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.

Integrated analysis of microRNA regulation and its interaction with mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in the etiology of systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract: The aim of this study was to identity in silico the relationships among microRNAs (miRNAs) and genes encoding transcription factors, ubiquitylation, DNA methylation, and histone modifications in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To identify miRNA dysregulation in SLE, we used miR2Disease and PhenomiR for information about miRNAs exhibiting differential regulation in disease and other biological processes, and HMDD for information about experimentally supported human miRNA–disease association data from genetics, epigenetics, circulating miRNAs, and miRNA–target interactions. This information was incorporated into the miRNA analysis. High-throughput sequencing revealed circulating miRNAs associated with kidney damage in patients with SLE. As the main finding of our in silico analysis of miRNAs differentially expressed in SLE and their interactions with disease-susceptibility genes, post-translational modifications, and transcription factors; we highlight 226 miRNAs associated with genes and processes. Moreover, we highlight that alterations of miRNAs such as hsa-miR-30a-5p, hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-142-5p, and hsa-miR-324-3p are most commonly associated with post-translational modifications. In addition, altered miRNAs that are most frequently associated with susceptibility-related genes are hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-374a-5p, hsa-miR-34a-5p, hsa-miR-31-5p, and hsa-miR-1-3p.

La calidad de vida en adultos con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en centros de salud de Guadalajara, Jalisco (México)

Abstract: Resumen es: Objetivo: Evaluar la percepcion de Calidad de Vida Relacionada con la Salud (CVRS) de Objetivos: Evaluar la relacion de la diabetes sobre la calidad de v...

The rules of the game and how to change them: : Urban planning between formal and informal practices. A colombian case study

Abstract: During the last several years a dynamic transformation has been taking place at the northern city fringe of Barranquilla, Colombia: shopping malls, gated communities and gated tower buildings have been built — a process very similar to other Latin American cities. The aim of this article is to reveal the underlying planning approaches and explain the role and influence of the private and public actors involved. This work contributes to the discussion on formal and informal practices of urban development in the global South and shows the blurring borders between the ‘formal’ and the ‘informal’. The main finding of the analysis is the coherence between the interests of the landowning company, the official land-use plan and the actually implemented projects. This coherence was achieved through the massive influence of private interests in public planning and a multitude of informal arrangements between the landowner and the public authorities. This form of urban planning is described as ‘arranged urb...

Assessing the influence of indicators’ complexity on hybrid discrete choice model estimates

Abstract: Hybrid discrete choice (HDC) modeling requires indicators to allow for the identification of latent variables. An indicator usually expresses the level of agreement of a respondent with a given statement, generally based on a Likert scale response. Literature exhibits remarkable variations regarding indicators’ complexity, expressed by the number of indicators for each latent variable, the type of scale, and granularity. Dealing with different levels of complexity implies that respondents require different cognitive efforts when choosing a relevant Likert point. Further, as a Likert item is undoubtedly a set of ordered categories, modelers face the challenge of estimating a large number of threshold parameters resulting from greater complexity when using ordered models for measurement equations. This paper studies the influence of indicators’ complexity on the estimation of HDC models based on an experiment that systematically varies the number of indicators, the granularity and the type of scale. We specified a proper parameterization of the scale factor of the measurement component for capturing potential effects of complexity in measurement equations. Findings revealed that granularity and its quadratic effect, as well as the interaction between granularity and number of indicators, affect the error variance of the measurement component and have a substantial impact on the goodness-of-fit of the discrete choice sub-model. Modeling results also showed that using odd-numbered scales, widely used in transportation choice studies, contribute to a lower error variance of the measurement component.

Climate severity and land‐cover transformation determine plant community attributes in Colombian dry forests

Abstract: Tropical dry forests (TDF) are known to be resource-limited due to a marked seasonality in precipitation. However, TDF are also shaped by factors such as solar radiation, wind speed, soil fertility, and land-cover transformation. Together, these factors may determine different gradients of environmental harshness that are likely to drive changes in plant community attributes. Here, we evaluated the effects of environmental harshness on plant community diversity and structure of Colombian TDF, based on floristic and environmental data from 15 1-ha permanent plots. We also analyzed these effects on legumes species only (including both deciduous and non-deciduous species), deciduous species only (including both legumes and non-legumes species), and on the whole community excluding either legumes or deciduous separately. Drier conditions and higher land-cover transformation had the strongest negative effects on species diversity, basal area (BA), and canopy height. Soil fertility, on the contrary, did not have a significant effect on any of the evaluated response variables. Interestingly, legumes maintained their diversity and BA along the