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Sample records for Currency crises Latin America Banking

  1. The Global Financial Crisis and currency crises in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boonman, Tjeerd M.; Jacobs, Jan P.A.M.; Kuper, Gerard H.

    2012-01-01

    The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has aected many regions including Latin America. This paper focuses on currency crises in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. We estimate an Early Warning System, consisting of a dynamic factor model and an ordered logit model, with monthly data for 1990-2007. Ex ante

  2. The Determinants of Banking Crises and Currency Crises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Young Mok Bae

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies the factors associated with the emergence of banking crises and currency crises and the interrelationship between the two crises in 21 American, European and Asian countries in 1973~2000 using a multivariate logit econometric model. And this analysis attempts to introduce the lag model to solve the causality problems in banking crises and currency crises. In case of the simple binary models without lag, banking crises were associated with economic recession, inflation, depreciation, the rise of real interest rate, lending boom. But in case of lag models, banking crises were caused by economic recession, inflation, the rise of real interest rate, lending boom, the rise of reserve ratio, the liberalization of capital account. Currency crises were associated with economic recession, the larger deficit of current account relative to import in case of the simple binary models without lag, But in case of lag models, currency crises were caused by economic recession, the rapid decrease of net foreign assets of banks, and the larger deficit of current account relative to import. And this analysis shows that currency crises can be a cause of banking crises, not vice versa. Nevertheless the two types of crises have positive correlation with each other.

  3. Coping with Financial Crises: Latin American Answers to European Questions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo A.Cavallo

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Europe faces challenges reminiscent of Latin American financial crises, namely unsustainable sovereign spreads, banking system distress, sudden stops in capital flows and growth rate collapse. The failure of recent liquidity support to normalize the situation suggests the need to refocus the policy debate on fundamentals: structural reform for growth and, where needed, restructuring to resolve banking crises and the debt overhang.  Latin America’s experience yields relevant policy lessons for Europe on all these fronts, tempered only by the slight exception that sharp real devaluation, which was key to spearheading recovery in Latin America, is unfeasible in the eurozone. Struggling eurozone countries are caught between a rock and a hard place, as the currency union imposes strict policy constraints while the reintroduction of national currencies under conditions of crisis would be catastrophic. Nevertheless, contemporary Europe stands a better chance of recovery because, in contrast with the Latin America experience, the European Union possesses greater avenues for international cooperation. With respect to financial support, a resourceful European Central Bank able to avoid chaotic adjustment by brute force is a decisive advantage of Europe relative to Latin America, which only had access to the weaker and less reliable IMF. Arguably, the limited nature of external support strongly contributed to the depth of Latin America’s great collapses. European cooperation can explore and exhaust alternatives to a euro exit to the benefit of all union members and, if dissolution becomes unavoidable, ensure amicable support to ease the transition. The path to success remains uncharted, however, and implementation of the necessary regional mechanisms will require innovation and political will. If the available means of cooperation are not used effectively, crisis countries in Europe may fare worse than those in Latin America.

  4. Crises cambiais e financeiras: uma comparação entre América Latina e Leste Asiático Financial and currency crises: comparing Latin America and East Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dante Mendes Aldrighi

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo investiga as fontes de vulnerabilidade e o grau de severidade das crises cambiais e financeiras na América Latina e no Leste Asiático. Evidências obtidas a partir de um conjunto de indicadores calculados por país e por região para cada ano entre 1990 e 2004 sugerem que as economias do Leste Asiático eram potencialmente mais vulneráveis em aspectos relacionados ao setor bancário, enquanto as fragilidades das economias latino-americanas concentravam-se nos desequilíbrios fiscais e nas transações correntes do balanço de pagamentos. Por sua vez, estimativas do grau de severidade das crises mostram que, embora atenuadas na crise asiática de 1997-1998, as diferenças regionais persistiam.This article focuses on the sources of vulnerability to currency and financial crises as well as on their degree of severity in Latin American and East Asian economies. Evidence based on a number of indicators reckoned for each country and for each region for every year over the period 1990-2004 suggests that the East Asian economies were potentially more vulnerable to troubles in the banking sector, while Latin American economies' weaknesses seem to be concentrated on fiscal and current account imbalances. Furthermore, the severity crisis indicators point out that there still remained regional contrasts, lessened only during the 1997-1998 Asian crises.

  5. Analiyzing Main Determinant of Currency, Debt and Banking Crises and Frag ilities in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murat Türker

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The basic lessons obtained from financial turbulences all over the wor ld are the need to spot main causes, identify the triggering risk factors and consequently develop resolution plans for the potential financial crises, which include the establishment of a sound and strong financial system with strengthened institutional and structural bodies. Accurately and timely detection of the main causes that trigger financial fragilitiesemerging from currency, debt and banking is supposed to guide regulators to find "to the point" solutions to the fragility problems and to isolate their effects. Since in the Turkey case, financial crises were observed to occur in the form of twin crises or triplet crises, in this paper, we put forward Turkey-specific diagnoses and suggestions. Thus, the main factors that triggered financial turmoils in Turkey's last quarter century are low GDP, inadequate equity capital, insufficient bank returns, poor FX reserve, high inflation, short position-hot money policy, capital outflows, manipulative credit ratings and bank inertia, namely a trade off betweencredit transactions and risk-free investment vehicles

  6. A Theoretical Overview of Currency Crises

    OpenAIRE

    Hongxia, Guo

    2005-01-01

    In the 1980s and 1990s, currency crises occurred frequently in various parts of the world. This paper provides an overview of the currency crises theories, which investigate the cause of these currency crises, the determinant factors of their depth, and the mechanism of their effects on actual economy. Based on the three-generation classification, this paper surveys currency crises theories with focus on the differences among them.

  7. An investigation on the effect of central bank money injection on creating currency crisis

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    Nazi Mohamadzadeh Asl

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the effects of different factors influencing on supplement of currency in Iran and the likelihood of currency crises. The study implements two methods of Logit and Probit to determine the likelihood of currency crises based on the historical data over the period 1989-2012. In this study, currency crisis is defined in terms of three variables of currency change on market, interest rate and central bank foreign deposits. The results of the study indicate that the ratio of government (non-government liabilities to central bank/Growth domestic product (GDP has positive (negative relationship with currency crises.

  8. Currency crises and the evolution of foreign exchange market: Evidence from minimum spanning tree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Wooseok; Lee, Junghoon; Chang, Woojin

    2011-02-01

    We examined the time series properties of the foreign exchange market for 1990-2008 in relation to the history of the currency crises using the minimum spanning tree (MST) approach and made several meaningful observations about the MST of currencies. First, around currency crises, the mean correlation coefficient between currencies decreased whereas the normalized tree length increased. The mean correlation coefficient dropped dramatically passing through the Asian crisis and remained at the lowered level after that. Second, the Euro and the US dollar showed a strong negative correlation after 1997, implying that the prices of the two currencies moved in opposite directions. Third, we observed that Asian countries and Latin American countries moved away from the cluster center (USA) passing through the Asian crisis and Argentine crisis, respectively.

  9. Relative power and efficiency as a main determinant of banks' profitability in Latin America

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    Jorge Guillén

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Despite the financial sector liberalization and openness that started in the earlier 90's and significant macroeconomic development as well as increasing inflow of capital toward the region, there is not any evidence of the reduction of interest rates as well as banks' profits in Latin America. In this paper we develop a model to estimate the determinants of Latin American banks' profitability and, try to understand the reasons why banks are reluctant to decrease their interest rate spreads even when change in competitiveness in the financial system is improving. By using Data Envelopment Analysis to better exploit the information of several variables at the same time and, by employing a sample of 200 Banks located in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela; we find that banks' profits grew consistently above the normal levels of profits adjusted by risk. Our results show that banks in Latin America have been profiting from their oligopolistic position in detriment of their clients in particular and of their whole economy in general.

  10. Legal Central Bank Independence and Inflation in Latin America During the 1990s

    OpenAIRE

    Luis Ignacio Jácome

    2001-01-01

    This paper reviews central banks' legal reform in Latin America during the 1990s and discusses the status of central bank independence in the region. Based on this information, it builds a simplified index of central bank independence which, in addition to the commonly used criteria of political and economic independence, incorporates provisions of central banks' financial autonomy, accountability, and lender-of-last-resort. The paper finds a moderate negative correlation between increased ce...

  11. Banking crises : A review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Laeven, L.

    2011-01-01

    This review surveys the theoretical and empirical literature on the causes and consequences of banking crises, and summarizes the lessons learned from policy interventions to resolve banking crises. Despite their different origins, banking crises display similar patterns. Their causes lie in

  12. Causes of the Recent Currency Crises in Developing Economies

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    Haesik Park

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available This thesis analyzed the reasons of foreign currency crisis which happened in Mid-South America and South East Asia based on the economical structure of developing countries. First, it is illustrated theoretically. Since the developing countries, which maintain the export-oriented economic growth, allocates the sources in the trade area, equilibrium real exchange rate of these countries get relatively higher evaluation. Capital inflows with future exports as its necessary conditions make the foreign exchange market participants expect that the real future exchange rate will be much lower than the current equilibrium exchange rate (so called "devaluation", giving rise to foreign exchange crisis. Negative debts result in the information asymmetry between creditor and debtor, and between adverse selection and moral relaxation, and that cause crisis for foreign currency and reduces their attractiveness, proposed by Mishkin. In fact developing countries in Southeast Asia and Central and South America that has the recent outbreak of a foreign exchange crisis, also have unhealthy banks. When we apply analysis mentioned above to South Korea, we can not find evidence of relatively high evaluation level on the real equilibrium exchange rate and evidence of poor management in the banking sector.

  13. Youth unemployment rate and impact of financial crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Choudhry, Misbah Tanveer; Marelli, Enrico; Signorelli, Marcello

    2012-01-01

    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of financial crises on the youth unemployment rate (YUR). The authors consider different types of financial crises (systemic banking crises, non-systemic banking crises, currency crises and debt crises) and different groups of countries,

  14. A América Latina na crise mundial Latin America in the global crisis

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    Paul Singer

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available A integração comercial e financeira global fortaleceu a classe capitalista em relação ao proletariado em cada país ao permitir às transnacionais deslocar suas empresas para países em que o custo da mão de obra é menor. A crise colheu a América Latina pela fuga das divisas fortes, extinção do crédito externo e queda das exportações, das inversões estrangeiras e das remessas dos emigrados. A crise se generaliza com as demissões em massa, a difusão do pânico que faz o crédito encolher, derrubando as vendas de bens de maior valor e os investimentos. Os governos do Primeiro Mundo trataram de resgatar os seus bancos falidos, comprando parte do seu capital ou sua totalidade com recursos do Tesouro. No Brasil, o governo faz que os bancos públicos estendam o crédito aos setores abandonados pelos bancos privados e baixem os juros que cobram. Os governos latino-americanos estimulam o mercado interno a absorver a produção que não enontra mais compradores no exterior mediante redistribuição da renda e aumento do investimento público. Nos últimos seis anos, os emergentes cresceram 50%, enquanto os industrializados cresceram apenas 10%, o que ampliou o número de nações cuja coordenação é indispensável para que a crise mundial possa ser domada do G-7 para o G-20. Uma das lições da crise é que, em lugar da globalização financeira, o povo de cada país deve ter o direito de decidir como seu excedente social deve ser administrado. A guarda do dinheiro do público e o seu empréstimo a investidores e consumidores devem ser reservados ao poder público e a entidades associativas sem fins de lucro.Global commercial and financial integration has strengthened the capitalist class in comparison with the proletariat around the globe as it permitted multinationals to relocate their companies to countries in which the cost of the labor force was lower. The crisis reached Latin America through the flight of capital, disappearance of

  15. Currency crises: Is Asia different?

    OpenAIRE

    Diehl, Markus; Schweickert, Rainer

    1998-01-01

    International investors' enthusiasm with respect to growth prospects in Southeast Asia has been followed by panic. Both the outstanding economic performance of Southeast Asian economies and their ability to master adjustment challenges had led most observers of these economies to the conclusion that "Asia is different". In comparison with previous currency crises, the macroeconomic fundamentals (GDP growth, inflation, fiscal deficit, external indebtedness, domestic savings, export performance...

  16. A Simple Model of Monetary Policy and Currency Crises

    OpenAIRE

    Philippe AGHION; Philippe BACCHETTA; Abhijit BANERJEE

    1999-01-01

    This paper analyzes the optimal interest rate policy in currency crises. Firms are credit constrained and have debt in domestic and foreign currency, a situation that may easily lead to a currency crisis. An interest rate increase has an ambiguous effect on firms since it both makes more difficult to borrow and may decrease the foreign currency debt burden. In some cases it is actually best to decrease the interest rate. We also show how these issues are related to development of the financia...

  17. A Simple Model of Monetary Pollicy and Currency Crises

    OpenAIRE

    Aghion, Philippe; Bacchetta, Philippe; Banerjee, Abhijit

    1999-01-01

    This paper analyzes the optimal interest rate policy in currency crises. Firms are credit constrained and have debt in domestic and foreign currency, a situation that may easily lead to a currency crisis. An interest rate increase has an ambiguous effect on firms since it both makes more difficult to borrow and may decrease the foreign currency debt burden. In some cases it is actually best to decrase the interest rate. We also show how these issues are related to the development of the finan...

  18. Banking Crises, Deposit Insurance, and Market Discipline: Lessons from the Asian Crises

    OpenAIRE

    Kaoru Hosono; Hiroko Iwaki; Kotaro Tsuru

    2005-01-01

    We investigate the effectiveness of market discipline by depositors during the period of 1992-2002 in the four crisis-hit Asian countries: Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. In Indonesia, the crises first weakened and then strengthened market, which is consistent with the wake-up-call effect found for the Latin American crisis-hit countries (Martinez Peria and Schmukler, 2001). Unlike Indonesia, we could not find an increase in depositors' responsiveness to bank risk after the crisis in...

  19. Latin America Report No. 2692

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-06-14

    monetary, fiscal and other measures including currency devaluation and trade protectionism. Also, some countries, especially in Latin America, having ex...petroleum exporters like Nigeria , Mexico and Venezuela which until a year ago seemed to have unlimited resources, are now confronted with serious...sole responsibility of the Barbados Government, have been carried out with the financial assistance of the IMF . "Despite the ill-informed and

  20. Credit Stagnation in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Adolfo Barajas; Roberto Steiner

    2002-01-01

    This study examines the recent marked slowdown in bank credit to the private sector in Latin America. Based on the study of eight countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and Venezuela), the magnitude of the slowdown is documented, comparing it to historical behavior and to slowdown episodes in other regions of the world. Second, changes in bank balance sheets are examined to determine whether the credit slowdown is merely a reflection of a slowdown in bank deposi...

  1. Banking Crises and Bank Resolution; Experiences in Some Transition Economies

    OpenAIRE

    International Monetary Fund

    2002-01-01

    Like most transition economies, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Mongolia suffered severe banking crises, which had to be resolved before growth could resume. The macroeconomic and institutional failings that led to these crises are described, and parallels are drawn with the causes of banking crises in industrial and developing countries. Resolving the crises proved technically and politically difficult, and setbacks occurred. Successful resolution required the implementation of a comprehensive and ...

  2. Latin America second only to Asia in petrochemical prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krenek, M.R.

    1995-01-01

    The opportunity in Asia for petrochemical companies generally is well known among global players in the industry. Conventional wisdom dictates that most companies at least consider investing in Asia, and for good reason, in most cases. The more aggressive, growth-oriented companies, however, already are attempting to discover the ''next Asia,'' if there is such a thing. Latin America has been nominated as one of the less developed regions that might inherit the Asia/Pacific region's enviable position. This nomination, however, was made before the Mexican financial crisis and the burgeoning pressure on the currencies of Brazil and Argentina. In light of current events, can Latin America still be considered the next Asia, and, if so, what opportunities will follow the devaluation of the Mexican peso? An analysis of the economic and political factors affecting the petrochemical industry in Latin America indicates that the region still hold excellent prospects for petrochemical companies

  3. The legal nature of the contract currency bank account

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    Ольга Олегівна Чорна

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The Civil Code of Ukraine there are no specific rules governing contractual relationship currency bank account, and existing norms in the national legislation does not reflect the specificity, complexity bank currency relations; regulations that regulate banking operations in foreign currencies, in some cases inconsistent, uncoordinated and even contradictory; In addition, some based on somewhat outdated today philosophical position, affecting the development bank currency civil relations. Problems about the determination of the legal nature of the contract currency bank account, studied and continue to study the eminent jurist scholars, among which highlight G.F. Shershenevich, C.A. Fleyshyts, I.B. Nowicki, M.N. Agarkova, A.S. Ioffe, N.S. Kuznetsov, I.A. Bezkluboho etc. Purpose of the article – the definition of the legal nature of the contract currency bank account, as well as research and analysis of major scientific debate on the subject. Given the inextricable link between the two elements of a bank account without connectivity relations on the account balance on any loan or of storage, believe that the bank account agreement today is an independent civil - legal contract.

  4. The Causes of Currency Crises: Do Fundamentals Really Matter?

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    Seungho Lee

    2000-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to find deterministic factors of recent crisis in East Asia and Latin America by conducting empirical tests for each crisis-hit country instead of analyzing the panel data. In particular, the focus of the study lies in verifying whether economic fundamentals matter as a common factor of crisis and whether the contagion is significant. Through probit estimations and Granger-causality test, strong evidence is found that accumulation of current account deficits and excessive increase in foreign borrowings and lending booms are highly correlated to the outbreak of a crisis in many countries. However, the contagion effect was emphatic in South Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia; currency crisis in these countries can be attributable not only to the deterioration of their fundamentals but largely to the foreign investors' excessively over-reactive panic and herd behavior.

  5. European Banking with a Single Currency

    OpenAIRE

    Jean Dermine

    1996-01-01

    At the Madrid summit in December 1995, the EU heads of state or government endorsed a three-phase plan for the introduction of the single currency. The purpose of the paper is to identify how, besides an obvious fall in revenue from intra-European currencies trading, a single currency will alter fundamentally and permanently European banking markets. A common currency will likely change the sources of competitive advantage in various markets such as those of government bonds and their fast gr...

  6. Currency Crises and Monetary Policy in an Economy with Credit Constraints

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergman, Ulf Michael; Hassan, Shakill

    This paper revisits the currency crises model of Aghion, Bacchetta and Banerjee (2000, 2001, 2004), who show that if there exist nominal price rigidities and private sector credit constraints, and the credit multiplier depends on real interest rates, then the optimal monetary policy response...

  7. Monetary Romanticism, Currency and Central Banks in the Nineteenth Century

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn Sørensen, Anders

    How do monetary institutions, such as currencies and central banks, interrelate to the construction of national communities? Using the national conflict between the Danish state and the Duchies of Schleswig-Holstein in the nineteenth century as an exemplary case, this article demonstrates how both...... banks and currencies were mobilized as political symbols to promote an agenda of regional nationalism. In the article I show how the local Schleswig-Holstein currency and the local Schleswig-Holsteinische Landsbank became symbolic antagonists to the Danish central bank and the official state......-sanctioned currency – which by Danish politicians were considers key elements in the attempt to consolidate the Danish nation-state. The article highlights the symbolic qualities of monetary institutions and offers an example of the interrelation between currencies, banks and nations. Through an empirical analysis...

  8. Indicators of financial crises do work! : an early-warning system for six Asian countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lestano, [No Value; Jacobs, Jan; Kuper, Gerard H.

    2003-01-01

    Indicators of financial crisis generally do not have a good track record. This paper presents an early warning system for six countries in Asia, in which indicators do work.We distinguish three types of financial crises, currency crises, banking crises and debt crises, and extract four groups of

  9. Intervention in systemic banking crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Homar, T.

    2016-01-01

    Systemic banking crises often continue into recessions with large output losses. Governments and central banks intervene to preserve the key functions of the financial system and to mitigate the adverse impact of financial distress on economic growth. This thesis investigates how effective

  10. Foreign exchange intervention and central bank independence: The Latin American experience

    OpenAIRE

    Nunes, Mauricio; Da Silva, Sergio

    2007-01-01

    Employing data from 13 Latin American countries, we find that greater central bank independence is associated with lesser intervention in the foreign exchange market, and also with leaning-against-the-wind intervention. We also find that the structural reforms that occurred in Latin America mostly in the 1990s helped to reduce the need for foreign exchange intervention.

  11. On the roles of different foreign currencies in European bank lending

    OpenAIRE

    Krogstrup, Signe; Tille, Cedric

    2015-01-01

    We draw on a new data set on the use of Swiss francs and other currencies by European banks to assess the patterns of foreign currency bank lending. We show that the patterns differ sharply across foreign currencies. The Swiss franc is used predominantly for lending to residents, especially households. It is sensitive to the interest rate differential, exchange rate developments, funding availability, and to some extent international trade. Lending in other currencies is more used in lending ...

  12. International business of banking: the pricing example of retail currency spreads

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    Enn Listra

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper the pricing of a specific service of currency exchange based on the retail exchange rate spreads is studied on the example of four international banking groups. The aim of this study is to explore pricing of currency exchange services based on bid-ask differences in some commercial banks and possible price discrimination in this segment of market comparing the behaviour of Western mothers and Eastern daughters in European international banking groups. The retail currency rate spreads in different bank groups and countries are compared with each other. The main results of the study are that statistically significant differences exist in the spreads set by banking groups in different countries. All banking groups in the pilot sample offer more favourable rates in Western countries indicating that the pricing policy of bank groups may be discriminatory. The volatility of spreads over different currencies suggests that different decision making mechanisms may be present in the groups depending on the location of banking unit. The results of this pilot study suggest that further research is needed to understand the extent and the mechanism of findings.

  13. Influencing Factors of Currency Risk of Deposit Banks in Turkey by Using Probit Method

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    Serhat Yüksel

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we aimed to analyze the factors that affect currency risk of the banks. Within this scope, annual data of 23 deposit banks for the periods between 2005 and 2015 was evaluated. In addition to this situation, panel probit model was used in order to achieve this objective. Regarding the subject of the currency risk, this model was firstly used in this study. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that 3 independent variables affect the currency risk of deposit banks in Turkey. Firstly, it was identified that there is a positive relationship between total assets and currency risk. This situation explains that when the size of the banks increases, they tend to take more currency risk. In addition to this variable, it was also defined that there is a direct relationship between economic growth and currency risk of the banks. This result refers that in case of an increment in the market stability; banks think that the market is safer and they increase their currency risk. Moreover, it was also concluded that there is a negative relationship between interest rate and currency risk of the banks. This aspect shows that when interest rate decreases, it will lower uncertainty in the market. Thus, banks would take higher currency risk in such markets.

  14. Effects of economic crises on population health outcomes in Latin America, 1981-2010: an ecological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Callum; Gilbert, Barnabas James; Zeltner, Thomas; Watkins, Johnathan; Atun, Rifat; Maruthappu, Mahiben

    2016-01-06

    The relative health effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on population health have not been assessed. We aimed to determine the effect of changes in these economic measures on mortality metrics across Latin America. Ecological study. Latin America (21 countries), 1981-2010. Uses multivariate regression analysis to assess the effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and GDP per capita on 5 mortality indicators across 21 countries in Latin America, 1981-2010. Country-specific differences in healthcare infrastructure, population structure and population size were controlled for. Between 1981 and 2010, a 1% rise in unemployment was associated with statistically significant deteriorations (peconomics, policymakers should prioritise amelioration of unemployment if population health outcomes are to be optimised. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  15. How does capital affect bank performance during financial crises?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Berger, A.N.; Bouwman, C.H.S.

    2013-01-01

    This paper empirically examines how capital affects a bank’s performance (survival and market share) and how this effect varies across banking crises, market crises, and normal times that occurred in the US over the past quarter century. We have two main results. First, capital helps small banks to

  16. Neurotrauma Research in Latin America

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    Andrés Rubiano

    2014-10-01

    It is time to think about how consortium studies related to neurotrauma in Latin America are needed, in order to integrate robust databases that reveal the true variability in the comprehensive care of these patients, including aspects of pre-hospital care, emergency care, surgical and intensive care management, without neglecting fundamental aspects like integral rehabilitation. It is time to develop a Latin American traumatic coma data bank. This initiative should be led by research groups from the region, trying to understand and integrate data analysis in a better fashion, trying to reduce the potential of bias as a result of misunderstanding the dynamic of health systems with limited resources, low capabilities for urgent inter-hospital referral and lack subspecialty training that is still in the process of development.

  17. [Latin America and the crisis (points for the balance of a decade)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez Maya, M

    1990-01-01

    The decade of the 1980s was catastrophic for the countries of Latin America because of profound transformations in the world economy, which started in the 1970s, the wilting of the state development programs that were imposed after World War II, and the collapse of socialism with the incipient transition to market economies. The crisis started because of the erosion of the world economic system as constituted under the Bretton Woods agreement; the drastic drop in the economic growth of market economies; the increased costs of living and the deterioration of the environment; the decrease in industrial capacity; and the emergence of transnationalization of production. In Latin America, the economic models that had been in place without solving underdevelopment became even more obsolete (import substitution, internal trade, and the role of the state). The crisis of socialism and the rapprochement of eastern European countries to western Europe also affected Latin America (e.g., Germany cancelled 30 mine exploration projects in Bolivia due to investments in East Germany). The structural readjustment policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank resulted in currency devaluations, redistribution of government funds, elimination of various subsidies, reduction of public debt and social expenditures, reduction of public employment, and payment of external debt. The result was more inflation (in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Argentina, inflation rates were 683.7%, 157.1%, 100.1%, and 326.2%, respectively, between 1980 and 1986), unemployment, and poverty in the lost decade of the 1980s. After 1982, state expenditures on roads, education, hospitals, and nutrition declined by 40% in Mexico. Even though most countries returned to democracy in the region, this was at the cost of the increased role of the military and the transnationals. The grand parties collapsed and in Venezuela, Mexico, and Colombia authoritarian tendencies survived into the 1970s degrading

  18. In lands of foreign currency credit, bank lending channels run through?

    OpenAIRE

    Ongena, Steven; Schindele, Ibolya; Vonnák, Dzsamila

    2014-01-01

    We analyze the differential impact of domestic and foreign monetary policy on the local supply of bank credit in domestic and foreign currencies. We analyze a novel, supervisory dataset from Hungary that records all bank lending to firms including its currency denomination. Accounting for time-varying firm-specific heterogeneity in loan demand, we find that a lower domestic interest rate expands the supply of credit in the domestic but not in the foreign currency. A lower foreign interest rat...

  19. Crises gêmeas nos mercados emergentes: América Latina x Leste Asiático

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    Tito Belchior Silva Moreira

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This article uses a crisis index based on an average of the variations in currency and financial crises indicators, referred to as “twin crises ”, adjusting them to the same volatility. Thus, the objective is to measure the degree of vulnerability to twin crises within a group of 19 countries in the context of the East Asian crisis. Based on the crisis index regarding data from 1996, the most vulnerable countries of the twin crises can be ordered and identified a year before the onset of the crises. East Asian countries, in contrast with Latin American countries, were identified as the most vulnerable to twin crises.

  20. Crises gêmeas nos mercados emergentes: América Latina x Leste Asiático

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tito Belchior Silva Moreira

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available This article uses a crisis index based on an average of the variations in currency and financial crises indicators, referred to as "twin crises", adjusting them to the same volatility. Thus, the objective is to measure the degree of vulnerability to twin crises within a group of 19 countries in the context of the East Asian crisis. Based on the crisis index regarding data from 1996, the most vulnerable countries of the twin crises can be ordered and identified a year before the onset of the crises. East Asian countries, in contrast with Latin American countries, were identified as the most vulnerable to twin crises.

  1. The role of the state oil company in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teixeira, A.A.

    1991-01-01

    The role of the Latin American state oil companies (LASOCs) in establishing national industries to fuel economic development is discussed. LASOCs are represented internationally in an organization called ARPEL (Asistencia Reciproca Petrolera Estatal Latinoamericana) which is aimed to foster interchange, cooperation, and mutual assistance among its 20 member companies, as well as to promote economic integration of Latin America through its petroleum sector. State oil companies in Latin America date from 1922, when the oldest LASOC was created in Argentina. LASOCs are responsible for ca 80% of petroleum activities in Latin America. As of 1990, Latin American oil reserves, including gas liquids, amounted to ca 122 billion bbl or 12.2% of the world total. Regional oil production averaged 7.4 million bbl/d in 1990. Refining capacity is ca 7.7 million bbl/d, of which 80% is operated directly by LASOCs. Natural gas reserves are 7.3 trillion m 3 , ca 6% of the world total, and production averaged 360 million m 3 in 1990. LASOCs were generally created and developed under strong nationalistic climates and worked in regulated markets. They grew strongly during the 1960s and 1970s and also organized to work both in upstream and downstream operations. LASOC strategies varied according to the needs of the individual countries, but generally included promotion of long range plans to develop the local manufacturing and service industries. The larger LASOCs have developed important new technologies. In the 1980s, economic crises and financial manipulation by governments brought LASOCs into a serious crisis, and the latest trend is toward deregulation and an opening to foreign investment to encourage economic recovery. 8 figs., 2 tabs

  2. The Effects of Foreign Bank Participation on the Turkish Banking System and Crisis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suleyman Degirmen

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available There is an assertion that the participation of foreign banks in emerging markets is often thought to improve overall bank soundness. Therefore, if the share of foreign banks in a national banking system is large, the system will quickly overcome both financial or currency crises, and quickly recover itself. Since Turkey has been experienced mentioned crises, the aim of this study is to reveal if the assertion is valid for Turkey. Our expectation from the study using VAR method is to reach a conclusion that countries with large market share of foreign banks have safely passed the crises by virtue of foreign banks’ best management policies. The test results indicate that foreign banks have more positive effect for helping TBS capital structure; foreign bank participation did not cause any decline in loans and last one, after crisis, existence of foreign banks worsens TBS’ liquidity in interest and exchange rate shocks.

  3. World review: Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2000-01-01

    The article gives information on contracts announced (and to whom) throughout Latin America in all aspects of the petroleum, natural gas and petrochemicals industries. Countries specifically mentioned are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Trinidad and Venezuela. The future for the oil industry in Latin America is viewed as 'highly prospective'

  4. The banking union and the financial and banking system reform in EU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alina Ligia Dumitrescu

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Coordination among supervisors in financial and banking system is vital, but the financial crisis has shown that is not enough, and especially in the context of a single currency would require more common actions in EU. Therefore, the European Commission proposed “the creation of a banking union”, in order to place the banking sector on a more solid base and to restore confidence in the single currency, as part of a longer-term vision for the promotion of the economic and fiscal integration. Therefore, the new direction of the reform of the financial sector is "the creation of a banking union", that will help: to strengthen banks supervision, to ensure better deposits security, to recapitalize banks and last but not least to achieve the centralized management of the banking crises.

  5. Bank lending strategy, credit scoring and financial crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dinh, T.H.T.; Kleimeier, S.; Straetmans, S.T.M.

    2013-01-01

    Adverse selection inherent in the bank-borrower relationship typically intensifies during crises. This problem is expecially severe in emerging markets, characterized by weak institutions and banks with poorly developed monitoring and screening abilities. Exploiting a unique sample of Vietnamese

  6. Effects of economic crises on population health outcomes in Latin America, 1981–2010: an ecological study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Callum; Gilbert, Barnabas James; Zeltner, Thomas; Watkins, Johnathan; Atun, Rifat; Maruthappu, Mahiben

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The relative health effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on population health have not been assessed. We aimed to determine the effect of changes in these economic measures on mortality metrics across Latin America. Design Ecological study. Setting Latin America (21 countries), 1981–2010. Outcome measures Uses multivariate regression analysis to assess the effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and GDP per capita on 5 mortality indicators across 21 countries in Latin America, 1981–2010. Country-specific differences in healthcare infrastructure, population structure and population size were controlled for. Results Between 1981 and 2010, a 1% rise in unemployment was associated with statistically significant deteriorations (pinflation rate was associated with significant deteriorations (pinflation, significant deteriorations (pinflation. Conclusions Rises in unemployment and inflation are associated with long-lasting deteriorations in several population health outcomes. Unemployment exerted much larger effects on health than inflation. In contrast, changes in GDP per capita had almost no association with the explored health outcomes. Contrary to neoclassical development economics, policymakers should prioritise amelioration of unemployment if population health outcomes are to be optimised. PMID:26739715

  7. On Zombie Banks and Recessions after Systemic Banking Crises: Government Intervention Matters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Homar, T.; van Wijnbergen, S.

    2013-01-01

    Systemic banking crises often continue into recessions with large output losses (Reinhart & Rogoff 2009a). In this paper we ask whether the way Governments intervene in the financial sector has an impact on the economy's subsequent performance. Our theoretical analysis focuses on bank incentives to

  8. The Impact of Central Bank FX Interventions on Currency Components

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beine, M.; Bos, C.S.; Laurent, S.

    2007-01-01

    This article assesses the impact of official FOREX interventions of the three major central banks in terms of the dynamics of the currency components of the major exchange rates over the period 1989-2003. We identify the currency components of the mean and volatility processes of exchange rates

  9. Nuclear options in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-11-01

    An account is given of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, 1967, providing for the designation of Latin America as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ); additional protocols attached to the Treaty are available for signature by States outside the region. The Treaty is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (OPANAL). Reference is made to its latest meeting, held in May 1983. The present paper also discusses the following: Non-Proliferation Treaty (with references to safeguards agreements concluded between each State and the IAEA); nuclear suppliers' group; peaceful nuclear explosions; nuclear energy programmes in Latin America. (U.K.)

  10. Latin America: population and internal unrest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiarda, J H; Siqueira Wiarda, I

    1985-09-01

    This discussion of population and internal unrest in Latin America covers the following: pressures on land and agriculture; economic frustrations; the youth and radicalism; rising social tensions; and political instability. At current growth rates, Latin America's population is projected to increases between 1981 2001 by 225 million people. This staggering population growth is likely to have serious political, economic, social, strategic, and other implications. The strong opposition to family planning which came principally from nationlists, the military, and the church during the 1960s has changed to general support for voluntary family planning programs in much of Latin America. Too rapid population growth now is viewed widely as aggravating the problems of development and putting severe strains on services and facilities. The wish to limit family size is particularly strong among women. Most of Latin America's untapped land is unusable, either so steeply mountainous, densely tropical, or barren of topsoil that it cannot support life at even the most meager level of subsistence. Food production in most of Latin America has not kept pace with population growth. Since most new agricultural production is oriented toward exports rather than home consumption, conditions for most rural populations are worsening. Economic dilemmas facing Latin America include widespread poverty, the world's highest per capita debt, unemployment and underemployment that may reach between 40-50% of the workforce, negative economic growth rates over the past 5 years, immense income inequalities, declining terms of trade, extensive capital flight, little new investment or foreign assistance, increased protectionism on the part of those countriews with whom Latin America must trade, rising prices for the goods Latin America must import, and (in some countries) devastation of the economic infrastrucutre by guerrilla forces. The unprecedent flow from the countryside has made Latin America the

  11. 48 CFR 28.204-2 - Certified or cashiers checks, bank drafts, money orders, or currency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... checks, bank drafts, money orders, or currency. 28.204-2 Section 28.204-2 Federal Acquisition Regulations... Other Security for Bonds 28.204-2 Certified or cashiers checks, bank drafts, money orders, or currency... draft, Post Office money order, or currency, in an amount equal to the penal sum of the bond, instead of...

  12. VaR Methodology Application for Banking Currency Portfolios

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Armeanu

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available VaR has become the standard measure that financial analysts use to quantify market risk. VaR measures can have many applications, such as in risk management, to evaluate the performance of risk takers and for regulatory requirements, and hence it is very important to develop methodologies that provide accurate estimates. In particular, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision at the Bank for International Settlements imposes to financial institutions such as banks and investment firms to meet capital requirements based on VaR estimates. In this paper we determine VaR for a banking currency portfolio and respect rules of National Bank of Romania regarding VaR report.

  13. Managing Abundance to Avoid A Bust in Latin America

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Nicolas Eyzaguirre

    2011-01-01

    @@ Latin American (LA) economies today are at a challenging juncture as key global conditions have aligned in very exceptional ways, representing a double tailwind for many countries of the region.These countries must figure out how to best respond to a sustained period of unusually easy foreign financing conditions and large capital inflows.At the same time, they face high world prices for their commodity exports, another source of abundance that is likely to be persistent but not permanent.Such conditions are, of course, in many ways favorable, creating opportunities with important upsides.But such conditions can also lead to an accumulation of important vulnerabilities for the future.There are challenges both while these conditions persist and during the transition after they end because severe dislocations and crises may arise if the good times are improperly managed.Indeed, some of Latin America's own past experiences with the "problems of plenty" have illustrated that good times can be followed by bad endings.

  14. Cartographies of the Political Camp of Afro-Descendents in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agustín Lao-Montes

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available This article lays out, in general terms, what it calls the political camp of Afro-descendents in Latin America. After establishing a series of theoretical and methodological criteria for the historical analysis of black movements in modernity and the Afro-American movements in particular, the article focuses on the emergence of afro-descendant movements in Latin America during the last part of the 1980s. One of the principal arguments is that in the 1990s a political camp of afro-descendents starts to emerge in the region of Latin America based on a series of developments, including the emergence of new social movements that included ethno-racial movements of Afros and indigenous people, events of regional importance like the contra-celebration of 1492 in 1992, the World Conference against Racism 2001 in Durban, South Africa, and the effects of the neoliberal pattern of globalization. The political camp of Afro-descendents is composed not only of social movements, but also of state actors and transnational actors (such as the World Bank and the Ford Foundation. The article concludes with an analysis of the challenges and perspectives of Afro-American politics in general and of Afro-Latin movements in particular considering the current crisis of the modern/colonial world-system.

  15. Dollar as the world's reserve currency: Challenges and prospects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kovačević Radovan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The US dollar gained the status of the world's reserve currency in the Bretton Woods system and has preserved it until the present day. Such position in international finance entails both advantages and disadvantages to the USA as the issuer of this currency, and to the rest of the world using it in trading, as store of value, and for the purpose of various financial operations and transactions. After the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, the regime of fixed FX rates was replaced by floating FX rates. Yet, regardless of this change, the dollar kept its role of the world's reserve currency. Numerous banking and currency crises following the transfer to the floating FX rates regime, along with the shifts in international capital flows, forced the developing countries and countries in transition to increase their FX reserves. In the tendency to store their value, central banks usually invest them into US Treasury securities, as liquid and reliable assets. However, due to the risk incurred by the reliance on a single national currency in the role of the world's reserve currency, there have been many proposals to reform the international monetary system. According to the current global tendencies, the most serious candidates for acquiring the status of the world's reserve currency in the future are the dollar, the euro, and the Chinese yuan.

  16. Issues of Political Development: Fragile Democracies in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando Albuquerque

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The political development, as research field, had its origins in the second half of the last century. From the 60s, when he began to flourish, now constitutes a conceptual border with comparative politics. In subsequent decades there were many advances in the analysis of problems related to the political institutions, state structures, the rule of law, civil society, stability and crises of democratic regimes, among others. From this issue, will be made to this article, supported by the Democracy Index, analyzing the causes of one of the main shortcomings of the political development in Latin America, namely, the low quality of their democracies and the consequent non-consolidation of the same.

  17. Quantitative analysis of potential currency crisis in the Republic of Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rađenović Žarko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The subject of this paper is theoretical and empirical analysis of potential currency crisis in the Republic of Serbia. The main aim of the paper is quantitative analysis of a set of key indicators (index of exchange market pressure, signal-to-noise ratio, misery index, a measure of openness and the monetary measure of openness of the country that indicate the possibility of a currency crisis. The cyclic character of currency and financial crisis is forcing policymakers to conduct thoughtful exchange rate policy. The aim of this is to prevent the scenario with which the countries of Latin America faced in the late 20th century. Although there is no a significant correlation in terms of international trade transactions between Serbia and the countries of Latin America, we should certainly learn from the experience of these countries. It is necessary to continuously monitor the value of indicators which point to possible distortion. In the paper we use some econometric and statistical tools, such as correlation and regression analysis, to point to the values of indicators which can contribute to early detection of a currency crisis.

  18. SOURCES OF ASIAN CURRENCY CRISIS

    OpenAIRE

    Muhd-Zulkhibri Abdul Majid

    2004-01-01

    This study examines the sources of currency crises in ASEAN. The empirical findings indicate that reserve inadequacy, increase of bank’s claims on private sector, deteriorating trade balance and misalignment of real exchange rate increase the probability of a speculative attack on a currency. The results also suggest that the currency crises could be contagious. The significant variables are closely related to the external factors and thus, indicate the openess of the ASEAN-4 economy. Hence, ...

  19. Dating currency crises with ad hoc and extreme value-based thresholds : East Asia 1970-2002 [dating currency crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lestano, L; Jacobs, Jan P. A. M.

    2007-01-01

    Generally a currency crisis is defined to occur if an index of currency pressure exceeds a threshold. This paper compares currency crisis dating methods. For two definitions of currency pressure we contrast ad hoc and extreme value-based thresholds. We illustrate the methods with data of six East

  20. History of primary vasculitis in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iglesias Gammara, Antonio; Coral, Paola; Quintana, Gerardo; Toro, Carlos E; Flores, Luis Felipe; Matteson, Eric L; Restrepo, José Félix

    2010-03-01

    A literature review utilizing Fepafem, Bireme, LiLacs, Scielo Colombia, Scielo Internacional, former MedLine, Pubmed, and BVS Colombia as well as manual searches in the libraries of major Latin American universities was performed to study vasculitis in Latin America. Since 1945, a total of 752 articles have been published by Latin American authors. However, only a minority are devoted to primary vasculitides, and even fewer have been published in indexed journals. Approximately 126 are in OLD, Medline, Pubmed, Bireme, and Scielo. Most publications are from Mexico, followed by Brazil and Colombia. Systematic studies of the epidemiology of primary idiopathic vasculitis are available for a few countries, i.e. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. Takayasu arteritis and ANCA-associated vasculitis are the best studied forms of vasculitis in Latin America. Interest and expertise in vasculitis is growing in Latin America, as reflected in the increased number of published articles from this region of the world in the last decade. Racial and environmental factors are possibly responsible for the differential expression of various types of primary vasculitis observed in Latin America. With time, the unique features, epidemiology, and better treatment strategies for idiopathic vasculitides in Latin America will emerge.

  1. The Bank of Canada's Management of Foreign Currency Reserves

    OpenAIRE

    Jacobo De León

    2001-01-01

    This article describes the Bank's management of the liquid foreign currency portion of the government's official reserves. It broadly outlines the operations of the Exchange Fund Account (EFA), the main account in which Canada's reserves are held. It then briefly reviews the evolution of the objectives and management of the EFA over the past 25 years, particularly in light of the changing level of reserves and developments in financial markets. The EFA is funded by Canada's foreign currency b...

  2. How banking sanctions influence on performance of foreign currency portfolio management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Khodaei Valahzaghard

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available A good portfolio optimization on banks’ currency holdings not only helps meet their needs but also it increases banks’ total assets. During the past few months, US sanctions against Iran has influenced profitability banking currency portfolio holding. The proposed model of this paper considers the weekly information of two years before and after sanctions occurred in Iranian banking system. Therefore, the study uses 210 weekly data and proposes a method to analyze the data to measure the performance of banking currency portfolio after sanction happens. The proposed model of this paper provides lost profit and unrealized loss and using the idea of Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS we rank the resulted data. Next, we use some parametric and non-parametric methods to see whether there is any change as a result of sanction on the performance of the portfolio. The results indicate that not only the performance of the portfolio was reduced but also the variance of the return after sanction has been increased.

  3. Allergen extracts for immunotherapy in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Cardona-Villa

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: The Latin American Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (SLAAI presents a document about the use of immunotherapy (IT in Latin America, where administration patterns, indications and contraindications, effects on health, adverse events and socioeconomic impact are reviewed. Objective: To review publications analyzing the use of IT in Latin America. Methods: A literature review was carried out in order to identify works addressing IT in Latin America. This review was focused on practical scientific information available on IT in the region, and a parallel comparison was made with practices observed in the United States and European countries. Results: Of the 21 Latin American countries included, only 9 had original articles meeting the selection criteria; a total of 82 articles were selected, most of them from Brazil and Mexico. Most widely used allergenic extracts in Latin America tropical and subtropical regions were those of mites and pollen. Conclusion: Although it is true that there are huge challenges for the future of IT in Latin America, studies on subcutaneous IT and sublingual IT are increasing, but most of them are retrospective and some have design bias, and more prospective studies are therefore required, using internationally validated scales for clinical evaluation.

  4. Early Warning Models for Systemic Banking Crises in Montenegro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Željka Asanović

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to create an adequate early warning model for systemic banking crises in Montenegro. The probability of banking crisis occurrence is calculated using discrete dependent variable models, more precisely, estimating logit regression. Afterwards, seven simple logit regressions that individually have two explanatory variables are estimated. Adequate weights have been assigned to all seven regressions using the technique of Bayesian model averaging. The advantage of this technique is that it takes into account the model uncertainty by considering various combinations of models in order to minimize the author’s subjective judgment when determining reliable early warning indicators. The results of Bayesian model averaging largely coincide with the results of a previously estimated dynamic logit model. Indicators of credit expansion, thanks to their performances, have a dominant role in early warning models for systemic banking crises in Montenegro. The results have also shown that the Montenegrin banking system is significantly exposed to trends on the global level.

  5. Early warning systems of financial crises: implementation of a currency crisis model for Uganda

    OpenAIRE

    Heun, Michael; Schlink, Torsten

    2004-01-01

    The objective of this paper is to implement a prototype of a currency crisis model as part of an early warning system framework for Uganda. The financial systems of developing countries like Uganda are especially vulnerable and therefore robust instruments to predict crises are needed. Our model is based on the signals approach developed by Kaminsky, Lizondo and Reinhart (1998) and Kaminsky and Reinhart (1999). The basic idea of the signals approach is to monitor several indicators that tend ...

  6. Asthma control in Latin America: the Asthma Insights and Reality in Latin America (AIRLA) survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neffen, Hugo; Fritscher, Carlos; Schacht, Francisco Cuevas; Levy, Gur; Chiarella, Pascual; Soriano, Joan B; Mechali, Daniel

    2005-03-01

    The aims of this survey were (1) to assess the quality of asthma treatment and control in Latin America, (2) to determine how closely asthma management guidelines are being followed, and (3) to assess perception, knowledge and attitudes related to asthma in Latin America. We surveyed a household sample of 2,184 adults or parents of children with asthma in 2003 in 11 countries in Latin America. Respondents were asked about healthcare utilization, symptom severity, activity limitations and medication use. Daytime asthma symptoms were reported by 56% of the respondents, and 51% reported being awakened by their asthma at night. More than half of those surveyed had been hospitalized, attended a hospital emergency service or made unscheduled emergency visits to other healthcare facilities for asthma during the previous year. Patient perception of asthma control did not match symptom severity, even in patients with severe persistent asthma, 44.7% of whom regarded their disease as being well or completely controlled. Only 2.4% (2.3% adults and 2.6% children) met all criteria for asthma control. Although 37% reported treatment with prescription medications, only 6% were using inhaled corticosteroids. Most adults (79%) and children (68%) in this survey reported that asthma symptoms limited their activities. Absence from school and work was reported by 58% of the children and 31% of adults, respectively. Asthma control in Latin America falls short of goals in international guidelines, and in many aspects asthma care and control in Latin America suffer from the same shortcomings as in other areas of the world.

  7. Abstracts of the Second energy conference of the Latin America and the Caribbean (ENERLAC'95)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    The Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), with support from the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Ecuador, held the Second Energy Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean (ENERLAC 95) under the heading Energy Integration and Private-Sector Participation, essentially aimed at bringing together top public and private sector executives of latin america and the caribbean and entrepreneurs, investors, representatives of commercial banks and financial institutions to identify and concretize business opportunities and foster the energy integration of the region by identifying projects and investment opportunities in the sector. The present document is a reference work compiling the abstracts of the presentations that have been submitted and selected for ENERLAC 95. This publication provides a wide range of opinions and ideas about many energy sector topics

  8. The dynamics of business investment following banking crises and normal recessions

    OpenAIRE

    Jannsen, Nils

    2015-01-01

    I empirically analyze the dynamics of business investment following normal recessions (declines in business investment that are not associated with banking crises) and banking crises. Using a panel of 16 advanced economies, I find evidence for significant non-linear trend reversion or bounce-back effects on the level of business investment following normal recessions, i.e., the deeper the previous recession was, the higher the growth rate of business investment will be. The trend reversion ef...

  9. Classical technical analysis of Latin American market indices. Correlations in Latin American Currencies (ARS, CLP, MXP) exchange rates with respect to DEM, GBP, JPY and USD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ausloos, M.; Ivanova, K.

    2004-06-01

    The classical technical analysis methods of financial time series based on the moving average and momentum is recalled. Illustrations use the IBM share price and Latin American (Argentinian MerVal, Brazilian Bovespa and Mexican IPC) market indices. We have also searched for scaling ranges and exponents in exchange rates between Latin American currencies ($ARS$, $CLP$, $MXP$) and other major currencies $DEM$, $GBP$, $JPY$, $USD$, and $SDR$s. We have sorted out correlations and anticorrelations of such exchange rates with respect to $DEM$, $GBP$, $JPY$ and $USD$. They indicate a very complex or speculative behavior.

  10. Nuclear governance in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Layla Dawood

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The article provides an outlook of the regional relations concerning nuclear technology in Latin America. For that purpose, we initially discuss the historic relationship of the Latin American countries with the set of rules, norms, principles and organizations involved in nuclear governance. The article provides an analysis of the connection between the multilateral institutional framework and the bilateral arrangements aimed at curbing the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region. The current state of nuclear cooperation among the countries of the region is also mapped. In addition, the article assesses the peaceful use of nuclear technology in the region and the potential expansion of the use of nuclear energy by the Latin American countries. Considerations on the trends for nuclear cooperation among the countries of Latin America are also offered.

  11. Should Latin America Fear China?

    OpenAIRE

    Eduardo Lora

    2005-01-01

    This paper compares growth conditions in China and Latin America to assess fears that China will displace Latin America in the coming decades. China`s strengths include the size of the economy, macroeconomic stability, abundant low-cost labor, the rapid expansion of physical infrastructure, and the ability to innovate. China`s weaknesses, stemming from insufficient separation between market and state, include poor corporate governance, a fragile financial system and misallocation of savings. ...

  12. Déficit em transações correntes, movimentos de capital e ataques especulativos: uma abordagem estruturalista das recentes crises cambiais na América Latina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Curado

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho é elaborar um modelo teórico sobre o papel dos déficits estruturais em transações correntes e da capacidade limitada de absorção de ativos externos como elementos presentes em crises cambiais de economias emergentes. O modelo terá como refe-rência as recentes crises ocorridas na América Latina, especificamente a crise mexicana de 1994 e brasileira de 1999. Pretende-se, portanto, incorporar ao debate algumas especificidades da região que têm sido negligenciadas, ou incorporadas de forma apenas parcial, pela literatura estabelecida sobre crises cambiais. O modelo deverá ilustrar o argumento de que as causas para os recentes ataques especulativos na região encontram vinculações - além dos aspectos financeiros destacados pela literatura estabelecida - com o grau de competiti-vidade externa da economia e seu grau de desenvolvimento tecnológico.This work aims to develop a theoretical model of the role that structural deficit in current account, as well as a limited capacity of absorption of financial capital, play in exchange rate crisis in developing countries. The model is specifically framed in the light of the experience of exchange rate crisis in Latin America, especially that of Brazil (1999 and Mexico (1994. The model includes key features of the Latin American economies which have been neglected or taken into account only partially in the current literature on external crisis. In particular, it is argued that recent speculative attacks on some Latin American currencies are related - along with the financial aspects usually highlighted by the existing literature - to competitiveness and technological development.

  13. Forecasting of magnitude and duration of currency crises based on the analysis of distortions of fractal scaling in exchange rate fluctuations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uritskaya, Olga Y.

    2005-05-01

    Results of fractal stability analysis of daily exchange rate fluctuations of more than 30 floating currencies for a 10-year period are presented. It is shown for the first time that small- and large-scale dynamical instabilities of national monetary systems correlate with deviations of the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) exponent from the value 1.5 predicted by the efficient market hypothesis. The observed dependence is used for classification of long-term stability of floating exchange rates as well as for revealing various forms of distortion of stable currency dynamics prior to large-scale crises. A normal range of DFA exponents consistent with crisis-free long-term exchange rate fluctuations is determined, and several typical scenarios of unstable currency dynamics with DFA exponents fluctuating beyond the normal range are identified. It is shown that monetary crashes are usually preceded by prolonged periods of abnormal (decreased or increased) DFA exponent, with the after-crash exponent tending to the value 1.5 indicating a more reliable exchange rate dynamics. Statistically significant regression relations (R=0.99, pcurrency crises and the degree of distortion of monofractal patterns of exchange rate dynamics are found. It is demonstrated that the parameters of these relations characterizing small- and large-scale crises are nearly equal, which implies a common instability mechanism underlying these events. The obtained dependences have been used as a basic ingredient of a forecasting technique which provided correct in-sample predictions of monetary crisis magnitude and duration over various time scales. The developed technique can be recommended for real-time monitoring of dynamical stability of floating exchange rate systems and creating advanced early-warning-system models for currency crisis prevention.

  14. Currency management system: a distributed banking service for the grid

    OpenAIRE

    León Gutiérrez, Xavier; Navarro Moldes, Leandro

    2007-01-01

    Market based resource allocation mechanisms require mechanisms to regulate and manage the usage of traded resources. One mechanism to control this is the definition of some kind of currency. Within this context, we have implemented a first prototype of our Currency Management System, which stands for a decentralized and scalable banking service for the Grid. Basically, our system stores user accounts within a DHT and its basic operation is the transferFunds which, as its name suggests, transf...

  15. Latin America, an important new player in the great global energy game. The possibilities for an energy dialogue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paillard, Ch.A.; Khristienko, V.

    2006-01-01

    The first part of this paper deals with the latin america. Latin American energy has become a major strategic and geopolitical issue. During the last three years events in Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela have shown that these countries also count in the development of the world gas and oil markets. The prospects of growth in the global demand for energy during the next twenty years make one realize the shortfall between world demand and availability, in the same way that the recurrence of geopolitical crises in the regions of the world oil producers, like the Middle East, could have a destabilizing effect on international economic and political balance. Latin America will thus have a key role to play, provided that its social and political crises do not become geopolitical crises of a much more serious nature. The second part presents the possibilities of the energy dialogue. Four essential factors determine today situation in the world market: the rapid growth in the demand for energy resources in Asian countries; the increasing gap between the quantities produced and those consumed in the industrialized countries; the capacity of refining facilities and transport is already insufficient, and additional oil production possibilities are limited; and finally, the lack of openness in the world market in black gold. Efforts aimed at bringing together energy strategies and systems are a key part of the cooperation between the European Union and Russia. A similar dialogue has begun with the principal emerging powers of the Asian-Pacific Region. Our cooperation, including that within the framework of Russia presidency of the G8, will essentially be aimed at putting in place a common system of development of the key aspects of our energy policy. We are ready to act as intermediary between all the parties concerned. (authors)

  16. Modalities of Microfinance Delivery in Asia and Latin America: Lessons for China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Heather Montgomery; John Weiss

    2006-01-01

    Microfinance, the provision of small size loans and other financial services to low income households, is often seen as the key innovation of the last 25 years in terms of means of reaching out to the poor and vulnerable. There is extensive experience in microfinance provision in both Asia and Latin America, but as yet relatively little use of the approach in China. This paper assesses different approaches to rnicrofinance delivery using a threefold distinction, the credit union approach, the non-government organization approach and the banking approach, to generalize across recent Asian and Latin American experience and discuss the role of microfinance in poverty reduction in a theoretical framework. Considering the current state of microfinance in China and international experience, we suggest the banking approach as the way to best increase outreach of micro-financial services in China.

  17. Oil investment in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kielmas, M.

    1994-01-01

    In the early 1990s Latin America became a favoured target for foreign investors as one of the side-effects of the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The reason is linked to macroeconomic reforms in Latin America and the failure of equivalent reforms in the former communist countries. Latin American state-owned-oil companies have been welcomed as borrowers on the international financial markets. Simultaneously private sector investment in the oil industry has increased. This chapter examines nationalisation and the state oil companies, the financing of the state sector, privatisation, the boosting of oil exploration and security issues. The sustainability of the economic reforms in the region is discussed. (UK)

  18. How do banking crises affect aggregate consumption? Evidence from international crisis episodes

    OpenAIRE

    Gerlach-Kristen, Petra; O'Connell, Brian; O'Toole, Conor

    2013-01-01

    This paper considers the effect of systemic financial crises on aggregate consumption. Using a sample of 23 countries over 32 years, we find that consumption growth seems lower during banking crises, crises following credit booms and crises following house price booms. Moreover, the response to income growth seems to change, which may be due to credit constraints. In the long run, consumption appears to be linked to income, housing and other financial wealth.

  19. Bond markets and banking crises in emerging market economies: The role of institutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boukhatem Jamel

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the question of knowing if countries whose activity of financing is mainly bank based face crises more expensive than those where the bond markets are broader and more developed. The results of the empirical tests on a panel of emerging countries suggest that bank based financial systems are associated with crises slightly more expensive, whereas the relationship between the bond markets and the crises’ costs is fragile. Moreover, financial systems where bond markets play an important role are associated with a higher growth of the production, and this, independently of the presence or not of crises. The consideration of the combined effect of financial liberalization and institutional framework on the bond markets development shows the importance of the direction of the financial liberalization. We join in this case one of the most significant aspects of the “sequencing” theorized by McKinnon (1973. Finally, an effective prudential regulation tends to reduce significantly the probability of occurrence of banking crises.

  20. The Effect of Monetary Policy on Exchange Rates during Currency Crises; The Role of Debt, Institutions and Financial Openness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    S.C.W. Eijffinger (Sylvester); B. Goderis

    2007-01-01

    textabstractThis paper examines the effect of monetary policy on the exchange rate during currency crises. Using data for a number of crisis episodes between 1986 and 2004, we find strong evidence that raising the interest rate: (i) has larger adverse balance sheet effects and is therefore less

  1. The Effect of Monetary Policy on Exchange Rates During Currency Crises : The Role of Debt, Institutions and Financial Openness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eijffinger, S.C.W.; Goderis, B.V.G.

    2007-01-01

    This paper examines the effect of monetary policy on the exchange rate during currency crises. Using data for a number of crisis episodes between 1986 and 2004, we find strong evidence that raising the interest rate: (i) has larger adverse balance sheet effects and is therefore less effective in

  2. Rural Poverty in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Keith Griffin

    1999-01-01

    The fact that most poor people in Latin America live in urban areas had implied that poverty in the region is regarded as largely an urban phenomenon. However, this document exposes what available data suggest: that rural poverty still is significant in many Latin American countries.

  3. [Epidemiological transition in Latin America: a comparison of four countries].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albala, C; Vio, F; Yáñez, M

    1997-06-01

    In the last decade, Latin America has experienced important transformations in its health conditions, due to demographic changes and a rapid urbanization process. To analyze socioeconomic, demographic and epidemiological changes in Chile, Guatemala, Mexico and Uruguay and relate them to the different stages in the demographic and epidemiological transition of these countries. Data was obtained from official information of local and international organizations such as Pan-American Health Organization, United Nations, Latin American Center for Demography (CELADE) and World Bank. Guatemala is in a pre-transition stage with a high proportion of communicable diseases as causes of death (61%) as compared with Mexico (22%), Chile (13%) and Uruguay (7%). Mexico is in a prolonged transition situation and Chile is close to Uruguay in a post-transitional stage. Despite decreasing rates of mortality, the proportion of deaths represented by chronic diseases and injuries has increased to over 30% in all countries, except Uruguay. Adjusted mortality rates for cardiovascular diseases are lower in Latin American countries, as compared to Canada. However, excepting Guatemala, there are differences in the pattern of cardiovascular disease, with a higher mortality due to cerebrovascular and a lower mortality due to coronary artery diseases. An increment in non communicable diseases is expected for the next decades in Latin America. Analysis of demographic and epidemiological transition is crucial to define health policies and to adequate health systems to the new situations.

  4. Basel III and prudent risk management in banking: Continuing the cycle of fixing past crises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    François Laurens

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Financial crises have had a significant impact on bank regulation and supervision. Reforms are often focussed on correcting past failings. Following the 2007 financial crisis, Basel III reforms have been introduced with a view to promote a more resilient banking sector and to improve the banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from financial distress. A review of the Basel III reforms and the literature on the link between capital adequacy regulations and bank stability indicates that these regulations are unlikely to prevent the failure of banks resulting in systemic crises

  5. [The demographic consequences of austerity in Latin America: methodological aspects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakkert, R

    1991-01-01

    This work reviews evidence in the literature of possible demographic effects of the austerity programs imposed on Latin American countries in the 1980s. The work focuses on methodological problems involved in assessing demographic changes and ascertaining that they were indeed attributable to the economic crisis. An introductory section describes the recession of the 1980s in Latin America, the declines in employment and living standards, and the health and social consequences of the deepening poverty. But the author argues that evaluation of health conditions, levels of nutrition, and especially factors such as infant mortality, fertility, marriage patterns, and migration as indicators of the impact of the economic depression is full of pitfalls that are not always obvious. Few Latin American countries have civil registration systems capable of providing accurate and up-to-date mortality and fertility data. Indirect methods currently in use were intended to analyze longterm levels and trends and are of little use for short-term fluctuations. Data on internal migration are scarce even in developed countries. Even when recent data are available it is often difficult or impossible to obtain data for comparison. Infant mortality and malnutrition levels, for example, are serious problems in many parts of Latin America, but series of data capable of demonstrating that they are truly consequences of the economic crisis are lacking. Another challenge is to separate the demographic effects of the debt crisis from longterm structural processes. The possibility of time lags and of different time frames may increase confusion. Almost a year must pass before effects on birth rates can be expected, for example. Neutralizing mechanisms may obscure the effects sought. Thus, the most impoverished urban sectors may return to the countryside to seek refuge in subsistence agriculture; their departure would in some measure diminish the consequences of recession in the urban economy

  6. Economic Burden of Herpes Zoster ("culebrilla") in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rampakakis, Emmanouil; Pollock, Clare; Vujacich, Claudia; Toniolo Neto, Joao; Ortiz Covarrubias, Alejandro; Monsanto, Homero; Johnson, Kelly D

    2017-05-01

    Herpes zoster (HZ) is characterized by debilitating pain and blistering dermatomal rash. The most common complication of HZ is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a persistent pain that can substantially affect patients' quality of life. HZ has significant impact on patients' lives with considerable implications for healthcare systems and society. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and medical costs associated with HZ in Latin America. We conducted a pooled-analysis of three prospective cohort studies of HZ patients ≥50 years of age in Argentina (n=96); Brazil (n=145) and Mexico (n=142). Patients were recruited at different time-points during their HZ episode and were followed for six months. The incidence of PHN was defined as a worst ZBPI pain score of ≥3, persisting or appearing more than 90 days after the onset of rash. Work effectiveness was measured on a 100-point Likert scale where 100 was described as completely effective (able to work like before HZ began) and 0 as not effective at all. Direct costs included costs due to use of antiviral medications and all medical services used to treat HZ. Indirect cost was based on foregone earnings from patients due to work loss and presenteeism, and work loss by family caretakers. One-way sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact on total costs. All costs are reported in 2015 USD currency. 383 HZ patients were included and PHN incidence was 38.6%. The most commonly used resources were visits to the doctor's office (79.1% of patients), the emergency room (48.8%) and a specialist (37.9%); hospitalization was reported for 5.7% of patients. The overall direct cost per case was $763.19 USD, indirect cost was $701.40, for a total of $1,464.59 per HZ episode in Latin America. Total cost associated with HZ in patients with PHN was markedly higher compared to patients without PHN ($2,001.13 vs. $867.72, respectively) with indirect costs accounting for the most part

  7. Time series regression and ARIMAX for forecasting currency flow at Bank Indonesia in Sulawesi region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suharsono, Agus; Suhartono, Masyitha, Aulia; Anuravega, Arum

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of the study is to forecast the outflow and inflow of currency at Indonesian Central Bank or Bank Indonesia (BI) in Sulawesi Region. The currency outflow and inflow data tend to have a trend pattern which is influenced by calendar variation effects. Therefore, this research focuses to apply some forecasting methods that could handle calendar variation effects, i.e. Time Series Regression (TSR) and ARIMAX models, and compare the forecast accuracy with ARIMA model. The best model is selected based on the lowest of Root Mean Squares Errors (RMSE) at out-sample dataset. The results show that ARIMA is the best model for forecasting the currency outflow and inflow at South Sulawesi. Whereas, the best model for forecasting the currency outflow at Central Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi, and for forecasting the currency inflow at South Sulawesi and North Sulawesi is TSR. Additionally, ARIMAX is the best model for forecasting the currency outflow at North Sulawesi. Hence, the results show that more complex models do not neccessary yield more accurate forecast than the simpler one.

  8. China and Latin America: strategic partners or competitors?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Manuel Gil Barragán

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This document has as main objective to discuss the dual role that China is playing in Latin America, on one hand, a strategic trade partner in Asia, source of foreign direct investment (FDI and key ally in the international arena, on the other hand, China is a formidable competitor particularly in the manufacturing sector. To reach the main objective, we make a brief description of the international trade relation between China and Latin America for the last 15 years, also, a review of the investment flows in different economic sectors, and lastly, a description of the political and diplomatic relation between Latin America and China. From this, it can be inferred that the bilateral relation is prominently framed by the trade of commodities from Latin America to China and the Chinese investment in the sourcing of natural resources.

  9. [Scientific journals of medical students in Latin-America].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabrera-Samith, Ignacio; Oróstegui-Pinilla, Diana; Angulo-Bazán, Yolanda; Mayta-Tristán, Percy; Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J

    2010-11-01

    This article deals with the history and evolution of student's scientific journals in Latin-America, their beginnings, how many still exist and which is their future projection. Relevant events show the growth of student's scientific journals in Latin-America and how are they working together to improve their quality. This article is addressed not only for Latin American readers but also to worldwide readers. Latin American medical students are consistently working together to publish scientific research, whose quality is constantly improving.

  10. Currency Denomination of Bank Loans : Evidence from Small Firms in Transition Countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brown, M.; Ongena, S.; Yesin, P.

    2008-01-01

    We examine the firm-level and country-level determinants of the currency denomination of small business loans. We introduce an information asymmetry between banks and firms in a model that also features the trade-off between the cost of debt and firm-level distress costs. Banks in our model don’t

  11. Depositor Discipline and Bank Risk-Taking Behavior: Evidence From the South-East Asian Financial Crises

    OpenAIRE

    M. Kabir Hassan; M. Ershad Hussain

    2006-01-01

    This paper examines whether the risk-taking behavior of commercial banks in five countries of South-East Asia changed after the Asian Crises of 1997. The paper utilizes the framework created by Gruben et al (1997, 1998, and 2003). It also examines the connection between the risk-taking behavior and depositor discipline of these banks after the Asian Crises of 1997. Based on bank level data from the Bank Scope, 2005 CD, he paper presents evidence that the state of depositor discipline is very ...

  12. Introduction - Latin America and nuclear energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1976-01-01

    For the second time in its history, the International Atomic Energy Agency is holding its General Conference in Latin America. The first was in Mexico City in September 1972; this September the Conference meets in Rio de Janeiro (in each case, the arrangement has been possible because of the very generous hospitality of the Host Government). Therefore, it is an appropriate occasion to devote a section of the IAEA Bulletin to nuclear energy in Latin America. The vast Latin American region presents many special opportunities for the introduction of nuclear science and technology. The first mission that the IAEA sent out, as far back as 1957, was to Latin America to promote co-operation in using radioisotope techniques. Today, these techniques are widely used by hospitals and medical research institutions throughout the region. Besides their medical applications, isotope techniques are also proving to be very useful in studying soils and irrigation, improving crops and livestock, and controlling insect pests. They also help make prudent use of the underground water resources in the region which, despite its bountiful rivers and tropical forests, includes many large arid areas. The major applications of nuclear technology have come only recently to Latin America, firstly in Argentina, where a 319 MW(e) nuclear power plant began operating at Atucha in 1974. It will soon be followed by the first Brazilian nuclear power plant - a 600 MW(e) light water plant at Angra dos Reis nearing completion. Argentina is building a second power plant at Embalse, and Brazil is planning two 1200 MW(e) plants at Angra and six more 1200 MW(e) units by 1990. Mexico is building its first nuclear plant at Laguna Verde, while other countries such as Chile and Colombia are planning the introduction of nuclear power. After a relatively slow start it, therefore, seems that nuclear power will go ahead fast in the Latin American region in the 1980's and 1990's. This is not surprising. Despite

  13. Introduction - Latin America and nuclear energy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1976-07-01

    For the second time in its history, the International Atomic Energy Agency is holding its General Conference in Latin America. The first was in Mexico City in September 1972; this September the Conference meets in Rio de Janeiro (in each case, the arrangement has been possible because of the very generous hospitality of the Host Government). Therefore, it is an appropriate occasion to devote a section of the IAEA Bulletin to nuclear energy in Latin America. The vast Latin American region presents many special opportunities for the introduction of nuclear science and technology. The first mission that the IAEA sent out, as far back as 1957, was to Latin America to promote co-operation in using radioisotope techniques. Today, these techniques are widely used by hospitals and medical research institutions throughout the region. Besides their medical applications, isotope techniques are also proving to be very useful in studying soils and irrigation, improving crops and livestock, and controlling insect pests. They also help make prudent use of the underground water resources in the region which, despite its bountiful rivers and tropical forests, includes many large arid areas. The major applications of nuclear technology have come only recently to Latin America, firstly in Argentina, where a 319 MW(e) nuclear power plant began operating at Atucha in 1974. It will soon be followed by the first Brazilian nuclear power plant - a 600 MW(e) light water plant at Angra dos Reis nearing completion. Argentina is building a second power plant at Embalse, and Brazil is planning two 1200 MW(e) plants at Angra and six more 1200 MW(e) units by 1990. Mexico is building its first nuclear plant at Laguna Verde, while other countries such as Chile and Colombia are planning the introduction of nuclear power. After a relatively slow start it, therefore, seems that nuclear power will go ahead fast in the Latin American region in the 1980's and 1990's. This is not surprising. Despite

  14. Food sovereignty: an alternative paradigm for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chappell, M Jahi; Wittman, Hannah; Bacon, Christopher M; Ferguson, Bruce G; Barrios, Luis García; Barrios, Raúl García; Jaffee, Daniel; Lima, Jefferson; Méndez, V Ernesto; Morales, Helda; Soto-Pinto, Lorena; Vandermeer, John; Perfecto, Ivette

    2013-01-01

    Strong feedback between global biodiversity loss and persistent, extreme rural poverty are major challenges in the face of concurrent food, energy, and environmental crises. This paper examines the role of industrial agricultural intensification and market integration as exogenous socio-ecological drivers of biodiversity loss and poverty traps in Latin America. We then analyze the potential of a food sovereignty framework, based on protecting the viability of a diverse agroecological matrix while supporting rural livelihoods and global food production. We review several successful examples of this approach, including ecological land reform in Brazil, agroforestry, milpa, and the uses of wild varieties in smallholder systems in Mexico and Central America. We highlight emergent research directions that will be necessary to assess the potential of the food sovereignty model to promote both biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.

  15. China’s impact on Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rhys Jenkins

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available China’s rapid economic growth and increased openness has been one of the most significant developments in the global economy over the past 25 years. This paper analyses China’s impacts on the Latin American economies, and in particular the challenges that China poses for the region. It discusses both the direct impacts arising from bilateral trade and investment flows between China and Latin America, the indirect impacts associated with Chinese competition in export markets and for foreign direct investment, and the positive terms of trade effects resulting from China’s increased demand for raw materials. Challenges identified include the recent rapid increase of competition from Chinese imports in the Latin American market, the concentration of exports to China in a narrow range of primary products and the uneven distribution of profits from trade with China within Latin America.

  16. In Lands of Foreign Currency Credit, Bank Lending Channels Run Through? The Effects of Monetary Policy at Home and Abroad on the Currency Denomination of the Supply of Credit

    OpenAIRE

    Steven Ongena; Ibolya Schindele; Dzsamila Vonnak

    2014-01-01

    We analyze the differential impact of domestic and foreign monetary policy on the local supply of bank credit in domestic and foreign currencies. We analyze a novel, supervisory dataset from Hungary that records all bank lending to firms including its currency denomination. Accounting for time-varying firm-specific heterogeneity in loan demand, we find that a lower domestic interest rate expands the supply of credit in the domestic but not in the foreign currency. A lower foreign interest rat...

  17. Defusing the Energy Trap: The Potential of Energy-Denominated Currencies to Facilitate a Sustainable Energy Transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sgouridis, Sgouris

    2014-01-01

    The universal adoption of fiat currencies and of the fractional reserve banking system coincided with access to and ability to utilize energy-dense fossil fuels leading to unprecedented rates of economic expansion. The depletion of economically recoverable fossil fuels though sets the stage for systemic crises as it is not adequately priced in the current market system. An energy-based system of exchange can be adopted in parallel to or in place of fiat currencies in order to facilitate a sustainable energy transition (SET) and mitigate the impacts of such crises. Energy-backed and energy-referenced currencies are discussed as two possible variants for their ability to realign the economic system to the thermodynamic limits of the physical world. The primary advantage of an energy-referenced currency over the current mechanisms for SET (like feed-in-tariffs or carbon taxes) is realized with the decoupling of the monetary and credit functions, especially when debt is tied to future energy availability. While energy-backed (credit) systems can be easier to adopt on a regional scale, the full transition to an energy-reference currency system requires significant reform of the financial and monetary system although it would not radically disrupt the current economic valuations given the high degree of correlation between value and embodied energy.

  18. Defusing the Energy Trap: The Potential of Energy-Denominated Currencies to Facilitate a Sustainable Energy Transition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sgouridis, Sgouris, E-mail: ssgouridis@alum.mit.edu [Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

    2014-02-26

    The universal adoption of fiat currencies and of the fractional reserve banking system coincided with access to and ability to utilize energy-dense fossil fuels leading to unprecedented rates of economic expansion. The depletion of economically recoverable fossil fuels though sets the stage for systemic crises as it is not adequately priced in the current market system. An energy-based system of exchange can be adopted in parallel to or in place of fiat currencies in order to facilitate a sustainable energy transition (SET) and mitigate the impacts of such crises. Energy-backed and energy-referenced currencies are discussed as two possible variants for their ability to realign the economic system to the thermodynamic limits of the physical world. The primary advantage of an energy-referenced currency over the current mechanisms for SET (like feed-in-tariffs or carbon taxes) is realized with the decoupling of the monetary and credit functions, especially when debt is tied to future energy availability. While energy-backed (credit) systems can be easier to adopt on a regional scale, the full transition to an energy-reference currency system requires significant reform of the financial and monetary system although it would not radically disrupt the current economic valuations given the high degree of correlation between value and embodied energy.

  19. Aquatic risk assessment of pesticides in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carriquiriborde, P.; Mirabella, P.; Waichman, A.; Solomon, K.; Brink, van den P.J.; Maund, S.J.

    2014-01-01

    Latin America is anticipated to be a major growth market for agriculture and production is increasing with use of technologies such as pesticides. Reports of contamination of aquatic ecosystems by pesticides in Latin America have raised concerns about potential for adverse ecological effects. In the

  20. Treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos M Luna

    Full Text Available The global spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA means it is now a pathogen of worldwide public health concern. Within Latin America, MRSA is highly prevalent, with the proportion of S. aureus isolates that are methicillin-resistant on the rise, yet resources for managing the infection are limited. While several guidelines exist for the treatment of MRSA infections, many are written for the North American or European setting and need adaptation for use in Latin America. In this article, we aim to emphasize the importance of appropriate treatment of MRSA in the healthcare and community settings of Latin America. We present a summary of the available guidelines and antibiotics, and discuss particular considerations for clinicians treating MRSA in Latin America

  1. Inclusive education in Latin America and the Caribbean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosa BLANCO GUIJARRO

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The region of Latin America and the Caribbean is known for being the most socially unequal in the world and for this has highly segmented societies, which affects the education, integration and social cohesion of the population. Expanding opportunities for everyone to have access to quality education and developing more inclusive schools, which would educate within and for diversity, stand out as two powerful strategies in a move towards more just and democratic societies in Latin America. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the educational situation in the region from the perspective of rights and inclusion, with particular attention paid to those individuals and groups that suffer most from the impact of inequality, exclusion and marginalization. This analysis begins with an assessment the progress and challenges still to be made regarding access, attendance, quality and equity of education in Latin America. In the second part it addresses the major issues on the agenda of Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean.

  2. Marketing in the Emerging Markets of Latin America

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marinov, Marin Alexandrov

    . Addressing a broad variety of historical, political, economic, social, cultural and legal issues, the book offers unique insights into the enormous opportunities and challenges the region presents for implementing effective marketing strategies. Macro marketing issues such as regional integration, foreign......Marketing in the Emerging Markets of Latin America provides a much needed analysis of business and marketing in Latin America. The book highlights the diverse characteristics of the Latin American business and marketing environment as well as the dynamic nature of regional and country markets...... trade and direct investment are considered within the context of specific countries, as are the micro aspects of a company's marketing activities. The book is an extremely valuable resource for academics, practitioners and anyone interested in doing business in or with Latin America....

  3. The status of cryptococcosis in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina Firacative

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening fungal infection caused by the encapsulated yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii, acquired from the environment. In Latin America, as occurring worldwide, C. neoformans causes more than 90% of the cases of cryptococcosis, affecting predominantly patients with HIV, while C. gattii generally affects otherwise healthy individuals. In this region, cryptococcal meningitis is the most common presentation, with amphotericin B and fluconazole being the antifungal drugs of choice. Avian droppings are the predominant environmental reservoir of C. neoformans, while C. gattii is associated with several arboreal species. Importantly, C. gattii has a high prevalence in Latin America and has been proposed to be the likely origin of some C. gattii populations in North America. Thus, in the recent years, significant progress has been made with the study of the basic biology and laboratory identification of cryptococcal strains, in understanding their ecology, population genetics, host-pathogen interactions, and the clinical epidemiology of this important mycosis in Latin America.

  4. Profession of neuropsychology in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Stevens, Lillian; Morlett Paredes, Alejandra; Ardila, Alfredo; Rivera, Diego

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze characteristics of individuals working in the profession of neuropsychology in Latin America in order to understand their background, professional training, current work situation, assessment and diagnostic procedures used, rehabilitation techniques employed, population targeted, teaching responsibilities, and research activities. A total of 808 professionals working in neuropsychology from 17 countries in Latin America completed an online survey between July 2013 and January 2014. The majority of participants were female and the mean age was 36.76 years (range 21-74 years). The majority of professionals working in neuropsychology in Latin America have a background in psychology, with some additional specialized training and supervised clinical practice. Over half work in private practice, universities, or private clinics and are quite satisfied with their work. Those who identify themselves as clinicians primarily work with individuals with learning problems, ADHD, mental retardation, TBI, dementia, and stroke. The majority respondents cite the top barrier in the use of neuropsychological instruments to be the lack of normative data for their countries. The top perceived barriers to the field include: lack of academic training programs, lack of clinical training opportunities, lack of willingness to collaborate between professionals, and lack of access to neuropsychological instruments. There is a need in Latin America to increase regulation, improve graduate curriculums, enhance existing clinical training, develop professional certification programs, validate existing neuropsychological tests, and create new, culturally-relevant instruments.

  5. From upstream to downstream: Megatrends and latest developments in Latin America`s hydrocarbons sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Kang; Pezeshki, S.; McMahon, J.

    1995-08-01

    In recent years, Latin America`s hydrocarbons sector has been characterized by reorganization, revitalization, regional cooperation, environmental awakening, and steady expansion. The pattern of these changes, which appear to be the megatrends of the region`s hydrocarbons sector development, will continue during the rest of the 1990s. To further study the current situation and future prospects of Latin America`s hydrocarbons sector, we critically summarize in this short article the key issues in the region`s oil and gas development. These megatrends in Latin America`s hydrocarbons sector development will impact not only the future energy demand and supply in the region, but also global oil flows in the North American market and across the Pacific Ocean. Each country is individually discussed; pipelines to be constructed are discussed also.

  6. Food sovereignty: an alternative paradigm for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chappell, M Jahi

    2013-01-01

    Strong feedback between global biodiversity loss and persistent, extreme rural poverty are major challenges in the face of concurrent food, energy, and environmental crises. This paper examines the role of industrial agricultural intensification and market integration as exogenous socio-ecological drivers of biodiversity loss and poverty traps in Latin America. We then analyze the potential of a food sovereignty framework, based on protecting the viability of a diverse agroecological matrix while supporting rural livelihoods and global food production. We review several successful examples of this approach, including ecological land reform in Brazil, agroforestry, milpa, and the uses of wild varieties in smallholder systems in Mexico and Central America. We highlight emergent research directions that will be necessary to assess the potential of the food sovereignty model to promote both biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. PMID:24555109

  7. Venezuela and Energy Security of Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Igorevna Vesnovskaya

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to the specificity of Venezuela's energy policy and the features of the evolution of its approaches to solving problems of energy security. Special attention is paid to the projects of Caracas in the energy sector which are aimed at the creating of common energy zone in Latin America. The author has revealed the interaction of internal political processes in Venezuela as the country's leader in the region, with its integration policy, and also identified trends in the further development of energy policy and strategy of Latin American countries. The research of energy resources of Latin America determined that the main factor that works in favor of convergence states within the South American "geopolitical ring" is to ensure energy security. Venezuela is among the richest resources of Latin America. In the research it was determined that Petrosur, Petrocaribe and Petroandina provide the basis for a range of bilateral agreements to promote cooperation, creation ventures based on the state oil companies of these states.

  8. Natural gas in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    Despite having proven reserves equal to that of North America, natural gas has traditionally played a minor role in the energy policies of Latin American countries, being considered secondary to oil. There has, therefore, been a neglect of the sector with a resultant lack of an adequate infrastructure throughout the region, perhaps with the exception of Argentina. However, with a massive increase in energy demand, growing concerns with environmental matters and a need to reduce the massive pollution levels in major cities in the region, natural gas is forecast to play a much greater role in Latin America's energy profile, with final consumption forecast to rise at 5.4% per annum for the next 15 years. This book assesses both the development of the use of natural gas in the power industrial sector and proposals for its growth into the residential, commercial and transport sectors. It analyses the significant investment required and the governments' need to turn to the private sector for investment and innovation. Natural Gas in Latin America analyses the possibilities and pitfalls of investing in the sector and describes the key trends and issues. It analyses all aspects of the gas industry from exploration and production to transportation and distribution to end users. (Author)

  9. The European Union in the grip of accumulated governance crises: the euro, the reform efforts, and the public-support dynamics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mamadouh, V.D.; van der Wusten, H.H.

    2013-01-01

    This paper considers how the 2008 banking crisis and the subsequent financial and economic crises - more specifically, the sovereign debt crisis of several European Union (EU) member states and the crisis of the euro, the common currency of the euro zone - affect the political geography of the EU.

  10. Off-balance sheet exposures and banking crises in OECD countries

    OpenAIRE

    Barrell, R; Davis, P; Liadze, I; Karim, D

    2012-01-01

    Against the background of the acknowledged importance of off-balance-sheet exposures in the sub prime crisis, we seek to investigate whether this was a new phenomenon or common to earlier crises. Using a logit approach to predicting banking crises in 14 OECD countries we find a significant impact of a proxy for the ratio of banks‟ off-balance-sheet activity to total (off and on balance sheet) activity, as well as capital and liquidity ratios, the current account balance and GDP growth. These ...

  11. Banking, debt, and currency crises in developed countries: stylized facts and early warning indicators

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Babecký, J.; Havránek, T.; Matějů, Jakub; Rusnák, M.; Šmídková, K.; Vašíček, B.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 15, December (2014), s. 1-17 ISSN 1572-3089 Institutional support: RVO:67985998 Keywords : crises * developed countries * early warning indicators Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 1.506, year: 2014

  12. Social protection and the citizen rights in Latin America: a narrative revision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Álvaro Franco G

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Social protection includes all the economic, political and social variables that guarantee protection amidst the adversity that can damage the rights to health, employment, well-being, and quality of life. Objective: to unveil the link between the systems of social protection in Latin America and the fulfillment of social rights. Method: from the start point of documentary revision, a comparison among the different models of social protection applied in Latin America and the diverse types of citizen rights in the last decades is carried out. Several approaches of social protection are considered: social attendance, social security and social insurance; and additionally, the Minimum Networks of Social Protection (m n s p of the 80’s, and the recent social protection as social risk management of the World Bank. The classification of the human rights are again took up: civil, political and social rights.Discussion: difficulties in Latin America that condition the model of social protection according to differences among social levels, the fragmentation of the social policy and the prevailing conditions of inequity that deny the possibilities of citizen rights to be effective are pointed out. In conclusion, the total fulfillment of social rights is feasible through the development of models of social protection capable of covering all the population and all the implied risks, not only in the work by itself but in the integral human development.

  13. Latin America wind market assessment. Forecast 2013-2022

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-10-15

    Wind Power Activities by Country: Developers/Owners, Wind Plant Sizes, Wind Turbines Deployed, Commissioning Dates, Market Share, and Capacity Forecasts Latin American markets are a subject of intense interest from the global wind industry. Wind plant construction across Latin America is modest compared to the more established markets like the United States, Europe, and China, but it is an emerging market that is taking off at a rapid pace. The region has become the hottest alternative growth market for the wind energy industry at a time when growth rates in other markets are flat due to a variety of policy and macroeconomic challenges. Globalization is driving sustainable economic growth in most Latin American countries, resulting in greater energy demand. Wind is increasingly viewed as a valuable and essential answer to increasing electricity generation across most markets in Latin America. Strong wind resources, coupled with today's sophisticated wind turbines, are providing cost-effective generation that is competitive with fossil fuel generation. Most Latin American countries also rely heavily on hydroelectricity, which balances well with variable wind generation. Navigant Research forecasts that if most wind plants under construction with planned commissioning go online as scheduled, annual wind power installations in Latin America will grow from nearly 2.2 GW in 2013 to 4.3 GW by 2022. This Navigant Research report provides a comprehensive view of the wind energy market dynamics at play in Latin America. It offers a country-by-country analysis, outlining the key energy policies and development opportunities and barriers and identifying which companies own operational wind plants and which wind turbine vendors supplied those projects. Market forecasts for wind power installations, capacity, and market share in Latin America, segmented by country and company, extend through 2022. The report also offers an especially close analysis of Brazil and Mexico

  14. Banking, debt, and currency crises in developed countries: stylized facts and early warning indicators

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Babecký, J.; Havránek, T.; Matějů, Jakub; Rusnák, M.; Šmídková, K.; Vašíček, B.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 15, December (2014), s. 1-17 ISSN 1572-3089 Institutional support: PRVOUK-P23 Keywords : crises * developed countries * early warning indicators Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 1.506, year: 2014

  15. Zinc Deficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cediel, Gustavo; Olivares, Manuel; Brito, Alex; Cori, Héctor; López de Romaña, Daniel

    2015-06-01

    Zinc deficiency affects multiple vital functions in the life cycle, especially growth. Limited information is available on the magnitude of zinc deficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean. To examine the latest available information on both the prevalence of zinc deficiency and the risk of zinc deficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean. The prevalence of zinc deficiency was identified through a systematic review looking for the latest available data on serum zinc concentrations from surveys or studies with national representativeness conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean. The risk of zinc deficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean was estimated based on dietary zinc inadequacy (according to the 2011 National Food Balance Sheets) and stunting in children under 5 years of age. Only four countries had available national biochemical data. Mexican, Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Guatemalan children under 6 years of age and women 12 to 49 years of age had a high prevalence of zinc deficiency (19.1% to 56.3%). The countries with the highest risk of zinc deficiency (estimated prevalence of inadequate zinc intake > 25% plus prevalence of stunting > 20%) were Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Zinc dietary inadequacy was directly correlated with stunting (r = 0.64, p zinc deficiency in children under 6 years of age and women 12 to 49 years of age. High rates of both estimated zinc dietary inadequacy and stunting were also reported in most Latin America and Caribbean countries.

  16. Natural gas integration in latin america: forward or backwards?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moutinho Dos Santos, E.; Oxilia Davalos, V.E.; Tadeu Werneck Faga, M.

    2006-01-01

    Throughout the 1990's to Year 2000, energy integration, and particularly natural gas integration, was seen as a major goal in the Southern Cone of South America, The regional perspective for energy was related to an even more challenging objective - Latin American economic integration, which was quickly moving forward by the constitution of MERCOSUR, the free trade zone built by Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, and also having Bolivia and Chile as special partners. MERCOSUR was getting stronger and becoming a successful political project. Trade conflicts existed, but they were considered normal and nobody would disagree about the viability of MERCOSUR. By the beginning of the 21. Century, the economic integration process in South America was already advancing timidly as compared to the impetus from the beginning of 1990's. MERCOSUR started facing complex and almost insurmountable challenges after the numerous global financial crises (from 1998 to 2003) which had affected the economic balances in the region. Energy and gas integration in South America has equally lost perspective as fast as the importance of economic integration has declined. The economic crises in the region and poor energy policies have discouraged energy companies to invest. The paper presents this recent history of rising and falling in the concept of economic and energy integration in the Southern Cone of South America. Despite the abundance of energy resources, and particularly the plethora of recently discovered natural gas, the region has been experiencing systematic and important energy shortages, which may threaten its economic recovery. A stronger energy integration policy would help all the partner countries to reduce energy supply risks. Yet, energy (and gas) integration in the Southern Cone is still a complex long-term political project, which must involve all countries, but whose future perspective is unclear. It seems almost impossible to keep pushing forward this project

  17. Livestock reproduction in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    Proceedings of the Final Research Co-ordination Meeting of the FAO/IAEA/ARCAL III Regional Network for Improving the Reproductive Management of Meat- and Milk-Producing Livestock in Latin America with the Aid of Radioimmunoassay, organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and held in Bogota, 19-23 September 1988. The general goals of this programme, which was part of the ARCAL (Arreglos Regionales Cooperativos para la promocion de la ciencia y la tecnologia nucleares en America Latina) project, were to characterize and improve the reproductive management of milk, meat and fibre producing livestock maintained under the diverse environmental and management conditions prevailing in the Latin America region. In particular, the programme addressed the efficacy of using radioimmunoassay methods of measuring reproductive performance based on breeding and production records, behaviour and clinical parameters. One of the major achievements of the programme was the establishment of viable RIA laboratories in each of the participant countries

  18. Defusing the Energy Trap: The Potential of Energy-Denominated Currencies to facilitate a Sustainable Energy Transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sgouris eSgouridis

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The universal adoption of fiat currencies and of the fractional reserve banking system coincided with access to and ability to utilize energy-dense fossil fuels leading to unprecedented rates of economic expansion. The depletion of economically recoverable fossil fuels though sets the stage for systemic crises as it is not adequately priced in the current market system. An energy-based system of exchange can be adopted in parallel to or in place of fiat currencies in order to facilitate a sustainable energy transition (SET and mitigate the impacts of such crises. Energy-backed and energy-referenced currencies are discussed as two possible variants for their ability to realign the economic system to the thermodynamic limits of the physical world. The primary advantage of an energy-referenced currency over the current mechanisms for SET (like feed-in tariffs or carbon taxes is realized with the decoupling of the monetary and credit functions, especially when debt is tied to future energy availability. While energy-backed (credit systems can be easier to adopt on a regional scale, the full transition to an energy-reference currency system requires significant reform of the financial and monetary system although it would not radically disrupt the current economic valuations given the high degree of correlation between value and embodied energy.

  19. Strong Presidents, Robust Democracies? Separation of Powers and Rule of Law in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcus Melo

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The received wisdom on Latin America in the 1980s and 1990s was that countries where presidents enjoyed strong constitutional powers and where multiparty coalitions prevailed would be doomed to instability and institutional crises, while countries boasting weak presidents and strong parties were expected to consolidate democratic rule. After almost two decades, it is now widely acknowledged that this prediction failed. Recent re-conceptualizations of presidentalism have partly corrected the flaws in the established diagnosis but left unexplained the role of checks and balances and of the rule of law in containing presidential abuse and guaranteeing governability. The paper argues that the key to solving the paradox of strong presidents and robust democracies is that democratic stability in Latin American countries is a function of an extended system of checks and balances. These are ultimately generated by power fragmentation at the time of the constitutional choices over their institutional design and political competition sustaining their effective functioning.

  20. Forecasting of Currency Crises in East Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Young Song

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we have developed a forecasting system for currency crisis in East Asia based on a signaling approach. Our system uses 15 monthly indicators of five East Asian countries including Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand that were severely hit by the currency crisis in 1997. We investigate the performance of the system through deploying out-of-sample forecasting for the periods both before and after the 1997 East Asian currency crisis. Unlike the existing research based on the signaling approach, our out-of-sample forecasting does not fix the in-sample period. The out-of-sample forecasting between July 1995 and June 1997 shows that prior to breakout of the crisis, several indicators including real exchange rates and exports sent frequent warnings to all crisis-hit East Asian countries except the Philippines. This may indicate that a signaling-based early warning system for currency crisis could have been an useful method of forecasting the East Asian crisis. On the other hand, we also find that our forecasting system often generates warning signals during the out-of-sample period between July 1999 and June 2001. Since we have not observed any currency crisis in this region after 1998, these are all false alarms, indicating that our system may be seriously exposed to the type II error. We can, however, mitigate this problem if we adjust the optimal critical values of indicators depending on the preferences of forecasting system manager.

  1. Territorial development and Community currencies : Symbolic meanings in Brazilian Community development banks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. Fare (Marie); C. de Freitas (Carlos); C. Meyer (Camille)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBrazilian community development banks (CDBs) have established various coordinated financial mechanisms aiming to restructure poor and peripheral local economies. Their development strategy includes an instrument to facilitate access to microfinance and a community currency, combined with

  2. [The cholera epidemic in Latin America].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsvik, O

    1992-05-30

    An outbreak of cholera started in Peru in January 1991 and spread through most Latin American countries within a year. This was the first known epidemic of cholera in America for more than a century. In 1991, 321,334 persons were reported to have cholera in Peru, 119,063 were hospitalized, and 2,906 died. Other countries like Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Venezuela and Honduras were also affected, but these countries combined accounted for only 20% of the cases registered in Peru. In April 1992, all Latin American countries except Uruguay, Paraguay and French Guyana have reported cholera. The mortality rate for the epidemic in Latin America was only 1%, mainly owing to good oral rehydration treatment provided by Local health services and the Pan American Health Organization. The causative organism was Vibrio cholerae, serogroup O1, serotype Inaba (and Ogawa) of the El Tor biotype. Genetic characterization shows this strain to be unique, and the designation is reserved for the Latin American strain, distinguishing it from the other El Tor isolates from the 7th pandemic.

  3. Land & Development in Latin America: Issues and Openings for ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Land & Development in Latin America: Issues and Openings for Policy Research. Book cover Land & Development in Latin America: Issues and Openings for Policy Research. Auteur(s) : Stephen Baranyi, Carmen Diana Deere, and Manuel Morales. Maison(s) d'édition : North-South Institute, IDRC. 1 janvier 2004. ISBN :.

  4. Scaling open data for development in Latin America | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Scaling open data for development in Latin America. Latin America is the most unequal region in the world and faces complex development challenges. Among these is the unprecedented number of corruption scandals in the region, which demonstrates the need to develop new approaches to foster accountability, ...

  5. Currency Manipulation

    OpenAIRE

    Weithing Zhang; Thomas Mertens; Tarek Hassan

    2014-01-01

    Many central banks manage the stochastic behavior of their currencies' exchange rates by imposing pegs relative to a target currency. We study the effects of such currency manipulation in a multi-country model of exchange rate determination with endogenous capital accumulation. We find that the imposition of an exchange rate peg relative to a given target currency increases the volatility of consumption in the target country and decreases the volatility of the target currency's exchange rate ...

  6. Democratic survival in Latin America (1945-2005

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aníbal PÉREZ-LIÑÁN

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Why do democracies survive or break down? In this paper, it returns to this classic question with an empirical focus on Latin America from 1945 to 2005. The argument deviates from the quantitative literature and a good part of the qualitative literature on democratic survival and breakdown. It is argued that structural variables such as the level of development and inequalities have not shaped prospects for democratic survival in Latin America. Nor, contrary to findings in some of the literature, has economic performance affected the survival of competitive regimes. Instead, it is focused on the regional political environment and on actors’ normative preferences about democracy and dictatorship and their policy radicalism or moderation. It is argued that 1 a higher level of development did not increase the likelihood of democratic survival in Latin America over this long time; 2 if actors have a normative preference for democracy, it is more likely to survive; and 3 policy moderation facilitates democratic survival.

  7. What Drives Bank Lending in Domestic and Foreign Currency Loans in a Small Open Transition Economy with Fixed Exchange Rate? The Case of Macedonia

    OpenAIRE

    Jane Bogoev

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates two different bank loan supply functions and their determinants according to the currency of bank loans in the Republic of Macedonia. There is robust statistical evidence in favour of the existence of a bank lending channel through foreign currency loans and the foreign reference interest rate. This suggests that the impact of domestic monetary policy over the bank lending channel is limited. The most significant bank-specific characteristic for the foreign currency lo...

  8. Re-ordering the Region? China, Latin America and the Western Hemisphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola Philips

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available – China in Latin America: The Whats and Wherefores, by R. Evan Ellis. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2009.– Latin America Facing China: South-South Relations beyond the Washington Consensus, edited by Alex E. Fernández Jilberto and Barbara Hogenboom. New York & Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2010.– The Dragon in the Room: China and the Future of Latin American Industrialization, by Kevin P. Gallagher and Roberto Porzecanski. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2010.– China and Latin America: Economic Relations in the Twenty-First Century, edited by Rhys Jenkins and Enrique Dussel Peters. Bonn: Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, 2009.– China’s Expansion into the Western Hemisphere: Implications for Latin America and the United States, edited by Riordan Roett and Guadalupe Paz. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, 2008.

  9. Central Bank autonomy in Europe and Latin America: analysis of differences and applications Autonomía de la banca central en Europa y América Latina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rollinat Robert

    1996-06-01

    Full Text Available This article makes a comparative analysis of the experiences of the independent central bank in Latin America and Europe. After reviewing the problems and theories of central bank autonomy, it studies the recent evolution of the Latin American central bank in comparison with the European central bank, high lights the perverse effects of the reforms, and shows that their objective is more the stability of the financial system than the stability of prices. Finally, it describes the tests to which the new Latin American central banks have been subjected and the effects on their credibility. It concludes that these entities have had to correct and pay for the incoherences and errors of the market, and that their independence or autonomy depends on their continuing to ful fill this role, not only for economíc or monetary reasons but for the needs of political and social democracy.Este artículo hace un análisis comparativo de las experiencias de la banca central independiente en América Latina y Europa. Después de revisar los problemas y las teorías de la autonompia de los bancos centrales, estudia la reciente evolución de la banca central latinoamericana en comparación con la europea, destaca los efectos perversos de estas reformas u muestra que sus objetivo es más la estabilidad del sistema financiero que la de los precios. Finalmente, describe las pruebas a que han sido sometidos los nuevos bancos centrales latinomaericanos y los efectos de sus credibilidad. Concluye que estas entidades han tenido que corregir y pagar las incoherencias y los errrores del mercado, y que su 'independencia' o autonomía depende de que sigan cumpliendo con ese papel no sólo por razones económicas o monetarias sino por las necesidades de la democracia política y social.

  10. Rainbow revolution in Latin America: The battle for recognition

    OpenAIRE

    Gianella-Malca, Camila; Wilson, Bruce

    2015-01-01

    In a surprising turn of events, a “rainbow revolution” has blossomed in Latin America. In spite of the region’s long history of deep-rooted patriarchy, machismo, homophobia, and political and social marginalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) people, Latin America is currently home to twenty five percent of the world’s countries with same sex marriage laws. This CMI Brief examines the fight for legal equality in two Latin American countries, Costa Rica and Colombia, expl...

  11. Latin America: emerging nuclear market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1979-01-01

    The need for nuclear power in Latin American countries is surveyed. It is concluded that Latin America offers the greatest external market for all exporters of nuclear reactors and associated services in the near future. Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia are the only countries with fossil-fuel reserves adequate to meet their requirements in the next 20 to 30 years. Nuclear power is a necessity to maintain or improve the standard of living in the countries of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru

  12. FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA IN CONDITIONS OF CURRENCY CRISIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel TIPA

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available At the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, the banking sector from Moldova faced a tough crisis. It was generated by a series of frauds which led to three banks in process of liquidation, three other banks under NBM`s supervision and a huge gap in the broad money in the economy. These events severely affected the banking sector from the Republic of Moldova. Thus, the novelty of this paper is to highlight the difficulties which the banks from the Republic of Moldova have faced at managing their FX operations during that period. Also, considering the conditions of the downturn of the financial situation in the national banking sector and in the national economy in general, which followed as consequences of the crisis, this paper has the purpose to explain from theoretical point of view the basic concepts of correct banks’ FX operations management. For this, the author applied analytical, logical, bibliographical and synthesis research techniques. The results of the research are identification of the causes of currency crises, presentation of the basic measures taken by the National Bank of Moldova for mitigating the effects of the crisis, as well as exhibition of author’s recommendations regarding the main directions which have to be considered by banks in their foreign currency operations management.

  13. Challenges for Scientists in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalergis, Alexis M; Lacerda, Marcus; Rabinovich, Gabriel A; Rosenstein, Yvonne

    2016-09-01

    Despite political turmoil and economical crisis, research in Latin America has considerably advanced over recent decades. The present 'Point of View' outlines our perspectives on the working conditions, successes, difficulties, limitations, and challenges of biomedical scientific communities in four Latin American countries: Argentina (G.A.R.), Brazil (M.L.), Chile (A.K.), and Mexico (Y.R.). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Nuclear medicine in the countries of Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Touya, Eh.

    1987-01-01

    The role of nuclear medicine in protection of health in Latin America states is shown. Nuclear medicine methods are applied in Latin America countries for diagnosis of coronary disease, cancer, malfunctioning of separate organs and transplants, kidney transplants in particular. The present situation in protection of health in the region is evaluated. It is emphasized that nuclear medicine should play its role in the course of public health improvement in those countries

  15. Environmental Governance in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Castro, F.; Hogenboom, B.; Baud, M.

    2016-01-01

    The multiple purposes of nature - livelihood for communities, revenues for states, commodities for companies, and biodiversity for conservationists - have turned environmental governance in Latin America into a highly contested arena. In such a recourse-rich region, unequal power relations,

  16. Natural gas integration in Latin America: end of a dream?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moutinho dos Santos, E.; Oxilia Davalos, V.E.; Tadeu Werneck Faga, M.

    2007-01-01

    Throughout the 1990's to year 2000, energy integration, and particularly natural gas integration, was seen as a major goal in the southern cone of South America. The regional perspective for energy was related to an even more challenging objective - Latin American economic integration, which was quickly moving forward by the constitution of Mercosur, the free trade zone built by Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, and also having Bolivia and Chile as special partners. Mercosur was getting stronger and becoming a successful political project. Trade conflicts existed, but they were considered normal and nobody would disagree about the viability of Mercosur. By the beginning of the 21. century, the economic integration process in South America was already advancing timidly as compared to the impetus from the beginning of 1990's. Mercosur started facing complex and almost insurmountable challenges after the numerous global financial crises (from 1998 to 2003) had affected the economic balances in the region. Energy and gas integration in South America has equally lost perspective as fast as the importance of economic integration has declined. The economic crises in the region and poor energy policies have discourage energy companies to invest. The paper presents this recent history of rise and fall in the concept of economic and energy integration in the southern cone of South America. Despite the abundance of energy resources, and particularly the plethora of recently discovered natural gas, the region has been experiencing systematic and important energy shortages, which may threaten its economic recovery. A stronger energy integration policy would help all the partner countries to reduce energy supply risks. Yet, energy (and gas) integration in the southern cone is still a complex long-term political project, which must involve all countries, but whose future perspective is unclear. It seems almost impossible to keep pushing forward this project without

  17. Latin America Report, No. 2755.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-10-21

    value of the cruzeiro may rise relative to European and Japanese currencies, "thus reducing the competitiveness of our products in those markets." At...The Tourist Office estimates that 21,600 people visited French Guiana in 1982, compared to 20,000 in 1981.* Hotel capacity is concentrated in ...their policy in Central America that has been repre- sented by the existence of the Contadora Group and the Declaration of Cancun . But there is

  18. Virtual currencies : Real opportunities?

    OpenAIRE

    Selldahl, Sara

    2013-01-01

    AbstractThe European Central Bank defines virtual currencies as ”unregulated, digital money, which is issued and usuallycontrolled by its developers, and used and accepted among the members of a specific virtual community.”(European Central Bank, 2012, p. 5) The interest in virtual currencies has increased immensely over the last fewyears as they become increasingly prevalent in our society across many different industries. Up until now, the field ofvirtual currencies has been mainly uncharte...

  19. Fermilab-Latin America collaboration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubinstein, R.

    1994-01-01

    Fermilab's program of collaboration with Latin America was initiated by then-Director Leon Lederman about 1980. His goal was to aid Latin American physics, and particularly its particle physics; this latter aim is in keeping with the Laboratory's particle physics mission. The reasons for collaboration between institutions in the US and Latin America are many, including geographic and cultural, together with the existence of many talented scientists and many centers of excellence in the region. There are also broader reasons; for example, it has been stated frequently that physics is the basis of much technology, and advanced technology is a necessity for a country's development. There is nothing unique about Fermilab's program; other US institutions can carry out similar activities, and some have carried out individual items in the past. On the Latin American side, such collaboration enables institutions there to carry out forefront physics research, and also to have the advantages of particle physics spin-offs, both in expertise in related technologies and in scientist training. In addition to particle physics, collaboration is possible in many other related areas. Although particle physics is frequently viewed as open-quotes big scienceclose quotes, all of the large research groups in the field are composed of many small university groups, each of which contributes to the experiment, the analysis and the physics. Fermilab is an international laboratory, open to all users; a research proposal is accepted on scientific merit and technical competence, not on the country of origin of the scientists making the proposal. Currently, of Fermilab's approximately 1400 users, about 30% are from non-US institutions. It should be noted here that Fermilab's funds, which come from the US government, are for particle physics only; however, there is some flexibility in interpretation of this

  20. 331 Asthma Management in Latin America: Learnings from the Latin America Asthma Insight and Management (LA AIM) Survey of Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Maspero, Jorge; Jardim, Jose; González-Díaz, Sandra; Aranda, Alvaro; Tassinari, Paolo

    2012-01-01

    Background In 2003, the Asthma Insights and Reality in Latin America (AIRLA) survey assessed, in part, perception, knowledge, and attitudes related to asthma.1 In 2011 the Latin America Asthma Insight and Management (LA AIM) survey was designed to ascertain the realities of living with asthma, disconnect between expectations in asthma management and patient experience, and unmet needs. Using results from our survey, we investigated the advances made in asthma care and the challenges that rema...

  1. Virtual currencies- Real opportunities?

    OpenAIRE

    Selldahl, Sara

    2013-01-01

    The European Central Bank defines virtual currencies as ”unregulated, digital money, which is issued and usually controlled by its developers, and used and accepted among the members of a specific virtual community.” (European Central Bank, 2012, p. 5) The interest in virtual currencies has increased immensely over the last few years as they become increasingly prevalent in our society across many different industries. Up until now, the field of virtual currencies has been mainly uncharted ...

  2. JPRS Report, Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-04-28

    to the Gallup company; 18 percent according to a poll conducted by Investigaciones de Chile; 30 percent according to a FLACSO [Latin Amer- ican...that country, Takyoshi Ito, during the official transfer of these installations, which are located on the river banks at San Pedro de Tiquina. Dr...implementation of the agreements signed. At this meeting, the government of Peru was represented by Engs Walter Mercado Zedano and Isidro Velasco

  3. Nitrogen Cycling In Latin America and : Drivers, Impacts And Vulnerabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ometto, J. P.; Bustamante, M.; Forti, M. C.; Peres, T.; Stein, A. F.; Jaramillo, V.; Perez, C.; Pinho, P. F.; Ascarrunz, N.; Austin, A.; Martinelli, L. A.

    2015-12-01

    Latin America is at a crossroads where a balance should be found between production of the major agricultural commodities, reasonable and planned urbanization and conservation of its natural ecosystems and associated goods and services. Most of the natural biological fixation of the globe occurs in forests of Latin America. On the other hand, Latin America has one of the highest rate of deforestation in the world, and one of the highest increases in the use of nitrogen fertilizers. A better understanding of the responses of the N cycle to human impacts will allow better conservation of biodiversity and natural resources, with an improvement in food security and more effective land use choices in biofuel development. Latin America is a unique region in multiple aspects, and particularly relevant for this proposal are the broad climatic gradient and economic patterns that include a diverse range of natural ecosystems and socio-economic development pathways. Additionally, the region is impaired by the lack of information on actual impacts of human activity on N cycling across this diverse range of ecosystems. Finally, the large expanse of tropical ecosystems and reservoirs of biodiversity juxtaposed with an intense economic incentive for development make our understanding of human impacts in this context particularly important for global change research in the region. An evaluation of current and predicted changes in climate and land use on nitrogen stocks and fluxes in the region what is being develop by the Nnet network (Nitrogen Cycling In Latin America: Drivers, Impacts And Vulnerabilities ). This presentation will bring the latest results of this integrative initiative in Latin America, focusing on the nitrogen budget associated to provision of ecosystem services and climate change.

  4. Petroleum industry in Latin America: volume I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reinsch, A.E.; Tissot, R.R.

    1995-01-01

    This first volume of a three-volume series, provided an overview of major economic trends, and energy reserves (i.e. crude oil, natural gas and electricity) in Latin America. Established crude oil reserves were estimated at 125 billion barrels, with Mexico and Venezuela accounting for over 90 percent of the total. Established natural gas reserves were estimated at 249 Tcf, roughly one half of it being in Venezuela. It was noted that since natural gas exploration was still in its infancy in the region, this figure was very likely an underestimate of available resources. The current physical and market characteristics of the petroleum sector in each of the seven Latin American countries were examined in detail, as were the legal, regulatory, fiscal and political environments. Latin American efforts at integration were examined, with emphasis on regional trade agreements and energy integration. The central conclusion of the study was that Latin America appeared poised for a period of sustained economic development, with the energy sector occupying center stage. tabs., figs., refs

  5. Social Movements in Southeast Asia and Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iqra Anugrah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Three recent works – Social Activism in Southeast Asia, Social Movements in Latin America: Neoliberalism and Popular Resistance, and Southeast Asia and the Civil Society Gaze: Scoping a Contested Concept in Cambodia and Vietnam – provide a timely update on the contemporary landscape of social movements in Southeast Asia and Latin America. These works are also relevant for broader theoretical discussions on social movements and provide a basis for future inter-regional comparative studies.

  6. Financial crises and monetary policy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goderis, B.V.G.

    2005-01-01

    In the last three decades, many countries and regions around the world have suffered from currency crises. This thesis investigates the causes of such crises and assesses the role of monetary policy as a tool to avoid them or limit the damage they impose. In addition, it studies the impact of the

  7. Rural Agroindustry in Latin America : An Evaluation of the PRODAR ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Rural Agroindustry in Latin America : An Evaluation of the PRODAR Network. Couverture du livre Rural Agroindustry in Latin America : An Evaluation of the PRODAR Network. Auteur(s) : Ed Weber (CRDI), Bernard Bridier (CIRAD) et Raul Fiorentino (IFAD). Maison(s) d'édition : CRDI. 1 janvier 1997. ISBN : Épuisé.

  8. BAT-BORNE RABIES IN LATIN AMERICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis E. Escobar

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The situation of rabies in America is complex: rabies in dogs has decreased dramatically, but bats are increasingly recognized as natural reservoirs of other rabies variants. Here, bat species known to be rabies-positive with different antigenic variants, are summarized in relation to bat conservation status across Latin America. Rabies virus is widespread in Latin American bat species, 22.5%75 of bat species have been confirmed as rabies-positive. Most bat species found rabies positive are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as “Least Concern”. According to diet type, insectivorous bats had the most species known as rabies reservoirs, while in proportion hematophagous bats were the most important. Research at coarse spatial scales must strive to understand rabies ecology; basic information on distribution and population dynamics of many Latin American and Caribbean bat species is needed; and detailed information on effects of landscape change in driving bat-borne rabies outbreaks remains unassessed. Finally, integrated approaches including public health, ecology, and conservation biology are needed to understand and prevent emergent diseases in bats.

  9. Multinational experience with hypersensitivity drug reactions in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jares, Edgardo José; Sánchez-Borges, Mario; Cardona-Villa, Ricardo; Ensina, Luis Felipe; Arias-Cruz, Alfredo; Gómez, Maximiliano; Barayazarra, Susana; Bernstein, Jonathan A; Serrano, Carlos D; Cuello, Mabel Noemi; Morfin-Maciel, Blanca María; De Falco, Alicia; Cherrez-Ojeda, Iván

    2014-09-01

    Epidemiologic drug allergy data from Latin America are scarce, and there are no studies on specific procedures focusing on this topic in Latin America. To assess the clinical characteristics and management of hypersensitivity drug reactions in different Latin American countries. An European Network of Drug Allergy questionnaire survey was implemented in 22 allergy units in 11 Latin American countries to report on consecutive patients who presented with a suspected hypersensitivity drug reaction. Each unit used its own protocols to investigate patients. Included were 868 hypersensitivity drug reactions in 862 patients (71% of adults and elderly patients were women and 51% of children were girls, P = .0001). Children presented with less severe reactions than adults and elderly patients (P Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Economic Burden of Herpes Zoster (“culebrilla” in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emmanouil Rampakakis

    2017-05-01

    Conclusion: HZ and its sequelae impose a substantial economic burden in Latin America which is expected to rise as the population ages and the number of HZ cases increases. The results support the need for early intervention, preventative strategies and improved disease management to reduce the HZ-associated disease burden in Latin America.

  11. Mineral Facilities of Latin America and Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernstein, Rachel; Eros, Mike; Quintana-Velazquez, Meliany

    2006-01-01

    This data set consists of records for over 900 mineral facilities in Latin America and Canada. The mineral facilities include mines, plants, smelters, or refineries of aluminum, cement, coal, copper, diamond, gold, iron and steel, nickel, platinum-group metals, salt, and silver, among others. Records include attributes such as commodity, country, location, company name, facility type and capacity if applicable, and generalized coordinates. The data were compiled from multiple sources, including the 2003 and 2004 USGS Minerals Yearbooks (Latin America and Candada volume), data to be published in the 2005 Minerals Yearbook Latin America and Canada Volume, minerals statistics and information from the USGS minerals information Web site (minerals.usgs.gov/minerals), and data collected by USGS minerals information country specialists. Data reflect the most recent published table of industry structure for each country. Other sources include statistical publications of individual countries, annual reports and press releases of operating companies,and trade journals. Due to the sensitivity of some energy commodity data, the quality of these data should be evaluated on a country-by-country basis. Additional information and explanation is available from the country specialists.

  12. The future of nuclear power in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eibenschutz, J.

    1989-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to analyze the future prospects of nuclear power in Latin America. As part of the developing world, Latin America has a great potential for energy growth. Although there are substantial differences among the different countries of the area, one common denominator is the relatively low per-capita energy consumption. As in many other regions of the world, nuclear power makes sense to complement hydro and fossil-fueled power generation. One of the main restrictions to the growth of nuclear power has been the relatively small size of some electric system. As in most developing countries, the damage to the environment due to the energy-producing systems is very important. In countries like Cuba, nuclear power is clearly the most economical source, since the country lacks indigenous energy resources and the need to import primary energy sources favors nuclear power. The problem of the Latin American region is a severe shortage of financial resources. Standardization has been recognized as one of the better mechanisms to lower nuclear power costs. Argentina has been proposing the construction of CANDU-type reactors as the basis for their standard program, and some years ago Mexico took steps to launch a program for the installation of ∼20 identical units. As in the whole world, the general public is reluctant to accept nuclear power. So far, nuclear power plants have been important to Latin America, with varying levels of local participation, but with imported technology. Unless a major scientific breakthrough takes place, nuclear power will constitute an important component of the energy system in Latin America

  13. China and Latin America: strategic partners or competitors?

    OpenAIRE

    Juan Manuel Gil Barragán; Andrés Aguilera Castillo

    2017-01-01

    This document has as main objective to discuss the dual role that China is playing in Latin America, on one hand, a strategic trade partner in Asia, source of foreign direct investment (FDI) and key ally in the international arena, on the other hand, China is a formidable competitor particularly in the manufacturing sector. To reach the main objective, we make a brief description of the international trade relation between China and Latin America for the last 15 years, also, a review of the i...

  14. Internationalizing Business Education in Latin America: Issues and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elahee, Mohammad; Norbis, Mario

    2009-01-01

    This article examines the extent of internationalization of business education in Latin America and identifies the key challenges facing the Latin American business schools. Based on a survey of the business schools that are members of CLADEA (Consejo Latinoamericano de Escuelas de Administracion--Latin American Council of Management Schools), and…

  15. How Can Latin America Help the World to Cope with Climate Change?

    OpenAIRE

    Sebastian Galiani; Manuel Puente; Federico Weinschelbaum

    2013-01-01

    Latin America has a comparative advantage in deforestation compared to other forms of climate change mitigation. Thus, to the extent that Latin America should engage in mitigation, the optimal climate change policy should manage these advantages by generating incentives in Latin America to deal with forestry. This paper describes the problem of deforestation and studies the market failures that arise in relation to forestry emission problems, analyzing them from a global public good perspecti...

  16. A call to arms: Time to do cognitive science in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Previous theoretical reviews about the development of Psychology in Latin America suggest that Latin American psychology has a promising future. This paper empirically checks whether that status remains justified. In so doing, the frequency of programs/research domains in three salient psychological areas is assessed in Latin America and in two other regions of the world. A chi-square statistic is used to analyse the collected data. Programs/research domains and regions of the world are the independent variables and frequency of programs/research domains per world region is the dependent variable. Results suggest that whereas in Latin America the work onSocial/Organizational Psychology is moving within expected parameters, there is a rather strong focus on Clinical/Psychoanalytical Psychology. Results also show that Experimental/Cognitive Psychology is much underestimated. In Asia, however, the focus on all areas of psychology seems to be distributed within expected parameters, whereas Europe outperforms regarding Experimental/Cognitive Psychology research. Potentialreasons that contribute to Latin America's situation are discussed and specific solutions are proposed. It is concluded that the scope of Experimental/Cognitive Psychology in Latin America should be broadened into a Cognitive Science research program.

  17. Urban air pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romieu, I.; Weitzenfeld, H.; Finkelman, J.

    1991-01-01

    Urban air pollution has become an increasing problem in Latin America and the Caribbean. One reason is the rapid expansion in the size of the urban population. This phenomenon is associated with an increase in the number of vehicles and in energy utilization which, in addition to industrial processes often concentrated in the cities, are the primary sources of air pollution i n Latin American cities. The air quality standards established in such countries are frequently exceeded although control programs have been implemented. The urban areas more affected by anthropogenic pollutant emissions are Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Mexico City. In Latin America, the population of cities with high priority air pollution problems include approximately 81 million people or 26.5 percent of the total urban population of Latin America, corresponding to 30 million children (<15 years), 47 million adults (15-59 years) and 4 million elderly people (≥60 years) who are exposed to air pollutant levels that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for adequate health protection

  18. The Latin Monetary Union: Some evidence on Europe's failed common currency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kee-Hong Bae

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The Latin Monetary Union was initiated in 1865 by France, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland. We find that LMU membership or adoption of a gold standard is frequently associated with lower volatility of private bill yields, bond yields, inflation, and deviations from Purchasing Power Parity. However, neither standard induces convergence with LMU leader France or gold standard leader Great Britain. Bond yield spreads indicate that adoption of the gold standard is more credible than membership of the LMU. Italy is an outlier, perhaps due to errant fiscal and monetary policies. A comparison to data from the modern EMS/EMU confirms that the LMU was a weaker and less credible currency arrangement.

  19. Social Group Dynamics and Patterns of Latin American Integration Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sébastien Dubé

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This article proposes to incorporate social psychology elements with mainstream political science and international relations theories to help understand the contradictions related to the integration processes in Latin America. Through a theoretical analysis, it contributes to the challenge proposed by Dabène (2009 to explain the “resilience” of the Latin American regional integration process in spite of its “instability and crises.” Our main proposition calls for considering Latin America as a community and its regional organizations as “social groups.” In conclusion, three phenomena from the field of social psychology and particularly social group dynamics shed light on these contradictory patterns: the value of the group and the emotional bond, groupthink, and cognitive dissonance.

  20. Latin America Region: Between Dependence and Autonomy in Regional Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wendy Vaca Hernández

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The space called Latin America has a particular history marked by centuries of colonialism and coloniality. The latter concept implies that the basic structure of the colonial system has not changed even though formal independence has been achieved. For this reason, the subcontinent has fluctuated between dependence and the quest for autonomy. These successive cycles have manifested themselves both in the internal configurations and in the regional schemes that have been undertaken. This paper analyzes the construction and evolution of the idea of a region: Latin America and the Caribbean. To that end it examines the concepts of region, regionalism, what Latin America and the Caribbean implies, and what are the transformations in these ideas that have emerged from the regional configurations of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC as plural organisms with broad objectives.

  1. Sources of Currency Crisis: An Empirical Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Weber, Axel A.

    1997-01-01

    Two types of currency crisis models coexist in the literature: first generation models view speculative attacks as being caused by economic fundamentals which are inconsistent with a given parity. Second generation models claim self-fulfilling speculation as the main source of a currency crisis. Recent empirical research in international macroeconomics has attempted to distinguish between the sources of currency crises. This paper adds to this literature by proposing a new empirical approach ...

  2. Sustainability of biofuels in Latin America: Risks and opportunities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Janssen, Rainer, E-mail: rainer.janssen@wip-munich.de [WIP Renewable Energies, Sylvensteinstrasse 2, 81369 Munich (Germany); Rutz, Dominik Damian [WIP Renewable Energies, Sylvensteinstrasse 2, 81369 Munich (Germany)

    2011-10-15

    Several Latin American countries are setting up biofuel programmes to establish alternative markets for agricultural commodities. This is mainly triggered by the current success of Brazilian bioethanol production for the domestic market and for export. Furthermore, the global biofuel market is expected to increase due to ambitious biofuel programmes in the EU and in the USA. Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Guatemala are focusing on bioethanol production from sugarcane whereas biofuel production in Argentina is based on soy biodiesel. Recent developments of the biofuel sector take place extremely rapid especially in Argentina, which became one of the five largest biodiesel producers in the world in 2008. Till date no specific biofuel sustainability certification systems have been implemented in Latin American, as well as on global level. This fact and the predominant use of food crops for biofuel production raise concerns about the sustainability of biofuel production related to environmental and social aspects. This paper provides an overview of the hotspots of conflicts in biofuel production in Latin America. It investigates presently available sustainability tools and initiatives to ensure sustainable biofuel production in Latin America. Finally, it provides an outlook on how to integrate sustainability in the Latin American biofuel sector. - Research Highlights: > This study investigates risks and opportunities of biofuels in Latin America. > Latin American countries are setting up programmes to promote biofuel development. > Strong biofuel sectors provide opportunities for economic development. > Potential negative impact includes deforestation and effects on food security. > Sustainability initiatives exist to minimise negative impact.

  3. Sustainability of biofuels in Latin America: Risks and opportunities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janssen, Rainer; Rutz, Dominik Damian

    2011-01-01

    Several Latin American countries are setting up biofuel programmes to establish alternative markets for agricultural commodities. This is mainly triggered by the current success of Brazilian bioethanol production for the domestic market and for export. Furthermore, the global biofuel market is expected to increase due to ambitious biofuel programmes in the EU and in the USA. Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Guatemala are focusing on bioethanol production from sugarcane whereas biofuel production in Argentina is based on soy biodiesel. Recent developments of the biofuel sector take place extremely rapid especially in Argentina, which became one of the five largest biodiesel producers in the world in 2008. Till date no specific biofuel sustainability certification systems have been implemented in Latin American, as well as on global level. This fact and the predominant use of food crops for biofuel production raise concerns about the sustainability of biofuel production related to environmental and social aspects. This paper provides an overview of the hotspots of conflicts in biofuel production in Latin America. It investigates presently available sustainability tools and initiatives to ensure sustainable biofuel production in Latin America. Finally, it provides an outlook on how to integrate sustainability in the Latin American biofuel sector. - Research Highlights: → This study investigates risks and opportunities of biofuels in Latin America. → Latin American countries are setting up programmes to promote biofuel development. → Strong biofuel sectors provide opportunities for economic development. → Potential negative impact includes deforestation and effects on food security. → Sustainability initiatives exist to minimise negative impact.

  4. Financial Restructuring in Banking and Corporate Sector Crises: What Policies to Pursue?

    OpenAIRE

    Stijn Claessens; Daniela Klingebiel; Luc Laeven

    2001-01-01

    We review the literature on resolving bank and corporate sector crises to identify government policies that affect the depth of a crisis and the ease and sustainability of recovery, and to analyze their fiscal cost. A consistent framework - including sufficient resources for loss-absorption and private agents facing the right framework of sticks and carrots - is the, although often missing key to successful bank and corporate restructuring. Sustainability of restructuring calls for deeper str...

  5. Secularities, Diversities and Pluralities: Understanding the Challenges of Religious Diversity in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgar Zavala-Pelayo

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Latin America is experiencing today the greatest religious diversity in its entire history. However, it must also be noted that a large number of the growing religious minorities may be classified into types of Christianity with conservative overtones. In this paper we will suggest that the literature streams on multiple secularities in contemporary (Western societies and religious diversity in Latin America do offer insightful perspectives yet fail to adequately convey the challenges raised by the religious across contemporary Latin America. Addressing Latin America’s historical background, we will distinguish conceptually and empirically among different degrees of secularities, diversities and pluralities and will construct with these distinctions a descriptive-normative model that can guide future analyses of secular and religious phenomena in Latin America. It is only through a comprehensive understanding of diversities, pluralities and secularities that the debates on those human rights crucial for social inclusion—from sexual and reproductive rights to gender and religious equality—can be fruitfully conducted in and beyond Latin America.

  6. Tlatelolco regime and nonproliferation in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Redick, J.R.

    1981-01-01

    The regime established by the Treaty of Tlatelolco supports peace and security in the Latin American region and global nonproliferation efforts. Circumstances leading to the creation of the nuclear-weapon-free zone include careful preparations and negotiations, individual leadership, existence of certain shared cultural and legal traditions of Latin American countries, and the temporary stimulus of the Cuban missile crisis. The lack of overt superpower pressure on Latin America, compared with more turbulent regions, has permitted continued progress toward full realization of the zone. Tlatelolco's negotiating process, as well as the substance of the Treaty, deserve careful consideration relative to other areas. The Treaty enjoys wide international approval, but full support by certain Latin American States (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba) has been negatively affected by the failure of the US Senate to ratify Tlatelolco's Protocol I. Nuclear programs of Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico are expanding rapidly and these nations are forming linkages with West European countries, rather than the United States. The May 1980 Argentine-Brazilian nuclear agreement foresees significant cooperation between the two nation's nuclear energy commissions and more coordinated resistance to the nuclear supplier countries. Argentine-Brazilian nuclear convergence and the response accorded to it by the United States will have significant implications for the future of the Tlatelolco regime and nonproliferation in Latin America. 52 references

  7. Latin America; Recent History; Democracy; Historical Memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillermo MIRA DELLI-ZOTTI

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available This article identifies the restoration of the democracy and its persistence as one of the most remarkable facts of the recent history of Latin America. Nevertheless, in the experience of the subcontinent, democracy does not appear like synonymous of democratization. Starting off with the transitions, this article is led toward a periodic analysis of the so-called democratic crossing of Latin America. At the same time, it studies the unequal incidence that the impact of the «historical memory» has had in the public sphere of countries like Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, El Salvador and Guatemala, contrasting with the case of Brazil.

  8. Building Alternative-Energy Partnerships with Latin America

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bernreuther, David

    2007-01-01

    .... Concurrently, the U.S. faces a range of strategic challenges in Latin America including poor economic environments which promote problems including illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and instability...

  9. Asthma in Latin America: the dawn of a new epidemic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitrez, Paulo M; Stein, Renato T

    2008-10-01

    Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with high morbidity worldwide. Unlike the low prevalence of asthma and allergy found in many developing countries, especially in rural settings, its prevalence in Latin America is high. In these sites, nonatopic asthma seems to be the most common phenotype observed among school-age children. Therefore, it seems that asthma in Latin America has some particular characteristics that will be presented and discussed in this article. The prevalence of asthma-like symptoms in childhood is high in many populations studied in Latin America with similar frequencies to those reported in more developed countries. However, the mechanisms and risk factors associated with nonatopic asthma, which is the most prevalent phenotype in this region, have been scarcely studied. The better understanding of asthma phenotypes that prevail in Latin America and the investigation of determining factor studies may help establish new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. These findings should affect public health policies for this new asthma epidemic through the combination of the atopic and nonatopic phenotypes. We hope that this article sheds some new light into these important and most relevant questions.

  10. Tuning History in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velázquez Albo, Marco

    2017-01-01

    This article analyses the development and achievements of the area of History in the Tuning-Latin America Project from its launch in 2004 to its completion in 2013. Through two phases and nine general meetings, academics from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, along with academics from Spain, Portugal…

  11. Direct Spanish Investments in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfredo Arahuetes García

    1995-11-01

    Full Text Available In the period 1981-1992, the international flow of direct investments witnessed significant changes which affected their magnitude, geographical orientation, sectorial distribution, forms of investment and sources of financing. This happened in such a way that traditional distribution among industrialized and developing countries was modified as was the capacity for attraction of the different areas in development. In this sense, the main contrast could be seen in the growing importance of East and South East Asia and the decline of Latin American countries which traditionally have been the largest receivers of direct investments within the group of developing countries. The expansive phase of direct investments begun in 1986 threatened to exclude Latin American countries but the establishment of a new framework for the treatment of the problem of external debt -the Brady Plan-, the change in the context of theinternational economy in 1990 and the stability and economic growth of the countries of the region favoured, without a doubt, the recovery of the capacity for attraction for new flows of direct investments regarding Latin American countries.In this way, Latin America registered once again a growing participation in the international flow of direct investments. The evolution of direct Spanish investment in Latin America followed a path similar to that of wider international flows and, after the intense absorption of the first years of the Eighties, the rest of the decade registered a discreet attraction for investors which only began to change course from 1989 onwards with the reestablishment of the new phase of the economic cycle in the countries of the region.

  12. Barriers to Clinical Research in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Chomsky-Higgins, Kathryn; Miclau, Theodore A.; Mackechnie, Madeline C.; Aguilar, Dino; Avila, Jorge Rubio; dos Reis, Fernando Baldy; Balmaseda, Roberto; Barquet, Antonio; Ceballos, Alfredo; Contreras, Fernando; Escalante, Igor; Elias, Nelson; Vincenti, Sergio Iriarte; Lozano, Christian; Medina, Fryda

    2017-01-01

    Enhancing health research capacity in developing countries is a global health priority. Understanding the orthopedic burden of disease in Latin America will require close partnership between more-developed and less-developed countries. To this end, the Osteosynthesis and Trauma Care Foundation assembled a research consortium of Latin-American orthopedic leaders. Prior to the meeting, we surveyed attendees on perceived barriers to conducting research at their institutions. During the event, wo...

  13. Space, geophysical research related to Latin America - Part 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendoza, Blanca; Shea, M. A.

    2016-11-01

    For the last 25 years, every two to three years the Conferencia Latinoamericana de Geofísica Espacial (COLAGE) is held in one of the Latin American countries for the purpose of promoting scientific exchange among scientists of the region and to encourage continued research that is unique to this area of the world. At the more recent conference, the community realized that many individuals both within and outside Latin America have contributed greatly to the understanding of the space sciences in this area of the world. It was therefore decided to assemble a Special Issue Space and Geophysical Physics related to Latin America, presenting recent results and where submissions would be accepted from the world wide community of scientists involved in research appropriate to Latin America. Because of the large number of submissions, these papers have been printed in two separate issues. The first issue was published in Advances in Space Research, Vol. 57, number 6 and contained 15 papers. This is the second issue and contains 25 additional papers. These papers show the wide variety of research, both theoretical and applied, that is currently being developed or related to space and geophysical sciences in the Sub-Continent.

  14. Development of a georeferenced data bank of radionuclides in typical food of Latin America - SIGLARA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nascimento, Lucia Maria Evangelista do

    2014-01-01

    The related management information related to the environmental assessment activity aims to provide the world community with better access to meaningful environmental information and help use this information in making decisions in case of contamination due to accident or deliberate actions. In recent years, the geotechnologies acquired are fundamental to research and environmental monitoring, once it possible, efficiently obtaining large amount of data natural resources. The result of this work was the development of a database system to store georeferenced data values of radionuclides in typical foods in Latin America (SIGLARA), defined in three languages (Spanish, Portuguese and English), using free software. The developed system meets the primary need of the RLA 09/72 ARCAL Project, funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as having eleven participants countries in Latin America. The database of georeferenced created for SIGLARA system was tested in its applicability through the entry and manipulation of real data analyzed, which showed that the system is able to store, retrieve, view reports and maps of the samples of registered food. Interfaces that connect the user with the database show up efficient, making the system easy operability. Their application to environmental management is already showing results, it is hoped that these results will encourage its widespread adoption by other countries, institutions, the scientific community and the general public. (author)

  15. Where does human plague still persist in Latin America?

    OpenAIRE

    Maria Cristina Schneider; Patricia Najera; Sylvain Aldighieri; Deise I Galan; Eric Bertherat; Alfonso Ruiz; Elsy Dumit; Jean Marc Gabastou; Marcos A Espinal

    2014-01-01

    Background Plague is an epidemic-prone disease with a potential impact on public health, international trade, and tourism. It may emerge and re-emerge after decades of epidemiological silence. Today, in Latin America, human cases and foci are present in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. Aims The objective of this study is to identify where cases of human plague still persist in Latin America and map areas that may be at risk for emergence or re-emergence. This analysis will provide evidence...

  16. [Key points for the management of dermatitis in Latin America. The SLAAI Consensus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez, Jorge; Páez, Bruno; Macías-Weinmann, Alejandra; De Falco, Alicia

    2015-01-01

    The incidence of atopic dermatitis in Latin America, as in other regions, has been increasing in recent years. The SLAAI consensus is based on a systematic search for articles related to dermatitis, with focus in the pathophysiology and treatment and its impact on Latin America, and reviewed using the Delphi methodology (Revista Alergia Mexico 2014;61:178-211). In this article we highlight the key points of consensus and particular considerations in Latin America.

  17. Training centres in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1959-01-01

    Early 1958 the Brazilian representative on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency - supported by the Governors from Argentina and Guatemala -proposed that a study should be made of the possibility of setting up one or more atomic energy training centres in Latin America. On the Board's recommendation, the Director General of the Agency appointed a fact-finding team to make anon-the-spot study. In drafting this report the team was invited to consider the following points: (a) The need for establishing one or more regional training centres; (b) Existing facilities that are being or could be used for training, together with technical data concerning them; (c) The general scientific technological and industrial conditions of the countries visited insofar as they have a bearing on their training needs and capabilities. The authors of the report conclude that 'a training centre in radio-botany should provide vitally needed knowledge and vitally needed specialists to all the agricultural installations in Latin America. A training centre like this might provide an excellent model upon which to base training centres in other areas'. The report recommends that: 1. The Agency should meet the requests of Latin American universities by, for example, supplying equipment and sending experts; 2. At least one specialized training centre should be established as soon as possible. Taking as an example the field of radio-botany, such a centre would provide trained specialists in radio-botany to agricultural institutions throughout Latin America and also provide basic research results vital to agriculture. The cost of new facilities might be of the order of $7 500 000, with an annual budget of approximately $650 000. Staff required: 40 scientists and 175 employees; 3. Whenever it appears feasible to gather necessary staff of high creative ability and established productivity and when funds can be made available for facilities, equipment and operating costs, at

  18. Training centres in Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1959-04-15

    Early 1958 the Brazilian representative on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency - supported by the Governors from Argentina and Guatemala -proposed that a study should be made of the possibility of setting up one or more atomic energy training centres in Latin America. On the Board's recommendation, the Director General of the Agency appointed a fact-finding team to make anon-the-spot study. In drafting this report the team was invited to consider the following points: (a) The need for establishing one or more regional training centres; (b) Existing facilities that are being or could be used for training, together with technical data concerning them; (c) The general scientific technological and industrial conditions of the countries visited insofar as they have a bearing on their training needs and capabilities. The authors of the report conclude that 'a training centre in radio-botany should provide vitally needed knowledge and vitally needed specialists to all the agricultural installations in Latin America. A training centre like this might provide an excellent model upon which to base training centres in other areas'. The report recommends that: 1. The Agency should meet the requests of Latin American universities by, for example, supplying equipment and sending experts; 2. At least one specialized training centre should be established as soon as possible. Taking as an example the field of radio-botany, such a centre would provide trained specialists in radio-botany to agricultural institutions throughout Latin America and also provide basic research results vital to agriculture. The cost of new facilities might be of the order of $7 500 000, with an annual budget of approximately $650 000. Staff required: 40 scientists and 175 employees; 3. Whenever it appears feasible to gather necessary staff of high creative ability and established productivity and when funds can be made available for facilities, equipment and operating costs, at

  19. Advances in volcano monitoring and risk reduction in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCausland, W. A.; White, R. A.; Lockhart, A. B.; Marso, J. N.; Assitance Program, V. D.; Volcano Observatories, L. A.

    2014-12-01

    We describe results of cooperative work that advanced volcanic monitoring and risk reduction. The USGS-USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) was initiated in 1986 after disastrous lahars during the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz dramatizedthe need to advance international capabilities in volcanic monitoring, eruption forecasting and hazard communication. For the past 28 years, VDAP has worked with our partners to improve observatories, strengthen monitoring networks, and train observatory personnel. We highlight a few of the many accomplishments by Latin American volcano observatories. Advances in monitoring, assessment and communication, and lessons learned from the lahars of the 1985 Nevado del Ruiz eruption and the 1994 Paez earthquake enabled the Servicio Geológico Colombiano to issue timely, life-saving warnings for 3 large syn-eruptive lahars at Nevado del Huila in 2007 and 2008. In Chile, the 2008 eruption of Chaitén prompted SERNAGEOMIN to complete a national volcanic vulnerability assessment that led to a major increase in volcano monitoring. Throughout Latin America improved seismic networks now telemeter data to observatories where the decades-long background rates and types of seismicity have been characterized at over 50 volcanoes. Standardization of the Earthworm data acquisition system has enabled data sharing across international boundaries, of paramount importance during both regional tectonic earthquakes and during volcanic crises when vulnerabilities cross international borders. Sharing of seismic forecasting methods led to the formation of the international organization of Latin American Volcano Seismologists (LAVAS). LAVAS courses and other VDAP training sessions have led to international sharing of methods to forecast eruptions through recognition of precursors and to reduce vulnerabilities from all volcano hazards (flows, falls, surges, gas) through hazard assessment, mapping and modeling. Satellite remote sensing data

  20. Present status and perspectives of nuclear power in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mondino, M.A.

    1995-01-01

    The paper describes the present status of nuclear power in Latin America, giving an analysis of Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Mexico - the countries that have committed themselves to nuclear power undertakings. The historical development of the energy sector is studied and analysed, comparing Latin America with developed countries and groups of countries. Projected data are also studied and analysed, defining the present status of nuclear power in Latin American and its future possibilities. The region's future needs are analyzed on the basis of various indicators and the most important conclusions are highlighted. (author). 10 refs, 9 figs, 21 tabs

  1. Multinational fuel-cycle proposal for Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koehler, JR, W C

    1980-03-01

    The growth of energy demand projected for Latin America could be met by nuclear generated electricity if a multinational arrangement can be set up to meet the proliferation containment requirements and develop economies of scale that are satisfactory to all parties. A regionalized fuel-cycle center is outlined as a possible prototype for Latin America. A satisfactory operation there would indicate export feasibiltiy of the concept to other developing areas. The international strategies already in place have a heavy emphasis on weapons proliferation and have not been adequate. A multinational fuel-cycle concept with co-location technologies has the advantages of cost sharing, acceptable safeguards, and institutional barriers to proliferation. Security and cooperation between participants could be problems. 17 references. (DCK)

  2. Energy in Latin America: Present and future

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ortiz, Johnny N; Sheffield, John W [University of Missouri-Rolla (United States)

    1997-07-01

    The primary focus of this paper is on the analysis of the current situation of energy production and consumption in the region as a whole, to examine the determinants of energy supply and demand growth, and to forecast the future growth of energy production, consumption, and balances. Since the growth of oil demand in Latin American countries themselves began to accelerate in the early 1990s, the lack of investment and development and the consequence shrinking base of Latin America's energy exports may pose serious challenges to North America, where dependence on the Middle Eastern oil and gas is growing. This paper attempts to present different scenarios and strategies to tackle the problem of Latin America's future net energy supply. [Spanish] El enfoque principal de este articulo es sobre la base de la situacion actual de la produccion y consumo de energia en la region como un todo, para examinar las determinantes del suministro de energia y el crecimiento de la demanda y la prediccion del crecimiento futuro de la produccion de energia, consumo y balances. Desde el crecimiento de la demanda del petroleo, en los paises latinoamericanos, ellos mismos empezaron a acelerar a principios de los 90s, la falta de inversion y desarrollo y la consecuencia del encogimiento de la base de las exportaciones de energia de Latinoamerica podrian imponer serios retos a Norte America, en donde la dependencia del petroleo y del gas del Medio-Oeste esta creciendo. Este articulo intenta presentar diferentes escenarios y estrategias para atacar el problema del suministro neto de energia de Latinoamerica.

  3. Globalizing the history of disease, medicine, and public health in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinosa, Mariola

    2013-12-01

    The history of Latin America, the history of disease, medicine, and public health, and global history are deeply intertwined, but the intersection of these three fields has not yet attracted sustained attention from historians. Recent developments in the historiography of disease, medicine, and public health in Latin America suggest, however, that a distinctive, global approach to the topic is beginning to emerge. This essay identifies the distinguishing characteristic of this approach as an attentiveness to transfers of contagions, cures, and medical knowledge from Latin America to the rest of the world and then summarizes a few episodes that demonstrate its promise. While national as well as colonial and neocolonial histories of Latin America have made important contributions to our understanding, works taking the global approach have the potential to contribute more directly to the decentering of the global history of disease, medicine, and public health.

  4. Proceedings of the heavy oil Latin America congress 2011

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    This conference brought experts together to explore the challenges faced and opportunities available in the dynamic emerging market for heavy oil which Latin America offers. The conference was attended by over 700 delegates from around the world representing official and private agencies, Latin American governments, national oil companies and service companies in heavy oil producing countries. These participants were given the opportunity to learn about the entire value chain of Latin America's heavy oil industry, with emphasis on balancing challenging environmental and social issues with operational best practices, and they also the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise with their peers. 17 of the 29 papers presented during this conference have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database.

  5. [Intellectual exchange between Germany and Latin America: an interview with Stefan Rinke].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rinke, Stefan; da Silva, André Felipe Cândido; Junghans, Miriam; Cavalcanti, Juliana Manzoni; de Muñoz, Pedro Felipe Neves

    2014-01-01

    Current and former students of the Casa de Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz interviewed German historian Stefan Rinke, of the Freie Universität Berlin, who specializes in examining the historical development of Latin America as it fits into the international context. Rinke's work uses dimensions such as economic and diplomatic relations, migratory flows, and ethnic conflict as tools in his analyses of the networks of interdependence that have tied Latin America to Europe and the USA. His lens goes beyond the Latin American continent to approach globalization as a historical process, with national and regional contexts placed within a general framework. In this interview, Rinke talks about his academic career, global and transnational history, and joint projects between Germany and Latin America.

  6. Prostate cancer in Brazil and Latin America: epidemiology and screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Rocha Tourinho-Barbosa

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction: Prostate cancer is one of the tumors with higher incidence and mortality among men in the World. Epidemiological data are influenced by life expectancy of population, available diagnostic methods, correct collection of data and quality of health services. Screening of the disease is not standardized around the World. Up till now there is no consensus about the risks versus benefits of early detection. There are still missing data about this pathology in Latin America. Objective: to revise current epidemiologic situation and early diagnosis policies of prostate cancer in Brazil and Latin America. Materials and Methods: Medline, Cochrane Library and SciELO databases were reviewed on the subject of epidemiology and screening of prostate cancer. Screening research was performed in websites on national public health organizations and Latin America. Screening recommendations were obtained from those governmental organizations and from Latin American urological societies and compared to the most prominent regulatory agencies and societies of specialists and generalists from around the World. Results: Brazil and Latin America have a special position in relation to incidence and mortality of prostate cancer. In Brazil, it occupies the first position regarding incidence of cancer in men and the second cause of mortality. Central America has the highest rate of mortality of the continent with lower incidence/mortality ratios. Screening recommendations are very distinct, mainly among regulatory organs and urological societies. Conclusion: prostate cancer epidemiology is an important health public topic. Data collection related to incidence and mortality is still precarious, especially in less developed countries. It is necessary to follow-up long term screening studies results in order to conclude its benefits.

  7. Development and evaluation of addiction treatment programs in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín-Navarrete, Rodrigo; Medina-Mora, María Elena; Pérez-López, Alejandro; Horigian, Viviana E

    2018-07-01

    The aim of this article is to present a state-of-the-art review of the scientific studies that have evaluated healthcare systems, services and programs for addiction treatment in Latin America. As a secondary aim, this article presents a brief description and analysis of the addiction prevention and treatment resources and programs available in Latin America, based on information from the ATLAS on Substance Use (ATLAS-SU) project led by the WHO. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are among the main causes associated with global burden of disease. Around the world, many initiatives have been proposed to promote policies to reduce substance use and reduce the impact of SUD, including integrating treatments into healthcare systems, increasing access to treatment programs and impacting outcome measures. In Latin America, multiple efforts have been implemented to improve addiction services and programs, although little is known about the impact they have generated. International studies report the availability of strategies and public inicitatives on prevention and treatment of addiction in Latin America. These studies also report established networks of public and private services that include prevention and detoxification programs, outpatient and residential treatment, and also social reintegration initiatives. However, despite these advances, information on the evaluation of the progress, results and impact of these programs is limited.

  8. National Identity and Language in Multi-Ethnic Latin America. Occasional Papers, 24.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mar-Molinero, Clare

    A discussion of the relationship between national identity and language in Spanish-speaking Latin America focuses on issues concerning indigenous languages, education, and literacy. The sociolinguistic history and configuration Spanish-speaking Latin America are outlined briefly, noting the influences of indigenous populations, non-Spanish…

  9. Implantation aspects of small and medium nuclear power plant in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brito, S.; Cosentino, J.; Eibenschutz, J.; Gasparian, A.E.; Lepecki, W.P.S.; Spitalnik, J.

    1984-01-01

    The nuclear energy policy adopted by the Latin America is commented. The nuclear power plants in planning are presented. An analysis about the nuclear legislation, licensing and nuclear regulation, quality assurance and formation of human resources for Latin America is done. (E.G.) [pt

  10. Municipal Forest Management in Latin America | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2004-01-01

    Jan 1, 2004 ... Book cover Municipal Forest Management in Latin America ... forest management schemes we could use as models to develop policies? ... Call for proposals: Innovations for the economic inclusion of marginalized youth.

  11. Modern Conflicts Features in Latin America. The Role of the OAS in the Settlement of the Falklands Conflict

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yana I. Strashko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is an attempt to give careful examination to the issue of intergovernmental conflicts and the OAS's (The Organization of American states activity on ensuring security in Latin America in particular. The article's focus on last decades is not accidental. The 30-40th of the XX century were marked by major military conflicts in South America that, however, were sidelined after the Second World War. Created on the verge of the Cold war the OAS was considered by the States as a barrier to the spread of communist threat in the Western Hemisphere and in such a capacity the organization went on up to detente policy implementation. All the time the OAS had to challenge different crises. By the time the bipolar world order seized to exist the OAS had had another mission. It was no longer the provision of international security but the local conflicts management including long-standing territorial disputes. The difference in approach to Organization's role and status between the US and Latin American states became distinct in the same period. The former persist in protection of freedoms and the Western way of life against global threats such as international terrorism (especially after 9/11, drug trafficking, gunrunning, money laundering and others crimes (especially those involving violence. The latter are trying to engage the OAS potential to protect their own national and regional interests while becoming integrated into a new global economic and political relations system. Trying to meet the modern challenges the OAS not only creates new bodies, but also makes significant changes in its statutory documents, which unlike the UN makes it more responsive to internal crises. Besides there is a distinct tendency of the Organization's becoming more independent from the US.

  12. The extractive imperative in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. Arsel (Murat); Barbara Hogenboom (B.); L. Pellegrini (Lorenzo)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractOne of the main features of contemporary development politics in Latin America is the prominent role of the state. Another feature is the intensification of natural resource extraction. This extractivist drive is especially pronounced in the countries that are part of the ‘turn to the

  13. Understanding Interface Design and Mobile Money Perceptions in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Chiang, Chun-Wei; Anderson, Caroline; Flores-Saviaga, Claudia; Arenas, Eduardo Jr; Colin, Felipe; Romero, Mario; Rivera-Loaiza, Cuauhtemoc; Chavez, Norma Elva; Savage, Saiph

    2018-01-01

    Mobile money can facilitate financial inclusion in developing countries, which usually have high mobile phone use and steady remittance activity. Many countries in Latin America meet the minimum technological requirements to use mobile money, however, the adoption in this region is relatively low. This paper investigates the different factors that lead people in Latin America to distrust and therefore not adopt mobile money. For this purpose, we analyzed 27 mobile money applications on the ma...

  14. Is the Supercourse useful for Latin America?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Padilla-Raygoza

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The success of the Supercourse showed that the effort was needed in Latin America. But would a Spanish language version be better for the region? METHODS: Google Analytics was used to determine website usage. A custom evaluation form was created to get user feedback on the usefulness of both the English language and Spanish language Supercouse lectures. RESULTS: Over a year's span from June 2009 to June 2010 there were 257,403 unique visits and 448,939 page views. The overall average rating of lectures was 4.87 with the Spanish language lectures getting even higher ratings. CONCLUSION: Supercourse lectures in Spanish were a great success in Latin America. This success shows the need for this information and similar success could be found in Central Asia.

  15. Assessment and monitoring of onchocerciasis in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Pérez, Mario A; Unnasch, Thomas R; Real-Najarro, Olga

    2011-01-01

    Onchocerciasis has historically been one of the leading causes of infectious blindness worldwide. It is endemic to tropical regions both in Africa and Latin America and in the Yemen. In Latin America, it is found in 13 foci located in 6 different countries. The epidemiologically most important focus of onchocerciasis in the Americas is located in a region spanning the border between Guatemala and Mexico. However, the Amazonian focus straddling the border of Venezuela and Brazil is larger in overall area because the Yanomami populations are scattered over a very large geographical region. Onchocerciasis is caused by infection with the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus. The infection is spread through the bites of an insect vector, black flies of the genus Simulium. In Africa, the major vectors are members of the S. damnosum complex, while numerous species serve as vectors of the parasite in Latin America. Latin America has had a long history of attempts to control onchocerciasis, stretching back almost 100 years. The earliest programmes used a strategy of surgical removal of the adult parasites from affected individuals. However, because many of the adult parasites lodge in undetectable and inaccessible areas of the body, the overall effect of this strategy on the prevalence of infection was relatively minor. In 1988, a new drug, ivermectin, was introduced that effectively killed the larval stage (microfilaria) of the parasite in infected humans. As the microfilaria is both the stage that is transmitted by the vector fly and the cause of most of the pathologies associated with the infection, ivermectin opened up a new strategy for the control of onchocerciasis. Concurrent with the use of ivermectin for the treatment of onchocerciasis, a number of sensitive new diagnostic tools were developed (both serological and nucleic acid based) that provided the efficiency, sensitivity and specificity necessary to monitor the decline and eventual elimination of

  16. Latin America and the Caribbean | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Research focus We believe that research and innovation hold the keys to progress. ... through the skillful interaction of ideas, people, and funding for development ... Located in Montevideo, Uruguay, IDRC's regional office for Latin America ...

  17. The role of tramadol in pain management in Latin America: a report by the Change Pain Latin America Advisory Panel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos Garcia, Joäo Batista; Lech, Osvandré; Campos Kraychete, Durval; Rico, María Antonieta; Hernández-Castro, John Jairo; Colimon, Frantz; Guerrero, Carlos; Sempértegui Gallegos, Manuel; Lara-Solares, Argelia; Flores Cantisani, José Alberto; Amescua-Garcia, César; Guillén Núñez, María Del Rocío; Berenguel Cook, María Del Rosario; Jreige Iskandar, Aziza; Bonilla Sierra, Patricia

    2017-09-01

    Change Pain Latin America (CPLA) was created to enhance chronic pain understanding and develop pain management improving strategies in this region. During its seventh meeting (August 2016), the main objective was to discuss tramadol's role in treating pain in Latin America. Furthermore, potential pain management consequences were considered, if tramadol was to become more stringently controlled. Key topics discussed were: main indications for prescribing tramadol, its pharmacological characteristics, safety and tolerability, effects of restrictions on its availability and use, and consequent impact on pain care quality. The experts agreed that tramadol is used to treat a wide spectrum of non-oncological pain conditions (e.g. post-surgical, musculoskeletal, post-traumatic, neuropathic, fibromyalgia), as well as cancer pain. Its relevance when treating special patient groups (e.g. the elderly) is recognized. The main reasons for tramadol's high significance as a treatment option are: its broad efficacy, an inconspicuous safety profile and its availability, considering that access to strong analgesics - mainly controlled drugs (classical opioids) - is highly restricted in some countries. The CPLA also agreed that tramadol is well tolerated, without the safety issues associated with long-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, with fewer opioid-like side effects than classical opioids and lower abuse risk. In Latin America, tramadol is a valuable and frequently used medication for treating moderate to severe pain. More stringent regulations would have significant impact on its availability, especially for outpatients. This could cause regression to older and frequently inadequate pain management methods, resulting in unnecessary suffering for many Latin American patients.

  18. Brazilian human resources in a polarized Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elza Fátima Rosa Veloso

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article provides an overview of human resource strategies employed by Brazilian companies in a polarized region of Latin America. Firstly, we highlighted the concerns of Brazilian managers in respect to the coming years, and to identify the current strategic approach of prominent companies in the Brazilian market. Secondly, we identified possible strategies for internationalization, particularly in the context of Latin America. The results of two surveys were used: one prospecting management trends by 2015 and another consisting of a sample of 541 companies that participate in a national survey in which HR managers answered a questionnaire. Among the results, it is noteworthy that the main issues of concern for Brazilian managers in the coming years. We found most the companies concerned with these challenges in the industries of information technology, iron and steel, and health services. Forty-nine of a total of 541 companies intend to internationalize, 17 of them towards Latin American. Their profile characterization allowed us to divide them into two groups: those focusing on the local needs of Latin American, and those looking to meet the expanding needs of Brazil or the country of their parent company.

  19. The extractive imperative in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arsel, M.; Hogenboom, B.; Pellegrini, L.

    2016-01-01

    One of the main features of contemporary development politics in Latin America is the prominent role of the state. Another feature is the intensification of natural resource extraction. This extractivist drive is especially pronounced in the countries that are part of the ‘turn to the left’, which

  20. Conditional Income Transfers in Latin America: Palliatives for poverty?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gepherson Macêdo Espínola

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This text discusses the implementation of conditional income transfer programs in Latin America as a strategy to confront poverty in the region. It synthetically contextualizes Latin American development over time, using statistical data to reveal not only the high levels of poverty, but also educational and health conditions. These programs, as a rule, seek to alleviate and overcome poverty through monetary disbursements and fulfillment of health and educational agendas that, in thesis, increase the human capital of the poor and allow overcoming poverty in the long term. It concludes that despite the benefits for the families, the conditional income transfer programs of Latin America, on their own, are still not capable of confronting the structural poverty that marks the region, and are promoting palliatives for the poor living conditions, without overcoming them.

  1. Latin America and Caribe according to the Vatican diplomacy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antón M. Pazos

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The Holy See begun to take interest in Latin America at the end of the last century. The aim was to articulate a continental Church. This article analyse the correspondence between the Holy See and Bishop from America.

  2. Energy in Latin America: Present and future

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ortiz, Johnny N; Sheffield, John W [University of Missouri-Rolla (United States)

    1997-07-01

    The primary focus of this paper is on the analysis of the current situation of energy production and consumption in the region as a whole, to examine the determinants of energy supply and demand growth, and to forecast the future growth of energy production, consumption, and balances. Since the growth of oil demand in Latin American countries themselves began to accelerate in the early 1990s, the lack of investment and development and the consequence shrinking base of Latin America's energy exports may pose serious challenges to North America, where dependence on the Middle Eastern oil and gas is growing. This paper attempts to present different scenarios and strategies to tackle the problem of Latin America's future net energy supply. [Spanish] El enfoque principal de este articulo es sobre la base de la situacion actual de la produccion y consumo de energia en la region como un todo, para examinar las determinantes del suministro de energia y el crecimiento de la demanda y la prediccion del crecimiento futuro de la produccion de energia, consumo y balances. Desde el crecimiento de la demanda del petroleo, en los paises latinoamericanos, ellos mismos empezaron a acelerar a principios de los 90s, la falta de inversion y desarrollo y la consecuencia del encogimiento de la base de las exportaciones de energia de Latinoamerica podrian imponer serios retos a Norte America, en donde la dependencia del petroleo y del gas del Medio-Oeste esta creciendo. Este articulo intenta presentar diferentes escenarios y estrategias para atacar el problema del suministro neto de energia de Latinoamerica.

  3. Social capital, income inequality and the social gradient in self-rated health in Latin America: A fixed effects analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincens, Natalia; Emmelin, Maria; Stafström, Martin

    2018-01-01

    Latin America is the most unequal region in the world. The current sustainable development agenda increased attention to health inequity and its determinants in the region. Our aim is to investigate the social gradient in health in Latin America and assess the effects of social capital and income inequality on it. We used cross-sectional data from the World Values Survey and the World Bank. Our sample included 10,426 respondents in eight Latin American countries. Self-rated health was used as the outcome. Education level was the socioeconomic position indicator. We measured social capital by associational membership, civic participation, generalized trust, and neighborhood trust indicators at both individual and country levels. Income inequality was operationalized using the Gini index at country-level. We employed fixed effects logistic regressions and cross-level interactions to assess the impact of social capital and income inequality on the heath gradient, controlling for country heterogeneity. Education level was independently associated with self-rated health, representing a clear social gradient in health, favoring individuals in higher socioeconomic positions. Generalized and neighborhood trust at country-level moderated the effect on the association between socioeconomic position and health, yet favoring individuals in lower socioeconomic positions, especially in lower inequality countries, despite their lower individual social capital. Our findings suggest that collective rather than individual social capital can impact the social gradient in health in Latin America, explaining health inequalities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Cardiovascular Research Publications from Latin America between 1999 and 2008. A Bibliometric Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisandro D. Colantonio

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cardiovascular research publications seem to be increasing in Latin America overall. Objective: To analyze trends in cardiovascular publications and their citations from countries in Latin America between 1999 and 2008, and to compare them with those from the rest of the countries. Methods: We retrieved references of cardiovascular publications between 1999 and 2008 and their five-year post-publication citations from the Web of Knowledge database. For countries in Latin America, we calculated the total number of publications and their citation indices (total citations divided by number of publications by year. We analyzed trends on publications and citation indices over time using Poisson regression models. The analysis was repeated for Latin America as a region, and compared with that for the rest of the countries grouped according to economic development. Results: Brazil (n = 6,132 had the highest number of publications in1999-2008, followed by Argentina (n = 1,686, Mexico (n = 1,368 and Chile (n = 874. Most countries showed an increase in publications over time, leaded by Guatemala (36.5% annually [95%CI: 16.7%-59.7%], Colombia (22.1% [16.3%-28.2%], Costa Rica (18.1% [8.1%-28.9%] and Brazil (17.9% [16.9%-19.1%]. However, trends on citation indices varied widely (from -33.8% to 28.4%. From 1999 to 2008, cardiovascular publications of Latin America increased by 12.9% (12.1%-13.5% annually. However, the citation indices of Latin America increased 1.5% (1.3%-1.7% annually, a lower increase than those of all other country groups analyzed. Conclusions: Although the number of cardiovascular publications of Latin America increased from 1999 to 2008, trends on citation indices suggest they may have had a relatively low impact on the research field, stressing the importance of considering quality and dissemination on local research policies.

  5. Cardiovascular Research Publications from Latin America between 1999 and 2008. A Bibliometric Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colantonio, Lisandro D.; Baldridge, Abigail S.; Huffman, Mark D.; Bloomfield, Gerald S.; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

    2015-01-01

    Cardiovascular research publications seem to be increasing in Latin America overall. To analyze trends in cardiovascular publications and their citations from countries in Latin America between 1999 and 2008, and to compare them with those from the rest of the countries. We retrieved references of cardiovascular publications between 1999 and 2008 and their five-year post-publication citations from the Web of Knowledge database. For countries in Latin America, we calculated the total number of publications and their citation indices (total citations divided by number of publications) by year. We analyzed trends on publications and citation indices over time using Poisson regression models. The analysis was repeated for Latin America as a region, and compared with that for the rest of the countries grouped according to economic development. Brazil (n = 6,132) had the highest number of publications in1999-2008, followed by Argentina (n = 1,686), Mexico (n = 1,368) and Chile (n = 874). Most countries showed an increase in publications over time, leaded by Guatemala (36.5% annually [95%CI: 16.7%-59.7%]), Colombia (22.1% [16.3%-28.2%]), Costa Rica (18.1% [8.1%-28.9%]) and Brazil (17.9% [16.9%-19.1%]). However, trends on citation indices varied widely (from -33.8% to 28.4%). From 1999 to 2008, cardiovascular publications of Latin America increased by 12.9% (12.1%-13.5%) annually. However, the citation indices of Latin America increased 1.5% (1.3%-1.7%) annually, a lower increase than those of all other country groups analyzed. Although the number of cardiovascular publications of Latin America increased from 1999 to 2008, trends on citation indices suggest they may have had a relatively low impact on the research field, stressing the importance of considering quality and dissemination on local research policies

  6. Cardiovascular Research Publications from Latin America between 1999 and 2008. A Bibliometric Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colantonio, Lisandro D., E-mail: Lisandro.Colantonio@fulbrightmail.org [Department of Epidemiology - University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Birmingham (United States); Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Baldridge, Abigail S.; Huffman, Mark D. [Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago (United States); Bloomfield, Gerald S. [Duke University Medical Center - Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke Global Health Institute, Durham (United States); Prabhakaran, Dorairaj [Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi (India)

    2015-01-15

    Cardiovascular research publications seem to be increasing in Latin America overall. To analyze trends in cardiovascular publications and their citations from countries in Latin America between 1999 and 2008, and to compare them with those from the rest of the countries. We retrieved references of cardiovascular publications between 1999 and 2008 and their five-year post-publication citations from the Web of Knowledge database. For countries in Latin America, we calculated the total number of publications and their citation indices (total citations divided by number of publications) by year. We analyzed trends on publications and citation indices over time using Poisson regression models. The analysis was repeated for Latin America as a region, and compared with that for the rest of the countries grouped according to economic development. Brazil (n = 6,132) had the highest number of publications in1999-2008, followed by Argentina (n = 1,686), Mexico (n = 1,368) and Chile (n = 874). Most countries showed an increase in publications over time, leaded by Guatemala (36.5% annually [95%CI: 16.7%-59.7%]), Colombia (22.1% [16.3%-28.2%]), Costa Rica (18.1% [8.1%-28.9%]) and Brazil (17.9% [16.9%-19.1%]). However, trends on citation indices varied widely (from -33.8% to 28.4%). From 1999 to 2008, cardiovascular publications of Latin America increased by 12.9% (12.1%-13.5%) annually. However, the citation indices of Latin America increased 1.5% (1.3%-1.7%) annually, a lower increase than those of all other country groups analyzed. Although the number of cardiovascular publications of Latin America increased from 1999 to 2008, trends on citation indices suggest they may have had a relatively low impact on the research field, stressing the importance of considering quality and dissemination on local research policies.

  7. New insights into “catastrophic” expenditure in Latin America and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2016-06-15

    Jun 15, 2016 ... ... and then for antibiotics…this kind of thing adds up quickly — in some cases to ... Investing in Internet access boosts incomes, concludes Latin American study ... Improving food security in Latin America and the Caribbean.

  8. A call to arms: time to do cognitive science in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Marmolejo-Ramos, Fernando; School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia.

    2015-01-01

    Previous theoretical reviews about the development of Psychology in Latin America suggest that Latin American psychology has a promising future. This paper empirically checks whether that status remains justified. In so doing, the frequency of programs/research domains in three salient psychological areas is assessed in Latin America and in two other regions of the world. A chi-square statistic is used to analyse the collected data. Programs/research domains and regions of the world are the i...

  9. The theory of an ‘optimum currency area’

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarosław Kundera

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The main goal of this paper is to analyse and distinguish the main components of the theory of an ‘Optimum Currency Area’. The theory of an optimum currency area indicates some essential elements as preconditions for the successful introduction of a common currency: high mobility of labour, openness of the economy defined as a high proportion of tradable to non-tradable goods, and high diversification of domestic production before joining the union. The article’s analysis helps to better understanding the reasons of the current crisis in the euro zone. The main problem with a common currency area is the adjustment to imbalances, which cannot take place through exchange rates in conditions of a common currency. The missing elements of the theory are the role of the mobility of capital to correct interregional balance of payments disequilibria and lack of a common budget with sufficient own resources during the occurrence of debt crises in member countries. The theory of an optimum currency area has noticed the importance of coordination between fiscal and monetary policy and the necessity of redistribution of resources among partners. However, it does not say much about the methods applied, how to deal with debt crises and what the cost of a potential breaking up of monetary union would be.

  10. Research on Child and Adolescent Development and Public Policy in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narea, Marigen

    2016-01-01

    This commentary discusses the implication of child and adolescent development research for public policy in Latin America. As illustrated by the articles in this special issue, even though the research of child and adolescent development in Latin America is making significant progress, still more research is needed. Developmental research in the…

  11. Do authoritarians vote for authoritarians? Evidence from Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mollie J. Cohen

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available During the 2016 presidential election campaign in the United States, scholars argued that authoritarian visions of the family are associated with support for Donald Trump, a candidate also noted to exhibit authoritarian or illiberal tendencies. Though it is plausible that “authoritarian” citizens (defined by parenting attitudes vote for “authoritarian” candidates (defined by disrespect for democratic institutions, past research provides relatively little guide regarding this relationship. One reason is that few US candidates announce overtly authoritarian views. Latin America, by contrast, has had many such candidates. We take advantage of this variation using the 2012 AmericasBarometer, which applied a battery of authoritarian parenting attitudes. We first describe mass authoritarianism across Latin America, showing it is associated with many social attitudes. We then examine authoritarians’ voting behavior, distinguishing between support for “mano dura” (“strong arm” candidates, who are usually rightists, and for candidates threatening violations of general civil liberties, who are often leftists in Latin America. We find that authoritarians tend to vote for right-wing authoritarian candidates, while authoritarianism boosts support for candidates threatening civil liberty violations only among citizens identifying on the ideological right. Education is the most consistent determinant reducing support for both leftist and rightist authoritarian candidates.

  12. The later evolution of modern sport in Latin America: the North American influence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbena, J L

    2001-01-01

    American impact on modern sports in Latin America overlaps geographically and chronologically with the European, especially British, impact. Principally baseball in the Caribbean basin, more recently basketball and volleyball across the hemisphere and occasionally American football in more limited areas illustrate a north-to-south movement executed by businessmen, educators, missionaries, military personnel, returning travelers (often students), sports entrepreneurs and television. Often initially supported by promoters of development within Latin America, this transfer has altered local recreational patterns and attracted Latin athletes to pursue careers in North America, provoking accusations of cultural imperialism and exploitation.

  13. Network support for e-Science in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stanton, M.; Macahdo, I.; Faerman, M.; Moura, A. L.

    2007-01-01

    Computer networks in Latin America have connected scientists in the region to their peers in other parts of the world since 1986. Starting with the creation of Internet2 in 1996, a new global research network has been extended throughout the world, providing communications infrastructure for large-scale international scientific collaboration. With the creation of the RedCLARA network and its links to Europe and the US between 2004 and 2005, this global network reached the majority of Latin America countries, setting the stage for much closer collaboration between scientists in Latin America and their counterparts in other countries. In this article we describe the development of the research networking infrastructure currently available within the region together with its inter-regional connections, and how this infrastructure is being used for support of e-science. Particular attention is given to the role of the national research and education networks (NRENs) in the region, and of their association, CLARA, in providing networking support for e-science projects. CLARA and Latin American NRENs are active partners in the EU-supported EELA and RINGrid projects, and also are making significant supporting contributions to the success of other international projects with Latin American partners, in fields such as High-Energy Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics and Space Geodesy, to single out the early adopters of advanced networking technologies. These contributions are described in the article. The article concludes describing future trends in networking infrastructure in the region, in order to meet foreseeable demands for e-science support. These include the widespread adoption of optical networking and support for grid-based applications, as well as the provisioning of significantly higher international bandwidth to meet the declared needs for international collaboration in a number of fields including those mentioned above. (Author)

  14. Latin America: how a region surprised the experts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Sherbinin, A

    1993-02-01

    In 1960-1970, family planning specialists and demographers worried that poverty, limited education, Latin machismo, and strong catholic ideals would obstruct family planning efforts to reduce high fertility in Latin America. It had the highest annual population growth rate in the world (2.8%), which would increase the population 2-fold in 25 years. Yet, the UN's 1992 population projection for Latin America and the Caribbean in the year 2000 was about 20% lower than its 1963 projection (just over 500 vs. 638 million). Since life expectancy increased simultaneously from 57 to 68 years, this reduced projection was caused directly by a large decline in fertility from 5.9 to 3. A regression analysis of 11 Latin American and Caribbean countries revealed that differences in the contraceptive prevalence rates accounted for 90% of the variation in the total fertility rate between countries. Thus, contraception played a key role in the fertility decline. The second most significant determinant of fertility decline was an increase in the average age at first marriage from about 20 to 23 years. Induced abortion and breast feeding did not contribute significantly to fertility decline. The major socioeconomic factors responsible for the decline included economic development and urbanization, resulting in improvements in health care, reduced infant and child mortality, and increases in female literacy, education, and labor force participation. Public and private family planning programs also contributed significantly to the decline. They expanded from cities to remote rural areas, thereby increasing access to contraception. By the early 1990s, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia had among the lowest levels of unmet need (13-24%) in developing countries. Other key factors of fertility decline were political commitment, strong communication efforts, and stress on quality services. Latin America provides hope to other regions where religion and culture promote a large family size.

  15. Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Focus on Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayrton R. Massaro

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, with an estimated prevalence of 1-2% in North America and Europe. The increased prevalence of AF in Latin America is associated with an ageing general population, along with poor control of key risk factors, including hypertension. As a result, stroke prevalence and associated mortality have increased dramatically in the region. Therefore, the need for effective anticoagulation strategies in Latin America is clear. The aim of this review is to provide a contemporary overview of anticoagulants for stroke prevention. The use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs, eg, warfarin and aspirin in the prevention of stroke in patients with AF in Latin America remains common, although around one fifth of all AF patients receive no anticoagulation. Warfarin use is complicated by a lack of access to effective monitoring services coupled with an unpredictable pharmacokinetic profile. The overuse of aspirin is associated with significant bleeding risks and reduced efficacy for stroke prevention in this patient group. The non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACbs represent a potential means of overcoming many limitations associated with VKA and aspirin use, including a reduction in the need for monitoring and a reduced risk of hemorrhagic events. The ultimate decision of which anticoagulant drug to utilize in AF patients depends on a multitude of factors. More research is needed to appreciate the impact of these factors in the Latin American population and thereby reduce the burden of AF-associated stroke in this region.

  16. The new left and democracy in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Panizza

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Without embarking on a theoretical debate over the meaning of the term, it is obvious that the left is on the rise in Latin America. However, we should not ignore the fact that the coming to power of left-wing and centre-left parties and movements presents a certain amount of paradoxes and questions. One of the most important of the many paradoxes is the fact that, in spite of the leftwards electoral shift in the region, there is no evidence that the electorate of Latin America has moved to the left in a significant manner. As for the questions, these concern the connection between left-wing governments and democracy, and especially the future challenges that these governments must face to preserve and develop democracy. In an attempt to unravel the paradox and answer these questions, this article examines the roots, contexts and political challenges of left-wing governments in Latin America. To this end, the author analyses a number of issues, such as the tensions between different logics of political representation and their implications for democracy, in addition to discussing the conditions under which the tensions between the different logics of political representation can contribute (or not to the developing of democracy in the region.

  17. Hierarchical capitalism in Latin America: Comparative analysis with other economies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgar J. Saucedo A.

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the three largest economies in Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Argentina with other economies that have another type of capitalism, in that way we can extract some effects of the hierarchical capitalism in Latin America Design/methodology/approach – The data were taken from World Economic Outlook (IMF, The Global Innovation Index (INSEADand the Democracy Index (The Economist. The selected countries are: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and Croatia. We establish a comparison among countries in the following dimensions: economic growth, innovation and democracy. Findings – The comparison shows that Argentina, Brazil and Mexico have lower level of economic growth, innovation performance and democracy level than South Korea, Spain and Croatia. The variety of capitalism in Latin America (hierarchical has lower performance than others kinds of capitalism in other regions of the world. Research limitations/implications – We have compared Latin American countries with countries from other regions of the world. However, a comparison may include more countries and results could vary. Originality/value – The results tend to support the idea that hierarchical capitalism has poor results in comparison with other varieties of capitalism.

  18. Irrigation Water Management in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aureo S de Oliveira

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Latin American countries show a great potential for expanding their irrigated areas. Irrigation is important for strengthening local and regional economy and for enhancing food security. The present paper aimed at providing a brief review on key aspects of irrigation management in Latin America. Poor irrigation management can have great impact on crop production and on environment while good management reduces the waste of soil and water and help farmers maximizing their profits. It was found that additional research is needed to allow a better understanding of crop water requirements under Latin American conditions as well as to provide farmers with local derived information for irrigation scheduling. The advantages of deficit irrigation practices and the present and future opportunities with the application of remote sensing tools for water management were also considered. It is clear that due to the importance of irrigated agriculture, collaborative work among Latin American researchers and institutions is of paramount importance to face the challenges imposed by a growing population, environment degradation, and competition in the global market.

  19. Sustainable transport practices in Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rogat, J.; Hinostroza, M. [UNEP Risoe Centre (Denmark)

    2007-05-15

    The rapid growth of Latin American cities beginning in the 70s has led to, among other things, growing mobility and demand for transportation. The lack of efficient, reliable and safe public transport systems has promoted the switch away from buses and trains towards private cars. Some of the impacts of a steadily increasing car fleet have been increased congestion, number of accidents and environmental deterioration. Recognising the potential implications of such a development, policy makers and officials found it necessary and went ahead to reformulate transport policies with the aim of providing safe, cost-effective and environmental-friendly public transport systems. Bus rapid transit (BRT) became the answer in a number of Latin American cities. The successful experiences of Curitiba in Brazil and Bogota in Colombia have served as the source of inspiration for other cities in Latin America, Asia, Europe and the USA. Thus, the BRT represents a unique example of South-South, South-North technology transfer. This paper presents some of the Latin American experiences and discusses their achievement and drawbacks. (au)

  20. Changing patterns of migration in Latin America: how can research develop intelligence for public health?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baltica Cabieses

    Full Text Available Migration patterns in Latin America have changed significantly in recent decades, particularly since the onset of global recession in 2007. These recent economic changes have highlighted and exacerbated the weakness of evidence from Latin America regarding migration-a crucial determinant of health. Migration patterns are constantly evolving in Latin America, but research on migration has not developed at the same speed. This article focuses on the need for better understanding of the living conditions and health of migrant populations in Latin America within the context of the recent global recession. The authors explain how new data on migrant well-being could be obtained through improved evidence from censuses and ongoing research surveys to 1 better inform policy-makers about the needs of migrant populations in Latin America and 2 help determine better ways of reaching undocumented immigrants. Longitudinal studies on immigrants in Latin America are essential for generating a better representation of migrant living conditions and health needs during the initial stages of immigration and over time. To help meet this need, the authors support the promotion of sustainable sources of data and evidence on the complex relationship between migration and health.

  1. Current trends in Latin America and the Argentine perspective

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laredo, V.G. [SOCMA Americana, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    1992-12-31

    The authors discusses the changes that are taking place in Argentina as well as in all of Latin America today -- privatization, deregulation, and the modernization of the economy, changes which will serve to strengthen the governments and provide a better quality of life for all of them. He gives an insight into the factors which helped bring about these changes, the support they are receiving, the problems which persist, and the measures that still must be taken so that these positive changes remain in place. He offers some useful information that will perhaps contribute to their understanding of the vast area which he refers to as Latin America, and more specifically, gives a thumbnail sketch of what is happening today in the Republic of Argentina. For many years now, Latin American leaders have travelled to other parts of the world and spoken about the plans and expectations for the region`s future. When these well-intentioned projects and plans never materialized, partners and supporters in the United States and other countries were frustrated and disappointed by the failure to make things work. The author`s intention here today is to describe things as they are, not as they might be, to tell about what is already happening in the sphere of business and growth of the economies in Latin America.

  2. Getting REDD-y: conservation and climate change in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    Deforestation in Latin America, especially in the Amazon basin, is a major source of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming. Protected areas play a vital role in minimizing forest loss and in supplying key environmental services, including carbon sequestration and rainfall regulation, which mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change amid a rising tide of economic development in the region. The area of protected forest has expanded rapidly since 1980 to cover one-fifth of Latin America and more than two-fifths of Amazonia, a region whose rain forest captures some 40 percent of Latin America's carbon emissions. The reserve sector has traditionally suffered from severe underfunding, but the possibility of new resources being generated through financial compensation for "reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation" (REDD) or "avoided deforestation" under a new Kyoto protocol after 2012 could help strengthen the environmental and social roles of protected areas. However, a number of major implementation and governance challenges will need to be addressed.

  3. Periodontal disease in children and adolescents of Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botero, Javier E; Rösing, Cassiano Kuchenbecker; Duque, Andres; Jaramillo, Adriana; Contreras, Adolfo

    2015-02-01

    Periodontal diseases are a group of infectious diseases that mainly include gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is the most prevalent form of periodontal disease in subjects of all ages, including children and adolescents. Less frequent types of periodontal disease include aggressive periodontitis, acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and various diseases of herpesviral and fungal origin. This review aimed to retrieve relevant information from Latin America on the prevalence of periodontal diseases among children and adolescents of the region. Gingivitis was detected in 35% of young Latin American subjects and showed the highest frequencies in Colombia (77%) and Bolivia (73%) and the lowest frequency in Mexico (23%). The frequency of gingivitis in subjects from other Latin American countries was between 31% and 56%. Periodontitis may affect periodontal disease in children and adolescents of Latin America may help policy makers and dentists to institute more effective public health measures to prevent and treat the disease at an early age to avoid major damage to the permanent dentition. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. 12 CFR 745.7 - Shares accepted in a foreign currency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... accepted in a foreign currency. An insured credit union may accept shares denominated in a foreign currency. Shares denominated in a foreign currency will be insured in accordance with this part to the same extent... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Shares accepted in a foreign currency. 745.7...

  5. Characterizing commercial oil palm expansion in Latin America: land use change and trade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furumo, Paul Richard; Aide, T. Mitchell

    2017-02-01

    Commodity crop expansion has increased with the globalization of production systems and consumer demand, linking distant socio-ecological systems. Oil palm plantations are expanding in the tropics to satisfy growing oilseed and biofuel markets, and much of this expansion has caused extensive deforestation, especially in Asia. In Latin America, palm oil output has doubled since 2001, and the majority of expansion seems to be occurring on non-forested lands. We used MODIS satellite imagery (250 m resolution) to map current oil palm plantations in Latin America and determined prior land use and land cover (LULC) using high-resolution images in Google Earth. In addition, we compiled trade data to determine where Latin American palm oil flows, in order to better understand the underlying drivers of expansion in the region. Based on a sample of 342 032 ha of oil palm plantations across Latin America, we found that 79% replaced previously intervened lands (e.g. pastures, croplands, bananas), primarily cattle pastures (56%). The remaining 21% came from areas that were classified as woody vegetation (e.g. forests), most notably in the Amazon and the Petén region in northern Guatemala. Latin America is a net exporter of palm oil but the majority of palm oil exports (70%) stayed within the region, with Mexico importing about half. Growth of the oil palm sector may be driven by global factors, but environmental and economic outcomes vary between regions (i.e. Asia and Latin America), within regions (i.e. Colombia and Peru), and within single countries (i.e. Guatemala), suggesting that local conditions are influential. The present trend of oil palm expanding onto previously cleared lands, guided by roundtable certifications programs, provides an opportunity for more sustainable development of the oil palm sector in Latin America.

  6. Social medicine and international expert networks in Latin America, 1930-1945.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Eric D

    2018-01-03

    This paper examines the international networks that influenced ideas and policy in social medicine in the 1930s and 1940s in Latin America, focusing on institutional networks organised by the League of Nations Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, and the Pan-American Sanitary Bureau. After examining the architecture of these networks, this paper traces their influence on social and health policy in two policy domains: social security and nutrition. Closer scrutiny of a series of international conferences and local media accounts of them reveals that international networks were not just 'conveyor belts' for policy ideas from the industrialised countries of the US and Europe into Latin America; rather, there was often contentious debate over the relevance and appropriateness of health and social policy models in the Latin American context. Recognition of difference between Latin America and the global economic core regions was a key impetus for seeking 'national solutions to national problems' in countries like Argentina and Chile, even as integration into these networks provided progressive doctors, scientists, and other intellectuals important international support for local political reforms.

  7. Preface: Space and geophysical research related to Latin America - Part 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendoza, Blanca

    2016-03-01

    For the last 25 years, every two to three years the Conferencia Latinoamericana de Geofísica Espacial (COLAGE) is held in one of the Latin American countries for the purpose of promoting scientific exchange among scientists of the region and to encourage continued research that is unique to this area of the world. At the more recent conference, the community realized that many individuals both within and outside Latin America have contributed greatly to the understanding of the space sciences in this area of the world. It was therefore decided to assemble a Special Issue Space and Geophysical Physics related to Latin America, presenting recent results and where submissions would be accepted from the world wide community of scientists involved in research appropriate to Latin America. Because of the large number of submissions, these papers will be printed in two separate issues; this is Part 1. These papers show the wide variety of research, both theoretical and applied, that is currently being developed in the Sub-Continent.

  8. Canada-Latin America and the Caribbean Research Exchange ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Canada-Latin America and the Caribbean Research Exchange Grants Program ... and LAC researchers opportunities for joint research on development issues of ... academics (graduate students and professors) to support their professional ...

  9. Atomic energy in Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1967-06-15

    Most countries in Latin America, including all those on the mainland, are Members of the Agency. Interest in the possibilities of nuclear energy has led to considerable activity, much of it in direct collaboration with the IAEA. Member States in the region are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela. Of these, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela are operating, and Mexico and Uruguay are constructing, research reactors, while Chile and Peru are studying proposals. Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay have all agreed to accept Agency safeguards for reactors. The possibility of future needs for nuclear power is under examination by several countries, in some cases being related to desalination of water. All atomic work in Latin America is devoted to peaceful uses, and note-worthy progress has been made with proposals for a treaty which would make the whole region a militarily de-nuclearized zone. It is proposed that when this comes into effect the Agency will be asked to apply the controls developed in its safeguards system, and to carry out the inspections necessary to establish that work in progress is solely for peaceful purposes

  10. Atomic energy in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1967-01-01

    Most countries in Latin America, including all those on the mainland, are Members of the Agency. Interest in the possibilities of nuclear energy has led to considerable activity, much of it in direct collaboration with the IAEA. Member States in the region are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela. Of these, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela are operating, and Mexico and Uruguay are constructing, research reactors, while Chile and Peru are studying proposals. Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay have all agreed to accept Agency safeguards for reactors. The possibility of future needs for nuclear power is under examination by several countries, in some cases being related to desalination of water. All atomic work in Latin America is devoted to peaceful uses, and note-worthy progress has been made with proposals for a treaty which would make the whole region a militarily de-nuclearized zone. It is proposed that when this comes into effect the Agency will be asked to apply the controls developed in its safeguards system, and to carry out the inspections necessary to establish that work in progress is solely for peaceful purposes

  11. Nuclear energy and non-proliferation in Latin America: the constitution of Tlatelolco system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armanet, P.

    1982-01-01

    The nuclear energy as alternative energy resource and its military use are analysed. Then the main characteristics of the Tratelolco treaty and non-proliferation in Latin America are discussed. Finally the importance of the nuclear-weapons-free zone in Latin America is shown. (A.B.T.) [pt

  12. Epidemiology of cervical cancer in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capote Negrin, Luis G

    2015-01-01

    The basic aspects of the descriptive epidemiology of cervical cancer in Latin America are presented. A decrease in the incidence and mortality rates has been observed in the period from 2000 to 2012 in all countries across the region, this has not occurred at the same proportions, and in many countries, observed figures of incidence and mortality are among the highest levels in the world. In Latin America, calculating a mean measure of the numbers from the GLOBOCAN data from 2000 to 2012, we can observe a difference of up to fivefold of the incidence (Puerto Rico 9,73 Vs Bolivia 50,73) and almost seven times for mortality (Puerto Rico 3,3 Vs Nicaragua 21,67). A report of the epidemiology, risk factors, and evaluation of screening procedures regarding the possible impact of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine I in the prevention of cervical cancer is presented.

  13. Basic Approaches of the Diplomacy in the Colonial Period of Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfredo A Torrealba

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the main approaches of the diplomatic relations of the Spanish and English colonies in America during the colonial period in relation with the Spanish Empire and British Empire. Also, the article describes the main political interests that had the European empires in America and the relationship that they had with Aboriginal peoples for more of 300 years. Thanks to these factors, the modern diplomatic services in Latin America have a diplomatic style that is different from any other region of the world. The diplomatic services of Latin America have a variety of ceremonies, protocols, tactics and strategies to establish political relations with other regions of the world. But, from the point of view of European, Asian and African diplomacy these activities are usually viewed as unconventional. However, the development of the foreign affairs agencies of Latin America have been the result of bloody stories that the invaders did it only to take the control. And thanks to these facts, the diplomatic institutions in Latin America are concerned, even today, to keep in memory these events because they are a good example of what a bad diplomacy can do. For other hand, the colonial era in Latin America is a good example of very poorly managed diplomatic decision thanks to the desire of conquest of the european empires. However, in the same time, the aboriginal peoples of South America achieved some diplomatic victories, at least with the crown of Spain. In the north of America, the aboriginal peoples don't achieved the same victories and they were virtually annihilated by their inabilities to negotiate. These events suggest that the Aboriginal peoples of Central and South American were better developed in political and diplomatic practices. Because they could negotiate weak, but vital peace agreements with the invaders what it helped protect the lives of millions of human beings.

  14. The impact in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alonso, M.

    1985-01-01

    President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program represented a radical departure from the policy of secrecy and denial that existed during the immediate postwar period, after the rejection of the Baruch Plan for international control of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Although the genesis and philosophy of the program are well known, the author emphasizes certain general aspects and considers specific situations in Latin America about the purposes and premises of Atoms for Peace

  15. Trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma vivax in ruminants in Latin America: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dwinger, R.H.; Hall, M.J.R.

    2000-01-01

    The history and the present situation of T. vivax infections in Latin America are reviewed. Clinical signs, diagnostic aspects, therapy and control of the disease are briefly discussed. In view of the recent emergence of bovine trypanosomosis in areas where it previously never existed, it is advisable to invest in improving the diagnosis and control of the disease in Latin America. (author)

  16. Latin American petroleum sector at crossroads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, B.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that Latin America's petroleum industry stands at a precarious crossroads of change. Fundamental changes of democratization, privatization, and economic reform that have marked South America's petroleum sectors since the late 1980s are seeping into other Latin American regions. An unprecedented return of capital that had fled the region in the 1980s - Latin America's lost decade - is under way in full force. That demonstrates the improved credibility of the region's economic reform programs, reports the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Even as those reform efforts marked progress in South America in 1991, however, that progress has been threatened in 1992 by political scandal, government crisis, and environmental controversy. Just as the fitful transition to capitalism in the former U.S.S.R. has threatened to collapse the former Soviet republics into chaos because of its economic fallout, so has economic reform in such nations as Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela stumbled. On the other hand, privatization continues apace in Argentina and Mexico. Those Latin American nations and others caught in the rising tide of privatization pulled by an increasingly market oriented global economy continue to avow their commitment to economic reform

  17. The dilemas of the new left-wing governments in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Moreira

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available After two decades of neoliberalism, a wave of leftist governments shakes Latin America. In just one half a decade, they have been transforming the political geography and raising four questions: 1. In what sense can one speak about homogeneous left-wave of new Latin American governments?; 2. Will they mean a change in the ways of making politics?; 3. To what extent will they give an efficient solution to the social crisis of the post market reforms stage?; and 4. Which are the main ideas and principles in order to govern a big part of Latin America from now to the next future? In order to approach these questions, do we explore "models of governability" that rise in Latin American, taking into account three dimensions: the institutional, the public policy dimension and the symbolic one. Conclusions –temporary given the recent events-, state that we are in front of a decisive process for the history of the Latin American left.

  18. Building equitable health systems in Latin America | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The region's segmented health systems make it difficult to provide equal access to ... to reorganize healthcare systems in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. ... Involving urban communities in controlling dengue fever in Latin America.

  19. Use of Opioids in Latin America: The Need of an Evidence-Based Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rico, María Antonieta; Kraychete, Durval Campos; Iskandar, Aziza Jreige; Colimon, Frantz; Lara-Solares, Argelia; Cantisani, José Alberto Flores; Amescua-García, César; Núñez, María del Rocío Guillén; Bonilla, Patricia; Lech, Osvandré; Hernández-Castro, John Jairo; Guerrero, Carlos; Barrera, William Delgado; Gallegos, Manuel Sempértegui; Cook, María Berenguel; Garcia, João Batista Santos; Hernández, Concepción Pérez

    2016-04-01

    The subject of this publication has been focused on local considerations for facilitating regional best practice, including identifying and uniformly adopting the most relevant international guidelines on opioid use (OU) in chronic pain management. The Change Pain Latin America (CPLA) Advisory Panel conducted a comprehensive, robust, and critical analysis of published national and international reviews and guidelines of OU, considering those most appropriate for Latin America. A PubMed search was conducted using the terms "opioid," "chronic," and "pain" and then refined using the filters "practice guidelines" and "within the last 5 years" (2007-2012). Once the publications were identified, they were selected using five key criteria: "Evidence based," "Comprehensive," "From a well-recognized source," "Current publications," and "Based on best practice" and then critically analyzed considering 10 key criteria for determining the most relevant guidelines to be applied in Latin America. The initial PubMed search identified 177 reviews and guidelines, which was reduced to 16 articles using the five preliminary criteria. After a secondary analysis according to the 10 key criteria specific to OU in Latin America, 10 publications were selected for critical review and discussion. The CPLA advisory panel considered the "Safe and effective use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain" (published in 2010 by the NOUGG of Canada) to be valid, relevant to Latin America, practical, evidence-based, concise, unambiguous, and sufficiently educational to provide clear instruction on OU and pain management and, thus, recommended for uniform adoption across the Latin America region. © 2015 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. The natural gas as integration element in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morales, Maria Elizabeth; Dutra, Luis Eduardo; Rosa, Luiz Pinguelli

    1999-01-01

    The article discusses the following global aspects of natural gas development: natural gas and worldwide energetic integration; natural gas consumption rates in the world; natural gas industry development in Latin America; and natural gas industry in Brazil. The article concludes that the natural gas can integrate Latin-american economies since the Governments adopt coherent energetic politicians articulated to each other

  1. Polycentric Metropolitan Form: Application of a ‘Northern’ Concept in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arie Romein

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Since the mid 20th century, large urban areas in advanced economies have experienced a fundamental transformation from relatively compact monocentric cities towards more extended polycentric metropolitan areas. By now, it is being commented repeatedly, but not investigated systematically that the concept of polycentricity is also adequate to characterise recent metropolitan dynamics in Latin-America.This paper aims to present a few key-issues for a future research agenda into polycentricity in Latin-American metropolitan areas. These elements are identified from a review of existing literature. Since no clear-cut definition and operationalisation of polycentricity exist yet, we distinguish some key-elements of this phenomenon in North America as a frame of reference for this review. It reveals that ‘polycentricity U.S. style’ is at best dawning in Latin-America. In order to achieve a more appropriate picture of polycentricity of Latin American metropolitan areas, our ideas for a research agenda take into account these areas typical economic, social and spatial conditions.

  2. Rickettsioses in Latin America, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo B. Labruna

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Data on genus and infectious by Rickettsia were retrospectively compiled from the critical review literature regarding all countries in Latin America, Caribbean islands, Portugal and Spain. We considered all Rickettsia records reported for human and/or animal hosts, and/or invertebrate hosts considered being the vector. In a few cases, when no direct detection of a given Rickettsia group or species was available for a given country, the serologic method was considered. A total of 13 Rickettsia species have been recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean. The species with the largest number of country confirmed records were Rickettsia felis (9 countries, R. prowazekii (7 countries, R. typhi (6 countries, R. rickettsii (6 countries, R. amblyommii (5 countries, and R. parkeri (4 countries. The rickettsial records for the Caribbean islands (West Indies were grouped in only one geographical area. Both R. bellii, R. akari, and Candidatus ‘R. andeane’ have been recorded in only 2 countries each, whereas R. massiliae, R. rhipicephali, R.monteiroi, and R. africae have each been recorded in a single country (in this case, R. africae has been recorded in nine Caribbean Islands. For El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, no specific Rickettsia has been reported so far, but there have been serological evidence of human or/and animal infection. The following countries remain without any rickettsial records: Belize, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, and Paraguay. In addition, except for a few islands, many Caribbean islands remain without records. A total of 12 Rickettsia species have been reported in Spain and Portugal: R. conorii, R. helvetica, R. monacensis, R. felis, R. slovaca, R. raoultii, R. sibirica, R. aeschlimannii, R. rioja, R. massiliae, R. typhi, and R. prowazekii. Amongst these Rickettsia species reported in Spain and Portugal, only R. prowazekii, R. typhi, R. felis, and R. massiliae have also been reported in Latin America. This study summarizes

  3. Open Business Models (Latin America) - Phase I | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    They will endeavor to demonstrate the innovative character and economic superiority of ... Open business models (Latin America) : final technical report, Mar. ... Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), IDRC is ...

  4. Application of environmental isotopes in water resources studies in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aravena, Ramon

    2001-01-01

    The development of urban centers and economical activities, such as agriculture and mining, in Latin America are intimately linked to the availability of water resources. The increasing demand for water and the risks associated to contamination have generated numerous studies related to the evaluation of water resources in this region. In the specific case of groundwater studies, environmental isotopes have played a significant role in these studies ( 18 O, 2 H, 14 C, 13 C). Groundwater provides about 50-60 % of the water resources used in Latin America. Large urban centers such as Lima (Peru), Managua (Nicaragua) and San Jose (Costa Rica) depend mainly on groundwater as a water supply for the population. The agriculture sector is also a major user of groundwater. The Isotope Hydrology Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency based in Vienna has mainly promoted the application of isotope techniques in Latin America. Most of these applications have focussed on the evaluation of the origin and residence time of the groundwater. The groundwater origin is intimately linked to recharge areas whose evaluation is key for the water balance of the aquifer. The evaluation of the groundwater residence time provides information that is relevant for the management of the groundwater system. This presentation will discuss the basic principles of the application of environmental isotopes in hydrology and it will review the current application of isotope techniques in Latin America. Case studies from different Latin American countries will be used to illustrate the main type of application of isotope techniques in groundwater studies in this region (au)

  5. Analysis of ophthalmological and vision-related publications in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lesly Carrillo Galván

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess scientific production related to ophthalmology and vision in Latin America during the period from 2006 to 2015. Methods: The PubMed, Lilacs (Bireme, Google Scholar, SciELO, and Medigraphic databases were evaluated for this retrospective, descriptive, and comparative study. Results: A total of 1,510 articles was identified. Brazil was the leader in quantitative production in ophthalmology, averaging 85.4 articles per year. Mexico was in second place with 27.4, and Argentina was in third place with 11.1 articles per year. Forty-one percent of articles were published in English, 28.1% dealt with the subspecialty of the retina, and 63% were published by researchers affiliated with universities. The frequency of male first authors was 58.9%, and the journal Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia accounted for 36.42% of the identified articles. Conclusions: Brazil stands in first place in Latin America in ophthalmologic scientific production. Nearly half of the researchers in ophthalmology in Latin America included in our study were listed in databases other than PubMed.

  6. Middle Class and Democracy in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Fierro

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The consolidation of the middle class has been interpreted by modernization and postmodernization theories as a key factor for the functioning and stability of the democratic system. However, in Latin America the middle class has tended to be associated with two contradictory positions. On the one hand, it is emphasized that it plays a stabilizing and democratic role while, on the other hand, it is linked to supporting military coups. With the purpose of elucidate such a dilemma, the relationship that can be established between the socioeconomic status and the degree of support for democracy will be examined. In order to do this, an empirical analysis from Latinbarometer surveys databases will be conducted, covering seventeen countries in the region for the period from 1996 to 2011. It will be concluded that the middle class in Latin America does not have particularly more favorable attitudes toward democracy than other social segments.

  7. Can Latin America fill the U.S. polyolefin deficit?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sagel, E.

    2006-01-01

    Strategic issues for the North American polyolefin industry were discussed with reference to oil and gas price forecasts, oil capacity increases, and high density polyethylene production and ethylene integration costs. The overall polyolefin trade balance in North America was also explored. It was cautioned that unless a significant amount of new capacity is built in the United States, it is anticipated that by 2008, the United States will become a net importer of polyolefin resins. Currently exported product will be used increasingly in the domestic market to meet demand growth. This shift from being a net exporter of resins can be attributed to the high cost of feedstocks and the lack of investment in new capacity throughout the region. In contrast, there have been several proposals for new capacity in Latin America in the past several years. Since there is already an important level of commerce and trade between North and South America, countries with access to the Caribbean basin, are logistically well situated to serve the North American market. The availability of low cost feedstocks in countries such as Trinidad, Venezuela and Bolivia add to the attractiveness of the region for the development of new petrochemical capacity. This paper examined the status of the different proposed projects in Latin America and analyzed the potential opportunities that exist for North American producers to collaborate in those projects. The general trade balance of the continent was reviewed in order to verify if the traditional seclusion of America's polyolefin market can be maintained in the future. It was concluded that even if all projects in Latin America are launched, the Americas will still be in a net deficit position. Under the right circumstances, the Middle East will be the global supplier of commodity polyolefins that could extend to the Americas. It was emphasized that companies should be prepared for feedstock advantaged investments, alliances, acquisitions and

  8. Influencing pro-poor telecommunications policy in Latin America ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2016-06-24

    Jun 24, 2016 ... Research conducted by DIRSI (Regional Dialogue on the Information ... In Brazil, DIRSI research findings were taken up in the design of the National ... Involving urban communities in controlling dengue fever in Latin America.

  9. Geoparks in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mantesso-Neto, V.; Mansur, K.; López, R.; Schilling, M.; Ramos, V.

    2010-01-01

    A Geopark is a territory delimited part of a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development, based on geological sites of particular importance, rarity or aesthetic geological sites. A Geopark achieves its goals through three main areas: geoconservation, education and geotourism. The first network of Geoparks born in Europe in 2000, and from 2004 UNESCO is promoting the creation of a Global Geoparks Network (Global Geoparks Network, GGN ). Currently, there are 64 Global Geoparks in 19 countries, and the movement is in full development. In Latin America there is hardly Araripe Geopark in Brazil. Presented in this work, projects and studies related to the development of Geoparks in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru and Venezuela. We understand that Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico and Nicaragua have projects in this line, but the details are not yet readily available. The authors invite geoscientists and professionals in related fields to join a movement for the creation of the Latin American Network of Geoparks, intended as a framework for the conservation, sustainable use and disclosure of our national geological heritage

  10. Nuclear debate and its implications in Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huacuz V, J M

    1977-09-01

    The controversy associated with nuclear power has been grouped into three areas: safety, economics, and availability of uranium. Implications of these factors are discussed in terms of their effects on Third World countries, particularly in Latin America.

  11. Currency crises and the interest rate defence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Daniëls, T.

    2008-01-01

    While virtually all modern models of exchange rate crises recognise that the decision to abandon an exchange rate peg depends on how harshly policy makers are willing to defend the regime, they virtually never model how the exchange rate is defended. We argue that incorporating both the mechanics of

  12. Rationalised panics : The consequences of strategic uncertainty during financial crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Daniëls, T.

    2009-01-01

    This dissertation is about currency and related financial crises such as the contagious Southeast Asian crisis of 1997 or Argentina's collapse and default in 2001. It argues that key to understanding these crises is the doubt that they inflict on market participants about the intentions and actions

  13. Generation project development opportunities in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carter, R.W.

    1993-01-01

    This presentation addresses the pitfalls and benefits of developing power generation projects in Latin America. The topics of the presentation include the countries where there is opportunity for development, the opportunities that exist in these countries, the influence of geographic proximity, and competition from the Far East and the European Community

  14. Reproductive performance of dairy cattle in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, R.T.; Barnabe, R.C.; Morales, J.R.

    1990-01-01

    The review describes the commonly practised systems of milk production in sample countries within the five major topographical/climatological subregions of Latin America, viz. Central America, the Caribbean, the South American subtropics, the Andes and the Temperate Zone. The state of development and importance of the dairy industry to the economy of each country are discussed. Production and reproduction indices are quoted, as are the genetic make-up of the dairy herds, husbandry practices and the quality of livestock management. It is clear that there is an enormous capacity for improvement in the efficiency of milk production systems in the Latin American region as a whole; to achieve this improvement, there is an urgent need to pursue on-farm based research aimed at identifying constraints to the performance of dairy cattle and the implementation of low cost management/nutritional/health control measures. (author)

  15. Foreign Currency Borrowing by Small Firms

    OpenAIRE

    Martin Brown; Steven Ongena; Pinar Yesin

    2009-01-01

    We examine the firm- and country-level determinants of the currency denomination of small business loans. We first model the choice of loan currency in a framework which features a trade-off between lower cost of debt and the risk of firm-level distress costs, and also incorporates the impact of information asymmetry between banks and firms. When foreign currency funds come at a lower interest rate, all foreign currency earners as well as those local currency earners with high revenues and lo...

  16. Lighting up: magical realism and resistance to dictatorships in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gretha Leite Maia

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This is a study that articulates the literary genre magical realism and the movement of resistance to military dictatorships in Latin America during the twentieth century. For that, the definition of the fantastic literary genre from T. Todorov is examined. The reasons for using fantastic fiction after the development of a realistic literature are investigated below. Finally, two works representative of Latin American fantastic realism are analyzed: Incident in Antares, by the Brazilian writer Erico Verissimo, and The House of the Spirits, by the Chilean writer Isabel Allende. This path allowed us to conclude that magical realism collaborated with the resistance to the military dictatorships in Latin America and fulfills the function of constructing and preserving the collective memory of this historical period.

  17. DETERMINANTS OF THE SUCCESS OF GLOBAL AND LOCAL BRANDS IN LATIN AMERICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo Farías

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of the implementation of global and local brands in Latin America by drawing on contingency theory to develop and test hypotheses relating to how product category characteristics affect the success of global and local brands in the region. Hypotheses are tested using data obtained from top brands rankings reported in five Latin American markets (Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean and Central America, Chile and Mexico. The study design considers estimating a logistic regression on a binomial dependent variable measuring whether 475 top brands are global or local brands, with product category characteristics as independent variables. Results reveal that product categories related to subscriptions, local tastes, high-tech, and global citizenship do have an impact on the success of global and local brands in Latin America.

  18. The human gut microbiome of Latin America populations: a landscape to be discovered.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magne, Fabien; O'Ryan, Miguel L; Vidal, Roberto; Farfan, Mauricio

    2016-10-01

    The gut microbiome is critical for human health, and its alteration is associated with intestinal, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Numerous studies have focused on prevention or treatment of dysbiotic microbiome to reduce the risk or effect of these diseases. A key issue is to define the microbiome associated with the state of good health. The purpose of this review is to describe factors influencing the gut microbiome with special emphasis on contributions from Latin America. In addition, we will highlight opportunities for future studies on gut microbiome in Latin America. A relevant factor influencing gut microbiome composition is geographical location associated with specific genetic, dietary and lifestyle factors. Geographical specificities suggest that a universal 'healthy microbiome' is unlikely. Several research programs, mostly from Europe and North America, are extensively sequencing gut microbiome of healthy people, whereas data from Latin America remain scarce yet slowly increasing. Few studies have shown difference in the composition of gut microbiome between their local populations with that of other industrialized countries (North American populations). Latin America is composed of countries with a myriad of lifestyles, traditions, genetic backgrounds and socioeconomic conditions, which may determine differences in gut microbiome of individuals from different countries. This represents an opportunity to better understand the relationship between these factors and gut microbiome.

  19. Systematic Review of Research on Educational Leadership and Management in Latin America, 1991-2017

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo, Felipe Aravena; Hallinger, Philip

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this systematic review was to further our understanding of educational leadership and management (EDLM) knowledge production in Latin America. We conducted a "topographical review" of 48 articles from Latin America published in eight "core" EDLM journals published between 1991 and 2017. Data analysis focused on…

  20. Functional Patterns in International Organizations for University Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Daniel A.; Lopez, Daniel C.; Andrade, Lorenzo I.; Lopez, Boris A.

    2011-01-01

    This study analyzes the coverage, organizational patterns, problems and trends of international organizations for university cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 30 international organizations for cooperation currently operating in Latin America and the Caribbean were identified. Two groups of institutions with more than 60%…

  1. Civil-Military Relations in Latin America: The Hedgehog and the Fox Revisited

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-01-01

    puede lograr solamente por medio de la creación de instituciones que incorporan y personifican conocimientos y mecanismos de control tanto del poder...as their military counterparts. Based on the academic literature and the author’s experience in Latin America and other regions, this article suggests...know as much about matters of defense as their military counterparts. Based on the academic literature and the author?s experience in Latin America and

  2. Machismo and Virginidad: Sex Roles in Latin America. Discussion Paper 79-10.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinones, Julio

    The purpose of this paper is to present a view of Latin American males and females that describes the situation in Latin America more accurately than the current stereotypical view accepted in the United States. The author discusses the roots of the North American misconception, citing differences between Latin American and North American cultures…

  3. RAND-like appropriateness methodology consensus for primary open-angle glaucoma in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerner, S Fabian; Singh, Kuldev; Susanna, Remo; Wilson, M Roy; Lee, Brian L; Maul, Eugenio

    2012-09-01

    To report the results of a Latin American consensus panel regarding the diagnosis and management of primary open-angle glaucoma and to compare these results with those from a similar panel in the United States. A RAND-like (Research and Development) appropriateness methodology was used to assess glaucoma practice in Latin America. The 148 polling statements created for the RAND- like analysis in the United States and 10 additional statements specific to glaucoma care in Latin America were presented to a panel of Latin American glaucoma experts. Panelists were polled in private using the RAND- like methodology before and after the panel meeting. Consensus agreement or disagreement among Latin American experts was reached for 51.3% of statements before the meeting and increased to 66.5% in the private, anonymous meeting after polling (79.0% agreement, 21.0% disagreement). Although there was a high degree of concordance (111 of 148 statements; 75%) between the results of this Latin American panel and the United States panel, there were some notable exceptions relating to diagnostic and therapeutic decision making. This RAND-like consensus methodology provides a perspective of how Latin American glaucoma practitioners view many aspects of glaucoma and compares these results with those obtained using a similar methodology from practitioners in the United States. These findings may be helpful to ophthalmologists providing glaucoma care in Latin America and in other regions of the world. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Latin American petroleum sector at crossroads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, B.

    1992-07-06

    This paper reports that Latin America's petroleum industry stands at a precarious crossroads of change. Fundamental changes of democratization, privatization, and economic reform that have marked South America's petroleum sectors since the late 1980s are seeping into other Latin American regions. An unprecedented return of capital that had fled the region in the 1980s - Latin America's lost decade - is under way in full force. That demonstrates the improved credibility of the region's economic reform programs, reports the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Even as those reform efforts marked progress in South America in 1991, however, that progress has been threatened in 1992 by political scandal, government crisis, and environmental controversy. Just as the fitful transition to capitalism in the former U.S.S.R. has threatened to collapse the former Soviet republics into chaos because of its economic fallout, so has economic reform in such nations as Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela stumbled. On the other hand, privatization continues apace in Argentina and Mexico. Those Latin American nations and others caught in the rising tide of privatization pulled by an increasingly market oriented global economy continue to avow their commitment to economic reform.

  5. Black Populations and Identity Issues in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Wade

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available In this article, I explore the basis for black identity in Latin America. I begin with a general consideration of the position of black populations in the framework of Latin American nationalism, taking into account the transnational dimensions of this position and then analyzing in theoretical terms the tension between particularism and universalism in ideologies of nationalism and racism. In the second part of the article, I examine some concrete historical cases of Afrodescendent mobilization and/or opening towards racial diversity in order to evaluate these as bases for a Latin American black identity in general (the racial war in Cuba in 1912, the Frente Negra Brasileira of the 1930s, the Creoles in the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua, the official multiculturalism of various Latin American countries in the 1990s, and the image of “Africa” as the basis for Afrodescendant identification.

  6. WELFARE REGIMES IN LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melisa Campana-Alabarce

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This article provides a characterization of Latin American and Caribbean Welfare regimes in historiographical perspective. Firstly, it makes a review of the emergence conditions of Welfare States in Western Europe and its core features, with particular emphasis on its role as a method to regulate inequalities in industrial capitalism. Dialoguing with it, then stops in the specific configurations that welfare regimes have taken in Latin America during the course of the twentieth century. Finally, it provides a map of its contemporary features and the major challenges that the States of the region face in his capacity as right guarantors for the future.

  7. Children?s Health in Latin America: The Influence of Environmental Exposures

    OpenAIRE

    Laborde, Amalia; Tomasina, Fernando; Bianchi, Fabrizio; Brun?, Marie-Noel; Buka, Irena; Comba, Pietro; Corra, Lilian; Cori, Liliana; Duffert, Christin Maria; Harari, Raul; Iavarone, Ivano; McDiarmid, Melissa A.; Gray, Kimberly A.; Sly, Peter D.; Soares, Agnes

    2014-01-01

    Background Chronic diseases are increasing among children in Latin America. Objective and Methods To examine environmental risk factors for chronic disease in Latin American children and to develop a strategic initiative for control of these exposures, the World Health Organization (WHO) including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Collegium Ramazzini, and Latin American scientists reviewed regional and relevant global data. Results Industrial development and urbanization are pr...

  8. Crisis?: What crisis?: currency vs. banking in the financial crisis of 1931

    OpenAIRE

    Albrecht Ritschl; Samad Salferaz

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines the role of currency and banking in the German financial crisis of 1931 for both Germany and the U.S. We specify a structural dynamic factor model to identify financial and monetary factors separately for each of the two economies. We find that monetary transmission through the Gold Standard played only a minor role in causing and propagating the crisis, while financial distress was important. We also find evidence of crisis propagation from Germany to the U.S. via the ban...

  9. The Reforms to the Presidential Re-election in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilka Treminio Sánchez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the topic of the constitutional changes regulating the presidential re-election in Latin America. It establishes historical segments of change and it deals particularly with the so-called 21st century’s “Re-election Wave”. The main objective of the present work is to develop a characterization of the cases that have taken place according to the type of re-election reform outcome and the decision process preceding it. This approach is intended to clarify the routes followed in achieving a certain constitutional result and shed light on the factors that shape this new political trend in Latin America.

  10. Introduction: Environment and Society in Contemporary Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Castro, F.; Hogenboom, B.; Baud, M.; de Castro, F.; Hogenboom, B.; Baud, M.

    2016-01-01

    Societal change in Latin America is intimately related to nature and natural resources. In this resource-rich region, nature–society relations provide both opportunities and challenges in achieving more fair, equitable and sustainable development. Nearly half of the world’s tropical forests are

  11. Urban restructuring and deregulations in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carmona, M.

    1992-01-01

    With this work we continue the debate on the trends of urban restructuring in Latin America. In fact due to the large economic crisis of the 80-ies, the continent has decreased is living standards to that of 12 years ago. The productive potential has increased in 1,3% in circumstances that in the

  12. PISA TESTS IN LATIN AMERICA: RESULTS IN CONTEXT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillermina Tiramonti

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The educational reforms implemented in Latin America in the ‘90s introduced changes in the modes of regulation of educational systems based on the adoption of mechanisms for assessing student achievement. Since 2000, eight Latin-American countries (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru are involved in the PISA tests. The article presents a brief review of the social and educational situation of the Region, relevant for the interpretation and comparative analysis of the results of these tests that is presented below.

  13. A Note on the Development of Social Sciences in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Yocelevsky

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The development of Social Sciences in Latin America since the end of the Secondis examined through a periodization establishing three paradigms considered dominantperiod; these are defined within the context of their ideological relevance and theirover the policies applied in the Latin American countries during this period.

  14. New drug developments in the Latin Americas (Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ban, T A; Galvan, L; Udabe, R U; Vergara, L; Zoch, C

    1974-07-01

    New drug developments in four Latin American countries, i.e. Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama and the United States were compared. In contradistinction to the United States, clinical investigations with newly developed drugs in the four countries are based on contracts between individual investigators and the pharmaceutical industry without governmental interference. There are no adequate facilities to develop new psychoactive preparation in the four Latin American countries. Nevertheless, psychopharmacological practices are essentially the same as in the United States or Canada and all important psychoactive preparations used in the United States are available in the Latin Americas. Some of the newer-thioxanthene, butyrophenone and diphenylbutylpiperidine preparations which are still under clinical investigation in the United States are already available for clinical use in Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama. While there is less governmental control than in the United States or Canada, with regard to clinical investigations of drugs or with regard to marketing newly developed preparations, there is no evidence of abuse. Finally, it should be noted that the introduction of psychotropic drugs brought about a new era in psychiatry in the Latin Americas. It becomes increasingly obvious that psychiatry today is practiced on the basis of knowledge derived from clinical impressions and on the basis of findings verified in clinical testings, i.e. on the basis of two different standards. Accordingly, as in Europe and North America, a re-examination of traditional concepts has begun in the Latin Americas. There are indications that biological psychiatry in general, and psychopharmacology in particular, are gaining increasing importance in the Latin Americas. This has led to the creation of a training program in biological psychiatry by the World Health Organization in Montreal, in cooperation with the Division of Psychopharmacology of the Department of

  15. Culture and Entrepreneurship: The Case of Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Fernández-Serrano

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to contribute to an increased knowledge of the cultural values and the entrepreneurial activity that are present in countries with different levels of development. Within the group of developing countries, we focus our analysis on the case of Latin America. The study uses data from the Schwartz Value Survey (SVS to measure cultural values, and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM for information regarding entrepreneurship. The results show that cultural variables, together with the rate of entrepreneurial activity, clearly distinguish developing countries from developed ones. Higher entrepreneurial activity is found in countries with lower levels of development; however, the cultural value dimensions of Autonomy and Egalitarianism are associated with higher development levels. In the specific case of Latin America, the results reveal the existence of two groups of countries. Firstly, Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela have higher rates of entrepreneurship and, at the same time, a greater prevalence of some cultural values (notably Embeddedness, but also Hierarchy. In contrast, another group of countries in the region—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico—is characterized by the presence of opposing cultural values (Autonomy and Egalitarianism, more in line with those corresponding to developed countries. The paper concludes with a discussion of the results, including some interesting implications, from both academic and policy perspectives. In the case of Latin America, a certain combination of cultural values (Embeddedness and Egalitarianism may be leading to higher start-up rates. Thus, promoting these values could contribute to entrepreneurship and economic development.

  16. Geography, Resources, and Environment of Latin America: An Undergraduate Science Course focused on Attracting Hispanic students to Science and on Educating Non-Hispanics about Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pujana, I.; Stern, R. J.; Ledbetter, C. E.

    2004-12-01

    With NSF-CCLI funding, we have developed, taught, and evaluated a new lower-division science course for non-majors, entitled "Geography, Resources, and Environment of Hispanic America" (GRELA). This is an adaptation of a similar course, "Geology and Development of Modern Africa" developed by Barbara Tewksbury (Hamilton College), to attract African American students to science by highlighting cultural ties with their ancestral lands. We think that a similar approach focusing on Latin America may attract Hispanic undergraduates, at the same time that it increases awareness among non-Hispanic students about challenges facing our neighbors to the south. GRELA is an interdisciplinary exploration of how the physical and biological environment of Mexico, Central America, and South America have influenced the people who live there. The course consists of 20 lectures and requires the student to present a report partnering with correspondents in Latin American universities. GRELA begins with an overview of Latin American physical and cultural geography and geologic evolution followed by a series of modules that relate the natural resources and environment of Latin America to the history, economy, and culture of the region. This is followed by an exploration of pre-Columbian cultures. The use of metals by pre-Columbian, colonial, and modern cultures is presented next. We then discuss hydrocarbon resources, geothermal energy, and natural hazards of volcanoes and earthquakes. The last half of the course focuses on Earth System Science themes, including El Nino, glaciers, the Amazon river and rainforest, and coral reefs. The final presentation concerns population growth and water resources along the US-Mexico border. Grades are based on two midterms, one final, and a project which requires that groups of students communicate with scientists in Latin America to explore some aspect of geography, natural resources, or the environment of a Latin American region of common interest

  17. "THE ALEPH LATIN AMERICAN" The simultaneity as a symptom for literary criticism in Latin America?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amalia Franco Castaño

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available The phenomena of literary criticims in latin America along with the dialogue other disciplines, such as the mass media role and the popular discourses, have provoked firts, a line of work whit resilient proposal towards the totalization, radicalism and monological responses, where the literature situation is shown as an objet of culture comprehension. And second, the cultural context as a principle for the aesthetics understanding hang this in mind. The purpose of this article is to digin on how those phenomen of cultural criticism in Latin America, have been oriented, in the last decade, and how their different and eclectic proposals offer a vission of what national and national literature, are in a time in which globalization, simultaneity and hybridation still being the reference for literature discourses.

  18. Prevalence of hospital malnutrition in Latin America: the multicenter ELAN study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correia, M Isabel T D; Campos, Antonio Carlos L

    2003-10-01

    We determined the nutrition status and prevalence of malnutrition as determined by the Subjective Global Assessment in Latin America, investigated the awareness of the health team with regard to nutrition status, evaluated the use of nutritional therapy, and assessed the governmental policies regulating the practice of nutritional therapy in each country. This cross-sectional, multicenter epidemiologic study enrolled 9348 hospitalized patients older than 18 y in Latin America. Student's t test and chi-square tests were used to analyze univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis, respectively. Malnutrition was present in 50.2% of the patients studied. Severe malnutrition was present in 11.2% of the entire group. Malnutrition correlated with age (>60 y), presence of cancer and infection, and longer length of hospital stay (P policies ruling the practice of nutritional therapy exist only in Brazil and Costa Rica. Hospital malnutrition in Latin America is highly prevalent. Despite this prevalence, physicians' awareness of malnutrition is weak, nutritional therapy is not used routinely, and governmental policies for nutritional therapy are scarce.

  19. International Financial Reporting Standards and Earnings Management in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Augusto Timm Rathke

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzes the level of earnings management in Latin America after the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS and analyzes the role of cross-listing in the United States. The literature on earnings management in less developed countries is still under construction, and few studies focus on this issue, especially with respect to Latin America, despite its relevant role in the global economy. This paper fills this gap in the literature as it analyzes the level of IFRS earnings management regarding the first and main Latin American countries applying IFRS (Brazil and Chile, when compared to the main Anglo-Saxon countries with IFRS tradition (United Kingdom and Australia, and with the main Continental European economies (France and Germany. The results show that Latin American firms present a higher level of earnings management than Continental European and Anglo-Saxon firms, and this opportunistic behavior remains significant when only global players with cross-listing in the United States are analyzed. Thus, even with a unique set of high quality accounting standards (IFRS and strong reporting incentives, countries’ specific characteristics still play an important role in the way IFRS is implemented in each country.

  20. Isotope hydrology in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Payne, B.R.

    1976-01-01

    There are a broad range of nuclear techniques applicable to a variety of hydrological problems and these techniques are becoming recognized as an additional and, in some cases, indispensable tool available to the hydrologist in his quest to meet the increasing demands for water by agriculture, industry and community water supply. In Latin America we find examples of almost all the nuclear hydrological techniques. This article endeavours to give a summary account of the status of isotope hydrology in the region and the types of problems to which these techniques have been applied

  1. Energy problems in latin america.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldemberg, J

    1984-03-30

    Present energy consumption patterns, known reserves of conventional energy sources (oil, gas, coal, and hydroelectricity), and the impact of the oil crisis on the oil-importing countries of Latin America are discussed. New approaches to energy use, including improvements on end-use efficiency, fuel substitutions, nonconventional energy sources, and changes in consumption patterns, are important. Of particular significance are the alcohol program in Brazil and the possibilities for increased use of hydroelectricity. Investments needed to sustain a reasonable increase in production from conventional energy sources up to 1990 are presented.

  2. POLICY PORT IN LATIN AMERICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Victoria Flores

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available This work achieves a contextual approach the port services market in Latin America, from the document review the legal framework and jurisprudence. It observes and evaluates the phenomenon under study, establishing a correlation between the grant in the shape of the free supply and demand for services and operating in a market of few suppliers, resulting in national legislation and concession contracts defending a free market and on the other hand, case law on market practice indicating that there is no free market to defend.

  3. Planning diabetic retinopathy services – lessons from Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Gomez-Bastar

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available The World Health Organization encourages the promotion and development of programmes for the prevention, detection, and management of diabetic retinopathy (DR. Such programmes must identify effective strategies and technology so that they can be adapted to the situation in each part of the world. Programmes must also be monitored and continuously improved.The guidelines discussed in this article were developed by experts brought together during workshops hosted by the VISION 2020 Latin America technical subcommittee on DR and technical support was provided by the Pan-American Asociation of Ophthalmology (PAAO. Although these guidelines have been developed for Latin America, we hope that the principles they contain will provide a good starting point for the planning of DR services in other low- and middle-income countries.

  4. Cropland/pastureland dynamics and the slowdown of deforestation in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graesser, Jordan; Ramankutty, Navin; Aide, T Mitchell; Grau, H Ricardo

    2015-01-01

    Latin America has the planet’s largest land reserves for agriculture and had the most rapid agricultural expansion during the twenty-first century. A large portion of the expansion replaced forests, as shown by many local and regional studies. However, expansion varied regionally and also replaced other land covers. Further, it is important to distinguish between changes in cropland and pastureland as they produce food at different levels of efficiency and intensity. We used thirteen years (2001–2013) of MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite imagery to characterize cropland and pastureland expansion at multiple scales across Latin America. From 2001 to 2013, 17% of new cropland and 57% of new pastureland replaced forests throughout Latin America. Cropland expansion from 2001 to 2013 was less (44.27 Mha) than pastureland (96.9 Mha), but 44% of the 2013 cropland total was new cropland, versus 27% of the 2013 pastureland total, revealing higher regional expansion rates of row crop agriculture. The majority of cropland expansion was into pastureland within core agricultural regions of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. On the contrary, pastureland largely expanded at frontiers, such as central Brazil, western Paraguay, and northern Guatemala. As others have suggested, regional agriculture is strongly influenced by globalization. Indeed, we find an overall decrease in agricultural expansion after 2007, coinciding with the global economic slowdown. The results illustrate agricultural cropland and pastureland expansion across Latin America is largely segregated, and emphasize the importance of distinguishing between the two agricultural systems, as they vary in land use intensity and efficiency. (letter)

  5. Cropland/pastureland dynamics and the slowdown of deforestation in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graesser, Jordan; Aide, T. Mitchell; Grau, H. Ricardo; Ramankutty, Navin

    2015-03-01

    Latin America has the planet’s largest land reserves for agriculture and had the most rapid agricultural expansion during the twenty-first century. A large portion of the expansion replaced forests, as shown by many local and regional studies. However, expansion varied regionally and also replaced other land covers. Further, it is important to distinguish between changes in cropland and pastureland as they produce food at different levels of efficiency and intensity. We used thirteen years (2001-2013) of MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite imagery to characterize cropland and pastureland expansion at multiple scales across Latin America. From 2001 to 2013, 17% of new cropland and 57% of new pastureland replaced forests throughout Latin America. Cropland expansion from 2001 to 2013 was less (44.27 Mha) than pastureland (96.9 Mha), but 44% of the 2013 cropland total was new cropland, versus 27% of the 2013 pastureland total, revealing higher regional expansion rates of row crop agriculture. The majority of cropland expansion was into pastureland within core agricultural regions of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. On the contrary, pastureland largely expanded at frontiers, such as central Brazil, western Paraguay, and northern Guatemala. As others have suggested, regional agriculture is strongly influenced by globalization. Indeed, we find an overall decrease in agricultural expansion after 2007, coinciding with the global economic slowdown. The results illustrate agricultural cropland and pastureland expansion across Latin America is largely segregated, and emphasize the importance of distinguishing between the two agricultural systems, as they vary in land use intensity and efficiency.

  6. Natural gas developments in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faith, P.L.

    1996-01-01

    Natural gas opportunities in Latin America are discussed with reference to the Bolivia to Brazil Gas Pipeline Project. This fully integrated natural gas project extends from reserves development to market consumption and involves cooperation between countries and between the public and private sector. The project's success will depend, it is argued on the thorough integration and cooperation of all stages from reserve exploration, through pipeline construction, and distribution to power generation. (UK)

  7. The Education of Indigenous Citizens in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortina, Regina, Ed.

    2014-01-01

    This groundbreaking volume describes unprecedented changes in education across Latin America, resulting from the endorsement of Indigenous peoples' rights through the development of intercultural bilingual education. The chapters evaluate the ways in which cultural and language differences are being used to create national policies that affirm the…

  8. Augmentative biological control of arthropods in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lenteren, van J.C.; Bueno, V.H.P.

    2003-01-01

    Augmentative forms of biological control, where natural enemies are periodically introduced, are applied over large areas in various cropping systems in Latin America. About 25% of the world area under augmentative control is situated in this region. Well-known examples are the use of species of the

  9. Integrated natural gas-electricity resource adequacy planning in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammons, T.J.; Barroso, L.A.; Rudnick, H.

    2010-01-01

    Latin America is among the most dynamic regions for natural gas and electricity development. This paper discussed natural gas-electricity resource adequacy planning for Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Colombia. The perspectives for creating an integrated market in the Southern Cone of Latin America were also presented. The continent has abundant natural gas reserves and high-growth energy markets. Many countries are promoting the use of natural gas for power generation in an effort to diversify away from heavy investments in hydropower and costly oil. These measures have created competition between hydro- and thermal generation, the breaking of cross-country natural gas agreements, as well as competition between natural gas and other resources for power generation and transmission.

  10. Environment and development in Latin America: the politics of sustainability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goodman, David; Redclift, Michael

    1991-01-01

    The terms sustainability and sustainable development are used to refer to sustainable levels of both production and consumption taking environmental considerations into account. However, there are different interpretations of the terms, and the first chapter of this book considers these and looks at various aspects of sustainable development in Latin America. In this region sustainability has often been systematically devalued, missed altogether or simply lost. The remaining nine chapters of the book address debt, hunger, genetic resources, forestry management, acroecology and green issues of the Amazon. Costa Rica is the subject of one of the chapters and the environmental problems of Mexico City another. The chapter on nuclear energy and sustainability in Latin America is indexed separately. (UK)

  11. An overview of raptor conservation in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, D.H.; Smith, D.G.

    1986-01-01

    Prior to the last decade, biological studies of raptorial birds in Latin America were almost nonexistent. For many species little more was known than their general range and habitat type. The last few years have seen the opening of a door to what will surely be a flood of scientific investigations. Ultimately, the survival of raptor communities in Latin America depends not only on research but also on several other equally significant conservation efforts. These typically appear in the following order: first, appropriate legislation must be enacted and enforced to provide legal protection; second, the public must be educated concerning the value of wildlife; third, substantial blocks of favourable habitat must be identified and preserved; fourth, economic incentives must be generated so that the local human populations actually benefit from the preservation of vulnerable wildlife and natural habitats; and finally, the long-term success of all of these efforts in each nation depends on the attainment of political, economic and social stability.

  12. Determinants of human papillomavirus vaccine acceptability in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winkler, Jennifer L; Wittet, Scott; Bartolini, Rosario M; Creed-Kanashiro, Hilary M; Lazcano-Ponce, Eduardo; Lewis-Bell, Karen; Lewis, Merle J; Penny, Mary E

    2008-08-19

    Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines provide promise as a key component of future cervical cancer prevention programs in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. The successful introduction and acceptance of these vaccines will depend on a range of factors including awareness of cervical cancer as a problem, affordability of the vaccine, political will, competition with other vaccines, feasibility of vaccine delivery and acceptability of the vaccine among the range of groups who will influence uptake. While existing data about acceptability from Latin America and the Caribbean is scarce, it is clear that health policymakers, providers and the general public lack knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer. Furthermore, they would value more local epidemiologic data related to cervical cancer. Price is currently a major barrier to vaccine acceptability and a priority for advocacy. More research is required in Latin America and the Caribbean to determine what messages and strategies will work in these communities.

  13. 12 CFR 4.2 - Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Section 4.2 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ORGANIZATION AND... RESTRICTIONS FOR SENIOR EXAMINERS Organization and Functions § 4.2 Office of the Comptroller of the Currency... denying applications for new charters or for changes in corporate or banking structure; approving or...

  14. Local Currency Financing--The Next Frontier for MDBs?

    OpenAIRE

    Hoschka, Tobias C.

    2005-01-01

    This paper surveys the issues involved in local currency financing by multilateral development banks (MDBs). While MDBs have traditionally provided financing in foreign currency to their borrowers, greater sensitivity by borrowers to potential currency mismatches, political decentralization, and the development of local capital markets have recently led MDBs to consider providing financing in local currency. While still small in comparison to MDBs' foreign currency financing, this paper argue...

  15. The role of currency swaps in the domestic banking system and the functioning the swap market during the crisis

    OpenAIRE

    Judit Páles; Zsolt Kuti; Csaba Csávás

    2011-01-01

    The basic purpose of this study is to didactically demonstrate the factors shaping the currency swap stock of domestic banks prior to the crisis and to provide a descriptive analysis of how the structure and the functioning of the market changed during the crisis. The main conclusions of the study are as follows. In addition to the wide ranging applicability of the transaction, the rise in the currency swap stock of domestic credit institutions is also attributable to macroeconomic factors. T...

  16. Stigma toward mental illness in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franco Mascayano

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Stigma toward individuals with mental disorders has been studied extensively. In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, the past decade has been marked by a significant increase in information on stigma toward mental illness, but these findings have yet to be applied to mental health services in Latin America. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of studies relating to stigma toward mental illness in Latin America and the Caribbean. The authors specifically considered differences in this region as compared with manifestations reported in Western European countries. Methods: A systematic search of scientific papers was conducted in the PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCO, SciELO, LILACS, Imbiomed, and Bireme databases. The search included articles published from 2002 to 2014. Results: Twenty-six studies from seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were evaluated and arranged into the following categories: public stigma, consumer stigma, family stigma, and multiple stigmas. Conclusion: We identified some results similar to those reported in high-income settings. However, some noteworthy findings concerning public and family stigma differed from those reported in Western European countries. Interventions designed to reduce mental illness-related stigma in this region may benefit from considering cultural dynamics exhibited by the Latino population.

  17. Stigma toward mental illness in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mascayano, Franco; Tapia, Thamara; Schilling, Sara; Alvarado, Rubén; Tapia, Eric; Lips, Walter; Yang, Lawrence H

    2016-03-01

    Stigma toward individuals with mental disorders has been studied extensively. In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, the past decade has been marked by a significant increase in information on stigma toward mental illness, but these findings have yet to be applied to mental health services in Latin America. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of studies relating to stigma toward mental illness in Latin America and the Caribbean. The authors specifically considered differences in this region as compared with manifestations reported in Western European countries. A systematic search of scientific papers was conducted in the PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCO, SciELO, LILACS, Imbiomed, and Bireme databases. The search included articles published from 2002 to 2014. Twenty-six studies from seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were evaluated and arranged into the following categories: public stigma, consumer stigma, family stigma, and multiple stigmas. We identified some results similar to those reported in high-income settings. However, some noteworthy findings concerning public and family stigma differed from those reported in Western European countries. Interventions designed to reduce mental illness-related stigma in this region may benefit from considering cultural dynamics exhibited by the Latino population.

  18. Tuberculosis-related mortality in people living with HIV in Europe and Latin America

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Podlekareva, Daria; Efsen, Anne Marie Werlinrud; Schultze, Anna

    2016-01-01

    baseline, whichever occurred first. Risk factors for all-cause and tuberculosis-related deaths were assessed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox models. FINDINGS: Of 1406 patients (834 in eastern Europe, 317 in western Europe, and 255 in Latin America), 264 (19%) died within 12 months. 188 (71...... a multiregional (eastern Europe, western Europe, and Latin America) prospective cohort study: the TB:HIV study. METHODS: Consecutive HIV-positive patients aged 16 years or older with a diagnosis of tuberculosis between Jan 1, 2011, and Dec 31, 2013, were enrolled from 62 HIV and tuberculosis clinics in 19...... countries in eastern Europe, western Europe, and Latin America. The primary endpoint was death within 12 months after starting tuberculosis treatment; all deaths were classified according to whether or not they were tuberculosis related. Follow-up was either until death, the final visit, or 12 months after...

  19. Adult Education and Indigenous Peoples in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmelkes, Sylvia

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the educational situation of indigenous peoples in Latin America, and in particular their scant participation in adult education activities. It analyses the historical, structural and institutional barriers to their greater involvement in adult education. The article proposes to look at indigenous demands on education as a…

  20. Latin America Today: An Atlas of Reproducible Pages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    World Eagle, Inc., Wellesley, MA.

    A profile of Latin America (defined as consisting of the countries of Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela) emerges from this collection of black and white illustrative maps, tables, and…

  1. Lean manufacturing in the developing world methodology, case studies and trends from Latin America

    CERN Document Server

    Maldonado-Macías, Aidé; Cortes-Robles, Guillermo

    2014-01-01

    This book presents some definitions and concepts applied in Latin America on lean manufacturing (LM), the LM tools most widely used and human and cultural aspects that most matter in this field. The book contains a total of 14 tools used and reported by authors from different countries in Latin America, with definition, timeline with related research, benefits that have been reported in literature, and case studies implemented in Latin American companies. Finally, the book presents a list of softwares available to facilitate the tools' implementation, monitoring and improvement.

  2. Canada-Latin America and Caribbean Zika Virus Research Program ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2016-05-10

    May 10, 2016 ... ... in the hardest hit countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the International Development ... understand the causes and effects of the the virus, and ultimately prevent its ...

  3. Characterization of individuals at high risk of developing melanoma in Latin America: bases for genetic counseling in melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puig, Susana; Potrony, Miriam; Cuellar, Francisco; Puig-Butille, Joan Anton; Carrera, Cristina; Aguilera, Paula; Nagore, Eduardo; Garcia-Casado, Zaida; Requena, Celia; Kumar, Rajiv; Landman, Gilles; Costa Soares de Sá, Bianca; Gargantini Rezze, Gisele; Facure, Luciana; de Avila, Alexandre Leon Ribeiro; Achatz, Maria Isabel; Carraro, Dirce Maria; Duprat Neto, João Pedreira; Grazziotin, Thais C; Bonamigo, Renan R; Rey, Maria Carolina W; Balestrini, Claudia; Morales, Enrique; Molgo, Montserrat; Bakos, Renato Marchiori; Ashton-Prolla, Patricia; Giugliani, Roberto; Larre Borges, Alejandra; Barquet, Virginia; Pérez, Javiera; Martínez, Miguel; Cabo, Horacio; Cohen Sabban, Emilia; Latorre, Clara; Carlos-Ortega, Blanca; Salas-Alanis, Julio C; Gonzalez, Roger; Olazaran, Zulema; Malvehy, Josep; Badenas, Celia

    2016-07-01

    CDKN2A is the main high-risk melanoma-susceptibility gene, but it has been poorly assessed in Latin America. We sought to analyze CDKN2A and MC1R in patients from Latin America with familial and sporadic multiple primary melanoma (SMP) and compare the data with those for patients from Spain to establish bases for melanoma genetic counseling in Latin America. CDKN2A and MC1R were sequenced in 186 Latin American patients from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, and in 904 Spanish patients. Clinical and phenotypic data were obtained. Overall, 24 and 14% of melanoma-prone families in Latin America and Spain, respectively, had mutations in CDKN2A. Latin American families had CDKN2A mutations more frequently (P = 0.014) than Spanish ones. Of patients with SMP, 10% of those from Latin America and 8.5% of those from Spain had mutations in CDKN2A (P = 0.623). The most recurrent CDKN2A mutations were c.-34G>T and p.G101W. Latin American patients had fairer hair (P = 0.016) and skin (P < 0.001) and a higher prevalence of MC1R variants (P = 0.003) compared with Spanish patients. The inclusion criteria for genetic counseling of melanoma in Latin America may be the same criteria used in Spain, as suggested in areas with low to medium incidence, SMP with at least two melanomas, or families with at least two cases among first- or second-degree relatives.Genet Med 18 7, 727-736.

  4. Gastroenterology training in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Henry; Saenz, Roque; de Almeida Troncon, Luiz E; Lizarzabal, Maribel; Olano, Carolina

    2011-01-01

    Latin America is characterized by ethnic, geographical, cultural, and economic diversity; therefore, training in gastroenterology in the region must be considered in this context. The continent’s medical education is characterized by a lack of standards and the volume of research continues to be relatively small. There is a multiplicity of events in general gastroenterology and in sub-disciplines, both at regional and local levels, which ensure that many colleagues have access to information. Medical education programs must be based on a clinical vision and be considered in close contact with the patients. The programs should be properly supervised, appropriately defined, and evaluated on a regular basis. The disparity between the patients’ needs, the scarce resources available, and the pressures exerted by the health systems on doctors are frequent cited by those complaining of poor professionalism. Teaching development can play a critical role in ensuring the quality of teaching and learning in universities. Continuing professional development programs activities must be planned on the basis of the doctors’ needs, with clearly defined objectives and using proper learning methodologies designed for adults. They must be evaluated and accredited by a competent body, so that they may become the basis of a professional regulatory system. The specialty has made progress in the last decades, offering doctors various possibilities for professional development. The world gastroenterology organization has contributed to the speciality through three distinctive, but closely inter-related, programs: Training Centers, Train-the-Trainers, and Global Guidelines, in which Latin America is deeply involved. PMID:21633594

  5. The Administration of Educational Development in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olivera, Carlos E.

    Based on the realization that 20 years of educational development efforts in Latin America have had little result, this author identified problems in educational administration at the national and regional levels that are largely responsible for the lack of progress. A number of structural and legal problems were identified, including the…

  6. Teams explore water supplies in Latin America: Interest raised in isotope techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonfiantini, R.

    1984-01-01

    Latin American countries are particularly interested in applying isotope techniques in hydrology and other fields of earth sciences. Ten research contracts already have been awarded under the IAEA's Co-ordinated Research Programme on the Application of Isotope Techniques in Hydrology in the Latin American Region. In July 1984, IAEA and UNESCO sponsored a regional seminar for Latin America on the use of isotope techniques in water resources management in Buenos Aires

  7. Financial gradualism and banking crises in North Africa region: an investigation by a panel logit model

    OpenAIRE

    KHATTAB, Ahmed; IHADIYAN, Abid

    2017-01-01

    Abstract. In order to overcome the troubles of the crisis in the seventies, North African countries have adopted financial liberalization policies to enhance their economic growth. Moreover, these policies have affected the stability of their banking systems. The purpose of this study is to test the impact of financial liberalization on the probability of appearance of banking crises which covers a sample of four countries of the North Africa region during the period 1970-2003 by using a pane...

  8. Epidemic cholera in Latin America: spread and routes of transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthmann, J P

    1995-12-01

    In the most recent epidemic of cholera in Latin America, nearly a million cases were reported and almost 9000 people died between January 1991 and December 1993. The epidemic spread rapidly from country to country, affecting in three years all the countries of Latin America except Uruguay and the Caribbean. Case-control studies carried out in Peru showed a significant association between drinking water and risk of disease. Cholera was associated with the consumption of unwashed fruit and vegetables, with eating food from street vendors and with contaminated crabmeat transported in travellers' luggage. This article documents the spread of the epidemic and its routes of transmission and discusses whether the introduction of the epidemic to Peru and its subsequent spread throughout the continent could have been prevented.

  9. US-LA CRN Clinical Cancer Research in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    The United States – Latin America Cancer Research Network (US-LA CRN) convened its Annual Meeting, in coordination with the Ministry of Health of Chile to discuss the Network’s first multilateral clinical research study: Molecular Profiling of Breast Cancer (MPBC).

  10. The current status of ethnobiological research in Latin America: gaps and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino; Silva, Josivan Soares; Campos, Juliana Loureiro Almeida; Sousa, Rosemary Silva; Silva, Taline Cristina; Alves, Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega

    2013-10-16

    Recent reviews have demonstrated an increase in the number of papers on ethnobiology in Latin America. Among factors that have influenced this increase are the biological and cultural diversity of these countries and the general scientific situation in some countries. This study aims to assess the panorama of ethnobiological research in Latin America by analyzing its evolution, trends, and future prospects. To conduct this study, we searched for papers in the Scopus (http://www.scopus.com) and Web of Science (http://www.isiknowledge.com) databases. The search was performed using combinations of keywords and the name of each Latin American country. The following countries were included in this study: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Uruguay. According to our inclusion criteria, 679 ethnobiological studies conducted in Latin America were found for the period between 1963 and 2012. Of these studies, 289 (41%) were conducted in Brazil, 153 in Mexico (22%), 61 in Peru (9%), 58 in Argentina (8%), 45 in Bolivia (6%), and 97 (14%) in other Latin American countries. The increased number of publications related to this area of knowledge in recent years demonstrates the remarkable growth of ethnobiology as a science. Ethnobiological research may be stimulated by an increase in the number of scientific events and journals for study dissemination and by the creation of undergraduate courses and graduate programs to train ethnoscientists who will produce high-quality studies, especially in certain countries.

  11. INDIGENOUS AND RIGHTS UNDER THE COMPANIES MULTIETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL LATIN AMERICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paloma Bonfil-Sánchez

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This article is a general reflection on the discussion of the specific rights of indigenous women in different countries of Latin America. The analysis puts into context the need to understand that the struggle for recognition and legitimacy of the rights of indigenous women is part of the demands of their peoples and the progress made in legislation and regulatory frameworks in Latin America, not is still sufficient to reduce the gap of implementation at local level and on behalf of indigenous women. Finally, the text refers to the processes of development and rights-driven demand for indigenous women's organizations in the countries of the region.

  12. WOMEN LEADERSHIP AND GLOBAL POWER: EVIDENCE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA

    OpenAIRE

    Arup K.Sen; Jessica E. Metzger

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines leadership theories along with the advancement of women within the United States as well as in Latin America. Data from an exploratory survey of 19 women executives in Latin America and 19 women executives in the United States suggest that globalization has transformed the way in which organizations perceive and carry out leadership today. Globalization has paved the way for a new type of leadership style that is more collaborative and less hierarchal, in which relationshi...

  13. Professionalization of the editorial work of journals in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Editores Biblios

    2013-01-01

    Interview with Ana María Cetto and José Octavio Alonso Gamboa, Latindex coordinators: Regional Cooperative Online Information System for Scholarly Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal.

  14. Poverty and inequality in Latin America: From growth to conditional transfers of income

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Ignacio Antón Pérez

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available This article focuses on the scale, interpretation and policies of the fight against inequality and poverty in Latin America. To this end, the article presents, firstly, the continent’s situation with respect to inequality and poverty, as well as its evolution over the past decades. Secondly, the authors examine the changing interpretation that has been made – through the economy and economic policy – of the importance of inequality and poverty in development processes. The article then offers a review of this debate, providing information on the link between economic growth and poverty in Latin America, given the fact that independently of this link, many policies exist aimed at combating poverty, whether to reduce its intensity or its effects. Finally, and prior to the conclusions, the authors present an overview of this kind of policies in Latin America, focusing particularly on the ones that have proven most effective.

  15. Where does human plague still persist in Latin America?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Cristina Schneider

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Plague is an epidemic-prone disease with a potential impact on public health, international trade, and tourism. It may emerge and re-emerge after decades of epidemiological silence. Today, in Latin America, human cases and foci are present in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.The objective of this study is to identify where cases of human plague still persist in Latin America and map areas that may be at risk for emergence or re-emergence. This analysis will provide evidence-based information for countries to prioritize areas for intervention.Evidence of the presence of plague was demonstrated using existing official information from WHO, PAHO, and Ministries of Health. A geo-referenced database was created to map the historical presence of plague by country between the first registered case in 1899 and 2012. Areas where plague still persists were mapped at the second level of the political/administrative divisions (counties. Selected demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental variables were described.Plague was found to be present for one or more years in 14 out of 25 countries in Latin America (1899-2012. Foci persisted in six countries, two of which have no report of current cases. There is evidence that human cases of plague still persist in 18 counties. Demographic and poverty patterns were observed in 11/18 counties. Four types of biomes are most commonly found. 12/18 have an average altitude higher than 1,300 meters above sea level.Even though human plague cases are very localized, the risk is present, and unexpected outbreaks could occur. Countries need to make the final push to eliminate plague as a public health problem for the Americas. A further disaggregated risk evaluation is recommended, including identification of foci and possible interactions among areas where plague could emerge or re-emerge. A closer geographical approach and environmental characterization are suggested.

  16. Where does human plague still persist in Latin America?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Maria Cristina; Najera, Patricia; Aldighieri, Sylvain; Galan, Deise I; Bertherat, Eric; Ruiz, Alfonso; Dumit, Elsy; Gabastou, Jean Marc; Espinal, Marcos A

    2014-02-01

    Plague is an epidemic-prone disease with a potential impact on public health, international trade, and tourism. It may emerge and re-emerge after decades of epidemiological silence. Today, in Latin America, human cases and foci are present in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. The objective of this study is to identify where cases of human plague still persist in Latin America and map areas that may be at risk for emergence or re-emergence. This analysis will provide evidence-based information for countries to prioritize areas for intervention. Evidence of the presence of plague was demonstrated using existing official information from WHO, PAHO, and Ministries of Health. A geo-referenced database was created to map the historical presence of plague by country between the first registered case in 1899 and 2012. Areas where plague still persists were mapped at the second level of the political/administrative divisions (counties). Selected demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental variables were described. Plague was found to be present for one or more years in 14 out of 25 countries in Latin America (1899-2012). Foci persisted in six countries, two of which have no report of current cases. There is evidence that human cases of plague still persist in 18 counties. Demographic and poverty patterns were observed in 11/18 counties. Four types of biomes are most commonly found. 12/18 have an average altitude higher than 1,300 meters above sea level. Even though human plague cases are very localized, the risk is present, and unexpected outbreaks could occur. Countries need to make the final push to eliminate plague as a public health problem for the Americas. A further disaggregated risk evaluation is recommended, including identification of foci and possible interactions among areas where plague could emerge or re-emerge. A closer geographical approach and environmental characterization are suggested.

  17. Victims of femicide in Latin America: Legal and criminal justice responses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Janice

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite the progress that women have made in the fight against gender-based violence, it is still prevalent in various countries in the world. For many women in Latin American countries femicide is a constant reality. This paper critically analyzes femicide in Latin American countries and the legal and criminal responses to this crime. The paper defines femicide and discusses the nature and extent of femicide in Latin America. The analysis of this phenomenon in Latin American countries indicates that although some of these countries have made important strides in addressing the problem, they still face challenges in adequately preventing this crime.

  18. Assessing Financial Vulnerability in Emerging Economies: A Summary of Empirical Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morris Goldstein

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to identify key empirical regularities in the run-up to banking and currency crises that would enable officials and private market participants to recognize vulnerability to financial crises at an earlier stage. This, in turn, should make it easier to motivate the corrective policy actions that would prevent such crises from actually taking place. Interest in identifying early warning indicators of financial crises has soared of late, stoked primarily by two factors. First, there is increasing recognition that banking and currency crises can be extremely costly to the countries in which they originate; in addition, these crises often spillover via a variety of channels to increase the vulnerability of other countries to financial crisis. The second reason for the increased interest in early warning indicators of financial crises is that there is accumulating evidence that two of the most closely watched market indicators of default and currency risks-namely, interest rate spreads and changes in credit ratings- frequently do not provide much advance warning of currency and banking crises. The other reason why market prices may not signal impending crises is that there are often widely and strongly-held expectations of a bail-out of a troubled borrower by the official sector ?be it national or international. Dooley has stressed this point in several papers. If interest rate spreads and sovereign credit ratings only give advance warning of financial crises once in a while, increased interest attaches to the question of whether there are other early-warning indicators that would do a better job, and if so, what are they? This is one of the key questions we address in this paper.

  19. Urban sprawl and fragmentation in Latin America: a dynamic quantification and characterization of spatial patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inostroza, Luis; Baur, Rolf; Csaplovics, Elmar

    2013-01-30

    South America is one of the most urbanized continents in the world, where almost 84% of the total population lives in cities, more urbanized than North America (82%) and Europe (73%). Spatial dynamics, their structure, main features, land consumption rates, spatial arrangement, fragmentation degrees and comparability, remain mostly unknown for most Latin American cities. Using satellite imagery the main parameters of sprawl are quantified for 10 Latin American cities over a period of 20 years by monitoring growth patterns and identifying spatial metrics to characterize urban development and sprawling features measured with GIS tools. This quantification contributes to a better understanding of urban form in Latin America. A pervasive spatial expansion has been observed, where most of the studied cities are expanding at fast rates with falling densities trend. Although important differences in the rates of land consumption and densities exist, there is an underlying fragmentation trend towards increasing sprawl. These trends of spatial discontinuity may eventually be intensified by further economic development. Urban Sprawl/Latin America/GIS metrics/spatial development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Partial delegation in a model of currency crisis

    OpenAIRE

    Boinet, V

    2002-01-01

    Stressing the inßuence of expected devaluation on currency crises, this paper shows that, in a Þxed exchange-rate system with an escape clause, partial delegation of exchange-rate policy to an inßation-averse central banker reduces the probability of crisis.

  1. Review of Maritime Health research gab in latin America

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Olaf Chresten

    for research in this part of the world. Materials and Methods PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online, Pan American Journal of Public Health, Medicina Maritima and other relevant journals in Latin America in the Spanish and English languages were searched. Results 57 peer......-reviewed articles on fishermen´s health and safety and none for the seafarers were included. Brazil counted for the main part n =39, while each of the other countries had 0-4 studies. The study objectives include occupational injuries, divers disease, skin diseases, hearing loss and other issues. The cross......Background So far the maritime health and safety research for seafarers and fishermen mainly comes from the industrial developed countries with sparse contributions from the developing countries. The aim was to give an overview of the peer reviewed research in Latin America to point out the needs...

  2. Asthma: epidemiology of disease control in Latin America - short review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solé, Dirceu; Aranda, Carolina Sanchez; Wandalsen, Gustavo Falbo

    2017-01-01

    Asthma is reported as one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood, impairing the quality of life of patients and their families and incurring high costs to the healthcare system and society. Despite the development of new drugs and the availability of international treatment guidelines, asthma is still poorly controlled, especially in Latin America. Original and review articles on asthma control or epidemiology with high levels of evidence have been selected for analysis among those published in PubMed referenced journals during the last 20 years, using the following keywords: "asthma control" combined with "Latin America", " epidemiology", "prevalence", "burden", "mortality", "treatment and unmet needs", "children", "adolescents", and "infants". There was a high prevalence and severity of asthma during the period analyzed, especially in children and adolescents. Wheezing in infants was a significant reason for seeking medical care in Latin American health centers. Moreover, the frequent use of quick-relief bronchodilators and oral corticosteroids by these patients indicates the lack of a policy for providing better care for asthmatic patients, as well as poor asthma control. Among adults, studies document poor treatment and control of the disease, as revealed by low adherence to routine anti-inflammatory medications and high rates of emergency care visits and hospitalization. In conclusion, although rare, studies on asthma control in Latin America repeatedly show that patients are inadequately controlled and frequently overestimate their degree of asthma control according to the criteria used by international asthma treatment guidelines. Additional education for doctors and patients is essential for adequate control of this illness, and therefore also for reduction of the individual and social burden of asthma.

  3. US of tissue banking and transplantation in North America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strong, M.; Moogk, M.

    1999-01-01

    Tissue banking in North America began as surgical bone banking in individual hospitals and progressed to recovery of cadaveric tissues, initially by the United States Navy Tissue Bank and more recently to regional tissue banks throughout North America. The American Association of Tissue Banks was established in 1976 to develop standards for tissue banking and the eventual inspection and accreditation of tissue banks. The gathering of statistics of tissue banking practices was first undertaken in 1992, from accredited tissue banks. The most recent statistics were compiled in 1997 and will be reported at this conference.There are currently 63 accredited tissue banks in North America, 60 in the United States and three in Canada. Overall, tissue donation has increased by 48% during this 5 year reporting time. During the same period, the number of living surgical bone donors has decreased from nearly 3,000 to less than 500. This impact is largely due to the new regulations that have been implemented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There were over 340,000 bone grafts distributed in 1996, an increase of 20% over 1992, 33% were not sterilized, 21% were sterilized using irradiation, and 45% were demineralized. Only 1% were processed using ethylene oxide as a sterilant, a decrease from 15% in 1992. The primary mode of preservation and storage is freeze-drying with 90% of the tissues falling into this category and the rest being frozen. The second largest number of grafts distributed were skin grafts. Total tissue grafts distributed including cornea was 445,417. In January 1998, the FDA Final Rule regarding regulation of tissue banking became effective. The elements of that Final Rule and new tissue banking rules the FDA has proposed will be discussed along with regulations recently published by the Health and Human Services Department relative to organ and tissue donor referrals. Tissue Banking in North America continues to evolve and has become more and more

  4. The role of currency swaps in the domestic banking system and the functioning of the swap market during the crisis

    OpenAIRE

    Páles, Judit; Kuti, Zsolt; Csávás, Csaba

    2011-01-01

    The basic purpose of this study is to didactically demonstrate the factors shaping the currency swap stock of domestic banks prior to the crisis and to provide a descriptive analysis of how the structure and the functioning of the market changed during the crisis. The main conclusions of the study are as follows. In addition to the wide ranging applicability of the transaction, the rise in the currency swap stock of domestic credit institutions is also attributable to macroeconomic factors. T...

  5. Prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carrion JZ

    2011-12-01

    has decreased in Latin America.Keywords: retinopathy of prematurity, prevalence, incidence, Latin America

  6. Competitive Grants for Digital Innovation in Latin America and the ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Competitive Grants for Digital Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean - Phase II ... and funded 26 research projects developed by institutions in 13 countries. ... information and communication technologies (ICTs), and help formulate the ...

  7. Professionalization of the editorial work of journals in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Editores Biblios

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Interview with Ana María Cetto and José Octavio Alonso Gamboa, Latindex coordinators: Regional Cooperative Online Information System for Scholarly Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal.

  8. THE EUROPEAN BANKING UNION AND ROMANIA. THE IMPACT OF THE NEW EUROPEANLEGAL FRAME ON THE ROMANIAN FINANCIAL AND BANKING SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan-Adrian Cărămidariu

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The paper studies from a legal and economical perspective the European Banking Union, the latest set of measures adopted by the European Union in order to assure the stability of Europe’s financial and banking system and to prevent future crises. At the same time, the paper analyzes the influence this new institutional and legal mechanism could have on the Romanian financial and banking system, if our country is to take part in the European Banking Union. The paper will discuss the four European legal texts, namely the EU Regulation No 575/2013 and the three directives concerning the capital requirements for the banking system, the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and the deposit guarantee schemes, which, together, set up the European Banking Union’s legal frame. Further, the paper will study the implementation and the transposition of these European provisions into national law. The study’s conclusions will take into consideration the advantages and disadvantages connected to Romania’s participation to the European Banking Union, by showing that, in the context of the introduction of the single currency, the participation to the Banking Union is a necessary exercise.

  9. New Regionalisms and Radical Identity Formation in Latin America: Towards an “Alter-global” Paradigm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Efe Can Gürcan

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The post-Cold War period has witnessed the simultaneous emergence of a new trend of regionalism and a radicalized form of identity politics in Latin America, in parallel with the rise of numerous new left governments and alter-globalist social movements confronting neo-liberalism. In fact, the globalization of this continental struggle through a new trend of regionalism is a process which illustrates the fact that in today’s world, national, regional and global identities are complexly entwined beyond “wellestablished” dichotomies such as nationalism-cosmopolitanism. This paper suggests that regionalism could be an efficient tool to promote the formation of new collective identities at the global level by linking social struggles at the national level to the global resistance movement against neo-liberalism, as observed in the current Latin American experience of new regionalism. The first part of the paper would attempt to explain the actual significance of regionalism and the challenge of “identity formations” under globalization, and would develop an alternative theoretical approach based on Mittelman’s underrated concept of “transformative regionalism” (2004, besides elaborating the basic premises of the New Regionalism School. In turn, the second part would discuss the transformative potential of the new Latin American regionalisms through the involvement of social movements, mostly based on the experience of ALBA, but not without mentioning also the experience of TELESUR, UNASUR and Bank of the South. Finally, the concluding parts would deal with alternative policy recommendations and the emerging research agenda of new regionalism in Latin America, with a special focus on the case of the rising food sovereignty (globalization of peasant identities and counter-hegemonic mass education movements (the “HEFA regime” within the context of “radical identity formation”. Thereby, the paper attempts to explain how local

  10. Information Networks and Social Inclusion in Latin America | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Rapid changes in information networks throughout Latin America may provide new opportunities to address inequalities in the region. ... government and open education, with specific attention paid to women and youth in urban settings; ... optimizes household expenditures : a case study from rural communities in Mexico.

  11. The feminization of agriculture? Economic restructuring in rural Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Deere, Carmen Diana

    2005-01-01

    Les ménages ruraux ne cessent de diversifier leurs stratégies de création de revenus. Cette diversification, l’augmentation du nombre des membres du ménage cherchant un emploi hors de l’exploitation familiale et des femmes rurales travaillant à leur compte ou comme salariées dans l’agriculture et d’autres secteurs sont parmi les principales tendances associées à la crise économique, à la restructuration néolibérale et à la montée des taux de pauvreté dans les zones rurales d’Amérique latine. ...

  12. Unemployment Gap in the Currency Board Regime

    OpenAIRE

    Novak Kondić; Borivoje D. Krušković

    2013-01-01

    A currency board combines three elements: a fixed exchange rate between a country’s currency and an “anchor currency,” automatic convertibility, and a long-term commitment to the system, often made explicit in the central bank law. The main reason for countries to consider a currency board is to demonstrate that they are pursuing an anti-inflationary policy. The mechanism works through changes in the money supply, which lead to interest rate changes, which, in turn, encourage funds to move be...

  13. Strengthening vaccination policies in Latin America: an evidence-based approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapia-Conyer, Roberto; Betancourt-Cravioto, Miguel; Saucedo-Martínez, Rodrigo; Motta-Murguía, Lourdes; Gallardo-Rincón, Héctor

    2013-08-20

    Despite many successes in the region, Latin American vaccination policies have significant shortcomings, and further work is needed to maintain progress and prepare for the introduction of newly available vaccines. In order to address the challenges facing Latin America, the Commission for the Future of Vaccines in Latin America (COFVAL) has made recommendations for strengthening evidence-based policy-making and reducing regional inequalities in immunisation. We have conducted a comprehensive literature review to assess the feasibility of these recommendations. Standardisation of performance indicators for disease burden, vaccine coverage, epidemiological surveillance and national health resourcing can ensure comparability of the data used to assess vaccination programmes, allowing deeper analysis of how best to provide services. Regional vaccination reference schemes, as used in Europe, can be used to develop best practice models for vaccine introduction and scheduling. Successful models exist for the continuous training of vaccination providers and decision-makers, with a new Latin American diploma aiming to contribute to the successful implementation of vaccination programmes. Permanent, independent vaccine advisory committees, based on the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), could facilitate the uptake of new vaccines and support evidence-based decision-making in the administration of national immunisation programmes. Innovative financing mechanisms for the purchase of new vaccines, such as advance market commitments and cost front-loading, have shown potential for improving vaccine coverage. A common regulatory framework for vaccine approval is needed to accelerate delivery and pool human, technological and scientific resources in the region. Finally, public-private partnerships between industry, government, academia and non-profit sectors could provide new investment to stimulate vaccine development in the region, reducing prices in the

  14. Food sovereignty: an alternative paradigm for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation in Latin America [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/23s

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Jahi Chappell

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Strong feedback between global biodiversity loss and persistent, extreme rural poverty are major challenges in the face of concurrent food, energy, and environmental crises. This paper examines the role of industrial agricultural intensification and market integration as exogenous socio-ecological drivers of biodiversity loss and poverty traps in Latin America. We then analyze the potential of a food sovereignty framework, based on protecting the viability of a diverse agroecological matrix while supporting rural livelihoods and global food production. We review several successful examples of this approach, including ecological land reform in Brazil, agroforestry, milpa, and the uses of wild varieties in smallholder systems in Mexico and Central America. We highlight emergent research directions that will be necessary to assess the potential of the food sovereignty model to promote both biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.

  15. Osteoporosis in Latin America: panel expert review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Clark

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background. The Latin American region is undergoing a demographic and epidemiological transition, which is leading to an increase in chronic and degenerative diseases. Osteoporosis (OP and fragility fractures (FF are emerging as main causes of disease burden with great impact on health institutions. Purpose. This review article provides an updated overview of trends in the epidemiology and economic impact of OP and FF, as well as in diagnosis and available treatments in Latin America, including calcium, vitamin D and prevention programs. Methods. Expert panel. Conclusions. According to this review, there is a lack of epidemiological and economic information in the region. It is desirable to obtain information regarding quality of life in OP and FF as well as to highlight prevention as a tool to reduce FF.

  16. Rural territorial dynamics in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Chiriboga

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This article draws from the preliminary findings of an ongoing appliedresearch program on rural territorial dynamics carried out by the Latin American Center for Rural Development (RIMISP. The article provides some initial findings on 4 territories, of the 11 territories that are part of the overall study. The case studies include the island of Chiloé in southern Chile, the province of Tungurahua in Ecuador, a dairy farm region of Santo Tomás Nicaragua and Cuatro Lagunas near Cuzco Perú. Rural areas in Latin America are characterized by their dual nature with agro-exporting enclaves linked to global value chains alongside impoverished peasant economies, leading to differentiated policy recommendations. The research attempts to find relationships between reduced poverty and inequality in winning regions, measured by three variables, with issues of access to resources, human capital, political empowerment, markets and institutions, with particular attention to innovative social coalitions.

  17. Medical genetic services in Latin America: report of a meeting of experts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Penchaszadeh Víctor B

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available During the Ninth International Congress of Human Genetics which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 16 to 18 August 1996, a group of experts under the coordination of the authors discussed at length the state of medical genetics in Latin America. The facts and ideas presented at the meeting, which was sponsored by the Human Genetics Program of the World Health Organization (WHO and the Maternal and Child Health Program of the Pan American Health Organization, are examined in this document under three broad headings. The first verses on the history and current status of medical genetics in selected Latin American countries. This is followed by a discussion of the general features of medical genetics in the Region and by a final section of recommendations for promoting medical genetics in Latin America.

  18. Juvenile Violence, Policing and Access to Justice in Latin America ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Juvenile Violence, Policing and Access to Justice in Latin America ... Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, this project will examine youth crime, relations with the police ... Call for new OWSD Fellowships for Early Career Women Scientists now open.

  19. News Media Consumption and Political Behavior in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Salzman

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available News media are an important factor in any democratic society. Research focused on developed democracies has paved the way for analysis in the context of less well-developed democracies. The project endeavors to continue that investigation into whether and how news media consumption affects democratic behavior among individuals in a region comprised of developing democracies: Latin America. Employing rich survey data available from the 2008 Latin American Public Opinion Project, traditional analyses are used to test one of the most basic questions for political communication researchers: Does news media consumption motivate or depress political participation? The results indicate that, on average, news media mobilize political participation, albeit to different degrees per medium and participation type. This seems to happen because those media socialize Latin Americans to value political participation.

  20. The Problems of Integration and Security in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Tereza Gutierres del Sid

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the problems of Latin America, associated with the geopolitical changes after the collapse of the bipolar system and change the balance of power in favor of the United States. G-20, which involved three countries in the region, did not led to radical changes in the reform of global governance. The development of integration processes and regional coordination has undergone a major transformation. Regional coordination in matters of the defense and security within the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR is expanding, it focuses on the revision of defense projects. Variety regionalization processes (MERCOSUR, ALBA, ACH, SELAC, new trade unions (Alliance Pacific, Trans-Pacific Partnership, the idea of a transatlantic partnership, the change in the US strategy in the region lead to the fragmentation of Latin America. Countries in the region are faced with the choice of an effective strategy of development in terms of new centers of power (China, Russia, primarily in the Asia Pacific

  1. Poverty and Malnutrition in Latin America. Early Childhood Intervention Programs: A Report to the Ford Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollitt, Ernesto; And Others

    This book presents a comprehensive review of empirical research on early childhood education and human development in Latin America. Commissioned in 1976 by the Office of Latin America and the Caribbean, part of the International Division of the Ford Foundation, New York, the study was two-faceted. First, researchers were instructed to review…

  2. Student Workload and Degree Profiles: the experience of CLAR credit in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Alarcón

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available There is growing consensus in Latin America on the necessity to reorganize the degree profiles in a competence-based and student-centred system, with identified learning outcomes, innovative learning and teaching strategies, and new methodologies for assessing competences which could be useful for students. There is also agreement on the need to build up a solid Latin America Higher Education Area —based on common benchmarks—among which a shared regional academic credit system is highly relevant. Not all Latin American higher education institutions are familiar with an academic credit system. In the countries where academic credits do exist they are generally based on traditional views which focus on teaching and transmission, rest on different concepts and definitions and consider diverse scopes for their application. With few exceptions, these countries do not use a credit system as a unit of measure of student workload to achieve learning outcomes and competences. This paper sheds light on a proposal for a common academic credit system for Latin America (CLAR which comes out of one of the many nuances of Tuning discussion and is referred to the expected outcome 6: “Political-and educational orientations for the establishment of a system of academic credits for Latin America” (Proyecto Alfa Tuning América Latina: Innovación Educativa y Social, 2011-2013. The new credit system that this paper advocates for Latin America is based on the principle that 60 credits measure the workload of a full-time student during one academic year. As such, a CLAR credit is conceived as a unit of value that estimates the student workload, measured in hours, which he/she typically requires to achieve learning outcomes and pass a course or a semester. In order to calculate the value of CLAR credit two elements are considered: the duration of the academic year and the annual student workload. To estimate the annual student workload, a specific survey was

  3. INTEREST RATES AND CURRENCIES EFFECTS ON ISLAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL BONDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghazali Syamni

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Bond markets have not been well developed in emerging countries. Realizing its important role, especially after the 1997 crises and the islamic economics development, emerging countries have started to develop such markets. This research examines the effect of interest rates and currencies on Islamic and conventional bonds in Bursa Malaysia. The analysis on Islamic bonds shows that interest rates and currencies do not influence Islamic bonds, which supports the prohibition of interest in Islam. The analysis on conventional bonds finds evidence that both interest rates and currencies affect conventional bond. It also finds evidence of a negative association between interest rates and a conventional bond. Keywords: Interest rate, currency, conventional bond, Islamic bond JEL classification numbers: G11, G12, G15

  4. Policy Measures to Alleviate Foreign Currency Liquidity Shortages under Aggregate Risk with Moral Hazard

    OpenAIRE

    Hiroshi Fujiki

    2010-01-01

    During the recent global financial crisis, some central banks introduced two innovative cross-border operations to deal with the problems of foreign currency liquidity shortages: domestic liquidity operations using cross-border collaterals and operations for supplying foreign currency based on standing swap lines among central banks. We show theoretically that central banks improve the efficiency of equilibrium under foreign currency liquidity shortages by those two innovative temporary polic...

  5. Online continuing interprofessional education on hospital-acquired infections for Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina-Presentado, Julio C; Margolis, Alvaro; Teixeira, Lucia; Lorier, Leticia; Gales, Ana C; Pérez-Sartori, Graciela; Oliveira, Maura S; Seija, Verónica; Paciel, Daniela; Vignoli, Rafael; Guerra, Silvia; Albornoz, Henry; Arteta, Zaida; Lopez-Arredondo, Antonio; García, Sofía

    Latin America is a large and diverse region, comprising more than 600 million inhabitants and one million physicians in over 20 countries. Resistance to antibacterial drugs is particularly important in the region. This paper describes the design, implementation and results of an international bi-lingual (Spanish and Portuguese) online continuing interprofessional interactive educational program on hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance for Latin America, supported by the American Society for Microbiology. Participation, satisfaction and knowledge gain (through pre and post tests) were used. Moreover, commitment to change statements were requested from participants at the end of the course and three months later. There were 1169 participants from 19 Latin American countries who registered: 57% were physicians and 43% were other health care professionals. Of those, 1126 participated in the course, 46% received a certificate of completion and 54% a certificate of participation. There was a significant increase in knowledge between before and after the course. Of 535 participants who took both tests, the grade increased from 59 to 81%. Commitments to change were aligned with course objectives. Implementation of this educational program showed the feasibility of a continent-wide interprofessional massive course on hospital acquired-infections in Latin America, in the two main languages spoken in the region. Next steps included a new edition of this course and a "New Challenges" course on hospital-acquired infections, which were successfully implemented in the second semester of 2015 by the same institutions. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  6. The molecular epidemiology of cholera in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wachsmuth, I K; Evins, G M; Fields, P I; Olsvik, O; Popovic, T; Bopp, C A; Wells, J G; Carrillo, C; Blake, P A

    1993-03-01

    To explain the sudden appearance and rapid spread of cholera in Latin America in January 1991, molecular techniques were used to define Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from around the world. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of rRNA and ctxA genes, DNA sequence of cholera toxin B subunit gene ctxB, and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis data were used to characterize 197 isolates. Worldwide, there are at least four distinct toxigenic El Tor V. cholerae O1 clones: the seventh pandemic (Eastern Hemisphere), US Gulf Coast, Australian, and Latin American. Nontoxigenic V. cholerae O1 previously isolated in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru are unlike current toxigenic isolates. The Latin American clone probably represents an extension of the seventh pandemic into the Western Hemisphere, while the US Gulf Coast clone most likely evolved separately. These data will be useful in monitoring the spread of cholera, determining the origin of outbreaks in both hemispheres, and implicating specific vehicles of transmission.

  7. Evolución e impacto de la regulación bancaria internacional hasta Basilea III: el caso de América Latina = Evolution and impact of international banking regulation until Basel III: The case of Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Gutiérrez López

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available La crisis financiera ha cuestionado la efectividad de los Acuerdos de Basilea como herramienta de regulación y supervisión bancaria a nivel internacional, especialmente por la coincidencia temporal de Basilea II y los problemas del sector bancario. En el caso de América Latina, esto se une tanto a las particularidades de su sistema financiero, que ha afrontado reformas muy significativas en los últimos años, como a la forma diferencial en que la crisis financiera se ha manifestado.El artículo revisa las características del esquema de regulación bancaria internacional hasta llegar al nuevo Acuerdo de Basilea III y su previsible adaptación al caso latinoamericano, con especial interés sobre los efectos en la financiación y prociclicidad.The financial crisis has questioned Basel Accords effectiveness as regulatory and supervisory tools in the international banking area, especially because Basel II was firstly applied when banking problems started. In the Latin America case, this happens in a particular financial system, which has suffered significant reforms over the last years, and where the financial crisis has behaved in a different way.The paper analyses the main characteristics of the international banking regulatory framework until current Basel III Accord. It also addresses its foreseeable adaptation to the Latin American context, with special emphasis on funding and pro-cyclicality

  8. Impact of China in Latin America: The inter-industry trade and its challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung Hyong Rhee

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available This article analyses the implications of the rapid economic rise of China for the development prospects of Latin America. Since 1990s we have witnessed the growing exchanges between Latin America and Asian economies. China has led the Latin-Pacific exchanges. Based on an analysis of the changing trade relations between China and major Latin American countries since 2000, it argues as follows. First, China imports energy, food and other resources for domestic and export needs, and looks more like a “trade angel” and a “helping hand” as well as being an outlet for huge amounts of commodities from the region. China’s trade impact on Latin America is positive with higher gdp per capita, both directly, through a boom of export and indirectly, through better terms of trade. But it is also a challenge for development for the future. Second, the trade relations are now structured into a kind of inter-industry trade. China imports natural resources and primary products but exports manufacturing products from low-wage products (such as textiles and apparel to high-wage products (mainly electronics and telecommunications. Lack of inter-industry relation with China shows the weaker side of Latin America’s integrations in the value chain of global production.In this sense, the China boom presents a challenge to Latin American countries. For the region’s raw-materials producers, there is good news in the short-term but they run the risk of losing enthusiasm for diversification beyond extraction-based industries. Economic forces tend to reduce incentives for engaging in activities outside the resource sector: the “Dutch disease.” In order to ameliorate somewhat the effects of Dutch disease and move up the value chain, they need more proactive development strategy which has focused on developing domestic technological capabilities and diversifying the productive structure.

  9. U. S. National Security Implications of Chinese Involvement in Latin America

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ellis, R. E

    2005-01-01

    In this monograph, the author argues that China's pursuit of longterm strategic objectives is leading the country to increase its presence in Latin America, with serious national security implications...

  10. Organizational Issues, Structure, and Processes of Care in 257 ICUs in Latin America: A Study From the Latin America Intensive Care Network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estenssoro, Elisa; Alegría, Leyla; Murias, Gastón; Friedman, Gilberto; Castro, Ricardo; Nin Vaeza, Nicolas; Loudet, Cecilia; Bruhn, Alejandro; Jibaja, Manuel; Ospina-Tascon, Gustavo; Ríos, Fernando; Machado, Flavia R; Biasi Cavalcanti, Alexandre; Dubin, Arnaldo; Hurtado, F Javier; Briva, Arturo; Romero, Carlos; Bugedo, Guillermo; Bakker, Jan; Cecconi, Maurizio; Azevedo, Luciano; Hernandez, Glenn

    2017-08-01

    Latin America bears an important burden of critical care disease, yet the information about it is scarce. Our objective was to describe structure, organization, processes of care, and research activities in Latin-American ICUs. Web-based survey submitted to ICU directors. ICUs located in nine Latin-American countries. Individual ICUs. None. Two hundred fifty-seven of 498 (52%) of submitted surveys responded: 51% from Brazil, 17% Chile, 13% Argentina, 6% Ecuador, 5% Uruguay, 3% Colombia, and 5% between Mexico, Peru, and Paraguay. Seventy-nine percent of participating hospitals had less than 500 beds; most were public (59%) and academic (66%). ICUs were mainly medical-surgical (75%); number of beds was evenly distributed in the entire cohort; 77% had 24/7 intensivists; 46% had a physician-to-patient ratio between 1:4 and 7; and 69% had a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1 ≥ 2.1. The 24/7 presence of other specialists was deficient. Protocols in use averaged 9 ± 3. Brazil (vs the rest) had larger hospitals and ICUs and more quality, surveillance, and prevention committees, but fewer 24/7 intensivists and poorer nurse-to-patient ratio. Although standard monitoring, laboratory, and imaging practices were almost universal, more complex measurements and treatments and portable equipment were scarce after standard working hours, and in public hospitals. Mortality was 17.8%, without differences between countries. This multinational study shows major concerns in the delivery of critical care across Latin America, particularly in human resources. Technology was suboptimal, especially in public hospitals. A 24/7 availability of supporting specialists and of key procedures was inadequate. Mortality was high in comparison to high-income countries.

  11. Avian influenza in Latin America: A systematic review of serological and molecular studies from 2000-2015.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandra Afanador-Villamizar

    Full Text Available Avian influenza or bird flu is a highly contagious acute viral disease that can occur in epidemics and cross-border forms in poultry and wild birds. The characteristics of avian influenza viruses (AIVs allow the emergence of new viral variants, some with zoonotic and pandemic potential. AIVs have been identified in Latin America; however, there is a lack of understanding of these viruses at the regional level. We performed a systematic literature review on serological or molecular evidence of AIVs circulation in Latin America. Methods were designed based on the PRISMA and STROME guidelines. Only peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 to 2015 and data was analysed based on country, viral subtype, avian species, and phylogenetic origins. From 271 studies initially found only twenty-six met our inclusion criteria. Evidence of AIVs infection was found in most Latin American countries, with Mexico as the country with the largest number of conducted studies and reported cases during the period analysed, followed by Chile and Argentina. Most of the AIVs were early reported through surveillance systems and at least 14 different subtypes of influenza viruses were reported in birds, and the presence of both low (92.9% and high (7.1% pathogenic AIVs was shown in Latin America. Of the reported AIVs in Latin America, 43.7% belong to migratory birds, 28.1% to local wild birds, and 28.1% to poultry. The migratory bird population mainly comprises families belonging to the orders Anseriformes and Charadriformes. We highlight the importance of epidemiological surveillance systems and the possible role of different migratory birds in the transmission of AIVs within the Americas. Our findings demonstrate the limited information on AIVs in Latin America and highlight the need of more studies on AIVs at the regional level, particularly those focused on identifying the endemic subtypes in regional wild birds.

  12. [Governance and health: meaning and implications in Latin America].

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodriguez, C.; Lamothe, L.; Barten, F.J.M.H.; Haggerty, J.

    2010-01-01

    The term governance is used more and more often in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to shed light on its meaning, and to study its applicability for the study of recent public health policies in Latin America. After discussing

  13. Natural gas as an integrating element for Latin America - An opportunity for Venezuela?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez Cruz, Diego

    2010-09-15

    Summary This paper offers an analysis of the natural gas situation in Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina, including countries of the Caribbean; analyzes the attitude of potential buyers of this energy source and the possibilities of each country receiving natural gas from Venezuela based on its reserves and production, highlighting the most outstanding projects being undertaken in some of those countries; makes recommendations in the area of energy, with emphasis on natural gas; and, lastly, presents an epilog describing Venezuela's role in an integration process in Latin America.

  14. Thirsty Cities: Urban Environments and Water Supply in Latin America

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Many cities in Latin America and the Caribbean are experiencing a water crisis as sources become exhausted or degraded. Urbanization, deteriorating infrastructures with a lack of funds for repairs, and inadequate polices are conspiring to cause water shortages.

  15. Rights and Justice and the Social Web Movement (Latin America ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Rights and Justice and the Social Web Movement (Latin America) ... mounted to raise public awareness of the importance of privacy as a human right on the Internet. ... conference of McGill's Institute for the Study of International Development.

  16. Sovereignty and regional integration in Latin America: a political conundrum?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Roberto de Almeida

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available There is an inherent contradiction between the regional integration projects in Latin America, albeit rhetorically conducted, and the staunch defense by most countries of their national sovereignty, which restricts and opposes many liberalization mechanisms implicit in, and necessary to, the integration processes, based on the rendition of sovereignty in some areas of economic relevance, including, and especially, trade and industrial policies, as well as other sectorial measures. The dilemma is historically compounded by a juridical tradition that places the retraction into an introverted version of the sovereignty principle into the context of conceptual elaborations well known in the international law, such as Calvo doctrine and the Drago principle. Brazil is one of the most resolute promoters of the national sovereignty principle among Latin American countries, clearly expressed in its constitutional chart and foreign policy stances, since the Second Hague peace conference of 1907. Other Latin American countries, mainly in Central America and the Caribbean, are much more motivated by real concerns over recurrent United States interventionism in the regional, in some cases by military means. This framework has somewhat infringed on integration projects, which is also hindered by economic nationalism and state interventionism.

  17. Assistance Focus: Latin America and the Caribbean Region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2017-05-17

    The Clean Energy Solutions Center, an initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial, helps countries throughout the world create policies and programs that advance the deployment of clean energy technologies. Through the Solutions Center's no-cost Ask an Expert service, a team of international experts has delivered assistance to countries in all regions of the world, including Latin America and the Caribbean.

  18. Geographic thougth in Latin America: A retrospective and general balance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Sergio Urquijo Torres

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we report results of a thorough contemporary historiographic revision of published geographic research and geography research departments and centers in Latin America. The main focus was on the recognition of transnational subjects and global processes and patterns. We argue that this type of retrospective analyses allows the understanding of the what and the what for of Latin America (LAG Geography. First we describe the current situation of LAG as a social science. Second, we explain the nature of LA social processes that, in the 90s, triggered geographic change and subsequent theoretical reflection on this change in LAG and in other related social sciences. To this end, we describe how the major traditions in geographic research have influenced LAG thinking. To conclude, we suggest the major achievements that we think characterize the current situation of LAG.

  19. Afro-Latinos in Latin America and Considerations for U.S. Policy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ribando, Clare M

    2007-01-01

    .... In recent years, people of African descent in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations of Latin America - also known as "Afro-Latinos" have been pushing for increased rights and representation...

  20. Afro-Latinos in Latin America and Considerations for U.S. Policy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Seelke, Clare R

    2008-01-01

    .... In recent years, people of African descent in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations of Latin America - also known as "Afro-Latinos" - have been pushing for increased rights and representation...

  1. Archaeology in Latin America, by Gustavo G. Politis and Benjamin Alberti, editors, 1999, Routledge, London

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David L. Browman

    2001-11-01

    Full Text Available The two editors argue in their preface to the volume that the particular sociopolitical context of Latin America has led to a regionalism not seen in North America or Europe, resulting in a unique variety of archaeology. They particularly conceive "Latin American archaeology" in this case to he only that archaeology done by individuals who are citizens of the countries of the region, and they ex­clude from consideration as being considered "Latin American archaeology" the work of foreign scholars such as North Americans and Europeans who do research in the region.

  2. Impact of Tobacco Tax Increases in Latin America | CRDI - Centre ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Although most evidence on the impact of such taxes is being generated in other regions, several studies in ... an overview that will quantify all the expected effects of cigarette price increases in Latin America. ... Agent(e) responsable du CRDI.

  3. Enhancing stewardship in Latin America and Caribbean small-scale fisheries : challenges and opportunities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gasalla, M.A.; de Castro, F.

    2016-01-01

    This thematic series, entitled “Enhancing Stewardship in Latin America and Caribbean Small-Scale Fisheries”, emerged as part of a joint effort to bridge Latin-American scholars interested in networking on small-scale fisheries in the region. Built on results presented at two meetings (‘Too Big to

  4. The Internet and the Ability to Innovate in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Alejandro Micco; Alberto E. Chong

    2002-01-01

    In this paper we provide an overview of the situation of the Internet in Latin America and argue that, although latecomers, Latin American countries could in principle catch up at a faster pace and a lower cost. But that will depend on the environment for innovation in the countries; in that respect, the adoption of the Internet may prove to be no different than other technological changes. The paper also discusses how the degree of innovativeness in a country helps explain the extent to whic...

  5. Influencing policy through impact evaluation in Latin America and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    And there are growing concerns about the ethics of implementing some types of IE. This paper explores recent IE practice in Latin America and reviews more than 300 impact evaluations in 21 countries. It examines the policy issues covered and methodologies used; the research actors and implementing agencies involved; ...

  6. Does Africa grow slower than Asia and Latin America?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R. Paap (Richard); Ph.H.B.F. Franses (Philip Hans); D.J.C. van Dijk (Dick)

    2003-01-01

    textabstractIn this paper we address the question whether countries on the African continent have lower average growth rates in real GDP per capita than countries in Asia and Latin America. In contrast to previous studies, we do not aggregate the data, nor do we a priori assign countries to

  7. Productivity in services in Latin America and the Caribbean

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arias Ortiz, E.; Crespi, G.A.; Rasteletti, A.; Vargas, F.

    2014-01-01

    This paper studies productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on the service sector. It shows that the low levels of productivity observed in the region are not only a consequence of low productivity at the firm level, but also of misallocation of workers across firms. These

  8. Rural Agroindustry in Latin America: An Evaluation of the PRODAR ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Rural Agroindustry in Latin America: An Evaluation of the PRODAR Network ... by other donors in the region linked up with the IDRC-supported projects to form a network, ... IDRC, Tim Hortons, and Cenicafé joining forces in a new partnership.

  9. Environmental governance in Latin America: towards an integrative research agenda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baud, M.; de Castro, F.; Hogenboom, B.

    2011-01-01

    Latin America plays an important international role with regard to environmental governance. Knowledge generated by empirical and theoretical studies on environmental challenges can support the renewed efforts in the region to achieve equitable and sustainable natural resource use. Although link

  10. Where Does Human Plague Still Persist in Latin America?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Maria Cristina; Najera, Patricia; Aldighieri, Sylvain; Galan, Deise I.; Bertherat, Eric; Ruiz, Alfonso; Dumit, Elsy; Gabastou, Jean Marc; Espinal, Marcos A.

    2014-01-01

    Background Plague is an epidemic-prone disease with a potential impact on public health, international trade, and tourism. It may emerge and re-emerge after decades of epidemiological silence. Today, in Latin America, human cases and foci are present in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. Aims The objective of this study is to identify where cases of human plague still persist in Latin America and map areas that may be at risk for emergence or re-emergence. This analysis will provide evidence-based information for countries to prioritize areas for intervention. Methods Evidence of the presence of plague was demonstrated using existing official information from WHO, PAHO, and Ministries of Health. A geo-referenced database was created to map the historical presence of plague by country between the first registered case in 1899 and 2012. Areas where plague still persists were mapped at the second level of the political/administrative divisions (counties). Selected demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental variables were described. Results Plague was found to be present for one or more years in 14 out of 25 countries in Latin America (1899–2012). Foci persisted in six countries, two of which have no report of current cases. There is evidence that human cases of plague still persist in 18 counties. Demographic and poverty patterns were observed in 11/18 counties. Four types of biomes are most commonly found. 12/18 have an average altitude higher than 1,300 meters above sea level. Discussion Even though human plague cases are very localized, the risk is present, and unexpected outbreaks could occur. Countries need to make the final push to eliminate plague as a public health problem for the Americas. A further disaggregated risk evaluation is recommended, including identification of foci and possible interactions among areas where plague could emerge or re-emerge. A closer geographical approach and environmental characterization are suggested. PMID:24516682

  11. Three Waves of Populism in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Olga V. Varentsova

    2014-01-01

    Contemporary political regimes in Venezuela and Bolivia led by late Hugo Châvez (now by his successor Nicolas Maduro) and Evo Morales are considered by foreign and Russian scholars as part of the third wave of populism. In the 20th century Latin America already witnessed two waves of populism which coincided with significant political transitions, namely a transition from oligarchy to mass politics accompanied by implementation of import substitution industrialization policies, and a transiti...

  12. Paediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation training program in Latin-America: the RIBEPCI experience

    OpenAIRE

    L?pez-Herce, Jes?s; Matamoros, Martha M.; Moya, Luis; Almonte, Enma; Coronel, Diana; Urbano, Javier; Carrillo, ?ngel; del Castillo, Jimena; Menc?a, Santiago; Moral, Ram?n; Ordo?ez, Flora; S?nchez, Carlos; Lagos, Lina; Johnson, Mar?a; Mendoza, Ovidio

    2017-01-01

    Background To describe the design and to present the results of a paediatric and neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training program adapted to Latin-America. Methods A paediatric CPR coordinated training project was set up in several Latin-American countries with the instructional and scientific support of the Spanish Group for Paediatric and Neonatal CPR. The program was divided into four phases: CPR training and preparation of instructors; training for instructors; supervised tea...

  13. Fermilab and Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lederman, Leon M.

    2006-01-01

    As Director of Fermilab, starting in 1979, I began a series of meetings with scientists in Latin America. The motivation was to stir collaboration in the field of high energy particle physics, the central focus of Fermilab. In the next 13 years, these Pan American Symposia stirred much discussion of the use of modern physics, created several groups to do collaborative research at Fermilab, and often centralized facilities and, today, still provides the possibility for much more productive North-South collaboration in research and education. In 1992, I handed these activities over to the AAAS, as President. This would, I hoped, broaden areas of collaboration. Such collaboration is unfortunately very sensitive to political events. In a rational world, it would be the rewards, cultural and economic, of collaboration that would modulate political relations. We are not there yet

  14. The burden of unscheduled health care for asthma in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neffen, H; Gonzalez, S N; Fritscher, C C; Dovali, C; Williams, A E

    2010-01-01

    To determine the level and cost of unscheduled health care resource use in adults and children across all asthma symptom severities in Latin America. The level and cost of health care resource use were analysed for 2074 patients with asthma included in the Asthma Insights and Reality in Latin America (AIRLA) survey from 10 Latin American countries. Health care resource use was multiplied by country-specific unit costs to estimate average per-patient annual costs. Patients were classified as adults (> or = 16 years) or children (asthma symptoms were experienced by 53.1% of patients (50.1% of children and 54.6% of adults). In the year preceding the survey, 57.1% of patients required unscheduled health care resource use and 45.1% reported at least 1 emergency hospital contact. The percentage of patients reporting unscheduled health care resource use was greatest amongst those with severe persistent symptoms (71.9%) but it was also high in those with mild intermittent symptoms (45.7%). An average of 73.2% of annual costs of asthma-related health care for the 10 countries was due to unscheduled health care. Expenditure on unscheduled care was greatest amongst both adults and children with severe persistent asthma symptoms (US $558 and US $769, respectively). Adults and children with mild intermittent symptoms also incurred considerable unscheduled costs (US $204 and US $215, respectively). Poorly controlled asthma imposes a considerable cost burden driven by unscheduled health care resource use in Latin America. Treatments to control asthma and reduce the need for unscheduled health care could reduce this cost in both adults and children.

  15. [The need to develop demographic census systems for Latin America].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, A

    1987-01-01

    The author presents the case for developing new software packages specifically designed to process population census information for Latin America. The focus is on the problems faced by developing countries in handling vast amounts of data in an efficient way. First, the basic methods of census data processing are discussed, then brief descriptions of some of the available software are included. Finally, ways in which data processing programs could be geared toward and utilized for improving the accuracy of Latin American censuses in the 1990s are proposed.

  16. Technical assistance in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oteiza-Quirno, A.

    1976-01-01

    As in the other regions, nuclear technology development in Latin America reflects mainly the degree of technological development already existing in each country. It is quite significant that in nearly all countries in Latin America the medical profession has been the first to show interest in using nuclear techniques. As a result, a country such as Uruguay has become a source of recruitment for technical assistance experts in nuclear medicine to other developing countries, while at the same time it continues to receive assistance for new sophisticated techniques from the IAEA. Part of this assistance, in turn, comes from the neighbouring countries, Argentina and Brazil. For example, an expert from Uruguay is currently assigned under an Agency programme to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, and experts from Argentina and Brazil have been sent to Uruguay. This is an example of 'horizontal' development, meaning mutual assistance between developing countries under programmes supported by the United Nations Agencies, which is now being emphasized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Still in the field of nuclear medicine, another significant model is provided by Bolivia. With assistance from the IAEA, and thanks to the availability of a good professional infrastructure in that country, a net of nuclear medicine services has been started, consisting of a well-developed nuclear medicine centre in La Paz and regional centres in Cochabamba, Sucre and Santa Cruz. Because of its great variations in altitude, Bolivia is in the position of being able to conduct research on the adaptation of man to diverse environmental conditions. The Agency has contributed, and continues to do so, to these programmes by sending experts, providing for training abroad of Bolivian doctors under its fellowship programmes, and providing basic equipment for all four centres. Independently of the cases described above, the IAEA has implemented or is implementing a considerable

  17. Global crisis and the Europe-Latin America migration system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana M. Sassone

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses some of the changes in the connections of the European-Latin American migration system over the past decades. First, we analyse the changing trends and re-routing of the flows between the two ends of the system. Then, we address the complex rearrangements of immigration policies, which in both spaces are again beginning to turn inwards. Lastly, we briefly review the partnerships that are being established between Europe and Latin America via Spain. Within this framework, we wonder whether we are entering a new phase of the globalisation of migration, the dynamic of which is a pendulum with global and regional effects.

  18. Analysis of Linkage Effects among Currency Networks Using REER Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haishu Qiao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We modeled the currency networks through the use of REER (real effective exchange rate instead of a bilateral exchange rate in order to overcome the confusion in selecting base currencies. Based on the MST (minimum spanning tree approach and the rolling-window method, we constructed time-varying and correlation-based networks with which we investigate the linkage effects among different currencies. In particular, and as the source of empirical data, we chose the monthly REER data for a set of 61 major currencies during the period from 1994 to 2014. The study demonstrated that obvious linkage effects existed among currency networks and the euro (EUR was confirmed as the predominant world currency. Additionally, we used the rolling-window method to investigate the stability of linkage effects, doing so by calculating the mean correlations and mean distances as well as the normalized tree length and degrees of those currencies. The results showed that financial crises during the study period had a great effect on the currency network’s topology structure and led to more clustered currency networks. Our results suggested that it is more appropriate to estimate the linkage effects among currency networks through the use of REER data.

  19. From the Age of Revolution to the Empire of identity: Interpreting Modernity in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisandro Gallucci

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The issue of modernity has held a central place in Latin America's history and, for that reason, it has been the object of numerous reflections from a wide variety of disciplines and theoretical perspectives. However, most of these reflections have maintained a canonical definition of modernity, which conceives it as a linear and accumulative rationalization process. This vision has had important implications for Latin American societies. Thus, a critical revision of the very idea of modernity and the ways in which it has been perceived in Latin America could result in new keys for interpreting the historical trajectories of our societies.

  20. Mao's steps in Monroe's backyard: towards a United States-China hegemonic struggle in Latin America?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose León-Manríquez

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Contrary to what could be expected given the United States' historical hegemony of Latin America, growing Chinese influence in this region has not led to a dispute between China and the US. Despite activism of hard-line groups in the United States, both parties have faced the issue with noticeable pragmatism. This attitude could be explained by three variables: the US political negligence towards Latin America in the Post-Cold War, the focus of Sino-Latin American relations on economic rather than geopolitical or ideological affairs, and the scanty relevance of the region in the top priorities of overall Washington-Beijing relations.

  1. Prevalence of Anemia in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mujica-Coopman, María F; Brito, Alex; López de Romaña, Daniel; Ríos-Castillo, Israel; Coris, Héctor; Olivares, Manuel

    2015-06-01

    In Latin America and the Caribbean, anemia has been a public health problem that affects mainly women of childbearing age and children under 6 years of age. However, the current prevalence of anemia in this region is unknown. To examine the latest available prevalence data on anemia in Latin America and the Caribbean. A systematic review was conducted in 2011 and updated in 2014. Studies determining the prevalence of anemia conducted in apparently healthy populations with national or regional representativeness were included in the review. The lowest prevalence rates of anemia among children under 6 years of age were found in Chile (4.0%), Costa Rica (4.0%), Argentina (7.6%), and Mexico (19.9%). In Nicaragua, Brazil, Ecuador, El Panama, and Honduras, anemia was a moderate public health problem, with prevalence ranging Salvador, Cuba, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Peru, from 20.1% to 37.3%. Anemia was a severe public health problem in Guatemala, Haiti, and Bolivia. The prevalence of anemia among women of childbearing age was lowest in Chile (5.1%). In Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Honduras, and Argentina, anemia was a mild public health problem, with prevalence ranging from 7.6% to 18.7%. In Guatemala, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Bolivia, anemia was a moderate public health problem, with prevalence ranging from 21.4% to 38.3%. Panama and Haiti had the highest reported prevalence rates (40.0% and 45.5%, respectively), and anemia was considered a severe public health problem in those countries. Anemia remains a public health problem in children under 6 years of age and women of childbearing age in most Latin America and Caribbean countries for which data are available.

  2. Research capacity for childhood obesity prevention in Latin America: an area for growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parra, Diana C; Vorkoper, Susan; Kohl, Harold W; Caballero, Benjamin; Batis, Carolina; Jauregui, Alejandra; Mason, Jessica; Pratt, Michael

    2017-07-01

    The rise of childhood obesity in Latin America calls for research capacity to understand, monitor and implement strategies, policies and programmes to address it. The objective of the study was to assess current research capacity in Latin America related to childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity. We conducted a search of peer-reviewed articles on childhood obesity in Latin America with at least one Latin American author from 2010 to May 2015. We coded 484 published articles for author affiliation, study subjects' nationality, research topic and study design and extracted a series of networks per research topic, study design and collaborating country for each of the countries. Obesity is the most frequently explored topic. Nutrition and obesity are somewhat better developed compared with physical activity and sedentary behaviour. There are numerous observational and cross-sectional studies, indicating either a lack of capacity required for more complex research or the extent of the problem and associated factors is still unknown. The low number of intervention studies and the near absence of policy articles suggest a void in research capacity. For childhood obesity, there is a clear need to build research capacity that documents the current state of the problem and design evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts. © 2017 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.

  3. Is the Supercourse useful for Latin America?

    OpenAIRE

    Nicolas Padilla-Raygoza; Faina Linkov; Eugene Shubnikov; Ronald E. LaPorte; Rosalina Diaz-Guerrero

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The success of the Supercourse showed that the effort was needed in Latin America. But would a Spanish language version be better for the region? METHODS: Google Analytics was used to determine website usage. A custom evaluation form was created to get user feedback on the usefulness of both the English language and Spanish language Supercouse lectures. RESULTS: Over a year's span from June 2009 to June 2010 there were 257,403 unique visits and 448,939 page views. The overall aver...

  4. High rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases predicted across Latin America.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Webber

    Full Text Available Non-communicable diseases (NCDs such as cardiovascular disease and stroke are a major public health concern across Latin America. A key modifiable risk factor for NCDs is overweight and obesity highlighting the need for policy to reduce prevalence rates and ameliorate rising levels of NCDs. A cross-sectional regression analysis was used to project BMI and related disease trends to 2050. We tested the extent to which interventions that decrease body mass index (BMI have an effect upon the number of incidence cases avoided for each disease. Without intervention obesity trends will continue to rise across much of Latin America. Effective interventions are necessary if rates of obesity and related diseases are to be reduced.

  5. The emergence of new modes of governance of natural resources use and distribution in Latin America and Ecuador

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baud, M.; Ospina Peralta, P.

    2013-01-01

    This report presents a first attempt to look for the historical origins of environmental thinking in Latin America. The two papers attempt to sketch a framework that will allow concrete historical research into the development of environmental thinking in Latin America. They depart from the

  6. Energy situation in Latin America and nuclear power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jinchuk, D.; Deluchi, F.

    2006-01-01

    The stage of economic development and the standard of living of individuals in a given region strongly influence the link between economic growth and energy demand. Advanced economies with high living standards have a relatively high level of energy use per capita. (Fig 1). Some 1.6 billion people one-quarter of the world population have no access to electricity. Four out of five people without electricity live in rural areas of the developing world. Electricity generation in the world is expected to nearly double between 2006 and 2025, from around 14.500 billion KWh to 26.000 billion KWh. The strongest growth in net electricity consumption is projected for the emerging economies of the world, averaging 4.0 percent per year (1). Although the nations of Central and South America are on favourable economic growth paths, the region's growth rate remains well below potential. Energy consumption induced by economic growth shows an increasing tendency in Latin America characterized by rapidly growing primary energy demand. Both residential and industrial electricity consumption had an increasing tendency in Latin America. In the last 15 years the increase was 60% and 74%, respectively. (2) Twelve countries in the region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, comprise 87% of the population and 93% of its installed electricity generating capacity. (2). (Fig 2). Latin America is a region rich in primary energy resources, where hydro-generation, especially in Brazil, has been dominating the power industry over the past decades. However, it is important to highlight the decreasing tendency of the share of hydroelectricity in total generation, which was reduced from 63% in 1990 to 55% in 2003,(2). At the same time, the most dynamically emerging primary energy resource is, at present, natural gas. These increasing tendency imply a growing reliance on non renewable fossil fuel utilization and a rising

  7. Towards a New Developmental State: Challenges for Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Zurbriggen

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The political map of Latin America experienced some significant changes during the first decade of the 21st century. After a long period of political and social hegemony of right-wing coalitions, progressive parties assumed office in many countries. Their programs criticised the neoliberal model and underlined the role of the State in the development process. In that context, the 2008 world economic crisis strengthened the debate on the role of the State, particularly in what regards to its rapport with elites and foreign capital, as well as its capacity to lead a development strategy towards more prosperous and just societies. This article revisits two theoretical paradigms (the Neoliberal State and the Developmental State in the light of new approaches from different disciplinary grounds (Political Science, Economic History, Political Economy of Development. We argue the greatest challenge of a new theory and practice of the State in Latin America is to build broad developmental coalitions that are able to counter the centrifugal interests of local elites and transnational corporations. 

  8. Suicide in Latin America: a growing public health issue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mascayano, Franco; Irrazabal, Matias; D Emilia, Wyatt; Vaner, Sidney Jane; Sapag, Jaime C; Alvarado, Ruben; Yang, Lawrence Hsin; Sinah, Binoy

    2015-01-01

    Suicide has become an international public mental health challenge, resulting in a need for interventions to address it as an individual, family, and community levels. The current scope review assesses trends regarding suicide within Latin America and the Caribbean: risk factors, protective factors, and mediators of suicidal ideation and behavior. Body: Our review is split into three sections, as a way of addressing the complex topic of suicide in an organized, comprehensive manner: (i) epidemiology of suicide in Latin America and Caribbean; (ii) factors associated to suicide ideation and attempts; and (iii) cultural factors as a predictors and mediators of suicide. Further, proper evidence about the association between suicide and cultural dimensions such as Familismo, Machismo/Marianismo, Religion and Acculturation is provided. Upon analyzing trends of and factors associated with suicide, we offer recommendations regarding future studies and intervention programs. We conclude that interventions and research should be based on and in response to cultural values and norms related to suicide within each community, in order to make more culturally-specific programs.

  9. United States-Latin America Cancer Research Network (US-LA CRN)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The US–LA CRN was established in 2009 to increase cancer research capacity in Latin America. NCI formalized bilateral agreements with the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay, to facilitate interactions at the government, institution, and investigator levels.

  10. Introduction: the worst forms of child labour in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lieten, G.K.; Lieten, G.K.

    2011-01-01

    Child labour, despite a broadly accepted understanding that it must be eradicated, and despite the International Conventions, national legislation and various time-bound programmes, lingers on in many parts of the world, including Latin America, which albeit has a much higher GDP than countries in

  11. Constructing America from the Sea: Maritime Archaeology Research, International Cooperation and Best Practices in the Underwater Cultural Heritage of Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rey da Silva, Arturo; Herrera Tovar, Jorge M.

    2017-12-01

    This article introduces this special issue of the Journal of Maritime Archaeology by giving a brief introduction to the current situation of the practice of maritime archaeology in Latin America, as well as reviewing the main challenges that the discipline faces here. An assessment of existing regional cooperation, the presence of maritime archaeology within the international community and its importance to develop new theoretical and methodological perspectives that advance access to knowledge is made. Finally, the article focuses on some of the current work carried out in Latin America.

  12. Biosimilars in psoriasis: Clinical practice and regulatory perspectives in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de la Cruz, Claudia; de Carvalho, André V E; Dorantes, Gladys L; Londoño Garcia, Angela M; Gonzalez, Cesar; Maskin, Matías; Podoswa, Nancy; Redfern, Jan S; Valenzuela, Fernando; van der Walt, Joelle; Romiti, Ricardo

    2017-01-01

    Latin American countries view biosimilar agents as an effective approach to curtail health-care expenditures while maintaining the safety and efficacy profile of their branded innovator comparators. To understand the complexities of the regulatory landscape and key therapeutic issues for use of biosimilars to treat moderate to severe psoriasis in Latin America, the International Psoriasis Council convened dermatology experts from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico in October 2015 to review the definition, approval, marketing and future of biosimilars in each country and develop a consensus statement. The regulatory framework for marketing approval of biosimilars in Latin America is currently a mosaic of disparate, country-specific, regulatory review processes, rules and standards, with considerable heterogeneity in clarity and specificity. Regulations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico have undergone multiple refinements whereas Colombia is finalizing draft guidelines. Verification of the similarity in quality, safety and efficacy of biosimilars to the innovator biologic remains a key challenge for policy makers and regulatory authorities. Other key regulatory challenges include: naming of agents and traceability, pharmacovigilance, extrapolation of indications, and interchangeability and substitution. An urgent need exists for more Latin American countries to establish national psoriasis registries and to integrate their common components into a multinational psoriasis network, thereby enhancing their interpretative power and impact. A Latin American psoriasis network similar to PSONET in Europe would assist health-care providers, pharmaceutical companies, regulators and patients to fully comprehend specific products being prescribed and dispensed and to identify potential regional trends or differences in safety or outcomes. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  13. Burden of allergic rhinitis: allergies in America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific adult surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meltzer, Eli O; Blaiss, Michael S; Naclerio, Robert M; Stoloff, Stuart W; Derebery, M Jennifer; Nelson, Harold S; Boyle, John M; Wingertzahn, Mark A

    2012-01-01

    Allergic rhinitis (AR; also nasal allergies or "hay fever") is a chronic upper airway inflammatory disease that affects ∼60 million adults and children in the United States. The duration and severity of AR symptoms contribute to a substantial burden on patients' quality of life (QoL), sleep, work productivity, and activity. This study was designed to examine symptoms, QoL, productivity, comorbidities, disease management, and pharmacologic treatment of AR in United States and ex-U.S. sufferers. Allergies in America was a comprehensive telephone-based survey of 2500 adults with AR. These data are compared and contrasted with findings from the Pediatric Allergies in America, Allergies in Latin America, and Allergies in Asia-Pacific telephone surveys. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed AR was 14% in U.S. adults, 7% in Latin America adults, and 9% in Asia-Pacific adults. Nasal congestion is the most common and bothersome symptom for adults. Approximately two-thirds of adults rely on medication to relieve intolerable AR symptoms. Incomplete relief, slow onset, <24-hour relief, and reduced efficacy with sustained use were commonly reported with AR medications, including intranasal corticosteroids. One in seven U.S. adults reported achieving little to no relief with AR medications. Bothersome adverse effects of AR medications included drowsiness, a drying feeling, medication dripping down the throat, and bad taste. Perception of inadequate efficacy was the leading cause of medication discontinuation or change and contributed to treatment dissatisfaction. These findings support the assertion that AR burden has been substantially underestimated and identify several important challenges to successful management of AR.

  14. Spent fuel management options for research reactors in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-06-01

    Research reactors (RRs) have been operated in Latin America since the late 1950s, and a total of 23 RRs have been built in the region. At the time of writing (November 2005), 18 RRs are in operation, 4 have been shut down and 1 has been decommissioned. The number of operating RRs in Latin America represents around 6% of the existing operational RRs worldwide and around 21% of the RRs operating in developing countries. Common to all RRs in the region is a consistent record of safe and successful operation. With the purpose of carrying out a collaborative study of different aspects of the management of spent fuel from RRs, some countries from the region proposed to the IAEA in 2000 the organization of a Regional Project. The project (IAEA TC Regional Project RLA/4/018) that was approved for the biennium 2001-2002 and extended for 2003-2004 included the participation of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru. The main objectives of this project were: (a) to define the basic conditions for a regional strategy for managing spent fuel that will provide solutions compatible with the economic and technological realities of the countries involved; and (b) to determine what is needed for the temporary wet and dry storage of spent fuel from the research reactors in the countries of the Latin American region that participated in the project. This TECDOC is based on the results of TC Regional Project RLA/4/018. This project was successful in identifying and assessing a number of viable alternatives for RRSF management in the Latin American region. Options for operational and interim storage, spent fuel conditioning and final disposal have been carefully considered. This report presents the views of Latin American experts on RR spent fuel management and will be useful as reference material for the Latin American RR community, decision making authorities in the region and the public in general

  15. Contribution of Latin America to pharmacovigilance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Juan Camilo; Arango, Victoria E; Einarson, Thomas R

    2006-01-01

    Pharmacovigilance activities have been ongoing for 4 decades. However, little is known (especially outside of the area) about the contribution of Latin America to this field. To review and quantify the published literature on pharmacovigilance in Latin American countries. We searched electronic databases including MEDLINE (1966-2004), EMBASE (1980-2004), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-2004), Toxline (1992-2004), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (1982-2004), Sistema de Información Esencial en Terapéutica y Salud (1980-2004), and the Pan American Health Organization Web site (1970-2004) for articles on pharmacovigilance or adverse drug reactions in any of the 19 major Latin American countries. Papers were retrieved and categorized according to content and country of origin by 2 independent reviewers. There were 195 usable articles from 13 countries. Fifty-one of the papers retrieved dealt with pharmacovigilance centers (15 national centers, 10 hospitals, 26 other), 55 covered pharmacovigilance itself (21 theoretical papers, 9 with description of models, 25 educational papers), and 89 were pharmacoepidemiologic studies of adverse drug reactions (69 case reports, 13 observational cohorts, 2 cohort studies, 1 randomized clinical trial, 4 clinical papers on adverse reaction management). Studies have increased exponentially since 1980. Five countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Venezuela) published reports from national centers. No studies were found from 6 countries: Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, or Uruguay. Most studied categories were antiinfectives and drugs affecting the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and musculoskeletal system. Contributions of Latin American countries to the field of pharmacovigilence have been remarkable, considering the constraints on these countries. A need exists for an increased number of formal pharmacovigilance studies and research

  16. Women and Politics in Latin America: Perspectives and Limits of the Institutional Aspects of Women's Political Representation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Campo, Esther

    2005-01-01

    This article attempts to offer a general panorama of some issues related to political representation of women in Latin America. Specifically, it analyzes the advances made in the representation of women in politics during the 1990s. It offers a descriptive analysis of national cases in Latin America from an institutional focus. In spite of the…

  17. Digitalizing Urban Latin America : A New Layer for Persistent Inequalities?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Müller, F.; Segura, R.

    2016-01-01

    Digitalization refers to a multifaceted process which has experienced a vertiginous expansion on a global scale in the last few decades. This issue of CROLAR aims to explore one these facets: digitalization of urban space in Latin America. Thus, the contributions submitted discuss how the advances

  18. Resilient Cities Initiative on Climate Change in Latin America and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Resilient Cities Initiative on Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean ... and Development Knowledge Network will help strengthen decision-making and ... represent a serious threat for fast-growing small- and medium-sized cities. ... guidance on how to integrate gender practices into climate resilient plans for ...

  19. The Reality and Future of Latin America: An Educational Challenge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, Oscar

    1993-01-01

    Third World countries have lacked the resources to invest in economic and academic development. The source lies in gross inequities between industrialized and developing countries. Globalization of markets has not benefited Latin America. Militarism, corruption, poverty, and social injustice can only be eradicated by incorporating strong…

  20. Oil challenges for Latin America and Africa given the Asian expansion

    OpenAIRE

    Igor Hernández; Diego Guerrero

    2016-01-01

    Lower United States dependency on crude imports has caused shipments from Latin America and Africa to fall. Asia has also made efforts to diversify the sources of its supply to meet its energy demands and thereby reduce exposure to the Middle East. These developments have implications for the projects aiming to increase Latin American and African participation in the Asian market. In this context, this article examines the significance of the expansion of Asian funding linked to the energy se...

  1. Developing nanotechnology in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kay, Luciano; Shapira, Philip

    2009-01-01

    This article investigates the development of nanotechnology in Latin America with a particular focus on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Based on data for nanotechnology research publications and patents and suggesting a framework for analyzing the development of R and D networks, we identify three potential strategies of nanotechnology research collaboration. Then, we seek to identify the balance of emphasis upon each of the three strategies by mapping the current research profile of those four countries. In general, we find that they are implementing policies and programs to develop nanotechnologies but differ in their collaboration strategies, institutional involvement, and level of development. On the other hand, we find that they coincide in having a modest industry participation in research and a low level of commercialization of nanotechnologies.

  2. Currency Wars: Myth and Reality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataliya Bartashuk

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This article considers the term "currency war", its meaning and the present situation in the world economy. It also contains research and analysis of HSBC's operations in different countries in the devaluation race grouping them according to the participation in currency wars. Along with the benefits of the devaluation of its own currency the actual disadvantages that may reveal afterwards have been identified. This article highlights the different versions of events put forward by the experts in the global economy and analysts. The authors mention the possible problems of ordinary citizens in case of their country's aggressive policy to reduce their national currency. The behavior of the Russian ruble was also discussed in detail according to which the recommendations were given to depositors of banks about their future action in the circumstances. Devaluation race in any case cannot be completed safely but it is possible to avoid excessive losses if the countries achieve international agreement by establishing a new currency regime.

  3. Assessing equitable care for indigenous and afrodescendant women in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arachu Castro

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To identify and understand the barriers to equitable care within health care settings that women of ethnic minorities encounter in Latin America and to examine possible strategies for mitigating the issues. METHODS: This was a comprehensive review of the literature from 2000-2015 available from the online databases PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, and SciELO in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, using a keyword search that included the Region and country names. RESULTS: Health provider discrimination against Indigenous and Afrodescendant women is a primary barrier to quality health care access in Latin America. Discrimination is driven by biases against ethnic minority populations, women, and the poor in general. Discriminatory practices can manifest as patient-blaming, purposeful neglect, verbal or physical abuse, disregard for traditional beliefs, and the non-use of Indigenous languages for patient communication. These obstacles prevent delivery of appropriate and timely clinical care, and also produce fear of shame, abuse, or ineffective treatment, which, in addition to financial barriers, deter women from seeking care. CONCLUSIONS: To ensure optimal health outcomes among Indigenous and Afrodescendant women in Latin America, the issue of discrimination in health care settings needs to be understood and addressed as a key driver of inequitable health outcomes. Strategies that target provider behavior alone have limited impact because they do not address women's needs and the context of socioeconomic inequality in which intra-hospital relations are built.

  4. Economic and social development, energy and environment in Latin America and the West Indies - an ovierview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suding, P.H.

    1995-01-01

    After giving a short overview of the economic and social development of Latin America since 1980 the present article deals with the various problems relating to the energy supply of that region, namely economic growth, diversification, inefficiency, and environmental effects. If discusses the relationships that exist in Latin America between energy, environment, and the social situation and endeavours to outline possible approaches towards a socially and environmentally sustainable development. (UA) [de

  5. Should Latin America Fear China? Title: ¿Debe América Latina Temerle a la China?

    OpenAIRE

    Eduardo Lora

    2005-01-01

    This paper compares growth conditions in China and Latin America to assess fears that China will displace Latin America in the coming decades. China's strengths include the size of the economy, macroeconomic stability, abundant low-cost labor, the rapid expansion of physical infrastructure, and the ability to innovate. China's weaknesses, stemming from insufficient separation between market and state, include poor corporate governance, a fragile financial system and misallocation of savings. ...

  6. Why has Latin America sped up ahead of the Philippines in economic and political reform?

    OpenAIRE

    Alonso i Terme, Rosa

    2015-01-01

    This paper compares trends in key economic, political and social development outcomes in the Philippines with those of Latin America, particularly since the 1990s. To do so, it uses standard indicators of development, including measures of institutional quality and good governance. The paper finds that Latin America is not only at a higher level of development, but has also made faster progress in most areas than the Philippines. This is especially the case as regards GDP per capita, poverty,...

  7. [The urbanized societies of Latin America and the Caribbean: some dimensions and observations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebanks, G E

    1993-06-01

    A demographic perspective on urbanization patterns in Latin America and the Caribbean is provided. The level and rate of urbanization and the hierarchies of urban places are considered, along with the determinants and consequences of these trends. Latin America and the Caribbean are the most urbanized of the developing regions, with almost 70% of the population classified as urban in 1991. Most Latin American and Caribbean countries have rural populations capable of maintaining continuous growth of the urban population for some time through internal migration and reclassification of localities. Latin American societies are urban in nature, and it is unlikely that decentralization and deconcentration policies will have significant repercussions. The Latin American urban population is estimated to have increased from 164 million in 1970 to 320 million in 1990, while the rural population increased from 122 to 128 million in the same years. Most governments of the region are preoccupied by the size of the urban population. There are too many urban residents to be absorbed in productive activities, but all require public services generally financed through taxation. The small tax bases result in frequent decisions to finance services through deficit spending. The size of the population and the level of urbanization may not be the principal agents of ecological deterioration or the greatest obstacles to development, but they play a significant role in these problems. Incorporating millions of urban residents into the productive sector of the economy is an important challenge for the development of these societies. The urban population in Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to continue growing at significant rates until well into the next century. In most countries of the region, internal migration accounted for 30-40% of urban growth between 1950 and 1970, but its contribution loses importance as the level of urbanization exceeds 70% or so. The number of urban

  8. Social Movements in Southeast Asia and Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Iqra Anugrah; Department of Political Science, Northern Illinois University

    2014-01-01

    "Three recent works provide a timely update on the contemporary landscape of social movements in Southeast Asia and Latin America. These works are also relevant for broader theoretical discussions on social movements and provide a basis for future inter-regional comparative studies." (author's abstract). Review of: 1. Ford, Michele (ed.): Social Activism in Southeast Asia. Series: Routledge Contemporary Southeast Asia. London, New York: Routledge 2013. ISBN 978-0-415-63059-7. 2. Petras, James...

  9. Prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrion, Juliana Zimmermann; Fortes Filho, João Borges; Tartarella, Marcia Beatriz; Zin, Andrea; Jornada, Ignozy Dorneles

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this work was to review the studies published over the last 10 years concerning the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Latin American countries, to determine if there was an improvement in ROP prevalence rates in that period, and to identify the inclusion criteria for patients at risk of developing ROP in the screening programs. A total of 33 studies from ten countries published between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. Prevalence of any ROP stage in the regions considered ranged from 6.6% to 82%; ROP severe enough to require treatment ranged from 1.2% to 23.8%. There was no routine screening for ROP, and there was a lack of services for treatment of the disease in many countries. Inclusion criteria for patients in the studies ranged between birth weight ≤ 1500 g and ≤ 2000 g and gestational age ≤ 32 and <37 weeks. Use of different inclusion criteria regarding birth weight and gestational age in several Latin American studies hindered comparative analysis of the published data. Highly restrictive selection criteria for ROP screening in relation to birth weight and gestational age should not be used throughout most Latin American countries because of their different social characteristics and variable neonatal care procedures. The studies included in this review failed to provide adequate information to determine if the prevalence of ROP has decreased in Latin America.

  10. New physics schools in Latin America

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    From left to right : Professor Luis Masperi, Director of CLAF, John Ellis, Egil Lillestøl, and Professor Roger Cashmore, Director for Collider Programmes. On Monday 29 January, Professor Luis Masperi, Director of CLAF (Centro LatinoAmericano de Fisica), visited CERN to join Professor Roger Cashmore, in signing an agreement concerning a new programme of CERN-CLAF Schools in Latin America. The inaugural school will take place in Itacuruca, Brazil, in May 2001, and has been supported by Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. The signing was attended by John Ellis (the Director General's Non-Member State Advisor), Egil Lillestøl (Director of the Physics Schools), and Claire Earnshaw (School Administrator).

  11. Capital inflows, crisis and recovery in small open economies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raza, Hamid; Zoega, Gylfi; Kinsella, Stephen

    2018-01-01

    We compare two small open economics, Iceland and Ireland, that experienced a capital inflow through their banking systems in the period preceding the 2008 financial crises but differ in their currency arrangements. Both countries have mostly recovered from their respective crises, but the differe......We compare two small open economics, Iceland and Ireland, that experienced a capital inflow through their banking systems in the period preceding the 2008 financial crises but differ in their currency arrangements. Both countries have mostly recovered from their respective crises......, but the differences in the way their economies adjusted are interesting. The evidence suggests that changes in the real exchange rate served as the adjusting mechanism for Iceland's current account while in Ireland domestic demand compression served as the main adjustment mechanism. We also explore the adjustment...

  12. Regional trends and controlling factors of fatal landslides in Latin America and the Caribbean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepúlveda, S. A.; Petley, D. N.

    2015-04-01

    A database of landslides that caused loss of life in Latin America and the Caribbean in the period from 2004 and 2013 inclusive has been compiled using established techniques. This database indicates that in the ten year period a total of 11 631 people lost their lives across the region in 611 landslides. The geographical distribution of the landslides is very heterogeneous, with areas of high incidence in parts of the Caribbean (most notably Haiti), Central America, Colombia, and SE. Brazil. The number of landslides varies considerably between years; the El Niño/La Niña cycle emerges as a major factor controlling this variation, although the study period did not capture a large event. Analysis suggests that on a continental scale the mapped factors that best explain the observed distribution are topography, annual precipitation and population density. On a national basis we have compared the occurrence of fatality-inducing landslide occurrence with the production of research articles with a local author, which shows that there is a landslide research deficit in Latin America and the Caribbean. Understanding better the mechanisms, distributions causes and triggers of landslides in Latin America and the Caribbean must be an essential first step towards managing the hazard.

  13. What is the New Chinese Currency Regime?

    OpenAIRE

    Shah, Ajay; Zeileis, Achim; Patnaik, Ila

    2005-01-01

    The revaluation of the yuan in July 2005 was described by the Chinese central bank as a change in the currency regime, rather than merely a changed level of the exchange rate. The reform was said to involve a shift away from the fixed exchange rate, a gradual movement towards greater flexibility, and a peg to a basket of currencies. This paper closely examines the post-July Chinese currency regime utilising contemporary ideas in the econometrics of structural change. We find that the yuan has...

  14. “Help Wanted”: Can trade benefit women in Latin America? | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2010-12-16

    Dec 16, 2010 ... The IDRC-funded project Trade, Gender and Equity in Latin America[i] ... varied across sectors, with jobs created in some sectors and lost in others. ... tasks affects women's participation in the labour market (see graph below), ...

  15. External Shocks and Banking Crises in Developing Countries: Does the Exchange Rate Regime Matter?

    OpenAIRE

    Chandima Mendis

    2002-01-01

    This paper examines some determinants of banking crises in developing economies. Specifically, the effects of terms of trade shocks and capital flows are analyzed. The choice of the nominal exchange rate regime is found to be a crucial factor in the way various shocks are transmitted through the monetary sector. A logit model is used on panel data and preliminary results indicate that countries with flexible regimes were able to lessen the impact of external shocks on the domestic economy. Th...

  16. The impact of Chagas disease control in Latin America: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, J C P; Silveira, A C; Schofield, C J

    2002-07-01

    Discovered in 1909, Chagas disease was progressively shown to be widespread throughout Latin America, affecting millions of rural people with a high impact on morbidity and mortality. With no vaccine or specific treatment available for large-scale public health interventions, the main control strategy relies on prevention of transmission, principally by eliminating the domestic insect vectors and control of transmission by blood transfusion. Vector control activities began in the 1940s, initially by means of housing improvement and then through insecticide spraying following successful field trials in Brazil (Bambui Research Centre), with similar results soon reproduced in São Paulo, Argentina, Venezuela and Chile. But national control programmes only began to be implemented after the 1970s, when technical questions were overcome and the scientific demonstration of the high social impact of Chagas disease was used to encourage political determination in favour of national campaigns (mainly in Brazil). Similarly, large-scale screening of infected blood donors in Latin America only began in the 1980s following the emergence of AIDS. By the end of the last century it became clear that continuous control in contiguous endemic areas could lead to the elimination of the most highly domestic vector populations - especially Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus - as well as substantial reductions of other widespread species such as T. brasiliensis, T. sordida, and T. dimidiata, leading in turn to interruption of disease transmission to rural people. The social impact of Chagas disease control can now be readily demonstrated by the disappearance of acute cases and of new infections in younger age groups, as well as progressive reductions of mortality and morbidity rates in controlled areas. In economic terms, the cost-benefit relationship between intervention (insecticide spraying, serology in blood banks) and the reduction of Chagas disease (in terms of medical and

  17. The impact of Chagas disease control in Latin America: a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JCP Dias

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available Discovered in 1909, Chagas disease was progressively shown to be widespread throughout Latin America, affecting millions of rural people with a high impact on morbidity and mortality. With no vaccine or specific treatment available for large-scale public health interventions, the main control strategy relies on prevention of transmission, principally by eliminating the domestic insect vectors and control of transmission by blood transfusion. Vector control activities began in the 1940s, initially by means of housing improvement and then through insecticide spraying following successful field trials in Brazil (Bambui Research Centre, with similar results soon reproduced in São Paulo, Argentina, Venezuela and Chile. But national control programmes only began to be implemented after the 1970s, when technical questions were overcome and the scientific demonstration of the high social impact of Chagas disease was used to encourage political determination in favour of national campaigns (mainly in Brazil. Similarly, large-scale screening of infected blood donors in Latin America only began in the 1980s following the emergence of AIDS. By the end of the last century it became clear that continuous control in contiguous endemic areas could lead to the elimination of the most highly domestic vector populations - especially Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus - as well as substantial reductions of other widespread species such as T. brasiliensis, T. sordida, and T. dimidiata, leading in turn to interruption of disease transmission to rural people. The social impact of Chagas disease control can now be readily demonstrated by the disappearance of acute cases and of new infections in younger age groups, as well as progressive reductions of mortality and morbidity rates in controlled areas. In economic terms, the cost-benefit relationship between intervention (insecticide spraying, serology in blood banks and the reduction of Chagas disease (in terms

  18. Latin America in the World Economy and Trade at the Beginning of the XXI st Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A R Massarova

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the role of Latin America in the world economy during the pre- and post-crisis period. It analyses the dynamics of the indicators that define social and economic capacity of the region and the impact of the world financial crisis in different types of the region's countries. The article examines in details structural and regional shifts in the foreign trade of Latin America. The analysis revealed the major problems of the region's foreign trade (branch and regional structure and allowed to set out the ways of their decisions through the diversification of Latin American export and the intensification of intra-regional trade.

  19. Oil challenges for Latin America and Africa given the Asian expansion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Hernández

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Lower United States dependency on crude imports has caused shipments from Latin America and Africa to fall. Asia has also made efforts to diversify the sources of its supply to meet its energy demands and thereby reduce exposure to the Middle East. These developments have implications for the projects aiming to increase Latin American and African participation in the Asian market. In this context, this article examines the significance of the expansion of Asian funding linked to the energy sector, identifies opportunities for complementarity between regions, and explores examples linked to the development of oil projects in Venezuela and the use of African crudes as input, as well as the interest of Latin American companies in developing projects in Africa.

  20. Industrial Wage Inequality in Latin America in Global Perspective, 1900-2000

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frankema, E.H.P.

    2012-01-01

    Standard economic theories of wage inequality focus on the factor-biased nature of technological change and globalization. This paper examines the long-run development of industrial wage inequality in Latin America from a global comparative perspective. We find that wage inequality was comparatively

  1. Currencies, Competition, and Clans

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Engelmann, D.; Hanousek, Jan; Kočenda, Evžen

    -, č. 18 (2006), s. 1-37 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : exchange rates * anchor currency * central bank policy Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41248/1/IPC-working-paper-018-EngelmannHanousekKocenda.pdf

  2. Thinking social sciences from Latin America at the epochal change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Antonio Preciado Coronado

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available From the legacy of an original disciplinary approach, as the Dependence theory and its Marxian critics, or the neo-structural economic theory founded by The Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA, the Latin-American social sciences deny the Anglo-European centered approaches, in the way of reaffirming its own critical thinking, including the neo-colonial practices. The challenge for this critical thinking is to be, simultaneously, cosmopolitan and Latin American’s one. In this process, the Latin-American social thinking is regaining its own originality and its vigorous proposals, thanks to a rich south-south dialogue, that implies a global character of its reflections and the questioning of its universal references. Although neither classical nor western Marxism are hegemonic within critical theory, the (neo Marxism enriched with criticism of the coloniality of power, the theory of World-System, critical geopolitics and political ecology recover the field of critical theory in key founder of an epochal thinking time. Epistemological debates with post-structuralism and postmodern approaches configure various recent developments in critical theory

  3. Obesity and hypertension in Latin America: Current perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruilope, L M; Nunes Filho, A C B; Nadruz, W; Rodríguez Rosales, F F; Verdejo-Paris, J

    In the countries of Central America, South America and the Caribbean, there has been a dramatic rise in obesity, the metabolic syndrome, hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors in the last few decades. Epidemiological evidence highlights a consistent correlation between obesity and hypertension, and the presence of obesity predisposes an individual to a greater risk of hypertension although the mechanisms remain unclear. Obesity and hypertension are two key drivers of the cardio-renal disease continuum, and patients with uncontrolled cardiovascular risk in their mid-life will likely have an increased risk of clinical cardiovascular and renal outcomes in old age. This article summarizes the current status for the prevalence and consequences of obesity and hypertension in Latin America, with the aim of initiating a call to action to all stakeholders for greater implementation of primary prevention strategies, particularly in the young. Copyright © 2018 SEH-LELHA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  4. Monetary policy under currency board arrangements: An necessary flexibility for transition countries?

    OpenAIRE

    Berensmann, Kathrin

    2003-01-01

    One of the main disadvantages of currency boards is the rule-based character of this system and the resulting inflexibility in case of shocks, a frequently recurring event in transition countries. Accordingly, central banks under currency board arrangements (CBA) are unable to respond to short-term liquidity changes in the money market. To cushion negative effects of economic shocks on interest rates and on the volatility of banks' liquidity the Estonian and Lithuanian central banks have to a...

  5. Advancing industrial quality through NDT in Latin America and the Caribbean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beswick, C.K.; Peters, W.

    1990-01-01

    The article describes the regional Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Project for Latin America and the Caribbean. The main objective, that of creating an autonomous NDT capacity, has largely been achieved. All countries are now able to provide training nationally up to the second of the three internationally agreed levels in most of the basic techniques. Although a few countries still need some assistance at the third level, the knowledge and experience now available are sufficient to make regional autonomy viable in the near future. There are currently over one hundred registered specialists in the region capable of giving recognized training. There is now a well established base in Latin America and the Caribbean for the implementation of in-service inspection programmes critical to the success not only of nuclear power programmes, but also of the region's industrial development in general. 3 figs, 1 tab

  6. Latin America: among curriculum, textbooks and teachers in the research in History teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Léia Adriana da Silva Santiago

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to reflect on the contents about Latin America in History teaching in Argentina, Brazil and Spain. It also analyzes changes and continuities, inclusion and exclusion in the prescribed documents and what it is effectively taught in classrooms. The purpose is to perceive whether the contents have contributed or not to the redefinition of the History teaching, and if it stimulates the formation of citizenship awareness. The paper brings the data based on the analysis of curriculum, textbooks and interviews with teachers. The results show that there is little inclusion and permanence of contents related to Latin America in the documents analyzed, and it reflects in the classroom.

  7. Hispanophone culture. Meeting point between Latin America and Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veronique Solange Okome Beka

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Gabon since its independence in 1960, adopted the teaching of Spanish as second foreign language. Since then, three major objectives were pursued: the linguistic, communicative and cultural, being the later the most prominent one. The (IPN National Pedagogical Institute recommends in its 1996 Guidance Letter, the cultural grounding of the Gabonese student, in order to contribute to their balanced development and their social and cultural integration, making them thoughtful citizens. For this aim, the teacher has the role of transmitting and developing students intercultural values. However, in Gabon, teaching of Spanish as second foreign language is done through manuals conceived in Spain or France. The contents are based on the European cultural view of the world, hiding other realities like Latin American or African ones. Even, when these are shown they are in a  very stereotypical way: drugs, misery, poverty, illegal immigration to the United States or Europe. Very few media offer further background on Afromerican or latinamerican indigenous contexts, even if there are quite noticeable similarities between Africa and America, as regards their cultures and beliefs. Students must know both the history and daily present of Latin America and Africa. Therefore, the latest gabonese educational reforms advocate towards introducing the intercultural perspective in teaching. Nevertheless, without promoting real contact and knowledge between the peoples of these areas, it will be totally unrealistic. Therefore, we favor a pedagogy in which the teaching of Spanish could be a meeting point between America and Africa.

  8. Currency crises with the threat of an interest rate defence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Daniels, T.R.; Jager, H.; Klaassen, F.

    2011-01-01

    While virtually all currency crisis models recognise that the decision to abandon a peg depends on how tenaciously policy makers defend it, this is seldom modelled explicitly. We add the threat of an interest rate defence to the global game model of Morris and Shin (American Economic Review 88,

  9. The Social Costs of Financial Crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M.A. van Dijk (Mathijs)

    2013-01-01

    textabstractThis paper studies the impact of financial crises on society. Using data on 187 banking crises in 126 countries over the period 1970-2009, I examine the impact of a crisis not only on the economy and the financial sector, but also on health, education, poverty, and gender issues. A

  10. Farm Animal Welfare Influences on Markets and Consumer Attitudes in Latin America

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vargas-Bello-Pérez, Einar; Miranda-de la Lama, Genaro C.; Teixeira, Dayane Lemos

    2017-01-01

    In recent years, animal welfare has become an important element of sustainable production that has evolved along with the transformation of animal production systems. Consumer attitudes towards farm animal welfare are changing around the world, especially at emerging markets of Asia, Africa...... and Latin America. Survey-based research on consumer attitudes towards farm animal welfare has increased. However, the geographical coverage of studies on consumer attitudes and perceptions about farm animal welfare has mostly been limited to Europe, and North America. Until now, Latin American consumers......’ attitudes towards animal welfare have not been well studied. Despite the fact that Mexico, Chile and Brazil belong to the same region (according to international organizations), there are marked differences between these countries in terms of their economical and geographical characteristics among other...

  11. Conditions, history and current problems of the Latin America nuclear free zone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirek, H.

    1986-01-01

    The study at hand investigates the history of development and the provisions of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, signed on February 14, 1967, as well as the power of its institutions, and the safety, political limitations of the Treaty's goals and purposes as a result of the nuclear states' military interests. The book presents a documentation and an analysis of the development of the peaceful uses of nuclear power in Latin America; it investigates the chances of a diversion of fissile material for military purposes, i.e. the production of nuclear weapons, and subsequently discusses the safeguards measures of the IAEA. The book finally examines whether the nuclear free zone of Latin America which has been existing for 20 years now has the chance to survive within the next decade. (orig./HP) [de

  12. U.S. Drug Policy: Shaping Relations With Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    90  Figure 12.  Management levels within Colombian wheel network. ...................................91  x THIS PAGE... environmental and community damage in Latin America, citing coca eradication programs that have an adverse effect on community ecosystems. The effects of U.S...favor of drug policy change but endorse arbitrary or minuscule legislation that would not pose a great political risk to their careers. MacCoun and

  13. Electric systems expansion in Latin America: the financier restriction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinto Junior, H.Q.

    1990-01-01

    The goal of this paper is to discuss the financing problems in the electric supply industries of the Latin America Countries in the long-run. The paper examines the economics aspects of the investments in the power sector, shows how the financial structure has degenerated and concludes with a discussion about the role of the new financial alternatives to increase the electricity generation. (author)

  14. The role of the state oil company in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teixeira, A.A.

    1992-01-01

    ARPEL (Asistencia Reciproca Petrolera Estatal Latinoamericana -Latin America State Oil Companies Association for Mutal Assistance) is a private organization working for the benefit of its 20 member companies as well as promoting the economic integration of their respective countries. The Latin American State Oil Companies (LASOCs) are responsible for 80% of petroleum activities in the region, which in 1990 amounted to 7.4 mbd or 11.4% of the world's production. Mexico and Venezuela are responsible for 2/3 of the output. The LASOCs, besides filling domestic needs and seeking country self-sufficiency, look for opportunities for participation in international markets and to attract external investment. (authors)

  15. Citizens, criminalization and violence in natural resource conflicts in Latin America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rasch, Elisabet Dueholm

    2017-01-01

    In Latin America grassroots organizing against megaprojects such as open pit mining, oil extraction, hydro dams and large plantations goes hand in hand with increased criminalization of social protest and violations of the human rights of activists. This results in numerous communities demanding a

  16. Testing of currency substitution effect on exchange rate volatility in Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrović Predrag

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite numerous different definitions existing in the literature, currency substitution is generally understood as a phenomenon when domestic residents prefer to use foreign currency rather than domestic currency. The main reasons for such phenomenon include high and volatile inflation, strong depreciation of national currency and high interest rate differential in favour of foreign currency. Currency substitution, as a monetary phenomenon, is widely spread in Latin American, Eastern European and some Asian countries. This paper is dedicated to the influence of currency substitution on exchange rate volatility in Serbia. The research included testing of three hypotheses: (i currency substitution positively affects depreciation rate volatility, (ii depreciation rate volatility has stronger responses to the past negative than to the past positive depreciation shocks, and (iii currency substitution positively affects expected depreciation rate. The analysis was implemented for the period 2002:m1-2015:m12 (2004:m1- 2015:m12, applying modified EGARCH-M model. Based on the obtained results, all three hypotheses have been supremely rejected regardless of the manner of quantification of currency substitution.

  17. The practice of intensive care in Latin America: a survey of academic intensivists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Ricardo; Nin, Nicolas; Ríos, Fernando; Alegría, Leyla; Estenssoro, Elisa; Murias, Gastón; Friedman, Gilberto; Jibaja, Manuel; Ospina-Tascon, Gustavo; Hurtado, Javier; Marín, María Del Carmen; Machado, Flavia R; Cavalcanti, Alexandre Biasi; Dubin, Arnaldo; Azevedo, Luciano; Cecconi, Maurizio; Bakker, Jan; Hernandez, Glenn

    2018-02-21

    America. Although Latin American intensivists are mostly unsatisfied with their income (81%), only a minority (27%) considered changing to another specialty before retirement. Latin American intensivists constitute a predominantly young adult workforce, mostly formally trained, have a high workload, and most are interested in research. They are under important limitations owing to resource constraints and overt dissatisfaction. Latin America may be representative of other world areas with similar challenges for intensivists. Specific initiatives aimed at addressing these situations need to be devised to improve the quality of critical care delivery in Latin America.

  18. Perception of Ethical Misconduct by Neuropsychology Professionals in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panyavin, Ivan S; Goldberg-Looney, Lisa D; Rivera, Diego; Perrin, Paul B; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

    2015-08-01

    To date, extremely limited research has focused on the ethical aspects of clinical neuropsychology practice in Latin America. The current study aimed to identify the frequency of perceived ethical misconduct in a sample of 465 self-identified neuropsychology professionals from Latin America in order to better guide policies for training and begin to establish standards for practitioners in the region. Frequencies of neuropsychologists who knew another professional engaging in ethical misconduct ranged from 1.1% to 60.4% in the areas of research, clinical care, training, and professional relationships. The most frequently reported perceived misconduct was in the domain of professional training and expertise, with nearly two thirds of participants knowing other professionals who do not possess adequate training to be working as neuropsychologists. The least frequently reported perceived misconduct was in the domain of professional relationships. Nearly one third of participants indicated that they had never received formal training in professional ethics. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. BANKING UNION - ROMANIAN PERSPECTIVE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coroiu Sorina Ioana

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The financial crisis showed that banks were not able to face the loss, because there is no framework for a resolution, so that it intervened with money from taxpayers. So, it has been highlighted the need to update the regulations applicable to the banking sector. Creating a single supervisory mechanism in the fall of 2014 was a time reference point to achieve a banking union in Europe. Banking Union is one of the four foundations for a genuine Economic and Monetary Union. The paper’s purpose is to analyze the Banking Union structure, based on three pillars: (i The Single Supervisory Mechanism - the transfer of the main responsibility regarding banking supervision from national to European level, (ii The Single Resolution Mechanism - introduction of common provisions to ensure legal support required to manage bank failures problem, (iii The Deposit Guarantee Schemes - harmonization of deposit guarantee rules. These measures were adopted at European Union level to ensure the stability of the European banking system and to prevent future crises. Because countries that are not part of the euro area are not required to join the Banking Union, the dilemma of these countries lies in the decision to join the Banking Union quickly or to wait. It is the case of Romania, also, so, this paper analyze the opportunity of Romania's accession to the Banking Union before adopting the euro. There are analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of Romania's participation in the Banking Union, showing that, in the context of single currency introduction, Romania's participation is required. So far, there are reduced debates regarding the need, advantages and disadvantages of Romania's participation in the European Banking Union, the top representatives of the National Bank of Romania being among the few who expressed their views in public and published papers on the subject.

  20. Prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrion, Juliana Zimmermann; Filho, João Borges Fortes; Tartarella, Marcia Beatriz; Zin, Andrea; Jornada, Ignozy Dorneles

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this work was to review the studies published over the last 10 years concerning the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Latin American countries, to determine if there was an improvement in ROP prevalence rates in that period, and to identify the inclusion criteria for patients at risk of developing ROP in the screening programs. A total of 33 studies from ten countries published between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. Prevalence of any ROP stage in the regions considered ranged from 6.6% to 82%; ROP severe enough to require treatment ranged from 1.2% to 23.8%. There was no routine screening for ROP, and there was a lack of services for treatment of the disease in many countries. Inclusion criteria for patients in the studies ranged between birth weight ≤1500 g and ≤2000 g and gestational age ≤32 and <37 weeks. Use of different inclusion criteria regarding birth weight and gestational age in several Latin American studies hindered comparative analysis of the published data. Highly restrictive selection criteria for ROP screening in relation to birth weight and gestational age should not be used throughout most Latin American countries because of their different social characteristics and variable neonatal care procedures. The studies included in this review failed to provide adequate information to determine if the prevalence of ROP has decreased in Latin America. PMID:22174577

  1. Palliative care education in Latin America: A systematic review of training programs for healthcare professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vindrola-Padros, Cecilia; Mertnoff, Rosa; Lasmarias, Cristina; Gómez-Batiste, Xavier

    2018-02-01

    The integration of palliative care (PC) education into medical and nursing curricula has been identified as an international priority. PC education has undergone significant development in Latin America, but gaps in the integration of PC courses into undergraduate and postgraduate curricula remain. The aim of our review was to systematically examine the delivery of PC education in Latin America in order to explore the content and method of delivery of current PC programs, identify gaps in the availability of education opportunities, and document common barriers encountered in the course of their implementation. We carried out a systematic review of peer-reviewed academic articles and grey literature. Peer-reviewed articles were obtained from the following databases: CINAHL Plus, Embase, the Web of Science, and Medline. Grey literature was obtained from the following directories: the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care's Global Directory of Education in Palliative Care, the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance's lists of palliative care resources, the Latin American Association for Palliative Care's training resources, and the Latin American Atlas of Palliative Care. The inclusion criteria were that the work: (1) focused on describing PC courses; (2) was aimed at healthcare professionals; and (3) was implemented in Latin America. The PRISMA checklist was employed to guide the reporting of methods and findings. We found 36 programs that were delivered in 8 countries. Most of the programs were composed of interdisciplinary teams, taught at a postgraduate level, focused on pain and symptom management, and utilized classroom-based methods. The tools for evaluating the courses were rarely reported. The main barriers during implementation included: a lack of recognition of the importance of PC education, a lack of funding, and the unavailability of trained teaching staff. Considerable work needs to be done to improve the delivery of PC

  2. Victorian Financial Crises and their Implications for the Future

    OpenAIRE

    Kenneth N Kuttner

    2010-01-01

    Banking crises were a relatively common occurrence in 19th century England. Like the Federal Reserve today, the Bank of England struggled to quell panics by acting as the lender of last resort, while at the same time maintaining monetary stability. This article surveys the events leading up to and the Bank's response to the four post-1844 crises, highlights some of the similarities between the Victorian era panics and the 2007–08 crisis, and draws on the 19th century experience to illustrate ...

  3. Law 16.597 approve correction to Treaty for the proscription of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (Tlatelolco Treaty)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    Approve it the amendments to the Treaty for the Proscription of the Nuclear Weapons in the Latin America (Treaty of TLATELOLCO), adopted for the General Conference of the Organism for the Proscription of the Nuclear Weapons in the Latin America and the Caribbean in their seventh extraordinary period of Sessions, in Mexico D:F., August of 1992, resolution 26 Not. 290(VII) [es

  4. Adolescent Peer Relations and Socioemotional Development in Latin America: Translating International Theory into Local Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berger, Christian; Lisboa, Carolina; Cuadros, Olga; de Tezanos-Pinto, Pablo

    2016-06-01

    Peer relations constitute a main developmental context for adolescents. Peers offer an instance for identity definition and set the norms of acceptable and valued characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes, representing a societal model that allows and restrains avenues for adolescents' socioemotional development. The present article departs from these considerations to review research on adolescents' peer relations in Latin America from a socioemotional perspective. First, approaches to adolescence are discussed, with a main focus on attachment and identity theories, based on a bioecological framework. Then, a review of research in Latin America on friendships, school climate, and intergroup relations is presented. The discussion addresses the tension between theories and evidence generated in developed societies and highlights the particularities of Latin American youth, stressing the need for collecting local data. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Biofuels Assessment on Technical Opportunities and Research needs for Latin America

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rutz, Dominik; Janssen, Rainer; Hofer, Anton

    2008-01-01

    . Therefore the European Commission supports the BioTop project in the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7). The overall objective of BioTop is to identify technical opportunities and research needs for Latin America and to create and support specific RTD cooperation...

  6. Nutrition status of children in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garmendia, M. L.; Jones‐Smith, J.; Lutter, C. K.; Miranda, J. J.; Pedraza, L. S.; Popkin, B. M.; Ramirez‐Zea, M.; Salvo, D.; Stein, A. D.

    2017-01-01

    Summary The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rapidly increasing among Latin American children, posing challenges for current healthcare systems and increasing the risk for a wide range of diseases. To understand the factors contributing to childhood obesity in Latin America, this paper reviews the current nutrition status and physical activity situation, the disparities between and within countries and the potential challenges for ensuring adequate nutrition and physical activity. Across the region, children face a dual burden of undernutrition and excess weight. While efforts to address undernutrition have made marked improvements, childhood obesity is on the rise as a result of diets that favour energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor foods and the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle. Over the last decade, changes in socioeconomic conditions, urbanization, retail foods and public transportation have all contributed to childhood obesity in the region. Additional research and research capacity are needed to address this growing epidemic, particularly with respect to designing, implementing and evaluating the impact of evidence‐based obesity prevention interventions. PMID:28741907

  7. The Catholic Church, Moral Education and Citizenship in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klaiber, Jeffrey

    2009-01-01

    The Catholic Church, with deep roots in the history of Latin America, exercises considerable influence on all levels of society. Especially after the Second Vatican Council and the bishops' conference at Medellin (1968) the Church took up the banner of human rights and the cause of the poor. During the dictatorships and in the midst of the…

  8. Meaning and repercussions of the Tlatelolco Treaty for Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schriefer, D.

    1995-01-01

    This paper addresses the meaning and repercussions of the TLATELOLCO Treaty for Latin America and the caribbean, as part of the major efforts regarding . A nuclear weapons-free zone, It also describes the role of the OPANAL and that of the IAEA article 13 of the treaty, as well as regional and international safeguards are also highlighted

  9. Inside money, procyclical leverage, and banking catastrophes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brummitt, Charles D; Sethi, Rajiv; Watts, Duncan J

    2014-01-01

    We explore a model of the interaction between banks and outside investors in which the ability of banks to issue inside money (short-term liabilities believed to be convertible into currency at par) can generate a collapse in asset prices and widespread bank insolvency. The banks and investors share a common belief about the future value of certain long-term assets, but they have different objective functions; changes to this common belief result in portfolio adjustments and trade. Positive belief shocks induce banks to buy risky assets from investors, and the banks finance those purchases by issuing new short-term liabilities. Negative belief shocks induce banks to sell assets in order to reduce their chance of insolvency to a tolerably low level, and they supply more assets at lower prices, which can result in multiple market-clearing prices. A sufficiently severe negative shock causes the set of equilibrium prices to contract (in a manner given by a cusp catastrophe), causing prices to plummet discontinuously and banks to become insolvent. Successive positive and negative shocks of equal magnitude do not cancel; rather, a banking catastrophe can occur even if beliefs simply return to their initial state. Capital requirements can prevent crises by curtailing the expansion of balance sheets when beliefs become more optimistic, but they can also force larger price declines. Emergency asset price supports can be understood as attempts by a central bank to coordinate expectations on an equilibrium with solvency.

  10. Inside money, procyclical leverage, and banking catastrophes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles D Brummitt

    Full Text Available We explore a model of the interaction between banks and outside investors in which the ability of banks to issue inside money (short-term liabilities believed to be convertible into currency at par can generate a collapse in asset prices and widespread bank insolvency. The banks and investors share a common belief about the future value of certain long-term assets, but they have different objective functions; changes to this common belief result in portfolio adjustments and trade. Positive belief shocks induce banks to buy risky assets from investors, and the banks finance those purchases by issuing new short-term liabilities. Negative belief shocks induce banks to sell assets in order to reduce their chance of insolvency to a tolerably low level, and they supply more assets at lower prices, which can result in multiple market-clearing prices. A sufficiently severe negative shock causes the set of equilibrium prices to contract (in a manner given by a cusp catastrophe, causing prices to plummet discontinuously and banks to become insolvent. Successive positive and negative shocks of equal magnitude do not cancel; rather, a banking catastrophe can occur even if beliefs simply return to their initial state. Capital requirements can prevent crises by curtailing the expansion of balance sheets when beliefs become more optimistic, but they can also force larger price declines. Emergency asset price supports can be understood as attempts by a central bank to coordinate expectations on an equilibrium with solvency.

  11. Forest landscape restoration in the drylands of Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Newton, Adrian C.; Del Castillo, Rafael F.; Echeverría, Cristian; Geneletti, Davide; González Espinosa, Mario; Malizia, Lucio R.; Premoli, Andrea C.; Rey Benayas, José María; Smith Ramírez, Cecilia; Williams Linera, Guadalupe

    2012-01-01

    Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) involves the ecological restoration of degraded forest landscapes, with the aim of benefiting both biodiversity and human well-being. We first identify four fundamental principles of FLR, based on previous definitions. We then critically evaluate the application of these principles in practice, based on the experience gained during an international, collaborative research project conducted in six dry forest landscapes of Latin America. Research highlighted t...

  12. Outsourcing central banking

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khoury, Sarkis Joseph; Wihlborg, Clas

    2005-01-01

    The literature on Currency Boards (CB) stops at the water edge in terms of dealing with the totality of the functions of a central bank. Monetary policy, and banking supervisioncan be "outsourced" in an open economy with substantial foreign direct investment (FDI)in the banking sector if political...... nationalism does not trump economic rationality. An orthodox CB renders the central banking function redundant in terms of interest rate and exchange rate determination. FDI in banking could perform the same role for the supervisory function of central banks. We use the case of Estonia to illustrate...... the feasibility of, and constraints on, outsourcing of central bank functions. A brief discussion of the Argentinian experience is used for contrast.Key words: Currency Board, Foreign Banks, Supervision, Regional Integration,outsourcing....

  13. Criptopunks and Latin America: from technological sovereignty to the era of the leaks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernardo Gutiérrez González

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The emergence of Wikileaks in the world strengthened the historical geopolitical link between Latin American governments and global hackers. In addition, it was a turning point in the imaginary and the method of historical Latin American struggles: leaks and cryptography renewed the wheel of technological sovereignty. Edward Snowden's revelations, occurred in June 2013, led to an acceleration of the idyll of criptopunks and global hackers with Latin American governments and were deeply influential in the aproval of Brazilian Marco Civil. This study attempts to review the relationship between criptopunks and global hackers and Latin America, especially with the progressive governments. We performed a study of data to see the impact of conversations that linked Snowden and Brazil Civil Marco during 2013 and 2014.

  14. Proceedings of the Symposium on Safety of Nuclear Power Plants in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The main scope of the meeting is to give an overview of the state-of-the-art of the safety aspects of NPP's and how it reflects in the utilization of nuclear power in Latin America. Safety of Nuclear Power plants in Latin America will be discussed having in mind that all of them are based on imported concepts/technology/hardware. The safe implementation of the several very diverse foreign concepts into the respective national environments will be analyzed. The points of view of the supplier and of the receiver of technology will be considered. The main difficulties, namely irregular flow of resources, diversity of reactor type and problems found during technology transfer process will be stressed throughout the presentations

  15. Quantifying the risk of deforestation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manners, Rhys; Varela-Ortega, Consuelo

    2015-04-01

    Latin American and Caribbean countries have seen considerable deforestation due to a complex web of interconnected and interdependent causes, which include agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, social demographics and governmental policies and activity. It is necessary for successful and efficient policy development to understand how variability in these causes can potentially result in increased or decreased deforestation. The purpose of this study is to develop a tool that can quantify the risk, as in the threat or pressure, of potential deforestation, whilst identifying the key indicators that contribute to this risk. This tool will take the form of a composite index that will provide spatial and temporal trends of deforestation risk across Latin America and the Caribbean. The development of the Deforestation Risk Index (DRI) was based upon work performed in the EU project ROBIN1. Indicators of deforestation included in the index were identified based upon the multi-scalar approach adopted in ROBIN- nationally from principal component analysis and econometric modelling, provincially from extensive interviews with experts and farmers (subsistence and commercial) in Amazonian regions of Bolivia and Brazil, and locally from stakeholder workshops in Bolivia, Brazil and Mexico. The identification process was supported by an extensive literature review. In total, 11 indicators were identified and grouped into four components (biophysical, economic, governance and social) capable of explaining the risk of deforestation in Latin America and Caribbean countries. The DRI was calculated for 24 Latin American and Caribbean countries in the years 2000, 2005 and 2010 using national-level data collected from open access databases (FAOStat, WorldBank and UNDP). The DRI was subjected to two weighting schemes; the first based upon the opinions of experts from ROBIN (weighted biophysical and governance components heavily), and the second developed from the results of

  16. Latin America and the Caribbean: A Survey of Distance Education 1991. New Papers on Higher Education: Studies and Research 5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carty, Joan

    Country profiles compiled through a survey of distance education in Latin America and the Caribbean form the contents of this document. Seventeen countries were surveyed in Latin America: Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; French Guiana; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Peru; Uruguay; and…

  17. ICTs for Microcredit Delivery : Correspondent Banking in Brazil ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Although microfinance has proved a powerful tool in fighting poverty in developing countries, it has been slow to catch on in Latin America, particularly Brazil. On the other hand, correspondent banking enabled by information and communication technologies (ICTs) has allowed Brazil to reach low-income families in remote ...

  18. National and Local Vulnerability to Climate-Related Disasters in Latin America

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rubin, Olivier; Rossing, Tine

    2012-01-01

    are main determinants of natural disaster mortality in Latin America. Locally, the region's poor are particularly susceptible to climate-related natural hazards. As a result of their limited access to capital, adaptation based on social assets constitutes an effective coping strategy. Evidence from Bolivia......The Latin American region is particularly prone to climate-related natural hazards. However, this article argues that natural hazards are only partly to blame for the region's vulnerability to natural disasters with quantitative evidence suggesting instead that income per capita and inequality...... and Belize illustrates the importance of social assets in protecting the most vulnerable against natural disasters....

  19. Education, democracy and development in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Candido

    1993-11-01

    The education first brought to America by Europeans was hardly more than ornamental culture, literacy was generally unimportant, and African slaves were not educated at all. Only in this century did industrialization cause some governments to provide economic and technological support through training and education. In the last decade, the debt crisis curtailed spending, while numbers of students and teachers continued to rise. A comparison between Latin America and South Korea illustrates the former's relative decline in investment. The advent of populist and corporatist democracies did not alleviate the situation, although there is now some evidence of concern for basic education for poorer children. With economic adjustment programmes, little else has been done for those who have suffered the heaviest burdens, and no obvious solutions to poverty and technological obsolescence are in prospect. A major reform of State institutions is called for, including a commitment to education, a change in the economic model, and a recognition of global interdependence.

  20. Finance, growth and social fairness : Evidence for Latin America and Bolivia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sucre Reyes, M.A.

    2014-01-01

    This PhD thesis explores the role of finance in promoting economic growth and social fairness. Our case studies concentrate on Latin America and the Caribbean, and on Bolivia, a developing region and a country for which the relationship between finance, growth, and social fairness turns out to be

  1. Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome in Latin America and its association with sub-clinical carotid atherosclerosis: the CARMELA cross sectional study

    OpenAIRE

    Torres Marta; Vinueza Raul; Boissonnet Carlos P; Silva Honorio; Champagne Beatriz; Schargrodsky Herman; Escobedo Jorge; Hernandez Rafael; Wilson Elinor

    2009-01-01

    Abstract Background Metabolic syndrome increases cardiovascular risk. Limited information on its prevalence in Latin America is available. The Cardiovascular Risk Factor Multiple Evaluation in Latin America (CARMELA) study included assessment of metabolic syndrome in 7 urban Latin American populations. Methods CARMELA was a cross-sectional, population-based, observational study conducted in Barquisimeto, Venezuela; Bogota, Colombia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Mexico City, Mexico; Qu...

  2. Environmental governance in Latin America: Towards an integrative research agenda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michiel Baud

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Latin America plays an important international role with regard to environmental governance. Knowledge generated by empirical and theoretical studies on environmental challenges can support the renewed efforts to achieve equitable and sustainable natural resource use in the region. Although linkages between social and environmental dimensions have been academically explored since the 1990s, new trends in environmental governance in Latin America deserve a comprehensive analytical approach. This Exploration presents relevant emerging research topics and provides a brief overview of relevant elements and ‘cross-overs’ for an integrative analysis. The authors argue that in order to enhance ‘Latin American perspectives’ to solving socioenvironmental dilemmas, several research streams need to be brought together in integrative frameworks that can address complex questions related to interactions between state, civil society and market actors at multiple scales. With a consortium of ten Latin American and European institutions, they aim to contribute to the development of such frameworks through the project Environmental Governance in Latin America and the Caribbean: Developing Frameworks for Sustainable and Equitable Natural Resource Use (ENGOV.Resumen: Gobernanza ambiental en América Latina: Hacia un programa integrado de investigaciónAmérica Latina juega un importante papel internacional en el ámbito de la gobernanza ambiental. El conocimiento generado por estudios teóricos y empíricos sobre retos ambientales puede sostener renovados esfuerzos por llegar a un uso equitativo y sostenible de los recursos naturales en la región. Aunque las conexiones entre las dimensiones social y ambiental han sido estudiadas en la academia desde los años noventa, nuevas tendencias en gobernanza ambiental en América Latina merecen un enfoque analítico comprehensivo. Esta Exploración presenta nuevos y relevantes temas de investigación y ofrece una

  3. Building a cooperative digital libary with open source software - the case of CLACSO in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Babini, Dominique

    2006-01-01

    Description of why and how the Latin American Social Science Council (CLACSO-Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales) has developed a cooperative digital library with open source Greenstone software, to build digital collections for its member institutes in 21 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean

  4. Multi-level reputation signals in service industries in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William Newburry

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available This study uses signaling theory to investigate industry -firm- and individual-level determinants of individual-level corporate reputation assessments in the context of Latin America. In a hierarchical linear model, we test our theory using 76,419 individual evaluations of 80 companies in five Latin American countries collected by the Reputation Institute in conjunction with the Foro de Reputación Corporativa. Results show that across our Latin American sample, reputations of firms in the telecom and energy industries are significantly lower than those of manufacturing firms. Additionally, we find consistent evidence across marginalized groups (e.g., women, lower social class, education and income that they assess telecom industry reputations relatively higher than their less marginalized counterparts do. Results are mixed with regards to marginalized group assessments of firms from other service industries. Additionally, counter to expectations, we do not find evidence that firm size or financial performance impact reputation assessments.

  5. An approach to the broadband effect on Latin American growth: A structural model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Verónica Alderete

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses the fixed broadband penetration effect on Latin American economic growth. The methodology employed consists of using a simultaneous equation model based on Koutroumpis (2009 and Katz and Callorda (2013. To aid this process, we use country level data from the World Bank and the Regional Dialogue about the Information Society-DIRSI for the 2010-2014 period. The results obtained stress the importance of broadband penetration for economic growth in Latin America.

  6. International financial linkages of Latin American banks: the effects of political risk and deposit dollarisation

    OpenAIRE

    Ramon-Ballester, Francisco; Wezel, Torsten

    2007-01-01

    This paper empirically investigates the extent to which the financial linkages of Latin American banks with the exterior are influenced by political risk and deposit dollarisation. We find that the sum of banks’ foreign assets and liabilities is a function of risk-return considerations and excess domestic credit demand. An increase in political risk is shown to be associated with a build-up of foreign positions by the banking sector, but this adverse effect on the banking system is mitigated ...

  7. RedeAmericas: building research capacity in young leaders for sustainable growth in community mental health services in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, L; Pratt, C; Valencia, E; Conover, S; Fernández, R; Burrone, M S; Cavalcanti, M T; Lovisi, G; Rojas, G; Alvarado, R; Galea, S; Price, L N; Susser, E

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and initial accomplishments of a training program of young leaders in community mental health research as part of a Latin American initiative known as RedeAmericas. RedeAmericas was one of five regional 'Hubs' funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to improve community mental health care and build mental health research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. It included investigators in six Latin American cities - Santiago, Chile; Medellín, Colombia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Córdoba, Neuquén, and Buenos Aires in Argentina - working together with a team affiliated with the Global Mental Health program at Columbia University in New York City. One component of RedeAmericas was a capacity-building effort that included an Awardee program for early career researchers in the mental health field. We review the aims of this component, how it developed, and what was learned that would be useful for future capacity-building efforts, and also comment on future prospects for maintaining this type of effort.

  8. Speculative attacks, openness and crises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aloisio Araujo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available We extended the Cole and Kehoe model (1996 by adding trade and debt denominated in national currency. We then evaluated some external debt defaults and steep national currency devaluations occurred during last decades. Although default is unlikely, steep devaluation has been repeatedly triggered during financial distresses. It helps to overcome financial crisis as it improves trade balance and reduces national debt level. On the other hand, expected devaluation hurts welfare through both higher national debt cost and reductions in the investment level. We modeled such trade-offs and showed that trade openness, by and large, improves the expected welfare as it allows for a better devaluation-response technology. We ran model simulations based on past 48 crises occurred in 32 middle-income countries, reasonably fitting devaluation and default responses observed as from 1971.

  9. Credit risk exposure with interest and currency swaps

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coppes, R.C.; Stokking, E.J.

    1996-01-01

    The increased use of financial derivatives like interest rate and currency swap contracts has drawn much attention, as it exposes banks to non-performance by their counterparts. This credit risk exposure is of great concern to monetary authorities, e.g. the Bank for International Settlements. Ln

  10. Donkeys and Superteachers: Structural Adjustment and Popular Education in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischman, Gustavo

    1998-01-01

    Explores the challenges and possibilities of popular education by examining the educational field after the application of structural adjustment programs in Latin America. Presents a critique of Gramsci's model of the organic intellectual as understood by many within popular education. Offers the specific example of a popular-education workshop in…

  11. Landfills in Latin America: Colombian case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noguera, Katia M; Olivero, Jesus T.

    2010-01-01

    The management and disposal of domestic solid waste are critical issues in urban areas of Latin America. In Colombia, in general, the final destination of this waste is its deposition in landfills. This review aims to provide basic information on general conditions of these sites in major cities of the country. Although existing landfills have diversity of operational problems, those most frequently include an inadequate treatment of the leachates, the emission of unpleasant odors and poor management of solid waste coverage. Although it is necessary to improve the operation and maintenance of landfills, it is also urgent to increase the commitment of Health and Environmental Agencies on programs that reduce waste production and promote the sustainable use of those wastes with economic value.

  12. A technology transfer strategy based on the dynamics of the generation of intellectual property in Latin-America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hermann Stuart Fuquen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Latin American countries have adopted different models of units or transfer offices associated with improved competitiveness; however, it is unclear whether they have been successful or if they have been designed while taking into account the context and particularities of the region. This article aims to summarize the concept of transfer offices and the context of the generation of knowledge through patents in Latin America, and identify strategies that have been suggested in the literature to set up and operate this type of offices, based on the Latin American context. Design/methodology/approach: Through a systemic literature review, academic articles indexed in the ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus databases were analyzed to identify the literature related to the context of technology transfer and transfer offices. We cited and analyzed in depth a total of 40 articles. For a review of the Latin American context, 29 documents were reviewed and referenced. Previous documents were taken from specialized networks of the Scientific Information System REDALCYT and libraries of universities, such as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, among others. Additionally, we added reports and publications by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL, and REDEMPRENDIA. Statistical data provided by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO were used for the analysis of patent generation cases in Latin American countries. Subsequently, the literature of the systematic review was compared with studies by authors and Latin American entities, which give a regional context to this work. Finally, strategies were discussed and identified for the consolidation of transfer offices that impact the generation of knowledge in the region. Findings: The results of the literature review conducted revealed that several authors have proposed extensive mechanisms for transfer

  13. Smokefree environments in Latin America: on the road to real change?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebrié, Ernesto M.; Schoj, Verónica; Glantz, Stanton A.

    2009-01-01

    Latin American countries are experiencing an increasing burden of tobacco-related diseases. Smoke free policies are cost-effective interventions to control both exposure of nonsmokers to the toxic chemicals in secondhand tobacco smoke and to reduce the prevalence of smoking and its consequent morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has created momentum in Latin America to implement meaningful tobacco control policies. As of August 2007, Uruguay, two provinces and three cities in Argentina, and one state in Venezuela, had passed, regulated, and enforced 100% smokefree legislation. The tobacco industry, working through local subsidiaries, has been the strongest obstacle in achieving this goal and has prevented progress elsewhere in the region. During the 1990s, transnational tobacco companies Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco developed voluntary initiatives (“Courtesy of Choice” and “Environmental Tobacco Smoke Consultancy” programs) to prevent effective smokefree policies. Another important barrier in the region has often been a weak and fragmented local civil society. Opportunities in the region that should be taken into account are a high public support for smokefree environments and increasing capacity building available from international collaboration on tobacco control. Policymakers and tobacco control advocates should prioritize the implementation of smokefree policies in Latin America to protect nonsmokers, reduce smoking prevalence with its economic and disease burden in the region. PMID:19578527

  14. The Zika epidemic and abortion in Latin America: a scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carabali, Mabel; Austin, Nichole; King, Nicholas B; Kaufman, Jay S

    2018-01-01

    Latin America presently has the world's highest burden of Zika virus, but there are unexplained differences in national rates of congenital malformations collectively referred to as Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) in the region. While Zika virulence and case detection likely contribute to these differences, policy-related factors, including access to abortion, may play important roles. Our goal was to assess perspectives on, and access to, abortion in Latin America in the context of the Zika epidemic. We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed and gray literature published between January 2015 and December 2016, written in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French. We searched PubMed, Scielo, and Google Scholar for literature on Zika and/or CZS and abortion, and used automated and manual review methods to synthesize the existing information. 36 publications met our inclusion criteria, the majority of which were qualitative. Publications were generally in favor of increased access to safe abortion as a policy-level response for mitigating the impact of CZS, but issues with implementation were cited as the main challenge. Aside from the reform of abortion regulation in Colombia, we did not find evidence that the Zika epidemic had triggered shifts in abortion policy in other countries. Abortion policy in the region remained largely unchanged following the Zika epidemic. Further empirical research on abortion access and differential rates of CZS across Latin American countries is required.

  15. Job flexibility in Latin America: A comparative analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Alejandro Ibarra Cisneros

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Most of studies about labor flexibility show a partial image of the situation of Latin America labor markets. They are limited to confirm, the existence of high degrees of rigidity and the necessity to conduct labor reforms to the margin of specific national circumstances. The design of a synthetic labor rigidity indicator using methodology considered by the oecd, through a factor analysis for countries of IberoAmerica, allows obtaining certain advances in relation to this debate. The results establish the high importance of the rigidity in the procedures of collective dismissal, over normative aspects related to fixed term contracts. Finally, it is establish the little relation between flexibility levels and results in terms of economic development, putting into question the assertions that try to extrapolate strategies of flexibilization like isolated measurement to facilitate the economic progress of a country.

  16. Visceral Leishmaniasis in Latin America and therapy perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catalina Tovar A

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In Latin America, visceral leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania infantum. In this geographical area, main vectors associated with transmission are Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia evansi, with dogs being incriminated as the main reservoir involved in transmission of the disease. This pathology primarily affects children between 0 - 5 years, a highly susceptible population where socio-economic, environmental and nutritional factors affects the pathological outcome and increase the likelihood of vector-human contact. According to the World Health Organization (WHO recommended treatment for Visceral Leishmaniasis is liposomal amphotericin B, a drug with a limited and variable availability between countries depending on market prices, which leaves pentavalent antimonial as the most widely used treatment despite the associated toxic effects. In the Americas, evidence on the efficacy of single-dose (monotherapy and combination therapies as options for treating these parasites is required.

  17. Antifungal pharmacodynamics: Latin America's perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier M. Gonzalez

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The current increment of invasive fungal infections and the availability of new broad-spectrum antifungal agents has increased the use of these agents by non-expert practitioners, without an impact on mortality. To improve efficacy while minimizing prescription errors and to reduce the high monetary cost to the health systems, the principles of pharmacokinetics (PK and pharmacodynamics (PD are necessary. A systematic review of the PD of antifungals agents was performed aiming at the practicing physician without expertise in this field. The initial section of this review focuses on the general concepts of antimicrobial PD. In vitro studies, fungal susceptibility and antifungal serum concentrations are related with different doses and dosing schedules, determining the PD indices and the magnitude required to obtain a specific outcome. Herein the PD of the most used antifungal drug classes in Latin America (polyenes, azoles, and echinocandins is discussed.

  18. Gaps of maritime health research in Latin America – a literature review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Olaf Chresten; Andrioti, Despena; Canals, M. Luisa

    for research in this part of the world. Materials and Methods PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online, Pan American Journal of Public Health, Medicina Maritima and other relevant journals in Latin America in the Spanish and English languages were searched. Results 57 peer......-reviewed articles on fishermen´s health and safety and none for the seafarers were included. Brazil counted for the main part n =39, while each of the other countries had 0-4 studies. The study objectives include occupational injuries, divers disease, skin diseases, hearing loss and other issues. The cross......Background So far the maritime health and safety research for seafarers and fishermen mainly comes from the industrial developed countries with sparse contributions from the developing countries. The aim was to give an overview of the peer reviewed research in Latin America to point out the needs...

  19. Variability of geographically distinct isolates of maize rayado fino virus in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammond, R W; Kogel, R; Ramirez, P

    1997-12-01

    We have examined the molecular epidemiology of the leafhopper-borne maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) in Latin America. The coat protein gene and 3' non-translated region of 14 isolates of MRFV collected from Latin America and the United States were sequenced and phylogenetic relationships examined. The nucleotide sequence revealed remarkable conservation, with a sequence similarity of 88-99%. Phylogenetic analysis of sequence data obtained from a 633 bp fragment showed that MRFV has diverged into three main clusters, i.e. the geographically distinct northern and southern isolates and the Colombian isolates. Significant differences between the isolates collected from Colombia, previously named maize rayado colombiana virus, based upon differences in symptomatology and serological relationships to MRFV, and the other MRFV isolates, provides additional evidence supporting its designation as a unique strain of MRFV.

  20. School-Based Programs Aimed at the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity: Evidence-Based Interventions for Youth in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobelo, Felipe; Garcia de Quevedo, Isabel; Holub, Christina K.; Nagle, Brian J.; Arredondo, Elva M.; Barquera, Simon; Elder, John P.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Rapidly rising childhood obesity rates constitute a public health priority in Latin America which makes it imperative to develop evidence-based strategies. Schools are a promising setting but to date it is unclear how many school-based obesity interventions have been documented in Latin America and what level of evidence can be…

  1. One-year mortality of HIV-positive patients treated for rifampicin- and isoniazid-susceptible tuberculosis in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-28

    The high mortality among HIV/tuberculosis (TB) coinfected patients in Eastern Europe is partly explained by the high prevalence of drug-resistant TB. It remains unclear whether outcomes of HIV/TB patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB in Eastern Europe differ from those in Western Europe or Latin America. One-year mortality of HIV-positive patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America was analysed and compared in a prospective observational cohort study. Factors associated with death were analysed using Cox regression modelsRESULTS:: Three hundred and forty-one patients were included (Eastern Europe 127, Western Europe 165, Latin America 49). Proportions of patients with disseminated TB (50, 58, 59%) and initiating rifampicin + isoniazid + pyrazinamide-based treatment (93, 94, 94%) were similar in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America respectively, whereas receipt of antiretroviral therapy at baseline and after 12 months was lower in Eastern Europe (17, 39, 39%, and 69, 94, 89%). The 1-year probability of death was 16% (95% confidence interval 11-24%) in Eastern Europe, vs. 4% (2-9%) in Western Europe and 9% (3-21%) in Latin America; P Eastern Europe were at nearly 3-fold increased risk of death compared with those in Western Europe/Latin America (aHR 2.79 (1.15-6.76); P = 0.023). Despite comparable use of recommended anti-TB treatment, mortality of patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB remained higher in Eastern Europe when compared with Western Europe/Latin America. The high mortality in Eastern Europe was only partially explained by IDU, use of ART and CD4 cell count. These results call for improvement of care for TB/HIV patients in Eastern Europe.

  2. Commentary: improving the health of neglected populations in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jones Danielle

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Neglected diseases encompass a group of pathologies that disproportionally affect resource-constrained areas of the world. In tropical and subtropical areas in Latin America, the vicious cycle of poverty, disease and underdevelopment is widespread. The burden of disease associated to neglected diseases in this region is mainly expressed through diseases such as malaria, dengue, intestinal parasitic infections, Chagas' disease, and many others. These maladies have burdened Latin America throughout centuries and have directly influenced their ability to develop and become competitive societies in the current climate of globalization. Therefore, the need for a new paradigm that integrates various public health policies, programs, and a strategy with the collaboration of all responsible sectors is long overdue. In this regard, innovative approaches are required to ensure the availability of low-cost, simple, sustainable, and locally acceptable strategies to improve the health of neglected populations to prevent, control, and potentially eliminate neglected diseases. Improving the health of these forgotten populations will place them in an environment more conducive to development and will likely contribute significantly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in this area of the globe.

  3. Stranieri e vicini: le banche attraverso le frontiere del nord America. (Strangers and neighbours: cross-border banking in North America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.W. DEAN

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available L'articolo si occupa di aspetti normativi e competitivi della penetrazione reciproca da parte delle banche canadesi e statunitensi nei rispettivi mercati nazionali . Gli autori valutano il grado in cui i fattori economici sono gli unici responsabili per la differenza nei tassi di crescita tra le banche nazionali ed estere in Nord America. Essi sostengono che il regolamento non ha inciso sullala crescita delle banche estere in Nord America affrontando la questione della reciprocità in regolamenti bancari , prima di esaminare le banche estere negli Stati Uniti e il modo in cui sono state regolamentate .The paper is concerned with regulatory and competitive aspects of the mutual penetration by Canadian and U.S. banks of each other’s domestic markets. The authors assess the degree to which economic factors alone are responsible for the difference in growth rates between domestic and foreign banks in North America. They argue that regulation has not affected the growth of foreign banks in North America by addressing the question of reciprocity in banking regulations, before examining foreign banks in the U.S. and the manner in which they have been regulated. U.S. banks operating in Canada are then dealt with. Finally, the results of an empirical test of the proposition that the growth of cross-border banking is attributable to factors other than differential regulation is presented.JEL: G21

  4. Tlatelolco treaty for the proscription of nuclear armaments in Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Espiell, H G

    1981-03-01

    The Tlateloco Treaty has established in Latin America the first and hitherto only zone free from nuclear armament existing in the inhabited world. This Latin American example guarantees not only the Continent's security from a future nuclear war, but it might also motivate the possible, though difficult, creation of other zones free from nuclear armament in other regions of the world. The Tlateloco system includes three instruments: a Treaty, open to signature and ratification by the Latin American States and two additional protocols. The Treaty includes regime of duties regarding military denuclearization, a control system, the creation of an organism (OPANAL) and the regime that governs pacific use of nuclear energy. The Treaty has been signed by 25 Latin American States (excepting Cuba, Guyana, Dominica and Santa Lucia), and ratified by 24 (excepting Argentine). There are 22 States members of OPANAL (all the rest, excepting Brazil and Chile). Additional Protocol I applies the military denuclearization regime to territories owned by non-Latin American States located in the Treaty zone. England and the Low Countries are Parts in the Additional Protocol I which has been signed, but not ratified, by the United States and France. Additional Protocol II establishes the duties of the powers possessing nuclear armaments with respect to the denuclearized Latin American zone. It has been signed and ratified by the United States, France, Great Britian, China, and the USSR.

  5. Energy policy issues in Latin America and the Caribbean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez-Sierra, G.

    1994-01-01

    Whilst recognising that the reduction of poverty levels in developing countries takes precedence to the improvement and protection of the environment, the author comments that any efforts geared to fostering socioeconomic development will indirectly address the environment issue. The aims of a broad strategy and a more specific energy strategy geared at fostering sustainable development in Latin America are discussed. It is suggested that development of hydropower should continue, that the share of natural gas in the regional energy balance be increased and that efforts be put into increasing energy efficiency and improving utilization technologies. Promotion of energy projects that generate employment, promotion of projects for the use of biomass as an energy source, and implementation of a series of joint ventures are ideas advocated. Possibilities of cooperation between the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and the Dutch government are aired

  6. Privatization of oil companies in Latin America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsyth, A.; Mommer, B.; McBeth, B.

    1995-01-01

    Three linked articles explore the current movement towards privatization in the various countries of South America. While the progress away from state control varies from country to country, the first article argues that the movement will offer economic benefits to the Latin American petroleum industry as a whole, despite the political difficulties which must be overcome. In the second article, public distaste for the nationalization of the Venezuelan oil industry back in 1943, petroleum engineers, economists, private sector representatives and oil industry employees all oppose wholesale privatization, favouring national and private investment within Venezuela. The last author argues for an efficient regulatory framework to oversee privatization schemes. (UK)

  7. Eradication of cervical cancer in Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F Xavier Bosch

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Cervical cancer remains within the three most common cancer in women worldwide and is still the commonest female cancer in 41 of 184 countries. Within Latin America, cervical ranks as the most common cancer among women in Bolivia and Peru and the second most frequent in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, The Guyanas, Surinam and Venezuela. Due to its relatively early age at onset, it ranks among the three most frequent cancers in women aged below 45 years in 82% of all countries in the world irrespective of their screening practices.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21149/spm.v58i2.7777

  8. All-Inclusiveness versus Exclusion: Urban Project Development in Latin America and Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christien Klaufus

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper scrutinizes current processes of urban fragmentation, segregation, and exclusion that result from the increasing flows of capital in gated communities, walled-off condominiums, and similar exclusivist investment hubs in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Gated community-like developments are growing and spreading into new areas. Although not all of the walled projects offer all-inclusiveness, they are unanimously based on the pre-selection of specific categories of residents. Moreover, all-inclusive urban developments are taking on new and more encompassing forms, such as ‘gated cities’. Hence, socio-spatial inclusion and exclusion in the urban built environment are continuously transforming under the influence of investment capital (i.e., new urban investment flows and speculation, urbanistic concepts (e.g., different interpretations of safety and crime, and human mobilities. This paper builds on a comparison of empirical cases from Latin America and Africa to develop a qualitative framework of segregation indicators. In Latin America, gated communities have a long history, but exclusionary developments are changing in form, as well as in implications. In Africa, research on gated communities has particularly focused on South Africa (where they have a longer history, but exclusionary developments are spreading rapidly across the continent, and will influence future real estate development and land markets. Based on such complementary experiences, this paper grapples with the question of how these new all-inclusive developments influence the possibilities of achieving inclusive and sustainable urban transitions, as advocated in Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11 and the New Urban Agenda.

  9. Endividamento de longo prazo e desempenho em tempos de crise: evidências de empresas no Brasil e América Latina = Long-term debt and performance in crisis times: evidences of firms from Brazil and Latin America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dermeval Martins Borges Junior

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivo examinar o efeito do endividamento de longo prazo no desempenho de empresas brasileiras e latino-americanas, de modo a abranger o cenário econômico anterior, durante e após a crise mundial de 2008. Considerou-se no estudo os dados contábeis referentes às companhias abertas listadas nas Bolsas de Valores do Brasil, Chile, Argentina, Colômbia, México e Peru, durante o período compreendido entre 2007 e 2015. Foi elaborado um modelo de regressão linear múltipla com dados em painel baseados na literatura sobre o tema. O software Stata foi utilizado para a análise dos dados. Os resultados indicaram que para as empresas da América Latina, exceto para as do Brasil, existe relação negativa entre o endividamento de longo prazo e o desempenho. No caso das empresas brasileiras, para tal relação, os resultados se mostraram inconclusivos. This study aimed at examining the effect of long-term debt on the performance of Brazilian and Latin American companies, encompassing the previous economic scenario, during and after the global crisis of 2008. It was considered in this study the accounting data from public companies listed in stock exchanges of Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Peru within the period of 2007 to 2015. It was elaborated a multiple linear regression model with panel data based on the literature of the subject. It was used Stata software for data analysis. The results indicated that for companies from Latin America, except Brazilians, there is a negative relationship between long-term debt and performance. In the case of Brazilian companies, for such relationship, the results were inconclusive.

  10. [Health, human development, and governance in Latin America and the Caribbean at the beginning of the 21st century].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casas-Zamora, Juan Antonio

    2002-01-01

    The issue of the reciprocal relationship between health and development has recently taken on greater importance in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), given the persistence of extreme poverty and the political and social difficulties due to macroeconomic imbalances and crises of governance. This piece reviews concepts of sustainable human development, social determinants of health in general and of health inequities in particular (gender, ethnic group, income level), and the relationship between health and economic growth in the medium term and the long term. An analysis is made of how persistent poverty in countries of LAC relates to disparities in health conditions, access to health services, and health care financing, as well as to such health determinants as nutrition and environmental sanitation. Health inequities most strongly affect the most excluded and vulnerable sectors of the population. In the face of this situation, the author stresses that putting a priority on health inequities is vital to safeguarding the governability and the social and political stability of countries in LAC in the next decade.

  11. Bitcoin – the World-Wide Currency

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    Shuba Olena А.

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The article is aimed at researching bitcoin, the digital currency. It has been found that Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, that is, the virtual money, which has no material equivalent. The history of creation and development of cryptocurrency was reviewed. There is a reduction in volatility, which guarantees the security of currency, as well as the increase in currency volume and the inability to estimate the profitability of bitcoins. The dynamics of the value of digital currency in US dollars over recent years has been analyzed. Improvement of attitude of many countries to the considered cryptocurrency, in particular the USA, Germany, Spain, Canada, Australia, Israel and Scandinavian countries has been identified. The reasons of Ukraine’s interest in Bitcoin have been considered. Possibilities of creation of cryptocurrency on the territory of Ukraine have been analyzed, i.e. cost of electricity for mining, the legal status of mining firms, and the attitude of the National Bank of Ukraine to the digital currency. It has been concluded that the recognition of Bitcoin by the world countries in the future will allow it to be granted the status of world-wide currency.

  12. Social medicine then and now: lessons from Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waitzkin, H; Iriart, C; Estrada, A; Lamadrid, S

    2001-10-01

    The accomplishments of Latin American social medicine remain little known in the English-speaking world. In Latin America, social medicine differs from public health in its definitions of populations and social institutions, its dialectic vision of "health-illness," and its stance on causal inference. A "golden age" occurred during the 1930s, when Salvador Allende, a pathologist and future president of Chile, played a key role. Later influences included the Cuban revolution, the failed peaceful transition to socialism in Chile, the Nicaraguan revolution, liberation theology, and empowerment strategies in education. Most of the leaders of Latin American social medicine have experienced political repression, partly because they have tried to combine theory and political practice--a combination known as "praxis." Theoretic debates in social medicine take their bearings from historical materialism and recent trends in European philosophy. Methodologically, differing historical, quantitative, and qualitative approaches aim to avoid perceived problems of positivism and reductionism in traditional public health and clinical methods. Key themes emphasize the effects of broad social policies on health and health care; the social determinants of illness and death; the relationships between work, reproduction, and the environment; and the impact of violence and trauma.

  13. Next generation of individual account pension reforms in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kritzer, Barbara E; Kay, Stephen J; Sinha, Tapen

    2011-01-01

    Latin America led the world in introducing individual retirement accounts intended to complement or replace defined benefit state-sponsored, pay-as-you-go systems. After Chile implemented the first system in 1981, a number of other Latin American countries incorporated privately managed individual accounts as part of their retirement income systems beginning in the 1990s. This article examines the subsequent "reform of the reform" of these pension systems, with a focus on the recent overhaul of the Chilean system and major reforms in Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. The authors analyze key elements of pension reform in the region relating to individual accounts: system coverage, fees, competition, investment, the impact of gender on benefits, financial education, voluntary savings, and payouts.

  14. Indigenous land tenure and tropical forest management in Latin America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davis, S.H. (The World Bank, Environment Department, Washington DC (United States)); Wali, A. (University of Maryland, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Anthropology, College Park, MD (United States))

    1994-12-01

    Indigenous peoples have received much attention as potential resource managers of threatened tropical forest ecosystems. Using data from Latin America, this article argues that fundamental changes need to take place in the legal recognition and demarcation of indigenous territories in order for this potential to be fulfilled. A comparison is made between different national land-tenure models for forest-dwelling indigenous peoples and a new model proposed by Latin American indigenous organizations. This comparison suggests that not only do indigenous peoples need to be provided with some degree of control over their territories and resources, but there needs to be a new type of partnership among indigenous peoples, the scientific community, national governments and international development agencies for the management of tropical forests. 37 refs, 3 tabs

  15. Contemporary Food Uses and Meanings from the Anthropology of Food in Latin-America and Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julián López García

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available In this article we propose a review of the anthropology of food in Spain and Latin America from a recent historical perspective. The article analyzes the origin of the anthropology of food in Spain and in Latin America and the difficulties for the establishment of this specialty in the context of the sociocultural anthropology to the present day, and includes an overview of current and emerging subjects. The article is organized mainly around three axes that group the subjects and trends of professionals who have worked in this field: food heritage between locality and globalization; hunger and food deficiencies; and food symbolism and meaning.

  16. América Latina: entre pluri-confesionalidad y laicidad = Latin America: between pluri-confessionalism and laicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blancarte, Roberto

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In Latin America, as in many countries with a Catholic religious hegemony, the building of a lay (secular regime required of a militant laicism to generate a space for freedoms, in a context of clash between the principles of political liberalism and the doctrinal intransigence of the Catholic hierarchy. The new independent countries of Latin America would be caught almost since the beginning of their lives in a tendency of confrontation additionally rooted in royalist and jurisdictionalist traditions. Two Centuries later, although this trend has not completely disappeared, it is been replaced by a regulation of the religious, more inclined to the recognition of a plurality of beliefs, the need to respect human rights, freedom of conscience, and a more democratic political life. Nevertheless, this transition does not necessarily goes from confesionalism, jurisdictionalism or laicism to a secular regime of laicity. In fact, the old tendencies and the new trends appear now as a crossroad for political regimes in Latin America: laicity or pluri-confessionality. Or, it is not clear which one of this contradictory regime proposals will prevail

  17. Authoritarian Inheritance and Conservative Party-Building in Latin America

    OpenAIRE

    Loxton, James Ivor

    2014-01-01

    Beginning in the late 1970s, with the onset of the third wave of democratization, a host of new conservative parties emerged in Latin America. The trajectories of these parties varied tremendously. While some went on to enjoy long-term electoral success, others failed to take root. The most successful new conservative parties all shared a surprising characteristic: they had deep roots in former dictatorships. They were "authoritarian successor parties," or parties founded by high-level in...

  18. EERE-Supported International Activities in Latin America (Fact Sheet)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2010-05-01

    The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is involved in a variety of international initiatives, partnerships, and events that promote greater understanding and use of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) worldwide. In support of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), EERE is working with several Latin American countries to advance EE and RE deployment for economic growth, energy security, poverty relief, and disaster recovery goals. This fact sheet highlights those activities.

  19. MoMA’s strategies in the latest exhibition devoted to Latin America: “Latin America in Construction: Architecture 1955-1980”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felipe Reyno Capurro

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The subject of our research is the curatorial strategy behind the project for the last major exhibition devoted to Latin America by the New York Museum of Modern Art. The show is understood itself as a project, where each of the implicated agents—the institution, curators and the works themselves—relate to each other in building an action, a narrative, and in the best of cases, contributing to critical thinking. We will analyze the mass information strategies used by the museum in selecting the works, designing the spaces and advertising the exhibition.

  20. Conservation and Development in Latin America and Southern Africa: Setting the Stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Romero

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The articles in this Special Feature stem from a 2010 conference (Bridging Conservation and Development in Latin America and Africa organized by the University of Florida's Tropical Conservation Development Program, Center for African Studies, and Center for Latin American Studies. The conference involved researchers and practitioners from Africa and Latin America focused on the complex and evolving relationship between conservation and development. The conference provided bridges between academics and non-academics, conservation and development, and theory and practice. The resulting comparative analyses focus on: empowerment of local institutions; enhanced capacity of local and regional stakeholders through a recognition and validation of local knowledge systems and the creation of knowledge networks; understanding of social and natural landscapes, history, contexts, and their evolution; and the roles of economic and market forces in shaping opportunities for using market-based incentives to promote conservation and development. In this introductory article we propose a conceptual framework based on the six connected pillars of natural resource characteristics, interactions of social actors, governance and participation, politics, information exchange, and economic issues that support spaces for both conflicts and synergies between conservation and development goals. Our goal is to foster informed dialogue and social learning to promote sustainability.