Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2013: Three decades of uneven and unstable growth

Includes bibliography

Algunas características de la personalidad relacionadas con la movilidad social ascensional en un medio ambiente urbano inestable = Some characteristics of personality related to upward social mobility in an unstable urban environment

Los documentos del Seminario fueron publicados por UNESCO en 1961 con el título: La urbanización en América Latina/Urbanization in Latin America

Technological capacity-building in unstable settings: Manufacturing firms in Argentina and Brazil

From the 1970s onward, the macroeconomic context in Argentina and Brazil was characterized by drastic economic changes and instability. Numerous studies have documented the generally negative effect of this environment on the innovation capacities of the manufacturing sector. This paper, however, analyses the possible emergence of new innovation capacities in the period, bringing two important phenomena to light. First, a quite substantial number of firms, even in unstable settings, redoubled their innovation efforts. Second, these firms are mainly found in a small group of sectors associated with the countries’ static advantages or in sectors favoured by specific sectoral regimes. The findings, although exploratory, are a contribution to the debate on the development of innovative capacities in unstable macroeconomic contexts and the ability of sectors associated with the two countries’ static advantages to generate spaces of innovation and value creation.

Quantization of unstable linear scalar fields in static spacetimes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Functions and vector fields on C(CPn)-singular manifolds

Let M2n+1 be a C(CPn) -singular manifold. We study functions and vector fields with isolated singularities on M2n+1. A C(CPn) -singular manifold is obtained from a smooth manifold M2n+1 with boundary in the form of a disjoint union of complex projective spaces CPn boolean OR CPn boolean OR ... boolean OR CPn with subsequent capture of a cone over each component of the boundary. Let M2n+1 be a compact C(CPn) -singular manifold with k singular points. The Euler characteristic of M2n+1 is equal to chi(M2n+1) = k(1 - n)/2. Let M2n+1 be a C(CPn)-singular manifold with singular points m(1), ..., m(k). Suppose that, on M2n+1, there exists an almost smooth vector field V (x) with finite number of zeros m(1), ..., m(k), x(1), ..., x(1). Then chi(M2n+1) = Sigma(l)(i=1) ind(x(i)) + Sigma(k)(i=1) ind(m(i)).

Controllability of control systems on complex simple lie groups and the topology of flag manifolds

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Sliding vector fields for non-smooth dynamical systems having intersecting switching manifolds

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

On bifurcation of solutions of the Yamabe problem in product manifolds

We study local rigidity and multiplicity of constant scalar curvature metrics in arbitrary products of compact manifolds. Using (equivariant) bifurcation theory we determine the existence of infinitely many metrics that are accumulation points of pairwise non-homothetic solutions of the Yamabe problem. Using local rigidity and some compactness results for solutions of the Yamabe problem, we also exhibit new examples of conformal classes (with positive Yamabe constant) for which uniqueness holds. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A NOTE ON OPEN 3-MANIFOLDS SUPPORTING FOLIATIONS BY PLANES

We show that if N, an open connected n-manifold with finitely generated fundamental group, is C-2 foliated by closed planes, then pi(1)(N) is a free group. This implies that if pi(1)(N) has an abelian subgroup of rank greater than one, then F has at least a nonclosed leaf. Next, we show that if N is three dimensional with fundamental group abelian of rank greater than one, then N is homeomorphic to T-2 x R. Furthermore, in this case we give a complete description of the foliation.

Synthesis of Unstable Cyclic Peroxides for Chemiluminescence Studies

Cyclic four-membered ring peroxides are important high-energy intermediates in a variety of chemi and bioluminescence transformations. Specifically, alpha-peroxylactones (1,2-dioxetanones) have been considered as model systems for efficient firefly bioluminescence. However, the preparation of such highly unstable compounds is extremely difficult and, therefore, only few research groups have been able to study the properties of these substances. In this study, the synthesis, purification and characterization of three 1,2-dioxetanones are reported and a detailed procedure for the known synthesis of diphenoyl peroxide, another important model compound for the chemical generation of electronically excited states, is provided. For most of these peroxides, the complete spectroscopic characterization is reported here for the first time.

Axioms for the coincidence index of maps between manifolds of the same dimension

We study the coincidence theory of maps between two manifolds of the same dimension from an axiomatic viewpoint. First we look at coincidences of maps between manifolds where one of the maps is orientation true, and give a set of axioms such that characterizes the local index (which is an integer valued function). Then we consider coincidence theory for arbitrary pairs of maps between two manifolds. Similarly we provide a set of axioms which characterize the local index, which in this case is a function with values in Z circle plus Z(2). We also show in each setting that the group of values for the index (either Z or Z circle plus Z(2)) is determined by the axioms. Finally, for the general case of coincidence theory for arbitrary pairs of maps between two manifolds we provide a set of axioms which characterize the local Reidemeister trace which is an element of an abelian group which depends on the pair of functions. These results extend known results for coincidences between orientable differentiable manifolds. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of unstable cyclic peroxides for chemiluminescence studies

Cyclic four-membered ring peroxides are important high-energy intermediates in a variety of chemi and bioluminescence transformations. Specifically, α-peroxylactones (1,2-dioxetanones) have been considered as model systems for efficient firefly bioluminescence. However, the preparation of such highly unstable compounds is extremely difficult and, therefore, only few research groups have been able to study the properties of these substances. In this study, the synthesis, purification and characterization of three 1,2-dioxetanones are reported and a detailed procedure for the known synthesis of diphenoyl peroxide, another important model compound for the chemical generation of electronically excited states, is provided. For most of these peroxides, the complete spectroscopic characterization is reported here for the first time.

Quantum field theory of (p,0)-forms on kaehler manifolds

In questa tesi abbiamo studiato la quantizzazione di una teoria di gauge di forme differenziali su spazi complessi dotati di una metrica di Kaehler. La particolarità di queste teorie risiede nel fatto che esse presentano invarianze di gauge riducibili, in altre parole non indipendenti tra loro. L'invarianza sotto trasformazioni di gauge rappresenta uno dei pilastri della moderna comprensione del mondo fisico. La caratteristica principale di tali teorie è che non tutte le variabili sono effettivamente presenti nella dinamica e alcune risultano essere ausiliarie. Il motivo per cui si preferisce adottare questo punto di vista è spesso il fatto che tali teorie risultano essere manifestamente covarianti sotto importanti gruppi di simmetria come il gruppo di Lorentz. Uno dei metodi più usati nella quantizzazione delle teorie di campo con simmetrie di gauge, richiede l'introduzione di campi non fisici detti ghosts e di una simmetria globale e fermionica che sostituisce l'iniziale invarianza locale di gauge, la simmetria BRST. Nella presente tesi abbiamo scelto di utilizzare uno dei più moderni formalismi per il trattamento delle teorie di gauge: il formalismo BRST Lagrangiano di Batalin-Vilkovisky. Questo metodo prevede l'introduzione di ghosts per ogni grado di riducibilità delle trasformazioni di gauge e di opportuni “antifields" associati a ogni campo precedentemente introdotto. Questo formalismo ci ha permesso di arrivare direttamente a una completa formulazione in termini di path integral della teoria quantistica delle (p,0)-forme. In particolare esso permette di dedurre correttamente la struttura dei ghost della teoria e la simmetria BRST associata. Per ottenere questa struttura è richiesta necessariamente una procedura di gauge fixing per eliminare completamente l'invarianza sotto trasformazioni di gauge. Tale procedura prevede l'eliminazione degli antifields in favore dei campi originali e dei ghosts e permette di implementare, direttamente nel path integral condizioni di gauge fixing covarianti necessari per definire correttamente i propagatori della teoria. Nell'ultima parte abbiamo presentato un’espansione dell’azione efficace (euclidea) che permette di studiare le divergenze della teoria. In particolare abbiamo calcolato i primi coefficienti di tale espansione (coefficienti di Seeley-DeWitt) tramite la tecnica dell'heat kernel. Questo calcolo ha tenuto conto dell'eventuale accoppiamento a una metrica di background cosi come di un possibile ulteriore accoppiamento alla traccia della connessione associata alla metrica.

Cube Complexes and Virtual Fibering of 3-Manifolds.

Una 3-varietà si dice virtualmente fibrata se ammette un rivestimento finito che è un fibrato con base una circonferenza e fibra una superficie. In seguito al lavoro di geometrizzazione di Thurston e Perelman, la generica 3-varietà risulta essere iperbolica; un recente risultato di Agol afferma che una tale varietà è sempre virtualmente fibrata. L’ingrediente principale della prova consiste nell’introduzione, dovuta a Wise, dei complessi cubici nello studio delle 3-varietà iperboliche. Questa tesi si concentra sulle proprietà algebriche e geometriche di queste strutture combinatorie e sul ruolo che esse hanno giocato nella dimostrazione del Teorema di Fibrazione Virtuale.

Analysis of the Kohn Laplacian on the Heisenberg Group and on Cauchy-Riemann Manifolds

The purpose of this study is to analyse the regularity of a differential operator, the Kohn Laplacian, in two settings: the Heisenberg group and the strongly pseudoconvex CR manifolds. The Heisenberg group is defined as a space of dimension 2n+1 with a product. It can be seen in two different ways: as a Lie group and as the boundary of the Siegel UpperHalf Space. On the Heisenberg group there exists the tangential CR complex. From this we define its adjoint and the Kohn-Laplacian. Then we obtain estimates for the Kohn-Laplacian and find its solvability and hypoellipticity. For stating L^p and Holder estimates, we talk about homogeneous distributions. In the second part we start working with a manifold M of real dimension 2n+1. We say that M is a CR manifold if some properties are satisfied. More, we say that a CR manifold M is strongly pseudoconvex if the Levi form defined on M is positive defined. Since we will show that the Heisenberg group is a model for the strongly pseudo-convex CR manifolds, we look for an osculating Heisenberg structure in a neighborhood of a point in M, and we want this structure to change smoothly from a point to another. For that, we define Normal Coordinates and we study their properties. We also examinate different Normal Coordinates in the case of a real hypersurface with an induced CR structure. Finally, we define again the CR complex, its adjoint and the Laplacian operator on M. We study these new operators showing subelliptic estimates. For that, we don't need M to be pseudo-complex but we ask less, that is, the Z(q) and the Y(q) conditions. This provides local regularity theorems for Laplacian and show its hypoellipticity on M.