Political Competition and Policy Adoption: Market Reforms in Latin American Public Utilities

This paper shows that political competition generates incentives that affect the pace of adoption of market reforms in the context of policy convergence. Previous work shows the effect of financial and technological pressures in promoting policy convergence and the impact of institutional constraints on shaping the pace of policymaking. Controlling for these effects, this paper demonstrates the policy effects of political competition and ideological polarization between the incumbent and its contenders even at a time when ideological policy differences seem to be fading due to policy convergence. In studying policy adoption, the authors use duration analysis for the 18 countries of Latin America during the 1985-2000 period when most of the market reforms in public utilities were adopted

Outliers of presidential approval: dynamics, levels, and rates

[EN] Presidential approval tends to exhibit the dynamics of honeymoon, decline, and a rebound as elections near. But several presidential administrations and, indeed, some countries themselves, do not conform to this pattern. This introduction to the special issue identifies and classifies outliers to the typical dynamics of approval using a 12-category taxonomy and data on 140 presidential administrations in 18 Latin American countries from the Executive Approval Project 1.0. Contributors to this special issue use this taxonomy to select outlier cases to explain in their respective articles. This combination of cross-national and case-study approaches suggest a more general theory of presidential approval can be constructed by systematically testing new hypotheses generated in this special issue concerning the role of governing style, political communication, security, policy choice, and institutional context

ADSORPTION OF ERLOTINIB TO MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBES

Objective: The objective of this research was to assess for the first time the adsorption of erlotinib (ERL) in three types of multi walled carbon nanotubes, as feasible alternative method to removal antineoplastic from wastewater.Methods: Both multi walled carbon nanotubes without modification (pristine-CNT) and modified carbon nanotubes by oxidation (CNT-COOH) and amination (CNT-NH2) were used as adsorbents. They were characterized by Transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and Thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, the stability of CNTs suspensions were monitored. The ERL residual concentration in the equilibrium, from the bath adsorption, experiments was quantified by HPLC. The experiment data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models.Results: The characterization showed that the surface of pristine-CNT was modified. Different sedimentation behavior was observed in the three types of CNTs. ERL adsorption followed the Langmuir model for CNT-NH2, Freundlich model for CNT-COOH and did not fit any models for pristine-CNT. Adsorption parameters were favoured with the functionalization of CNTs, which can be explained by properties of ERL and surface chemistry of CNTs.Conclusion: It was found that CNTs have a high capacity of adsorption of ERL, indicating the potential of CNTs to removal this antineoplastic drug from hospital wastewater. Â

EL MERCADO COMO CONDICIÓN PARA UNA TEORÍA INSTITUCIONAL DE LA JUSTICIA EN AXEL HONNETH

El actual epígono de la Escuela de Frankfurt, Axel Honneth, presenta un estudio sobre la construcción de una nueva teoría institucional de la justicia. Debido a la falta de instituciones capaces de propiciar el reconocimiento de la dignidad y la libertad de todos los miembros dentro de una sociedad, el filósofo alemán argumenta que las relaciones personales, el mercado y la vida política son las tres instituciones necesarias para la elaboración de una teoría de la justicia. En ese sentido, este escrito argumenta, principalmente, de qué manera el mercado es capaz de propiciar un tipo de libertad que no conciba a los sujetos como átomos aislados y egoístas. Además, si bien es cierto que la propuesta de Honneth es blanco de agudas críticas, el diagnóstico y el análisis que realiza aportan una visión totalmente nueva al modo en que concebimos las sociedades capitalistas contemporáneas.

SOLVENT EFFECT ON PHOTOSTABILITY OF BUTYL METHOXY DI BENZOYL METHANE FORMULATED IN SOLUTION AND EMULSION

Objective: The current study was undertaken to correlate the impact of some cosmetics solvents in the photostability of butyl methoxy dibenzoyl methane (BMDBM) into systems with an increasing order of complexity, from simple solutions to emulsions.Methods: Solutions and emulsions containing BMDBM in different solvents were prepared and evaluated using spectrophotometer or transmittance analyzer, respectively. Also, emulsions containing BMDBM in combination with octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) in ratio 1:1 and 1: 2, and in the presence of octocrylene in the ratio 1:2:1 were prepared. The percentage of decay absorbance at 356 nm was measured before and after irradiation at 500 W/m2 at intervals of 20 min until completing 100 min. Finally, a photolysis assay was carried to analyze deoxygenated and not BMDBM solutions.Results: The absorbance decay of BMDBM in solution was higher in solvents such as mineral oil, isopropyl palmitate and isopropyl myristate. Also, it was observed that concentration and degassing had an effect on the decay kinetics. In emulsions containing only, BMDBM, the absorbance decay did not exceed 20% in all solvents, suggesting a protective effect of the matrix. In the contrary, a decay of 90% was observed in emulsion containing BMDBM and OMC in a 1:2 ratio. When Oct was added to that emulsion, stabilization on the absorbance decay of BMDBM was detected.Conclusion: This study evidenced that the photochemistry of BMDBM is different in solutions and in emulsions. In solutions, the nature of solvents was important, while in emulsions the nature of UVB filters played a pivotal role in the stability of BMDBM.Â

Micrografías electrónicas: Una herramienta para la conservación preventiva de materiales fotográficos

La conservación del patrimonio fotográfico es de suma importancia ya que contribuye a la identidad y cultura de sus pueblos. Con el paso del tiempo y por la naturaleza misma de las obras fotográficas se suceden procesos de deterioro que las alteran y pueden destruirlas. Dichos materiales se caracterizan por la inestabilidad y su conservación depende principalmente de las condiciones ambientales que los contienen. El conocimiento de esta complejidad en los materiales permite establecer los procesos utilizados, determinar una datación aproximada y generar parámetros específicos de conservación.Fil: Gallardo, Cecilia Aymara. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Centro de Investigaciones En Arte y Patrimonio. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones En Arte y Patrimonio.; Argentin

Divided government shields leaders from blame for the economy but affords no quarter in the fight against terrorism

When disaster strikes, governments tend to be held accountable whether it is an economic disaster, such as the recent financial crisis, or a terrorist attack. In new research, Ryan E. Carlin, Gregory J. Love and Cecilia Martínez-Gallardo use data from Latin America to examine the effects of unified and divided government on how citizens ascribe blame when terrorism and negative economic outcomes occur. They find that because the executive shares responsibility with national and international factors for the state of the economy, citizens are more forgiving when government is divided. After terrorist attacks, on the other hand, citizens blame their leaders even if government is divided as they see their leaders as having near sole responsibility for issues of national security

Ideological and Populist Bases of Partisan Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin America

This research note explores variation in how political parties and presidents in Latin America responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the Chapel Hill Expert Survey-Latin America (CHES-LA), we argue that preferences regarding the trade-off between virus containment and maintaining an open economy were shaped by the ideological positions of presidents and parties, particularly for more programmatic ones. This is largely consistent with findings in other world regions. Yet, beyond ideological orientation, populism, also had an important – though heterogeneous – effect on response preferences, with non-populists, particularly highly programmatic ones, more consistently supporting virus containment. In addition, both incumbents and more populist presidents and parties favoured further concentration of executive power to address the pandemic. These findings provide evidence of the importance of understanding how ideology, populism and programmatic linkages interact in Latin America’s party systems

Ideological and populist bases of partisan responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America

This research note explores variation in how political parties and presidents in Latin America responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the Chapel Hill Expert Survey-Latin America (CHES-LA), we argue that preferences regarding the trade-off between virus containment and maintaining an open economy were shaped by the ideological positions of presidents and parties, particularly for more programmatic ones. This is largely consistent with findings in other world regions. Yet, beyond ideological orientation, populism, also had an important - though heterogeneous - effect on response preferences, with non-populists, particularly highly programmatic ones, more consistently supporting virus containment. In addition, both incumbents and more populist presidents and parties favoured further concentration of executive power to address the pandemic. These findings provide evidence of the importance of understanding how ideology, populism and programmatic linkages interact in Latin America’s party systems

Generación de vínculos y ejercicio del poder del Estado y las políticas sociales : 4 mujeres integrantes del Programa Ellas Hacen de San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, nos cuentan su paso por el programa

Tesis de LicenciaturaObservando y conociendo el programa Ellas Hacen desde adentro, surgió la intención de analizar las distintas formas que fueron tomando las políticas sociales de asistencia social y transferencia monetaria condicionada, desde la Caja PAN, en los años alfonsinistas, hasta el Programa Ellas Hacen. Actualmente este programa ya no existe, así como la variante original del mismo, Argentina Trabaja. Ambos han sido unificados en el llamado Hacemos Futuro. No vamos a demorarnos en este nuevo programa, pero cabe mencionar que ha perdido la orientación productiva y de generación de cooperativas, una de las claves de los dos programas anteriormente mencionados. Abordar todas las aristas de los programas y sus modificaciones de objetivos según los gobiernos que los fueron gestionando sería inabarcables para una tesina de grado. Es por eso que tomamos dos aspectos. En primer lugar nos interesa observar cómo se fue modificando la forma en que el Estado se relacionaba con sus destinatarios, inclusive como estos accedían a los beneficios, qué requisitos debieron cumplir y qué contraprestaciones incluían. Para esto fuimos utilizando datos que rescatamos de otros trabajos académicos, y notas periodísticas. Para el programa Argentina Trabaja y Ellas Hacen, se ha incluido las resoluciones ministeriales correspondientes. En segundo lugar, y para conseguir un análisis más profundo y cualitativo, definimos analizar, los efectos en la vida de 4 mujeres integrantes del programa Ellas Hacen de San Martín. Para ellos entrevistamos a las 4 mujeres, y construimos un cuadro para analizar 3 variables. El impacto en los hábitos de consumo de bienes y servicios, los efectos en la relación personal con otros y otras, y los efectos en cómo se ven a sí mismas. La investigación permitió observar cierta vacancia en los estudios sobre este programa, pero sobre todo sobre los impactos en las vidas cotidianas de los beneficiarios y los efectos que ejercen los imaginarios sociales, que se escapan de toda planificación estatal. Así mismo, esta investigación nos permitió observar los desarrollos del proceso que pretende construir el estado de empoderamiento sobre las mujeres que integran el programa.Fil: Cusó Gallardo, María Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Altos Estudios Sociales; Argentin