University of Los Andes

About: University of Los Andes is a education organization based out in Bogotá, Colombia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 17616 authors who have published 25555 publications receiving 413463 citations.

The political economy of fiscal deficits: a survey

Abstract: This paper surveys recent literature, both theoretical and empirical, regarding political explanations for fiscal deficits. Political economy suggests conflicts of interest may lie behind the emergence of deficits: (1) Opportunistic politicians generate deficits to win elections, even in conflict with general welfare; (2) Conflicts of interests between politicians’ partisan preferences create incentives for (at least some) incumbents to run deficits and (3) Conflicts of interest between different social groups or regions generate tensions in the allocation of government resources leading to overspending. This paper reviews these different strands of the literature. It also covers contributions that highlight the crucial role of budget institutions in determining the extent to which the political motivations to generate deficits are indeed translated into poor fiscal outcomes. Promising avenues for future research are highlighted.

The 2017 EULAR standardised procedures for ultrasound imaging in rheumatology

Abstract: Background In 2001, the European League Against Rheumatism developed and disseminated the first guidelines for musculoskeletal (MS) ultrasound (US) in rheumatology. Fifteen years later, the dramatic expansion of new data on MSUS in the literature coupled with technological developments in US imaging has necessitated an update of these guidelines. Objectives To update the existing MSUS guidelines in rheumatology as well as to extend their scope to other anatomic structures relevant for rheumatology. Methods The project consisted of the following steps: (1) a systematic literature review of MSUS evaluable structures; (2) a Delphi survey among rheumatologist and radiologist experts in MSUS to select MS and non-MS anatomic structures evaluable by US that are relevant to rheumatology, to select abnormalities evaluable by US and to prioritise these pathologies for rheumatology and (3) a nominal group technique to achieve consensus on the US scanning procedures and to produce an electronic illustrated manual (ie, App of these procedures). Results Structures from nine MS and non-MS areas (ie, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot, peripheral nerves, salivary glands and vessels) were selected for MSUS in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) and their detailed scanning procedures (ie, patient position, probe placement, scanning method and bony/other landmarks) were used to produce the App. In addition, US evaluable abnormalities present in RMD for each anatomic structure and their relevance for rheumatology were agreed on by the MSUS experts. Conclusions This task force has produced a consensus-based comprehensive and practical framework on standardised procedures for MSUS imaging in rheumatology.

Métodos de coloração de Roeser (1972): modificado - e Kropp (1972) visando a substituição do azul de astra por azul de alcião 8GS ou 8GX

Abstract: foram testados metodos de coloracao baseados em Roeser (1972) modificado e Kropp (1972), visando a substituicao do corante azul de astra por azul de alciao 8GS ou 8GX. As amostras foram fixadas em FAA, desidratadas em serie butilica terciaria e incluidas em parafina. Os cortes histologicos transversais foram corados segundo diferentes baterias de coloracao, modificadas quanto ao tipo de corante usado, diferenciador e serie de desidratacao. As lâminas permanentes foram preparadas com balsamo-do-canada sintetico. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram que o metodo de Roeser (1972) modificado e melhor que o de Kropp (1972), nas condicoes deste experimento. O azul de astra pode ser substituido por azul de alciao 8GX e a desidratacao pode ser em serie isopropilica ou etilica, sem grande diferenca entre elas. Sao discutidos os resultados provenientes das di ferentes coloracoes. Palavras-chave: metodo de coloracao, azul de astra. azul de alciao, fucsina basica, safranina, histologia vegetal ABSTRACT - (Staining methods of modified Roeser (1972) and Kropp (1972), aiming at substituing the astra blue by aleian blue 8GS or 8GX). Staining methods based on modified Roeser (1972) as well as that of Kropp (l972) were done with leaves of

Polarity Assignment in ZnTe, GaAs, ZnO, and GaN-AlN Nanowires from Direct Dumbbell Analysis

Abstract: Aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with high angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging and the newly developed annular bright field (ABF) imaging are used to define a new guideline for the polarity determination of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) from binary compounds in two extreme cases: (i) when the dumbbell is formed with atoms of similar mass (GaAs) and (ii) in the case where one of the atoms is extremely light (N or O: ZnO and GaN/AlN). The theoretical fundaments of these procedures allow us to overcome the main challenge in the identification of dumbbell polarity. It resides in the separation and identification of the constituent atoms in the dumbbells. The proposed experimental via opens new routes for the fine characterization of nanostructures, e.g., in electronic and optoelectronic fields, where the polarity is crucial for the understanding of their physical properties (optical and electronic) as well as their growth mechanisms.