Routing anomalies, beyond simple leaks, are occurring on the order of tens of thousands a year. These may be accidents, but there is anecdotal evidence that indicates criminal intent. There are case studies that illustrate the use of these for national intelligence. Any given anomaly could be an accident, a crime, or an attack. Although it is impossible to directly observe the motivation of those who generate these anomalies, aggregate data about the sources of these anomalies is available. Here we leverage tools of macroeconomics to provide insights into the possible nature of these anomalies. We offer an empirical investigation using multiple linear regression and unsupervised learning to analyze data over a four-year period in order to better understand the nature of routing anomalies. If routing anomalies are a result of limited technical competence, then countries with low levels of education, few technology exports, and less expertise should be over-represented. If routing anomalies are leveraged by criminals for profit, then economic theories and analytical approaches from criminology should show statistical significance. Or, if routing anomalies are primarily used by national intelligence agencies to attack either internal dissidents or those outside their borders, then the presence of conflict and measures of quality of governance are possible indicators. We examine anomalies as likely due to incompetence, potential ecrime, or intelligence operations using macroeconomics by leveraging three theories from criminology and global measures of technology adoption. We found that exports of technology were not statistically significant, undermining the argument for incompetence. We also found support for the possibility that anomalies are driven by crime, specifically for the guardianship and relative deprivation theories of crime. In addition to these findings from regression analysis, clustering indicates that civil conflict and surveillance are associated with the disproportionate origination of routing anomalies. This supports the possibility of use of routing anomalies for national intelligence.

Abstract: Reflecting on methodology means thinking about decisions a researcher makes when approaching the subject of study, in terms of questions posed, concepts embraced and choice of methods. There are also epistemological and ontological assumptions underlying the selection of particular methodologies and concepts, though this is less often explicitly considered. Therefore within these considerations, the definition of the unit of analysis and the levels at which the study is conducted, need to be made explicit and to be justified, for quality in research. This chapter discusses these issues taking the example of Colombia, to show how some violent conflicts fall between the cracks of currently dominant methodologies of mathematical modeling and the use of existing econometric datasets, on the one hand, and the ways ethnicity is included in those models and datasets. Ethnic identities have mostly been the focus of studies by anthropologists, often focused on local level struggle sand claims, whereas a national level perspective is still most common in the econometric rational choice approach to conflict studies. The later however use ethnicity as one of its variables. My point is that research results also change when the research focus changes from national to local level. Resumen: Reflexionar sobre metodologías y métodos implica reflexionar sobre las decisiones un investigador tiene que tomar cuando se aproxima a un objeto de estudio, su relación con las preguntas que se busca responder, los conceptos que se usan para el análisis y la elección de métodos para esta tarea. Sin embargo no debemos dejar de lado la reflexión sobre aquellos supuestos ontológicos y epistemológicos que son implícitos en la elección de metodologías. Esto es algo que raramente es expuesto y discutido de manera explícita. Considerando esto, la definición de la unidad de análisis y su impacto sobre una investigación es realizada deben ser hechos explícitos y justificados para garantizar la calidad de la investigación. Este capítulo discute estos elementos tomando como caso de análisis el caso de Colombia, para presentar como el argumento de un conflicto étnico puede ganar o perder validez en función de las metodologías usadas y los datos analizados. La identidad y el análisis de grupos étnicos ha sido el foco de análisis de antropólogos, quienes analizan este caso desde una perspectiva local y regional, sin embargo cuando se presentan panoramas más generales (a nivel nacional) el análisis presentado es mucho más homogeneizador. La discrepancia alrededor de la respuesta a la existencia/ausencia de un conflicto étnico en Colombia presenta el ejemplo de como las respuestas a nuestras preguntas de investigación pueden alterarse al cambiar la unidad de análisis y el área de estudio de una investigación.

Drawing on the legitimacy theory framework, this study introduces an alternative means to spot “fuzzy reporting” signals as a way to detect greenwashing at the firm level. Its approach is based on the way the sustainability reporting process can mislead stakeholders after critical incidents take place. In order to do so, a single environmental incident, which took place in Colombia, is analyzed in light of what happened before, during and afterwards, with special emphasis on the corporate disclosure process performed by the company involved. Results obtained give support to the assumption that fuzzy reporting can be objectively detected not only through the analysis of annual sustainability reports, but also by tracking other forms of corporate messages when a specific concern is carefully followed. This study’s contribution is two-fold. First, it builds on the theoretical notions of greenwashing and fuzzy reporting by illustrating a practical and objective way to identify some deceiving corporate practices. Second, it empirically evaluates this approach in a sensitive context in order to obtain better illustration and prepare the groundwork for further studies.

Abstract: This exploratory paper analyzes the way in which context influences advertising creativity practices. To establish the role of context, this paper utilized both Social Identity theory and Systems Model of Creativity. Twenty four in-depth interviews with top creative directors of the main advertising agencies in Colombia (Latin America) were collected. Findings suggests the Colombia creative identity is under construction. This identity is influenced by the broader Colombian social context including the unique business characteristics of the country’s communication industry, the level of economic hardship experience by the population, and the actual social conflict lived situation. These findings extend the System Model of Creativity and several practical implications not only in relation to Colombia, but also the broader global advertising industry are presented. Resumen: Este artículo exploratorio analiza la forma en que el contexto influencia las prácticas creativas publicitarias. Para establecer el papel del contexto, este artículo utiliza las teorías de Identidad Social, y el Modelo del Sistema Creativo. Veinte y cuatro entrevistas en profundidad con los directores creativos de las agencias más importantes de Colombia (Latino américa) fueron desarrolladas. Los resultados sugieren que la identidad creativa Colombiana está en construcción. Esta identidad está influenciada por el contexto social Colombiano incluyendo las características de la industria, las dificultades económicas de la población y el conflicto social. Estos resultados extienden el Modelo del Sistema Creativo y brinda varias implicaciones prácticas no solo en relación con Colombia, también a toda la industria creativa.

Abstract: Close-knit relationships are a distinctive facet of subsistence living, in which survival mode entrepreneurship is a way of life. These relationships fuel “bonding social capital” within informal economies as people rely on others to work, consume, and cope with scarce resources. At the same time, policy agendas encourage business growth and social mobility by shifting informal microenterprises into the formal economy. However, success in formalized contexts requires a different form of social capital—that is, “bridging social capital” with people outside one’s immediate social network and across institutional structures. Yet policy programs often stop short of addressing how subsistence entrepreneurs manage the inherent tensions across these forms of social capital. As such, this study unpacks the contextual value of social capital using data collected with street vendors in an urban Latin American setting. The analysis identifies four entrepreneurial paths pursued by street vendors and articulates the relative value of bonding and bridging social capital across different economic and social positions. The findings advance insights for a community-centric public policy approach and offer guidance for segmentation and value proposition development within subsistence entrepreneurship programs. Resumen: Las relaciones estrechas son una faceta distintiva de la vida de subsistencia, en la que el espíritu empresarial de modo de supervivencia es una forma de vida. Estas relaciones alimentan el ""capital social"" dentro de las economías informales ya que las personas dependen de otros para trabajar, consumir y hacer frente a los recursos escasos. La agenda pública fomenta el crecimiento empresarial y la movilidad social buscando trasladar a las microempresas informales a la economía formal. Sin embargo, el éxito en los contextos formales requiere una forma diferente de capital social, generando vínculos con las personas fuera de la red social inmediata y entre las estructuras institucionales. Sin embargo, los programas públicos no llegan a abordar cómo los empresarios de subsistencia manejan las tensiones inherentes a estas formas de capital social. Como tal, este estudio analiza el valor contextual del capital social utilizando datos recopilados con vendedores ambulantes en un entorno urbano latinoamericano. El análisis identifica cuatro caminos emprendedores que persiguen los vendedores ambulantes y articula el valor relativo de vincular y unir el capital social en diferentes posiciones económicas y sociales. Los hallazgos aportan ideas para un enfoque de política pública centrado en la comunidad y ofrecen orientación para la segmentación y el desarrollo de propuestas de valor dentro de los programas de emprendimiento de subsistencia.

Extended power laws and inhomogeneous connections are structural patterns often found in empirical networks. Mechanisms based on the formation of triads are able to explain the power law behavior of the degree distribution of such networks. The proposed model introduces a two-step mechanism of attachment and triad formation that illustrates how preferential linkage plays an important role in shaping the inhomogeneity of connections and the division of the network into groups of nodes (i.e., the growth of community structures). In particular, we identify conditions under which the scaling exponent of the power law correlates to a widely-used modularity measure of non-overlapping communities. Our analytical results characterize the asymptotic behavior of both the scaling exponent and the modularity, as a function of the strength with which nodes with similar characteristics tend to link to each other.

The purpose of this study is to identify factors that determine computer and security expertise in end users. They can be significant determinants of human behaviour and interactions in the security and privacy context. Standardized, externally valid instruments for measuring end-user security expertise are non-existent. A questionnaire encompassing skills and knowledge-based questions was developed to identify critical factors that constitute expertise in end users. Exploratory factor analysis was applied on the results from 898 participants from a wide range of populations. Cluster analysis was applied to characterize the relationship between computer and security expertise. Ordered logistic regression models were applied to measure efficacy of the proposed security and computing factors in predicting user comprehension of security concepts: phishing and certificates. There are levels to peoples’ computer and security expertise that could be reasonably measured and operationalized. Four factors that constitute computer security-related skills and knowledge are, namely, basic computer skills, advanced computer skills, security knowledge and advanced security skills, and these are identified as determinants of computer expertise. Findings from this work can be used to guide the design of security interfaces such that it caters to people with different expertise levels and does not force users to exercise more cognitive processes than required.

Background: Esophageal cancer occurs as a local disease in 22% of cases, and a minority of this disease is limited to the mucosa or submucosa (early lesions). Endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, photodynamic therapy, laser therapy, and argon plasma coagulation have emerged as alternatives to surgical resection for early lesions. Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to identify studies that statistically compare survival, disease-free survival, morbidity and mortality associated with the procedure, and mortality associated with cancer in the endoscopic versus surgical therapies. Results: The survival rates after 3 and 5 years were different and exhibited superiority with the surgical therapies over time. Endoscopy is superior in the control of mortality related to cancer with a high rate of disease recurrence. With regard to the comorbidity and the mortality associated with the procedure, endoscopy is superior. Conclusion: There is no evidence from clinical trials. In this systematic review, surgical therapies showed superiority for survival, and endoscopic therapies showed superiority in the control of mortality related to cancer with a high rate of disease recurrence; also, for the comorbidity and the mortality associated with the procedure, endoscopy is superior. Prospective, controlled trials with large sample sizes are necessary to confirm the results of the current analysis.

Abstract: The government take may be defined as an indicator to measure the participation of the State in the oil and gas projects developed under its jurisdiction or to compare fiscal regimes, but the truth is that this indicator is to be crucial in designing a competitive set of fiscal rules to attract foreign investment when needed. Usually a high or low government take will depend on the necessities of the particular country, but it is commonly admitted that countries with high government take have better success rates for exploration activity and vice versa. The aim of this paper is to analyse the government take of Colombia and provide some comparisons with the current exploratory activity. To do so, the indicator will be developed in detail to understand the elements comprised in it. Having mentioned what the main elements are, the next step will provide an overview of the current set of fiscal instruments used by Colombian government to take its share of the projects. The balance required to get the proper portion of the revenue without affecting the investor’s decision making process will be addressed. Subsequently some statistics on exploratory endeavours are to be exposed, because the final purpose of this paper is aimed at comparing if the fiscal set that compose the government take in Colombia is designed to successfully meet the investor’s expectations when oil and gas is eagerly pursued. Resumen: El “Government Take” puede definirse como un indicador para medir la participación del Estado en los proyectos de petróleo y gas desarrollados bajo su jurisdicción o para comparar regímenes fiscales, pero la verdad es que este indicador ha de ser crucial para diseñar un conjunto competitivo de medidas fiscales para atraer inversión extranjera cuando sea necesario. Usualmente una alta o baja participación del gobierno dependerá de las necesidades de un país en particular, pero comúnmente se admite que los países con alta participación del gobierno tienen mejores tasas de éxito para la actividad de exploración y viceversa. El objetivo de este ensayo es analizar el “Government Take” de Colombia y proporcionar algunas comparaciones con la actividad exploratoria actual. Para hacerlo, el indicador será desarrollado en detalle para comprender los elementos comprendidos en él. Habiendo mencionado cuáles son los principales elementos, el siguiente paso proporcionará una visión general del conjunto actual de instrumentos fiscales utilizados por el gobierno colombiano para tomar su parte de los proyectos. Se abordará el balance requerido para obtener la participación adecuada de los ingresos sin afectar el proceso de toma de decisiones del inversionista. Posteriormente, se expondrán algunas estadísticas sobre esfuerzos exploratorios, porque el objetivo final de este documento es comparar si el conjunto fiscal que compone el “Government Take” en Colombia está diseñado para cumplir con las expectativas del inversionista cuando se busca ansiosamente el petróleo y el gas.

The search for new technologies that guarantee the safety and quality of food has intensified, as has concern for consumer health, leading to the adoption of measures to reduce food-related risks. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of active biodegradable films incorporated with bacteriophage for future application in packaging materials. Cellulose acetate films incorporated with solution of bacteriophages showed antimicrobial activity against Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 displayed the formation of inhibition zones in Muller-Hinton agar, and a growth curve, using the diffusion method in liquid medium. There was an increase in the lag phase and slower growth of microorganisms in the environment containing bacteriophages with the films, compared to control. The mechanical and physical properties of films, such as thickness, elongation and puncture resistance showed no significant effects. However, tensile resistance was different between control and treatments. The addition of bacteriophage altered the film surface, as observed by atomic force microscopy. There was a higher porosity of the films containing the bacteriophage solution compared to control. The acetate films may be incorporated with bacteriophages, since the physical and mechanical properties of the films were not changed drastically and there was an effect of the antimicrobial film.