Dollarization and the relationship between EMBI and fundamentals Latin American countries

This paper presents empirical evidence on the interrelationship that exists between the evolution of the Emerging Markets Bonds Index (EMBI) and some macroeconomic variables in seven Latin American countries; two of them (Ecuador and Panama), full dollarized. We make use of a Cointegrated Vector framework to analyze the short run effects from 2001 to 2009. The results suggest that EMBI is more stable in dollarized countries and that its evolution influences economic activity in non-dollarized economies; suggesting that investors confidence might be higher in dollarized countries where real and financial economic evolution are less tied than in non-dollarized ones.

Dollarization and the relationship between EMBI and fundamentals Latin American countries

This paper presents empirical evidence on the interrelationship that exists between the evolution of the Emerging Markets Bonds Index (EMBI) and some macroeconomic variables in seven Latin American countries; two of them (Ecuador and Panama), full dollarized. We make use of a Cointegrated Vector framework to analyze the short run effects from 2001 to 2009. The results suggest that EMBI is more stable in dollarized countries and that its evolution influences economic activity in non-dollarized economies; suggesting that investors confidence might be higher in dollarized countries where real and financial economic evolution are less tied than in non-dollarized ones.

The uncertain relationship between transparency and accountability revisited through four Swiss cases

Accountability and transparency are of growing importance in contemporary governance. The academic literature have broadly studied the two concepts separately, defining and redefining them, and including them into various framework, sometimes mistakenly using them as synonyms. The relationship between the two concepts has, curiously, only been studied by a few scholars with preliminary approaches. This theoretical paper will focus on both concepts, trying first to describe them taking into account the various evolutions in the literature and the recent evolutions as well as the first attempts to link the two concepts. In order to show a new approach linking the concepts, four cases from the Swiss context will be portrayed and will demonstrate the necessity to reconsider the relationship between transparency and accountability. Consequently, a new framework, based on Fox's framework (2007) will be presented and theoretically delimited.

New insight in the relationship between regional patterns of knee cartilage thickness, osteoarthritis disease severity, and gait mechanics.

To test if the relationship between knee kinetics during walking and regional patterns of cartilage thickness is influenced by disease severity we tested the following hypotheses in a cross-sectional study of medial compartment osteoarthritis (OA) subjects: (1) the peak knee flexion (KFM) and adduction moments (KAM) during walking are associated with regional cartilage thickness and medial-to-lateral cartilage thickness ratios, and (2) the associations between knee moments and cartilage thickness data are dependent on disease severity. Seventy individuals with medial compartment knee OA were studied. Gait analysis was used to determine the knee moments and cartilage thickness was measured from magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple linear regression analyses tested for associations between cartilage thickness and knee kinetics. Medial cartilage thickness and medial-to-lateral cartilage thickness ratios were lower in subjects with greater KAM for specific regions of the femoral condyle and tibial plateau with no associations for KFM in patients of all disease severities. When separated by severity, the association between KAM and cartilage thickness was found only in patients with more severe OA, and KFM was significantly associated with cartilage thickness only for the less severe OA subjects for specific tibial plateau regions. The results support the idea that the KAM is larger in patients with more severe disease and the KFM has greater influence early in the disease process, which may lessen as pain increases with disease severity. Each component influences different regions of cartilage. Thus the relative contributions of both KAM and KFM should be considered when evaluating gait mechanics and the influence of any intervention for knee OA.

Social Cognition and Behavior in Relationship Context

Social information processing (SIP; Crick & Dodge, 1994) and social-cognitive learning theories have been often used to understand children’s problem behaviors, such as aggression. According to these theories, children’s thinking guides their subsequent behaviors. Although most of us agree that social behavior and underlying thought processes are context-dependent, personality and social development researchers have usually engaged in searching for stable patterns of dispositions and behaviors, ignoring (or treating as error) the variance across different situations and relationship types. This, however, can result in erroneous conclusions and question the interpretation of previous findings. Four studies were conducted to explore the influence of relationship context on children’s social-cognitive evaluations and behavior. Samples were fourth to sixth graders from Estonia and Finland. Social cognitions were assessed by presenting children with hypothetical vignettes where the previously identified relationship partner’s behavior had a negative consequence for the child (Studies I, II, and IV), followed by questions measuring different social-cognitive processes (e.g., hostile attributions, behavioral strategies, outcome expectations and self-efficacy beliefs for aggression). In addition, in Studies II and IV, children provided information about their behavior within a specific relationship context. In Study III, an affective priming paradigm was employed where participants were presented with a short display of photographs of children’s liked and disliked classmates, and unknown peers. The results of this thesis suggest that children’s thinking and behavior are largely influenced by the affective valence of the relationship. Moreover, cognitions guide behavior within the relationship. The current findings offer a fruitful avenue for studying the heterogeneity of peer interactions.

Creating customer relationship management concept for engineering and service business

Customer relationship management has been one essential part of marketing for over 20 years. Today’s business environment is fast changing, international and highly competitive, and that is why the most important factor for long-term profitability is one-to-one customer relationships. However, managing relationships and serving customers that are profitable has been always challenging. In this thesis the objective was to define the main obstacles that the case company must overcome to succeed in CRM. Possible solutions have also been defined. The main elements of the implementation i.e. people, processes and technologies, can clearly be found behind these matters and solutions. This thesis also presents theoretical information about CRM and it is meant to act as a guide book inside the organisation to spread information about CRM for those who are not so familiar with the topic.

Tabagisme et système digestif: une relation complexe. Partie 2: Microbiote intestinal et tabagisme [Smoking and digestive tract: a complex relationship. Part 2: Intestinal microblota and cigarette smoking].

Le système digestif est colonisé dès la naissance par une population bactérienne, le microbiote, qui influence le développement du système immunitaire. Des modifications dans sa composition sont associées à des pathologies comme l'obésité et les maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l'intestin. Outre les antibiotiques, des facteurs environnementaux comme le tabagisme semblent aussi avoir une influence sur la composition de la flore intestinale, pouvant en partie expliquer la prise de poids à l'arrêt du tabac avec une modification de la composition du microbiote proche de celle observée chez des personnes obèses (profil microbiotique montrant des capacités accrues d'extraction calorique des aliments ingérés). Ces découvertes permettent d'imaginer de nouvelles approches diagnostiques et thérapeutiques via la régulation de ce microbiome. The digestive tract is colonized from birth by a bacterial population called the microbiota which influences the development of the immune system. Modifications in its composition are associated with problems such as obesity or inflammatory bowel diseases. Antibiotics are known to influence the intestinal microbiota but other environmental factors such as cigarette smoking also seem to have an impact on its composition. This influence might partly explain weight gain which is observed after smoking cessation. Indeed there is a modification of the gut microbiota which becomes similar to that of obese people with a microbiotical profile which is more efficient to extract calories from ingested food. These new findings open new fields of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches through the regulation of the microbiota.

Tabagisme et système digestif: une relation complexe. Partie 1: Maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l'intestin et consommation de tabac [Smoking and digestive tract: a complex relationship. Part 1: Inflammatory bowel disease and cigarette smoking].

La méconnaissance des maladies rares, définies par une prévalence inférieure à 1/2000, a été à l'origine de situations parfois très invalidantes pour les patients. Les développements de ces dernières années, tant sur le plan de la clinique que de la biologie moléculaire et de la génétique, permettent de jeter un regard neuf sur ces pathologies et d'aborder leur prise en charge en se basant sur une approche multidisciplinaire. L'angiologie n'y fait pas exception et la collaboration entre l'angiologue et les autres spécialistes concernés est essentielle pour une démarche évolutive visant à optimaliser la prise en charge de ces pathologies Little is known about the effects of smoking on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However the co-occurrence of smoking and IBD often happens in ambulatory care. Smokers have a doubled risk of developing a Crohn's disease with a more active disease course. After quitting, a decrease in risk can be observed after only one year. An inverse relationship is found between smoking and ulcerative colitis. Smoking seems protective for the development of the disease and its course is less active among smokers. Smoking cessation transitorily increases the risk of developing ulcerative colitis. Nevertheless, continuing smoking cannot be justified among those patients given the risks of long-term extra-digestive effects. It is thus important to counsel all smokers with an IBD to quit smoking.

Un "fil rouge" pour prévenir la violence au travail : propositions de mesures prioritaires dans le contexte suisse

Une première étude menée par les auteures de cet article dans le cadre de l'Unité de médecine des violences du Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois et de l'Institut universitaire romand de santé au travail avait montré que les conséquences à long terme d'une agression physique au travail pouvaient être sérieuses et le soutien de l'employeur était primordial pour surmonter les conséquences d'un tel événement. Une étude complémentaire, dont les résultats sont présentés ici, avait pour but de formuler des propositions concrètes de mesures de prévention de la violence physique au travail dans le contexte suisse. Les résultats sont présentés dans un «fil rouge» qui se présente sous forme de check-lists de recommandations concrètes. Ce travail s'appuie sur l'analyse et la synthèse d'une abondante documentation, ainsi que sur des entretiens auprès de personnes-ressource et des témoignages de victimes d'agressions physiques au travail. En conclusion, il apparaît que les mesures existantes en Suisse sont encore trop souvent partielles et fragmentées, et se limitent souvent à des offres de formation ou d'information ponctuelles. Alors même que les organisations sont de plus en plus confrontées aux agressions envers le personnel, il y a lieu de les sensibiliser à la nécessité d'instaurer de véritables dispositifs de prévention inscrits dans la durée et s'appuyant sur des modèles éprouvés, opérant aux trois niveaux de prévention primaire, secondaire et tertiaire.