Universidad del Norte, Colombia

About: Universidad del Norte, Colombia is a education organization based out in Barranquilla, Colombia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 3562 authors who have published 4355 publications receiving 37861 citations. The organization is also known as: University of the North, Colombia & Uninorte.

La buena fe como fundamento de los deberes precontractuales de conducta: una doctrina europea en construcción

Abstract: El ordenamiento juridico reconoce o admite que la autonomia privada sea el punto de partida y conformacion del contrato, pero no hasta el punto de considerar que, asi las negociaciones preliminares permitan la concrecion de un contrato, este tenga un sistema propio o autonomo, que este sujeto a los terminos incluidos en el texto contractual. Por el contrario, las reglas generales del juego siguen siendo las establecidas por el marco normativo en su conjunto y por tanto comparten una necesaria adecuacion del acuerdo contractual (lex privata,) a las mismas. Asi, el principio de buena fe se hace presente, se extiende de igual forma, en el contenido de eticidad de cada acto que deba examinarse a la luz de las circunstancias particulares, direccionando las conductas humanas y en especial los actos y contratos que gobiernan la convivencia, de tal forma que estas prescripciones generales siempre seran aplicadas, no solo al acuerdo contractual, sino que tambien estaran llamadas a gobernar todo el proceso tanto de formacion, como el de perfeccionamiento y ejecucion.

A simple, inexpensive, robust and sensitive dot-blot assay for equal detection of the nonstructural-1 glycoprotein of all dengue virus serotypes

Abstract: Detection of dengue virus (DENV) soluble/excreted (s/e) form of the nonstructural-1 (NS1) glycoprotein in patient acute-phase sera is ideal for diagnosis. The commercially-available detection assays are, however, too expensive for routine use and have low specificity, particularly for the s/e NS1 glycoprotein of DENV-2 and DENV-4, which are important causes of lethal human disease worldwide. Mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were generated and screened against s/e NS1 glycoprotein purified from each DENV serotype to obtain those that reacted equally with each serotype, but not with yellow fever virus (YFV) s/e NS1 glycoprotein or human serum proteins. One MAb, MAb 2C4.6, was further tested against these DENV glycoproteins in human sera using simple, peroxidase-labelled secondary antibody/substrate-developed dot-blot assays. Optimal quenching of endogenous human serum peroxidases was attained using 3% H2O2 in H20 for 5 min. MAb 2C4.6 showed an acceptable detection sensitivity of < 32 ng/ml for the s/e NS1 glycoprotein of each DENV serotype but did not cross-react with the YFV s/e NS1 glycoprotein or human serum proteins. By contrast, the LX1 epitope-specific MAb, 3D1.4, showed similar detection sensitivity against only the DENV-1 NS1 glycoprotein, consistent with results from commercial DENV s/e NS1 glycoprotein detection assays. DENV s/e NS1 glycoproteins were stable in human sera after drying on the nitrocellulose membranes and storage for one month at ambient temperature (28°C) before being processed. The total assay time was reduced to 3 h without any loss of detection sensitivity. This dot-blot format was ideal for the circulating immune complex disruption step, which is required for increased DENV s/e NS1 glycoprotein detection. This is the first study to determine the detection sensitivity of MAbs against known concentrations of s/e NS1 glycoprotein from each DENV serotype. The preparation of patient serum samples for dot-blot assays can be performed by staff with a basic level of training and storage at low temperatures (e.g., -80°C) is not necessary. These simple, inexpensive (US$ 0.05/sample), robust, sensitive and relatively rapid assays, using improved MAbs such as MAb 2C4.6, should be ideal for the diagnosis of all DENV serotypes in DENV endemic regions.

Prácticas parentales como predictoras de la ideación suicida en adolescentes colombianos

Abstract: Resumen Objetivo: El proposito del presente estudio fue determinar en que medida las practicas parentales paternas y maternas predicen la ideacion suicida en un grupo de hombres y mujeres adolescentes colombianos.Metodo: Participaron 328 estudiantes adolescentes inscritos en escuelas publicas. Se utilizo la escala de Practicas Parentales para Adolescentes (PP-A) elaborada por Andrade y Betancourt y una escala para medir la Ideacion Suicida, constituida por ocho items que refieren a ideas de quitarse la vida. Resultados: Indican la existencia de correlaciones entre ideacion suicida y control psicologico materno (0,183**) e imposicion (-,282**) en los hombres y entre ideacion suicida y autonomia (-,383**), control psicologico materno (,302**) e imposicion (,383**) en mujeres. Tambien se evidencio que las dimensiones que predicen en mayor medida la ideacion suicida en hombres y mujeres son el control psicologico materno y la imposicion paterna.Conclusiones: Se discute el papel de algunas practicas parentales que pueden constituirse como posible factor de riesgo para disponer a los jovenes hacia el suicidio.Abstract: Objective: This study aims to determine how parental and maternal parenting practices may predict suicidal ideation in a group of Colombian male and female teenagers.Method: 328 teenagers who belong to public schools were sampled. 7-items related to wanting to take one’s own life, (PP-A) Parenting Practices scale for teenagers was used.Results: Show correlations betweensuicidal ideation and maternal psychological control (0,183**) and impose (-, 282 **), in men between suicidal ideation and autonomy (-, 383**), in women, maternal psychological control (,302**) and impose (, 383**). Also, it is shown that maternal psychological control and parental impose are evident aspects which predict further suicidal ideation in men and women.Conclusion:The role of some parenting practices can become a suicidal risk factor for young people.

Impact of fires on an open bamboo forest in years of extreme drought in southwestern Amazonia

Abstract: In Brazil’s state of Acre, in southwestern Amazonia, wildfires mediated by extreme droughts in 2005 and 2010 affected more than 500,000 ha of forest, causing changes in their structure, species diversity, and aboveground biomass (AGB), and the expansion of bamboo. Our objective was to analyze these changes in an open bamboo forest in Acre after forest fires occurred either in one of the extreme drought years (2005 or 2010) or in both years (2005 + 2010). We sampled 9.75 ha (in 2016 and 2017), distributed in 18 0.5 ha (100 m × 50 m) plots and three 0.25-ha (50 m × 50 m) plots. We identified a strong fire effect on the number of tree individuals per hectare, which declined by 50% if the forest was burned in only one year (2005 or 2010) and by 74% if burned in both years. This was inversely related to the expansion of bamboo stems, which increased in number by 7 to 9 times. Changes in forest structure and species composition after the fire were characterized by a high importance value for pioneer tree species; reductions in the number of trees with logging potential, in the basal area of trees, and in the number of lianas; and an increase in the density of bamboo stems. AGB in the burned forests was 51–73% that of the unburned forest. With the expansion of bamboo, its contribution to AGB increased from 1% in the unburned forest to 27% in the twice-burned forest. These forms of degradation represent serious threats to Amazon forests.

Toward an adaptive protection scheme in active distribution networks: Intelligent approach fault detector

Abstract: Conventional protection schemes have proven insufficient for the protection of Active Distribution Networks (ADN). Novel protection schemes with an adaptive approach should be developed to guarantee the protection of ADN under all their operating conditions. This paper proposes an ADN adaptive protection methodology, which is based on an intelligent approach fault detector over locally available measurements. This approach uses Machine Learning (ML) based techniques to reduce the strong dependence of the adaptive protection schemes on the availability of communication systems and to determine if, over a fault condition, an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) should operate considering the changes in operational conditions of an ADN. Additionally, the methodology takes into account different and remarkable recommendations for the use of ML techniques. The proposed methodology is validated on the modified IEEE 34-nodes test feeder. Additionally, it takes into consideration typical features of ADN and micro-grids like the load imbalance, reconfiguration, changes in impedance upstream from the micro-grid, and off-grid/on-grid operation modes. The results demonstrate the flexibility and simplicity of the methodology to determine the best accuracy performance among several ML models. Besides, they show the methodology’s versatility to find the suitable ML model for IEDs located on different zones of an ADN. The ease of design’s implementation, formulation of parameters, and promising test results indicate the potential for real-life applications.