Políticos, militares y ciudadanos: un análisis de las caídas presidenciales en Ecuador (1997-2005)

De 1997 a 2005 tres presidentes ecuatorianos democráticamente elegidos fueron removidos de sus cargos. En ninguno de los tres casos se observó el procedimiento formal –juicio político– constitucionalmente establecido; por el contrario, las destituciones presidenciales involucraron a un conjunto de actores sociales, políticos y militares; las crisis fueron consecuencia de una serie de escándalos públicos; estuvieron seguidas de movilizaciones populares que condujeron a la destitución presidencial por parte del Congreso, y, en todos los casos, las Fuerzas Armadas cumplieron el papel de árbitro. Las semejanzas en el comportamiento y expectativas de los diversos actores dan cuenta del surgimiento de la destitución presidencial como institución política informal, con su propia lógica, normas y reglas. A partir del marco conceptual del institucionalismo histórico, este estudio establece los orígenes de la inestabilidad presidencial en el Ecuador; en su parte central, analiza la innovación institucional implícita en el surgimiento de un patrón de destitución presidencial, e identifica algu - nos factores que permiten diferenciar el caso ecuatoriano de otros observados en la región. En suma, la obra analiza los desempeños de la democracia en el Ecuador, deteniéndose en las brechas existentes en tre los arreglos institucionales formales y los de carácter informal, lo que en definitiva permite una cabal comprensión del proceso político ecuatoriano.

Los militares profanadores de la ciudad (Dossier: Literaturas de la integración, el Sur y su diversidad)

Reseña dos novelas publicadas en la década de 1980, que se ambientan en los años en que la dictadura uruguaya invade Minas, una pequeña ciudad de provincias. La balada de Johnny Sosa es la historia de la pérdida de la inocencia del negro Johnny, es también una “parábola sobre la dignidad humana, dando voz a quienes no la tienen, a los desheredados. A quienes, con militares o sin ellos siempre han estado en el fondo de la bolsa”. La misma ciudad de Minas es también el escenario de Las ventanas del silencio, novela en la que hablan diferentes voces, se narra cómo los soldados realizan allanamientos, encarcelan, torturan y matan, imponen el reparto de castigos y de favores. Aquí, en esta ciudad pequeña, en la que la frase “En Uruguay todos se conocen” resulta más evidente, el efecto de la dictadura y de las delaciones que ella propiciaba fue devastador. Ambas novelas narran, en definitiva, lo que ha ocurrido en este país “cuando los militares profanaron la ciudad”.

Los liderazgos militares-civiles: los casos de Ecuador y Venezuela

La doctrina militar latinoamericana ha provisto a los institutos armados de la región de concepciones que justifican la intervención en el sistema democrático cuando la patria está en peligro. Ante las ineficiencias del sistema político y las profundas tensiones sociales bajo las que vivía Venezuela y Ecuador en 1992 y 2000, facciones de la institución armada intervinieron para imponer como solución la total reforma del sistema político. A pesar de lo fugaz de estos movimientos, sus líderes se posicionaron en el imaginario popular como una suerte de héroes de la nueva independencia. Utilizando un discurso antipolítico, Hugo Chávez alcanzó la presidencia venezolana en 1998, y retomando los mismos elementos discursivos Lucio Gutiérrez logró también la presidencia ecuatoriana en 2003. No obstante, las distancias entre los dos presidentes tienen un origen ideológico, que se vuelve más evidente en la dirección gubernamental de cada uno. Un elemento que en el fondo acerca las posiciones de los dos presidentes es la preservación de la estabilidad de su mandato, aunque la forma de lograrlo es diametralmente opuesta, pues mientras en Venezuela se intenta relegar a la vieja clase política, en Ecuador la estrategia utilizada es aliarse con esa clase. Al final, los partidos dirigidos por estos coroneles ingresaron al sistema político generando grandes expectativas cuyo cumplimiento puede señalar la fundación del nuevo Estado, mientras que su falla al hacerlo significará un paso deslucido por la presidencia.

The infra-red spectra of silyl fluoride and silyl fluoride-d3

Infra-red spectra have been recorded for silyl fluoride and silyl fluoride-d3 at a resolution of circa 0·3 cm-1. Rotational structure has been observed for parallel fundamentals in both molecules, and for all perpendicular fundamentals. In both SiH3F and SiD3F the A1 and E species deformation modes interact strongly via a Coriolis perturbation; this has been analysed, and the band origin of v5 for SiH3F is reassigned. A hybrid-orbital force field based on the experimental data is also reported.

A análise da relação trabalho e saúde na atividade dos bombeiros militares do Rio de Janeiro

Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a dinâmica trabalho e saúde na atividade dosbombeiros militares de uma Corporação na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Como foco deinvestigação privilegiamos as narrativas relativas ao cotidiano dos trabalhadores, levandoem consideração o cenário encontrado na ocasião da pesquisa. Para marco teóricoconceitualforam selecionados os aportes da psicodinâmica do trabalho, da ergologia, daclínica da atividade e da psicossociologia. A perspectiva metodológica foi situada noâmbito da pesquisa qualitativa de natureza exploratória. Utilizamos a abordagem dashistórias de vida, guiada por um roteiro, juntamente com a aplicação de um pequenoquestionário, o qual registrou alguns dados mais objetivos. Os sujeitos da pesquisacompuseram um grupo de 20 (vinte) bombeiros de diversas patentes militares. A análisedos resultados foi organizada em três grandes seções com os seus respectivosdesdobramentos 1) Contextualização do cenário de atividade; 2) Narrativasprofissionais de três bombeiros militares e por último 3) A realidade de ser bombeiro.A aproximação do cenário, vivido pelos bombeiros militares, permitiu o exame dassituações que foram vivenciadas em um momento de tensão no campo das negociaçõespor direito à saúde e ao trabalho. Em função desta pauta, analisamos os depoimentos dostrabalhadores à luz do marco teórico conceitual proposto e neste mesmo percurso foipossível fazer emergir os aspectos que, em decorrência da natureza da atividade, exercemimpactos na saúde dos profissionais. Por tratar de uma atividade cujo principal objetivo ésalvar vidas e bens, os profissionais trabalham sob um clima de tensão e risco à própriavida. Contudo, concluímos diante dos resultados do estudo que, embora os bombeirosmilitares estabeleçam correlações entre o trabalho e a saúde, a categoria ainda não possuidispositivos coletivos para minimizar os efeitos deletérios da prática de trabalhoconstituídos desta relação.

Cosmic ray modulation of infra-red radiation in the atmosphere

Cosmic rays produce molecular cluster ions as they pass through the lower atmosphere. Neutral molecular clusters such as dimers and complexes are expected to make a small contribution to the radiative balance, but atmospheric absorption by charged clusters has not hitherto been observed. In an atmospheric experiment, a narrowband thermopile filter radiometer centred on 9.15 {\mu}m, an absorption band previously associated with infra-red absorption of molecular cluster ions, was used to monitor changes following events identified by a cosmic ray telescope sensitive to high-energy (>400 MeV) particles, principally muons. The average change in longwave radiation in this absorption band due to molecular cluster ions is 7 mWm sup{-2}. The integrated atmospheric energy density for each event is 2 Jm sup{-2}, representing an amplification factor of 10 sup{12} compared to the estimated energy density of a typical air shower. This absorption is expected to occur continuously and globally, but calculations suggest that it has only a small effect on climate.

Extended optimal estimation techniques for sea surface temperature from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infra-Red Imager (SEVIRI)

Sea surface temperature (SST) can be estimated from day and night observations of the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infra-Red Imager (SEVIRI) by optimal estimation (OE). We show that exploiting the 8.7 μm channel, in addition to the “traditional” wavelengths of 10.8 and 12.0 μm, improves OE SST retrieval statistics in validation. However, the main benefit is an improvement in the sensitivity of the SST estimate to variability in true SST. In a fair, single-pixel comparison, the 3-channel OE gives better results than the SST estimation technique presently operational within the Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility. This operational technique is to use SST retrieval coefficients, followed by a bias-correction step informed by radiative transfer simulation. However, the operational technique has an additional “atmospheric correction smoothing”, which improves its noise performance, and hitherto had no analogue within the OE framework. Here, we propose an analogue to atmospheric correction smoothing, based on the expectation that atmospheric total column water vapour has a longer spatial correlation length scale than SST features. The approach extends the observations input to the OE to include the averaged brightness temperatures (BTs) of nearby clear-sky pixels, in addition to the BTs of the pixel for which SST is being retrieved. The retrieved quantities are then the single-pixel SST and the clear-sky total column water vapour averaged over the vicinity of the pixel. This reduces the noise in the retrieved SST significantly. The robust standard deviation of the new OE SST compared to matched drifting buoys becomes 0.39 K for all data. The smoothed OE gives SST sensitivity of 98% on average. This means that diurnal temperature variability and ocean frontal gradients are more faithfully estimated, and that the influence of the prior SST used is minimal (2%). This benefit is not available using traditional atmospheric correction smoothing.

Estimation of sea surface temperature from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infra Red Imager, improved using numerical weather prediction

Most of the operational Sea Surface Temperature (SST) products derived from satellite infrared radiometry use multi-spectral algorithms. They show, in general, reasonable performances with root mean square (RMS) residuals around 0.5 K when validated against buoy measurements, but have limitations, particularly a component of the retrieval error that relates to such algorithms' limited ability to cope with the full variability of atmospheric absorption and emission. We propose to use forecast atmospheric profiles and a radiative transfer model to simulate the algorithmic errors of multi-spectral algorithms. In the practical case of SST derived from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) onboard Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), we demonstrate that simulated algorithmic errors do explain a significant component of the actual errors observed for the non linear (NL) split window algorithm in operational use at the Centre de Météorologie Spatiale (CMS). The simulated errors, used as correction terms, reduce significantly the regional biases of the NL algorithm as well as the standard deviation of the differences with drifting buoy measurements. The availability of atmospheric profiles associated with observed satellite-buoy differences allows us to analyze the origins of the main algorithmic errors observed in the SEVIRI field of view: a negative bias in the inter-tropical zone, and a mid-latitude positive bias. We demonstrate how these errors are explained by the sensitivity of observed brightness temperatures to the vertical distribution of water vapour, propagated through the SST retrieval algorithm.

Probabilistic physically-based cloud screening of satellite infra-red imagery for operational sea surface temperature retrieval

We propose and demonstrate a fully probabilistic (Bayesian) approach to the detection of cloudy pixels in thermal infrared (TIR) imagery observed from satellite over oceans. Using this approach, we show how to exploit the prior information and the fast forward modelling capability that are typically available in the operational context to obtain improved cloud detection. The probability of clear sky for each pixel is estimated by applying Bayes' theorem, and we describe how to apply Bayes' theorem to this problem in general terms. Joint probability density functions (PDFs) of the observations in the TIR channels are needed; the PDFs for clear conditions are calculable from forward modelling and those for cloudy conditions have been obtained empirically. Using analysis fields from numerical weather prediction as prior information, we apply the approach to imagery representative of imagers on polar-orbiting platforms. In comparison with the established cloud-screening scheme, the new technique decreases both the rate of failure to detect cloud contamination and the false-alarm rate by one quarter. The rate of occurrence of cloud-screening-related errors of >1 K in area-averaged SSTs is reduced by 83%. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society.

Infra-red laser ablative micromachining of parylene-C on SiO2substrates for rapid prototyping, high yield, human neuronal cell patterning

Cell patterning commonly employs photolithographic methods for the micro fabrication of structures on silicon chips. These require expensive photo-mask development and complex photolithographic processing. Laser based patterning of cells has been studied in vitro and laser ablation of polymers is an active area of research promising high aspect ratios. This paper disseminates how 800 nm femtosecond infrared (IR) laser radiation can be successfully used to perform laser ablative micromachining of parylene-C on SiO2 substrates for the patterning of human hNT astrocytes (derived from the human teratocarcinoma cell line (hNT)) whilst 248 nm nanosecond ultra-violet laser radiation produces photo-oxidization of the parylene-C and destroys cell patterning. In this work, we report the laser ablation methods used and the ablation characteristics of parylene-C for IR pulse fluences. Results follow that support the validity of using IR laser ablative micromachining for patterning human hNT astrocytes cells. We disseminate the variation in yield of patterned hNT astrocytes on parylene-C with laser pulse spacing, pulse number, pulse fluence and parylene-C strip width. The findings demonstrate how laser ablative micromachining of parylene-C on SiO2 substrates can offer an accessible alternative for rapid prototyping, high yield cell patterning with broad application to multi-electrode arrays, cellular micro-arrays and microfluidics.

Further considerations of cosmic ray modulation of infra-red radiation in the atmosphere

Understanding effects of ionisation in the lower atmosphere is a new interdisciplinary area, crossing the traditionally distinct scientific boundaries between astro-particle and atmospheric physics and also requiring understanding of both heliospheric and magnetospheric influences on cosmic rays. Following the paper of Erlykin et al. (2014) we develop further the interpretation of our observed changes in long-wave (LW) radiation, Aplin and Lockwood (2013) by taking account of both cosmic ray ionisation yields and atmospheric radiative transfer. To demonstrate this, we show that the thermal structure of the whole atmosphere needs to be considered along with the vertical profile of ionisation. Allowing for, in particular, ionisation by all components of a cosmic ray shower and not just by the muons, reveals that the effect we have detected is certainly not inconsistent with laboratory observations of the LW absorption cross section. The analysis presented here, although very different from that of Erlykin et al., does come to the same conclusion that the events detected by AL were not caused by individual cosmic ray primaries – not because it is impossible on energetic grounds, but because events of the required energy are too infrequent for the 12 h_1 rate at which they were seen by the AL experiment. The present paper numerically models the effect of three different scenario changes to the primary GCR spectrum which all reproduce the required magnitude of the effect observed by AL. However, they cannot solely explain the observed delay in the peak effect which, if confirmed, would appear to open up a whole new and interesting area in the study of water oligomers and their effects on LW radiation. We argue that a technical artefact in the AL experiment is highly unlikely and that our initial observations merit both a wide-ranging follow-up experiment and more rigorous, self-consistent, three-dimensional radiative transfer modelling

Variabeltryck med inkjet i dagspress : Möjligheten att införa anpassade upplagor

På uppdrag av Tidningsutgivarna har en studie utförts angående olika möjligheter att införa tryck av variabeldata med tryckmetoden inkjet i svensk dagspress. Målet var att undersöka tekniska möjligheter och begränsningar samt att utreda om det fanns något intresse på marknaden som skulle kunna ge någon avkastning. Studien utfördes med hjälp av noggranna källstudier och ett fortlöpande samarbete med olika företag med intresse för dagspress. Rapporten beskriver också företag som arbetar med den här typen av innovationer idag och diverse tidigare projekt med variabeltryckta tidningar. Nya teknologier som eventuellt kan vara av intresse för framtida utveckling har också beskrivits och hur tidningens framtid kommer att se ut ur ett kortare och ett längre perspektiv. Studien visar att inkjetpressar inte klarar av den hastighet som de moderna tidningspressarna håller idag. Men i takt med minskade upplagor och utvecklad teknologi, samt ett stort marknadsmässigt intresse så tyder det på att det kommer att finnas möjlighet att tillverka anpassade digitaltryckta tidningsupplagor inom en överskådlig framtid. Inkjet kan fungera som ett bra komplement till offset. Inlinepressar ger möjligheten att införa variabeltryck i stora tidningsupplagor medan separata inkjetpressar passar bra för tryck av mindre lokala upplagor.

Personalens förväntningar inför sammanslagning av förlossnings-, BB- och neonatalavdelningen och att samtidigt införa samvård : Kvalitativ studie med fokusgruppsintervjuer

Bakgrund: Anknytningen underlättas mellan barn och föräldrar om de kan vara tillsammans redan från förlossningen. Teamarbete förbättrar kvalitén och bidrar till helhetsperspektiv i vården. En god arbetsmiljö och ett gott samarbete mellan personal är viktigt för effektiviteten av samvård. Att undersöka personalens förväntningar inför ett nytt arbetssätt är betydelsefullt eftersom det kan avspegla sig i den vård som senare ges.Syftet med studien var att belysa personalens förväntningar inför sammanslagning av olika vårdavdelningar och att samtidigt införa samvård.Metoden var en kvalitativ metod med totalt 14 deltagare i tre fokusgruppsintervjuer. Datainsamlingen analyserades med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys.Resultatet sammanfattades med temat ”Tryggt och välkänt eller nytt och osäkert – förändringsarbetets balansgång” som beskrev personalens känslor inför sammanslagningen. Kategorierna ”Att få en bra miljö för föräldrar och personal”, ”Att samarbeta med familjen i fokus”, ”Att förena två kliniker och kulturer” och ”Att genomgå en arbetsplatsförändring” beskrev de förväntningar och farhågor personalen uttryckte.Slutsatser: Resultatet visade på förväntningar av att vård- och arbetsmiljö skulle förbättras samt att samarbetet mellan klinikerna skulle bli mer effektivt. Det framkom att det var av betydelse att ha fungerande informationsflöden, uppleva delaktighet samt ha en tydlig ledning i en genomgripande organisationsförändring.

Estruturas de governança em redes de cooperativas de crédito sob a ótica da teoria dos custos de transação: um estudo comparativo entre cooperativas brasileiras e canadenses

Tese apresentada ao Programa de Pós-graduação em Administração da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul