Latino Definitions of Success: A Cultural Model of Intercultural Competence

The present study sought to examine Latino intercultural competence via two separate methodologies. Phase 1 entailed discovering and generating themes regarding the features of intercultural competence based on semistructured interviews of 15 Latino adults. Phase 2 included conducting a cultural consensus analysis from the quantitative responses of 46 Latino adults to determine the cultural model of intercultural competence. The major results indicated that the participants, despite variations in socioeconomic and generational statuses, shared a common knowledge base regarding the competencies needed for Latinos to successfully navigate different cultures. Overall, the cultural model of Latino intercultural competence includes a set of skills that integrates traditional cultural values along with attributes of self-efficacy. The findings are discussed within a competence-based conceptualization of cultural adaptation and potential advancements in acculturation research

Debt refinancing and credit risk

Many firms choose to refinance their debt. We investigate the long run effects of this extended practice on credit ratings and credit spreads. We find that debt refinancing generates systematic rating downgrades unless a minimum firm value growth is observed. Deviations from this growth path imply asymmetric results: A lower value growth generates downgrades and a higher value growth upgrades as expected. However, downgrades will tend to be higher in absolute terms. On the other hand, credit spreads will be independent of the risk free interest rate in the short run, but positively correlated with this rate in the long run

Credit spreads: theory and evidence about the information content of stocks, bonds and cdss

This paper presents a procedure for computing homogeneous measures of credit risk from stocks, bonds and CDSs. The measures are based on bond spreads (BS), CDS spreads (CDS) and implied stock market credit spreads (ICS). We compute these measures for a sample of North American and European firms and find that in most cases, the stock market leads the credit risk discovery process with respect to bond and CDS markets

Pueo, Juan Carlos: Los usos de la palabra. El pensiamiento literario de José María Valverde

Review of: Pueo, Juan Carlos. Los usos de la palabra. El pensiamiento literario de José María Valverde. Vigo: Editorial Academia del Hispanismo, 2011. 350 pp

Credit spreads: An empirical analysis on the informational content of stocks, bonds, and CDS..

This paper explores the dynamic relationship between stock market implied credit spreads, CDS spreads, and bond spreads. A general VECM representation is proposed for changes in the three credit spread measures which accounts for zero, one, or two independent cointegration equations, depending on the evidence provided by any particular company. Empirical analysis on price discovery, based on a proprietary sample of North American and European firms, and tailored to the specific VECM at hand, indicates that stocks lead CDS and bonds more frequently than the other way round. It likewise confirms the leading role of CDS with respect to bonds.Credit spreads; Price discovery;

The Transition to College Process in PR-CETP Scholars

This article describes a study about the experiences of a group of students during the transition from high school to college. The students are future teachers who evidenced a high level of academic achievement in high school and received merit scholarships from the Puerto Rico Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (PR-CETP). Two groups of students were compared: those who sustained a high GPA during their freshman year, and those who did not and, therefore, no longer qualified for the scholarship. The study was carried out through focused interviews with eight students, from three universities, four of whom maintained the scholarship and four who did not. Findings indicate that the main problems encountered were academic and social, and that the students received support from their families during the entire process. Regarding formal support, they pointed out that they felt highly satisfied with the services provided by PR-CETP and the universities, but they also pointed out (particularly those who lost the scholarship) that they needed additional services from the universities. They suggested, for example, better tutoring, and social activities among the scholars. The interviewed students, in general, consider that they faced the transition successfully since most of them described their academic, emotional, and social status as satisfactory at the time of the interviews

La búsqueda de la gobernanza multinivel en el Estado de México: inconsistencias y grandes retos

Este artículo diagnostica y proyecta la gobernanza multinivel mexiquense. El marco teórico emplea los modelos graduales de gobernanza europea (ajuste mutuo, negociaciones intergubernamentales, dirección jerárquica y decisiones conjuntas), los modelos contrastantes de las relaciones fiscales intergubernamentales (mandato y autonomía) así como los modelos de desarrollo del federalismo subsidiario (ingresos federación-estados, ingresos estado-municipios, gasto coordinado en servicios públicos, política distributiva estatal y política redistributiva estatal). Luego de analizar la composición y funcionamiento de diez órganos intergubernamentales con participación ciudadana, el balance final es que un 80% de los casos muestran una representación social mínima y seleccionada a discreción de autoridades estatales para desahogar agendas controladas. En contraste, un 20% de los casos muestran leves potencialidades en la gobernanza multinivel. La proyección de la gobernanza multinivel mexiquense, planteada en dos etapas sucesivas, se percibe como reto enorme debido al sello característico del Gobierno del Estado de México: el control político

Application and Refinement of a Zero-Length Chemical Cross-Linking and Mass Spectrometry Method to Examine Native Protein Structures

Chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry (CX-MS) is a structural technique that has been gaining in popularity with the advent of instruments that provide increased access to high-resolution MS/MS data. The Speicher laboratory is interested in zero-length cross-links, which provide the highest-quality data, but are the most difficult to identify and analyze. A MS sample preparation and data analysis pipeline, including a software package called ZXMiner, has been developed to collect and analyze zero-length CX-MS data to use in molecular modeling experiments. I used this pipeline to examine the peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6) enzyme, which prevents oxidative damage in the lung. I found the identified cross-links did not fit the published crystal structure of a catalytic intermediate, which suggests PRDX6 undergoes conformational changes as part of catalysis. A solution structure of PRDX6 was created using this CX-MS data. Next, I performed optimization experiments in order to adapt the ZXMiner data analysis pipeline from the LTQ Orbitrap XL instrument it was created for to a more state-of-the-art Q Exactive Plus instrument in order to expand its ability to probe complex samples. Combined with a new version of ZXMiner, I was able to determine several parameters that improved the quality of cross-link data for erythrocyte membrane white ghost (WG) samples. I combined the cross-links identified in those samples with immunoprecipitation experiments and review of the pertinent literature to determine a topology model for the anion exchanger 1 (AE1) protein, which plays critical roles in CO2 transport and the erythrocyte membrane skeleton. Using this topology model and published crystal structures for the N-terminal domain of AE1, I was able to perform combinatorial modeling experiments which resulted in a model of the full-length protein that resolved several controversies in the field. These results show that zero-length CX-MS is a powerful technique to determine structural information of proteins difficult to interrogate through conventional means

Propuesta de triangulación de técnicas de credibilidad del testimonio (CBCA) en conjunto con el SEG de arce y fariña y el PCL-R de hare en agresores sexuales en el contexto colombiano

La siguiente investigación plantea una propuesta teórica para usar en conjunto las técnicas de credibilidad del testimonio (CBCA), el Sistema de Evaluación Global (SEG) y el PCL-R de Hare en agresores sexuales. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de la psicología forense, los agresores sexuales, parafilias, psicopatía, PCL-R, Credibilidad del testimonio y el SEG. En metodología se hizo un estudio de corte cualitativo con un diseño de investigación descriptivo y se recogió información a partir de un grupo de discusión. En los resultados se obtuvo que es de importancia antes de aplicar la propuesta revisar los documentos aportados al proceso, que se debe respetar el principio de no autoincriminación y que es de principal utilidad esta propuesta para evaluar a los agresores sexuales reincidentes especializados. Entre las conclusiones está que la propuesta puede ser utilizada en conjunto con otras pruebas psicotécnicas para aumentar su validez y confiabilidad, y que deben realizarse más investigaciones junto una validación y aplicación piloto a poblaciones con el fin de mejorar, desarrollar y perfeccionar la propuesta.The investigation makes a theoretical proposal by using the techniques of Witness Credibility (CBCA), Hare s PCL-R and Global Evaluation System (GES) in sexual aggressors. A bibliographical revision of the forensic psychology was made, along with sexual aggressors, paraphilias, psychopathy, PCL-R, Witness Credibility, and GES. It was made with a qualitative study with a descriptive investigation design while information was gathered by a discussion group. In results it was found that is if vital importance before applying the proposal, revising the documents brought to the process, also it was found that the no autoincrimination principle must be respected and most important, the principal utility of this proposal for the sexual specialized relapsing aggressors. In conclusions it is proposed that this investigation should be used among other psychometric tests in order to validity and reliability to be risen, and more investigations along with validations should be done so this proposal to be improved, developed and perfected.Psicólogo (a)Pregrad