Estratégias de propaganda de marcas brasileiras no Mercosul

O presente estudo busca identificar as estratégias de propaganda utilizadas na região do Mercosul e analisar os fatores associados à escolha dessas estratégias. Um modelo conccitual é desenvolvido e testa­do para estratégias de propaganda adotadas por marcas brasileiras anunciadas no Brasil, Argentina, Paraguai e Uruguai. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo exploratório sugerem que, apesar dos consumidores dos países integrantes do Mercosul serem vistos como diferentes, a padronização dos elementos da propaganda é a estratégia mais utilizada pelos participantes deste estudo.

Quantificação e precificação de risco de crédito através do modelo de opções

O trabalho está dividido em duas partes. Na primeira, são desenvolvidos os conceitos fundamentais para o entendimento do modelo de Black e Scholes com exemplos de sua utilização. Na segunda, inicialmente discute­se o conceito de risco das empresas. A seguir, através de uma aplicação, demonstra-se como uma empresa pode alterar favoravelmente o equilíbrio de risco e retorno: aceitando mais risco, aumentando seu débito ou pagando dividendos extras para os acionistas. Finalmente, mostra-se como os credores podem defender-se dessas mano­bras alterando adequadamente a taxa de juros, de forma a compensar o maior risco assumido e, assim, manter a posição de equilíbrio inicial entre risco e retorno.

Life-history traits of Fossaria cubensis (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae) under experimental exposure to Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda: Digenea)

The effect of exposing the lymnaeid snail Fossaria cubensis to the trematode Fasciola hepatica on the snail population's life-history traits was studied under laboratory conditions. Exposed individuals showed a lower survival rate than control snails, although from week 7 onward a slower decrease of this parameter in relation to the control group was observed. There were higher values of fecundity rate for the controls compared to the exposed group except during weeks 9, 10, 11 and 12, which was the time that followed the period when almost all of the infected snails died. Both the intrinsic and finite rates of natural increase were significantly higher for the control group, but exposed snails still attained a lower mean generation time. Age-specific trade-offs were found, mainly for the weekly increase in size versus the number of eggs per mass, the weekly increase in size versus the number of viable eggs per mass, the number of masses versus the hatching probability and the number of eggs versus the hatching probability. All these negative associations were significant for juveniles of both control and exposed snails and not for adults; however, exposed young individuals exhibited much higher values of the correlation coefficient than control animals.

The effect of isolation on the life-history traits of Pseudosuccinea columella (Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae)

A population of Pseudosuccinea columella was raised under laboratory conditions and its life tables were determined in isolated and paired snails. Isolated snails were significantly larger in shell size than paired snails from five weeks of age onward. Also, statistically significant differences were found for the number of eggs per mass per individual from week 5 to 9, isolated snails exhibiting the highest values. The intrinsic and finite rates of increase were greater in isolated than in paired snails. Either an inhibition of the reproductive output between individuals or the advantage of selfing may be the cause of the differences in this species, acting as a possible mechanism that increase the fitness of isolated snails.

Distribution and habitat preferences of the genus Biomphalaria (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Cuba

A study was carried out to determine the distribution and habitat preferences of several species of the genus Biomphalaria. Samples were taken at 350 freshwater locations in Cuba. Three species of Biomphalaria (Biomphalaria havanensis, Biomphalaria helophila and Biomphalaria pallida) were recorded based on their distribution. Of the three species, B. havanensis has the weakest distribution because it was identified in only one locality. The other species, B. helophila and B. pallida, are abundant in rivers and dams and have large populations in Cuba. However, the only species that appears to occur in ecosystems shared with thiarids is B. pallida, possibly due to recent introduction of thiarids, but always in fewer numbers. Here we discuss the possibility of these species to act as intermediary hosts of Schistosoma mansoni in Cuba over the basis of occurrence in natural and anthropic habitats.