Inward FDI in Argentina and its policy context

With a long-standing tradition of an international business presence, Argentina followed an open investment policy since its early stages of development. The most recent wave of foreign direct investment (FDI) growth took place between 2004 and 2008, with investments primarily in the manufacturing, natural resources and new technology sectors. In 2008, inward FDI flows reached US$ 10 billion, positioning the country as a relevant investment destination worldwide. Moreover, with a 50% annual increase, Argentina was one of the ten fastest growing FDI destinations in the world. In 2009, inward FDI contracted due to the global economic crisis in line with the rest of the world

The Role of Natriuretic peptides in Renovascular Hypertension and its correlation with the Evolution of Myocardial Hypertrophy

The interactions between pressure and volume overload that occur in hypertension lead to different patterns of cardiac hypertrophy and to increase in natriuretic peptides (NPs). The profiles of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) synthesis and secretion have been investigated in models of hypertension. However, the different evolution of these profiles during the acute and chronic periods of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy is still unknown. For this reason, we studied one-kidney, one clip model using Sprague-Dawley rats at weeks 2, 4, 6 and 12 and correlated the evolution of these profiles with cardiac hypertrophy and hypertension. We observed a positive correlation between blood pressure elevation and the degree of cardiac hypertrophy, with a time-dependent increase in both parameters from week 2. Levels of BNP expression showed an early increase after 2 weeks of treatment while ANP increased significantly after 6 weeks. Yet, the increase in ANP expression was gradual, allowing its correlation with hypertrophy and hypertension. The NP expression has a differential response in the early stages of the development of hypertrophy induced by the renovascular model, with an early increase in BNP expression. Once hypertrophy develops, BNP expression is no longer specific and the increase of both NPs depends on and correlates with the degree of cardiac hypertrophy.Fil: Cerrudo, Carolina Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Cavallero, Carmen Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez Fermepin, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Hertig, Cecilia Margarita. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Belisario Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentin

Leaving Little Havana

Leaving Little Havana is the story of a young girl who leaves her comfortable middle-class home in La Habana just after the Cuban Revolution and, fighting to overcome cultural and language barriers, forges a new life in Miami. Dealing with a torn identity and discovering her voice are at the center of the narrative. After an endless string of escapades, she finally pulls herself together, learns the value of her inner strength by rising above bleak circumstances and gets accepted to journalism school in California. The book examines the devastating effects of immigration on a family and the struggle of a child of Cuban exiles, coming of age in a foreign society, to beat the obstacles that stand in her way to a stable and satisfying life. The narrator shows that Cuban immigrants share similar challenges with all who have aspired to make America their home

IT Driven Modernization in Agriculture

The information systems (IS) literature has largely neglected the study of implementations of large scale strategic initiatives to modernize the agricultural business. This paper reports on an ongoing empirical study that follows the efforts of a multibillion-dollar organization to modernize its operations through the modernization of its supplier base. Modernization, as an external force effecting organizations, is a new and different phenomenon respect to organizational change normally considered as an internal effort. Modernization is an ongoing, evolutionary, process performed by organizations in order to survive and prosper. Yet, the rationality of the decision to modernize is likely to face the forces of entrenched traditions and practices, the feelings and the social significance of established ways of those with the power to derail the modernization project. Using institutional theory as theoretical lens to study the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in modernization strategy, the paper suggests that managers should care beyond the reasons for change, considering the physical, social and cultural needs of the stakeholders involved. Our study extends the extant literature on agribusiness management highlighting the tensions between the initiator of the modernization effort and the suppliers with their need to adapt and respond

Bioequivalence Study of Two Long-Acting Formulations of Oxytetracycline Following Intramuscular Administration in Bovines

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two commercial long-acting formulations based on oxytetracycline (OTC) hydrochloride between the reference formulation (Terramycin LA, Pfizer) and a test formulation (Cyamicin LA, Fort Dodge Saude Animal). Both formulations were administered in a single intramuscular route at a dose of 20 mg OTC/kg of body weight in clinically healthy bovines. The study was carried out according to a one-period parallel design. Plasma samples were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The limit of quantitation was 0.050 μg/mL with an accuracy of 101.67% with a coefficient of variation of 13.15%. Analysis of variance and 90% confidence interval tests were used to compare the bioavailability parameters (maximum plasma concentration, Cmax, and the area under the concentration-versus-time curve extrapolated to infinity, AUC0–∞) of both products. In the case of the time to maximum concentration (Tmax), non-parametric tests based on Wilcoxon’s signed rank test were preferred. The comparison of the mean AUC0–∞ values did not reveal any significant differences (311.40 ± 93.05 μg h/mL and 287.71 ± 45.31 μg h/mL, respectively). The results were similar for the Tmax (3.58 ± 0.90 h versus 3.42 ± 0.51 h). However, when comparing the mean Cmax some significant differences were found (8.73 ± 3.66 μg/mL and 10.43 ± 3.84 μg/mL, respectively). The 90% confidence intervals for the ratio of AUC0–∞ and Tmax values for the reference and test product are within the interval 80–125%, but the 90% confidence intervals for the ratio of Cmax falls outside the proposed interval. It was concluded that Cmax of test product are not within the 20% of those of the reference, thus suggesting that test OTC is not bioequivalent to the reference formulation.FarmaciaMedicin

On-Line Photoinduced Fluorescence for Carbamazepine Determination after Multivariate Optimization

This work presents a simple and sensitive flow injection fluorimetric methodfor the determination of carbamazepine (CBZ) in pharmaceutical samples. Itis based on the fluorescence signal measurement of the product generated byphotoinduced (λex = 251 nm; λem = 434 nm) using a flow injection manifoldcontaining an on-line homemade photoreactor. In order to optimize the experimental setup, the variable conditions were studied using a multivariateoptimization method, thus finding the set of optimum parameters accordingto the evaluated responses (sensitivity and sampling frequency) and minimizing the number of experiments performed. Under optimal experimentalconditions, linear relationship with good correlation coefficient (0.9956) wasfound between the fluorescence intensity and CBZ concentration in the rangeof 0.13 - 40 µg∙mL−1. The limit of detection was 0.04 µg∙mL−1. The precision ofthe method was satisfactory; the values of relative standard deviations werebetter than 4.36%. The proposed method was validated and successfully applied to the determination of CBZ in pharmaceuticals with good accuracy;being the recovery values from 89.45% - 112.20%.Fil: Henestrosa, Cecilia Mariel. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Peralta, Cecilia Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Aragón, Leslie Mary. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Liliana Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Maria Gimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentin