Water has cultural and spiritual values to indigenous people. These beliefs expose them to unsafe water sources and make them vulnerable to waterborne diseases. This background is not taken into account when countries write their water legislations, therefor imposing a management of water not readily accepted by them. The Embera group is one of the indigenous groups from the Republic of Panama, who have strong water beliefs. They live along the shore of rivers in houses built on high stilts away from urban areas. The purpose of this cross-sectional community based study is to describe through a survey the relation between the water beliefs of Embera communities living inside the Chagres National Park and the health of women and children. A house to house visit was performed in two of the five Embera communities that reside inside the Chagres National Park to enroll them and complete the survey. Sixteen Embera households with 71 family members agreed to participate. Results showed that 18.5% were children under 5 years of age and 14.1% their corresponding mothers. One hundred percent of the households rely on rural aqueduct as their source of water, with no treatment performed to this water. Women that completed elementary school or had higher education level accounted for 53.4%. Analysis of frequency of more than three diarrheal episodes in children under 5 years of age with mother's education level and months of breastfeeding had no statistical significance (X2 of 1.935, p-value of >0.05; X2 of 0.258, p-value of >0.05). When the frequency of diarrheal episodes in women and their education level was analyzed a statistically significant association was found (X2 of 6.429, p-value of 0.011). Five (38.5%) out of 13 children under 5 years of age in these communities had complete immunization calendar for their ages, but 10 (76.9%) have completed immunization for Rotavirus. No deaths due to diarrhea were reported in any member of the household. Marginalization in this type of communities is frequent since they settle in vast areas far from access to safe roads, safe water, basic sanitation and health services. A similar study can be applied to the 5 communities living in the area to have a clear view of their water beliefs, diseases and needs in order to concentrate efforts to close any gaps.

Background: In 2007, approximately 66.2% of the population of the Comarcas (indigenous reservations) in Panama had access to potable water. However, over 50% of this population lacked access to sanitation. As a result, the leading causes of death in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé are due to severe diarrhea and gastroenteritis of infectious origin. The present project assessed the need for an in-depth understanding of the Ngäbe-Buglé women and their communities regarding their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors about water and sanitation. Methodology: In this cross-sectional exploratory study, a convenience sample of 52 women were interviewed, utilizing a questionnaire guided by the Health Belief Model. Quantitative analysis was useful in identifying to generate descriptive statistics for the quantitative data, and qualitative methods were used to identify a priori and emergent codes in open-ended responses. Results: The Health Belief Model was useful to identify different factors that may prevent the adoption of safe behaviors, while the children play a key role in adopting those behaviors. Data showed that the women had some knowledge about safe water consumption, but that does not necessarily determine if they will consume safe water or not, although it seems that chlorination is more likely to be adopted than boiling water. There is a need for tailored educational programs for this population, especially topics related to sanitation, garbage disposal and hygiene practices

Despite the association of the first pottery with food production and sedentism, case studies show hunter gatherers with different degrees of sedentism commonly adopted ceramics. Monagrillo ware (∼ 4500-3200 BP), central Panama, early in Central America, was made by egalitarian slash and burn farmers, cultivating domesticated seed and root crops. People occupied inland rockshelters and coastal shell middens. Their degree of sedentism is debated. It is unclear whether they were sedentary both in the inland and the coast exchanging resources or whether inland people visited the coast during dry periods. Their pottery functions are not well understood. I provenanced and studied production processes and diagenesis of Monagrillo pottery combining life history approach and archaeometric methods. I assessed the degree of sedentism of people and inferred vessel functions producers expected. I studied diagenesis because it probably affects analytical results. My study showed that pottery was produced and used in the foothills and on the coast, possibly, in the plains, of the seasonally dry Pacific side of Panama. This suggested that people were sedentary in areas surrounding Parita Bay. Vessels from the Pacific foothills were transported to perennially wet Caribbean slopes; where production was difficult due to precipitation. According to technical choices made, I infer that potters in the Pacific foothills opted for useful and dependable designs, for cooking. Transportability and resistance to weathering were also important. Pacific coastal producers may have chosen designs for cooking-related attributes, but not transportation. Finally, a Pacific plains intermediate site had a high proportion of vessels from both the Pacific foothills and the coast and had a high proportion of decorated sherds. This site may have had special functions such as for meeting, feasting, and exchange. All producers shared manufacturing techniques indicating relatedness. Sherds excavated from the Caribbean zone and the Pacific coast had different diagenetic patterns suggesting climatic differences; this identification helped source pottery. My work contributes to knowledge about pottery origins and degrees of sedentism, technical choices made to reach functional needs, and climatic impact on production and post-depositional changes.

Univ., Diss.--Kiel, 2007.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, August, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

The banana tree (Musa spp.), is a plant explored in the majority of the tropical countries. Its fruit is consumed in practically all the countries of the world "in nature" or in form of candies, compotes, tinned, flakes, etc., which had to its energy value, caloric and wealth in vitamins and leaves minerals. The banana tree can be attacked by some pathogen, being distinguished fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) that cause Panama disease, one of the main diseases of the culture. The search for alternative methods of control has been searched and in special the use of essential oils and vegetables extracts. This work was developed in laboratory conditions and greenhouse of the CECA/UFAL, with objectives to evaluate the fungitoxici effect "in vitro", "in vivo" and as inductive resistance of essential oils of Eucalyptus spp. (eucalypt citriodora variety), Cymbopogon winteranus (citronella), Caryophyllus aromaticus L. (india crave) and Piper aduncum L. (pepper-of-monkey) and of watery vegetables extracts of Caryophyllus aromaticus L. (india crave), Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon), Allium sativum L. (garlic), Ocimum basilicum (basil), Zingiber officinale Rosc. (ginger) and Ruta graveolens (arruda) and of the commercial products the ASM and Ecolife®. The oils had been added to the way of BDA in the 1,25 concentrations; 2,5; 3,75 and 5% and the watery vegetables extracts had been added to the way of BDA, in the concentrations of 5; 10; 15 and 20 % for watery vegetables extracts and 0,25; 0,5; 0,75 and 1 % for Ecolife®. For evaluation the index of intensity of the disease (ID), spread plants of banana tree of the variety apple had been sprayed with essential oils (1,25%) and with extracts of garlic and cinnamon (20%), extract of crave (15%) and Ecolife® (0,75%).After, the plants had been eight days inoculated with the suspension of Foc (104 con.mL-1), for the method of immersion of roots, for one hour. The oil of citronella, eucalypt, in all the tested concentrations, and the extracts of crave (15 and 20%) and Ecolife® (0,75 and 1%) had inhibited in 100% the mycelial growth of fungus, thus constituting the best treatments. While that, the oils of crave and pepper-of-monkey and the extracts of garlic and cinnamon had inhibited the mycelial growth partially, in all the tested concentrations, being that the extract of garlic to the measure that increased the concentration showed an increment in the PIC of fungus. In the in vivo evaluation, the oil of citronella presented the best one resulted (ID=25%), differing from the witness, the oils of crave and of eucalypt ID had presented = 95 and 75%, respectively. The extracts of crave and garlic, and Ecolife® ID had presented = 29, 25 and 8,33%. The total or partial inhibition of the mycelial growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense, evaluated "in vivo", for essential oils and watery vegetables extracts, in the sample composites of antifúngica action. The activities of the phenylalanine enzyme ammonia lyase (PAL) were determined in plants submitted to the treatments, collected to the 24, 48, 72, 144 and 288 hours after the inoculation. Significant difference between the inductors and the witness, being distinguished Ecolife®, extract of basil was observed, oil of citronella, oil and extract of crave, and extract of arruda that had provided to the lesser indices of disease in the apple banana changes, respectively with 8,33; 12,5; 25,0; 29,17; 25,0; e 41,67 %.The Ecolife® inductor presented the best performance in relation to the other tested inductors and the witness, providing a control of 83,7% of the disease. All the analyzed treatments had presented the presence of the enzyme in accordance with, varying the level the date of extraction and the extract or used oil as inductive of resistance. The extract of crave presented one high enzymatic activity in extraction 24 and 48 hours after the inoculation of inoculate it. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / A bananeira (Musa spp.), é uma planta explorada na maioria dos países tropicais. Seu fruto é consumido em praticamente todos os países do mundo in natura ou em forma de doces, compotas, enlatados, flocos, etc., devido ao seu valor energético, calórico e riqueza em vitaminas e sais minerais. A bananeira pode ser atacada por vários patógenos, destacando-se o fungo Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) que causa o mal-do-Panamá, uma das principais doenças da cultura. A busca por métodos alternativos de controle tem sido pesquisada e em especial o uso de óleos essenciais e extratos vegetais. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido em condições de laboratório e casa-de-vegetação do CECA/UFAL, com os objetivos de avaliar o efeito fungitóxico in vitro , in vivo e como indutores de resistência de óleos essenciais de Eucalyptus spp. (eucalipto variedade citriodora), Cymbopogon winteranus (citronela), Caryophyllus aromaticus L. (cravo-da-índia) e Piper aduncum L. (pimenta-de-macaco) e dos extratos vegetais aquosos de Caryophyllus aromaticus L. cravo-da-índia, Cinnamomum zeylanicum (canela), Allium sativum L. (alho), Ocimum basilicum (manjericão), Zingiber officinale Rosc. (gengibre) e Ruta graveolens (arruda) e dos produtos comerciais o ASM e Ecolife®. Os óleos foram adicionados ao meio de BDA nas concentrações de 1,25; 2,5; 3,75 e 5% e os extratos vegetais aquosos foram adicionados ao meio de BDA, nas concentrações de 5; 10; 15 e 20 % para os extratos vegetais aquosos e 0,25; 0,5; 0,75 e 1 % para Ecolife®. Para avaliação o índice de intensidade da doença (ID), plantas micropropagadas de bananeira da variedade maçã foram pulverizadas com os óleos essenciais (1,25%) e com os extratos de alho e canela (20%), extrato de cravo (15%) e Ecolife® (0,75%). Após oito dias, as plantas foram inoculadas com a suspensão de Foc (104 con.mL-1), pelo método de imersão de raízes, por uma hora. O óleo de citronela, eucalipto, em todas as concentrações testadas, e os extratos de cravo (15 e 20%) e Ecolife® (0,75 e 1%) inibiram em 100% o crescimento micelial do fungo, constituindo assim os melhores tratamentos. Enquanto que, os óleos de cravo e pimenta-de-macaco e os extratos de alho e de canela inibiram parcialmente o crescimento micelial, em todas as concentrações testadas, sendo que o extrato de alho à medida que aumentava a concentração mostrava um incremento na PIC do fungo. Na avaliação in vivo , o óleo de citronela apresentou o melhor resultado (ID=25%), diferindo da testemunha, os óleos de cravo e de eucalipto apresentaram um ID= 95 e 75% , respectivamente. Os extratos de cravo e alho, e Ecolife® apresentaram um ID= 29, 25 e 8,33%. A inibição total ou parcial do crescimento micelial de F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense, avaliado in vivo , pelos óleos essenciais e extratos vegetais aquosos, nos mostra compostos de ação antifúngica. As atividades da enzima fenilalanina amônia liase (FAL) foi determinado em plantas submetidas aos tratamentos, coletadas às 24, 48, 72, 144 e 288 horas após a inoculação. Foi observada diferença significativa entre os indutores e a testemunha, destacando-se Ecolife®, extrato de manjericão, óleo de citronela, óleo e extrato de cravo, e extrato de arruda que proporcionaram os menores índices de doença nas mudas de banana maça, respectivamente com 8,33; 12,5; 25,0; 29,17; 25,0; e 41,67 %. O indutor Ecolife® apresentou o melhor desempenho em relação aos outros indutores testados e a testemunha, proporcionando um controle de 83,7% da doença. Todos os tratamentos analisados apresentaram a presença da enzima, variando o nível de acordo com a data de extração e o extrato ou óleo utilizado como indutor de resistência. O extrato de cravo apresentou uma alta atividade enzimática na extração 24 e 48 horas após a inoculação do inoculo.

TESIS PARA OPTAR AL GRADO DE MAGÍSTER EN MARKETING / Este Plan de Marketing trata sobre la comercialización a través de arrendamientos y ventas de las oficinas en la Torre de Oficinas del World Trade Center Panamá, un centro empresarial internacional de uso múltiple, afiliado a la red de 324 WTC’s en 89 países del mundo. El WTC Panamá cuenta con una gama completa de servicios y amenidades bajo un solo techo, así como una excelente ubicación y fácil acceso vía terrestre y con la posibilidad de acceso aéreo en algún futuro, aprovechando de su helipuerto en el techo de la torre. La marca WTC es reconocida a nivel mundial por las torres gemelas en la ciudad de Nueva York que sufrieron la tragedia del 9/11. Ahora, el imponente “Freedom Tower”, conocido también como “One World Trade”, fue construido a solo algunos pasos del sitio original. En muchas ciudades del mundo, incluyendo a Santiago de Chile, hay un World Trade Center. El WTC Panamá fue inaugurado hace 20 años. Su oferta inmobiliaria no es nueva y compite en el mercado de espacio B. La construcción de nuevas torres, clasificadas con espacio A+ y A, combinada con el inventario actual de oficinas de torres existentes de Clase B, A y A+, crea un desafío competitivo, así como un reto para la industria para absorber las nuevas ofertas de oficinas para mantener tasas de desocupación razonables en la industria. En este Plan de Marketing para la torre de Oficinas del World Trade Center Panamá, se toma en cuenta estas variables y otras más, incluyendo los resultados de nuestros estudios de mercadeo, para crear una propuesta contundente de valor, respaldado por un Plan integral de Marketing para el año 2017, que incluye KPI’s, Carta Gantt y Presupuesto, entre otros detalles requeridos. Este Plan de Marketing bajará la tasa de desocupación de la torre de oficinas del WTC Panamá en el año 2017 a 0%, mientras que subirá sus arrendamientos promedios por aproximadamente 30%, para concordar con estudios internacionales que muestran que los espacios de oficinas de los WTC’s en otras latitudes, logran arrendamientos más altos de oficinas sin la marca.

TESIS PARA OPTAR AL GRADO DE MAGÍSTER EN ADMINISTRACIÓN / Finanzasparatodo surge de la búsqueda de generar valor en los procesos operativos y de ventas del sector bancario en Panamá. Se realizó una investigación que comprendía entrevistas con usuarios clientes de bancos, realizando preguntas que buscaban comprender el cómo, cuándo y para qué usaban estas personas los bancos, cuáles eran sus preferencias, qué parte les parecían que funcionaban bien y qué parte les generaban algún tipo de "dolor". Las entrevistas se realizaron también con personas involucradas en el sistema bancario nacional. Se determinó que el mayor "dolor", tanto para los usuarios como para los bancos, se encontraba en el producto Préstamo Hipotecario y, se empezó a identificar quienes eran todos los "stakeholders" dentro del proceso de búsqueda, solicitud, aplicación, aprobación y desembolso de dicho producto. Una vez identificado como funcionaba el proceso interno (dentro del banco) y externo (usuarios solicitantes, agentes inmobiliarios y constructores) se buscó generar ideas para mejorar este proceso. En países como Alemania, Estados Unidos y en algunos países asiáticos, existen experiencias en donde por medio de una plataforma digital o software, se ingresan los datos del solicitante de un crédito, y cotejándose contra una base de datos preexistente, se devuelve la mejor respuesta posible a la solicitud. A primera vista parece una solución complicada, pero realmente es bastante sencilla y utilizada en un sin número de negocios siempre en la búsqueda de eficiencia. Nuestro posterior trabajo consistió en generar no sólo un modelo de negocio, sino también una base de datos detallada que nos permitiera crear un Producto Mínimo Viable con el cual pudimos demostrar que la herramienta no sólo era capaz de realizar la mejor respuesta posible dados los datos y la base de datos preexistente, sino que esa respuesta aportaba valor tanto a los usuarios, los agentes inmobiliarios, los constructores y, lo más importante para nosotros, (ya que según el modelo de negocios propuesto, estos últimos son los que pagarán por el servicio), los bancos. Ya que cualquier Startup desea, y debe, generar ingresos lo antes posible luego de su inicio, Finanzasparatodo se propone buscar un sponsor / accionista que posea buena reputación y experiencia dentro del sector financiero en Panamá, buscando generar confianza en las personas claves dentro de las instituciones bancarias para acortar el tiempo de aceptación de la plataforma. A este, se le pretende retribuir con un porcentaje de retorno de su inversión y adicionalmente se le otorgará un número específico de acciones de la empresa. Con la inversión del sponsor, se busca realizar el arranque inicial que consta de: creación de la plataforma digital, capital de trabajo mínimo necesario para operar hasta que la empresa genere los ingresos para ser auto sostenible y equipamiento mínimo de arrancada. El sector bancario en Panamá cuenta con 37 bancos con licencias capaces de otorgar préstamos hipotecarios, los cuales otorgan 7,284 préstamos al año (Este número solo contempla prestamos no preferenciales, superiores a 150 mil dólares) por un monto total de 1,515.09 millones de dólares

The study deals with taxonomy of Cassidinae of Panama and is based on extensive new material compared with the type specimens in various museums. Totally is listed 178 species of which 33 and two genera are described as new to science.

Este trabalho constitui uma análise focada nas ações do Estado frente aos povos originários/camponeses e à sociedade mexicana como um todo, devido à redefinição do processo de colonização no sul-sudeste do México, região com maior concentração dos povos originários/camponeses. O ano de 2014 foi, para os mexicanos, de grandes mudanças, pelo advento das reformas na constituição empreendidas pelo governo de Enrique Peña Nieto, as Reformas Estruturais. Em 2016, o presidente mexicano já havia efetivado onze reformas. O que chamou mais atenção foi o fato de a população mexicana, de modo geral, pesquisadores e estudantes, mais especificamente, espantarem-se com a insistência na Integração Física, haja vista acreditarem que tal projeto havia sido interrompido pelo grande número de protestos e a crise de 2008/2010. A mídia, antes interessada, não mencionava nada a respeito, mas o processo de integração continuava a todo vapor. A análise documental do projeto de Integração Física Regional e seus desdobramentos atuais configura-se como o objetivo maior do presente trabalho. Os estudiosos utilizados estão sob a égide do materialismo histórico marxiano que, afinal, é, reconhecidamente entendido pelo próprio Marx, o mais importante a ser considerado em suas produções o que diferencia o decolonialismo do realizado pelos pensadores europeus é pôr a América Latina no centro do mapa, elucidando como o continente foi forjado, geográfica e filosoficamente e como os conceitos aqui elaborados serviram para a expansão das relações imperialistas do capitalismo, especialmente, o conceito de raça. Assim, buscou-se evidenciar como os conceitos (espaço e tempo) foram apropriados pela Europa para a constituição do continente latino-americano, para a partir disto pensar o continente na conformação do sistemamundo- capitalista, ou melhor, a reprodução das relações imperialistas. Explicou-se as relações interamericanas atuais a partir da história, pois ao contrário do que se imagina é de longa data, remete-se ao século XIX. Além disso, evidenciou-se o posicionamento do México a partir da mudança de eixo da Europa para os Estados Unidos no pós-guerra até a adesão ao Tratado de Livre Comércio do Norte. Por fim, dedicou-se à análise do projeto de Integração Física Regional, prioritariamente, a participação do México, a sua liderança frente ao Plan Puebla Panamá, as consequências para a sociedade. O intuito é situar o Plano, por isso, fez-se um levantamento histórico, além de analisar o Capítulo México, Documento Base e abordar a organização indígena e campesina, as lutas empreendidas contra o Plano e a íntima conexão existente entre as relações internacionais e as dinâmicas internas da sociedade mexicana. / This work constitutes an analysis focused on the actions of the State towards native / peasant peoples and Mexican society as a whole, due to the redefinition of the colonization process in the south-southeast of Mexico, a region with a greater concentration of native / peasant peoples. The year of 2014 was, for the Mexicans, of great changes, by the advent of the reforms in the constitution undertaken by the government of Enrique Peña Nieto, the \"Structural Reforms\". By 2016, the Mexican president had already effected eleven reforms. What attracted the most attention was the fact that the Mexican population, in general, researchers and students, more specifically, are surprised by the insistence on Physical Integration, since they believe that this project had been interrupted by the great number of protests and the Crisis of 2008/2010. The media, once interested, did not mention anything about it, but the process of integration continued in full swing. The documentary analysis of the Regional Physical Integration project and its current developments is the main goal of this study. The scholars used are under the aegis of Marxian historical materialism - which, after all, is, admittedly understood by Marx himself, the most important to be considered in his productions - what differentiates decolonialism from that realized by the European thinkers is to put Latin America in the Center of the map, elucidating how the continent was forged, geographically and philosophically and how the concepts elaborated here served to expand the imperialist relations of capitalism, especially the concept of race. Thus, it was tried to show how the concepts (space and time) were appropriated by Europe for the constitution of the Latin American continent, from this to think the continent in the conformation of the world-capitalist system, or rather, the reproduction of relations Imperialists. The current inter-American relations have been explained from history, since contrary to what one imagines is a long time, it refers to the nineteenth century. In addition, Mexico\'s positioning was evident from the shift from Europe to the United States in the postwar period until accession to the North Free Trade Agreement. Finally, he focused on the analysis of the Regional Physical Integration project, primarily the participation of Mexico, its leadership in relation to the Plan Puebla Panama, the consequences for society. The intention is to situate the Plan, so a historical survey was made, besides analyzing the Mexico Chapter, Base Document and addressing the indigenous and peasant organization, the struggles against the Plan and the close connection between international relations and the internal dynamics of Mexican society.