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Este trabalho utiliza modelos econométricos para avaliar o impacto do setor privado sobre a melhora de acesso a serviços de água e esgoto no Brasil. O impacto de empresas privadas sobre índices de cobertura é um assunto particularmente relevante à luz do elevado déficit de investimentos públicos no saneamento e das discussões de políticas públicas recentes no Brasil sobre o aumento da participação privada no setor. Os resultados econométricos apresentados neste estudo, baseados no período 2006-2016, indicam impacto positivo e estatisticamente significante de operadores privados (em relação aos seus pares públicos) nos índices de cobertura de água e esgoto. O aumento da participação privada se mostra justificada, desta forma, do ponto de vista da efetividade privada. Mas o aumento desta participação deve ser estruturado, de forma que se enderece a falta de interesse do mercado por municípios tecnicamente desafiadores e se mitigue possível comportamento oportunista adotado após a assinatura de contratos de prestação. Entende-se, no âmbito deste trabalho, que estes desafios podem ser superados com (i) a estruturação de concessões na forma de blocos municipais e (ii) o fortalecimento das atividades de regulação. This paper employs econometric models to assess the impact of the private sector on the improvement of access to water and sewage services in Brazil. The impact of private operators on coverage is a subject of particular relevance in light of the significant deficit in sanitation-related investments and recent policy discussions in Brazil concerning an increase in private sector participation in sanitation. The econometric results presented in this study, based on the 2006-2016 period, indicate a positive and statistically significant impact of private sector operators (in relation to their public sector counterparts) on water and sewage coverage. An increase in private sector participation appears warranted from an effectiveness standpoint. But this increase must be structured in order to address a possible lack of market interest in technically challenging municipalities and to mitigate possible opportunistic behavior by operators after contract signing. This paper argues that these challenges may be overcome by (i) structuring concessions in the form of municipal clusters and (ii) firming up regulatory activities.

Specialty optical polymers offer unique solutions based on materials properties that can be engineered to meet specific applications. The development of polymer materials to meet specific requirements for optical interconnects and devices will be described.

Participants completed questionnaires of trait emotional intelligence (E.I), happiness and well-being, in order to examine a link between the measures. The internal factors of E.I were also investigated to see which parts of E.I would be more or less likely to predict happiness and well-being. E.I was found to correlate with happiness but not with well-being, though well-being and happiness did correlate. No E.I facets correlated with well-being, but all apart from emotion management (others) and trait empathy correlated with happiness. Results suggest that Emotional Intelligence does predict happiness, and that intrapersonal E.I is more important to happiness than interpersonal E.I, but further investigation is needed to properly differentiate the two.