Science and technology policy and the National Innovation System in Argentina

Includes bibliography

Chile: the Chilean national investment system and projects integrated bank

Includes bibliography

Institutional change and technology: impacts of deregulation on the national innovation system

Includes bibliography

EFFECTS OF IMPLEMENTING EPA'S ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION PROGRAM ON NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS

In 1986, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated an effort to comply more fully with the Endangered Species Act. This effort became their "Endangered Species Protection Program." The possibility of such a program was forecast in 1982 when Donald A. Spencer gave a presentation to the Tenth Vertebrate Pest Conference on "Vertebrate Pest Management and Changing Times." This paper focuses on current plans for implementing the EPA's Endangered Species Protection Program as it relates to the USDA Forest Service. It analyzes the potential effects this program will have on the agency, using the pocket gopher (Thomomys spp.), strychnine, and the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) as examples of an affected pest, pesticide, and predator.

Are prescribing doctors sensitive to the price that their patients have to pay in the Spanish National Health System?

[EN] Background This study aims to design an empirical test on the sensitivity of the prescribing doctors to the price afforded for the patient, and to apply it to the population data of primary care dispensations for cardiovascular disease and mental illness in the Spanish National Health System (NHS). Implications for drug policies are discussed. Methods We used population data of 17 therapeutic groups of cardiovascular and mental illness drugs aggregated by health areas to obtain 1424 observations ((8 cardiovascular groups * 70 areas) + (9 psychotropics groups * 96 areas)). All drugs are free for pensioners. For non-pensioner patients 10 of the 17 therapeutic groups have a reduced copayment (RC) status of only 10% of the price with a ceiling of €2.64 per pack, while the remaining 7 groups have a full copayment (FC) rate of 40%. Differences in the average price among dispensations for pensioners and non-pensioners were modelled with multilevel regression models to test the following hypothesis: 1) in FC drugs there is a significant positive difference between the average prices of drugs prescribed to pensioners and non-pensioners; 2) in RC drugs there is no significant price differential between pensioner and non-pensioner patients; 3) the price differential of FC drugs prescribed to pensioners and non-pensioners is greater the higher the price of the drugs. Results The average monthly price of dispensations to pensioners and non-pensioners does not differ for RC drugs, but for FC drugs pensioners get more expensive dispensations than non-pensioners (estimated difference of €9.74 by DDD and month). There is a positive and significant effect of the drug price on the differential price between pensioners and non-pensioners. For FC drugs, each additional euro of the drug price increases the differential by nearly half a euro (0.492). We did not find any significant differences in the intensity of the price effect among FC therapeutic groups. Conclusions Doctors working in the Spanish NHS seem to be sensitive to the price that can be afforded by patients when they fill in prescriptions, although alternative hypothesis could also explain the results found.

Pervasive multimedia guidance system for special needs passengers on public transport

[EN] This article presents a practical case of a pervasive multimedia guidance system for public transport passengers. In order to provide useful information to passengers, the system is capable of operating and adapting spontaneously to the different parts of a public transport network, using local data communication technologies. The multimedia data provided by the system are highly accessible, and adapt to the passengers' preferences, and are consequently suitable for special needs passengers. To this end, a paradigm of pervasive computing has been applied.

The loss of trust in the European Union during the great recession since 2007: The role of heuristics from the national political system

How can we explain the decline in support for the European Union (EU) and the idea of European integration after the onset of the great recession in the fall of 2007? Did the economic crisis and the austerity policies that the EU imposed—in tandem with the IMF—on several member countries help cause this drop? While there is some evidence for this direct effect of EU policies, we find that the most significant determinant of trust and support for the EU remains the level of trust in national governments. Based on cue theory and using concepts of diffuse and specific support, we find that support for the EU is derived from evaluations of national politics and policy, which Europeans know far better than the remote political system of the EU. This effect, however, is somewhat muted for those sophisticated Europeans that are more knowledgeable about the EU and are able to form opinions about it independently of the national contexts in which they live. We also find that the recent economic crisis has led to a discernible increase in the number of those who are disillusioned with politics both at the national and the supranational level. We analyze 133 national surveys from 27 EU countries by estimating a series of cross-classified multilevel logistic regression models.

The XXI century guidance and its social responsibility

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad considerar la orientación del siglo XXI en Venezuela como una disciplina con un alto compromiso social. Como programa, debe, hoy día, redefinirse con el objeto de impulsar propuestas conducentes a la inclusión de todas aquellas personas, que tradicionalmente han sido excluidas por su raza, etnia, género y/o discapacidad física y que como praxis social esté dirigida a la facilitación de los procesos de desarrollo humano en las dimensiones del Ser, Convivir, Servir, Conocer y Hacer, en el contexto personal, familiar y comunitario a lo largo del continuo del ciclo vital. L as competencias adquiridas a través de los procesos de orientación, son determinantes para proporcionar los medios a las ciudadanas y los ciudadanos para gestionar su propio desarrollo y el de su comunidad Se plantea la necesidad de un cambio de paradigma que deje atrás la clásica postura de un orientador que ayuda al orientado, desde el que conoce, el que tiene experiencia. Se sugiere más bien una relación de orientación intersubjetiva. Por otra parte, se habla de la necesidad de fortalecer el capital social de los espacios que contextualizan el proceso orientador. Se explican además, los alcances del Sistema Nacional de Orientación.

The XXI century guidance and its social responsibility

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad considerar la orientación del siglo XXI en Venezuela como una disciplina con un alto compromiso social. Como programa, debe, hoy día, redefinirse con el objeto de impulsar propuestas conducentes a la inclusión de todas aquellas personas, que tradicionalmente han sido excluidas por su raza, etnia, género y/o discapacidad física y que como praxis social esté dirigida a la facilitación de los procesos de desarrollo humano en las dimensiones del Ser, Convivir, Servir, Conocer y Hacer, en el contexto personal, familiar y comunitario a lo largo del continuo del ciclo vital. L as competencias adquiridas a través de los procesos de orientación, son determinantes para proporcionar los medios a las ciudadanas y los ciudadanos para gestionar su propio desarrollo y el de su comunidad Se plantea la necesidad de un cambio de paradigma que deje atrás la clásica postura de un orientador que ayuda al orientado, desde el que conoce, el que tiene experiencia. Se sugiere más bien una relación de orientación intersubjetiva. Por otra parte, se habla de la necesidad de fortalecer el capital social de los espacios que contextualizan el proceso orientador. Se explican además, los alcances del Sistema Nacional de Orientación.

The XXI century guidance and its social responsibility

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad considerar la orientación del siglo XXI en Venezuela como una disciplina con un alto compromiso social. Como programa, debe, hoy día, redefinirse con el objeto de impulsar propuestas conducentes a la inclusión de todas aquellas personas, que tradicionalmente han sido excluidas por su raza, etnia, género y/o discapacidad física y que como praxis social esté dirigida a la facilitación de los procesos de desarrollo humano en las dimensiones del Ser, Convivir, Servir, Conocer y Hacer, en el contexto personal, familiar y comunitario a lo largo del continuo del ciclo vital. L as competencias adquiridas a través de los procesos de orientación, son determinantes para proporcionar los medios a las ciudadanas y los ciudadanos para gestionar su propio desarrollo y el de su comunidad Se plantea la necesidad de un cambio de paradigma que deje atrás la clásica postura de un orientador que ayuda al orientado, desde el que conoce, el que tiene experiencia. Se sugiere más bien una relación de orientación intersubjetiva. Por otra parte, se habla de la necesidad de fortalecer el capital social de los espacios que contextualizan el proceso orientador. Se explican además, los alcances del Sistema Nacional de Orientación.