EL RANGO VENEZUELA: “RANGO VEN-2012” RECONSTRUCCIÓN DEL RANKING IBEROAMERICANO SIR-2012

El Ranking Iberoamericano SIR-2012 aporta información procesada de Scopus -Elsevier sobre Instituciones de Educación Superior Iberoamericanas (IES-IBE) que produjeron documentos indexados entre 2006 y 2010; incluye 1,401 IBE donde 1,254 son Latinoamericanas y del Caribe (LAC), de éstas 61 venezolanas (VEN). La valoración del rendimiento investigativo permitió reconstruir el SIR-2012 y emergió el “Rango VEN-2012” con mayor alcance que en la edición pasada (Rada, 2011). El propósito es promover la búsqueda de indicadores de productividad que determinen mejores políticas presupuestarias. Se cotejaron ubicación, desplazamientos y porcentajes positivos en los cinco indicadores del Ranking Iberoamericano SIR-2012 y se observaron sesgos atribuibles a la dinámica de las instituciones universitarias venezolanas. En general en el Rango VEN-2012 resultaron 16 (26,22%) IEU como las mejores en rendimiento investigativo nacional. Se sugiere editar sistemáticamente las revistas científicas, incluirlas en índices y repositorios que les den visibilidad, así como apoyar financieramente a la investigación e innovación.Palabras Clave: Ranking universitario. Rango Venezuela. Productividad investigativa. THE VENEZUELAN RANK: “RANK VEN-2012”. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE IBEROAMERICAN RANKING SIR-2012ABSTRACTThe Iberoamerican Ranking SIR 2012, offers the information processed by the Scopus -Elsevier 2006-2010 Data Base, to show the degree of research performance of the Iberoamerican Higher Education Institutes (IES-IBE). Include 1,401 IBE, those 1,254 from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), 61 of the were from Venezuela (VEN). Once the international barometrically assessment of the five dimensions of the research products, in order to obtain the Rank VEN-2012, we proceeded to reconstruct the SIR -2012, the major order which Rada (2011), including despoilments in the orders and the positive points average. The finding revealed that 16 institutions occupies satisfactory given. Action to support researchers were suggested.Key works: University rankings. Venezuelan Rank. Research productivity

Do we need to categorize it? Reflections on constituencies and quotas as tools for negotiating difference in the global food sovereignty convergence space

Convergence–as an objective and as a process–designates the coming together of different social actors across strategic, political, ideological, sectoral and geographic divides. In this paper, we analyze the global food sovereignty movement (GFSM) as a convergence space, with a focus on constituencies and quotas as tools to maintain diversity while facilitating convergence. We show how the use of constituencies and quotas has supported two objectives of the GFSM: alliances building and effective direct representation in global policy-making spaces. We conclude by pointing to some convergence challenges the GFSM faces as it expands beyond its agrarian origins.</p

Implementation research for the prevention of antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections; 2017 Geneva infection prevention and control (IPC)-think tank (part 1)

Background Around 5–15% of all hospital patients worldwide suffer from healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and years of excessive antimicrobial use in human and animal medicine have created emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A considerable amount of evidence-based measures have been published to address these challenges, but the largest challenge seems to be their implementation. Methods In June 2017, a total of 42 experts convened at the Geneva IPC-Think Tank to discuss four domains in implementation science: 1) teaching implementation skills; 2) fostering implementation of IPC and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) by policy making; 3) national/international actions to foster implementation skills; and 4) translational research bridging social sciences and clinical research in infection prevention and control (IPC) and AMR. Results Although neglected in the past, implementation skills have become a priority in IPC and AMS. They should now be part of any curriculum in health care, and IPC career paths should be created. Guidelines and policies should be aligned with each other and evidence-based, each document providing a section on implementing elements of IPC and AMS in patient care. International organisations should be advocates for IPC and AMS, framing them as patient safety issues and emphasizing the importance of implementation skills. Healthcare authorities at the national level should adopt a similar approach and provide legal frameworks, guidelines, and resources to allow better implementation of patient safety measures in IPC and AMS. Rather than repeating effectiveness studies in every setting, we should invest in methods to improve the implementation of evidence-based measures in different healthcare contexts. For this, we need to encourage and financially support collaborations between social sciences and clinical IPC research. Conclusions Experts of the 2017 Geneva Think Tank on IPC and AMS, CDC, and WHO agreed that sustained efforts on implementation of IPC and AMS strategies are required at international, country, and hospital management levels, to provide an adequate multimodal framework that addresses (not exclusively) leadership, resources, education and training for implementing IPC and AMS. Future strategies can build on this agreement to make strategies on IPC and AMS more effective

LA ARITMÉTICA DE ROMERO Y SERRANO: PRIMER LIBRO DE MATEMÁTICAS IMPRESO EN VENEZUELA

Se reporta el estudio de la obra Aritmética escrita por el español Lucas María Romero y Serrano, reimpresa en Venezuela en 1826, 1836, 1840 y 1842. Se indica la existencia de otras ediciones del libro. Se señalan algunos datos de su autor y del contexto español dentro del cual surgió la obra, asociado a las ideas ilustradas. Se muestra el contexto nacional dentro del cual aparece la obra en Venezuela. Se describen y se comparan las ediciones de 1826 y 1842. Se analiza la estructura interna de la obra, la temática cubierta y extractos de la misma. Se estudia su impacto en la educación elemental venezolana. El estudio es de corte histórico-documental, tomando como base fuentes de tipo primario: diversas ediciones de la obra, catálogos de libreros y editores del siglo XIX, así como memorias y actas de diversos organismos oficiales, y otras obras contemporáneas con la obra en estudio.Palabras clave: Educación Matemática, enseñanza de la aritmética, obras didácticas, catecismos, Romero y Serrano. THE ARITHMETIC OF ROMERO Y SERRANO:FIRST MATH BOOK PRINTED IN VENEZUELAABSTRACTWe report a study of the book Arithmetic written by the Spaniard Lucas María Romero y Serrano, reprinted in Venezuela in 1826, 1836, 1840, and 1842. We indicate the existence of other editions of this book. We identify some data of the author and of the Spanish context, within which the work arose, associated with Enlightenment ideas. We also show the national context within which the work appears in Venezuela. We describe and compare the editions of 1826 and 1842. We analyze the internal structure of the book, the subject matter covered and extracts thereof. We study its impact on Venezuelan elementary education. This research is an historical-documentary study, based on primary type sources: various editions of the work, nineteenth century booksellers and publishers catalogs, as well as reports and minutes of various government agencies, and other contemporary documents with the work in study.Key Words: Mathematics Education, Arithmetic teaching, Textbooks, Catechisms, Romero y Serrano

The relationship between visual function and performance in rifle shooting for athletes with vision impairment

Background: Paralympic sports provide opportunities for those who have an impairment that might otherwise be a barrier to participation in regular sporting competition. Rifle shooting represents an ideal sport for persons with vision impairment (VI) because the direction of the rifle can be guided by auditory information when vision is impaired. However, it is unknown whether those with some remaining vision when shooting with auditory guidance would be at an advantage when compared with those with no vision at all. If this were the case then it would be necessary for those with and without remaining vision to compete in separate classes of competition. Materials and method: The associations between shooting performance and 3 measures of visual function thought important for shooting were assessed for 10 elite VI shooters currently classified as VI. A conventional audiogram was also obtained. Results: The sample size, though small, included the majority of European VI shooters competing at this level. The relationships between visual functions and performance confirmed that individuals with residual vision had no advantage over those without vision when auditory guidance was available. Auditory function was within normal limits for age, and showed no relationship with performance. Summary: The findings suggest that rifle-shooting athletes with VI are able to use auditory information to overcome their impairment and optimise performance. Paralympic competition should be structured in a way that ensures that all shooters who qualify to compete in VI shooting participate within the same class irrespective of their level of VI

Developing additional competition classes for athletes with intellectual impairments: Conceptual approach and efficacy of an ICF derived measure

The purpose of para sport classification systems is to minimise the impact of impairment on competition outcome. Currently, athletes with intellectual impairment (II) compete in one class, regardless of the extent of activity limitation resulting from their impairment. Consequently, athletes with II that cause relatively minor difficulty in sport have a competitive advantage over athletes who have intellectual impairments that cause more significant advantage. This research investigated the efficacy of a measure of health-related functional impairment, derived from the World Health Organisation International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), as a tool to classify athletes with intellectual impairments (II) into groups with impairments that cause similar activity limitation. The first study used a Delphi technique to identify the most relevant codes within the ICF from which a measure of impairment presence and severity was derived. The second study investigated whether the measure could discriminate between groups of II athletes organised into three competition groups, and whether these groups could be predicted by ICF score. The ICF based questionnaire shows promise as a conceptual approach and as a tool in this context, but this is a preliminary step before establishing a sport-specific approach to classification

Morphology and acoustic artefacts of copper deposits electroplated using megasonic assisted agitation

Purpose – This study aims to understand the influence of megasonic (MS)-assisted agitation on printed circuit boards (PCBs) electroplated using copper (Cu) electrolyte solutions to improve plating efficiencies through enhanced ion transportation. Design/methodology/approach – The impact of MS-assisted agitation on topographical properties of the electroplated surfaces was studied through a design of experiments by measuring surface roughness, which is characterised by values of the parameter Ra as measured by white light phase shifting interferometry and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Findings – An increase in Ra from 400 to 760 nm after plating was recorded for an increase in acoustic power from 45 to 450 W. Roughening increased because of micro-bubble cavitation energy and was supported through direct imaging of the cavitation. Current thieving effect by the MS transducer induced low currents, leading to large Cu grain frosting and reduction in the board quality. Current thieving was negated in plating trials through specific placement of transducer. Wavy electroplated surfaces, due to surface acoustic waves, were also observed to reduce the uniformity of the deposit. Research limitations/implications – The formation of unstable transient cavitation and variation of the topology of the Cu surface are unwanted phenomena. Further plating studies using MS agitation are needed, along with fundamental simulations, to determine how the effects can be reduced or prevented. Practical implications – This study can help identify manufacturing settings required for high-quality MS-assisted plating and promote areas for further investigation, leading to the development of an MS plating manufacturing technique. Originality/value – This study quantifies the topographical changes to a PCB surface in response to MS agitation and evidence for deposited Cu artefacts due to acoustic effects

The Importance of Context and Cognitive Agency in Developing Police Knowledge: Going Beyond the Police Science Discourse

This paper argues the current exposition of police knowledge through the discourses of police science and evidenced based policing (EBP) leads to exaggerated claims about what is, and can be, known in policing. This new orthodoxy underestimates the challenges of applying knowledge within culturally-mediated police practice. The paper draws upon virtue epistemology highlighting the role cognitive agency plays in establishing knowledge claims. We challenge the assumption that it is possible to derive what works in all instances of certain aspects of policing and suggest it would be more apt to speak about what worked within a specific police context

Council-managed personal budgets for older people : improving choice through market development and brokerage?

This paper presents findings from interviews with social care service development managers and brokers in three local authorities. It follows an earlier study exploring choice and flexibility in home care services for older people using council-managed personal budgets. That study found that local authorities were limiting the number of providers on framework agreements for home care services so that there were sufficient to encourage competition but not so many that providers risked having insufficient business to remain financially viable. It also found that communication issues were affecting the proper functioning of brokerage systems. The current study therefore revisited the same three local authorities to investigate changes in framework agreements and developments in brokerage systems. The findings showed little change in the number of providers on framework agreements and remaining communication challenges for brokers. However, lessons had been learned from unforeseen consequences of framework agreements, and progress was being made towards encouraging market development and diversification of service provision