The development-security nexus and security sector reform

The thesis investigates the link between development and security - the ‘development-security nexus’- which emerged during the 1990s, facilitated by the formulation of human development and human security. It examines how this development-security nexus has evolved over time and has influenced the interrelated significance of development and security for international relations. The thesis questions this interdependence and analyses the theory and practice that see development and security issues as reciprocally reinforcing each other, in particular through a set of policies called Security Sector Reform (SSR). The research includes three main areas of interest related to the different meanings of development and security focusing in particular on human development and human security; the various interpretations of the development-security nexus since the 1990s; and the analysis of how Security Sector Reform, publicised as development-security nexus policies, are designed to translate it into practice. The thesis argues that the nexus between development and security is under-theorised, and the originality of this research is to investigate the link between its theories and practices. The critical view of this thesis towards current dominant theoretical and operational orientations of the development-security nexus is based on an analysis of literature on Critical Security Studies, Post- Development, and Non-mainstream International Relations approaches. The thesis contributes to existing scholarship by unpacking the different meanings of development and security embedded in Security Sector Reform policies and reveals the need to contextualise the significance of their interlinkages within each policy scenario. In particular the three case studies on Defence Reform of Armenia, SSR Afghanistan and SSR Guinea-Bissau highlight respectively: 1) the novelty of concerns raised by SSR and the complexity to categorise concerns on security within a single, even if inclusive, policy discourse. 2) the need to go beyond the narrow view of a militarised view of security and its inadequacy to support the implementation of development objectives and 3) that the link between development and security is still very much dependent on a vision of security linked to the state’s armed forces, and of development which is focused on state security governance capacity

The Development-Security Nexus Policies In Afghanistan: Feasible Or Fashionable?

I investigate the changing conceptual relation between development and security from the 1950s to nowadays, and their coming together in a nexus. The latest interpretation of this nexus is exemplified by Security Sector Reform (SSR) policies. Through an analysis of SSR in Afghanistan, I contend that the implementation of these policies does not reflect their conceptual richness constituted by the concept of human security and human development, but it addresses only state’s military security concerns. Despite this partial implementation, SSR policies have become fashionable because they frame military-security concerns within development polices, and they avoid answering to the development question. The consensus among international policy makers is indeed to postpone the tacking of the development question to an unknown future

Performance of tiles composed of blast furnace slag and vegetable fiber in prototype barns

Busca-se, em todo o mundo, a substituição do cimento amianto por alternativas seguras para o ambiente e para a saúde do trabalhador, além de econômicas, razão por que o uso de fibras vegetais como aglomerado em países tropicais onde estes resíduos são abundantes, tem-se mostrado bastante viável. No presente experimento foram comparadas telhas de cimento amianto pintadas com tinta reflexiva, telhas cerâmicas e telhas compostas de uma matriz à base de cimento Portland CPII 32Z (ABNT NBR-5735), escória de alto-forno (EAF) e sílica ativa, reforçadas com fibras de polpa celulósica de sisal (Agave sisalana). Utilizaram-se protótipos de galpões avícolas nos quais o calor produzido pelas aves foi simulado por lâmpadas incandescentes. Para caracterização do ambiente térmico lançou-se mão dos índices de conforto: ITU (índice de temperatura e umidade), ITGU (índice de temperatura de globo e umidade), CTR (carga térmica radiante) e entalpia (H) em que os resultados demonstraram que as telhas compostas apresentaram comportamento térmico semelhante ao das telhas cerâmicas, podendo ser utilizadas em substituição às telhas de cimento amianto.The substitution of cement asbestos by safer and equally economical alternatives has being searched for throughout the world. The usage of vegetal staple fiber as agglomerate in tropical countries where these residues are abundant has shown it self to be viable. In this study, roofing tiles fabricated with cement base Portland CPII 32Z (ABNT NBR-5735), blast furnace slag (EAF), active silica reinforced with cellulose pulp staple fibers of sisal (Agave sisalana) were compared with cement asbestos roofing tiles with white paint and ceramic roofing tiles. Prototypes of poultry facilities were used and lamps simulated the heat produced by the birds. Indices ITU, ITGU, CTR and entalpy (H) were employed for the characterization of the thermal atmospheric comfort and the results showed that the alternative roofing tiles were similar to the ceramic tiles and could be used as a substitute for asbestos roofing tiles

Il ruolo delle autorità di vigilanza nel caso Veneto Banca

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The role of associative and non-associative learning in the training of horses and implications for the welfare (a review)

Horses were domesticated 6000 years ago and since then different types of approaches have been developed to enhance the horse’s wellbeing and the human-horse relationship. Even though horse training is an increasingly important research area and many articles have been published on the subject, equitation is still the sport with the highest rate of human injuries, and a significant percentage of horses are sold or slaughtered due to behavioral problems. One explanation for this data is that the human-horse relationship is complex and the communication between humans and horses has not yet been accurately developed. Thus, this review addresses correct horse training based on scientific knowledge in animal learning and psychology. Specifically, it starts from the basic communication between humans and horses and then focuses on associative and non-associative learning, with many practical outcomes in horse management from the ground and under saddle. Finally, it highlights the common mistakes in the use of negative reinforcement, as well as all the implications that improper training could have on horse welfare. Increased levels of competence in horse training could be useful for equine technicians, owners, breeders, veterinarians, and scientists, in order to safeguard horse welfare, and also to reduce the number of human injuries and economic loss for civil society and the public health system

Evolução das aglomerações produtivas da indústria de alimentos e bebidas na Região Sul

Orientador: Prof. Dr. José Luiz ParréCoorientador: Prof. Dr. Marcos Aurélio RodriguesDissertação (mestrado em Teoria Econômica) - Universidade Estadual de Maringá, 2018RESUMO: Diversas mudanças ocorreram no setor de alimentos e bebidas durante a década de 1990, como maior competição internacional, aumento de investimentos estrangeiros diretos e grande número de fusões e aquisições, podendo, assim, impactar sobre as alocações geográficas nas aglomerações do setor. Desta maneira, o objetivo do presente estudo é identificar a evolução das aglomerações produtivas na indústria de alimentos e bebidas na Região Sul do Brasil nos anos 1999, 2005, 2010 e 2015. Para tal, utilizou-se da metodologia de Análise de Componentes Principais (ACP) para determinação do índice de concentração e da Análise Exploratória de Dados Espaciais (AEDE) para visualização dos agrupamentos municipais de tal índice. A partir dos resultados encontrados, é possível afirmar que entre os anos 1999 e 2015 os estados de Santa Catarina e Rio Grande do Sul apresentaram significativa perda de aglomerações no setor. Por outro lado, o estado do Paraná parece ter apresentado ao setor os diversos requisitos necessários para concentrar e expandir as indústrias da região em certas localidades, já que esse apresentou tanto surgimento quanto spillovers de concentrações. Os resultados obtidos podem fornecer informações para a tomada de decisões do setor privado e contribuir para a construção de políticas públicasABSTRACT: Several changes occurred in the food and beverage sector during the 1990s, such as increased international competition, increased foreign direct investment and a large number of mergers and acquisitions, and could thus impact on geographical allocations in the agglomerations of the sector. In this way the objective of the present study is to identify the evolution of productive agglomerations in the food and beverage industry in the Southern Region of Brazil in the years 1999, 2005, 2010 and 2015. For this purpose, we used the Principal Component Analysis method (ACP) for determining the concentration index and the Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) for visualization of municipal grouping of such index. From the results, it is possible to affirm that between 1999 and 2015 the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul presented significant loss of agglomerations in the sector. On the other hand, the state of Paraná seems to have presented to the sector the various requirements necessary to concentrate and expand the firms of the region in certain localities, since it presents both emergence and spillovers of concentrations. In this way, the results can provide information for the private sector decision making and contribute to the construction of public policies75 f. : il. (algumas color.)

Serão todos mourinho?Perceção de desempenho, personalidade e Inteligência cultural dos treinadores portugueses de futebol expatriados e não expatriados

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade em Psicologia Social e das OrganizaçõesA presente investigação teve como principal objetivo verificar de que modo a personalidade e a inteligência cultural têm impacto na perceção de desempenho dos treinadores portugueses de futebol expatriados. Desse modo foi recolhida uma amostra de 131 treinadores portugueses (68 expatriados e 63 não expatriados), com idades compreendidas entre os 31 e os 57 anos e com uma média de 12.03 anos de experiência como treinadores. De modo a avaliar a variável inteligência cultural foi utilizada a escala de Cultural Intelligence adaptada para a população portuguesa por Sousa, Gonçalves, Reis e Santos; já para avaliar a variável perceção de desempenho foram feitas algumas perguntas; por fim avaliar a variável personalidade foi utilizada a escala Big Five Inventory adaptada para a população portuguesa por Coelho. Os resultados vêm a confirmar que existem diferenças entre a inteligência cultural dos expatriados e dos não expatriados, a relação positiva entre as dimensões amabilidade e abertura à experiência dos Big five e a inteligência cultural (total e metacognitiva, cognitiva, e comportamental), a relação negativa entre a perceção de desempenho e o neuroticismo, a relação positiva entre a inteligência cultural e a perceção de desempenho, a relação positiva entre a dimensão motivacional da inteligência cultural e a perceção de desempenho.ABSTRACT: The present research had as main objective to verify how personality and cultural intelligence have an impact in the perception of performance in Portuguese expatriate football coaches. A sample of 131 Portuguese coaches (68 expatriates and 63 non-expatriates), aged between 31 and 57 years and with an average of 12.03 years of coaching experience. In order to evaluate the cultural intelligence, the Cultural Intelligence scale adapted for the Portuguese population by Sousa, Gonçalves, Reis and Santos were used; for evaluate the variable perception of performance were made some questions. To assess the personality variable of the study, was used the Big Five Inventory test adapted for the Portuguese population by Coelho The results confirmed that differences in cultural intelligence between expatriates and non-expatriates exist. A positive linear relationship between Cultural Intelligence (total and metacognitive, cognitive, and behavioral) and agreeableness and openness in the Big Five score was observed, whilst a negative linear relationship between perception of the performance and neuroticism. A positive linear relationship was observed between high cultural intelligence scores and perception of the performance. A positive linear relationship was also seen between the motivational dimension of Cultural Intelligence and perception of the performance

Use of bioengineered human commensal gut bacteria-derived microvesicles for mucosal plague vaccine delivery and immunization

Plague caused by the Gram-negative bacterium, Yersinia pestis, is still endemic in parts of the world today. Protection against pneumonic plague is essential to prevent the development and spread of epidemics. Despite this, there are currently no licensed plague vaccines in the western world. Here we describe the means of delivering biologically active plague vaccine antigens directly to mucosal sites of plague infection using highly stable microvesicles (outer membrane vesicles; OMVs) that are naturally produced by the abundant and harmless human commensal gut bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt). Bt was engineered to express major plague protective antigens in its OMVs, specifically Fraction 1 (F1) in the outer membrane and LcrV (V antigen) in the lumen, for targeted delivery to the gastrointestinal (GI) and respiratory tracts in a non-human primate (NHP) host. Our key findings were that Bt OMVs stably expresses F1 and V plague antigens, particularly the V antigen, in the correct, immunogenic form. When delivered intranasally V-OMVs elicited substantive and specific immune and antibody responses, both in the serum [immunoglobulin (Ig)G] and in the upper and lower respiratory tract (IgA); this included the generation of serum antibodies able to kill plague bacteria. Our results also showed that Bt OMV-based vaccines had many desirable characteristics, including: biosafety and an absence of any adverse effects, pathology or gross alteration of resident microbial communities (microbiotas); high stability and thermo-tolerance; needle-free delivery; intrinsic adjuvanticity; the ability to stimulate both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses; and targeting of primary sites of plague infection