Suchergebnisse

Abstracts Data and information accumulated during several years of questionnaire and checklist surveys; site visits and walk-thorough investigations in some small and medium-sized enterprises provided the basis of this thesis. Seven articles are included in this thesis, dealing with workers' physical, physiological, cognitive and psychosocial issues. The data were collected on the target group of workers from different work sites in Bangladesh for a comprehensive assessment of tasks, jobs and ergonomic issues. Jobs and tasks were classified according to the job content and task activity they performed. Most of the subjects were interviewed and some of them volunteered for physiological tests to bring attention to their occupational exposure to potentially strenuous activities in a hot and humid climate. The results showed that their working environment was non-ergonomic, not only because of the work-related problems themselves but also because of stressful tasks, extensive use of muscle force, old machinery, economic constraints, and a lack of enforcement of work regulations and labour legislation. The findings also demonstrated that the workers were associated with an increased risk of occupational hazards due to various local reasons. The results of the case studies give some insight towards a better understanding of health, safety and ergonomics applications that may contribute to bring working society together and initiate a broad-based improvement of the working environment in many developing countries like Bangladesh. The practical concern of this thesis is to improve the design of the workstation as well as to improve a worker's safe manipulation of tools and equipment and control of machinery, critical posture, and so on. This thesis also attempts to contribute the author's own views and suggestions with the hope of drawing workers' and employers' awareness and public attention towards unsafe acts and conditions, and for increasing the implementation of work regulations and labour legislation. In order to discern probable solutions, this thesis implies a prerequisite of low cost engineering solutions in the small and medium-sized enterprises. As such, it outlines applications of locally available technology utilising practical knowledge, which also provide practical approaches so that work-tasks are less stressful but productive, and safe. So, to help ergonomic application to be effective, some technical measures appropriate for local environments are thus illustrated that can be directly implemented in the developing countries like Bangladesh to prevent and control work-related problems. However, the ultimate improvement will depend on the attitude of the people involved at all levels of an interactive system, while health and safety measures are introduced in synchronisation with local systems and/or existing environments. Emphasising the workers' cognitive, psychosocial and socio-economic improvement through self-help and self-care strategies, this thesis also concludes with the belief that the attitude of the local workers, and an indifferent working culture are the arbiters of work-related problems. It is therefore essential that a concrete implementation of locally available measures be made, establishing ergonomic changes in collaboration with all the parties concerned for particular job-tasks and work processes. To help initiate this process, a more work-thorough investigation is necessary through the guidance of co-ordinated research and studies. For this, an understanding of employers' attitudes and workers' involvement is essential; as well as having a grasp of the logic and reasoning behind workplace survey and the need for adequate injury records and work-related information. ; Tiivistelmä Väitöskirjaan sisältyy seitsemän artikkelia, jotka käsittelevät työntekijöiden fyysisiä, fysiologisia, kognitiivisia ja psykososiaalisia asioita. Tiedot kerättiin eri kohteista Bangladeshissa keskittyen työtehtävien arviointiin ja ergonomiaan liittyviin tekijöihin. Aineisto on kerätty useiden vuosien ajan kyselykaavakkeiden ja tarkastuslistojen avulla; vierailut ja tutkimukset paikan päällä pienissä ja keskisuurissa yrityksissä muodostivat perustan tälle väitöskirjalle. Työtehtävät jaettiin sisällön ja aktiviteetin mukaan. Tutkimukseen osallistuneita työntekijöitä haastateltiin ja jotkut heistä olivat vapaaehtoisia fysiologisiin testeihin, joilla selvitettiin heidän altistumistaan mahdollisesti rasittaviin töihin kuumassa ja kosteassa ympäristössä. Tulokset osoittivat, että tutkittujen henkilöiden työympäristö oli epäergonominen, ei ainoastaan työhön liittyvien ongelmien takia, vaan myös stressin, liiallisen voimankäytön, vanhojen koneiden, taloudellisten tekijöiden sekä työhön liittyvien säännösten ja lainsäädännön puutteiden vuoksi. Tulokset osoittivat myös, että työntekijöiden riski työtapaturmiin oli kasvanut paikallisten syiden takia. Tulokset auttavat paremmin ymmärtämään terveys-, turvallisuus- ja ergonomiasovelluksia, joiden avulla työyhteisöjen osapuolet voivat käynnistää laaja-alaisen työympäristön parantamisen monissa kehitysmaissa kuten Bangladeshissä. Väitöskirjan käytännöllisen puolen tarkoituksena on työpisteiden ja -paikkojen suunnittelu ja työkalujen turvallisen käytön ja koneiden hallinnan sekä työasentojen edistäminen. Väitöskirja tuo myös esille kirjoittajan omia ehdotuksia ja näkökantoja mahdollisuuksiin lisätä työntekijöiden sekä työnantajien että julkista huomiota, vaarallisiin työtehtäviin ja -oloihin. Väitöstyö pyrkii lisäämään työn säännösten ja työvoimalainsäädännön huomioon ottoa. Työ esittelee myös teknisiä ratkaisuja pieniin ja keskisuuriin yrityksiin. Väitöskirja esittelee sovelluksia, joita paikallisen teknologian puitteissa voidaan käyttää hyväksi. Lisäksi se tarjoaa ergonomisia malleja, jotta työt olisivat vähemmän rasittavia ja sekä tuottavia että turvallisia. Ergonomisen toimenpiteen tehokkuus on pyritty nojaamaan myös paikallisuuteen. Ne voidaan suoraan toteuttaa kehitysmaassa, kuten Bangladeshissä estämään ja kontrolloimaan työperäisiä ongelmia. Kuitenkin lopulliset parannukset riippuvat paikallisten ihmisten asenteista, joita on vuorovaikutteisen järjestelmäkokonaisuuden kaikkien osapuolien tasoilla. Terveys- ja turvallisuustekijät esitetään liitettyinä paikalliseen kulttuuriin ja yhteiskuntaan tai olemassa olevaan ympäristöön. Painottaen työntekijöiden kognitiivisia, psykososiaalisia ja sosioekonomisia parannuksia oman avun kautta tämä väitöskirja myös päätyy siihen, että paikallisten työntekijöiden asenteet ja välinpitämätön työkulttuuri voivat olla työperäisten ongelmien alkusyitä. Sen tähden on olennaista, että paikallisten toimenpiteiden konkreettinen toteutus saadaan aikaan. Ergonomiset muutokset tehdään yhteistyössä kaikkien työprosessin osapuolten kanssa. Jotta tätä kehitysprosessia helpotettaisiin, on tehtävä enemmän toimenpiteitä myös tutkimuksen ja opiskelun alueilla. Tämän takia työnantajien asenteiden ymmärtäminen ja työntekijöiden osallistuminen on olennaista; sekä se, että löydetään käsitys toimenpiteiden logiikasta ja seurauksista työpaikalla. Näiden lisäksi tarvitaan myös onnettomuusrekisteri sekä työtä koskevaa informaatiota.

Die europäische Landwirtschaft ist durch große regionale Gegensätze gekennzeichnet, die unter anderem zu unterschiedlichen Auswirkungen politischer Eingriffe führen. Oft sind auch die agrarpolitischen Instrumente selbst regional differenziert, so dass die regionalen Unterschiede bei Analysen des europäischen Agrarsektors nicht außer acht gelassen werden dürfen. Zur Deckung des hier bestehenden Analysebedarfs, wird in dieser Arbeit in einem geschlossenen Ansatz eine regional differenzierte ex post und ex ante Analyse der Auswirkungen der Agrarpolitik auf die regionalen landwirtschaftlichen Produktionsstrukturen in der EU durchgeführt. Dazu wird auf das regionalisierte Agrarsektormodell CAPRI ( C ommon A gricultural P olicy R egional I mpact) zurückgegriffen, mit dem in internationaler Kooperation die europäische Landwirtschaft auf Ebene der NUTS II Gebiete (195 Regionen) abgebildet wird. Einen ersten Analyseschritt stellt die Spezifizierung der CAPRI-Datenbasis dar, die nach dem Prinzip des aktivitätsanalytisch differenzierten Gesamtrechnungsansatzes aufgebaut ist. Den 55 abgebildeten landwirtschaftlichen Produktionsverfahren werden die relevanten Politikinstrumente (z. B. Prämien) direkt zugeordnet. Als Ausgangspunkt und Konsistenzrahmen bei der Datenbankerstellung dient die SPEL/EU-Datenbasis. Dadurch können im top-down-Verfahren aus den wenigen verfügbaren regionalen Werten (Flächennutzung, Viehbestände und Erträge) die regionalen Datentabellen gefüllt werden. Nur bei der Bestimmung der regionalen Futterrationen und des Handelsdüngereinsatzes wird alternativ auf die Maximum Entropie Methode zurückgegriffen. Die Nachteile, die sich durch die notwendige, jedoch wenig zielgerechte Orientierung an administrativen Einheiten ergeben, werden in dieser Arbeit z.T. durch die Neugruppierung ähnlicher Regionen mit Hilfe der Clusteranalyse aufgehoben. Es werden neun klar unterscheidbare Regionstypen gebildet. Als Kriterien für die Ähnlichkeit der Regionen dienen dabei die Produktionsanteile bestimmter Produktgruppen und der Grünlandanteil an der LF. In der ex post und ex ante Analyse werden die Cluster sowohl zur Beschreibung der Agrarstruktur als auch zur Interpretation der Modellergebnisse verwendet. Die Untersuchungen konzentrieren sich dabei auf die politisch wichtigsten Produktgruppen, d. h. auf die Entwicklung der Getreide-, Ölsaaten- und Rindfleischproduktion. Am Beispiel dieser Produktionsbereiche werden die Vorteile des gewählten Ansatzes bei der Erklärung von Entwicklungen und bei der Einordnung von Modellergebnissen deutlich. Aus den Analysen bezüglich Getreide und Ölsaaten geht hervor, dass ihr Anbauverhältnis vor allem durch den Kleinerzeugeranteil, den Ölsaatenertrag und die Prämienrelation von Getreide zu Ölsaaten beeinflusst wird. Die Erlösentwicklungen haben dagegen nur einen geringen Einfluss auf die regional unterschiedlichen Veränderungen. Bei der Analyse der Rinderhaltung zeigt sich, dass ihre regionale Verteilung ex post vor allem durch die natürlichen Standortfaktoren und weniger durch politische Maßnahmen gesteuert wurde. Die politischen Instrumente in der Milchproduktion und in der Mutterkuhhaltung wirkten eher auf den Gesamtumfang der Rinderhaltung bzw. der Rindfleischproduktion. Die ex ante Analyse macht zudem deutlich, dass die neuen Quotenregelungen in der Agenda 2000 die Rinderhaltung zukünftig sehr stark steuern werden und so regionale Unterschiede in den Hintergrund treten lassen. Insgesamt gesehen, bestimmt die Ausrichtung der Politikinstrumente aber vor allem die regionale Verteilung der Direktzahlungen. Wirkungsanalysen in dieser Richtung können daher wichtige Informationen für die Weiterentwicklung der Agrarpolitik liefern. ; The impact of the Common Agricultural Policy on regional agricultural production structures in the EU - Analysis based on a regionalized agricultural sector model European agriculture is marked by huge regional contrasts, which among other things lead to the various political interventions impacting in different ways. Very often the agricultural policy instruments themselves are regionally differentiated and therefore careful consideration must be given to these differences when analysing the European agricultural sector. In order to cover the existing need for analysis in this area, this paper examines both ex post and ex ante the effects of the EU Common Agricultural Policy on regional agricultural production structures in Europe. These analyses are carried out with the help of the regionalized agricultural sector model CAPRI ( C ommon A gricultural P olicy R egional I mpact), which in international cooperation includes European agriculture at NUTS II areas level (195 regions). The first step of the analyses is the specification of the CAPRI database. This database is built on the Activity Based Accounting System and differentiates between 55 agricultural production processes, to which a large part of the relevant policy-instruments (e. g. premiums) can be directly assigned. The starting point and consistency framework for the specifying of the data base are represented by the SPEL/EU data base, with which using the top-down procedure the regional data tables can be filled from the few available regional values (land utilisation, herd sizes and yields). One exception to this is the fixing of regional feed rations and the use of commercial fertilizers, with the Maximum Entropy Method being taken as the basis. The disadvantages resulting from the necessary yet little targeted focus of administrative units are partly offset by the fact that using the cluster analysis groups of similar regions can be marked out. They are combined into nine clearly distinguishable region types. The criterion for determining the similarity of the regions is the production structure, which is described in terms of specific product-groups as part of the relevant overall regional production and the portion of grassland in the agricultural area. In the ex post and ex ante analysis the clusters are used both to describe the agricultural structure and to interpret the model results. The analyses focus on the most important product groups in terms of policy, i. e. on the development of cereal, oilseed and beef production. Taking these production areas as an example, the advantages of the approach chosen to explain the developments and to classify the model results become obvious.Investigations in the area of cereals and oilseeds show that the proportion of the land devoted to these two crop groups is determined primarily by three factors. These are the portion of small producers, the oilseed yield and the relation in premiums between cereals and oilseeds. On the other hand, developments in return have only a slight impact on the changes varying from region to region. An analysis of cattle breeding shows that its regional spread ex post was primarily controlled by natural location factors and less by political measures. The policy instruments relating to milk production and suckler cows had more of an effect on the full extent of cattle breeding and beef production respectively. The ex ante analysis also demonstrated that the quota systems contained in Agenda 2000 will have in the future a very strong effect on cattle breeding at national level and in turn push regional differences into the background. On the whole however, the regional spread of direct payments will primarily be influenced by how the political instruments are geared. It can be concluded that analyses of the effects along these lines will consequently provide important information in terms of the future development of agricultural policy.

Das Hochland Nordthailands isi ein Beispiel für eine widersprüchliche Situation die entsteht, wenn ein zentralistisches Regierungssystem seine Kontrolle auf entlegene Gebiete ausdehnt und auf traditionellen Wanderfeldbau auftrifft. Auf Regierungsseite zeichnet sich die Politik durch unterschiedliche Interessen der Walderhaltung einerseits und Integration von ethnischen Minderheiten andererseits aus. Die Bergstämme ihrerseits erstreben Landsicherheit um ihre Subsistenzwirtschaft zu sichern. Somit geht es um Mediation und Konfliktresolution zur Überwindung der Dichotomie zwischen Waldschutz und landwirtschaftlicher Subsistenz. Trotz des fehlenden politischen Rahmens, hat es eine Verschiebung zu mehr partizipativen Ansätzen bei der Entwicklung des Hochlands gegeben, zum Beispiel Community Based Land Use Planning and Local Watershed Management (CLM) des Thai-German Highland Development Programe (TG-HDP) in der Provinz Mae Hong Son. Dieses Forschungsprojekt hat den CLM-Ansatz mit GIS kombiniert um jenseits der Demarkierung von Landtypen die Dorfebene mit höheren Planungsebenen zu verbinden, wie die sich etablierenden Tambon (Sub-Distrikt) Administrative Organisations. Vor dem Hintergrund der grundsätzlichen oben angeführten Probleme und auf den CLM-Ansatz aufbauend, wurden Landnutzungskarten digitalisiert um die Widersprüche zwischen zentralistischer Landklassifizierung und lokalen Dorfgrenzen zu überwinden. Durch den Vergleich von topographischen Modellen und Karten mit Dorfbewohnern und Regierungsorganisationen, könnte eine Kommunikationsplattform für die Formulierung von Landnutzungsplänen etabliert werden. Stolpersteine zur partizipativen Planung werden dargestellt und Empfehlungen für eine koordinierte Politik der Hochlandentwicklung ausgesprochen. Bei der laufenden Dezentralisierung werden die neu entstehenden Tambon (Sub-Distrikt) Administrative Organisations (TAO) sich als Schlüsselverbindung zwischen dem Staat und der Gesellschaft entwickeln. Eine Möglichkeit mit den unterschiedlichen Prioritäten der Teilhaber auf Tambonebene umzugehen könnte sich aus der laufenden Umstrukturierung des Landwirtschaftsministeriums (MOAC) ergeben, als Teil der administrativen Reform. Ein Teil dieser Reform auf Grasebene war die Einführung von Technology Transfer Centres (TTC) seit 1998, mit mittlerweile 82 vom Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) etablierten Zentren landesweit. In diesem Kontext wird der Tambon ein Test für partizipative Landnutzungsplanung sein, sowohl aus der technischen Perspektive mit neuen Technology Transfer Centres, als auch aus der administrativen mit existierenden Tambon Administrative Organisations. Pläne der Vernetzung von TTCs mit TAOs müssen die Bedeutung der Repräsentanz von Schlüsselinstitutionen der Forstwirtschaft und Landentwicklung für Aspekte der Landnutzung berücksichtigen, sowie lokale Verwaltung und Sozialfürsorge für die Registrierung von Dörfern mit klaren und allseits akzeptierten Grenzen. Ein Ansatz von unten müßte sich auf die drei während der Forschung genannten Hauptprobleme konzentrieren, nämlich Reisinsuffizienz, Waldbrachemanagement und Dorfgrenzen. So lange der Zustand der Landunsicherheit weiterhin vorherrscht, werden Bergstämme Strategien zur Beibehaltung von ausreichendem Ackerland anwenden, wie die Deklaration von bis zu doppelt so vielen Hochlandfeldern und die Zwischenpflanzung mit Heckenreihen auf Bracheflächen um zu zeigen, daß dieses Land genutzt wird. Zur Zeit gibt es keinen einheitlichen Planungsansatz, jedoch hat die öffentliche Debatte in Nordthailand ein Stadium erreicht, inklusive der Bergstämmenminderheit, daß der Prozeß der Institutionalisierung weitergehen wird während das Land den Pfad der Demokratie beschreitet. Die Lösung von Problemen und nachhaltiger Landnutzungsplanung wird somit zu einem Testfall für die Umsetzung von guter Regierung auf lokaler Ebene. ; The highlands of northern Thailand are an example of a contradictory situation arising when a centralised government system extends its control to remote areas and clashes with traditional shifting cultivation practices. On the government side, policy is characterised by conflicting interests between forest preservation on the one hand, and the integration of ethnic minorities on the other. Hilltribes, on the other hand, are looking for land security to meet their subsistence needs. It is a precondition for them to modify their traditional farming systems or to explore other alternatives to secure a livelihood. The issue has become one of mediation and conflict resolution in order to overcome the dichotomy between forest protection and agricultural subsistence. In spite of a lack of policy framework, highland development has shifted towards more participatory approaches, for example Community Based Land Use Planning and Local Watershed Management (CLM) of the Thai-German Highland Development Programme (TG-HDP) in Mae Hong Son province. This research project combined the CLM approach with GIS in order to go beyond the demarcation of land types and to connect the village level to higher planning bodies like the emerging Tambon (sub-district) Administration Organisations. In light of the fundamental problem of highland development described above, and building on the CLM approach, land use maps were digitised to help overcome contradictions between central land use classifications and local village boundaries. By crosschecking topographic models and maps with villagers and government agencies, a communication platform could be created for the formulation of land use plans. Stumbling blocks to participatory planning are illustrated and recommendations for a co-ordinated policy for highland development are made. In the current move towards decentralisation, the newly forming Tambon (or sub-district) Administrative Organisations (TAO) will evolve as the key link between the state and society. One potential to deal with differing stakeholder priorities at Tambon level could evolve from the current restructuring of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) as part of the administrative reform. A part of this reform at grass-roots level has been the introduction of Technology Transfer Centres (TTC) initiated in 1998, with 82 of them established nationwide by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE). In this context the Tambon will be a test for participatory land use planning, both in terms of a technical perspective with new Technology Transfer Centres, as well as an administrative one with existing Tambon Administrative Organisations. The plans to link TTCs with TAOs need to consider the importance of representation of key agencies like forestry and land development for aspects of land management, as well as local administration and social welfare for the registration of villages with clear and mutually agreed boundaries. A bottom-up approach would need to focus on the three main problem areas identified during the research, namely rice sufficiency, forest fallow management, and village boundaries. As long as this state of land insecurity persists, hill tribes will resort to strategies to keep enough land for agricultural production, like the declaration of up to twice the number of upland fields under cultivation, and the interplanting of hedgerows in fallow areas to indicate that the land is used. For the time being a unified planning approach does not exist, but a stage of public debate has been reached in northern Thailand, including those of minority hill tribes, that the process of institutionalisation will continue as the country follows a path to democracy. The resolution of problems and sustainable land use planning will turn into a testing ground for the application of good governance at the local level.

International audience ; Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing, Nature, 399, 452-455,1999. Thompson, D.WJ., and J. M.Wallace,Annular modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I, month-to-month variability./ Clim., PAGES 317,320 More than 40% of the marine heat flow data collected since the early experiments of Sir Edward Bullard in 1949 were obtained using shallow penetration probes less than 5 m long [Louden and Wright, 1989] .The common belief that these data are reliable enough to model deep-seated thermal processes is sup ported by a few experiments in which heat flow measurements made in the Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Pro gram (ODP) were compared to nearby surface heat flow measurements [e.g.,Hyndman etal, 1984]. However, thermal measurements made with 18-m penetrations recently collected on the northern flank of the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) bring a new perspective to this belief. In the study area, measurements of heat flow taken at the surface (0-5 m) and mea surements taken at greater depths (3-18 m) did not always concur. Investigating this lack of agreement will help address difficult ques tions about the interpretation of shallow pene tration (< 5 m) marine heat flow measurements. The data were obtained during the MD120-ANTAUS expedition carried out by R/V Marion Dufresne that was conducted from October 12 to November 7,2000 from Fremantle, Australia, to La Reunion Island.The primary objective of this cruise was to study marine heat flow vari ations along a 14-Ma isochron that parallels the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between the Saint-Paul/Amsterdam hot spot and the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD),an anomalously deep section of the Mid-Ocean Ridge that is often attributed to a mantle "cold spot." In the 1960s and 1970s, heat flow meas urements were obtained near the AAD as part of reconnaissance surveys [Von Herzen and Langseth, 1966; Langseth and Taylor, 1967; Anderson et al., 1977]. However, to interpret heat flow variations in this region of thin and patchy sediment cover, it is not only necessary to obtain more data, but to collect data that can be used to trace water circulation and dis criminate between the conductive and the convective components of the measured heat flow.To accomplish this, we collected long sediment cores, along with heat flow data to greater depths, to study the physical properties of the sediments and tentatively investigate the role of water circulation using helium isotopic ratios 3 He/ 4 He as tracers of hydrothermal activity. If water has circulated within the crust, then the 3 He/ 4 He isotopic signature is expected to be that of the crust and upper mantle; if water circulation has been confined to the sediment layer, it is expected to be that of the ocean and atmosphere. Despite rough weather and bad seas, a total of 25 thermal measurements was obtained using 9 autonomous digital temperature probes fitted on an 18-m-long, 13-cm-diameter gravity corer.Full penetration of 18 m was regularly achieved. Figure 2 shows examples of non-linear temperature gradients obtained at three differ ent sites. Each temperature measurement was systematically duplicated by two sensors that were spaced 64 mm apart. Hence, experimen tal effects cannot explain the observed non-linearity Tests performed onboard after recovery clearly preclude systematic errors due to prob lems with calibration or drift of a thermistor. The observed non-linearity, which is too important to be explained by variations in thermal conductivity, clearly results from the combination of two natural effects: vertical advection of water into the sediments and vari ations in bottom-water temperature. Advection of water affects the shape of the temperature versus depth curve: convex curvature indicates water flowing upward; concave curvature indi cates water flowing downward; a vertical gradi ent indicates the presence of an aquifer [e.g., Anderson et al., 1979]. Yearly variations in bot tom-water temperature affect the thermal gra dient in the first 3-4 m. Although further analysis is needed to determine the characteristics of the suspected bottom-water temperature changes, our results raise questions about the heat flow estimates that we would have obtained in this specific study area using shallow penetration probes of less than ~5 m. The above describes some advantages of combining coring and heat flow measurements within the sediments at great depths. R/V Marion Dufresne has the ability to take ultra-long cores of up to 60 m using a giant corer. Fig. 1. Temperature probes welded onto the gravity corer onboard R/V Marion Dufresne. Inset shows sketch of the autonomous temperature probe. R/V Marion Dufresne is a multipurpose , 130-m-long research and supply vessel that both provides logistics for the French austral islands and conducts oceanographic research. Specifically designed for very severe weather conditions, the ship allows full performance in rough seas. The vessel, which is equipped with the full suite of geophysical facilities, including a system for multi-beam bathymetry and imagery, can raise 60-m sediment cores. Facing an increasing scientific demand, the French government decided in 1999 to reduce the ship time devoted to logistical operations to 120 days per year and allow the French Polar Institute (IFRTP) to conduct research throughout the world for 245 days per year. This paves the road for new approaches and the development of integrated, multidisciplinary programs, as recently evidenced with the MD120-ANTAUS expedition.

International audience ; Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing, Nature, 399, 452-455,1999. Thompson, D.WJ., and J. M.Wallace,Annular modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I, month-to-month variability./ Clim., PAGES 317,320 More than 40% of the marine heat flow data collected since the early experiments of Sir Edward Bullard in 1949 were obtained using shallow penetration probes less than 5 m long [Louden and Wright, 1989] .The common belief that these data are reliable enough to model deep-seated thermal processes is sup ported by a few experiments in which heat flow measurements made in the Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Pro gram (ODP) were compared to nearby surface heat flow measurements [e.g.,Hyndman etal, 1984]. However, thermal measurements made with 18-m penetrations recently collected on the northern flank of the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) bring a new perspective to this belief. In the study area, measurements of heat flow taken at the surface (0-5 m) and mea surements taken at greater depths (3-18 m) did not always concur. Investigating this lack of agreement will help address difficult ques tions about the interpretation of shallow pene tration (< 5 m) marine heat flow measurements. The data were obtained during the MD120-ANTAUS expedition carried out by R/V Marion Dufresne that was conducted from October 12 to November 7,2000 from Fremantle, Australia, to La Reunion Island.The primary objective of this cruise was to study marine heat flow vari ations along a 14-Ma isochron that parallels the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between the Saint-Paul/Amsterdam hot spot and the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD),an anomalously deep section of the Mid-Ocean Ridge that is often attributed to a mantle "cold spot." In the 1960s and 1970s, heat flow meas urements were obtained near the AAD as part of reconnaissance surveys [Von Herzen and Langseth, 1966; Langseth and Taylor, 1967; Anderson et al., 1977]. However, to interpret heat flow variations in this region of thin and patchy sediment cover, it is not only necessary to obtain more data, but to collect data that can be used to trace water circulation and dis criminate between the conductive and the convective components of the measured heat flow.To accomplish this, we collected long sediment cores, along with heat flow data to greater depths, to study the physical properties of the sediments and tentatively investigate the role of water circulation using helium isotopic ratios 3 He/ 4 He as tracers of hydrothermal activity. If water has circulated within the crust, then the 3 He/ 4 He isotopic signature is expected to be that of the crust and upper mantle; if water circulation has been confined to the sediment layer, it is expected to be that of the ocean and atmosphere. Despite rough weather and bad seas, a total of 25 thermal measurements was obtained using 9 autonomous digital temperature probes fitted on an 18-m-long, 13-cm-diameter gravity corer.Full penetration of 18 m was regularly achieved. Figure 2 shows examples of non-linear temperature gradients obtained at three differ ent sites. Each temperature measurement was systematically duplicated by two sensors that were spaced 64 mm apart. Hence, experimen tal effects cannot explain the observed non-linearity Tests performed onboard after recovery clearly preclude systematic errors due to prob lems with calibration or drift of a thermistor. The observed non-linearity, which is too important to be explained by variations in thermal conductivity, clearly results from the combination of two natural effects: vertical advection of water into the sediments and vari ations in bottom-water temperature. Advection of water affects the shape of the temperature versus depth curve: convex curvature indicates water flowing upward; concave curvature indi cates water flowing downward; a vertical gradi ent indicates the presence of an aquifer [e.g., Anderson et al., 1979]. Yearly variations in bot tom-water temperature affect the thermal gra dient in the first 3-4 m. Although further analysis is needed to determine the characteristics of the suspected bottom-water temperature changes, our results raise questions about the heat flow estimates that we would have obtained in this specific study area using shallow penetration probes of less than ~5 m. The above describes some advantages of combining coring and heat flow measurements within the sediments at great depths. R/V Marion Dufresne has the ability to take ultra-long cores of up to 60 m using a giant corer. Fig. 1. Temperature probes welded onto the gravity corer onboard R/V Marion Dufresne. Inset shows sketch of the autonomous temperature probe. R/V Marion Dufresne is a multipurpose , 130-m-long research and supply vessel that both provides logistics for the French austral islands and conducts oceanographic research. Specifically designed for very severe weather conditions, the ship allows full performance in rough seas. The vessel, which is equipped with the full suite of geophysical facilities, including a system for multi-beam bathymetry and imagery, can raise 60-m sediment cores. Facing an increasing scientific demand, the French government decided in 1999 to reduce the ship time devoted to logistical operations to 120 days per year and allow the French Polar Institute (IFRTP) to conduct research throughout the world for 245 days per year. This paves the road for new approaches and the development of integrated, multidisciplinary programs, as recently evidenced with the MD120-ANTAUS expedition.

International audience ; Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing, Nature, 399, 452-455,1999. Thompson, D.WJ., and J. M.Wallace,Annular modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I, month-to-month variability./ Clim., PAGES 317,320 More than 40% of the marine heat flow data collected since the early experiments of Sir Edward Bullard in 1949 were obtained using shallow penetration probes less than 5 m long [Louden and Wright, 1989] .The common belief that these data are reliable enough to model deep-seated thermal processes is sup ported by a few experiments in which heat flow measurements made in the Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Pro gram (ODP) were compared to nearby surface heat flow measurements [e.g.,Hyndman etal, 1984]. However, thermal measurements made with 18-m penetrations recently collected on the northern flank of the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) bring a new perspective to this belief. In the study area, measurements of heat flow taken at the surface (0-5 m) and mea surements taken at greater depths (3-18 m) did not always concur. Investigating this lack of agreement will help address difficult ques tions about the interpretation of shallow pene tration (< 5 m) marine heat flow measurements. The data were obtained during the MD120-ANTAUS expedition carried out by R/V Marion Dufresne that was conducted from October 12 to November 7,2000 from Fremantle, Australia, to La Reunion Island.The primary objective of this cruise was to study marine heat flow vari ations along a 14-Ma isochron that parallels the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between the Saint-Paul/Amsterdam hot spot and the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD),an anomalously deep section of the Mid-Ocean Ridge that is often attributed to a mantle "cold spot." In the 1960s and 1970s, heat flow meas urements were obtained near the AAD as part of reconnaissance surveys [Von Herzen and Langseth, 1966; Langseth and Taylor, 1967; Anderson et al., 1977]. However, to interpret heat flow variations in this region of thin and patchy sediment cover, it is not only necessary to obtain more data, but to collect data that can be used to trace water circulation and dis criminate between the conductive and the convective components of the measured heat flow.To accomplish this, we collected long sediment cores, along with heat flow data to greater depths, to study the physical properties of the sediments and tentatively investigate the role of water circulation using helium isotopic ratios 3 He/ 4 He as tracers of hydrothermal activity. If water has circulated within the crust, then the 3 He/ 4 He isotopic signature is expected to be that of the crust and upper mantle; if water circulation has been confined to the sediment layer, it is expected to be that of the ocean and atmosphere. Despite rough weather and bad seas, a total of 25 thermal measurements was obtained using 9 autonomous digital temperature probes fitted on an 18-m-long, 13-cm-diameter gravity corer.Full penetration of 18 m was regularly achieved. Figure 2 shows examples of non-linear temperature gradients obtained at three differ ent sites. Each temperature measurement was systematically duplicated by two sensors that were spaced 64 mm apart. Hence, experimen tal effects cannot explain the observed non-linearity Tests performed onboard after recovery clearly preclude systematic errors due to prob lems with calibration or drift of a thermistor. The observed non-linearity, which is too important to be explained by variations in thermal conductivity, clearly results from the combination of two natural effects: vertical advection of water into the sediments and vari ations in bottom-water temperature. Advection of water affects the shape of the temperature versus depth curve: convex curvature indicates water flowing upward; concave curvature indi cates water flowing downward; a vertical gradi ent indicates the presence of an aquifer [e.g., Anderson et al., 1979]. Yearly variations in bot tom-water temperature affect the thermal gra dient in the first 3-4 m. Although further analysis is needed to determine the characteristics of the suspected bottom-water temperature changes, our results raise questions about the heat flow estimates that we would have obtained in this specific study area using shallow penetration probes of less than ~5 m. The above describes some advantages of combining coring and heat flow measurements within the sediments at great depths. R/V Marion Dufresne has the ability to take ultra-long cores of up to 60 m using a giant corer. Fig. 1. Temperature probes welded onto the gravity corer onboard R/V Marion Dufresne. Inset shows sketch of the autonomous temperature probe. R/V Marion Dufresne is a multipurpose , 130-m-long research and supply vessel that both provides logistics for the French austral islands and conducts oceanographic research. Specifically designed for very severe weather conditions, the ship allows full performance in rough seas. The vessel, which is equipped with the full suite of geophysical facilities, including a system for multi-beam bathymetry and imagery, can raise 60-m sediment cores. Facing an increasing scientific demand, the French government decided in 1999 to reduce the ship time devoted to logistical operations to 120 days per year and allow the French Polar Institute (IFRTP) to conduct research throughout the world for 245 days per year. This paves the road for new approaches and the development of integrated, multidisciplinary programs, as recently evidenced with the MD120-ANTAUS expedition.

International audience ; Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing, Nature, 399, 452-455,1999. Thompson, D.WJ., and J. M.Wallace,Annular modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I, month-to-month variability./ Clim., PAGES 317,320 More than 40% of the marine heat flow data collected since the early experiments of Sir Edward Bullard in 1949 were obtained using shallow penetration probes less than 5 m long [Louden and Wright, 1989] .The common belief that these data are reliable enough to model deep-seated thermal processes is sup ported by a few experiments in which heat flow measurements made in the Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Pro gram (ODP) were compared to nearby surface heat flow measurements [e.g.,Hyndman etal, 1984]. However, thermal measurements made with 18-m penetrations recently collected on the northern flank of the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) bring a new perspective to this belief. In the study area, measurements of heat flow taken at the surface (0-5 m) and mea surements taken at greater depths (3-18 m) did not always concur. Investigating this lack of agreement will help address difficult ques tions about the interpretation of shallow pene tration (< 5 m) marine heat flow measurements. The data were obtained during the MD120-ANTAUS expedition carried out by R/V Marion Dufresne that was conducted from October 12 to November 7,2000 from Fremantle, Australia, to La Reunion Island.The primary objective of this cruise was to study marine heat flow vari ations along a 14-Ma isochron that parallels the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between the Saint-Paul/Amsterdam hot spot and the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD),an anomalously deep section of the Mid-Ocean Ridge that is often attributed to a mantle "cold spot." In the 1960s and 1970s, heat flow meas urements were obtained near the AAD as part of reconnaissance surveys [Von Herzen and Langseth, 1966; Langseth and Taylor, 1967; Anderson et al., 1977]. However, to interpret heat flow variations in this region of thin and patchy sediment cover, it is not only necessary to obtain more data, but to collect data that can be used to trace water circulation and dis criminate between the conductive and the convective components of the measured heat flow.To accomplish this, we collected long sediment cores, along with heat flow data to greater depths, to study the physical properties of the sediments and tentatively investigate the role of water circulation using helium isotopic ratios 3 He/ 4 He as tracers of hydrothermal activity. If water has circulated within the crust, then the 3 He/ 4 He isotopic signature is expected to be that of the crust and upper mantle; if water circulation has been confined to the sediment layer, it is expected to be that of the ocean and atmosphere. Despite rough weather and bad seas, a total of 25 thermal measurements was obtained using 9 autonomous digital temperature probes fitted on an 18-m-long, 13-cm-diameter gravity corer.Full penetration of 18 m was regularly achieved. Figure 2 shows examples of non-linear temperature gradients obtained at three differ ent sites. Each temperature measurement was systematically duplicated by two sensors that were spaced 64 mm apart. Hence, experimen tal effects cannot explain the observed non-linearity Tests performed onboard after recovery clearly preclude systematic errors due to prob lems with calibration or drift of a thermistor. The observed non-linearity, which is too important to be explained by variations in thermal conductivity, clearly results from the combination of two natural effects: vertical advection of water into the sediments and vari ations in bottom-water temperature. Advection of water affects the shape of the temperature versus depth curve: convex curvature indicates water flowing upward; concave curvature indi cates water flowing downward; a vertical gradi ent indicates the presence of an aquifer [e.g., Anderson et al., 1979]. Yearly variations in bot tom-water temperature affect the thermal gra dient in the first 3-4 m. Although further analysis is needed to determine the characteristics of the suspected bottom-water temperature changes, our results raise questions about the heat flow estimates that we would have obtained in this specific study area using shallow penetration probes of less than ~5 m. The above describes some advantages of combining coring and heat flow measurements within the sediments at great depths. R/V Marion Dufresne has the ability to take ultra-long cores of up to 60 m using a giant corer. Fig. 1. Temperature probes welded onto the gravity corer onboard R/V Marion Dufresne. Inset shows sketch of the autonomous temperature probe. R/V Marion Dufresne is a multipurpose , 130-m-long research and supply vessel that both provides logistics for the French austral islands and conducts oceanographic research. Specifically designed for very severe weather conditions, the ship allows full performance in rough seas. The vessel, which is equipped with the full suite of geophysical facilities, including a system for multi-beam bathymetry and imagery, can raise 60-m sediment cores. Facing an increasing scientific demand, the French government decided in 1999 to reduce the ship time devoted to logistical operations to 120 days per year and allow the French Polar Institute (IFRTP) to conduct research throughout the world for 245 days per year. This paves the road for new approaches and the development of integrated, multidisciplinary programs, as recently evidenced with the MD120-ANTAUS expedition.

International audience ; Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing, Nature, 399, 452-455,1999. Thompson, D.WJ., and J. M.Wallace,Annular modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I, month-to-month variability./ Clim., PAGES 317,320 More than 40% of the marine heat flow data collected since the early experiments of Sir Edward Bullard in 1949 were obtained using shallow penetration probes less than 5 m long [Louden and Wright, 1989] .The common belief that these data are reliable enough to model deep-seated thermal processes is sup ported by a few experiments in which heat flow measurements made in the Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Pro gram (ODP) were compared to nearby surface heat flow measurements [e.g.,Hyndman etal, 1984]. However, thermal measurements made with 18-m penetrations recently collected on the northern flank of the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) bring a new perspective to this belief. In the study area, measurements of heat flow taken at the surface (0-5 m) and mea surements taken at greater depths (3-18 m) did not always concur. Investigating this lack of agreement will help address difficult ques tions about the interpretation of shallow pene tration (< 5 m) marine heat flow measurements. The data were obtained during the MD120-ANTAUS expedition carried out by R/V Marion Dufresne that was conducted from October 12 to November 7,2000 from Fremantle, Australia, to La Reunion Island.The primary objective of this cruise was to study marine heat flow vari ations along a 14-Ma isochron that parallels the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between the Saint-Paul/Amsterdam hot spot and the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD),an anomalously deep section of the Mid-Ocean Ridge that is often attributed to a mantle "cold spot." In the 1960s and 1970s, heat flow meas urements were obtained near the AAD as part of reconnaissance surveys [Von Herzen and Langseth, 1966; Langseth and Taylor, 1967; Anderson et al., 1977]. However, to interpret heat flow variations in this region of thin and patchy sediment cover, it is not only necessary to obtain more data, but to collect data that can be used to trace water circulation and dis criminate between the conductive and the convective components of the measured heat flow.To accomplish this, we collected long sediment cores, along with heat flow data to greater depths, to study the physical properties of the sediments and tentatively investigate the role of water circulation using helium isotopic ratios 3 He/ 4 He as tracers of hydrothermal activity. If water has circulated within the crust, then the 3 He/ 4 He isotopic signature is expected to be that of the crust and upper mantle; if water circulation has been confined to the sediment layer, it is expected to be that of the ocean and atmosphere. Despite rough weather and bad seas, a total of 25 thermal measurements was obtained using 9 autonomous digital temperature probes fitted on an 18-m-long, 13-cm-diameter gravity corer.Full penetration of 18 m was regularly achieved. Figure 2 shows examples of non-linear temperature gradients obtained at three differ ent sites. Each temperature measurement was systematically duplicated by two sensors that were spaced 64 mm apart. Hence, experimen tal effects cannot explain the observed non-linearity Tests performed onboard after recovery clearly preclude systematic errors due to prob lems with calibration or drift of a thermistor. The observed non-linearity, which is too important to be explained by variations in thermal conductivity, clearly results from the combination of two natural effects: vertical advection of water into the sediments and vari ations in bottom-water temperature. Advection of water affects the shape of the temperature versus depth curve: convex curvature indicates water flowing upward; concave curvature indi cates water flowing downward; a vertical gradi ent indicates the presence of an aquifer [e.g., Anderson et al., 1979]. Yearly variations in bot tom-water temperature affect the thermal gra dient in the first 3-4 m. Although further analysis is needed to determine the characteristics of the suspected bottom-water temperature changes, our results raise questions about the heat flow estimates that we would have obtained in this specific study area using shallow penetration probes of less than ~5 m. The above describes some advantages of combining coring and heat flow measurements within the sediments at great depths. R/V Marion Dufresne has the ability to take ultra-long cores of up to 60 m using a giant corer. Fig. 1. Temperature probes welded onto the gravity corer onboard R/V Marion Dufresne. Inset shows sketch of the autonomous temperature probe. R/V Marion Dufresne is a multipurpose , 130-m-long research and supply vessel that both provides logistics for the French austral islands and conducts oceanographic research. Specifically designed for very severe weather conditions, the ship allows full performance in rough seas. The vessel, which is equipped with the full suite of geophysical facilities, including a system for multi-beam bathymetry and imagery, can raise 60-m sediment cores. Facing an increasing scientific demand, the French government decided in 1999 to reduce the ship time devoted to logistical operations to 120 days per year and allow the French Polar Institute (IFRTP) to conduct research throughout the world for 245 days per year. This paves the road for new approaches and the development of integrated, multidisciplinary programs, as recently evidenced with the MD120-ANTAUS expedition.

International audience ; Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing, Nature, 399, 452-455,1999. Thompson, D.WJ., and J. M.Wallace,Annular modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I, month-to-month variability./ Clim., PAGES 317,320 More than 40% of the marine heat flow data collected since the early experiments of Sir Edward Bullard in 1949 were obtained using shallow penetration probes less than 5 m long [Louden and Wright, 1989] .The common belief that these data are reliable enough to model deep-seated thermal processes is sup ported by a few experiments in which heat flow measurements made in the Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) and the Ocean Drilling Pro gram (ODP) were compared to nearby surface heat flow measurements [e.g.,Hyndman etal, 1984]. However, thermal measurements made with 18-m penetrations recently collected on the northern flank of the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) bring a new perspective to this belief. In the study area, measurements of heat flow taken at the surface (0-5 m) and mea surements taken at greater depths (3-18 m) did not always concur. Investigating this lack of agreement will help address difficult ques tions about the interpretation of shallow pene tration (< 5 m) marine heat flow measurements. The data were obtained during the MD120-ANTAUS expedition carried out by R/V Marion Dufresne that was conducted from October 12 to November 7,2000 from Fremantle, Australia, to La Reunion Island.The primary objective of this cruise was to study marine heat flow vari ations along a 14-Ma isochron that parallels the SouthEast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between the Saint-Paul/Amsterdam hot spot and the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD),an anomalously deep section of the Mid-Ocean Ridge that is often attributed to a mantle "cold spot." In the 1960s and 1970s, heat flow meas urements were obtained near the AAD as part of reconnaissance surveys [Von Herzen and Langseth, 1966; Langseth and Taylor, 1967; Anderson et al., 1977]. However, to interpret heat flow variations in this region of thin and patchy sediment cover, it is not only necessary to obtain more data, but to collect data that can be used to trace water circulation and dis criminate between the conductive and the convective components of the measured heat flow.To accomplish this, we collected long sediment cores, along with heat flow data to greater depths, to study the physical properties of the sediments and tentatively investigate the role of water circulation using helium isotopic ratios 3 He/ 4 He as tracers of hydrothermal activity. If water has circulated within the crust, then the 3 He/ 4 He isotopic signature is expected to be that of the crust and upper mantle; if water circulation has been confined to the sediment layer, it is expected to be that of the ocean and atmosphere. Despite rough weather and bad seas, a total of 25 thermal measurements was obtained using 9 autonomous digital temperature probes fitted on an 18-m-long, 13-cm-diameter gravity corer.Full penetration of 18 m was regularly achieved. Figure 2 shows examples of non-linear temperature gradients obtained at three differ ent sites. Each temperature measurement was systematically duplicated by two sensors that were spaced 64 mm apart. Hence, experimen tal effects cannot explain the observed non-linearity Tests performed onboard after recovery clearly preclude systematic errors due to prob lems with calibration or drift of a thermistor. The observed non-linearity, which is too important to be explained by variations in thermal conductivity, clearly results from the combination of two natural effects: vertical advection of water into the sediments and vari ations in bottom-water temperature. Advection of water affects the shape of the temperature versus depth curve: convex curvature indicates water flowing upward; concave curvature indi cates water flowing downward; a vertical gradi ent indicates the presence of an aquifer [e.g., Anderson et al., 1979]. Yearly variations in bot tom-water temperature affect the thermal gra dient in the first 3-4 m. Although further analysis is needed to determine the characteristics of the suspected bottom-water temperature changes, our results raise questions about the heat flow estimates that we would have obtained in this specific study area using shallow penetration probes of less than ~5 m. The above describes some advantages of combining coring and heat flow measurements within the sediments at great depths. R/V Marion Dufresne has the ability to take ultra-long cores of up to 60 m using a giant corer. Fig. 1. Temperature probes welded onto the gravity corer onboard R/V Marion Dufresne. Inset shows sketch of the autonomous temperature probe. R/V Marion Dufresne is a multipurpose , 130-m-long research and supply vessel that both provides logistics for the French austral islands and conducts oceanographic research. Specifically designed for very severe weather conditions, the ship allows full performance in rough seas. The vessel, which is equipped with the full suite of geophysical facilities, including a system for multi-beam bathymetry and imagery, can raise 60-m sediment cores. Facing an increasing scientific demand, the French government decided in 1999 to reduce the ship time devoted to logistical operations to 120 days per year and allow the French Polar Institute (IFRTP) to conduct research throughout the world for 245 days per year. This paves the road for new approaches and the development of integrated, multidisciplinary programs, as recently evidenced with the MD120-ANTAUS expedition.

AbstractThe distinction between the international refugee status and the national legal position as a refugee is important. The decision is based on different legal sources and taken by different competent bodies. Furthermore, different procedures should apply to the two different questions. In practice, however, the recognition procedure is often one and the same. The relation between the refugee and the country of asylum is the most important relation and this is where most problems come up. It is a serious problem, if states refuse to grant the international refugee status in order to regulate for instance the labour market. Furthermore, there is a legal dichotomy which may create difficulties in the fact that international law such as for instance the Refugee Convention of 1951 often regulates the international refugee status, as well as the legal position as a refugee in national law. In practice, the international rules apply only if a person has been recognized as belonging to the category of people defined as refugees. This is not logic, because the recognition as a refugee is declaratory not constructive. This is important, not just from a legal point of view, but also because of diplomatic and political considerations concerning the relationship between the country of asylum and the refugee's own country. The material question of defining who is a refugee is established in international treaties which also define the competence for recognizing refugee status. This competence lies with the potential country of Asylum. At the same time, however, the competence of recognizing a refugee under the statute of the UNHCR lies with the High Commissioner. This inconsistency, however, has not in practical terms led to too many unfortunate results. It is quite normal that it is left to the states to interprete international law embodied in the principle of autointerpretaion. Autointerpretation, however, does not include a right to autodecision. The interpretation which states attach to international law has to be acceptable for the international community and the spokesmen of the international community in this respect is Unied Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. While the material problems and the problems of competence are regulated in international treaties, these treaties are, however, silent about the procedure for recognition. Very few states have a formalized procedure for the recognition of refugee status. One argument, which has been put forward, is that national authorities are reluctant to recognize the international refugee status of a person, because this recognition will have effects in other countries particularly concerning entry and status in these other countries. The author suggests that even if it is desirable for the individual refugee that his status as a refugee is recognized once and for all by all contracting parties to the Refugee Convention, it appears obvious that the conventions leave it to each state to decide on the refugee status in relation to the individual refugee as well as in relation to other states. This legal situation has drawbacks, but it means on the other hand that states cannot deny refugee status with reference to the practice of other states. The author furthermore suggests that international harmonization of the recognition procedures is desirable probably only from a political point of view, namely that states in the same region solve the problems in common so that no single state escapes its international responsibility by a particularly restrictive practice. A harmonization does not appear to be necessary out of considerations for the individual refugee, and it would probably be impossible. Certain elements should, however, be included in every recognition procedure. As far as the evaluation of facts is concerned it is quite difficult to establish judicial or administrative bodies to deal effectively with this side of the problem. The author refers to the Danish solution according to which cases are referred to the Danish Refugee Council which is a private organization for the elucidation of facts involved in the case. The Council is in a position much more freely than the official administration to use its private international connection to receive information which is beyond the judicial official administrative system. As far as the legal aspects are concerned it is necessary that there is a close contact with the international community in order to make sure that the decision of the state is acceptable to the international community. The author points out that the decision of a person's international status as a refugee is a decision for life. It is therefore necessary that at least as many legal safeguards are included in this decision as in ordinary judical proceedings. Decisions should be made by legal authorities independent of the political structure. The legal guarantees should ensure that the decision is made by persons who are independent of the political power structure, that legal counsel is offered the applicant, that there is a possibility of appeal and that the decisions and proceedings to the widest possible extent are public. If there is not complete harmony between national and international law, it will be up to the national courts to point out that there is a breach of an international obligation. According to normal practice in the Nordic countries, the court will probably go far in constructing the national rules in conformity with the international obligations. Three points in conclusion and for debate: — A person's international refugee status is something that primarily comes out of international rules and the only purpose of the recognition procedure is to establish this in relation to the country of asylum. The decision is legal and should be taken in legal forms. A person's international refugee status and the legal position which a country normally gives refugees should not be confused.

La presente investigación interpreta las formas de representación de los latinoamericanos, que por motivos económicos inmigraron a España, en un corpus fílmico español producido entre 1996 y 2008. Con este objetivo, examinamos los sistemas discursivos de poder que reflejan esas imágenes, desde la perspectiva de la Historia socio-cultural del cine. Esta delimitación temporal se caracteriza por el importante incremento de esa población, que llegó a predominar sobre los demás flujos migratorios no procedentes de los países de la Unión Europea. Por medio de los presupuestos conceptuales y metodológicos del historiador Pierre Sorlin (1985), que traza un modelo cualitativo de análisis del producto fílmico, utilizamos películas de ficción como fuente histórica y como manifestación de las representaciones sociales y de las expresiones ideológicas, desde un enfoque interdisciplinar. La relación entre la Historia y el Cine hace viable revelar las imágenes que se formaron, circularon y se agregaron a las representaciones colectivas, así como reconstruir los procesos históricos contemporáneos y dar testimonio de las ideas, las creencias, las tradiciones, los principios, las impresiones, las aspiraciones, las inquietudes, y los prejuicios comunes a un conjunto de formaciones sociales. A partir de estos preceptos, analizamos minuciosamente la película Flores de otro mundo (Icíar Bollaín, 1999), una producción clave que aborda el tema de la inmigración latinoamericana, en España. De ahí pasamos a ampliar las hipótesis obtenidas a otras ocho obras fílmicas que también tuvieron un gran impacto comercial y/o social, como son los casos de En la puta calle (Enrique Gabriel, 1996), Cosas que dejé en la Habana (Manuel Gutiérrez, 1997), Sobreviviré (Alfonso Albacete y David Menkes, 1999), I love you baby (Alfonso Albacete y David Menkes, 2001), Princesas (Fernando León de Aranoa, 2005), Ander (Roberto Castón, 2009), Rabia (Sebastián Cordero, 2010) y Pagafantas (Borja Cobeaga, 2009). Por último, expandimos las indagaciones, las problemáticas y las reflexiones producidas a las expresiones intelectuales del período investigado, estableciendo un diálogo entre las representaciones sociales cinematográficas de ese grupo étnico minoritario, y las contribuciones de los campos de la Historia, de la Sociología, y de los estudios poscoloniales. En este proceso, percibimos una puesta en escena de las relaciones sociales que revelan fenómenos y características asociadas con la población inmigrante latinoamericana en el contexto socio-histórico español. Estas representaciones cinematográficas denuncian la vulnerabilidad de este colectivo, llamando la atención hacia situaciones de racismo, marginación, exclusión social, y falta de compromiso por parte de la sociedad de acogida con respecto a los derechos de ciudadanía de estas poblaciones, mientras que simultáneamente emiten secuelas discursivas del sistema de poder colonialista. De este modo, vemos que el cine propaga modelos estereotipados y no explora las diferencias de la "otredad" étnica, cultural e histórica latinoamericana, contribuyendo a la preservación de modelos fijos, distorsionados e inmutables de identidades culturales subalternas, y normalizando las relaciones hegemónicas entre España y América Latina. ; This research interprets the different ways in which Latin American's, who for economic reasons immigrated to Spain, are represented in a Spanish film corpus produced between 1996 and 2008. With this objective, we examine the discursive systems of power that reflect these images, from the perspective of the socio-cultural history of cinema. This temporary delimitation was characterised by a significant population increase in the national territory, which dominated over migratory flows from countries outside the European Union. In line with the conceptual and methodological assumptions of the historian Pierre Sorlin (1985), who draws a qualitative model of film product analysis, we use fiction films as historical sources and as manifestations of social representations and ideological expressions, from an interdisciplinary approach. The relationship between History and Cinema presents a potential to reveal the images that were formed, circulated and added to the collective representations, reconstructing contemporary historical processes, and which bear witness to the ideas, beliefs, traditions, principles, impressions, aspirations, concerns, and common prejudices of a set of social formations. From these precepts, we analyse in detail the film Flores de otro mundo (Icíar Bollaín, 1999), a key production that addresses the issue of Latin American immigration in Spain. Then, we extended the hypotheses to eight other film works that also had a great commercial and / or social impact, such as the cases of En la puta calle (Enrique Gabriel, 1996), Things I Left in Havana (Manuel Gutiérrez), I love you baby (Alfonso Albacete and David Menkes, 2001), Princesses (Fernando León de Aranoa, 2005), Ander (Roberto Castón, 2009), Rabia (Sebastián Cordero, 2010) and Pagafantas (Borja Cobeaga, 2009). Finally, we expand the research, problems and reflections produced by the intellectual expressions of the period investigated, establishing a dialogue between the cinematographic social representations of that minority ethnic group, and the contributions of the fields of History, Sociology, and of postcolonial studies. In this process, we perceive a staging of social relations, which can reveal phenomena and characteristics associated with the Latin American immigrant population, in the Spanish socio-historical context. These cinematographic representations denounce the vulnerability of this group, drawing attention to situations of racism, marginalisation, social exclusion, and a lack of compromise from the host society, in terms of the citizenship rights this population has. However, they also cast discursive repercussions of the colonialist power system. This raises the issue that cinema propagates stereotyped models and does not explore the differences of Latin American ethnic, cultural and historical "otherness", contributing to the preservation of fixed, distorted and immutable models of subordinate cultural identities, and normalising hegemonic relations between Spain and Latin America. ; Programa de Doctorado en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales (RD 99/2011) ; Giza eta Gizarte Zientzietako Doktoretza Programa (ED 99/2011)

Europe is usually named as "The Old Continent", and looking at the demographics, the nickname is starting to become a reality. The population in Europe is getting older. In 1950, only 12% of the population was over 65 years old. Nowadays, the proportion has doubled, and projections show that in 2050 more than 36% of Europe´s population will be over 65 years old. In the next ten years around 30% of the population in Germany will be over 65 years old, and eight percent will even be over 80. In Spain the same trend will follow, the population over 65 years old, which is currently the 19,2% of the total population, will reach 25,2% of the total population by 2033. It is therefore predictable that the number of people in need of care will increase rapidly. Today, what still seems like dreams of the future and provokes fierce ethical debates will probably become an integral part of our social reality: the use of robots in health care. One circumstance that makes this development even more probable and which is hardly mentioned in the current debate is that the health care industry is particularly affected by the consequences of demographic change in two ways. While the number of people in need of long-term care is rising, fewer people are choosing to enter the nursing profession; at the same time, older nursing professionals are leaving hospitals and nursing homes early due to the high physical and psychological strain. Healthcare robots are intended to support and relieve the workload of nursing staff. They bring medicine, food and beverages to the sick and elderly patients, help them to lie down and stand up or alert the emergency services. Although health care robots are currently in most cases prototypes, they are an important issue in politics, society and science. The development of health care robotics benefits significantly from the knowledge and experience of industrial robotics, in particular, human-robot collaboration (HRC) systems can be transferred. Industrial robots have been used in production worldwide for four decades. Their significance for our current production systems is immense and the industrial sector would not exist as it is without them. However, the general idea of these systems is characterized by powerful mechanical constructions that perform tasks with high speed, enormous power and special accuracy that a human worker either do not want to perform for ergonomic reasons or simply cannot perform with such precision. Such systems, which usually do their work behind fences and without any human intervention, are not suitable for healthcare applications. A new category of robots, the so-called cobots (short for collaboration robots), has been developed recently. Cobots are designed to work together with humans. Of course, such an HRC only works if cobots may act in a common working environment instead of being locked up behind fences. Complex tasks that can neither be economically nor technologically fully automated could be broken down into subtasks that are partly 2 performed by humans and partly by robots. For example, a cobot in an industrial application can hand a component to the worker for assembly, or the cobot can powerfully and precisely insert a component selected and tested by the worker to be assembled. Since these systems are designed for safe cooperation with people, they are also conceivable for applications in the health care sector. This master thesis aims to show that it´s possible to take advantage of all the advances, and development of HRC in the health care sector. Although most of this advances and development have taken place in the industry sector the aim is to show that there is a way and many reasons to use them also in the health sector. It´s about finding out why the HRC hasn´t been implanted yet in the health sector, which are the problems that arise, whether they are technical, security or ethical issues. The characteristics of cobots will be described, a review will be done about different issues considered of interest for the present paper such as human factors, situation awareness, safety and robot acceptance. Then, HRC will be looked at from the perspective of the healthcare sector. First there will be a review of the state of the art of robots in this sector, the term "Healthcare 4.0" will be introduced establishing a connection with "Industry 4.0". The following is a brief description of the current situation of the health system due to the coronavirus crisis and focuses on this crisis as an opportunity to introduce the HRC in the health sector showing that it could be of great help. Two possible applications of HRC will be described to illustrate this. Finally, attention will be paid to the restrictions that arise when it comes to implanting robots in the health sector, because, if they could be so helpful, why are they not yet implanted? Security reasons will be mentioned, but particular attention will be paid to the ethical dilemmas that arise when introducing robots in the health sector. A webbased survey will try to clarify this kind of ethical dilemmas. The survey consists of questions on many of the topics discussed throughout this work. And by analysing the answers, conclusions will be drawn to help in dealing with the ethical dilemmas that arise when introducing collaborative robots into the health sector. Altogether, this Master Thesis explored the Human Robot Collaboration in the healthcare sector, its restrictions, its opportunities in different applications and its acceptance by society. ; Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Industrial por la Universidad Pública de Navarra ; Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoko Unibertsitate Masterra Industria Ingeniaritzan

"Problem: As of December 31, 2008, an estimated 663,084 persons were living with a diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the 40 U.S. states that have had confidential name-based HIV infection reporting since at least January 2006. Although HIV surveillance programs in the United States collect information about persons who have received a diagnosis of HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), supplemental surveillance projects are needed to collect information about care-seeking behaviors, health-care use, and other behaviors among persons living with HIV. Data on the clinical and behavioral characteristics of persons receiving medical care for HIV infection are critical to reduce HIV-related morbidity and mortality and for program planning to allocate services and resources, guide prevention planning, assess unmet medical and ancillary service needs, and help develop intervention programs and health policies at the local, state, and national levels. Reporting Period Covered: Data were collected during June 2007-September 2008 for patients who received medical care in 2007 (sampled from January 1-April 30). Description of the System: The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is an ongoing, multisite supplemental surveillance project that assesses behaviors, clinical characteristics, and quality of care of HIV-infected persons who are receiving medical care. Participants must be aged >18 years and have received medical care at sampled facilities that provide HIV medical care within participating MMP project areas. Self-reported behavioral and selected clinical data are collected using an in-person interview. A total of 26 project areas in 19 states and Puerto Rico were funded to collect data during the 2007 MMP data collection cycle. Results: The results from the 2007 MMP cycle indicated that among 3,643 participants, a total of 3,040 (84%) had some form of health insurance or coverage during the 12 months before the interview; of these, 45% reported having Medicaid, 37% reported having private health insurance or coverage through a health maintenance organization, and 30% reported having Medicare. A total of 3,091 (85%) of the participants were currently taking antiretroviral medications. Among 3,609 participants who reported ever having a CD4 T-lymphocyte test, 2,996 (83%) reported having three or more CD4 T-lymphocyte tests in the 12 months before the interview. Among 3,567 participants who reported ever having an HIV viral load test, 2,946 (83%) reported having three or more HIV viral load tests in the 12 months before the interview. Among 3,643 participants, 45% needed HIV case management, 33% needed mental health counseling, and 32% needed assistance finding dental services during the 12 months before the interview; 8%, 13%, and 25% of these participants who needed the services, respectively, had not received these services by the time of the interview. Noninjection drugs were used for nonmedical purposes by 1,117 (31%) participants during the 12 months before the interview, and 122 (3%) participants had used injection drugs for nonmedical purposes. Unprotected anal intercourse was reported by 527 (54%) of 970 men who reported having anal sex with a man during the 12 months before the interview. Unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse was reported by 176 (32%) of the 553 men who reported having anal or vaginal intercourse with a woman during the 12 months before the interview. Unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse was reported by 216 (42%) of the 516 women who reported having anal or vaginal intercourse with a man during the 12 months before the interview. Interpretation: The findings in this report indicate that in 2007, most persons with HIV infection who were receiving medical care were taking antiretroviral therapy and had some form of health insurance or coverage; however, some persons were not receiving needed critical ancillary services, such as HIV case management or help finding dental services. In addition, some persons living with HIV infection engaged in behaviors, such as unprotected sex, that increase the risk for transmitting HIV to sexual partners, and some used noninjection or injection drugs for nonmedical purposes, which might decrease adherence to antiretroviral therapy and increase health-risk behaviors. Public Health Actions: MMP data can be used to monitor the national HIV/AIDS strategy goal of increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes among persons living with HIV. Persons infected with HIV who are not receiving needed ancillary services highlight missed opportunities for access to care and other supportive services, information that can be used to advocate for additional resources. Drug use among persons with HIV infection underscores the continued need for substance abuse treatment services for this population. In addition, prevention services and programs are needed to decrease the number of HIV-infected persons engaging in unprotected sex. The data in this report can be included in local, state, and national HIV/AIDS epidemiologic profiles and shared with community stakeholders. Although data from the 2007 MMP cycle might not be representative of all persons receiving medical care for HIV infection in the United States or in the individual project areas, future MMP cycles are expected to yield weighted national estimates representing all HIV-infected persons receiving medical care in the United States." - p. 1 ; [Janet M. Blair, A .D. McNaghten, Emma L. Frazier, Jacek Skarbinski, Ping Huang, James D. Heffelfinger ; Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, CDC ; Northrop Grumman, Atlanta, Georgia]. ; Cover title. ; "September 2, 2011." ; "U.S. Government Printing Office: 2011-723-011/21066, Region IV"--P. [4] of cover. ; Also available via the World Wide Web as an HTML file or as an Acrobat .pdf file (428.41 KB, 20 p.). ; Includes bibliographical references (p. 11-12).

Käesoleva magistritöö eesmärgiks oli analüüsida kõnealuse ettevõtte tootmise vastavusse viimist tööstusheite direktiivi 2010/75/EU ja parima võimaliku tehnika nõuetega. Tööstusheite direktiiv 2010/75/EU (THD) võeti vastu 2010. aastal ning jõustus aastal 2011. Nimetatud dokument kehtestab PVT rakendamise kohustuse. Tööstusheite seadusega kehtestatakse heidete piirväärtused, mis on tolmu, NOx, SOx ja lenduvate orgaaniliste ühendite osas varasemast rangemad. Kunda Nordic Tsement on Kunda suurim tööstusettevõte, mille tootmistegevus põhjustab piirkonnas välisõhu saastatust, seda eelkõige peentolmu (ületamine CO väljalöökide tõttu), vääveldioksiidi (ületamine ca 180 mg/Nm3 võrra) ja lämmastikdioksiidi (ületamine ca 100 mg/Nm3 võrra) osas, pikemas perspektiivis osutuvad probleemideks ka vesinikkloriidi (HCl) ja lenduvate orgaaniliste ühendite heitkogused. Energiakulust tulenevalt on parimaks lahenduseks minna märgmenetluselt üle kuivmenetlusel töötavale tehasele, mille energiakulu on kaks korda madalam. Ettevõtte edasise töö jätkamiseks on vaja koostada ka lähteolukorra aruanne, kompleksloa taotlus kuivale ahjuliinile, saasteainete heitkoguste vähendamise tegevuskava ning taotleda ehitusluba. Majanduslikust aspektist tuleb hinnata investeeringuid heitepüüdeseadmetele. Tolmuheite vähendamise lahendusena tuleb rekonstrueerida elektrostaatiline sadestaja (ESP). NOx heite püüdmiseks sobib märja menetluse puhul selektiivne katalüütiline taandamine (SCR) ning kuiva menetlusega ahju puhul selektiivne mittekatalüütiline taandamine (SNCR). SOx heite vähendamise sobivaimaks variandiks on absorbendi lisamise meetod. Kui tehas jätkab tegevust märgmenetlusmeetodil, oleks heitepüüdeseadmetesse investeerimise vajadus hinnanguliselt 16 miljonit eurot, kuid energiakulu liiga suure hulga tõttu kompleksluba taotleda ei õnnestuks. Kuivmenetlusele üle minnes langeksid investeeringud heitepüüdeseadmetele 11 miljoni euroni kuid lisandub investeerimisvajadus uude tehnoloogiasse, kogumaksumusega hinnanguliselt 57 miljonit eurot. ; This master thesis in "Implementation of Industrial Emission Act in Kunda Nordic Tsement AS" is intended to analyze company's manufacture adjustment with industrial emissions directive 2010/75/EU and best available technique (BAT) requirements. 24. April 2013, the Estonian parliament adopted Industrial Emissions Act, which came into force the same year, 1st of June. The Act regulates activities about certain industrial sectors and replaced the earlier Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Act (IPPC). Subject is important due to the requirements of Directive 2010/75/EU on Industrial Emissions in line with the deadlines. Companies, that already have the commitment for the integrated environmental permit, have the transitional period for four years to apply BAT, but not later than 09. April 2017. Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (IED) was adopted in 2010, and entered into force in 2011. Directive also imposes an obligation to implement BAT, which enforcement is based on Best Available Technique Reference Document (BREF) for cement, lime and magnesium oxide production (EC, 2013). Industrial emissions law also establishes emission limits for dust, NOx, SOx and volatile organic compunds, that are more stringent, than in the past. SOx emission limit was 1500 mg/Nm3 but new law established limit for 50 mg/Nm3 . Before IED adopted, NOx emission limit was 800 mg/Nm3 , since year 2014, it's 500mg/Nm3 . Limit for volatile organic compounds was 50 mg/Nm3 , IED established limit for 10 mg/Nm3 . For dust, the limit used to be 50 mg/Nm3 , after year 2014, it is 30 mg/Nm3 . In collaboration with Kunda Nordic Tsement AS, dust studies have been carried out since 1994. In addition NO, NO2, NOx, and SO2 measurements were added. The studies are carried out by Estonian Environmental Research Centre. Kunda Nordic ! #< Tsement is Kunda's largest industrial company, which manufacturing activity causes air pollution in the area, especially fine dust (because of CO trips), sulfur dioxide (excess is about 180mg/Nm3 ) and nitrogen dioxide (excess is about 100mg/Nm3 ), in the long run, problems turn out to be hydrogen chloride (HCl) and volatile organic compounds emissions. The largest quantities of dust emerge from rotary kilns, but these problems do not occur in annual measurements averages. Based on the number of CO trips recorded and analyzing pollutant monitoring system, current abatement equipment do not satisfy standards, allowed by IED. Not to mention values that will be inure in 2020. The BREF and Industrial Emissions Act set out different ways to lead company's operations amounts of pollutants into compliance, for example, if the raw material or fuel contains large amounts of sulfur or nitrogenous compounds. One important aspect is the amount of heat energy used per tone of produced clinker. Wet process uses twice as much energy as allowed in BAT. The best solution due to the energy consumption is to switch processes from wet kiln to dry kiln. Integrated environmental permit can't be applied if production don't meet environmental requirements. For the further work, it's necessary to establish a baseline report, integrated environmental permit for the dry kiln, pollutant emission reduction action plan and apply for a building permit. From an economic point of view, it's important to pay attention to abatement equipment. Solution for the dust emission is electrostatic precipitator (ESP) reconstruction. Textile- and hybrid filters were excluded, because textiles can't stand high temperatures. For the wet process NOx emissions catching is suitable selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and for the dry process kiln selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR). Due to different temperatures and optimum operation mode, different methods are needed. The most suitable option for SOx reduction is absorbent addition. BREF recommended also wet scrubbing method, with a consequent need for a wastewater treatment, due to which the device is not suitable. If the plant continues to operate with wet process, estimated needed investment would be 16 million Euros, but due to too high-energy consumption, integrated environmental permit can't be applied if production don't meet environmental ! #; requirements. If the plant goes over to dry process kiln, estimated costs will be 57 million Euros, which includes investment in new technology and reconstruction of abatement equipment. It will be necessary to build tumble dryer, raw material silo, replace wet kiln to dry kiln with preheater and pre-calciner, also energy management and process control.

En los regímenes presidenciales de América Latina la vicepresidencia ha sido poco estudiada, a diferencia de los Estados Unidos. Apenas recibió algunos comentarios de autores, como Juan Linz, dudando de su eficacia y señalando algunos de los problemas que rodean su figura, como los criterios de nominación de los candidatos y los conflictos con los presidentes. Pero, prácticamente, la vicepresidencia no se tuvo en cuenta en el debate crítico en relación con el presidencialismo y el parlamentarismo, a pesar de ser el segundo puesto en importancia en el régimen presidencial. Vuelta la democracia en la región, la vicepresidencia ha generado numerosos problemas políticos, sin embargo no existe prácticamente un debate académico sobre ella. Tensiones y graves conflictos entre el presidente y el vicepresidente, hasta vicepresidentes convertidos en opositores son algunos de los problemas observados. Por otra parte, algunos vicepresidentes han ocupado, con distinta suerte, el lugar del presidente ya sea tanto por su fallecimiento como por crisis políticas que culminaron con la salida del mandatario. En los Estados Unidos, históricamente, existía la imagen devaluada de la vicepresidencia y problemas similares a los observados en América Latina. Pero en el país del norte la vicepresidencia ha sido estudiada desde hace tiempo y la institución ha evolucionado a través de prácticas paraconstitucionales. Ahora la vicepresidencia es una pieza importante del sistema institucional y se encuentra ubicada en la órbita del Ejecutivo. Ha ganado tareas, nuevas funciones e influencia, más allá de la persistencia de las imágenes que poco la favorecen. Debido a esta evolución paraconstitucional cabe esperar de un vicepresidente su participación en el gabinete, su «lobbying» en el Senado, la representación del presidente en el exterior, el papel de consejero presidencial y el desarrollo de tareas importantes que pueda encomendarle el presidente. Y el vicepresidente puede esperar, a su vez, proyección hacia el futuro, incluso la sucesión presidencial. Así se ha señalado que constituye un campo de experiencia y preparación para el cargo máximo: hacia finales del siglo XX trece de los cuarenta presidentes norteamericanos sirvieron en la vicepresidencia. En síntesis, en este estudio se brinda un enfoque de análisis de la vicepresidencia y se tratan algunos de los problemas que ha presentado en los países de America Latina. Luego se realiza un análisis de la experiencia norteamericana y de la evolución de la institución en ese país. El análisis del caso norteamericano resulta útil para iniciar un debate sobre la vicepresidencia en la región, para explorar una necesaria agenda de investigación y como una de las alternativas posibles a la hora de su reforma. ; In the Presidential Regimes of Latin America, the institution of the Vice Presidency has been barely studied, unlike that of the United States. It only received some comments from authors such as Juan Linz, doubting its effectiveness and pointing out some of the issues surrounding its figure, like the criteria for nomination of candidates and conflicts with the Presidents. But Vice Presidency was practically not taken into account in the debate on presidencialism and parlamentarism, despite being the second place of importance in a presidential regime. With democracy back in the region, Vice Presidency has generated numerous political problems, but there virtually isn't any academic debate on this. Severe tensions and conflicts between the President and Vice President, even Vice Presidents turned into opponent, are some of the problems observed. On the other hand, some Vice Presidents have taken, with varying success, the role of President be it because of the former's death or because of political crisis that culminated with the resignation of the President. In the United States, historically, there has been a devalued image of Vice Presidency and similar problems observed in Latin America. But in the United States, Vice Presidency has been studied for some time and the institution has evolved through para-constitutional practices. Now, Vice Presidency is an important part of the institutional system and it is located in the orbit of the Executive Branch. It has earned tasks, new roles and influence, beyond the persistence of the images that do little in its favor. Due to this para-constitutional evolution, it is to be expected, from a Vice President, his participation in the Presidential Cabinet, his «lobbying» in the Senate, the representation of the President in foreign countries, the role of presidential adviser and the development of important tasks that the president might command to him. And the Vice President can expect, as well, a good position in the future, even presidential succession. This is how it has been pointed out that it constitutes a field of experience and preparation for the maximum institutional position: towards the last of the 20th Century, thirteen out of the forty North American Presidents served in Vice Presidency. To summarize, this study provides a focused analysis on Vice Presidency, and deals with some of the problems that it has brought upon Latin American countries. Then, an analysis of the North American experience and the evolution of the institution in this country, is formulated. The analysis of the North American case results useful to initiate a debate on Vice Presidency in the region, to explore a necessary research agenda and as one of the possible alternatives at the time of its reform. ; Fil: Serrafero, Mario Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina