Economic Development Strategies in the Dominican Republic

The paper documents the economic development strategies pursued by the Dominican Republic. The study argues that the country’s success results from the implementation of a three-pronged economic development strategy. The first prong relates to diversifying production and the second to developing special economic zones. These zones operate in parallel fashion to the rest of the economy but with protections from domestic impediments to growth and progress. The third item in the recipe involves maintaining ample economic and social engagement with the rest of the world. The paper also highlights challenges that the country faces going forward.economic development strategies, primary commodities, special economic zones, economic openness, Dominican Republic

Border trees of complex networks

The comprehensive characterization of the structure of complex networks is essential to understand the dynamical processes which guide their evolution. The discovery of the scale-free distribution and the small world property of real networks were fundamental to stimulate more realistic models and to understand some dynamical processes such as network growth. However, properties related to the network borders (nodes with degree equal to one), one of its most fragile parts, remain little investigated and understood. The border nodes may be involved in the evolution of structures such as geographical networks. Here we analyze complex networks by looking for border trees, which are defined as the subgraphs without cycles connected to the remainder of the network (containing cycles) and terminating into border nodes. In addition to describing an algorithm for identification of such tree subgraphs, we also consider a series of their measurements, including their number of vertices, number of leaves, and depth. We investigate the properties of border trees for several theoretical models as well as real-world networks.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, 2 tables. A working manuscript, comments and suggestions welcome

Multi-bit sigma-delta modulators with enhanced dynamic-range using non-linear DAC for hearing aids

15th IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits and Systems, MaltaThis paper presents the possibility of employing nonlinear low-resolution DACs in the feedback paths of multi-bit second-order Sigma-Delta modulators. The proposed technique is particularly attractive in applications such as hearing aids, requiring a very large dynamic range and medium signal-tonoise-plus-distortion-ratio. As demonstrated through simulated results in which noise and mismatch effects are included, for the same over-sampling ratio, improvements in the order of 6-to-9 dB in the dynamic range can be achieved when comparing with the same topology employing linear-DACs

Comportamento da erva-sal (Atriplex nummularia) irrigada com água de alta salinidade.

Com o objetivo de avaliar o seu comportamento - em termos de rendimento e de retirada de sais dosolo, quando irrigada com água de alta salinidade - a erva-sal (Atriplex nummularia) foi cultivada, durante um ano, nos campos da estação Experimental da Embrapa Semi-Árido. As plantas foram irrigadas com efluentes do tanque de criação de Tilápia (Oriochromis sp.) e com água de poço, de concentração salina média de 10, 11 dS m-1. Cada planta recebeu 225 litros de água por semana, aplicada de uma só vez, durante 43 semanas. A salinidade média do perfil era de 0,40 dS m-1 antes de iniciar a irrigação das plantas. Depois da colheita das plantas, a salinidade do perfil de solo foi se 4,97 dS m-1. A produtividade da erva-sal foi de 18,92 t ha -1 ano de matéria seca. A erva-sal apresentou um grande potencial de extração de sais do perfil de solo. Neste experimento a planta conseguiu extrair 3,0 t ha -1 ano. Mais estudos são necessários para avaliar o comportamento da planta com lâminas d' águas maiores e menores à usada neste trabalho

Macromineral requirements by beef cattle under pasture supplementation.

The objective of this work was to determine macromineral requirements by Zebu steers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with concentrate. It was used 24 non-castrated steers, at an average age of 7 months and at initial average weight 180 kg. Eight control animals were slaughtered for determining initial body composition. The 16 remaining animals were divided in four four-animal plots, in a complete random design. Each plot received mineral mixture or supplements at the levels 0.75; 1.50 or 2.25 kg/animal/day. The right half-carcass of eight animals, two per group, was dissected in muscle, fat and bones and all body constituents were weighted for determination of empty body weight and body composition. Net requirements of calcium and phosphorus for an animal at 400 kg body weight were 11.13 g and 5.40 g, respectively. To estimate dietary requirements of maintenance and after, sum them to dietary requirements for gain in order to obtain total dietary requirements, it was adopted endogenous losses and bioavailability present in literature for each mineral macroelement. Total dietary requirement for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium for a 400-kg BW animal with 1.0-kg daily weight gain were 34.59; 17.36; 7.82; 5.19 and 41.11 g/day, respectively. Macromineral requirements by beef cattle under pasture supplementation are similar to those recommended by BR-Corte for beef cattle in feedlots

CARACTERÍSTICAS CLÍNICO EPIDEMIOLÓGICAS DE LA ENFERMEDAD DE PARKINSON EN UN HOSPITAL NACIONAL DE LA SIERRA PERUANA: CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE IN A NATIONAL HOSPITAL OF THE PERUVIAN HIGHLANDS

Objective: To determine the main epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease at the National Hospital "Ramiro Prialé Priale" in Huancayo. Methods: Observational, descriptive retrospective study of a serie of cases. 84 patients were studied between 2015 and 2017, treated in the outpatient clinic or hospitalization of Neurology and Internal Medicine, for which their medical records were reviewed, the sampling was non-probabilistic of the census type selected by the investigator's judgment. Results: The average age was 72.93 years, the male gender prevailed (58.3%), the degree of university education (50%) and the origin of Huancayo (77.4%). Decompensated arterial hypertension was the reason for hospitalization (19.1%), disease time ranged between 1-7 years (57.1%) and tremor at rest and bradykinesia was the most frequent motor symptom (23.8%) In non-motor symptoms, 38.1% had sleep disorders, 21.4% family history of Parkinson's disease and the most associated comorbidities were: depression (48.8%) and insomnia (41.7%). Conclusion: Parkinson's disease is a frequent pathology in older adults and males; The predominant motor symptom is resting tremor and bradykinesia, and the associated neuropsychiatric comorbidities are depression and insomnia.Objetivo: Determinar las principales características epidemiológicas y clínicas de la enfermedad de Parkinson en el Hospital Nacional “Ramiro Prialé Priale” de Huancayo. Métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo tipo retrospectivo de una serie de casos. Se estudió 84 pacientes entre los años 2015 y 2017, atendidos en la consulta externa u hospitalización de Neurología y Medicina interna, para ello se revisó sus historias clínicas, el muestreo fue no probabilístico de tipo censal seleccionados por juicio del investigador. Resultados: El promedio de edad fue 72,93 años, predominó el género masculino (58,3%), el grado de instrucción universitario (50%) y la procedencia de Huancayo (77,4%). La hipertensión arterial descompensada fue el motivo de hospitalización (19,1%), el tiempo de enfermedad tuvo un rango de 1-7 años (57,1%) y el temblor de reposo y bradicinesia fue el síntoma motor más frecuente (23,8%). En los síntomas no motores, 38,1% tuvieron alteraciones del sueño, 21,4% antecedentes familiares de enfermedad de Parkinson y las comorbilidades más asociadas fueron: depresión (48,8%) e insomnio (41,7%). Conclusión: La enfermedad de Parkinson es una patología frecuente en adultos mayores y en el sexo masculino; el síntoma motor que predomina es el temblor de reposo y bradicinesia, y las comorbilidades neuropsiquiátricas asociadas son la depresión e insomnio

Relation between C reactive protein and depression remission status in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome

Although depression symptoms are associated with an increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular disease in patients who have experienced an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, the exact mechanisms remain poorly understood. Inflammation has been suggested to be a mechanism in the depression–ACS prognosis link, as raised concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers, especially C reactive protein (CRP), are associated with recurrent cardiovascular events.1 In the few studies that have examined the relation between depression status and CRP concentrations after an ACS event, depression and CRP concentrations were assessed 2–6 months after the index ACS event, when the rate of depression remission would already be relatively high.2–4 The objective of this study was to examine the relation between the course of depression and CRP concentrations after an ACS event

Agronomic Evaluation of Forage Grasses under Mature Rubber Plantation

The agronomic performance of seven forage grasses, under a mature rubber plantation, was assessed in a cutting trial carried out at Porto Velho, Rondônia. During the rainy season, the higher dry matter yields were obtained with B. brizantha, P. atratum BRA-9610 and B. humidicola. During the dry season, the grasses more productive were B. brizantha and P. atratum BRA-9610. In both seasons, magnesium and potassium contents did not vary among grasses. During the rainy season, the higher nitrogen and phosphorus contents were obtained with P. regnelli BRA-0159 and, P. guenoarum BRA-3824 and B. humidicola, respectively, while P. atratum BRA-9610 and B. humidicola provided higher contents of calcium. During the dry season, P. regnelli BRA-0159 showed the highest nitrogen content, while B. humidicola and B. brizantha gave the highest phosphorus and calcium contents. In order to obtain greater forage yields with better quality, the grasses more promising for pasture establishment in a silvipastoral systems were B. brizantha, B. humidicola and P. atratum BRA-9610

Sistema de produção usando o rejeito da dessalinização de água salobra no semi-árido brasileiro.

Objetivando reduzir os impactos causados pelo rejeito da dessalinização de água salobra, no trópico semi-árido brasileiro, três alternativas de aproveitamento de água com alta salinidade, subproduto da dessalinização foram avaliadas nos campos da Estação Experimental da Embrapa Semi-Árido, em Petrolina-PE. As alternativas foram: (a) produção de tilápia rosa (Oreochromis sp); (b) produção de feno da erva-sal (Atriplex nummularia) irrigado; e (c) engorda de caprino/ovino com feno de erva-sal. A salinidade média da água usada foi de 11,38 ds/m. A tilápia atingiu o peso de 518,72 gramas em 153 dias de cultivo; o rendimento do feno da erva-sal foi de 14.900kg de matéria seca por hectare, e o ganho de peso de ovino/caprino, quando alimentado com 1,5 kg de feno da erva-sal, foi de 138 gramas/dia. Em função dos resultados obtidos com estes estudos, é possível a viabilização do uso do rejeito da dessalinização de água de poços no cristalino do semi-árido brasileiro para a geração de renda