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Companies have been encouraged by policy to place women on board and top management positions. Proposals from regulators and governance reforms explicitly stress the importance of gender diversity in the boardroom. This paper analyzes the impact of the presence of women in executive and non-executive positions, as Chairs, CEOs or CFOs, on firm value in the context of European public companies. The results suggest that the presence of women impacts firm value positively. The results also suggest that, in countries governed by women, firm values are higher. A further analysis provides evidence that, when women CEOs and Chairs are simultaneously shareholders, firm value is negatively impacted. In contrast, when a Chair changes from a man to a woman, firm value is positively impacted. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on whether appointing women to board positions and management positions has positive valuation effects, and it is of the interest to policymakers and investors, among others.

One of the central concerns of the literature studying firms’ growth is the need for understanding the rationale underlying the growth process from the company perspective. The appearance of novel patterns of firms’ growth is linked to the emergence of new paradigms for the organization of industrial and manufacturing processes (that is, industrial revolution). The paper discusses evidence from a sample of fast-growing large companies taken from the Fortune 500 ranking. Results show patterns of firms’ growth more in line with traditional sectors which are fueled by scale and scope economies, and other patterns, observed more often in the case of high-tech “new economy” companies, which are instead fueled by network effects and platformization strategies. We label the latter phenomenon “metamorphosing,” a pattern of growth characterized by a constant reshaping of horizontal and vertical boundaries by the firm which aims at taking advantage of market opportunities by exploiting its keystone position in platform-based business.

The main objective to be achieved with this study was the determination of relevant variables for the definition of companies leverage level, considering the origin of the legal systems of the countries in which they operate (Civil Law and Common Law). This approach is innovative to the literature on the subject. Relying on a sample space of 26,715 companies from 48 different countries grouped based on the source of their legal systems, and data for the period between the years 2002 and 2013, multiple regressions on panel data were estimated, considering 22 variables (business, legal, and economic). The results suggest that the determinants of the level of leverage of the companies vary according to the legal tradition; that the importance of the variables is not homogeneous across countries; that the specific factors of the economic environment of the countries have an important role in determining the level of leverage of the companies, as well as the legal protection factors (rights of creditors and shareholders).

Purpose: This research examines the superiority of analysts over random walk models in forecasting the results of publicly-traded Brazilian companies in the short and long term. Originality/value: The literature indicates the uncontested superiority of market analysts because of their temporal and informational advantages. However, recent international studies call for a re-evaluation of this superiority, indicating that, for certain company characteristics, and primarily for long-term estimates, the superiority of analysts is not confirmed. Design/methodology/approach: This work evaluates the profit forecasting of analysts and simple and growth random walk models over the short and long term over 2010-2015 for publicly traded Brazilian companies, using the information available for the period with annual intervals. Findings: The results indicate: 1. the greater forecasting accuracy of simple random walk models compared to the growth random walk models; and 2. the greater forecasting accuracy of random walk models overall, with analyst forecasts only being superior for cases with three months of lag. The evidence suggests the forecasting superiority of the random walk models when compared to the market analysts' forecasts. The results suggest low efficiency of the forecasts of market analysts for the forecast of future results of publicly traded Brazilian companies in the analyzed period. / Objetivo: Esta pesquisa analisa a superioridade dos analistas com relação aos modelos random walk ao preverem os resultados de empresas brasileiras de capital aberto de curto e longo prazos. Originalidade/valor: A literatura indica superioridade irrestrita dos analistas de mercado devido às suas vantagens de tempo e informação. Entretanto, recentes estudos da literatura internacional apontam para a necessidade de uma reavaliação dessa superioridade, indicando que, para determinadas características da empresa, e principalmente para estimativas de longo prazo, a superioridade dos analistas não é confirmada. Design /metodologia/abordagem: Este trabalho avalia as previsões de lucro dos analistas e dos modelos random walk, simples e com crescimento, de curto e longo prazos, no período de 2010 a 2015 para as empresas brasileiras de capital aberto, utilizando dados com periodicidade anual. Resultados: Os resultados indicam: 1. maior acurácia de previsão para os modelos random walk simples quando comparados com os modelos de random walk com crescimento; 2. para a amostra total, nota-se maior acurácia da previsão dos modelos random walk, com superioridade dos analistas apenas para previsões com três meses de defasagem. A evidência sugere a superioridade de previsão dos modelos random walk quando comparados às previsões dos analistas de mercado. Os resultados sugerem baixa eficiência das previsões dos analistas de mercado para a previsão de resultado futuro das empresas brasileiras de capital aberto no período analisado.

Treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), which is usually less successful than that of drug-susceptible TB, represents a challenge for TB control and elimination. We aimed to evaluate treatment outcomes and to identify the factors associated with death among patients with MDR and XDR-TB in Portugal. We assessed MDR-TB cases reported for the period 2000-2016, using the national TB Surveillance System. Treatment outcomes were defined according to WHO recommendations. We identified the factors associated with death using logistic regression. We evaluated treatment outcomes of 294 MDR- and 142 XDR-TB patients. The treatment success rate was 73.8% among MDR- and 62.7% among XDR-TB patients (p = 0.023). The case-fatality rate was 18.4% among MDR- and 23.9% among XDR-TB patients. HIV infection (OR 4.55; 95% CI 2.31-8.99; p < 0.001) and resistance to one or more second-line injectable drugs (OR 2.73; 95% CI 1.26-5.92; p = 0.011) were independently associated with death among MDR-TB patients. HIV infection, injectable drug use, past imprisonment, comorbidities, and alcohol abuse are conditions that were associated with death early on and during treatment. Early diagnosis of MDR-TB and further monitoring of these patients are necessary to improve treatment outcome.

Free-electron lasers (FELs) are the most advanced class of light-sources, by virtue of their unique capability to lase high-brightness pulses characterized by wavelengths spanning the extreme-ultraviolet, the soft and hard X-ray spectral domains, as well as by temporal lengths lying in the femtosecond (fs) timescale. The next step to push the current standards in ultrafast X-ray science is strongly linked to the possibility of engineering and exploiting time-resolved experiments exclusively for FELs pulses, ideally having different colors tunable at specific electronic resonance of the chemical elements. At the seeded FERMI FEL (Trieste, Italy) this goal is committed to the optical device known as AC/DC, which stands for the auto correlator/delay creator. AC/DC is designed to double the incoming FEL pulse splitting the photon beam by inserting a grazing incidence flat mirror, thus preserving the spectral and temporal properties, and further delaying one of these two pulses in time. It can independently tune the FEL pulses fluence on the two optical paths by means of solid-state filters, too. Here, we present a detailed description about this optical device. Strong emphasis is dedicated to the AC/DC opto-mechanical design and to the laser-based feedback systems implemented to compensate for any mismatch affecting the FEL optical trajectory, ascribable to both mechanical imperfections and paraxial errors rising during a temporal delay scan.

Iron deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders worldwide. The standard treatment involves iron supplementation, but this task is challenging because of poor solubility and organoleptic issues. Moreover, the need to increase iron bioavailability represents a challenge for treating iron-related disorders. In this study, gastroresistance and iron intestinal absorption of an innovative granular formulation composed of ferric pyrophosphate, modified starch and phospholipids branded as Ferro Fosfosoma® was investigated. Gastroresistant properties were studied using standard protocols, and a bioaccessible fraction was obtained by exposing a food supplement to in vitro digestion. This fraction was used for investigating iron absorption in Caco-2 and human follicle-associated intestinal epithelium (FAE) models. Ferro Fosfosoma® showed an improved resistance to gastric digestion and higher intestinal absorption than ferric pyrophosphate salt used as a control in both models. In the FAE model, Ferro Fosfosoma® induces larger iron absorption than in the Caco-2 monolayer, most likely due to the transcytosis ability of M cells. The larger iron absorption in the Ferro Fosfosoma®-treated FAE model corresponds to higher ferritin level, proving physiological iron handling that was once delivered by granular formulation. Finally, the formulation did not induce any alterations in viability and barrier integrity. To conclude, Ferro Fosfosoma® favors iron absorption and ferritin expression, while preserving any adverse effects.

Considering the clinical significance for myocarditis and pericarditis after immunization with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the present pharmacovigilance study aimed to describe these events reported with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). From 1990 to July 2021, the mRNA vaccines were the most common suspected vaccines related to suspected cases of myocarditis and/or pericarditis (myocarditis: N = 1,165; 64.0%; pericarditis: N = 743; 55.1%), followed by smallpox vaccines (myocarditis: N = 222; 12.2%; pericarditis: N = 200; 14.8%). We assessed all suspected cases through the case definition and classification of the Brighton Collaboration Group, and only definitive, probable, and possible cases were included in the analysis. Our findings suggested that myocarditis and pericarditis mostly involve young male, especially after the second dose with a brief time to onset. Nevertheless, this risk is lower (0.38/100,000 vaccinated people; 95% CI 0.36–0.40) than the risk of developing myocarditis after SARS-CoV-2 infection (1000–4000 per 100,000 people) and the risk of developing “common” viral myocarditis (1–10 per 100,000 people/year). Comparing with the smallpox vaccine, for which is already well known the association with myocarditis and pericarditis, our analysis showed a lower probability of reporting myocarditis (ROR 0.12, 95% CI 0.10–0.14) and pericarditis (ROR 0.06, 95% CI 0.05–0.08) following immunization with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

This paper presents an approach to GWS (GeospatialWeb Service) discovery through the semantic annotation of WPS (Web Processing Service) service descriptions. The rationale behind this work is that search engines that use appropriate semantic-based similarity measures in the matching process are more accurate in terms of precision and recall than those based on syntactic matching alone. The lack of semantics in the description of services using a standard such as WPS prevents the use of such a matching process and is considered a limitation of GWS discovery. The GWS discovery approach presented is based on the consideration of semantics in the service description method and in the matching process. The description of services is based on a semantic lightweight meta-model instantiated in the WPS 2.0 standard, extending the description of the service through metadata tags. The matching process is performed in three steps (functionality matching step, I/O (Input/Output) matching step and non-functional matching step). Its core is a semantic similarity measure that combines logical and non-logical matching methods. Finally, the paper presents the results of an experiment applying the proposed discovery approach on a GWS corpus, showing promising results and the added value of the three-step matching process.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Portugal and globally. Cardiovascular risk algorithms, namely the SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation), are recommended in the context of cardiovascular disease prevention. Our aim is to estimate and characterize the cardiovascular risk of the Portuguese population aged between 40 and 65 years old, in 2015, using the SCORE algorithm. Material and Methods: This study was performed on a subsample of the first Portuguese National Health Examination Survey - INSEF, including all participants between 40 and 65 years old with available data on sex, age, smoking status, total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure (n = 2945). The prevalence of the cardiovascular risk categories were stratified by sex, age group, marital status, educational level, occupational activity, urbanization of living area, region and income. Results: In 2015, about 5.1% and 11.9% of the Portuguese resident population aged between 40 and 65 years old were, respectively, at high and very high risk of having a fatal CV event in the following 10 years. The highest prevalence of very high cardiovascular risk was found in males, individuals aged 60-65 years old, married or living with someone, without any formal education or just with the 1st cycle of basic education and belonging to the less skilled category of the occupational activity (C category) in comparison with the other corresponding groups. Discussion: A previous national study found a similar proportion of the population at high/very high cardiovascular risk (19.5% versus 17.1%). Our study is representative of the adult Portuguese population and adopted the European Health Examination Survey procedures, which are essential for future comparisons with other European countries. Some of the limitations of this study include the possible participation bias and the non-calibration of the SCORE algorithm for the Portuguese population. Conclusion: In 2015, a considerable proportion of the Portuguese population aged between 40 and 65 years old had a high or very high risk of developing a fatal cardiovascular event in the next 10 years. Due to the possible overestimation of the cardiovascular risk already reported in other European countries, it will be important to carry out a follow-up study to validate the adequacy of using the SCORE algorithm in the Portuguese population.

Category: Other; Ankle; Ankle Arthritis; Bunion; Hindfoot; Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: Bone health and more specifically, vitamin D status, have become a focus across multiple orthopedic subspecialties as a modifiable determinant of health. Improved bone health and nutritional optimization can function preventatively by curtailing problems such as osteoporotic fractures but can also function to optimize operative outcomes contingent upon successful bone-to-bone healing, such as arthrodesis. Investigations on this topic are relatively lacking in the orthopedic foot and ankle literature and to date, are limited mostly to epidemiologic study designs that have reported on prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no attempts to associate vitamin D status with nonunion and no inquiries into the perioperative management strategies for hypovitaminosis D in the elective foot and ankle arthrodesis population. Methods: Records from all elective foot and ankle arthrodesis procedures performed by the senior author between 2013 and 2019 were obtained. These procedures ranged in complexity from single joint hallux interphalangeal arthrodesis to multiple joint deformity correction arthrodesis. It has been standard practice for the senior author to obtain a preoperative vitamin D level on all patients indicated for arthrodesis and treat accordingly during the perioperative period for cases of hypovitaminosis D (

Este artigo procura articular o atual momento político brasileiro e suas conexões com a pandemia de covid-19

This paper analyses the influence of mortar strength on the mechanical behavior of ceramic and concrete structural masonry blocks. Experimental tests of uniaxial compression were carried out on blocks as well as prisms, with mortar strengths lower, higher and within the limits of the Brazilian standard recommendation. The characteristic resistance of prisms (fpk) was lower than the blocks (fbk) in all combinations. The lowest decreases in strength occurred for both materials in the prisms with mortar strength within the limits indicated by the Brazilian standard. In addition, the ceramic materials were more sensitive to the variation on the mortar strength when compared to the concrete blocks.

O objetivo deste artigo foi traduzir e validar uma escala sobre as Motivações e os Valores que levam as pessoas aos eventos esportivos, assim como um melhor entendimento sobre os impactos da pandemia COVID-19 e a paralisação / segurança dos eventos esportivos neste contexto. Metodo: Foi utilizada a escala Orientation Toward a Sporting Event (OSE), adicionando-se perguntas sobre a Paralisação e a Segurança do público em eventos esportivos. Também foram realizadas perguntas sobre como os eventos esportivos devem ser em 2020 quanto a presença ou não de público. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizada a técnica de Modelagem de Equações Estruturais e estatística descritiva. Resultados e discussão: Após respostas de 441 pessoas, concluiu-se que são significativas as relações entre os comportamentos Sociais e Afetivos do público para com o tema Paralisação. Também demonstrou-se ser significante a relação entre socialização e Segurança para a realização de eventos esportivos no contexto pandêmico. Conclusão: Os impactos negativos serão enormes, tanto econômicos, como sociais. Todos os envolvidos com o Esporte e os seus eventos, desde as organizações responsáveis, o poder público, o setor privado, até a mídia que os transmitem, deverão buscar possíveis soluções para sanar tais impactos negativos.

Em 1920, Freud explicita que as pulsões apresentam uma natureza conservadora, já que tendem a retornar a estados anteriores, o que por vezes é visto como uma redefinição do conceito de pulsão em sua teoria. Se isso é ponto pacífico no campo das pulsões de morte, para as pulsões de vida e sua meta de ligar a substância viva em unidades cada vez maiores, é motivo de hesitação, ao ponto do psicanalista chegar a negar a possibilidade de que Eros seja conservador. O presente artigo objetiva analisar esta dificuldade aparente e mostrar que as pulsões sexuais, pertencentes ao grupo das pulsões de vida, sempre foram conservadoras para Freud. Assim, pretende questionar que haja propriamente uma redefinição da noção de pulsão e levantar um problema mais profundo – o fato das pulsões sexuais almejarem retornar a estados menos ligados da vida libidinal e, com isso, esbarrarem na meta de Eros.

A comprehensive description of morbidity and mortality as well as risk factors of interventional cardiac catheterization performed in neonatal age was reported in our paper recently published on the International Journal of Cardiology (IJCA28502; PII: S0167-5273(20)30384-3; DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2020.04.013). Eight Italian high-volume centres of Paediatric Cardiology were involved in this observational, retrospective data collection and analysis. In this dataset, clinical and procedural characteristics of 1423 newborns submitted to 1551 interventional cardiac catheterization procedures were analyzed. Primary outcomes were considered procedure and in-hospital mortality as well as major adverse event and procedural failure rates. Secondary outcomes were considered minor adverse events and need for blood transfusion. Targets of this data analysis were: 1) to evaluate the overall major risk factors of interventional cardiac catheterization; 2) to identify the most hazardous interventional procedures; 3) to assess possible trends of individual procedures as well as their outcome over time; 4) to find possible relationships between the volume activity of any centre and the procedure and follow-up outcome. In particular, this Data in Brief companion paper aims to report the specific statistic highlights of the multivariable analysis (binary logistic regression) used to assess the impact of any potential risk factors on the type of procedure over a short-term follow-up.

Background: Elderly patients (≥60 years) with an atrial septal defect (ASD) are a complex subgroup with several haemodynamic limitations. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and haemodynamic features of these patients and the effectiveness of percutaneous ASD closure in this setting. Methods: This is an observational retrospective study. From 2000 to 2018, sixty-eight elderly patients (65.1 ± 3.8 years, range 60–75) underwent ASD assessment at our institution. Right heart catheterization was always performed before closing the ASD. At last follow-up, clinical and echocardiographic data were recorded. Results: Among these 68 elderly patients, in 62 cases (91.2%) with a favourable haemodynamic profile, ASD closure was performed immediately. In 2 patients the ASD was closed after 3 months of medical therapy. A fenestrated device was used in 1 case. The remaining 3 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and high pulmonary vascular resistance (>4.6 WU) were treated with PAH specific therapy. At a mean follow-up of 4.3 ± 1.5 years, a significant improvement of NYHA class (pre-interventional NYHA III-IV 21.5% vs. post-interventional NYHA III-IV 4.6%; p

Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the major opportunistic bacterial pathogens in healthcare facilities, mainly due to its strong ability to form biofilms in the surface of indwelling medical devices. To study biofilms under in vitro conditions, both fed-batch and flow systems are widely used, with the first being the most frequent due to their low cost and ease of use. Aim To assess if a fed-batch system previously developed to obtain biofilm released cells (Brc) from strong biofilm producing S. epidermidis isolates could also be used to obtain and characterize Brc from isolates with lower abilities to form biofilms. Methodology The applicability of a fed-batch system to obtain Brc from biofilms of 3 ica+ and 3 ica− isolates was assessed by quantifying the biofilm and Brc biomass by optical density (OD) and colony-forming units (CFU) measurements. The effect of media replacement procedures of fed-batch systems on the amount of biofilm was determined by quantifying the biofilm and biofilm bulk fluid, by CFU, after consecutive washing steps. Results The fed-batch model was appropriate to obtain Brc from ica+ isolates, that presented a greater ability to form biofilms and release cells. However, the same was not true for ica− isolates, mainly because the washing procedure would physically remove a significant number of cells from the biofilm. Conclusions This study demonstrates that a fed-batch system is only feasible to be used to obtain Brc from S. epidermidis when studying strong and cohesive biofilm-forming isolates.

Andean highlanders are challenged by chronic hypoxia and many exhibit elevated hematocrit (Hct) and blunted ventilation compared to other high-altitude populations. While many Andeans develop Chronic Mountain Sickness (CMS) and excessive erythrocytosis, Hct varies markedly within Andean men and women and may be driven by individual differences in ventilatory control and/or sleep events which exacerbate hypoxemia. To test this hypothesis, we quantified relationships between resting ventilation and ventilatory chemoreflexes, sleep desaturation, breathing disturbance, and Hct in Andean men and women. Ventilatory measures were made in 109 individuals (n = 63 men; n = 46 women), and sleep measures in 45 of these participants (n = 22 men; n = 23 women). In both men and women, high Hct was associated with low daytime SpO2 (p < 0.001 and p < 0.002, respectively) and decreased sleep SpO2 (mean, nadir, and time

Trata o presente artigo da análise do documento eletrônico como objeto probatório, tudo a partir da sua forma e força probante dentro do contexto do Processo Civil brasileiro. Para isso, se analisa brevemente o ambiente normativo que cerca a sistemática das provas no processual civil pátrio, tudo a partir do gênero “prova documental”, possibilitando alcançar a modalidade eletrônica do documento, suas ramificações e seus valores qualitativo e probante, de modo a permitir um olhar sobre a dimensão de sua importância concreta para apuração da verdade no processo.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has progressively assumed a strategic role in corporate business. In this sense, the board of directors (Board) assumes a preponderant role, since they make decisions about business strategy. One considerably debated characteristic of Board diversity is gender, since women differ from men in terms of personality, communication style, and values. Therefore, this study analyzes the relationship between CSR and gender diversity on Boards, in a sample of European public firms. Results indicate that firms with a higher percentage of women in the Board have higher CSR practices, suggesting that the presence of women can play an important role in terms of CSR decisions, contributing to more social and sustainable firms. Results also suggest that management teams with a higher female percentage associate with better CSR scores, and firms that exhibit both a higher percentage of women on the Board and on the management team improve CSR scores. From an ethical perspective, more socially responsible firms present more trustworthy financial information, and more sustainable economic performance, which decreases risk assessment from their business partners and remaining stakeholders. Thus, results may be of interest to different stakeholders, such as policymakers, investors, and business partners, in order to increase firms’ involvement in CSR.

Dapagliflozin was associated with an increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis that has led to the European withdrawal of the authorization for the type 1 diabetes. However, it is still used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the occurrence of dapagliflozin-induced ketoacidosis events by using the European spontaneous reporting system. The reporting odds ratios (ROR) were computed to assess the reporting frequency of ketoacidosis events for dapagliflozin compared to Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, insulins, or all other Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors. A total of 2406 cases with dapagliflozin reported at least one event of ketoacidosis. The three most reported events were: diabetic ketoacidosis (1412; 55.39%), ketoacidosis (476; 18.67%), and euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis (296; 11.61%). Dapagliflozin was associated with the higher reporting frequency of ketoacidosis events compared to DPP-4 inhibitors (ROR 12.07, 95%CI 11.67–13.81) or insulins (ROR 7.59, 95%CI 7.13–7.89). A lower reporting frequency was instead observed compared to other SGLT2 inhibitors (ROR 0.91, 95%CI 0.87–0.96). Considering the higher reporting frequency of ketoacidosis observed with dapagliflozin then DPP-4 inhibitors or insulins, attention should be given to patients treated with this drug.

Embora ruminantes aproveitem fibras dos alimentos, a degradação varia de acordo com a composição físico-química. Enzimas fibrolíticas tem sido utilizadas para aumentar a degradação ruminal de fibras, podendo otimizar o aproveitamento dos nutrientes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da enzima fibrolítica xilanase e de um blend enzimático contendo xilanase, celulase e glucanase, em alimentos volumosos: feno de alfafa (Medicago sativa), capim-Braquiária (Urochloa ruziziensis syn Brachiaria ruziziensis) cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum), capim-Mombaça (Megathyrsus maximus syn Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) e silagem de milho (Zea mays). O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com 5 repetições (vacas), para cada tratamento. Os tratamentos consistiram em uma pré-incubação por 12 horas em tampão de McDougall: 1) sem a adição de enzimas (CT); 2) com a adição de 200 mg/kg de matéria seca (MS) de amostra (XI); e com a adição de 200 mg/kg de MS de amostra (BL). Após a aplicação dos tratamentos, as amostras dos alimentos foram incubadas no rúmen das vacas, por 96 horas. O capim-Mombaça apresentou maiores degradações da MS e FDN que as demais forrageiras avaliadas. A xilanase tendeu a aumentar a degradação da fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) em relação ao controle. O blend enzimático aumentou a degradabilidade da MS e FDN, em relação à CT e tendeu a aumentar a degradação da MS e da FDN em relação à XI. A adição do blend enzimático aumenta a degradação da MS e FDN, sendo uma estratégia enzimática recomendada na dieta de ruminantes.

O objeto do estudo é a formação continuada do coordenador pedagógico de uma rede municipal de ensino. O problema de investigação indaga: quais as possibilidades e os limites da formação continuada para a realização do trabalho do coordenador pedagógico nas escolas municipais? A pesquisa de cunho qualitativo pautou-se na análise de conteúdo (BARDIN, 2010) de documentos legais do município e realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com 10 coordenadores pedagógicos. A concepção de formação continuada fundamenta-se no eixo epistemológico da teoria como expressão da prática (MARTINS, 1996). Os resultados indicam: a) possibilidades: formação para o iniciante na função; definição do papel de formador dos professores; troca de experiências; b) limites: formação distanciada das necessidades da escola e do protagonismo docente; definição da função do coordenador pedagógico alinhada aos moldes da sociedade capitalista.

Este artigo se insere no campo da geografia política em interface com o campo da educação. Concentra-se na identificação e na análise de processos que possam evidenciar resistências possíveis engendradas pelo ambientalismo protagonizado pelos movimentos sociais vinculados à militância da educação do campo e da educação ambiental no âmbito do Brasil. Como experiências concretas são consideradas os Centros Familiares de Formação por Alternância (CEFFAs), as escolas do campo que adotam a metodologia da pedagogia da alternância, as quais estão inseridas no PRONERA (Programa Nacional de Educação na Reforma Agrária). Recorreu-se a revisão de literatura a partir da consulta as plataformas virtuais Google Acadêmico, Scielo, Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD), Portal de Teses e Dissertações da Universidade de São Paulo, Banco de Teses da Capes, acerca de artigos, livros, teses e dissertações que têm como centralidade a temática da educação do campo, apoiada na pesquisa sobre o PRONERA, assim como a Pedagogia da Alternância. Como resultado, se propõe estabelecer possíveis relações entre os campos sociais apresentados, procurando estabelecer uma análise sintética de experiências educacionais e suas potencialidades para propostas educativas voltadas para o desenvolvimento socioespacial e para a transformação social.

Este trabalho analisa o comportamento de miniparedes executadas com blocos estruturais cerâmicos em elevadas temperaturas. Utilizaram-se blocos de 14 e 19 cm de largura, com resistências de 7 e 10 MPa. Foram avaliadas as espessuras das juntas, a argamassa de assentamento e a influência de revestimento na face exposta. Mensurou-se as temperaturas do forno, no interior e na superfície das paredes, a dilatação dos blocos e o esmagamento das juntas. Pôde-se inferir que as amostras apresentaram bom desempenho, mantendo sua estanqueidade, isolamento e resistência mecânica. A restrição lateral não ocasionou desplacamento dos blocos, porém, pôde-se observar transferência de tensão para os mesmos para argamassas pouco flexíveis. As alvenarias de 19 cm de largura e aquelas revestidas apresentaram melhor desempenho térmico.

O presente artigo visa tanto a possibilidade de compreender a relação entre Freud e Kant, quanto a de determinar certos limites dessa aproximação, a partir da comparação proposta por Béatrice Longuenesse entre o Ich freudiano e a unidade transcendental da apercepção kantiana. Visto que tal comparação é sustentada pela caracterização do Eu de Freud como uma organização de eventos mentais regida pelo princípio de realidade e pelas leis dos processos secundários, será destacado que essa mesma instância psíquica carrega partes inconscientes no sentido dinâmico e traz as marcas do Isso, enquanto aquilo que há de mais irracional na vida psíquica.

Perspetivar o futuro da sociologia da educação requer que se examine o passado e o presente deste campo científico. Com base nesse pressuposto, neste artigo apresentam-se resultados de uma análise de conteúdo de dez entrevistas a sociólogos da educação de diferentes gerações e filiações institucionais. Essa análise é complementada com estudos sobre a evolução da sociologia da educação realizados por autores portugueses, permitindo explorar as três dimensões constitutivas do campo científico : o ensino, a investigação e a intervenção socioeducativa.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o potencial antifúngico in vitro de extratos alcoólicos de própolis e do óleo essencial de manjericão (Ocimum basilicum), autoclavados ou não, sobre o crescimento micelial de Botrytis cinerea, ao longo do tempo de exposição. Os tratamentos foram: óleo essencial de manjericão nas concentrações 0, 0,25, 0,50, 1%; extrato alcoólico de própolis e álcool de cereais nas concentrações 0, 2,5, 6,25, 12,5%. Para a obtenção do crescimento micelial foram realizadas medidas em sentidos diametralmente opostos, com um paquímetro digital, durante 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 e 144 h de exposição, para o cálculo da taxa de inibição do crescimento micelial (ICM). O experimento foi realizado em duplicata. Todos os tratamentos contendo o extrato etanólico de própolis, álcool de cereais e o óleo essencial de manjericão foram eficientes na inibição do crescimento micelial de B. cinerea. A autoclavagem do óleo essencial de manjericão e do álcool de cereais não interfere na eficácia de controle de B.cinerea. Para o extrato alcoólico de própolis, em doses mais baixas, a autoclavagem potencializa o efeito antifúngico.

El presente artículo procura afrontar a la luz del Código de Proceso Civil de 2015, las primeras miradas acerca del acto sentencial y su extensión interpretativa y aplicable en el ámbito de los Juizados Especiales Civiles, de modo que se pueda comprender la necesidad de una decisión fundamentada de forma analítica y adecuada en el ámbito de aquella Justicia Especial, caracterizada por actos informales y sumarios.

Albedo is the portion of energy from the Sun that is reflected by the earth's surface, thus being an important variable that controls climate and energy processes on Earth. Surface albedo is directly related to the characteristics of the Earth’s surface materials, making it a useful parameter to evaluate the effects of original soil cover replacement due to human occupation. This study evaluated the changes in the surface albedo values due to the conversion of vegetation to other land uses and to analyze the applicability of the use of albedo in the spatial delimitation of land-use classes in the transitional region between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes. Surface albedo measurements were obtained from processing of Landsat Thematic Mapper data in the Geographic Information System (GIS), and land-use information were collected using Google Earth high-resolution images. The results show that human activities such as the cultivation of crops and burning have contributed substantially to variations in the surface albedo, and that albedo estimates from Landsat imagery have the potential to help in the recognition and delimitation of features of land use and cover.

RESUMO: Refletir sobre os fenômenos educacionais não constitui exercício recente no contexto brasileiro. Porém os processos de autonomização e institucionalização de um espaço específico para pensar, investigar e formar novos quadros no âmbito estrito da Educação ganham materialidade na primeira metade do século XX e influenciam o ganho paulatino de pujança da área. Com o intuito de compreender as relações entre as aspirações dos doutorandos em Educação no Brasil e o próprio desenvolvimento dessa área do conhecimento, por meio da análise de 455 questionários respondidos pelos estudantes, o presente artigo situa-se no debate de influência bourdieusiana acerca da correspondência entre campo e habitus. O estudo revelou o poder das relações educativas nos processos de constituição e compartilhamento de um habitus próprio desse espaço acadêmico, de reprodução dos seus quadros e ainda de construção das aspirações dos doutorandos.

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor neutral beam injector includes an ion source which can produce D ion beams for 1 h, accelerated at the energy of 1 MeV. An ion source consists of a driver where the plasma is produced by the application of the radio frequency (RF) power to an inductive coil. This paper presents an improved methodology which provides an estimation of the power transfer efficiency to the plasma of the driver. The developed methodology is based on different mechanisms which are responsible for the plasma heating (ohmic and stochastic) and an electrical model describing the power transfer to the plasma. As a first approximation in a previous work, a transformer model was assumed as an electrical model. In this paper, a main improvement is introduced based on the development of a multifilament model which takes into account the mutual coupling between the RF coil, the plasma, and the passive metallic structure. The methodology is applied to the negative ion optimization 1 (NIO1), a flexible negative ion source, currently in operation at Consorzio RFX, Italy. The results from the two models, transformer and multi-filament, are presented and compared in terms of plasma equivalent resistance and power transfer efficiency. It is found that results obtained from both the transformer and the multi-filament model follow the same trend in comparison with the applied frequency and the other plasma parameters like electron density, temperature, and gas pressure. However, lower values of the plasma equivalent resistance and power transfer efficiency are observed with the multi-filament model. The multi-filament model reproduces a more realistic experimental scenario where the power losses due to the generation of the eddy currents in the metallic structure are considered.

The ADRs market presented great growing importance in the last decades, specially for companies based on developing countries, such as those of Latin America. In this context, this research sought to detect and measure the interdependence phenomenon, comprising the returns and volatility spillovers and their asymmetries between the levels 2 and 3 ADRs of the main capital markets of Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico) and the developed ones (the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and France), regarding the last financial crisis scope. This phenomenon was investigated considering both the daily returns of their market stock indices, such as those of the ADRs indices created in this study, from June 2008 to May, 2015, via VAR-MGARCH multivaried skewness models, with diagonal VECH representation. The main conclusion was that the ADR indices presented greater interdependence with the developed countries, compared to the analyzed Latin American equity markets.

This paper focuses on the employability of graduates and assuming an approach in which em­ployability is understood as the result of the interaction between higher education and the labour market. This interaction is framed by various factors and variables including the ones related to the characteristics of the social and economic contexts and specific policies. Drawing on statis­tical data available from Eurostat and OECD the analysis intends to highlight the main trends concerning participation in higher education and involvement of graduates in the labour market in Portugal since the year 2000, taking into account how these trends converge (or not) with the ones observable at European level. Additionally, trends are contextualised in search of possible explanations, namely related to the ongoing global crisis that started in 2008 and to the debt crisis that has contributed to the deterioration of the social and economic situation in the country.

O presente artigo tem por objetivo analisar a situação atual das relações entre a China e o Vietnã na questão relativa às disputas territoriais no Mar do Sul da China. Por um lado, China e Vietnã convergem em seus regimes políticos e modelos econômicos, além de participar de processos de integração regional conjuntos. Por outro, possuem interesses políticos e territoriais divergentes sobre espaços no Mar do Sul da China, região estratégica nos âmbitos comercial e geopolítico. Trata-se de um dos litígios territoriais mais importantes envolvendo os países da região e seus potenciais aliados, com destaque para a forte penetração dos Estados Unidos (EUA). É, pois, um tema complexo que engloba questões militares, econômicas e diplomáticas, com desdobramentos para o sistema internacional. O argumento proposto é que esse litígio tende a determinar não apenas a evolução das relações bilaterais sino-vietnamitas, mas a dinâmica de integração regional e, sobretudo, a projeção de poder dos Estados Unidos em uma porção chave do mundo oriental.

The aim of this work is to investigate niche variations in endemic Silene velutina (Caryophyllaceae, Angiosperms) on Mediterranean islands that differ in size. Six populations on both large and small islands were sampled across the geographic range of the species. For each population, 10 plots (1 × 2 m, with a 25 cm grill) were randomly placed to quantify environmental (abiotic and biotic factors and disturbance) and population (demographic structure and reproductive success) parameters. Niche parameters related to substrate, plant cover, community diversity and composition and disturbance showed significant variation in relation to island size. At the regional scale, we detected a broader niche on large islands associated with spatial heterogeneity and island size. In contrast, at the local scale, populations on small islands showed a broader niche, potentially due to a release from competition (low diversity and plant cover and absence of phanerophytes). Populations on large islands had a demographic structure biased towards vegetative individuals (seedlings and juveniles) with few reproductive individuals, while those on small islands had a majority of adults. Together, the results on niche breadth and demographic structure concord with the idea of a strategy based on adult persistence on small islands.

The influence of the vehicle in topical treatment adherence remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of the pharmaceutical dosage form on adherence to topical treatment in psoriasis patients, taking into consideration the mechanical features. The adherence was evaluated in a sample of 102 psoriasis patients, followed for approximately 45 days. Adherence was calculated with a new combined methodology using a log and medication weights. The effect of the group formulation was evaluated using logistic regression models. A complex effect of the vehicle on adherence was found, mediated by the affected area. The adherence was significantly higher for patients applying gels and creams than for those using ointments, whenever the body area affected was extensive. The opposite was found when the affected area was small. Mechanical properties can partially explain the findings since gels and creams may be easier to apply. Patient beliefs and preferences regarding vehicles and their sensory attributes might also explain the results. It is noteworthy that adherence was strikingly low, with more than 75% non-adherent patients. This real-world evidence provides an insight for pharmaceutical industries and guidance for treatment prescription by physicians aiming to address the public health emergency of treatment non-adherence.

This paper describes the development and validation of an innovative protection system based on medium-voltage fuses for a high-power switching conversion system. This special conversion system, rated to deliver about 56 MW to the load, is based on neutral-point clamped IGCT inverters, connected to the same dc link through a set of distributed busbars, with a dc-link voltage of 6.5 kV and a capacitive stored energy up to 837 kJ. The sudden release of this energy in case of a switch failure in one inverter and the subsequent short circuit of one leg can lead to destructive consequences. From the analysis of different protection strategies, performed by numerical simulations of the fault evolutions, the developed solution based on medium-voltage fuses was found the only provision able to cope with such high stored energy and uncommon circuit topology. Custom fuses were developed for this application, and a specially tailored test was designed for validating the fuse selection. The paper, after summarizing the work carried out to simulate the fault evolution and select the protection, presents the analyses carried out to set up the validation test, and describes and discusses the results of the test and the complementing numerical simulations, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the protection system.

[Display omitted] • The Trevisio DS flexible tip improves occluder position assessment before release. • Trevisio PAS studied the Trevisio DS during transcatheter closure of PFO and ASD. • 251 patients (144 PFO and 107 ASD) were enrolled at 22 European sites. • The Trevisio DS exhibited a high rate of technical success and excellent safety. The Amplatzer™ Trevisio™ Intravascular Delivery System (Trevisio DS; Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA) facilitates the delivery of Amplatzer™ Occluders and features an ultraflexible tip, which improves assessment of occluder position before release. To assess the safety and efficacy of the Trevisio DS for transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect. The Amplatzer™ Trevisio™ Intravascular Delivery System Post-Approval Study was a prospective, postmarket, single-arm, multicentre, observational study of the Trevisio DS. Enrolled patients were indicated for transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect. In all procedures, the Trevisio DS was used to deliver Amplatzer™ Occluders. Technical success was defined as successful deployment and release of at least one occluder. Device- or procedure-related serious adverse events were tracked until discharge or day 7, whichever occurred earlier. The study enrolled 144 patients with patent foramen ovale and 107 patients with atrial septal defect at 22 European sites; 53 patients with atrial septal defect (49.6%) were aged < 18 years. The rate of technical success was 98.4% (97.2% for atrial septal defect, 99.3% for patent foramen ovale). There was one serious adverse event (0.4%), an acute periprocedural device embolization that occurred after occluder release in a patient with atrial septal defect; the device was retrieved percutaneously. This was determined by the implanter to be unrelated to the performance of the Trevisio DS. The Trevisio DS exhibited a high rate of technical success and an excellent safety profile during transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing evidence that transitions from education to work (and from work to education) can take place several times and occur at different points in an individual's life cycle. This paper's overall intention is to contribute to a deeper understanding of higher education graduates' transitions between education and work shortly after graduation. This contribution draws on the secondary analysis of data collected throughout the employability surveys answered by master's graduates from two universities (Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Tampere University) in different countries (respectively, Portugal and Finland). Aiming at advancing comparative analysis that enables to illustrate the diversity within Europe in this field, a theoretical framework that comprises societal factors, local constellations of institutional systems (in higher education and in the world of work) and individual agency is outlined. Aspects such as the occupational specificities of the degrees, the institutional reputation of the universities and segmentations of national labour markets are also considered in the analysis. Results suggest many similarities but also significant differences within the transitions experienced by master's graduates from the two universities, reinforcing the idea that employability is the result of a complex set of factors and variables within a changing inter-relationship of higher education and work.