Diagnóstico del Tratado de Libre Comercio de Estados Unidos frente a las estrategias de internacionalización para las PYME de Colombia hacia Maryland y Massachusetts

La firma de Tratados de Libre Comercio se ha convertido en una influencia para el desarrollo de investigaciones que permitan determinar y evidenciar oportunidades que lleven al incremento de la balanza comercial lo cual entraña a su vez una serie de retos en cuanto a la competencia de las empresas locales en mercados foráneos para la exportación de productos y servicios más allá de las materias primas y la importación de ciertos bienes para la especialización y optimización en procesos operativos. El estudio de los antecedentes del TLC entre Colombia y Estados Unidos es fundamental para comenzar el diagnóstico del proyecto, de modo tal que se identifique el impacto que ha tenido a través del tiempo este acuerdo y la influencia que produce en los sectores económicos en Colombia el comportamiento de esta relación en la actualidad. Es necesario identificar las oportunidades de las PYME en Colombia, especialmente en las exportaciones hacia los estados de Maryland y Massachusetts; y determinar la demanda que se puede llegar a suplir en estos estados por parte de las PYMES de nuestro país, basados en las importaciones actuales que se están generando por parte de los mismos desde el mundo entero tomando como referencia Wiser y Trademap, bases de datos de comercio exterior.

Oportunidades en los mercados de Nueva York, Nueva Jersey y Nebraska para las empresas colombianas

Actualmente, las barreras comerciales a nivel internacional resultan cada vez menos tangibles entre los diferentes mercados, haciendo que las oportunidades de comercialización de bienes y servicios entre países sea cada vez mayor. Sin embargo, es muy común todavía encontrarse con historias de fracaso en los esfuerzos de diferentes empresarios medianos y pequeños que en su momento decidieron emprender el camino de la internacionalización de sus compañías y que por diferentes factores, bien sea desconocimiento de leyes comerciales internacionales, desinformación primordial del mercado objetivo o simplemente por situaciones ajenas a ellos sufrieron esta adversidad y dejaron de lado su impulso e interés por internacionalizarse. Por tal razón, hemos enfocado nuestros esfuerzos en tratar de identificar las diferentes potencialidades y oportunidades que el empresario colombiano puede llegar a tener en cuatro estados de Estados Unidos de Norteamérica, Nueva York, Nueva Jersey, Nuevo Hampshire y Nebraska específicamente. La metodología a desarrollar a lo largo de esta investigación principalmente recoge información cualitativa y cuantitativa que nos permitirá desglosar diversos aspectos con mayor profundidad, para que el empresario interesado tenga un panorama más claro de lo que puede llegar a encontrarse en los estados mencionados anteriormente.

Yellow fever in Brazil: thoughts and hypotheses on the emergence in previously free areas

This article describes and discusses factors associated to the reemergence of yellow fever and its transmission dynamics in the states of São Paulo (Southeastern Brazil) and Rio Grande do Sul (Southern) during 2008 and 2009. The following factors have played a pivotal role for the reemergence of yellow fever in these areas: large susceptible human population; high prevalence of vectors and primary hosts (non-human primates); favorable climate conditions, especially increased rainfall; emergence of a new genetic lineage; and circulation of people and/or monkeys infected by virus. There is a need for an effective surveillance program to prevent the reemergence of yellow fever in other Brazilian states.

POTENTIALLY PATHOGENIC FREE-LIVING AMOEBAE IN SOME FLOOD-AFFECTED AREAS DURING 2011 CHIANG MAI FLOOD

SUMMARYThe survey was carried out to investigate the presence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) during flood in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2011. From different crisis flood areas, seven water samples were collected and tested for the presence of amoebae using culture and molecular methods. By monoxenic culture, FLA were detected from all samples at 37 °C incubation. The FLA growing at 37 °C were morphologically identified as Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria spp. and some unidentified amoebae. Only three samples (42.8%), defined as thermotolerant FLA, continued to grow at 42 °C. By molecular methods, two non-thermotolerant FlA were shown to have 99% identity to Acanthamoeba sp. and 98% identity to Hartmannella vermiformis while the two thermotolerant FLA were identified as Echinamoeba exundans (100% identity) and Hartmannella sp. (99% identity). This first report of the occurrence of FLA in water during the flood disaster will provide information to the public to be aware of potentially pathogenic FLA.

DETECTION OF Leptospira spp. AND Brucella abortus ANTIBODIES IN FREE-LIVING JAGUARS (Panthera onca) IN TWO PROTECTED AREAS OF NORTHERN PANTANAL, BRAZIL

 This study aimed to assess the exposure of free-living jaguars (Panthera onca) to Leptospira spp. and Brucella abortus in two conservation units in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The presence of antibodies in blood samples of eleven jaguars was investigated using autochthonous antigens isolated in Brazil added to reference antigen collection applied to diagnosis of leptospirosis by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). The Rose Bengal test was applied for B. abortus antibodies. Two (18.2%) jaguars were seroreactive for the Leptospira spp. antigen and the serovar considered as most infective in both animals was a Brazilian isolate of serovar Canicola (L01). All jaguars were seronegative for B. abortus. These data indicate that the inclusion of autochthonous antigens in serological studies can significantly increase the number of reactive animals, as well as modify the epidemiological profile of Leptospira spp. infection.

Address by Michea¡l Martin to the Conference - Legislating for Tobacco Free Society

Thank you Chairman I would like to extend a warm welcome to our keynote speakers, David Byrne of the European Commission, Derek Yach from the World Health Organisation, and Paul Quinn representing Congressman Marty Meehan who sends his apologies. When we include the speakers who will address later sessions, this is, undoubtedly, one of the strongest teams that have been assembled on tobacco control in Europe. The very strength of the team underlines what I see as a shift – a very necessary shift – in the way we perceive the tobacco issue. For the last twenty years, we have lived out a paradox. It isn´t a social side issue. I make no apology for the bluntness of what I´m saying, and will come back, a little later, to the radicalism I believe we need to bring – nationally – to this issue. For starters, though, I want to lay it on the line that what we´re talking about is an epidemic as deadly as any suffered by human kind throughout the centuries. Slower than some of those epidemics in its lethal action, perhaps. But an epidemic, nonetheless. According to the World Health Organisation tobacco accounted for just over 3 million annual deaths in 1990, rising to 4.023 million annual deaths in 1998. The numbers of deaths due to tobacco will rise to 8.4 million in 2020 and reach roughly 10 million annually by 2030. This is quite simply ghastly. Tobacco kills. It kills in many different ways. It kills increasing numbers of women. It does its damage directly and indirectly. For children, much of the damage comes from smoking by adults where children live, study, play and work. The very least we should be able to offer every child is breathable air. Air that doesn´t do them damage. We´re now seeing a global public health response to the tobacco epidemic. The Tobacco Free Initiative launched by the World Health Organisation was matched by significant tobacco control initiatives throughout the world. During this conference we will hear about the experiences our speakers had in driving these initiatives. This Tobacco Free Initiative poses unique challenges to our legal frameworks at both national and international levels; in particular it raises challenges about the legal context in which tobacco products are traded and asks questions about the impact of commercial speech especially on children, and the extent of the limitations that should be imposed on it. Politicians, supported by economists and lawyers as well as the medical profession, must continue to explore and develop this context to find innovative ways to wrap public health considerations around the trade in tobacco products – very tightly. We also have the right to demand a totally new paradigm from the tobacco industry. Bluntly, the tobacco industry plays the PR game at its cynical worst. The industry sells its products without regard to the harm these products cause. At the same time, to gain social acceptance, it gives donations, endowments and patronage to high profile events and people. Not good enough. This model of behaviour is no longer acceptable in a modern society. We need one where the industry integrates social responsibility and accountability into its day-to-day activities. We have waited for this change in behaviour from the tobacco industry for many decades. Unfortunately the documents disclosed during litigation in the USA and from other sources make very depressing reading; it is clear from them that any trust society placed in the tobacco industry in the past to address the health problems associated with its products was misplaced. This industry appears to lack the necessary leadership to guide it towards just and responsible action. Instead, it chooses evasion, deception and at times illegal activity to protect its profits at any price and to avoid its responsibilities to society and its customers. It has engaged in elaborate ´spin´ to generate political tolerance, scientific uncertainty and public acceptance of its products. Legislators must act now. I see no reason why the global community should continue to wait. Effective legal controls must be laid on this errant industry. We should also keep these controls under review at regular intervals and if they are failing to achieve the desired outcomes we should be prepared to amend them. In Ireland, as Minister for Health and Children, I launched a comprehensive tobacco control policy entitled “Towards a Tobacco Free Society“. OTT?Excessive?Unrealistic? On the contrary – I believe it to be imperative and inevitable. I honestly hold that, given the range of fatal diseases caused by tobacco use we have little alternative but to pursue the clear objective of creating a tobacco free society. Aiming at a tobacco free society means ensuring public and political opinion are properly informed. It requires help to be given to smokers to break the addiction. It demands that people are protected against environmental tobacco smoke and children are protected from any inducement to experiment with this product. Over the past year we have implemented a number of measures which will support these objectives; we have established an independent Office of Tobacco Control, we have introduced free nicotine replacement therapy for low-income earners, we have extended our existing prohibitions on tobacco advertising to the print media with some minor derogations for international publications. We have raised the legal age at which a person can be sold tobacco products to eighteen years. We have invested substantially more funds in health promotion activities and we have mounted sustained information campaigns. We have engaged in sponsorship arrangements, which are new and innovative for public bodies. I have provided health boards with additional resources to let them mount a sustained inspection and enforcement service. Health boards will engage new Directors of Tobacco Control responsible for coordinating each health board´s response and for liasing with the Tobacco Control Agency I set up earlier this year. Most recently, I have published a comprehensive Bill – The Public Health (Tobacco) Bill, 2001. This Bill will, among other things, end all forms of product display and in-store advertising and will require all retailers to register with the new Tobacco Control Agency. Ten packs of cigarettes will be banned and transparent and independent testing procedures of tobacco products will be introduced. Enforcement officers will be given all the necessary powers to ensure there is full compliance with the law. On smoking in public places we will extend the existing areas covered and it is proposed that I, as Minister for Health and Children, will have the powers to introduce further prohibitions in public places such as pubs and the work place. I will also provide for the establishment of a Tobacco Free Council to advise and assist on an ongoing basis. I believe the measures already introduced and those additional ones proposed in the Bill have widespread community support. In fact, you´re going to hear a detailed presentation from the MRBI which will amply illustrate the extent of this support. The great thing is that the support comes from smokers and non-smokers alike. Bottom line, Ladies and Gentlemen, is that we are at a watershed. As a society (if you´ll allow me to play with a popular phrase) we´ve realised it´s time to ´wake up and smell the cigarettes.´ Smell them. See them for what they are. And get real about destroying their hold on our people. The MRBI survey makes it clear that the single strongest weapon we have when it comes to preventing the habit among young people is price. Simple as that. Price. Up to now, the fear of inflation has been a real impediment to increasing taxes on tobacco. It sounds a serious, logical argument. Until you take it out and look at it a little more closely. Weigh it, as it were, in two hands. I believe – and I believe this with a great passion – that we must take cigarettes out of the equation we use when awarding wage increases. I am calling on IBEC and ICTU, on employers and trade unions alike, to move away from any kind of tolerance of a trade that is killing our citizens. At one point in industrial history, cigarettes were a staple of the workingman´s life. So it was legitimate to include them in the ´basket´ of goods that goes to make up the Consumer Price Index. It isn´t legitimate to include them any more. Today, I´m saying that society collectively must take the step to remove cigarettes from the basket of normality, from the list of elements which constitute necessary consumer spending. I´m saying: “We can no longer delude ourselves. We must exclude cigarettes from the considerations we address in central wage bargaining. We must price cigarettes out of the reach of the children those cigarettes will kill.” Right now, in the monthly Central Statistics Office reports on consumer spending, the figures include cigarettes. But – right down at the bottom of the page – there´s another figure. Calculated without including cigarettes. I believe that if we continue to use the first figure as our constant measure, it will be an indictment of us as legislators, as advocates for working people, as public health professionals. If, on the other hand, we move to the use of the second figure, we will be sending out a message of startling clarity to the nation. We will be saying “We don´t count an addictive, killer drug as part of normal consumer spending.” Taking cigarettes out of the basket used to determine the Consumer Price Index will take away the inflation argument. It will not be easy, in its implications for the social partners. But it is morally inescapable. We must do it. Because it will help us stop the killer that is tobacco. If we can do it, we will give so much extra strength to health educators and the new Tobacco Control Association. This new organisation of young people who already have branches in over fifteen counties, is represented here today. The young adults who make up its membership are well placed to advise children of the dangers of tobacco addiction in a way that older generations cannot. It would strengthen their hand if cigarettes move – in price terms – out of the easy reach of our children Finally, I would like to commend so many public health advocates who have shown professional and indeed personal courage in their commitment to this critical public health issue down through the years. We need you to continue to challenge and confront this grave public health problem and to repudiate the questionable science of the tobacco industry. The Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society represents a new and dynamic form of partnership between government and civil society. It will provide an effective platform to engage and mobilise the many different professional and academic skills necessary to guide and challenge us. I wish the conference every success.

Colonization by mites of glacier-free areas in King George Island, Antarctica

This work aimed to investigate the ratio of colonization by terrestrial mites on ice-free areas created by the ongoing climate-induced melting of Antarctic glaciers. Glacier retreat opens new ice-free areas for the colonization by vegetation and animals. The study was undertaken on the Antarctic Specially Protected Area no. 128 (West Coast of the Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetlands Islands). Transects marked between the Ecology, Baranowski and Windy Glaciers, and a sea shore were used to collect soil samples. Oribatid mites were found only on near-shore areas, on patches of vegetation of more than 30 years of age. The colonization by mite communities is strongly determined by the presence of plants.

Commerce in disguise : war and trade in the Caribbean free port of Gustavia, 1793–1815

ISBN 978-951-765-806-5Avhandlingen studerar frihamnen Gustavia på ön S:t Barthélemy, den svenska kolonin i Västindien, under de franska revolutionskrigen 1793-1815. Syftet är att kartlägga den ekonomiska aktiviteten genom Gustavia genom ett outforskat källmaterial och analysera hamnens roll i Västindien och i den atlantiska ekonomin under krigsåren. Det viktigaste resultatet av undersökningen är att den påvisar den kortvariga men exceptionella position som Gustavia fick under krigen, vilket ledde till att stora varuflöden gick genom den svenska kolonin och att sjöfart under svensk flagg i regionen tilltog. Krigskonjunkturen hämtade till ön ett stort antal nya invånare, framförallt från angränsande karibiska kolonier men också från USA och Europa. Frihamnen och ön fungerade kort under några decennier som en global marknadsplats i Västindien för handelsmän som kringgick blockader och handelsförbud. Vidare närmar sig även avhandlingen frågor om Sveriges engagemang i slavhandeln på ett systematiskt sätt, och demonstrerar att den svenska slavhandeln var mer omfattande än den tidigare forskningen visat, speciellt efter att rörelsen för slavhandelns förbud fått ett starkt fäste i Storbritannien. De tidigare stora internationella undersökningarna om slavhandeln har ofta missat det svenska inslaget. S:t Barthélemy har fått relativt lite uppmärksamhet i den svenska historieforskningen, och har ofta skildrats som ett exotiskt och ganska betydelselöst inslag i Sverige 1800-talshistoria. Mycket av den tidigare forskningen präglas av det nationalhistoriska perspektivet med kolonins länkar till Stockholm i blickfånget. Avhandlingen påvisar att länkarna mellan kolonin och Stockholm var fåtaliga och att dess ekonomiska betydelse för Sverige var ytterst liten. Däremot omvärderar avhandlingen kolonins betydelsefulla roll i ett större internationellt sammanhang. ----------------------------------------------------------- Väitöskirja käsittelee Gustavian vapaasatamaa Ruotsin Länsi-Intian siirtomaassa Saint-Barthélemyn saarella, Ranskan vallankumoussotien aikana 1793–1815. Tarkoitus on ollut kartoittaa Gustavian kautta kulkevaa taloudellista toimintaa tutkimattomien lähteiden avulla ja arvioida sataman asemaa Länsi-Intiassa sekä atlanttisessa taloudessa sotavuosina.Väitöskirjan tärkein tulos osoittaa sataman sotien aikana saavuttamaa lyhytkestoista mutta poikkeuksellista roolia, mikä johti suuren kaupankäynnin saapumiseen ruotsalaissiirtomaahan sekä siihen, että merenkulku ruotsalaisen lipun alla kiihtyi Länsi-Intian alueella. Sotatalouden nousukausi aikaansai pienelle saarelle muuttoliikkeen myötä suuren väestönkasvun, jonka lähteenä olivat pääsääntöisesti lähisaaret, mutta osa uusista asukkaista tuli myös Yhdysvalloista ja Euroopasta. Gustavian vapaasatama toimi muutaman vuosikymmenen ajan globaalina markkinapaikkana Länsi-Intian kauppamiehille, joilla oli tarve kiertää kauppasaartoja ja -kieltoja. Lisäksi väitöskirja lähestyy kysymystä Ruotsin osallistumisesta orjankauppaan ja osoittaa että ruotsalainen orjakauppa oli laajempaa kuin aiempi tutkimus on väittänyt, etenkin sen jälkeen kun kansanliike orjakauppaa vastaan oli saavuttanut vahvan tuen Iso-Britanniassa. Aiemmat laajat kansainväliset kartoitukset orjakaupasta ovat usein ohittaneet ruotsalaisten osallisuutta tässä yhteydessä. Saint-Barthélemy on aiemmin saanut suhteellisen vähän huomiota ruotsalaisessa historiankirjoituksessa, ja sitä on usein hahmoteltu eksoottisena ja melko merkityksettömänä osana Ruotsin 1800-luvun historiaa. Aiempaa tutkimusta on paljolti leimannut kansallinen historiankirjoitus, jonka keskeisenä kiinnostuksena ovat olleet saaren yhteydet Tukholmaan. Väitöskirja osoittaa kuitenkin että nämä yhteydet olivat heikkoja ja että siirtomaan taloudellinen merkitys Ruotsille oli hyvinkin pieni. Toisaalta väitöskirja arvioi siirtomaan todellista ja tärkeää roolia uudelleen sijoittamalla sen isompaan kansainväliseen asiayhteyteen.

Invoice-kaupan edut ja haitat verrattuna tavalliseen Tax Free kauppaan

Kandidaatintutkielmani käsittelee Invoice-kauppaa ja sitä, mitä etuja siihen liittyy verrattuna tavanomaiseen tax-free kauppaan. Invoice-veronpalautusjärjestelmässä EU:n ulkopuolella asuva asiakas saa veronpalautuksen samasta liikkeestä seuraavalla asiointikerralla. Arvonlisäveronpalautukset on kuitenkin haettava puolen vuoden sisällä ostosten tekemisestä. Tavanomaisessa tax-free kaupassa asiakas saa arvonlisäveronpalautuksen rajalta poistuessaan Suomesta. Invoicea käytettäessä asiakas saa verosta isomman osan takaisin kuin tavanomaisessa tax-free kaupassa, mutta palautuksen saaminen kestää kauemmin, koska Invoicea käytettäessä veronpalautuksen voi saada vain samasta liikkeestä, missä ostokset on tehty. Tutkielmani tarkastelee aihetta kauppiaan näkökulmasta. Kauppiaan kannalta Invoicen etuna on erityisesti asiakkaiden ”koukuttaminen”, koska veronpalautukset on aina haettava samasta liikkestä, mistä tuotteet on ostettu. Näin samat asiakkaat tulevat usein samaan liikkeeseen myös seuraavilla Suomen matkoilla saadakseen veronpalautukset. Tämä tuo liikkeille usein myös uusia kanta-asiakkaita.Toisaalta on huomioitava myös Invoicen käytöstä kauppiaalle ja kassoille mahdollisesti aiheutuva lisätyö ja kustannukset. Veronpalautusten maksaminen takaisin asiakkaille ja tullissa leimattujen kuittien käsittely vie kassoilla tavanomaista enemmän aikaa ja saattaa vaatia lisää henkilökuntaa. Tutkielma on toteutettu laadullisena eli kvalitatiivisena ja tutkimusmenetelmänä on käytetty haastatteluita. Haastateltavat ovat kauppiaita Kaakkois-Suomen alueelta. Tavoitteenani oli koota mahdollisimman monipuolinen haastateltavien joukko sisältäen niin vaate- ja vapaa-ajan liikkeitä kuin sekatavara- ja päivittäistavarakauppoja. Teorialähteinä käytin yliopiston kirjastosta lainattuja kirjoja, LUT:in tietokantojen ja Edilex-tietokannan artikkeleita sekä Verohallinnon dokumentteja ja verkkojulkaisuja. Lisäksi olen hyödyntänyt tutkielmassani myös ajankohtaisia uutisia sekä erilaisten paikallis- ja aikakauslehtien artikkeleita. Tutkielmani johtopäätöksissä tulin siihen tulokseen, että kauppiaan kannalta edullisinta on käyttää samanaikaisesti sekä Invoicea että perinteistä, palautusliikeiden palveluja hyödyntävää tax-free järjestelmää. Tämä mahdollistaa liikkeille mahdollisimman laajan asiakasjoukon. Suomessa usein käyvät ostosmatkailijat suosivat yleensä Invoicea täysimääräisen veronpalautuksen vuoksi. Palautusliikkeet taas veloittavat asiakkaalle maksettavasta veronpalautuksesta oman palvelumaksunsa. Suomessa harvemmin vieraileville taas palautusliikkeiden palvelut ovat edullisempia, sillä veronpalautukset saa rajalta maasta poistuttaessa, eikä tarvitse palata samaan liikkeeseen puolen vuoden sisällä. Palautusliikkeiden etuna Invoiceen nähden on myös asioinnin vaivattomuus, sillä eri liikkeissä asioivat ostosmatkailijat saavat kaikista matkalla tekemistään ostoksista arvonlisäveronpalautuksensa yhdestä paikasta sen sijaan, että kävisivät hakemassa ne joka liikkeestä erikseen.

Annual profile of fecal androgen and glucocorticoid levels in free-living male American kestrels from southern mid-latitude areas

Fecal samples and behavioral data were collected at a fortnightly basis during 11 months period from free-living male American kestrels living in southeast Brazil (22 degrees S latitude). The aim was to investigate the seasonal changes in testicular and adrenal steroidogenic activity and their correlation to reproductive behaviors and environmental factors. The results revealed that monthly mean of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in May and June were higher than those estimated in November. in parallel, monthly mean of androgen metabolites in September was higher than those from January to April and from October to November. Molt took place from January to March, whereas copulation was observed from June to October but peaked in September. Nest activity and food transfer to females occurred predominantly in October, and parental behavior was noticed only in November. Territorial aggressions were rare and scattered throughout the year. Multiple regression analysis revealed that fecal androgen levels are predicted by photoperiod and copulation, while fecal glucocorticoid levels are only predicted by photoperiod. Bivariate correlations showed that fecal androgen metabolites were positively correlated with fecal glucocorticoid metabolites and copulation, but negatively correlated with molt. Additionally, copulation was positively correlated with food transfer to females and nest activity, but negatively correlated with molt. These findings suggest that male American kestrels living in southeast Brazil exhibit significant seasonal changes in fecal androgen and glucocorticoid concentrations, which seem to be stimulated by decreasing daylength but not by rainfall or temperature. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Annual profile of fecal androgen and glucocorticoid levels in free-living male American kestrels from southern mid-latitude areas

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

Trade patterns and policies of CDCC countries in rice, legumes, ground provisions, fresh vegetables and citrus products and identification of areas for joint action

Includes bibliography