A holistic and participatory information system for rural water and sanitation sector in Latin America and the Caribbean

The provision of water supply, sanitation and hygiene services has emerged as a top priority in the development agenda in Latin American and the Caribbean. In light of the investments envisaged to reach the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), information systems (IS) will play a key role in improving decision-making. In this context, this article introduces a global IS which is increasingly implemented in a number of countries across Latin America and the Caribbean as a policy instrument to support national and local decision-making: the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Information System (SIASAR). This information system includes a comprehensive framework for data collection, data analysis and data dissemination that simultaneously fulfils different stakeholders’ needs. This article analyses these three key monitoring issues from the viewpoint of stakeholders’ involvement. Results indicate that SIASAR represents a suitable monitoring framework to analyse sustainable services and the level of service delivered. Additionally, it is highlighted the advantages of adopting a continued participatory approach in system development, namely i) the stimulation of experience exchange and knowledge sharing among recipient counties, ii) the promotion of learnt-by-doing, and iii) an increase of regional understanding, collaboration and comparison.Postprint (published version

Capital flows in integrated capital markets: MILA case

The Feldstein Horioka1980 study on investment flows through the correlation of domestic saving and investment concluded that liberalization of capital markets does not necessarily lead to a movement of capital looking for a better allocation of resources, as classical theory would suggest. Ever since, literature has been prolific regarding this 'puzzle', with arguments for and against this conclusion. This paper aims to analyze the issue from a different perspective. In recent years, the stock markets of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru joined the Latin American Integrated Market through an agreement that allows investors in any of the participating markets to invest in the others as if they were investing locally. Compositional methods are used to assess the hypothesis of a potential flow of capital between markets generated by the creation of the joint market. First, cross-sectional methods for compositional data were used to test the hypothesis. As a result, it was not possible to find a change in the composition of the investment in the four markets produced by the creation of the joint market. Secondly, vector autoregressive models were estimated and tested for structural breaks in the parameters. However, these models were not found to be informative. In conclusion, it was not possible to reject the Felstein-Horioka hypothesis, supporting the idea that liberalization is not enough to generate capital flows between market

Too big to fail? An analysis of the Colombian banking system through compositional data

Although still incipient in economics and finance, compositional data analysis (in which relative information is more important than absolute values) has become more relevant in statistical analysis in recent years. This article constructs a concentration index for financial/banking systems by means of compositional analysis, to establish the potential existence of too big to fail financial entities. The intention is to provide an early warning tool for regulators about this kind of institutions. The index has been applied to the Colombian banking system and assessed over time with a forecast to determine whether the system is becoming more concentrated or not. It was found that the concentration index has been decreasing in recent years and the model predicts that this trend will continue. In terms of the methodology used, compositional models were shown to be more stable and to lead to better prediction of the index than the classical multivariate methodologies

Estudio y comparativa de métodos de visualización de redes Deep Learning

Este Trabajo de Fin de Grado tiene como objetivo la interpretación del comportamiento de varias redes convolucionales de aprendizaje profundo entrenadas para diagnosticar el glaucoma por medio de retinografías. Se estudiarán diferentes técnicas de visualización y diferentes arquitecturas de redes. El interés del estudio es intentar identificar qué partes de la imagen son relevantes en la decisión de cada red según cada método de interpretación, y ver si los resultados son coherentes entre métodos, entre redes, y con los criterios seguidos por el médico para diagnosticar.The objective of this Final Degree is the interpretation of the behavior of several deep learning convolutional networks trained to diagnose glaucoma by means of retinographies. Different visualization techniques and different network architectures have been studied. The interest of the study is to try to identify which parts of the image are relevant in the decision of each network according to each interpretation method, and to see if the results are consistent between methods, between networks, and with the criteria followed by the doctor to diagnose

Problemáticas del arbitraje virtual y algunas reflexiones a la luz del estatuto arbitral internacional colombiano

E-arbitration has become an interesting subject to study. This discipline has more development in the international arena, where scholars have identified several obstacles that are linked to the arbitration agreement, the electronic proceedings and the efficacy of the electronic award. In this paper, we will be analyzing these issues and their treatment under the Colombian International Arbitration Act- Ley 1563 de 2012.El arbitraje virtual es figura legis de gran interés. Su temática ha tenido mayor desarrollo a nivel internacional donde se han identificado una serie de obstáculos ligados al pacto arbitral, el procedimiento y la eficacia de la decisión arbitral adoptada por medios telemáticos. En el presente estudio, se analizarán estas cuestiones y su tratamiento en el Estatuto Arbitral Internacional Colombiano-Ley 1563 de 2012-

Una mirada desde la iniciativa privada de arbitraje de consumo: el caso estadounidense y algunas reflexiones sobre su posible adecuación en Colombia

Arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism is implemented to solve various conflicts of substantial law. The mechanism that within the sphere of private law was primarily intended for business matters, today has been extended to other disciplines, such as consumer law, competition law and among others. With regard to consumer law, there are several models that seek to develop consumer arbitration. One of them is the one that arises from private initiative and is managed by centers. The present study analyzes the development of consumer arbitration in the United States, as the main exponent of the private initiative and analyzes it under the current Colombian regulatory frame.El arbitraje como mecanismo alternativo de solución de conflictos se implementa para solucionar diversos conflictos de derecho sustancial. El mecanismo que dentro de la esfera del derecho privado se pensó principalmente para asuntos mercantiles, hoy se ha extendido a otras disciplinas, como el derecho de consumo, derecho de la competencia y otras más. En lo que atañe al derecho de consumo, existen varios modelos que buscan desarrollar el arbitraje de consumo. Uno de ellos, es el que surge de la iniciativa privada y es administrado por centros. El presente estudio, analiza el desarrollo del arbitraje de consumo en Estados Unidos como principal exponente de la iniciativa privada e intenta aproximarlo al estado normativo actual colombiano

La regla de la división de la deuda en el regimen civil y la presunción de solidaridad en materia mercantil

One of the most interesting topics concerning the relationship between debtors and creditors happens when there are several joint debtors. From the beginning of times, the general rule for this kind of relationships was that the creditors in order to collect payment, had to address their claims against all debtors. Unusually, either by law or contract the parties could change the rule, allowing the creditor to sue for the whole debt against a single debtor. Nowadays, these rules have been rethought, where most legal systems have presumed that in presence of several debtors, they have a joint and several bound. Moreover, this change has raised the concern about the decadence of the principle of the division of the debt and the strengthening of the presumption of solidarity.Uno de los aspectos más inquietantes en el derecho de las obligaciones, es el atañedero a las obligaciones con sujeto plural. De antaño, en presencia de varios deudores, se consolidó la regla general de la mancomunidad, es decir, el acreedor debía dirigirse contra cada uno de sus deudores para satisfacer el pago de la deuda. Excepcionalmente, se permitió por mandato de la ley o mediante negocio jurídico, la posibilidad de que el acreedor, se dirigiera contra un solo deudor, para exigir el pago total de la obligación. Estos principios, han sido replanteados en la actualidad, donde la tendencia mayoritaria de los ordenamientos jurídicos, ha sido la de presumir, que en presencia de varios sujetos en el extremo pasivo de la obligación, estos se han obligado solidariamente, con lo que se ha planteado una decadencia del principio de la división de la deuda y el fortalecimiento de la presunción de solidaridad

La forma del pacto arbitral en el Nuevo Estatuto Arbitral Nacional Colombiano: ¿consensual o solemne?

This article describes the legal, doctrinal and jurisprudential tendencies related to the solemn or consensual nature of the arbitration agreement in the Colombian legal system. In particular, it seeks to specify the legal requirement of formality “ad substantiam actus” or “ad probationem, for its existence or proof. Aditionally, it will briefly explain the legislative evolution and the current state of the problem.Este artículo presenta las tendencias normativas, doctrinales y jurisprudenciales relativas a la naturaleza solemne o consensual del pacto arbitral en el ordenamiento jurídico colombiano. En particular, procura precisar la exigencia legal de formalidad “ad substantiam actus” o “ad probationem, para su existencia o prueba. Expondrá brevemente la evolución legislativa y el estado actual de la problemática

La interpretación prejudicial del tribunal de justicia andino y sus efectos en el arbitraje

The following article analyses the function assigned to the Colombian Com­munications authority –CRC– in solving conflicts between network providers and telecommunications services, under domestic regulation, constitutional jurisprudence, Andean Community law, the different prejudicial interpreta­tions of the Andean Community Tribunal of Justice (ATJ) and its impact on the Administration of Justice, the current state of affairs and the competence of local judges to define disputes other than those assigned to the regulatory authority.El presente artículo analiza la función asignada a la autoridad de comunicaciones para resolver conflictos entre proveedores de redes y servicios de telecomu­nicaciones en las normas nacionales, la jurisprudencia constitucional y en el derecho comunitario andino, las diferentes interpretaciones prejudiciales del Tribunal de Justicia de la Comunidad Andina y su impacto en la Administración de Justicia, el estado actual de la cuestión y la competencia de los jueces para definir las controversias distintas de las asignadas a la autoridad regulatoria

Modelación computacional del comportamiento hidráulico del golpe de ariete en una almenara y en una cámara de quiebre de presión.

InvestigaciónEn relación a los daños que se presentan en las tuberías y demás sistemas hidráulicos debidos a las maniobras buscas de las aperturas de válvulas u otro dispositivo que permita la regulación de flujo, se reconoce la importancia dehablar de diversos elementos de control que permitan contrarrestar estos daños, que son causados por los cambios repentinos de presión dentro de un sistema, a este fenómeno se le conoce como golpe de ariete, el cual consiste en la generación de una sobrepresión ocasionada por el cierre o apertura brusca de una válvula. En este documento trata, de la implementación de dos sistemas de control, en primera instancia se habla de la “chimenea de equilibrio o almenara” y posteriormente se muestra a las “cámaras de aire”.INTRODUCCIÓN 1. GENERALIDADES 2. METODOLOGIA 3. RESULTADOS 4. CONCLUSIONES 5. RECOMENDACIONES 6. BIBLIOGRAFÍA ANEXOSPregradoIngeniero Civi