81 research outputs found
The government of Hugo Chavez in the political system of modern Venezuela: achievements and failures
Get PDFThe article gives the author’s interpretation of the successes and shortcomings in the activities of the Hugo Chavez’s government, which manifested themselves over the 14 years of his reign (1999–2013). Based on the analysis of the political, economic and social background of the time of Chavez’s rule, the authors of the article make a reasonable conclusion about the complexity of the task of developing a certain general criterion for assessing the positive and negative sides of this rule. Liberal democracy, which forms the basis of the political thinking of Chavez’s critics on the right, places great importance on the system of checks and balances, which the Chavistas of the radical democracy model tend to ignore. Another example of different approaches that blur the objective assessment of the activities of the Chavez government are the attitudes of “social prioritization” supporters, who believe that the activities of nationalized companies in strategic industries should be primarily subordinated to social goals and national development, giving priority to “pragmatic decision-making”, which prioritizes the goals of productivity and efficiency within the Chavista movement. The author of the article concludes that, on the one hand, one of the undoubted achievements of the Hugo Chavez’s government is that in the period from 1999 to 2013 Venezuela received the highest oil revenues that any President of Venezuela has ever had, and also a noticeable reduction in poverty in the country, providing the people with greater opportunities to participate in political decision-making. On the other hand, a huge external debt, as well as very mediocre economic and social results in the context of the country’s largest oil income, of course, should be attributed to obvious miscalculations in the activities of the government of Hugo Chavez
El papel del Consejo de Caracterizados en la gobernanza de los recursos comunales de Capulálpam de Méndez, Oaxaca.
Get PDFLa organización social y las estructuras de gobernanza social de los pueblos indígenas de México en ocasiones no concuerdan con los si stemas económicos y políticos modernos, por ello es importante crear condiciones de convivencia social para respetar su autonomía y reconocer su identidad. Una institución tradicional de gobernanza comunitaria muy particular del estado de Oaxaca, México es el Consejo de Caracterizados, que en la mayor parte de las comunidades se desempeña como un órgano consultivo a las autoridades locales. Sin embargo, los resultados de la investigación muestran que el Consejo de Caracterizados en la comunidad de Capulálpam de Méndez asume un papel de mayor relevancia debido a que es un organismo de contraloría social y una cámara legislativa comunitaria, que solo está por debajo del poder de la Asamblea de General de Comuneros, pero por encima del Comisariado de Bienes Comunales y los Comités Administradores de las Empresas Comunitarias. Este consejo es un elemento imprescindible del capital social comunitario y un eje articulador básico en el sistema de gobernanza y democracia comunitaria de Capulálpam
The issue of the hybrid regime genesis in Venezuela (1999–2013)
Get PDFThe article gives the author’s interpretation of the genesis of Venezuela political system during the presidency of Hugo Chavez (1999–2013). In the article, when considering the hybrid regime proposed by Guillermo O’Donnell, an attempt was made to analyze the transformation of the political system with the advent of democracy in Venezuela, in which the author highlights the features and democratic or authoritarian aspects inherent in the government from democracy in Venezuela in 1958. The constitutional orders of 1961 and the new Constitution of 1999 constitute the fundamental legal foundations of the entire democratic process that has existed from 1958 to the present, which, obviously, in a historical perspective, points to the trinity of law, power and force, manifested in such historical moments, like overthrowing Perez Jimenez. On the basis of the conducted historical and documentary research, the author of the article concludes that the hybrid regime established by H. Chavez in the first five years of his reign became more and more authoritarian over time. According to the author of the article, the peculiarity of the Chavez administration is that not only legal, regulatory and informal instruments aimed at restricting freedom of expression and assembly, hindering the emergence of democratic pluralism, but also repressive measures
Chávez versus medios. ¿Una batalla simbólica?.
No full textResumenEl presente trabajo disecciona parte de las tensiones generadas (luchas de poder) entre Hugo Chávezy los medios de comunicación venezolanos en coyunturas críticas como el golpe de Estado de abril de 2002 y el paro petrolero (diciembre 2002- enero 2003), vislumbrando la polarización como praxis massmediática. El análisis concluye con una propuesta del autor sobre los tres tipos de relación que encierra el dilemático accionar del dualismo medios-poder político.Chávez vs. the media: A symbolic battle?AbstractThis paper tackles some of the tensions (powerstruggles) generated between Hugo Chavez and the Venezuelan media in critical moments such as the coup of April 2002, and the oil strike (December 2002-January 2003), envisioning the polarization as a mass media praxis. The review concludes with a proposal by the author on the three types of relation ship that dilemmatic actions behind media-political power
Solvable Time-Dependent Models in Quantum Mechanics
No full textabstract: In the traditional setting of quantum mechanics, the Hamiltonian operator does not depend on time. While some Schrödinger equations with time-dependent Hamiltonians have been solved, explicitly solvable cases are typically scarce. This thesis is a collection of papers in which this first author along with Suslov, Suazo, and Lopez, has worked on solving a series of Schrödinger equations with a time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian that has applications in problems of quantum electrodynamics, lasers, quantum devices such as quantum dots, and external varying fields. In particular the author discusses a new completely integrable case of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in R^n with variable coefficients for a modified oscillator, which is dual with respect to the time inversion to a model of the quantum oscillator considered by Meiler, Cordero-Soto, and Suslov. A second pair of dual Hamiltonians is found in the momentum representation. Our examples show that in mathematical physics and quantum mechanics a change in the direction of time may require a total change of the system dynamics in order to return the system back to its original quantum state. The author also considers several models of the damped oscillators in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics in a framework of a general approach to the dynamics of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation with variable quadratic Hamiltonians. The Green functions are explicitly found in terms of elementary functions and the corresponding gauge transformations are discussed. The factorization technique is applied to the case of a shifted harmonic oscillator. The time-evolution of the expectation values of the energy related operators is determined for two models of the quantum damped oscillators under consideration. The classical equations of motion for the damped oscillations are derived for the corresponding expectation values of the position operator. Finally, the author constructs integrals of motion for several models of the quantum damped oscillators in a framework of a general approach to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation with variable quadratic Hamiltonians. An extension of the Lewis-Riesenfeld dynamical invariant is given. The time-evolution of the expectation values of the energy related positive operators is determined for the oscillators under consideration. A proof of uniqueness of the corresponding Cauchy initial value problem is discussed as an application.Dissertation/ThesisPh.D. Applied Mathematics for the Life and Social Sciences 201
Validity and reliability of two brief physical activity questionnaires among Spanish-speaking individuals of Mexican descent
Get PDFabstract: Background
Mexican Americans are the largest minority group in the US and suffer disproportionate rates of diseases related to the lack of physical activity (PA). Since many of these Mexican Americans are Spanish-speaking, it is important to validate a Spanish language physical activity assessment tool that can be used in epidemiology as well as clinical practice. This study explored the utility of two Spanish translated physical activity questionnaires, the Stanford Brief Activity Survey (SBAS) and the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), for use among Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans.
Methods
Thirty-four participants (13 M, 21 F; 37.6 ± 9.5 y) completed each of the two PA surveys twice, one week apart. During that week 31 participants also wore an ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer for 7 days to objectively measure PA. Minutes of moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) were determined from the accelerometer data using Freedson and Matthews cut points.
Results
Validity, determined by Spearman correlation coefficients between questionnaire scores and minutes of ActiGraph measured MVPA were 0.38 and 0.45 for the SBAS and RAPA, respectively. Test-retest reliability was 0.61 for the SBAS and 0.65 for the RAPA. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.60 and 0.47 for the SBAS, and 0.73 and 0.75 for the RAPA. Participants who were classified as meeting the 2008 National Physical Activity Guidelines by the RAPA engaged in significantly (p < 0.05) more minutes of MVPA than those who were not, while there were no significant differences in minutes of MVPA classified by the SBAS.
Conclusions
The SBAS and the RAPA are both reasonably valid measures for quickly assessing PA and determining compliance to the PA guidelines in Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans. Although the two questionnaires had comparable reliability, the RAPA was better able to distinguish between those who met and did not meet National PA Guidelines.The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-0500-7-2
The Migration Process for Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors: Children and Adolescents Migrating from Central America and Mexico to the United States
No full textabstract: The purpose of this research was to understand the migration process as experienced by unaccompanied immigrant minors (UIMs). That is, to form a better understanding of why they seek migration, what motivates their migration, what happens to them on their migration journey, and how they adapt to their new communities in the United States. Using qualitative research methods, 60 semi-structured in-depth interviews were collected, along with 12 ethnographic interviews, and participant observations. The immigrants’ narratives were rich with data, and capture the plight that UIMs undertake as they leave their home countries. This study analyzes the dynamic of age in all facets of the migration process, by taking into account that children are participants of the migration process just as much as adults.
The dissertation generated several findings; the first was to provide a profile of an Unaccompanied Minor, and for the sake of the study, only participants from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala were interviewed. From those interviewed, we learned that UIMs are a heterogeneous group. They come from diverse backgrounds in terms of household structures; (nuclear family structures, single-parent structures, extended-family structures, and migrant-family structures). Also, education levels varied; (some finished elementary or even secondary school, but for those living in rural areas it was harder to attend school due to the distance and availability of educational facilities). Many also worked in the labor force from an early age. One salient theme that UIMs talked about in relation to their home life was how the increase in violence in many Latin American countries was threatening their safety, especially for UIMs from El Salvador and Honduras. The next major finding was the ability to see the multiple stages UIMs experience, including: initiation/decisions to migrate, journey, arrival/adaptation and what takes place in each of these stages.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Sociology 201
Parent Outcomes for a Family-Based Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Program: The Athletes for Life Study
Get PDFabstract: Background: Latinos have disproportionately high rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Family-based interventions may reduce chronic disease risk among Latinos across generations.
Purpose: To assess the efficacy of Athletes for Life (AFL), a 12-week community-and-family-based behavioral intervention, for improving diet, physical activity (PA), anthropometrics, fitness, and biochemical outcomes among mostly Latino parents.
Methods: Parents with at least one child 6-11 years of age were randomized to active AFL participation (n=14) or a wait-list control (n=14) group. AFL consisted of twice weekly 90 minute sessions (45 minutes of nutrition-focused lessons and 45 minutes of PA participation) designed to promote fruit and vegetable consumption, reduction of sugar intake, and increasing habitual PA. Data were collected prior to and immediately after the 12 week intervention.
Results: Participants (37.9±7.2y) were mostly Latino (93%), Spanish speaking (68%), and women (93%). Relative to participants in the control group, AFL participants had a significant reduction in body fat (-1.1±1.2% vs. 0.2±1.2%; p=0.014), resting (-7.6±10.2 bpm vs. +2.1±6.8 bpm; p<0.01), exercise (-8.4±8.7 bpm vs. +0.4±7.3 bpm; p<0.01), and recovery heart rate (-11.9±12.8 bpm vs. -0.3±11.4 bpm; p=0.01), and one mile run time (-1.5±1.0 min vs. -0.1±0.9 min; p<0.01), and a significant increase in estimated VO2 peak (+1.9±1.9 ml/kg/min vs. 0.0±1.8 ml/kg/min; p=0.01). AFL participants also reported an increase in the number of days/week accumulating 30 minutes of MVPA (+0.8±3.2 vs. -1.5±2.3; p=0.004) and daily servings of fruits (+1.3±1.4 vs. +0.3±1.4; p<0.05) and vegetables (+1.8±1.7 vs. +0.1±1.2; p<0.05), relative to control participants. There were no significant differences between groups in changes in diet assessed by 3-day food record, accelerometer-measured PA, weight, blood pressure, visceral fat, biomarkers for cardiovascular disease or nutritional biomarkers.
Conclusions: Despite the lack of effects on diet and PA behaviors, AFL shows promising preliminary efficacy for reducing body fat and improving fitness among adult participants. Future research aimed at improving fitness among Latino parents with family-based intervention is warranted.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wellness 201
Integrability of Quadratic Non-autonomous Quantum Linear Systems
Get PDFabstract: The Quantum Harmonic Oscillator is one of the most important models in Quantum Mechanics. Analogous to the classical mass vibrating back and forth on a spring, the quantum oscillator system has attracted substantial attention over the years because of its importance in many advanced and difficult quantum problems. This dissertation deals with solving generalized models of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation which are called generalized quantum harmonic oscillators, and these are characterized by an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian of linear momentum and position operators. The primary challenge in this work is that most quantum models with timedependence are not solvable explicitly, yet this challenge became the driving motivation for this work. In this dissertation, the methods used to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation are the fundamental singularity (or Green's function) and the Fourier (eigenfunction expansion) methods. Certain Riccati- and Ermakov-type systems arise, and these systems are highlighted and investigated. The overall aims of this dissertation are to show that quadratic Hamiltonian systems are completely integrable systems, and to provide explicit approaches to solving the time-dependent Schr¨odinger equation governed by an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian operator. The methods and results established in the dissertation are not yet well recognized in the literature, yet hold for high promise for further future research. Finally, the most recent results in the dissertation correspond to the harmonic oscillator group and its symmetries. A simple derivation of the maximum kinematical invariance groups of the free particle and quantum harmonic oscillator is constructed from the view point of the Riccati- and Ermakov-type systems, which shows an alternative to the traditional Lie Algebra approach. To conclude, a missing class of solutions of the time-dependent Schr¨odinger equation for the simple harmonic oscillator in one dimension is constructed. Probability distributions of the particle linear position and momentum, are emphasized with Mathematica animations. The eigenfunctions qualitatively differ from the traditional standing waves of the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation. The physical relevance of these dynamic states is still questionable, and in order to investigate their physical meaning, animations could also be created for the squeezed coherent states. This will be addressed in future work.Dissertation/ThesisPh.D. Mathematics 201
How Privilege and Opportunity Are Associated with Psychological Well-being
No full textabstract: Ethnic groups experience different societal and economic circumstances that contribute to their well-being. Life satisfaction and happiness are commonly used as a measure of well-being; but they are not often used to evaluate well-being in lower income countries. This study focuses on the self-reported life satisfaction and happiness of members of ethnic groups from low- and middle-income countries and its correlation with ethnic privilege, gender opportunity, and income. Using two self-reported measures of well-being—life satisfaction and happiness—among 110,391 women in 27 countries (ages 15-49) surveyed in Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, this study examines how country-level indicators of gender opportunity, ethnic-level indicators of privilege and household-level measures of wealth are associated with well-being. Our findings indicate a significant relationship between ethnic privilege, gender opportunity and income on life satisfaction. The results from this study provide valuable data and implications for lower income countries to identify and reduce modifiable risk factors that affect a population’s well-being
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