A review of policies and strategies affecting the peri-urban interface

As discussed elsewhere (Adell, 1999; Allen, 1999), whilst there is no accepted definition of what precisely constitutes the "peri-urban interface", the project team has identified at least three different approaches from where it has been conventionally conceptualised. These approaches may be classified according to the set of variables they choose to emphasise: physical attributes, such as proximity to the city and poor infrastructure; socio-economic variables; or urban-rural flows (of people, energy, goods)

Mathematical modelling of zika virus in Brazil

In this paper we study some deterministic mathematical models that seek to explain the expansion of zika virus, as a viral epidemic, using published data for Brazil. SIR type models are proposed and validated using the epidemic data found, considering several aspects in the spread of the disease. Finally, we confirmed that the crucial epidemic parameter such as $R_0$ is consistent with those previously reported in the literature for other areas. We also explored variations of the parameters within Brazil for different federal entities. We concluded that a parsimonious model that includes both human and vector populations best describe the epidemic parameters

LANGUAGE AND STYLE PROBLEMS OF TRANSLATION OF JORGE GORDON BYRON'S "EASTERN POEMS" INTO AZERBAIJANI LANGUAGE

On the one hand, the image of the translated examples of “Oriental Poems” gives a full picture of the talent of J.G. Byron, on the other hand, it clarifies the talent and ability of the translator in the field of translation, the use of language, its poetic layer, richness of phrases. The expressiveness created by artistic figures, phraseological combinations, as well as fixed word patterns, shows a perfect fullness at the level of speech etiquette within the text. Phraseological units come to the fore as a component of imagery and a means of providing it throughout the text.On the one hand, the image of the translated examples of “Oriental Poems” gives a full picture of the talent of J.G. Byron, on the other hand, it clarifies the talent and ability of the translator in the field of translation, the use of language, its poetic layer, richness of phrases. The expressiveness created by artistic figures, phraseological combinations, as well as fixed word patterns, shows a perfect fullness at the level of speech etiquette within the text. Phraseological units come to the fore as a component of imagery and a means of providing it throughout the text

Adoption, Stringency and Impact of Performance Management Systems: The Case of U.S. Public Higher Education

This dissertation contributes to a better understanding of performance management systems (PMS) by examining adoption, stringency, and impact of performance-based funding (PBF) in public institutions of higher education within the United States. The public sector has been under increasing pressure to be more accountable to stakeholders—that is, to perform better at lower cost. Yet, tracking the effectiveness of performance systems has been challenging, given the host of factors that affect results. Because of the growing use of performance systems, it is important to understand what factors affect the adoption and stringency of such systems, as well as their effectiveness. Currently, 39 American states have adopted PBF models to hold public institutions of higher education accountable for reaching state-mandated goals. To assess the stringency of PBF models, the present study develops a novel measure: the Performance Funding Uncertainty Index (PFUI). This index consists of five components reflecting the major elements of PBF models adopted across the nation. Analyzing 15 years of panel data from research institutions of higher education in 39 states the study finds that adoption and stringency of the performance systems are not determined by the same factors. While PBF adoption is more likely in politically conservative states with underperforming education systems, it does not spread in a geographical pattern as diffusion theory predicts. Republican-led state legislatures tend to implement more stringent PBF models. Yet, PBF systems do not gradually become more stringent over time. Rather, the systems reach a saturation point and eventually stagnate. Using a difference-in-differences analysis, the study also finds that the PBF adoption and operation failed to deliver on its main goal—that is, to increase graduation rates of public universities

American Dreams, Trafficking Nightmares

Under the H-2 visa scheme, American employers rely on labor recruiters to venture abroad, find prospective employees, and commit them to an employment contract for seasonal or temporary work on American farms, construction sites, hotel staffs, and other businesses. Rogue recruiters, operating in foreign countries far from the view of their American employers or law enforcement, are in effect free to employ a variety of unscrupulous means for enticing and obtaining prospective recruits. They may lie about the nature of the work that awaits the recruits in the United States, charge them illegal fees that leave them in crushing debt, or confiscate their passports. Once the workers arrive to their labor sites, unethical employers can take advantage of their compromised status, conceivably through deliberate ignorance of their recruiter’s actions. This Article proposes amending the ambiguous knowledge threshold in the federal anti- trafficking statute in order to prevent employers from flouting liability for a fraudulent recruitment charge merely by asserting they knew nothing about their recruiter’s actions—a particularly cynical assertion given the common knowledge that these middlemen service a vulnerable population of impoverished migrant workers

Digital games to develop english basic vocabulary for sixth graders students of Unidad Educativa José Pedro Varela, La Libertad, Santa Elena province, 2018 - 2019

Nowadays, teaching English as a foreign or second language demands the implementation of strategies that allow students to learn in a more didactic and dynamic way. The use of technology and games during the teaching process represents an alternative in which students are able to acquire new knowledge in a relaxing environment. Thus, the digital games have assumed a very relevant role in the educational lives of children and teenagers. Games may be used for teaching, practicing, or even evaluating the diverse students’ English skills; listening, speaking, reading, writing; vocabulary and grammar as well. For this work, digital games were implemented for developing and improving the low knowledge level of English vocabulary of students of sixth grade from Unidad Educativa “José Pedro Varela” located in La Libertad during the 2018 – 2019 academic period which represents the basis for the acquisition of English and its four main skills and be able to communicate with English speakers from the community and abroad. The quantitative research method was applied in this investigation, a survey was also implement in order to collect information about the teaching and learning process on students

Vector Meson Gravitational Form Factors and Generalized Parton Distributions at finite temperature within the soft-wall AdS/QCD Model

We investigate the vector meson's gravitational form factors (GFFs) and generalized parton distributions (GPDs) at finite temperatures within the soft-wall AdS/ QCD model. The plotted soft-wall GFFs graphs at zero temperature are close to the hard-wall results [1]. The dependence on temperature of the GFFs and GPDs is studied using the thermal dilaton approach in the soft-wall model. Plots of thermal GFFs show that they decrease in temperature increase. Also, the gravitational radius of $\rho$ meson decreases in temperature growth and becomes zero around the critical temperature $T_c=0.2 {\rm\ GeV}$. GPDs at zero skewness are plotted and analyzed at zero and finite temperature cases.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, typos corrected, text slightly shortene