Can a habit formation model really explain the Forward Premium Anomaly?

Verdelhan (2009) mostra que desejando-se explicar o comporta- mento do prêmio de risco nos mercados de títulos estrangeiros usando- se o modelo de formação externa de hábitos proposto por Campbell e Cochrane (1999) será necessário especi car o retorno livre de risco de equilíbrio de maneira pró-cíclica. Mostramos que esta especi cação só é possível sobre parâmetros de calibração implausíveis. Ainda no processo de calibração, para a maioria dos parâmetros razoáveis, a razão preço-consumo diverge. Entretanto, adotando a sugestão pro- posta por Verdelhan (2009) - de xar a função sensibilidade (st) no seu valor de steady-state durante a calibração e liberá-la apenas du- rante a simulação dos dados para se garantir taxas livre de risco pró- cíclicas - conseguimos encontrar um valor nito e bem comportado para a razão preço-consumo de equilíbrio e replicar o foward premium anom- aly. Desconsiderando possíveis inconsistências deste procedimento, so- bre retornos livres de risco pró-cíclicos, conforme sugerido por Wachter (2006), o modelo utilizado gera curvas de yields reais decrescentes na maturidade, independentemente do estado da economia - resultado que se opõe à literatura subjacente e aos dados reais sobre yields.

Crime and punishment with habit formation

Moral concepts affect crime supply. This idea is modelled assuming that illegal activities is habit forming. We introduce habits in a intertemporal general equilibrium framework to illegal activities and compare its outcomes with a model without habit formation. The findings are that habit and crime presents a non linear relationship that hinges upon the level of capital and habit formation. It is possible to show that while the effect of habit on crime is negative for low levels o habit formation it becomes positive as habits goes up. Secondly habit reduces the marginal effect of illegal activities return on crime. Finally, the effect of habit on crime depends positively on the amount of capital. This could explain the relationship between size of cities and illegal activity.

Can a habit formation model really explain the forward premium anomaly?

Verdelhan (2009) shows that if one is to explain the foreign exchange forward premium behavior using Campbell and Cochrane (1999)’s habit formation model one must specify it in such a way to generate pro-cyclical short term risk free rates. At the calibration procedure, we show that this is only possible in Campbell and Cochrane’s framework under implausible parameters specifications given that the price-consumption ratio diverges in almost all parameters sets. We, then, adopt Verdelhan’s shortcut of fixing the sensivity function λ(st) at its steady state level to attain a finite value for the price-consumption ratio and release it in the simulation stage to ensure pro-cyclical risk free rates. Beyond the potential inconsistencies that such procedure may generate, as suggested by Wachter (2006), with procyclical risk free rates the model generates a downward sloped real yield curve, which is at odds with the data.

Pterygodermatites (Multipectines) pluripectinata n. sp. (Spirurida: Rictulariidae), a nematode parasite of the crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766) from Caatinga shrubland, Brazil

In a parasitological survey of free-ranging Cerdocyon thous (Carnivora: Canidae) from Brazilian Caatinga shrubland, a new species of Pterygodermatites (Multipectines) was recovered from the small intestine of this host. Morphological analysis showed that P. (Multipectines) pluripectinata n. sp. is distinguished from all other congeneric species mainly by the numerous plate-like projections and male caudal morphology and spicular length. There are few records on the occurrence of this genus in Neotropical regions.

VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN A CAPTIVE CRAB-EATING FOX CERDOCYON THOUS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mercury and DDT exposure risk to fish-eating human populations in Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Hematologic, serum biochemistry and urinary values for captive Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous) in São Paulo state, Brazil

A importância do estudo dos valores hematológicos, de bioquímica sérica e urinários de Cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) baseia-se na necessidade de cuidados e manutenção da sanidade destas populações. Este estudo visou investigar os parâmetros fisiológicos hematológicos, de bioquímica sérica e urinários dos Cachorros-do-mato de cativeiro, comparando as possíveis diferenças sexuais e de faixa etária. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue de 52 animais, pertencentes a diversos Zoológicos do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Foram colhidos cerca de 7mL de sangue, que foram utilizados para se obter os valores hematológicos e o perfil de bioquímica sérica. Também foram colhidos 5mL de urina para realização da urinálise. Não se encontraram diferenças entre os valores obtidos para machos e fêmeas tanto na hematologia, quanto na bioquímica sérica. Alguns parâmetros hematológicos e de bioquímica sérica foram afetados pela idade, mostrando diferenças significativas. Os resultados da urinálise foram demonstrados apenas em forma descritiva. Os principais valores encontrados foram, hemácias 4,35+0,73 x 106 células /µL, leucócitos totais 7,72+3,66 x 103 células /µL (predomínio de neutrófilos segmentados), plaquetas 227,06+111,58 x 103 células /µL, ureia 43,06+14,28mg/dL e creatinina 1,03+0,24mg/dL. Os valores hematológicos, de bioquímica sérica e urinários obtidos neste estudo podem ser utilizados como valores fisiológicos de Cachorros-do-mato de cativeiro. Pode-se concluir que as espécies silvestres necessitam de seus próprios valores de referência com necessidade de se diferenciar animais em cativeiro de animais de vida livre.

Associations between healthy eating patterns and indicators of metabolic risk in postmenopausal women

Background: Since human diets contain many components that may work synergistically to prevent or promote disease, assessing diet quality may be informative. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between quality diet, by using Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and metabolic risk indicators in postmenopausal women.Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 173 Brazilian women, aged 45-75 years, seeking healthcare at a public outpatient center. Food consumption assessed by 24 h-recall food inquiry was used to calculate HEI scores: >80 implied diet good, 80-51 diet needed improvement, and <51 diet poor. Anthropometric data included: body mass index (BMI = weight/height(2)), waist-circumference (WC), body fat (%BF) and lean mass (%LM). Data on total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and triglycerides (TG) were also collected. Fisher's Exact test, and logistic regression method (to determine odds ratio, OR) were used in the statistical analysis.Results: Overweight and obesity were observed in 75.7% of the participants. Excessive %BF (> 35%) was observed in 56.1%, while %LM was reduced (<70%) in 78.1%. WC was elevated (= 88 cm) in 72.3%. Based on HEI values, diet quality was good in 3% (5/173), needed improvement in 48.5% (84/173), and was poor in 48.5% (84/173) of the cases. In this group, 75% of women had high intakes of lipids (> 35%), predominantly saturated and monounsaturated fat. on average, plasma TC, LDLC, and TG levels were higher than recommended in 57.2%, 79.2% and 45.1% of the women, respectively, while HDLC was low in 50.8%. There was association between HEI scores and the %BF that it was higher among women with HEI score < 80 (p = 0.021). There were not observed significant risk associations between HEI and lipid profile.Conclusion: Among the Brazilian postmenopausal women attending a public outpatient clinic, diet was considered to need improvement or to be of poor quality, attributed to high saturated fat ingestion, which probably caused a negative impact on metabolic risk indicators, namely body composition.

Canine distemper virus in a crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in Brazil: case report and phylogenetic analyses

Although canine distemper is enzootic worldwide and has a wide host range, there are no reports of canine distemper virus there are no reports of canine distemper virus provide information on virus phylogeny and histopathologic lesions. The objective of this study is report and describe canine distemper in a crab-eating fox (C. thous), with a focus oil the phylogeny of the virus strain and the histopathologic lesions in the animal.

Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. infection in captive crab-eating foxes, Cerdocyon thous (Carnivora, Canidae) from Brazil

The zoonoses toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis are important worldwide and also affect wild animals. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of Leishmania spp. and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in 52 serum samples from captive crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) kept in 17 zoos in São Paulo State, Brazil. Modified agglutination test (MAT, for toxoplasmosis) and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT, for toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis) were employed with heterologous anti-dog immunoglobulin. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 19.2% animals, with an almost perfect concordance (kappa = 0.86; standard error = 9.31%; CI95% = 68.25-104.76%; P < 0.0001) and a strong correlation coefficient (rs = 0.87; P < 0.0001), which allows the use of heterologous anti-dog immunoglobulin to perform IFAT for toxoplasmosis in crab-eating foxes. No sample was positive for Leishmania spp. Toxoplasmosis infection occurs in wild animals from the studied Brazilian zoos, which indicates a probable environmental contamination, highlighting the importance of appropriate zoo management and the action of the parasite as a sentinel to human infection. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of a Parafunctional Oral Habit on Root Fracture Development After Trauma to an Immature Tooth

Root fractures in immature teeth are rare because the resilience of the alveolar bone is more favorable to the occurrence of luxation. This article reports a case of traumatic injury in an immature permanent tooth that progressed to root fracture, having a parafunctional oral habit as the possible modifying factor of case evolution. A 12-year-old boy presented for treatment complaining of a defective restoration and mild pain on the maxillary right central incisor. The patient had a history of crown fracture in this tooth due to trauma 2 years before. The clinical examination showed healthy gingival tissues and no abnormal tooth mobility, whereas radiographic projections revealed healthy periradicular tissues, incomplete root formation, and no visible root fracture. As pulp necrosis was diagnosed, calcium hydroxide therapy was started for canal disinfection and subsequent obturation. However, after 4 weeks of treatment, a horizontal fracture line was observed radiographically in the root's middle third. The patient denied a new traumatic injury, but revealed the habit of chewing on a pencil. Refraining from the deleterious oral habit was strongly advised, and root canal filling with mineral trioxide aggregate was performed to treat the root fracture. After 4 years of follow-up, the tooth has normal function and no abnormal mobility. Images suggestive of remodeling at the apical end of the coronal segment and replacement resorption of the apical segment are seen radiographically. This case demonstrates the need of following cases of dental trauma and the possible influence of parafunctional oral habits as modifying factors of case progression.

Orthodontic treatment of a midline diastema related to mesiodens and thumb-sucking habit

OBJETIVO: A associação de mesiodens com hábito de sucção digital como fatores etiológicos de diastemas medianos é uma situação clínica incomum e, quando presente, provoca um comprometimento estético e funcional. O objetivo desse trabalho é descrever o caso clínico de um paciente, aos 9 anos de idade, com mordida aberta anterior e um diastema mediano de 9 mm. DESCRIÇÃO do CASO: Após o diagnóstico ortodôntico, a conduta terapêutica foi a exodontia do mesiodens e instalação de uma grade palatina fixa para controle do hábito de sucção digital. em seguida, bráquetes ortodônticos foram colados nos incisivos centrais superiores e o diastema foi fechado possibilitando a irrupção espontânea dos incisivos laterais. Quando adequados níveis de trespasse vertical e horizontal entre os incisivos foi alcançado e o hábito removido, o tratamento foi finalizado. CONCLUSÃO: É importante ressaltar que com o objetivo de alcançar resultados estéticos e funcionais satisfatórios, minimizando sequelas ao desenvolvimento da oclusão deve-se realizar o diagnóstico precoce e intervenção imediata dos diastemas medianos patológicos.

Black sea urchins evaluate predation risk using chemical signals from a predator and injured con- and heterospecific prey

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Toxoplasma gondii and Leptospira spp. infection in free-ranging armadillos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Attraction of fruit-eating bats with essential oils of fruits: A potential tool for forest restoration

Previous tests with essential oils from ripe chiropterochoric fruits suggested they can be used to attract and capture fruit-eating bats inside forest remnants. Here we evaluated the efficiency of these oils to attract frugivorous bats to open areas. We performed field tests with artificial fruits impregnated with essential oils of the genera Piper or Ficus that were attached to two groups of mist-nets set 50 m outside the border of a forest remnant. One group of artificial fruits received the corresponding oil isolated through hydrodistillation and the other received water only. Fruits with oils attracted significantly more fruit-eating bats, especially Artibeus lituratus that regularly crosses open habitats to reach other forest remnants. The highly significant attraction of A. lituratus by the oil of Piper was unexpected, since this bat is a specialist on Ficus fruits. We hypothesize that in habitats with no fruit available it is possible to attract frugivorous bats with the odor of several ripe fruit species. Furthermore, we verified that almost half of the individuals captured defecated seeds, indicating that the oils also attract recently fed bats, even when their preferred food is available nearby. This technique potentially may increase seed rain at specific locations, being particularly promising to restoration projects.