings: The policy of EQA in Colombian higher education had relatively high levels of substantive and procedural legitimacy during the first two sequences. However, the situation has become more ambivalent since 2011. On the one hand, internal contradictions and student movements' growing criticism of neoliberal policies have undermined some of the foundations of this policy. On the other hand, higher education institutions and the Colombian Government still have a positive perception of EQA and have recently revisited the policy to address some of its shortcomings. Originality/value: From a conceptual standpoint, this paper advances our understanding of how quality assurance in higher education gains, sustains or loses legitimacy by discussing and testing typologies of legitimacy in the analysis of a national system of EQA. From an empirical perspective, this paper provides a diachronic analysis of EQA in Colombian higher education, a case that has primarily been studied through a technical-rational perspective.

Over the past 30 years, quality assurance in higher education has rapidly developed on a global scale and become a widely studied research topic. However, a good deal of the research on this issue has been subject to an instrumental bias. The attention given to the technical features and expected results of quality assurance has overshadowed the analysis of its political and symbolic dimensions. This article argues that the political sociology of public policy instrumentation--a conceptual framework that foregrounds the technical and the social nature of public policy instruments, as well as their unexpected effects--can bring the instrumental, political, and symbolic dimensions of quality assurance together. To support this claim, the article presents a comparative analysis of the Chilean and Colombian systems of quality assurance in higher education, two cases that might seem analogous at first glance due to their instrumental commonalities but reflect contrasting approaches to quality: a flexible and an excellence-oriented approach, respectively.

This paper has as its aim to analyze how CityVille, a videogame hosted on Facebook and oriented to the construction of a virtual city, can favor collaboration between gamers along with the exchange of strategies, equally contributing to learning transfer and skill acquisition. The first step consists in identifying the opportunities which the said game can offer in order to develop skills and promote learning formats linked with planning and resource management, after which a presentation is made of the opinions expressed by a sample of gamers (N = 105)--belonging to the Fans-CityVille community--about the priorities established by them to communicate with their neighbors and the skills that they believe to have acquired playing this game. 85.7% of them state that they communicate with others to share strategies and expand their city. Unlike women, who value collaboration, men prioritize competition. Designing their city has enhanced a number of gamer skills in different proportions: creative skills (71.4%); organizational ones (68.0%); skills associated with decision-making and problem-solving (67.0%); and interpersonal skills through interaction with others (61.9%). The CityVille game mode favors skill development and helps to create a ludic atmosphere of collaboration and optimal strategy exchange through communication between neighbors by strengthening their mutual relationships. Its formula moves away from the often-criticized competitive practices of other games.

Introduction: In-hospital falls are multicausal in older hospitalized patients. Drugs with anticholinergic load and psychotropic effects can increase the risk of falling. Objective: This study aimed to determine the associations between fall riskincreasing drugs (FRIDs) and the anticholinergic risk score (ARS) with falls in hospitalized older hospitalized patients. Methods: This was a case-control study of patients =65 years of age of either sex treated in four clinics in Colombia between 2018 and 2020. Each patient who suffered a fall during hospitalization was matched with four hospitalized patients who did not. Sociodemographic, clinical, and pharmacologic variables and the use of the ARS and FRIDs were evaluated. The risk associated with FRIDs was estimated using conditional logistic regression. Results: There were 250 patients and 1,000 controls (ratio of 1:4), with a mean age of 77.4 ± 7.4 years and a predominance of men (n = 800, 64.0%). The majority of falls occurred during hospitalization (n = 192 patients, 76.8%). Polypharmacy, calcium channel blockers, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were associated with falls during hospitalization. With an ARS score of 3, the probability of falling during the hospital stay increased (aOR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.64-3.32). Conclusion: There is an association between suffering a fall and the use of drugs with anticholinergic load or FRIDs in hospitalized adults more than 65 years of age in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/context: This article has three objectives: to differentiate the theoretical arguments on the empty chair policy in Latin America, to analyze the process of institutional change that culminated with its implementation in Colombia, and to describe how it has been carried out between 2010 and 2024. Methodology: The methodological approach has three components: a theoretical part, a documentary component, and an empirically based analysis. The first describes the contrast between two approaches to the autonomy, control, and accountability of political parties and parliamentarians. The second reviews how these approaches are reflected in the rules on seat ownership (of parties or congresspersons/deputies), accountability, and sanctions for parties and congresspersons when they violate the law. The third consists of identifying cases of loss of seats, their analysis, and the determination of their effects. The principal sources of the study are constitutional reforms, Supreme Court rulings, and decisions of the Attorney General's Office on convictions of congressmen. The information is complemented with journalistic reports and electoral data. Conclusions: The empty chair policy is established in two Latin American countries (Colombia and Peru). It is an effective legal norm to sanction political parties and legislators convicted for their links with criminal groups, corruption, electoral fraud, and other crimes. It has been applied in eighteen cases due to links to paramilitarism, drug trafficking, and corruption. The affected parties have decreased their electoral performance and their seats in Congress. Originality: This is the first empirical study on the subject in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Blunt abdominal trauma is a common cause of emergency department admission. Computed tomography (CT) scanning is the gold standard method for identifying intra-abdominal injuries in patients experiencing blunt trauma, especially those with high-energy trauma. Although the diagnostic accuracy of this imaging technique is very high, patient admission and prolonged observation protocols are still common practices worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the incidence of intra-abdominal injury in hemodynamically stable patients with high-energy blunt trauma and a normal abdominal CT scan at a Level-1 Trauma Center in Colombia, South America, to assess the relevance of a prolonged observation period. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients admitted to the emergency department for blunt trauma between 2021 and 2022. All consecutive patients with high-energy mechanisms of trauma and a normal CT scan at admission were included. Our primary outcomes were the incidence of intra-abdominal injury identified during a 24-hour observation period or hospital stay, ICU admission, and death. Results: We included 480 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 33 (IQR 25.5, 47), and 74.2% were male. The most common mechanisms of injury were motor vehicle accidents (64.2%), falls from height (26%), and falls from bikes (3.1%). A total of 99.2% of patients had a Revised Trauma Score of 8. Only 1 patient (0.2%) (95% CI: 0.01–1.16) presented with an abdominal injury during the observation period. No ICU admissions or deaths were reported. Conclusion: The incidence of intra-abdominal injury in patients with hemodynamically stable blunt trauma and a negative abdominal CT scan is extremely low, and prolonged observation may not be justified in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleomagnetic results obtained from 38 Pliocene—Pleistocene volcanic flows from the Knot of the Pastos and surroundings of Puracé volcano and Popayán (southwestern Colombia) are presented. Using stringent quality criteria and excluding sites that classify as representatives of transitional states of Earth's field, a selected group of 27 sites (16 with normal polarity and 11 with reversed polarity) was obtained with a mean direction (Dec = 357.8°, Inc = 6.4°, α95 = 7.5° and κ = 15) that coincides with the geocentric axial dipole field (GAD: Dec = 0o, Inc = 3.2o) and, unlike similar studies at similar latitudes, does not coincide with the GAD plus a 5% axial quadrupolar component (Dec = 0°, Inc = −1.08°). However, when serial correlation (SC) among several sites with high inclination anomalies is taken into consideration, the mean direction of two resulting groups of sites shows greater consistency with a field that includes a quadrupolar component. It is interpreted that the sites treated for SC record states of the field similar to today's field in the area of study, which is being affected by the South Atlantic Anomaly. Plain Language Summary: The only way to study Earth's magnetic field in the geologic past from experimental data is by studying the magnetization of rocks that record Earth's field in a way comparable to the way compasses point close to the geographic north. Earth's magnetic field changes are significant in relatively short time‐scales like years or centuries. In this study the paleomagnetic directions recorded in volcanic products from extinct volcanoes of the Colombian Andes were obtained. Most of the volcanic flows record paleomagnetic directions consistent with the ones obtained from previous studies, which in general differ from the present magnetic directions in the area by being less inclined downwards. However, some of the volcanic flows did record paleomagnetic directions that are similar to the present magnetic directions in the area, which have been linked to an ample low magnetic intensity area in the Atlantic Ocean called the South Atlantic Anomaly. So, as it has been pointed out in other studies, it is possible that this anomaly has acted recurrently during the geologic past. Key Points: The mean paleomagnetic direction among the selected sites from Colombia shows consistency with a geocentric axial dipole (GAD) fieldConsistency with a GAD field with a 5% quadrupolar component is obtained when serial correlation is appliedSerially correlated sites are probably affected by the South Atlantic Anomaly, in a way similar to the present field in the study area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

different populations have different averages of life-space assessment scores and defining cutoff values of clinical significance by each population should take into consideration. Different cutoffs to define restricted life space have been reported. The most common is a score of 60 points. There are other cutoffs derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and used to classify older adults according to their ability in activities of daily living (ADLs) (52.3 points) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) (56 points); other cutoffs are specialized for people with cognitive impairment (26.75 points) or people with spinal cord injury who need mobility aids (78.5 points). The aims were to identify cutoff points of Life Space Assessment (LSA) in older adults in different sites and to determine the relationship of the cutoff scores with mobility disability and depression. The study population was composed of community-dwelling adults aged 65–74 years who were not institutionalized. An ROC analysis was constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to identify the optimal cutoff that discriminates life-space restriction for each city. Logistic regressions were executed by site to comprehend the association among restricted LSA and mobility disability and depression. In total, 1890 participants were included in the analyses (52.38% women, 37.19% mobility disability and 21.32% had depression). Canada cities had the highest cutoff, while Tirana and Natal had the lowest cutoff (< 50). Kingston was the site with the highest association between life-space restriction and mobility disability (OR 5.4, 95% CI 2.9–10). Saint-Hyacinthe, Tirana, and Manizales had significant associations between depression and restricted life space (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.53–6.89, OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.88–5.24, and OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.28–6.98, respectively). Different cutoffs to define restricted life-space have been identified in elderly people at different sites. The analysis of the relationship between the restricted life space and personal characteristics like depression and mobility disability supported these findings. The groupings produced by the cutoff points for each site showed notable variations. These findings emphasize the importance of population-based cutoffs to improve the general applicability of LSM criteria and take into consideration the importance of site-specific approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper exploits the sharp escalation of violence in Colombia in the 1980s associated with the emergence of drug cartels to provide novel evidence on the long-run effects of violence exposure throughout the life-course, on children's educational attainment and academic achievement using administrative data. I find that, a higher homicide rate in early-childhood is associated with a higher probability of school dropout and conditional on completing high school, lower scores on a national end-of-high school exam. Results are robust to several falsification tests, and analyses of potential sources of selection bias. I provide supportive evidence that changes in fetal, child, and adolescent health outcomes are important potential mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Complejo Volcánico Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park is located between the departments of Cauca and Nariño in the southern Andean Region of Colombia. Due to the country's social challenges and the difficult access to the Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park the biological knowledge concerning groups such as mammals, is based on studies prior to the park's declaration, reports from park rangers and residents. Between October 2017 and February 2018, eight trail cameras were set up in the Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park and its buffer zone. We reviewed the information captured in these cameras and identified eight mammal species, three of which are new reports for the park. In total, 24 species were reported, including charismatic Andean species such as the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), and the Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). The mammal diversity documented for the park is low (24 species) compared to other Andean areas. Further field work is necessary to complete the species inventories. Nevertheless, this research, to our knowledge is the first effort to study the medium and large mammals of the Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park since its establishment in 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting coastal change depends upon our knowledge of postglacial relative sea-level variability, partly controlled by glacio-isostatic responses to ice-sheet melting. Here, we reconstruct the postglacial relative sea-level changes along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of northwestern South America by numerically solving the sea-level equation with two scenarios of mantle viscosity: global standard average and high viscosity. Our results with the standard model (applicable to the Pacific coast) agree with earlier studies by indicating a mid-Northgrippian high stand of ~2 m. The high-viscosity simulation (relevant to the Caribbean coast) shows that the transition from far- to intermediate-field influence of the Laurentide Ice Sheet occurs between Manzanillo del Mar and the Gulf of Morrosquillo. South of this location, the Colombian Caribbean coast has exhibited a still stand with a nearly constant Holocene relative sea level. By analyzing our simulations considering sea-level indicators, we argue that tectonics is more prominent than previously assumed, especially along the Caribbean coast. This influence prevents a simplified view of regional relative sea-level changes on the northwestern South American coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic has profoundly altered global social dynamics through extensive containment measures. Understanding how individuals perceive the virus, distinguishing between realistic and symbolic threats, and considering the influence of personality traits is essential for effective public health messaging and interventions. This study explores the linkage between personality traits and perceived COVID‐19 threats, mediated by conspiracy mentality, across diverse international contexts. Online survey data were collected in June 2021 from 13,645 participants across seven European countries, the US, and Colombia. The study explores how individuals with different Dark Triad traits perceive the threat of COVID‐19, and whether conspiracy mentality mediates these perceptions. The findings reveal distinct associations. Machiavellianism and narcissism were linked to lower perceived COVID‐19 threat, while psychopathy was associated with greater perceived threat. Additionally, individuals with higher conspiracy mentality endorsed greater perceived threat related to COVID‐19. This study highlights the influence of Dark Triad personality traits on how individuals perceive the threats posed by COVID‐19, with conspiracy mentality mediating this relationship. Understanding these associations provides valuable insights into psychological factors affecting COVID‐19 perception, informing future research and public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative importance of abiotic and biotic factors in shaping forest biomass stocks and fluxes remains a controversial issue. Here, using data gathered from 39 1 ha plots located in flooded and terra firme mature tropical lowland forests of the Amazon and Orinoquia regions of Colombia, we evaluated the importance of climate, soil fertility, and flooding, as well as tree taxonomic/phylogenetic diversity and forest structural properties, in determining the aboveground biomass stocks (AGB; Mg ha−1) and aboveground woody productivity (AWP; Mg ha−1 year−1). Using information‐theoretic multimodel inference and variance partitioning we found that forest structural features such as the number of trees with diameter at breast height ≥ 70 cm, and wood density, are the main drivers of variation in AGB. However, taxonomic diversity also contributes to AGB because it is associated with more large trees in these forests. In contrast, the key drivers of AWP in these forests were soil P and Mg concentrations, with no significant effects of diversity indices. These findings emphasize the need to include major soil cations other than N and P (e.g. Mg) in experimental studies to improve our understanding about the extent to which soil fertility can modulate increases in forest AWP due to climate change. Terra firme forests had higher AGB stocks than flooded forests, but both had similar AWP; and we found similar results for the drivers of AGB and AWP between flooded and terra firme forests. Our results provide limited evidence for strong effects of plant diversity on AGB or AWP. Therefore, we call for caution on generalizations of nature‐based initiatives aiming to preserve diversity based on maximizing carbon stocks and productivity, due to the complex nature of the processes controlling carbon accumulation and carbon fluxes in tropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gaceta Médica de Caracas is the property of Academia Nacional de Medicina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Executive Summary: Millions of Venezuelans have fled their country in hopes for a better future outside the political and financial turmoil in their home country. This paper examines the self-reported needs of Venezuelans in the United States and Colombia. Specifically, it looks at perceived discrimination in each country and its effect on the service needs of Venezuelan immigrants. The authors used data from a larger project conducted in October to November 2017 to perform a qualitative content analysis on the specific services that participants and others like them would need following immigration. The sample consisted of 647 Venezuelan immigrant adults who had migrated to the United States (n = 342) or Colombia (n = 305). Its findings indicate statistically significant differences between the two countries. Venezuelan immigrants in the United States were more likely to identity mental health and educational service needs, while those in Colombia were more likely to list access to healthcare, help finding jobs, and food assistance. When looking at perceived discrimination, means scores for discrimination were significantly greater for participants who indicated needing housing services, who indicated needing assistance enrolling children in school and who indicated needing food assistance, compared to participants who did not list those needs. Venezuelans who had experienced greater negative context of reception were less likely to indicate needing mental health services, where 11.9 percent of those who did not perceive a negative context of reception responded that they needed mental health services. Evaluating existing service networks will be essential in working to bridge the gap between the services provided to and requested by Venezuelans. Collaboration between diverse government actors, community-based organizations (CBOs) and other stakeholders can help identify gaps in existing service networks. CBOs can also facilitate communication between Venezuelan immigrants and their new communities, on the need to invest in necessary services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of reproduction in wild Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) is scarce. Here we provide novel information about litter size, birth timings, courtship and multi-generational groups in a population in the Chingaza massif in Colombia. Pregnant females, mothers with cubs, estimated birth times, and litter size were registered through camera trapping of a population at the Chingaza massif (Colombia) between 2011 and 2016. A total of 34 independent records of reproductive female bears were obtained. Twenty-eight (28) different reproductive females were recognized by external key features. Six different females were recorded only pregnant, two others were recorded pregnant and later with cubs, and 20 others were recorded only with cubs. In total, 29 cubs were recorded in 22 litters, with a mean litter size of 1.27 (SD = 0.45): 16 litters with one cub, 5 with 2 cubs, and 1 with 2 cubs + a big cub from a previous litter (>1 year). The highest records of mothers with little cubs were obtained for the low rain season in December, January, and February, full of dry-season-fruiting Ericaceae shrubs. Likewise, the highest estimated births were obtained during the rainy time in June. Multi-generational groups and the courtship behaviors are reported for the first time in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering students on control courses lack a deep understanding of equilibrium and stability that are crucial concepts in this discipline. Several studies have shown that students find it difficult to understand simple familiar or academic static equilibrium cases as well as dynamic ones from mechanics even if they know the discipline's criteria and formulae. Our aim is to study the impact of a specific and innovative classroom session, containing well-chosen situations that address students' misconceptions. We propose an example of Active Learning experiment based both on the Didactical Engineering methodology and the Conceptual Fields Theory that aims at promoting a conceptual change in students. The chosen methodology allows, at the same time, a proper design of the student learning activities, an accurate monitoring of the students' rational use during the tasks and provides an internal tool for the evaluation of the session's efficiency. Although the expected starting conceptual change was detected, it would require another activity in order to be reinforced.

In recent years, public discourse and political actors have increasingly used a deservingness rhetoric to refer to the arrival and permanent settlement of migrant groups. However, scholars have drawn on the concept of deservingness without developing a clear theoretical framework for it. Following our recent work on the migrant deservingness framework, in the present study we use the CARIN criteria (Control, Attitude, Reciprocity, Identity, Need) to establish the extent to which host nationals in eight nations impose conditions towards accepting permanent settlement among migrants. Specifically, we examine the links of these deservingness perceptions with news media consumption in seven European countries and Colombia using online survey panel data (N = 12,142). Our findings indicate that consuming news via commercial television and in popular newspapers, in particular, is linked to greater conditionality regarding migrant settlement. Consuming public television or quality news sources is only weakly linked to (reduced) conditionality. We discuss these findings using the migrant deservingness framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are recognised worldwide not only as man's best friend, but also as a form of anthropogenic edge effect impacting wildlife through predation, competition and disease infection. In the Northern Andes, there is growing evidence of dogs inducing activity shifts or alterations in the habitat use of native mammalian species. However, little information exists on direct attacks of dogs on wildlife, even in the case of species of conservation concern such as the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). Here, we used camera traps to report two cases of dogs chasing and attacking mountain tapirs in a protected area of the Central Andes of Colombia. The first event showed a direct physical contact between a living adult mountain tapir and two dogs, but the picture's angle did not lead to observable signs of wounds or other injuries. The second event showed an adult mountain tapir running while being chased by the same two dogs of the first event, denoting a stressful moment for the tapir. This may have negative consequences on the populations of mountain tapirs through decreased reproductive performance and foraging efficiency, increased potential for disease outbreaks and more. Population management and control of domestic dogs inside and around protected areas must be considered a priority in future conservation actions to support a healthy population of mountain tapirs and other imperilled species in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rastros Rostros is the property of Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: Andean forests are a global biodiversity hotspot. They harbour many species living within narrow climate ranges and a high functional diversity of trees. It remains still unclear how such hotspots respond to climatic changes over time. We investigated whether Andean forests are changing their functional composition over time along an elevational gradient by assessing changes in species composition, abundance and functional traits. Location: An elevational gradient in Colombia's northern Andes. Time Period: Species composition changes were studied two to four times from 2006 to 2017, and functional composition from 2016 to 2017. Major Taxa Studied: A total of 1104 tropical tree species with in situ traits characterization. Methods: We used seven morphological leaf traits and wood density values to analyse the functional trait dynamic over 10 years along an elevational gradient. By analysing changes in species composition, abundance and trait representation, we inferred the magnitude and direction of changes in functional composition. Then, we assessed if the functional change was related to climate change and demography. Results: With increased minimum temperature and vapour‐pressure deficit, we found a decrease over time in mean values for leaf area and specific leaf area and increases in leaf thickness and leaf dry matter content. Long‐term temperature increases are smaller with increasing elevation, but the magnitude of trait changes is greater than in lowlands. Main Conclusions: The functional composition is changing towards more conservative strategies over time across the elevation gradient, with the strongest changes observed at the highest elevations. This pattern is explained by the change in species turnover within communities due to higher recruitment rates of species with high leaf dry matter content values and low leaf area values. These shifts may be related to communities' responses to higher evapotranspiration demand and thermal stress, mainly at higher elevations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Facultad de Ingeniería Universidad de Antioquia is the property of Universidad de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this paper is to suggest a mathematical model of unpaid housework and empirically test its main predictions using data from Mexico (2014) and Colombia (2017) time-use surveys. The model, based upon the Marxist-feminist approach, suggests that the magnitude of unpaid housework is determined by the super-exploitation of labor, i.e. the gap between wages and the value of labor-power. The outcome is an equation that relates positively the magnitude of unpaid housework with the super-exploitation of labor. The parametric and nonparametric regression estimates applied in both countries show preliminary empirical support for the theoretical model. The theoretical and empirical findings have several implications for Marxist-feminist literature as well as for empirical research on unpaid housework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants maintain structures and diversities of bacteria, fungi, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that can interact to promote growth and therapeutic properties. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the microbiome of Lippia alba and Petiveria alliacea, species known for their high potential for medicinal benefits in Colombia. To achieve this, rhizosphere soils and roots were sampled from five departments in Colombia: Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Tolima, Putumayo, and Valle del Cauca. The results revealed that the dominant bacterial groups in both plants were primarily Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota, with the first phylum showing the highest number of differentially abundant genera between the sampling points. In fungi, Ascomycota tended to dominate in most of the sampled locations, while Mortierellomycota was particularly abundant in roots of P. alliacea in Valle. Furthermore, the study of AMF indicated differentiation in the colonization for both plants, with the genera Glomus and Paraglomus being predominant. Differences in the Shannon diversity index were recorded between sampling types within these sampling points, possibly influenced by local and environmental factors. Our findings reveal that the microbiomes of both medicinal plants exhibit distinct community assemblies, which could be a significant factor for their future therapeutic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following Marx's general law of capitalist accumulation, the present article seeks to evaluate the impact of fixed capital stock, labor productivity, and the mass of profits on the dynamics of employment in Colombia from 1965 to 2019 using a Vector Error Correction Model. The results show that the level of employment exhibits a significant long-term relationship with both the fixed capital stock and labor productivity. In line with Marx's theory, employment expands with fixed capital stock and contracts with labor productivity. In turn, the mass of profits has positive effects on both the capital stock and labor productivity. The empirical findings also support the existence of Marx's biased technical change as well as a negative feedback effect from employment to profits. JEL Classification: J21, C21, C22, B51 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that infects 70%–80% of the population in Colombia, causing chronic gastritis in all those infected and gastric cancer in 1%–2% of those infected. In Colombia, some studies have identified the presence of vacA and cagA genes in environmental samples such as treated, surface, and wastewater, but they have not been evaluated in the Bogotá River. For this, the aim of this study was to identify the virulence genotypes of H. pylori present in samples from the Bogotá River and domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Materials and Methods: A total of 75 water samples (51 from the Bogotá River and 24 from wastewater treatment plants) were collected. The presence of H. pylori DNA and its virulence genotypes was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The presence of H. pylori DNA was demonstrated in 44% (33/75) of the samples, obtaining 63.6% (21/33) from the Bogotá River and 36.4% (12/33) from the WWTPs. The most prevalent H. pylori genotype was cagA (‐) and vacAm1/s1/i1 being the most virulent of the vacA gene. Conclusions: This is the first study in Colombia that determines the cagA and vacA genotypes in surface water and WWTPs, indicating the circulation of virulent genotypes in the population. The presence of this pathogen in the waters can be represent a risk to the health of the surrounding population since these waters are reused by the communities for different purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to analyze the triple moderating effect of the board of directors in the country culture of a firm and its influence on the relationship between organizational innovation and organizational learning in corporate sustainability. A survey of 400 exporting companies of different commercial products from Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia was used to carry out this research. We used the structural equations model to explore the analysis of the causal and moderation relationships between the variables under study. As a result, it was found that the influence of the board of directors of a firm is essential for innovation processes because they drive their results to corporate sustainability. This last approach is due to the strategic approach adopted by large companies. In the case of SMEs, it was not possible to demonstrate that the board of directors has such a degree of influence. In the case of the moderating effect of the board of directors on the country's culture, it was possible to observe that the board of directors becomes a factor in the firm's performance despite its geographical location, which determines the influence of culture on its operation in corporations such as SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mouth-related neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions are commonly found in dogs and cats, and their diagnosis and classification are important for treatment planning and prognosis. This retrospective study analyzed mouth-related lesions in dogs and cats between 2000-2019 from the animal pathology laboratory of the Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. A total of 640 mouth-related lesions affecting 572 dogs (89.4%) and 68 cats (10.6%) were reviewed. Lesions were classified as neoplastic or non-neoplastic. The average age for neoplastic lesions was 8.6 years in dogs and 6.4 years in cats, while for non-neoplastic lesions the average age was 7.7 years for dogs and 5 years for cats. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical methods according to year and source of report, demographic information for the animal, location of the lesion, and diagnosis. Tissue origin and behavior were variables considered for neoplastic lesions. Melanoma was the most common neoplasia in dogs and squamous cell carcinoma was most common in cats. The most frequent non-neoplastic lesion in dogs was gingival hyperplasia, while in cats the inflammatory lesions showed a wide range of morphological diagnoses. This study described many pathological lesions affecting the oral cavity for both dogs and cats and provides useful epidemiological data for both pathologists and clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Hemophilia A and B are disorders associated with the deficit of coagulation factors VIII and IX. Objective: Was to determine the incidence of complications in a cohort of patients diagnosed with moderate and severe hemophilia A or B under treatment in a specialized institution. Methods: A retrospective study of a cohort of patients with replacement therapy for hemophilia A or B, evaluating treatment and complications between January/2012 and July/2019. Sociodemographic, clinical and disease management-related variables were extracted from the medical records. Time to inhibitor development and rate associated with bleeding and hospitalizations were evaluated. Results: A total of 159 male patients were identified with hemophilia A (n = 140; 88.1%) and B (n = 19; 11.9%) with a mean follow-up of 5.9±2.3 years. The mean age was 23.6±16.1 years, hemophilia was reported as severe in 125 patients in hemophilia A (89.3%) and 13 patients in hemophilia B (68.4%). Primary prophylaxis was registered in 17.0% of patients, 44.7% secondary, and 38.3% tertiary, with recombinant factors (n = 84; 52.8%) followed by plasma derived factors (n = 75; 47.2%). The incidence of inhibitor development was 0.3 per 100 patients/year, with mean time to event of 509 days. The incidence of bleeding was 192 per 100 patients/year, especially at the joint (n = 99; 62.3%) and muscle (n = 25; 15.7%) level. The incidence of hospitalization was 3.7 per 100 patients/year. Conclusions: The most common complication was joint bleeding which was expected in this type of patients. Low proportion of patients developed factor inhibitors during the follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses and aphids, the most recent vectors of viruses (Hemiptera: Aphididae) of the genera Myzus and Aphis, are the main phytosanitary problems of Capsicum spp. (Solanales: Solanaceae) agricultural systems in Colombia. The incorporation of biological control in integrated pest management (IPM) programmes, which can be used to reduce aphid populations in solanaceous crops, is hampered by the lack of information on the natural enemy community, such as parasitoids, predators and generalist aphidophagous. For this reason, the objective of this research was to determine and characterize the community of generalist aphidophagous (Coccinellidae and Syrphidae) in the cultivation of chilli pepper in south‐western Colombia, and to characterize their diet through stomach content analysis using next‐generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. Two species of Coccinellidae and one species of Syrphidae were the most abundant predators in commercial crops of Capsicum spp. and fed preferentially on aphids that attacked the pepper plants. The characterization of the diet of these predators using molecular tools revealed intraspecific predation, secondary predation of aphid parasitoids and consumption of alternative prey to the aphids attacking the pepper plants. Differences in diet composition were observed between larval and adult coccinellids, and between coccinellids and the hoverfly species studied. The results suggest that dominant predators may be suitable for use in IPM programmes to control aphids in pepper crops, as their diet consists mainly of aphids that attack pepper plants. In addition, these predators can take advantage of the agricultural matrix by feeding on alternative prey in the absence of aphids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Salmonella spp. is frequently found in the digestive tract of birds and reptiles and transmitted to humans through food. Salmonellosis is a public health problem because of pathogenicity variability in strains for virulence factors. This study aimed to identify the virulence genes in Salmonella isolates from humans, crocodiles, broiler cloacas, and broiler carcasses from two departments of Colombia. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 31 Salmonella enterica strains from humans with gastroenteritis (seven), crocodiles (seven), broiler cloacas (six), and broiler carcasses (12) from Tolima and Santander departments of Colombia, belonging to 21 serotypes. All samples were tested for Salmonella spp. using culture method on selective and non-selective mediums. Extraction of genomic DNA was performed from fresh colonies, DNA quality was verified by spectrophotometry and confirmed by amplification of InvA gene using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). bapA, fimA, icmF, IroB, marT, mgtC, nlpI, oafA, pagN, siiD, spvC, spvR, spvB, Stn, and vexA genes were amplified by PCR. Results: The most prevalent gene was bapA (100%), followed by marT (96.77%), mgtC (93.55%), and fimA (83.87%). Likewise, IroB (70.97%), Stn (67.74%), spvR (61.29%), pagN (54.84%), icmF (54.8%), and SiiD (45.16%) were positive for more than 50% of the strains. Furthermore, none of the isolates tested positive for the vexA gene. Salmonella isolates presented 26 virulence profiles. Conclusion: This study reported 14 virulence genes in Salmonella spp. isolates from humans with gastroenteritis, crocodiles, and broiler cloacas and carcasses. The distribution of virulence genes differed among sources. This study could help in decision-making by health and sanitary authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales is the property of Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: Transdermal drug delivery has contributed positively to medical practice. However, prescriptions that do not meet minimum quality criteria and medication errors are common. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine how transdermal patches are being prescribed to a group of patients in Colombia, the compliance with established requirements of such prescriptions and the comparisons between correct and incorrect prescriptions. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of prescriptions for transdermal patches using data from a population-based drug dispensing database between December 1 and 31, 2019. Medical prescriptions were randomly reviewed, establishing whether the drugs were appropriately prescribed by the manufacturer's indications or national regulations. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 415 prescriptions were reviewed; the prescription was provided to 412 patients with a median age of 76.9 years, and 63.3% were women. Rivastigmine was the most prescribed transdermal patch (57.8%). 66.3% of all prescriptions did not meet the minimum appropriate prescribing standards, especially those for rivastigmine (97.1%). The 7.0% of all prescriptions had posology errors, especially prescriptions for buprenorphine (43.8%). Older patients (84.4% vs 52.5%), from the Pacific region (34.4% vs 23.7%), with manual formulations (22.1% vs 0.8%), dementia (49.0% vs 6.8%), and in management with lipid-lowering drugs (41.8% vs 30.5%), presented incorrect transdermal patch formulations more frequently (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The high proportion of inappropriately prescribed transdermal patches should draw the attention of those responsible for health care to improve the training of physicians and create prescription quality verification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the activities most representative of the agricultural sector in Colombia is the production of biodegradable fique fiber. The efficiency of the defiberization process of the fique leaves is very low since a mere 4% of the total weight of the leaf (cabuya) is used and marketed. The remaining 96%, composed of fique juice and bagasse, is considered to be waste and discarded, impacting the environment. The aim of this work was to study fique bagasse as a source of cellulose nanoparticles (CNCs). CNCs were obtained by acid hydrolysis and added at 10% to films made from cassava thermoplastic starch (TPS) by the casting method. Structural changes in the CNCs, TPS, and their mixtures were characterized by FTIR-ATR and their morphology and particle size by SEM and TEM microscopy, respectively. Thermal properties were analyzed using DSC and TGA, along with their effect on mechanical properties. Changes in the FTIR spectra indicated that the chemical method adequately removed hemicellulose and lignin from the fiber surface of fique bagasse. The CNCs showed a diameter and length of 7.5 ± 3.9 and 52.7 ± 18.1 nm, respectively, and TPS 10% CNC obtained an increase in mechanical strength of 116%. The obtainment of CNCs from lignocellulosic materials can thus be viewed as a favorable option for the subsequent reinforcement of a polymeric matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work evaluates the economic efficiency of coffee growers and the decision-making processes in the configuration of their production systems and agronomic practices over time. For these purposes, information from 136 coffee growers in the department of Caldas was analyzed. These growers systematically recorded and constructed their production costs for seven years (2015–2021) within the framework of the Business Management Program of the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Caldas. Additionally, through a survey, more information on the socioeconomic types, production systems, and decision-making processes in the implementation of practices and use of technologies was obtained. Stochastic frontier analysis demonstrates that on average, these coffee farmers had an economic efficiency of 89%. The group of coffee growers with efficiency levels equal to or higher than 90% comprised 80 producers (59%). These results indicate that for the period of analysis, there are no structural inefficiencies that cannot be corrected; that is, these coffee growers can increase their efficiency and productivity levels with the available technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) among cancer patients varies greatly. The available data suggest an increasing use of CAM over time and a higher prevalence in low- and middle-income countries. However, no reliable data are available from Latin America. Accordingly, we examined the prevalence of CAM use among cancer patients from six Colombian regions. Methods: We conducted a survey on cancer patients attending comprehensive cancer centres in six capital cities from different regions. The survey was designed based on a literature review and information gathered through focus groups on CAM terminology in Colombia. Independent random samples of patients from two comprehensive cancer centres in every city were obtained. Patients 18 years and older with a histopathological diagnosis of cancer undergoing active treatment were eligible. The prevalence of CAM use is reported as a percentage with the corresponding confidence interval. CAM types are reported by region. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of CAM users and non-users were compared using Chi square and t tests. Results: In total, 3117 patients were recruited. The average age 59.6 years old, and 62.8% were female. The prevalence of CAM use was 51.7%, and compared to non-users, CAM users were younger, more frequently women, affiliated with the health insurance plan for low-income populations and non-Catholic. We found no differences regarding the clinical stage or treatment modality, but CAM users reported more treatment-related side effects. The most frequent types of CAM were herbal products, specific foods and vitamins, and individually, soursop was the most frequently used product. Relevant variability between regions was observed regarding the prevalence and type of CAM used (range: 36.6% to 66.7%). The most frequent reason for using CAM was symptom management (30.5%), followed by curative purposes (19.5%). Conclusions: The prevalence of CAM use among cancer patients in Colombia is high in general, and variations between regions might be related to differences in cultural backgrounds and access to comprehensive cancer care. The most frequently used CAM products and practices have little scientific support, suggesting the need to enhance integrative oncology research in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the Mostela system emerged as an expansion of camera trapping to gain new insights into the assemblages of small-sized and cryptic mammals. Despite being an established technique to study the natural history and ecology of rodents, shrews and small carnivores in Europe, its potential in tropical areas remains unexplored. We present the results of a pilot hybrid survey with conventional trail cameras and Mostelas conducted in a private protected area situated in the Cordillera Occidental of Colombia. We installed eight Mostelas paired with an external trail camera 550 m apart from each other from May to October 2022 in the Mesenia-Paramillo Nature Reserve. The Mostelas recorded two species of small carnivores, the threatened and unknown Colombian weasel (Neogale felipei), and the Long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata), including several small rodents and marsupials. Mostelas captured a larger proportion of small non-volant mammals that could at least be identified to genus level compared to conventional trail cameras. We found that using baits inside Mostelas yielded a greater number of detections and richness compared to surveys not using them. Finally, we encourage the use of this hybrid system to improve the monitoring of poorly known small non-volant mammals in the Andean cloud forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research objective: To identify the frequency of opioid use in a group of patients diagnosed with migraine in Colombia. Methods: Study of a retrospective cohort of patients with a diagnosis of migraine and a first prescription of antimigraine drugs from emergency services and a priority outpatient clinic. Sociodemographic, clinical, and pharmacological variables were identified; a 12-month follow-up was carried out to identify the use of a new opioid. Results: A total of 6309 patients with a diagnosis of migraine were identified, with a mean age of 35.5 ± 12.3 years, of which 81.3% were women. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (51.1%) were the most frequently prescribed medications, followed by ergotamine + caffeine (31.3%), acetaminophen (15.05%), and acetaminophen + codeine (14.4%). At the time of the index, 1300 (20.6%) patients received some opioid. During the follow-up, a total of 1437 (22.8%) patients received a new opioid, of which 31.8% belonged to the group that received an initial opioid and 20.4% to the group that did not receive one, which was statistically significant (OR:1.81; 95%CI:1.58–2.07; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The frequent use of opioids in the management of migraines is potentially inappropriate and can lead to problems of tolerance, abuse and dependence. This combined with the low prescription of triptans, offers an opportunity for improvements in medical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds can have both positive and negative effects on agricultural environments. However, despite the growing interest in the ecology of weed communities in agricultural areas, a few studies have been carried out in the northern region of the Andes of Colombia, where urban and agricultural expansion have generated highly disturbed scenarios. The aim of this study was to analyze the diversity of vegetation and weed seed banks in three agricultural production systems and a forest ecosystem in the northern Andes of Colombia. Hill numbers were used to compare diversity, Beta diversity to assess changes in composition, and range—abundance–dominance curves at different sites. Likewise, indicator species were analyzed to find species associations to each system. The results revealed differences in the composition of weeds between the forest ecosystem and the agricultural production systems, with higher equitability in the forest ecosystem and higher dominance in agricultural systems. Significant differentiation was observed among the dominant species within each agricultural system, particularly highlighting those species considered pests due to their unique life history traits. These traits confer them with a greater advantage in the face of various anthropogenic selection pressures. These findings highlight the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the ecological dynamics of weed communities in different ecosystems, which should be considered when planning integrated weed management techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesocarnivores play a key role in ecosystem dynamics through the regulation of prey populations and are sensitive to environmental changes; thus, they are often considered good model organisms for conservation planning. However, data regarding the factors that influence the habitat use of threatened small wild felids such as the Andean tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides) are scarce. We conducted a two-year survey with 58 camera trap stations to evaluate the determinants of Andean tiger cat habitat use in three protected areas in the Middle Cauca, Colombia. We developed site occupancy models and found that Andean tiger cat habitat use increased with leaf litter depth at intermediate elevations and far from human settlements. Through conditional cooccurrence models, we found that Andean tiger cat habitat use was invariant to the presence of prey or potential intraguild competitors and killers/predators, but its detectability increased when they were present and detected. This suggests that Andean tiger cats may be more likely to be detected in sites with high prey availability. We found that Andean tiger cats preferred sites with deep leaf litter, which is a particular feature of cloud forests that provides suitable conditions for ambush hunting and hiding from intraguild enemies. Our results showed that Andean tiger cats avoided human settlements, which may minimize potential mortality risks in those areas. Moreover, the restricted use of middle elevations by Andean tiger cats suggested that they could be used as a sentinel species to track the effects of climate change since their suitable habitat is likely to be projected upward in elevation. Future conservation actions must be focused on identifying and mitigating human-related threats close to the Andean tiger cat habitat while preserving microhabitat conditions and the existing networks of protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thinking about the future is relevant in Colombia to help denaturalize violence and overcome the armed conflict with the construction of social changes. To achieve this, Social Studies have the challenge of teaching how to imagine alternative futures at school. This research aimed to contribute to the understanding of the personal and social future imaginaries of Colombian elementary school students. The qualitative methodology with a critical approach guided the data collection through a questionnaire and a teaching unit. Data were analyzed using content analysis. In conclusion, students saw future projection as a novelty, although they recognized the possibilities of making their own decisions and participating in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin and soft tissue infections are one of the main causes of consultations worldwide. The objective was to determine the treatment of a group of patients with uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections in Colombia. Methods: Follow-up study of a cohort of patients with skin infections who were treated in the Colombian Health System. Sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacological variables were identified. Treatments were evaluated using clinical practice guidelines for skin infections. Results: A total of 400 patients were analyzed. They had a median age of 38.0 years and 52.3% were men. The most commonly used antibiotics were cephalexin (39.0%), dicloxacillin (28.0%) and clindamycin (18.0%). A total of 49.8% of the subjects received inappropriate antibiotics, especially those with purulent infections (82.0%). Being cared for in an outpatient clinic (OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.06–4.12), presenting pain (OR: 3.72; 95% CI: 1.41–9.78) and having a purulent infection (OR: 25.71; 95% CI: 14.52–45.52) were associated with a higher probability of receiving inappropriate antibiotics. Conclusions: Half of patients with uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections were treated with antibiotics that were not recommended by clinical practice guidelines. This inappropriate use of antibiotics occurred in the vast majority of patients with purulent infections because the antimicrobials used had no effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]