Perpetual debt valuation: the net present value myopia

Would you prefer to receive a fixed rent for a period of 50 years, 75 years or perpetually? Well, if you have chosen the perpetual option, you are absolutely right. However, when considering a mathematical and financial approach, they may all end up roughly the same whenever the Net Present Value (NPV) is approximately identical. It makes common sense to choose the perpetual option even if the NPV exhibits myopia when computing the discount value of a fixed yearly rent. After a certain period, the discount value becomes approximately the same even when adding more yearly fixed rents. Corporations and governments issue perpetual bonds while recognizing these may not represent a very good financing strategy and thus implying that most of these issues are either callable or convertible on the issuer’s request. In approaching the existing perpetual debt related NPV myopia, this paper holds two main goals: firstly, we intend to study the behaviours of perpetual debt yields against other perpetual instruments and, secondly, we consider the financial methods for assessing the value of money before proposing a formula adjustment that might serve to overcome default NPV when evaluating fixed rents in perpetuity.

Análise baropodométrica do apoio plantar em idosos e sua relação com as quedas

O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo a descrição, a análise e a comparação de parâmetros relacionados com o apoio plantar em idosos, através do método da baropodometria eletrónica, que oferece a avaliação das variáveis temporais e espaciais na postura estática e na marcha. Ademais, teve a finalidade de medir e comparar a distribuição da pressão plantar num grupo de idosos, institucionalizados e não institucionalizados, com e sem historial de quedas nos últimos 12 meses, para verificar se há um padrão comum ou divergente de apoio plantar, aspetos biomecânicos e diferenças significativas na marcha entre estes dois grupos e sua relação com a ocorrência de quedas. A amostra foi composta por 160 idosos, 80 institucionalizados e 80 não institucionalizados, onde foi realizado um levantamento das variáveis sociodemográficas como: idade, género, o índice de massa corporal (IMC), a ocorrência de quedas nos últimos 12 meses, a existência de patologias e a prática de atividade física. Foram analisadas, através da plataforma de pressão, a distribuição das pressões plantares, os picos de pressão plantar média e máxima, área de superfície plantar e a largura da base de sustentação na postura estática e, relativamente às variáveis temporais na postura dinâmica, foram avaliadas a duração do passo e o tempo de contato plantar, no momento da fase de apoio e propulsão da marcha. Foi analisada a correlação destas variáveis com a ocorrência de quedas. Foram identificados maiores valores de pressão média e máxima, na postura estática e dinâmica, nos idosos não institucionalizados. Na comparação entre os grupos, foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas em grande parte das variáveis na postura estática, especialmente aumento da largura da base (p=0,048) e, na postura dinâmica, a duração do passo e do tempo de contato do pé no solo (p=0,000) foram maiores nos idosos institucionalizados. O avançar da idade, o aumento na duração do passo e do tempo de contato do pé no solo, bem como a diminuição dos valores das pressões plantares apresentaram correlação com a ocorrência de quedas na amostra total de idosos, especialmente nos idosos institucionalizados. Entretanto, as variáveis índice de massa corporal e largura da base de sustentação não influenciaram na ocorrência de quedas na amostra total de idosos. Estes resultados demonstram a importância da análise do apoio plantar em idosos, pois alterações na distribuição das pressões plantares podem constituir um fator de risco para quedas.

Detectability of migrating raptors and its effect on bias and precision of trend estimates

Annual counts of migrating raptors at fixed observation points are a widespread practice, and changes in numbers counted over time, adjusted for survey effort, are commonly used as indices of trends in population size. Unmodeled year-to-year variation in detectability may introduce bias, reduce precision of trend estimates, and reduce power to detect trends. We conducted dependent double-observer surveys at the annual fall raptor migration count at Lucky Peak, Idaho, in 2009 and 2010 and applied Huggins closed-capture removal models and information-theoretic model selection to determine the relative importance of factors affecting detectability. The most parsimonious model included effects of observer team identity, distance, species, and day of the season. We then simulated 30 years of counts with heterogeneous individual detectability, a population decline (λ = 0.964), and unexplained random variation in the number of available birds. Imperfect detectability did not bias trend estimation, and increased the time required to achieve 80% power by less than 11%. Results suggested that availability is a greater source of variance in annual counts than detectability; thus, efforts to account for availability would improve the monitoring value of migration counts. According to our models, long-term trends in observer efficiency or migratory flight distance may introduce substantial bias to trend estimates. Estimating detectability with a novel count protocol like our double-observer method is just one potential means of controlling such effects. The traditional approach of modeling the effects of covariates and adjusting the index may also be effective if ancillary data is collected consistently.

Trends in NE Atlantic landings (southern Portugal): identifying the relative importance of fisheries and environmental variables

Time series of commercial landings from the Algarve (southern Portugal) from 1982 to 1999 were analyzed using min/max autocorrelation factor analysis (MAFA) and dynamic factor analysis (DFA). These techniques were used to identify trends and explore the relationships between the response variables (annual landings of 12 species) and explanatory variables [sea surface temperature, rainfall, an upwelling index, Guadiana river (south-east Portugal) flow, the North Atlantic oscillation, the number of licensed fishing vessels and the number of commercial fishermen]. Landings were more highly correlated with non-lagged environmental variables and in particular with Guadiana river flow. Both techniques gave coherent results, with the most important trend being a steady decline over time. A DFA model with two explanatory variables (Guadiana river flow and number of fishermen) and three common trends (smoothing functions over time) gave good fits to 10 of the 12 species. Results of other models indicated that river flow is the more important explanatory variable in this model. Changes in the mean flow and discharge regime of the Guadiana river resulting from the construction of the Alqueva dam, completed in 2002, are therefore likely to have a significant and deleterious impact on Algarve fisheries landings.

Staff and students co-creating curricula in UK higher education: exploring process and evidencing value

Student engagement in learning and teaching is receiving a growing level of interest from policy makers, researchers, and practitioners. This includes opportunities for staff and students to co-create curricula, yet there are few examples within current literature which describe and critique this form of staff-student collaboration (Bovill (2013a), Healey et al (2014), Cook-Sather et al (2014). The competing agendas of neoliberalism and critical, radical pedagogies influence the policy and practice of staff and students co-creating curricula and, consequently, attempt to appropriate the purpose of it in different ways. Using case-based research methodology, my study presents analysis of staff and students co-creating curricula within seven universities. This includes 17 examples of practice across 14 disciplines. Using an inductive approach, I have examined issues relating to definitions of practice, conceptualisations of curricula, perceptions of value, and the relationship between practice and institutional strategy. I draw upon an interdisciplinary body of literature to provide the conceptual foundations for my research. This has been necessary to address the complexity of practice and includes literature relating to student engagement in learning and teaching, conceptual models of curriculum in higher education, approaches to evidencing value and impact, and critical theory and radical pedagogies. The study makes specific contributions to the wider scholarly debate by highlighting the importance of dialogue and conversational scholarship as well as identifying with participants what matters as well as what works as a means to evidence the value of collaborations. It also presents evidence of a new model of co-creating curricula and additional approaches to conceptualising curricula to facilitate collaboration. Analysis of macro and micro level data shows enactment of dialogic pedagogies within contexts of technical-rational strategy formation and implementation.

La cultura y el liderazgo en la estrategia de crecimiento por exportaciones del modelo de desarrollo japonés (1960-1980)

Normalmente el desarrollo de un país se ha explicado desde una perspectiva tradicional en términos de su crecimiento económico, teniendo en cuenta indicadores macroeconómicos como el PIB, la inflación y el desempleo. Poca atención se le ha puesto a la importancia que para el desarrollo de un país representan el capital humano y el proceso de liderazgo. Debido a lo anterior, mediante este estudio de caso, se pretende entender el éxito de la estrategia de crecimiento por exportaciones de Japón entre los años 1960-1980 teniendo en cuenta estos aspectos. Así, se busca sustentar que la incorporación de un tipo de liderazgo transformacional- transaccional y los elementos propios de su cultura como el confucianismo y el budismo, le imprimieron una perspectiva no economicista al éxito del modelo de desarrollo como parte de la triada empresa-estado-universidad. Lo anterior se realizará partiendo de un análisis cualitativo y con un enfoque en la economía política internacional y en el liderazgo. Este último estudiado desde las disciplinas de la administración, la sociología y la psicología

Efectos de una intervención educativa en los conocimientos y comportamientos relacionados con la fotoprotección durante la práctica de la actividad física en los estudiantes de un colegio público de Bogotá D.C., Colombia

Introducción: La incidencia del cáncer de piel melanoma y no melanoma es un problema de salud pública a nivel mundial. El incremento en la incidencia del cáncer de piel en los últimos años se debe a múltiples factores como: cambios en los estilos de vida, el envejecimiento de la población, cambios ambientales, el desconocimiento a la exposición a la radiación ultravioleta (RUV) durante la práctica de actividad física sin elementos de fotoprotección, siendo éste último reconocido como el principal factor de riesgo. Objetivo: Evaluar los efectos de una intervención educativa en los conocimientos y comportamientos relacionados con la fotoprotección durante la práctica de la actividad física en estudiantes de un colegio público de Bogotá D.C., Colombia. Métodos: Estudio de intervención, antes y después, no controlado en 281 estudiantes de los grados noveno, décimo y once de estratos 1-3 de un colegio público de Bogotá, con seguimiento a 1, 3 y 6 meses post-intervención. Se evaluaron los conocimientos y los hábitos de fotoprotección mediante un cuestionario Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) y el modelo Transteórico de cambio comportamental de Prochaska y Di Clemente. El estudio se realizó durante el primer semestre de 2015 con 4 sesiones educativas de 60 minutos apoyadas con material audiovisual y pedagógico, acorde a la Guía para la Comunicación Educativa en el marco el control del cáncer publicada por el Instituto Nacional de Cancerología. Resultados: Del grupo de estudiantes que participaron del estudio, el 52,3% eran hombres, el promedio de edad fue de 15,46 ± 1,2 años. El tipo de piel predominante fue la trigueña con 65,8%. La intervención educativa produjo cambios significativos en los conocimientos de foto protección, finalizado el seguimiento al sexto mes. En cuanto a la prevención los estudiantes refirieron tener conocimiento de cómo examinar su piel en el momento basal (12,5% n=35), presentándose un aumento significativo de 62,6% (n=211) al sexto mes (p<0,05). Conclusión: El estudio demostró la efectividad de la intervención educativa, evidenciando cambios significativos en los conocimientos en fotoprotección y comportamientos preventivos del cáncer de piel durante la práctica de la actividad física en estudiantes de un colegio público de Bogotá D.C., Colombia.

Can birds play a role as High Nature Value indicators of montado system?

Montados form a heterogeneous landscape of wooded matrix dominated by cork and/or holm oak with open areas characterized by fuzzy boundaries. Montado supports a high biological diversity associated to low intensity management and a landscape diversity provided by a continuous gradient of land cover. Among other features this permits the classification of montados as a High Nature Value (HNV) system. We assessed the role of birds as HNV indicators for montado, and tested several bird groups—farmland, edge, forest generalists and forest specialists species; and some universal indicators such as species conservation status, Shannon’s diversity index and species richness. Our study areas covered the North–South distribution of cork oak in Portugal, and we surveyed the breeding bird communities across 117 sampling sites. In addition to variables related to management and sanitary status, we considered variables that characterize the landscape heterogeneity inside the montado—trees and shrub density and richness of woody vegetation. Our results suggest that specific bird guilds can be used as HNV indicators of particular typologies of montado, and highlight the need to develop an indicator that could be transversally applied to all types of montado.

Historical landmarks of decent work

Structured Abstract Purpose: this article systemizes the main historical milestones which led to the current concept of decent work and presents some implications for business. Approach: after presenting the scenario which gives a special meaning and importance to decent work, the historical landmarks are systematized until the definition of the Decent Work Agenda. Findings: Decent work is a concept that has evolved since the ILO Foundation in 1919 and had several important steps throughout its development: Philadelphia Declaration in 1944, ILO constitution update in 1946, Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, Human Development Report, first edition in 1990, World Summit for Social Development in 1995, ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in 1998, World Economic Forum in 1999, Global Compact in 2000, United Nations Millennium Declaration in 2000, ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization in 2008, Global Jobs Compact in 2009, and inclusion in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Throughout this development we can witness the refinement and operationalization of the concept, its institutionalization and its spread at political level, at least as an intention. Practical implications: the business area is a privileged forum to turn policies into practices and some examples are provided. Value: although decent work emerged in a very different social and economic scenario from the present time, it is claimed to be even more topical and relevant for the development of business and society today.

Régime thermique en période de maturation du raisin dans le géoclimat viticole.

Mots clés :indice de fraîcheur des nuits, amplitude thermique, Système CCM Géoviticole, zonage, qualité. Key words: cool night index, thermal amplitude, MCC System for World Viticulture, zoning, quality. RESUME Le régime thermique en période de maturation du raisin est l?une des variables déterminantes de la coloration du raisin et de la richesse en arômes, anthocyanes et polyphénols des vins. L?objectif du travail est de caractériser le régime thermique, notamment la fraîcheur des nuits et l?amplitude thermique au cours de la maturation, au niveau du climat viticole mondial, sur une base des données de 100 régions viticoles dans 30 pays, obtenue par l?intermédiaire de l?Organisation Mondiale de la Météorologie - OMM. Plusieurs indices climatiques viticoles ont été calculés: l?Indice de Fraîcheur des Nuits ?IF (ºC), l?Indice Héliothermique de Huglin ?IH (ºC) et l?Indice de Sécheresse ?IS (mm) du Système de Classification Climatique Multicritères Géoviticole, et l?amplitude thermique moyenne en août et septembre Aa-s (ºC). Egalement, sur la période véraison-récolte ?v-r(moyenne des 30 jours précédant la date de récolte, estimée sur la base d?un Indice Héliothermique de HUGLIN égal à 1.900 - approximatif pour la maturation du Cabernet-Sauvignon): la fraîcheur des nuits (FNv -r), la température moyenne de l?air (Tv-r), la température maximale de l?air (Txv-r) et l?amplitude thermique (Av-r). Les résultats montrent que IH est corrélé avec Tv-r (r=0,79**) et avec Txv-r (r=0,80**). IH représente donc bien les conditions thermiques générales de la période de maturation en ce qui concerne la température moyenne et maximale de l?air. Mais IH n?est pas corrélé ni avec Aa-s ni avec Av-r. Par contre, IF est corrélé avec Aa-s (r=-0,70**) et FNv-r est corrélé avec Av-r (r=-0,69**). Cette corrélation doit justifier, en partie, l?usage assez courant de l?amplitude thermique comme indicateur de bonnes conditions thermiques de maturation pour les régions qui présentent des valeurs élevées. Mais ce raisonnement peut amener à des caractérisations erronées. Le travail met en évidence, également, ?importance de considérer le bilan hydrique des régions (IS) dans l?analyse du régime thermique sur la qualité du raisin. On peut onclure que pour avoir une bonne caractérisation du régime thermique en période de maturation il faut considérer la fraîcheur des nuits (IF étant un bon indicateur de FNv-r moyen des régions, avec un r=0,80**), caractérisation qui peut être améliorée avec l?information des températures maximales et de sur 11l?amplitude thermique en période de maturation du raisin. Les éléments présentés peuvent servir à améliorer les indices climatiques pour estimer le potentiel qualitatif du raisin des différentes régions viticoles, notamment en complément de IF. ABSTRACT The thermal conditions during the grape ripening period are important variables related to colour of the grapes, anthocyanins, polyphenols and flavour of the wine. The main purpose of this work was to characterise the thermal conditions, especially the night coolness and the thermal amplitude during maturation, in the geoclimate of the world vine culture. A database of 100 grape-growing regions of 30 countries obtained from the World Meteorology Organisation (WMO) was used. Some climatic indexes were calculated: Cool Night Index ?IF (°C), Huglin?s Heliothermal Index ?IH (°C) and Dryness Index ?IS (mm), from the Multicriteria Climatic Classification System for World Viticulture, and the thermal amplitude in August and September Aa-s (°C). Over véraison-harvest period ?v-r(mean of the 30 days before harvesting date, estimated on the basis of HUGLIN Heliothermal Index equal to 1,900 ? approximately value to ripen Cabernet-Sauvignon) similar indexes were obtained: the cool night (FNv-r), the mean air temperature (Tv-r), the maximal air temperature (Txv-r) and the thermal amplitude (Av-r). The results showed that IH is positively correlated with Tv-r (r=0.79**), Txv-r (r=0.80)and IF (r=0.67**). Therefore, IH represents well the general thermal conditions during maturation period, specially concerning the mean and the maximal air temperature. owever, IH was correlated neither with Aa-s nor to Av-r. IF was negatively correlated with Aa-s (r= -0.70**) and FNv-r was negatively correlated with Av-r (r=-0.69**). The correlation to some extent explains the current use of the thermal amplitude to predict good ripening thermal conditions for those regions that show high values. As here we have described, this thinking may give incorrect results. This work has also showed the importance to consider the water balance of the regions (IS) in the effect of the thermal conditions in grape quality. We conclude that the characterisation of the thermal conditions during the ripening period do need the cool night index (in this case, IFis a good index to provide the mean FNv-r of the regions, r=0,80**). Factors other than cool night which influence this characterisation are both maximal air temperature and thermal amplitude data. The elements presented in this work, in addition to IF , may improve the climatic indexes to be used to predict the qualitative potential of grapes from different regions.

Una mediación ética, psicológica y ecologizante

Recibido 10 de noviembre de 2010 • Aceptado 09 de marzo de 2011 • Corregido 04 de mayo de 2011    En este artículo hago hincapié en la importancia de la mediación pedagógica en el proceso educativo y paso a señalar cómo la mediación se enriquece si se toman en cuenta consideraciones de tipo ético como la legitimidad del otro; de tipo psicológico, rescatando del valor de la empatía, y de tipo ecologizante, resaltando la importancia de la contextualización como medio pedagógico.

Skills in the XXI Century Guidance: An Approach to the Costa Rican Reality

During a long time, the term competence has been used in different fields. Among those fields, and one of the most important, we can mention the educational system, from preschool to university levels. The term has to be understood as one person integral behavior, making him/her able to enter the labor force in the most competitive way. Within the university realm, experts have tried to include the model of competences as a transversal axle into the teaching-learning process. In European universities, such model has been implemented in most of them. In Latin America universities, on the other hand, it has been used in a good number of countries. The importance of early detection of competences among target populations in education has been widely discussed. However, it has been highlighted the necessity of considering romantic or subjective competences, which seem to lack of value in this complex and competitive actual world. The term competence has been classified as genetic competence, or common and specific competence. The latter is related to the knowledge scope. Within the counseling field, specifically, the general and specific competences are deemed highly appropriate for good a work performance. This article focuses on the main antecedents of competences and analyzes this approach from counseling field perspective. In regards to this specific aspect, a survey with professionals in counseling was carried out. Such a survey ends up dealing with some of the competences considered unavoidable for an accurate performance of professionals in counseling. It is important to mention that the competences of the survey mainly point out to genetic competences rather than to specific competences.

Comparison of multitemporal MODIS-EVI smoothing algorithms and its contribution to crop monitoring.

Crop monitoring and more generally land use change detection are of primary importance in order to analyze spatio-temporal dynamics and its impacts on environment. This aspect is especially true in such a region as the State of Mato Grosso (south of the Brazilian Amazon Basin) which hosts an intensive pioneer front. Deforestation in this region as often been explained by soybean expansion in the last three decades. Remote sensing techniques may now represent an efficient and objective manner to quantify how crops expansion really represents a factor of deforestation through crop mapping studies. Due to the special characteristics of the soybean productions' farms in Mato Grosso (area varying between 1000 hectares and 40000 hectares and individual fields often bigger than 100 hectares), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data with a near daily temporal resolution and 250 m spatial resolution can be considered as adequate resources to crop mapping. Especially, multitemporal vegetation indices (VI) studies have been currently used to realize this task [1] [2]. In this study, 16-days compositions of EVI (MODQ13 product) data are used. However, although these data are already processed, multitemporal VI profiles still remain noisy due to cloudiness (which is extremely frequent in a tropical region such as south Amazon Basin), sensor problems, errors in atmospheric corrections or BRDF effect. Thus, many works tried to develop algorithms that could smooth the multitemporal VI profiles in order to improve further classification. The goal of this study is to compare and test different smoothing algorithms in order to select the one which satisfies better to the demand which is classifying crop classes. Those classes correspond to 6 different agricultural managements observed in Mato Grosso through an intensive field work which resulted in mapping more than 1000 individual fields. The agricultural managements above mentioned are based on combination of soy, cotton, corn, millet and sorghum crops sowed in single or double crop systems. Due to the difficulty in separating certain classes because of too similar agricultural calendars, the classification will be reduced to 3 classes : Cotton (single crop), Soy and cotton (double crop), soy (single or double crop with corn, millet or sorghum). The classification will use training data obtained in the 2005-2006 harvest and then be tested on the 2006-2007 harvest. In a first step, four smoothing techniques are presented and criticized. Those techniques are Best Index Slope Extraction (BISE) [3], Mean Value Iteration (MVI) [4], Weighted Least Squares (WLS) [5] and Savitzky-Golay Filter (SG) [6] [7]. These techniques are then implemented and visually compared on a few individual pixels so that it allows doing a first selection between the five studied techniques. The WLS and SG techniques are selected according to criteria proposed by [8]. Those criteria are: ability in eliminating frequent noises, conserving the upper values of the VI profiles and keeping the temporality of the profiles. Those selected algorithms are then programmed and applied to the MODIS/TERRA EVI data (16-days composition periods). Tests of separability are realized based on the Jeffries-Matusita distance in order to see if the algorithms managed in improving the potential of differentiation between the classes. Those tests are realized on the overall profile (comprising 23 MODIS images) as well as on each MODIS sub-period of the profile [1]. This last test is a double interest process because it allows comparing the smoothing techniques and also enables to select a set of images which carries more information on the separability between the classes. Those selected dates can then be used to realize a supervised classification. Here three different classifiers are tested to evaluate if the smoothing techniques as a particular effect on the classification depending on the classifiers used. Those classifiers are Maximum Likelihood classifier, Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) classifier and CHAID Improved Decision tree. It appears through the separability tests on the overall process that the smoothed profiles don't improve efficiently the potential of discrimination between classes when compared with the original data. However, the same tests realized on the MODIS sub-periods show better results obtained with the smoothed algorithms. The results of the classification confirm this first analyze. The Kappa coefficients are always better with the smoothing techniques and the results obtained with the WLS and SG smoothed profiles are nearly equal. However, the results are different depending on the classifier used. The impact of the smoothing algorithms is much better while using the decision tree model. Indeed, it allows a gain of 0.1 in the Kappa coefficient. While using the Maximum Likelihood end SAM models, the gain remains positive but is much lower (Kappa improved of 0.02 only). Thus, this work's aim is to prove the utility in smoothing the VI profiles in order to improve the final results. However, the choice of the smoothing algorithm has to be made considering the original data used and the classifier models used. In that case the Savitzky-Golay filter gave the better results.

ALGUNOS FACTORES QUE INCIDEN EN LA VALORACION DEL SUELO URBANO

Este ensayo tuvo como finalidad primordial señalar la importancia que encierra, para fines planificadores, el conocimiento de la distribución de los valores del suelo dentro de un área urbana determinada. Asi tomada como el area de estudio; el distrito 1 o el Carmen, y localizada en la porción noroeste de la ciudad capital de Costa Rica, toda una serie de factores o variables que presentan gran relevancia en la fijación de valores para su suelo, fuero fijados y analizados, una vez caracterizada el area bajo análisis. En búsqueda de un modelo que se adapte a tal situación, se realizo una revisión bibliográfica y los principios modelo sobre el valor del suelo fueron presentados. Con los datos e informaciones recibidos en las diferentes instituciones mencionadas a lo largo del trabajo, y con el material recopilado en el campo, se llevo a cabo una cuantificación de los mismos, principalmente mediante el uso de un sistema de clasificación del dato esencial (valor del suelo) y, posteriormente, una serie de correlaciones –regresiones, simples y múltiples-, fue realizada con el fin de comprobarlas hipótesis planteadas y  con ello llegar a un análisis de los resultados obtenidos que permitiese brindar algunas recomendaciones al respecto. Otra finalidad de este consiste en demostrar la importancia del trabajo del geógrafo en el proceso  de la fijación de los valores para el terreno, sea urbano, sea rural, y cualquiera sea el fin que persiga: valores fiscales, valores reales, comerciales y, por qué no, hasta especulativos. SUMARY The main objetive of this investigation is to demonstrate the importance of the distribution of land values in an urban area in regards to the planning process. The chosen study area is the first district (Carmen) located in the northeast section of  the capital city of San José. Once the study area had been chosen, a series of factors and variables relavant to the fixation of land values, were chosen and analyzed. In the search for a model that could be adapted to the situation, a bibliographic revision was made concerning the topic of land values, and a list of possible land values, and a list of possible land value models was presented. In was possible to quantify the data information obtained from the different institutions mentioned in the investigation as well as from the material collected in the field; principally by means of a classification system of essential data ( land values), and later, series of simple and multiple correlation regressions were applied with the primary purpose being to confirm  the main hypothesis and then, arrive at an analysis of the obtained results that permit respective recommendations. Another purpose of the investigation consisted in demonstrating the importance of the geographer in the process of determining urban and rural land values and even for speculative purposes.

Migrantes centroamericanos en su paso por México: sufrimiento y dolor

Hoy se empiezan a sentir con mucho más fuerza las consecuencias de la globalización, entre ellas encontramos la migración. Es esencial debido a que está ocurriendo en los cinco continentes, cada vez con mayor frecuencia, e irónicamente conlleva un problema que “supuestamente“en el siglo XXI no debería estar ocurriendo: la violación a los derechos humanos de los migrantes. Se habla de que las personas migrantes sufren mucho con la finalidad de poder obtener una mejor calidad de vida para sus familias, ya que en sus países de origen no tienen esta oportunidad. Esta no es la excepción de los migrantes centroamericanos quienes tienen que cruzar México para poder llegar al país de los “sueños¨: Estados Unidos. El 100% de los transmigrantes centroamericanos sufre graves vulneraciones a sus derechos lo cual es sumamente preocupante, porque detrás  de estas violaciones se encuentran plasmados la corrupción, el crimen organizado, la impunidad  y, sobre todo, la falta de tolerancia. Estos fenómenos están gobernando actualmente al mundo.Nowadays, the repercussions of globalization greatly affect many sectors of society and among these, migration is one of them. It is of great importance and value to wake interest in this topic due to the fact that it is happening with more and more frequency in all five continents. Furthermore, it is truly unfortunate that the violation of the human rights of these migrants is still a reality we must face in this 21st century. It is said that those who migrate from a country to another, do it so to guarantee a superior quality of life for themselves and their respective families. Nonetheless, many individuals must suffer significantly before reaching this. Central-American migrants, who must cross Mexican territory in order to attain the “American Dream”, are not the exception in this case. Moreover, up to 100% of Central American migrants, who cross Mexican territory, face a cruel reality marked by transgressions to their human rights. Finally, this issue is of great concern for the region due to the fact that behind this curtain of transgressions, many other tribulations such as corruption, organized crime, impunity and intolerance are involved. Indeed, these evils affect the region and the entire globe.