Editor's choice Regional trade agreements and export competitiveness: the uncertain path of Nicaragua’s apparel exports under CAFTA

The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been a mixed blessing for economic development. While exports to the US economy have increased, dependency may hinder economic growth if countries do not diversify or upgrade before temporary provisions expire. This article evaluates the impact of the temporary Tariff Preference Levels (TPLs) granted to Nicaragua under CAFTA and the consequences of TPL expiration. Using trade statistics, country- and firm-level data from Nicaragua’s National Free Zones Commission (CNZF) and data from field research, we estimate Nicaragua’s apparel sector will contract as much as 30–40% after TPLs expire. Our analysis underscores how rules of origin and firm nationality affect where and how companies do business, and in so doing, often constrain sustainable export growth.

Impulsão horizontal de futebolistas da segunda divisão do campeonato gaúcho

No futebol a impulsao tem impacto no cabeceio, nos movimentos de antecipaçoes, nos diferentes saltos e de forma geral, na velocidade das açoes de jogo. No entanto, ao contrário de outros esportes como Basquete, Vôlei, Handebol, o seu treinamento específico é pouco visado no futebol. O objetivo deste estudo é verificar, em atletas profissionais de futebol de campo, o perfil da impulsao horizontal e o desenvolvimento dessa durante uma temporada de treinamento e jogos pela segunda divisao do campeonato gaúcho. Foram avaliados 18 atletas de futebol (com média de idade 25±5,44 anos, altura 177,5±6,48 cm e massa corporal 79,4±9,67 kg). Os atletas se submeteram a testes de impulsao horizontal no início (pré) e após três meses de treinamentos (pós). Mediu-se os saltos com ambas às pernas, cinco saltos consecutivos com membro direito (MID) e esquerdo (MIE) e cinco saltos alternados. O perfil de impulsao obtido no pré-teste foi respectivamente 2,22±0,14m, 11,46±0,56 m, 11,69±0,73m e 12,04±0,78m. Os resultados do pós-teste nao se alteraram em comparaçao ao primeiro teste, sendo respectivamente 2,22±0,15m, 11,26±1,12m, 11,46±0,95m e 12,02±0,76m. Conclui-se que o treinamento nao foi capaz de proporcionar desenvolvimento desta capacidade, pois predominantemente as rotinas de treinamento de futebol nao enfocam este desenvolvimento

Impulsão horizontal de futebolistas da segunda divisão do campeonato gaúcho

No futebol a impulsao tem impacto no cabeceio, nos movimentos de antecipaçoes, nos diferentes saltos e de forma geral, na velocidade das açoes de jogo. No entanto, ao contrário de outros esportes como Basquete, Vôlei, Handebol, o seu treinamento específico é pouco visado no futebol. O objetivo deste estudo é verificar, em atletas profissionais de futebol de campo, o perfil da impulsao horizontal e o desenvolvimento dessa durante uma temporada de treinamento e jogos pela segunda divisao do campeonato gaúcho. Foram avaliados 18 atletas de futebol (com média de idade 25±5,44 anos, altura 177,5±6,48 cm e massa corporal 79,4±9,67 kg). Os atletas se submeteram a testes de impulsao horizontal no início (pré) e após três meses de treinamentos (pós). Mediu-se os saltos com ambas às pernas, cinco saltos consecutivos com membro direito (MID) e esquerdo (MIE) e cinco saltos alternados. O perfil de impulsao obtido no pré-teste foi respectivamente 2,22±0,14m, 11,46±0,56 m, 11,69±0,73m e 12,04±0,78m. Os resultados do pós-teste nao se alteraram em comparaçao ao primeiro teste, sendo respectivamente 2,22±0,15m, 11,26±1,12m, 11,46±0,95m e 12,02±0,76m. Conclui-se que o treinamento nao foi capaz de proporcionar desenvolvimento desta capacidade, pois predominantemente as rotinas de treinamento de futebol nao enfocam este desenvolvimento

Continuous VM-ADCP (vessel-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler) profiles of horizontal velocities and raw acoustic gain control data during Polarstern cruise ANT-XVIII/2

The mixing regime of the upper 180 m of a mesoscale eddy in the vicinity of the Antarctic Polar Front at 47° S and 21° E was investigated during the R.V. Polarstern cruise ANT-XVIII/2 within the scope of the iron fertilization experiment EisenEx. On the basis of hydrographic CTD and ADCP profiles we deduced the vertical diffusivity Kz from two different parameterizations. Since these parameterizations bear the character of empirical functions, based on theoretical and idealized assumptions, they were inter alia compared with Cox-number and Thorpe-scale related diffusivities deduced from microstructure measurements, which supplied the first direct insights into turbulence of this ocean region. Values of Kz in the range of 10**-4 - 10**-3 m**2/s appear as a rather robust estimate of vertical diffusivity within the seasonal pycnocline. Values in the mixed layer above are more variable in time and reach 10**-1 m**2/s during periods of strong winds. The results confirm a close agreement between the microstructure-based eddy diffusivities and eddy diffusivities calculated after the parameterization of Pacanowski and Philander [1981, Journal of Physical Oceanography 11, 1443-1451, doi:10.1175/1520-0485(1981)011<1443:POVMIN>2.0.CO;2].

From brown envelopes to community benefits: the co-option of planning gain agreements under deepening neoliberalism

The provision of physical and social infrastructure in the form of roads, green spaces and community facilities has traditionally been provided for by the state through the general taxation system. However, as the state has been transformed along more neoliberal lines, the private sector is increasingly relied upon to deliver public goods and services. Planning gain agreements have flourished within this context by offering another vehicle through which local facilities are privately funded. Whilst these agreements reflect the broader dynamics of neoliberalism, they are commonly viewed as a tool which can be employed to challenge these very dynamics by empowering local communities to secure more just planning outcomes. This paper counters such claims. Based on evidence gathered from 80 interviews with planners, councillors, developers and community groups in Ireland, the paper demonstrates how planning gain agreements have been strategically redeployed by the holders of political and economic power to serve their own ends. In seeking to understand why and how this has occurred, specific consideration is given to the changing power dynamics between the state and private capital under neoliberalism. The paper highlights how institutional arrangements have enabled developers to infiltrate the political sphere in more subtle and implicit ways than ever before. We conclude by arguing that planning gain must be understood as a mechanism which has been manipulated in ways which essentially work to preserve and enhance, rather than redress, existing power imbalances in the planning system by facilitating large scale transfers of wealth upwards in society.

Setting the Rules of the Game: Mega-Regionals and the Role of the WTO

Faced with a WTO in a state of paralysis, large developed trading nations have shifted their attentions to other fora to pursue their trade policy objectives. In particular, preferential trade agreements (PTAs) are now being used to promote the regulatory disciplines that were previously rejected by developing countries at the multilateral level. These so-called ‘deep’ or ‘21st century’ PTAs address a variety of issues, from technical norms, procurement, investment protection and intellectual property rights to social and environmental protection. Moreover, recently, developed countries have sought to negotiate PTAs which are large in scale, both in terms of economic size and geographical reach, including the so-called ‘mega-regional’ PTAs, such as the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the EU-Japan PTA, the Transpacific Partnership, and the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. These mega-regional PTAs are distinctive not just in terms of their sheer size and the breadth and depth of issues addressed, but also because some of their proponents readily admit that one of the central aims pursued by such agreements is to design global rules on new trade issues. In other words, these agreements are being conceived as alternatives to multilateral rule making at the WTO level. The proliferation of 21st century trade deals raises important questions concerning the continued relevance of the WTO as a global rule-making venue, and the impact that the regulatory disciplines promoted in such agreements will have on both developing and developed countries. This paper discusses the emerging features of an international trading system that is increasingly populated by large-scale PTAs and discusses some of the points of tension that arise from such practice. Firstly, it examines instances of horizontal tension resulting from the proliferation of PTAs, particularly the extent to which such PTAs represent a threat or multilateral trade governance. Secondly, it looks at an example of vertical tension by examining the manner in which the imposition of regulatory disciplines through trade agreements can undermine the ability of countries, especially developing countries, to pursue legitimate public interest objectives. Finally, the paper considers a number of steps that could be considered to address some of the adverse effects associated with the fragmentation of the international trading system, including the option of embracing variable geometry within the WTO framework and the need to develop mechanisms that provide flexibility for developing countries in the implementation of regulatory disciplines.

Impulsão horizontal de futebolistas da segunda divisão do campeonato gaúcho

No futebol a impulsao tem impacto no cabeceio, nos movimentos de antecipaçoes, nos diferentes saltos e de forma geral, na velocidade das açoes de jogo. No entanto, ao contrário de outros esportes como Basquete, Vôlei, Handebol, o seu treinamento específico é pouco visado no futebol. O objetivo deste estudo é verificar, em atletas profissionais de futebol de campo, o perfil da impulsao horizontal e o desenvolvimento dessa durante uma temporada de treinamento e jogos pela segunda divisao do campeonato gaúcho. Foram avaliados 18 atletas de futebol (com média de idade 25±5,44 anos, altura 177,5±6,48 cm e massa corporal 79,4±9,67 kg). Os atletas se submeteram a testes de impulsao horizontal no início (pré) e após três meses de treinamentos (pós). Mediu-se os saltos com ambas às pernas, cinco saltos consecutivos com membro direito (MID) e esquerdo (MIE) e cinco saltos alternados. O perfil de impulsao obtido no pré-teste foi respectivamente 2,22±0,14m, 11,46±0,56 m, 11,69±0,73m e 12,04±0,78m. Os resultados do pós-teste nao se alteraram em comparaçao ao primeiro teste, sendo respectivamente 2,22±0,15m, 11,26±1,12m, 11,46±0,95m e 12,02±0,76m. Conclui-se que o treinamento nao foi capaz de proporcionar desenvolvimento desta capacidade, pois predominantemente as rotinas de treinamento de futebol nao enfocam este desenvolvimento

Learning from one another: evaluating the impact of horizontal knowledge exchange for environmental management and governance

There is increasing advocacy for inclusive community-based approaches to environmental management, and growing evidence that involving communities improves the sustainability of social-ecological systems. Most community-based approaches rely on partnerships and knowledge exchange between communities, civil society organizations, and professionals such as practitioners and/or scientists. However, few models have actively integrated more horizontal knowledge exchange from community to community. We reflect on the transferability of community owned solutions between indigenous communities by exploring challenges and achievements of community peer-to-peer knowledge exchange as a way of empowering communities to face up to local environmental and social challenges. Using participatory visual methods, indigenous communities of the North Rupununi (Guyana) identified and documented their community owned solutions through films and photostories. Indigenous researchers from this community then shared their solutions with six other communities that faced similar challenges within Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, French Guiana, and Brazil. They were supported by in-country civil society organizations and academics. We analyzed the impact of the knowledge exchange through interviews, field reports, and observations. Our results show that indigenous community members were significantly more receptive to solutions emerging from, and communicated by, other indigenous peoples, and that this approach was a significant motivating force for galvanizing communities to make changes in their community. We identified a range of enabling factors, such as building capacity for a shared conceptual and technical understanding, that strengthens the exchange between communities and contributes to a lasting impact. With national and international policy-makers mobilizing significant financial resources for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation, we argue that the promotion of community owned solutions through community peer-to-peer exchange may deliver more long-lasting, socially and ecologically integrated, and investment-effective strategies compared to top-down, expert led, and/or foreign-led initiatives.

Agreed-upon procedures reports on twelve agreements between the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services of the Iowa Department of Education and child care centers for the period October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015

Agreed-upon procedures reports on twelve agreements between the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services of the Iowa Department of Education and child care centers for the period October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015

Analyse numérique du changement de phase solide-liquide autour d'un tube horizontal soumis à une sollicitation thermique périodique

Ce mémoire présente un modèle mathématique et numérique pour analyser le comportement d’une unité de stockage thermique à changement de phase solide-liquide représentée par un tube autour duquel se trouve le matériau à changement de phase. Le système est soumis à une charge oscillant entre le chauffage et le refroidissement. Une analyse d’ordre de grandeur permet de prédire le comportement du système en fonction des principaux nombres adimensionnels. Un paramètre adimensionnel est proposé pour délimiter les concepts dans lesquels la conduction domine par rapport à ceux où la convection naturelle domine. L’étude dévoile l’impact des paramètres de conception de l’unité de stockage thermique sur son fonctionnement et approfondit les connaissances dans le domaine du changement de phase avec convection naturelle. Différents indicateurs ont été développés pour analyser la performance du système, tels que les dimensions de la zone affectée thermiquement, le volume fondu ou solidifié et une analyse fréquentielle. Des corrélations sont proposées pour déterminer facilement le comportement du système.

Regeneração óssea guiada horizontal prévia à colocação de implante

A técnica de Regeneração Óssea Guiada (ROG) é um procedimento que tem por objetivo a reposição do volume ósseo da crista alveolar necessário para garantir o sucesso da reabilitação oral recorrendo a implantes, repondo tanto a componente estética como funcional. Este trabalho foca apenas a ROG horizontal prévia à colocação de implantes e analisa o sucesso e a previsibilidade clínica deste procedimento de aumento ósseo, o sucesso e a sobrevivência de implantes colocados em osso regenerado bem como alguns tipos de enxertos ósseos e membranas. Metodologicamente consiste numa revisão de literatura, baseando-se numa pesquisa de artigos em bases de dados on-line e recorrendo também à consulta de livros em formato digital. As palavras-chave utilizadas na pesquisa on-line foram: “bone healing” AND “tooth extraction”, “bone resoption” AND “tooth extraction”, “bone regeneration” AND “dental implants”, “horizontal guided bone regeneration”, “horizontal guided bone regeneration” AND “dental implants”, “horizontal bone augmentation” “horizontal bone augmentation” AND “dental implants”, “lateral bone augmentation” AND “dental implants”, “horizontal ridge augmentation” AND “dental implants”. A regeneração óssea guiada manifesta comprovado sucesso e previsibilidade no aumento ósseo e os implantes colocados em osso regenerado demonstram sucesso a longo-prazo.