The Mexican intertemporal budget constraint: Persistent signals of an eventual collapse

This paper examines the sustainability of the Mexican current account deficit prior to the December 1994 crisis. It tests whether or not the Mexican economy was satisfying its intertemporal budget constraint, and finds that signals of possible trouble without a change in policies were present long before the crisis. The tests used are based on the Wickens-Uctum criterion for the sustainability of current account deficits, extended to include the case of possible interventions.intertemporal budget constraint, current account, sustainability of current account deficit, Mexico

Peer Victimization in Overweight Adolescents and Its Effect on Their Self-Esteem and Peer Difficulties

This study has three objectives: to examine whether adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight differ from others in terms of offline victimization at school, cybervictimization, self-esteem, and difficulties relating to peers; to examine the possible effects of offline and cybervictimization on self-esteem and difficulties relating to peers; and to examine the possible moderating role of perceiving oneself as overweight on those effects. Previously validated questionnaires were applied to a sample of 3145 adolescents in Asturias (Spain). Descriptive, inferential, correlational, and structural equation analyses were performed. Adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight reported being victims of both offline victimization and most forms of cybervictimization to a greater extent than those who did not perceive themselves as overweight. They also reported lower self-esteem and more peer difficulties (shyness or social anxiety). In both groups of adolescents, victimization and cybervictimization were correlated with each other, both types of victimization had direct, negative effects on self-esteem, and self-esteem in turn had a direct, negative effect on peer difficulties. Furthermore, offline victimization had a direct, positive effect on peer difficulties. Perceiving oneself as overweight moderated the effect of self-esteem on peer difficulties. In adolescents perceiving themselves as overweight, low self-esteem was a stronger risk factor of peer difficulties than in the rest of the adolescents. With high overall self-esteem there were no significant differences in peer difficulties between the adolescents perceiving themselves as overweight and the rest of the adolescents

Efectividad del bicarbonato de sodio versus solución salina isotónica en la prevención de la nefropatía inducida por contraste: revisión sistemática y metaanálisis

Introducción: Para la prevención del desarrollo de nefropatía inducida por el uso de contraste (NIC) se han aplicado estrategias como: la administración de bicarbonato de sodio (BS) o solución salina al 0,9% (SS); sin embargo, no se ha establecido cuál de las dos estrategias es más efectiva y los resultados son heterogéneos. Objetivo: Sintetizar la evidencia existente sobre la efectividad del BS versus SS en la prevención de NIC. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión sistemática y metaanálisis de ensayos clínicos controlados aleatorizados (ECA) registrados en cinco bases de datos, siguiendo el diagrama de selección PRISMA con criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Se analizó la efectividad del BS versus SS en la prevención de NIC. El metaanálisis se realizó por efectos aleatorios comparando los riesgos relativos con el software Revman 5.4. El riesgo de sesgo se evaluó con la herramienta de la colaboración Cochrane. Resultados: Se incluyeron 7 estudios (n= 1306) en la revisión sistemática y metaanálisis. La frecuencia de presentación de NIC fue de 10,84% en el grupo que uso BS y de 9,24% en el grupo de SS. El riesgo de presentar NIC fue menor en el grupo al que se le administro SS que en grupo que uso BS sin diferencias significativas, RR= 1.2 (IC 95% 0.56 – 2.24, I2= 73%). Conclusiones: la efectividad del bicarbonato de sodio y la solución salina en la prevención de la nefropatía inducida por contraste es similar.Introduction: There been some Strategies applied to prevent the development of contrast-induced nephropathy (NIC) such as: the administration of sodium bicarbonate (BS) or 0.9% saline solution (SS); however, which of the two strategies is more effective has not been established and the results are heterogeneous. The aim: To Synthesize the existing evidence on the effectiveness of sodium BS versus SS in the prevention of NIC. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT), registered in five databases, was carried out, following the PRISMA selection diagram with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The effectiveness of BS versus SS in the prevention of NIC was analyzed. The meta-analysis was performed by Random effects model comparing the relative risks using Revman 5.4 software. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Results: Seven studies were included in this systematic review and metaanalysis. The frequency of NIC presentation was 10.84% in the group that used BS and 9.24% in the SS group. The risk of presenting NIC was lower in the group that was administered SS than in the group that used BS, without significant differences, RR= 1.2 (95% CI 0.56 - 2.24, I2= 73%). Conclusions: The effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate and saline solution in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy is similar.Tesi

The Mexican intertemporal budget constraint: Persistent signals of an eventual collapse

This paper examines the sustainability of the Mexican current account deficit prior to the December 1994 crisis. It tests whether or not the Mexican economy was satisfying its intertemporal budget constraint, and finds that signals of possible trouble without a change in policies were present long before the crisis. The tests used are based on the Wickens-Uctum criterion for the sustainability of current account deficits, extended to include the case of possible interventions.Mexican crisis, sustainability, Mexican current account deficit

Software defined radio (SDR) on radiocommunications teaching

The recent outbreak of Software Defined Radios (SDR), where traditionally hardware components are substituted by software, have revolutionized the way we understand and manage radiocommunications. The current state of technology allows low cost SDR receivers to tune emissions in a simple way with almost no experience and little effort. The great flexibility of this equipment allows a perfect adaptation of the practice part of the subject to the theory objectives and makes possible to learn outside the classroom, something unthinkable until now. To achieve this, the student only needs a low-cost SDR receiver, a computer and some free software. This paper presents a new teaching methodology for practicing radiocommunications subject using a workstation based on a SDR device that can receive, display and analyze radio transmissions. Subject learning outcomes and skills are acquired and strengthened through experimentation with this new kind of devices. This platform also represents a significant saving because avoids our university to buy expensive and closed "training kits".CUD Universidad de Vigo Grupo de Investigación Señales, Sistemas y Comunicaciones Navales. Universidad de Cádi

Diseño de un modelo de gobierno para una fase especifica de los proyectos en el sector de refinación y petroquímica en Cartagena-Colombia

This document proposes a governance model for one of the most critical phases of the life cycle of the refining and petrochemical sector projects, taking as a reference the best practices from the technical point of view raised by industrial referents worldwide, such as UOP and the PDO and NORSOK, this latest reference of standards and standards in the oil and gas industry worldwide. The most relevant topics will be discussed and recommendations will be made by approaching the local industry. © 2022 Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions. All rights reserved

Analysis of the evolution of the Spanish labour market through unsupervised learning

Unemployment in Spain is one of the biggest concerns of its inhabitants. Its unemployment rate is the second highest in the European Union, and in the second quarter of 2018 there is a 15.2% unemployment rate, some 3.4 million unemployed. Construction is one of the activity sectors that have suffered the most from the economic crisis. In addition, the economic crisis affected in different ways to the labour market in terms of occupation level or location. The aim of this paper is to discover how the labour market is organised taking into account the jobs that workers get during two periods: 2011-2013, which corresponds to the economic crisis period, and 2014-2016, which was a period of economic recovery. The data used are official records of the Spanish administration corresponding to 1.9 and 2.4 million job placements, respectively. The labour market was analysed by applying unsupervised machine learning techniques to obtain a clear and structured information on the employment generation process and the underlying labour mobility. We have applied two clustering methods with two different technologies, and the results indicate that there were some movements in the Spanish labour market which have changed the physiognomy of some of the jobs. The analysis reveals the changes in the labour market: the crisis forces greater geographical mobility and favours the subsequent emergence of new job sources. Nevertheless, there still exist some clusters that remain stable despite the crisis. We may conclude that we have achieved a characterisation of some important groups of workers in Spain. The methodology used, being supported by Big Data techniques, would serve to analyse any alternative job market.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2014-55894-C2-R y TIN2017-88209-C2-2-R, CO2017-8678

Plan estratégico de la comercialización de equipos de fumigación terrestre para el control de la sigatoka negra en el cultivo de banano

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo diseñar un plan estratégico de la comercialización de equipos de fumigación terrestre para el control de la sigatoka negra en el cultivo de banano. Como objetivos específicos se planteó analizar las condiciones del mercado bananero dentro de la provincia de El Oro, identificar las principales ventajas y desventajas de los equipos de fumigación terrestre para la sigatoka negra en el cultivo de banano para pequeños productores y determinar el costo de la comercialización de los equipos de fumigación terrestre para el control de la sigatoka negra en el cultivo de banano. La misma que se desarrolló en la provincia de El Oro, ubicada al suroeste del país conformado por 600.659 habitantes. La investigación se caracteriza por ser no experimental, descriptiva, narrativa, explicativa, cuantitativa y cualitativa. Para la obtención de datos se aplicó las técnicas de entrevista a los diferentes representantes de la actividad bananera y las encuestas a productores de banano. Además el método teórico se fundamentó en investigaciones realizadas anteriormente por otros autores sobre el tema o sus similares, y que sirvieron como marco de referencia para la propuesta que se plantea. Se concluye en el análisis de las condiciones del mercado bananero dentro de la provincia de El Oro, determinó que más del 60% de los productores de banano son pequeños agricultores con promedios de 1 a 10 hectáreas en producción. Siendo estos los mayores perjudicados por los altos costos de las fumigaciones aéreas. Por lo tanto, son los mayores demandantes de los equipos de fumigación terrestre, porque les permite minimizar los costos del control de la sigatoka negra. Mediante los resultados obtenidos en las encuestas, se identificaron varias variables que confirman que este es un mercado potencial para ofrecer bombas electrostáticas, brindándoles grandes ventajas en cuanto a reducción de costos, buena cobertura y menor daño al medio ambiente. Se identificaron las principales ventajas y desventajas de los equipos de fumigación terrestre para la sigatoka negra en el cultivo de banano para pequeños productores, la principal ventaja fue la reducción de costos en el control de fumigaciones, ya que este sistema es adecuado y ajustado a las condiciones de áreas de dimensiones pequeñas, que mediante el sistema electrostático permite una distribución uniforme y de largo alcance del producto aplicado para controlar la propagación de la enfermedad. Para este sector no representa ninguna desventaja,The present investigation had as objective to design a strategic plan for the marketing of land spraying equipment for the control of black sigatoka in the cultivation of bananas. As specific objectives, it was posed to analyze the banana market conditions within the province of El Oro, identify the main advantages and disadvantages of the land fumigation equipment for black sigatoka in the cultivation of bananas for small farmers and determine the cost of the marketing of the land-based fumigation equipment for the control of black sigatoka in the cultivation of bananas. This study was conducted in the province of El Oro, located to the southwest of the country formed by 600.659 inhabitants. This research is characterized for being non-experimental, descriptive, narrative, explanatory, quantitative and qualitative. For the collection of data interview techniques were applied to the different representatives of the banana activity and surveys were applied to the banana producers. In addition the theoretical method was based on research previously conducted by other authors about similar topics that served as a frame of reference for the proposal that is being posed. It is therefore concluded in the analysis of the banana market conditions within the province of El Oro, that more of the 60 percent of the banana producers are small farmers with averages of 1 to 10 hectares in production. Being these people the most affected by the high cost of the aerial fumigation. Therefore, they are the main claimants of the land-based fumigation equipment, because it allows them to minimize the costs of the control of black sigatoka. Using the results obtained in the surveys, it was identified several variables that confirms that this is a potential market to offer electrostatic pumps, providing great advantages in terms of cost reduction, good coverage and less damage to the environment. The main advantages and disadvantages of the land-based fumigation equipment were identified for black sigatoka in the cultivation of bananas for small farmers, the main advantage was the reduction of costs in the control of fumigations, since this system is suitable and adjusted to the conditions of small dimension areas, that through the use of the electrostatic system will allow a long-range uniform distribution of product applied to control the spread of the disease. This situation does not represent any disadvantage for this sector, o

A survey of the genera Sarcodictyon Forbes, 1847, and rolandia Lacaze-Duthiers, 1900, (anthozoa: octocorallia) in the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean

Sarcodictyon catenatum Forbes, 1847, is a common species in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. However, often it has been mistaken for Rolandia coralloides Lacaze-Duthiers, 1900. On the basis of British and Mediterranean material we studied the main characters for distinguishing S. catenatum. We consider Rolandia coralloides Lacaze-Duthiers, 1900, to be a valid species and we assign to it all the material named Rolandia rosea by S. Weinberg (1978). Furthermore, a histological study confirmed that R. coralloides typically forms groups of polyps embedded in a common coenenchyme. Therefore, the possibility of transferring R. coralloides from Stolonifera to Alcyonacea is discussed. Evagorgia rosea Philippi, 1842, is here considered to be a nomen dubium

The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Achievement Goals in University Students: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Defensive Pessimism

Although achievement goals have been the subject of much study about their implications for learning and performance, interest has been less marked in understanding their precursors, particularly those linked to students’ personal characteristics. In this study, we examine the role of a defensive pessimism strategy as a mediator and moderator of the relationships between self-esteem and achievement goals in a sample of 1028 university students. Analysis of mediation and moderation was performed using the PROCESS macro within SPSS. The results showed that defensive pessimism partially mediates and moderates the effect of self-esteem on approach goals (learning and performance). We found no significant mediation or moderation effect for defensive pessimism in the relationship between self-esteem and performance-avoidance goals. These findings suggest that defensive pessimism is an effective strategy to encourage motivational involvement in students with low self-esteem in the academic contextThis work was partially funded by the European Regional Development Funds (European Union and Principality of Asturias) through the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (FC-GRUPIN-IDI/2018/000199)S