Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2006-2007

Includes bibliography

Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2007-2008: Macroeconomic policy and volatility

Includes bibliography

Ergonomia de quadras urbanas: condi����o t��rmica do pedestre

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Argentina: recent dynamics in the software and IT services industry

Includes bibliography.

Legitimidade intraorganizacional: um estudo sobre as Coordenadorias de Planejamento, Gest��o e Avalia����o na Universidade Federal do Par��

A Gest��o Organizacional na Universidade �� estudada atrav��s da Universidade Federal do Par�� (UFPA). A delimita����o do objeto se centrou nas Coordenadorias de Planejamento, Gest��o e Avalia����o (CPGAs), nas Unidades Acad��micas ��� Institutos em funcionamento no Campus de Bel��m, no sentido de investigar se a sua cria����o e funcionamento t��m contribu��do para a gest��o dos Institutos a partir de 2007 a 2011.1. Para tanto a explica����o foi baseada nas epistemologias da ��rea de Administra����o, onde o status de Ci��ncia tem seu respaldo com a an��lise da gest��o e o de pesquisa - a organiza����o, que permite a��, a interface de outras Ci��ncias. Ainda na ��rea, legitimidade tem sido analisada pela capacidade de explicar a ader��ncia ��s expectativas sociais no ��mbito organizacional, cujo foco usualmente est�� associado a processos de constitui����o, organiza����o e manuten����o de atividades coletivas em determinados ambientes. Somam-se ainda para o estudo, as contribui����es advindas da Teoria das Organiza����es e da Teoria Institucional, onde se evidenciam a capacidade de ader��ncia ��s expectativas sociais no ��mbito organizacional, associada a processos de constitui����o, organiza����o e manuten����o de atividades coletivas, quando as organiza����es buscam adaptar suas estruturas e procedimentos, serem isom��rficas ��s expectativas do contexto.

POST-PROJECT ASSESSMENT OF PIT LATRINES IN RURAL PANAMA

In Panama, one of the Environmental Health (EH) Sector���s primary goals is to improve the health of rural Panamanians by helping them to adopt behaviors and practices that improve access to and use of sanitation systems. In complying with this goal, the EH sector has used participatory development models to improve hygiene and increase access to latrines through volunteer managed latrine construction projects. Unfortunately, there is little understanding of the long term sustainability of these interventions after the volunteers have completed their service. With the Peace Corps adapting their Monitoring, Reporting, and Evaluation procedures, it is appropriate to evaluate the sustainability of sanitation interventions offering recommendations for the adaptions of the EH training program, project management, and evaluation procedures. Recognizing the need for evaluation of past latrine projects, the author performed a post project assessment of 19 pit latrine projects using participatory analysis methodologies. First, the author reviewed volunteers��� perspectives of pit latrine projects in a survey. Then, for comparison, the author performed a survey of latrine projects using a benchmarking scoring system to rate solid waste management, drainage, latrine siting, latrine condition, and hygiene. It was observed that the Sanitation WASH matrix created by the author was an effective tool for evaluating the efficacy of sanitation interventions. Overall more than 75%, of latrines constructed were in use. However, there were some areas where improvements could be made for both latrine construction and health and hygiene. The latrines scored poorly on the indicators related to the privacy structure and seat covers. Interestingly those are the two items least likely to be included in project subsidies. Furthermore, scores for hygiene-related indicators were low; particularly those related to hand washing and cleanliness of the kitchen, indicating potential for improvement in hygiene education. Based on these outcomes, the EH sector should consider including subsidies and standardized designs for privacy structures and seat covers for latrines. In addition, the universal adoption of contracts and/or deposits for project beneficiaries is expected to improve the completion of latrines. In order to address the low scores in the health and hygiene indicators, the EH sector should adapt volunteer training, in addition to standardizing health and hygiene intervention procedures. In doing so, the sector should mimic the Community Health Club model that has shown success in improving health and hygiene indicators, as well as use a training session plan format similar to those in the Water Committee Seminar manual. Finally, the sector should have an experienced volunteer dedicated to program oversight and post-project monitoring and evaluation.

Comparing Campus Discipline Rates: A Multivariate Approach for Identifying Schools with Significantly Different than Expected Exclusionary Discipline Rates

Campus behavior management is important for ensuring classroom order and promoting positive academic outcomes. Previous studies have shown the importance of individual student and campus personnel characteristics and campus context for explaining campus discipline rates (e.g., rates of suspension and expulsion). Assessing campus discipline rates, while controlling for these individual and campus characteristics, is important for the monitoring, evaluation, and intervention role of policymakers as well as state and federal level education agencies. Systems or metrics exist that measure other student outcomes (i.e., academic performance) with controls for individual and campus characteristics, but none exist that monitor these differences for discipline rates across campuses. In this paper, we use a multivariate model to analyze a longitudinal, statewide dataset for all secondary students in Texas from 2000 to 2008 in order to examine how campus discipline rates differ across schools with statistically similar students, teachers, and campus characteristics. The findings are important for understanding that some schools with similar characteristics have significantly different exclusionary discipline rates, and they are important for informing policy and agency level decision-making. The methodology described can easily be used by monitoring agencies as well as local school districts.

Aplicaci��n de m��todos bibliom��tricos a la evaluaci��n de colecciones : El caso de la Biblioteca del Instituto Argentino de Radioastronom��a

Con el objetivo de determinar el grupo de publicaciones nucleares a considerar en el desarrollo de la colecci��n de la Biblioteca del IAR, se realiza un estudio bibliom��trico de la producci��n y del consumo de literatura cient��fica de los investigadores de la instituci��n a la que la biblioteca pertenece. A partir del an��lisis de referencias de los trabajos publicados por los investigadores se determinan la obsolescencia y la utilidad de la literatura consultada. Mediante la extracci��n de palabras clave y de los autores se determinan tambi��n los frentes de investigaci��n del instituto y los grupos de investigadores que trabajan en esos frentes, aplicando los m��todos de an��lisis de co-ocurrencia de palabras, coautor��as y an��lisis de redes sociales. Los resultados dan cuenta de una baja obsolescencia para la literatura consultada, de una elevada preferencia para consultar y publicar en dos o tres t��tulos de publicaciones peri��dicas de la disciplina, y demuestran finalmente la existencia de dos frentes de investigaci��n dentro de la instituci��n

Aplicaci��n de m��todos bibliom��tricos a la evaluaci��n de colecciones : El caso de la Biblioteca del Instituto Argentino de Radioastronom��a

Con el objetivo de determinar el grupo de publicaciones nucleares a considerar en el desarrollo de la colecci��n de la Biblioteca del IAR, se realiza un estudio bibliom��trico de la producci��n y del consumo de literatura cient��fica de los investigadores de la instituci��n a la que la biblioteca pertenece. A partir del an��lisis de referencias de los trabajos publicados por los investigadores se determinan la obsolescencia y la utilidad de la literatura consultada. Mediante la extracci��n de palabras clave y de los autores se determinan tambi��n los frentes de investigaci��n del instituto y los grupos de investigadores que trabajan en esos frentes, aplicando los m��todos de an��lisis de co-ocurrencia de palabras, coautor��as y an��lisis de redes sociales. Los resultados dan cuenta de una baja obsolescencia para la literatura consultada, de una elevada preferencia para consultar y publicar en dos o tres t��tulos de publicaciones peri��dicas de la disciplina, y demuestran finalmente la existencia de dos frentes de investigaci��n dentro de la instituci��n

Aplicaci��n de m��todos bibliom��tricos a la evaluaci��n de colecciones : El caso de la Biblioteca del Instituto Argentino de Radioastronom��a

Con el objetivo de determinar el grupo de publicaciones nucleares a considerar en el desarrollo de la colecci��n de la Biblioteca del IAR, se realiza un estudio bibliom��trico de la producci��n y del consumo de literatura cient��fica de los investigadores de la instituci��n a la que la biblioteca pertenece. A partir del an��lisis de referencias de los trabajos publicados por los investigadores se determinan la obsolescencia y la utilidad de la literatura consultada. Mediante la extracci��n de palabras clave y de los autores se determinan tambi��n los frentes de investigaci��n del instituto y los grupos de investigadores que trabajan en esos frentes, aplicando los m��todos de an��lisis de co-ocurrencia de palabras, coautor��as y an��lisis de redes sociales. Los resultados dan cuenta de una baja obsolescencia para la literatura consultada, de una elevada preferencia para consultar y publicar en dos o tres t��tulos de publicaciones peri��dicas de la disciplina, y demuestran finalmente la existencia de dos frentes de investigaci��n dentro de la instituci��n

Study for the rehabilitation of vernacular architecture with sustainable criteria

This paper assesses rural vernacular heritage established in a warm temperate climate, with dry, hot summer, in S��o Vicente e Ventosa (SVV), Alentejo, Portugal, and takes part in a larger investigation intending to create rehabilitation guidelines, with sustainable criteria and integration of recent technologies, to improving indoor comfort, and revert the state of deterioration. To further reach this aim, this paper proposes a four phases methodology: data collection, evaluation, simulation and development; a first survey data analysis, including climate data and the adapted comfort climograph and isopleth diagram, allows an understanding of thermal comfort and main constraints in site, as well as suitable bioclimatic strategies for SVV: high thermal inertia for tempering extreme summer conditions and the considerable temperature amplitudes throughout the year, complementarily night ventilation for passive cooling, small-sized window openings and movable shading systems for solar radiation protection. An efficient behaviour in stabilizing indoor temperature swings is revealed.

National accomplishments in pollution control, 1970-1980 : some case histories /

Mode of access: Internet.

Estudo da Acessibilidade Organizacional aos Servi��os de Sa��de Bucal de um Munic��pio de Pequeno Porte do Nordeste Brasileiro

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the accessibility to oral health services in Santa Cruz (RN), focusing on the organizational aspect which is characterized by variables like delay in getting consultation, waiting lines, difficulty scheduling appointments, lack of material, among others. Material and Methods: For such purpose, questionnaires were addressed to 194 users��� houses based on census tract. Results: It has been found that 12.9% of the population has never gone to the dentist���s office, and that the service demand has not been affected by users��� individual and socioeconomic characteristics, except for gender. Data have revealed that 36.1% of users went to the dentist���s in less than a year. In addition, the youngest users are among those who seek the dentist���s office more frequently (p<0.05). 63.3% of the interviewees have reported they find some kind of difficulty when seek for dental care, and 43.2% of users have waited three weeks or more for assistance. It is also noteworthy that 7.4% of the interviewees have been finding difficulties in getting access to urgency care, and that long wait for the consultation is the most frequently cited matter. Conclusion: It could be verified that accessibility to oral health services in the municipality of Santa Cruz (RN) has been hampered by factors related to public policies organization, especially with regards to the work process.

Estudo da Acessibilidade Organizacional aos Servi��os de Sa��de Bucal de um Munic��pio de Pequeno Porte do Nordeste Brasileiro

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the accessibility to oral health services in Santa Cruz (RN), focusing on the organizational aspect which is characterized by variables like delay in getting consultation, waiting lines, difficulty scheduling appointments, lack of material, among others. Material and Methods: For such purpose, questionnaires were addressed to 194 users��� houses based on census tract. Results: It has been found that 12.9% of the population has never gone to the dentist���s office, and that the service demand has not been affected by users��� individual and socioeconomic characteristics, except for gender. Data have revealed that 36.1% of users went to the dentist���s in less than a year. In addition, the youngest users are among those who seek the dentist���s office more frequently (p<0.05). 63.3% of the interviewees have reported they find some kind of difficulty when seek for dental care, and 43.2% of users have waited three weeks or more for assistance. It is also noteworthy that 7.4% of the interviewees have been finding difficulties in getting access to urgency care, and that long wait for the consultation is the most frequently cited matter. Conclusion: It could be verified that accessibility to oral health services in the municipality of Santa Cruz (RN) has been hampered by factors related to public policies organization, especially with regards to the work process.