Export platform FDI and firm heterogeneity

This paper investigates theoretically and empirically firms' productivity ranking among traditional horizontal foreign direct investment (HFDI), pure platform FDI (PFDI), and complex platform FDI (CFDI). Using data on Japanese outward FDI, we define firms conducting HFDI or PFDI as those Japanese firms that maintain production affiliates only in the U.S. or Mexico, respectively. The firms for CFDI are defined as having production affiliates in both the U.S. and Mexico. The theoretical illustration shows that the CFDI firms should have the highest productivity when trade costs between the U.S. and Mexico are low. By carefully disentangling firms' self-selection effects from learning-by-investing effects, we find some evidence consistent with this hypothesis for a period of relatively low trade costs. Our results indicate the importance of trade costs in developing countries with neighboring markets in attracting foreign investment by highly productive multinational firms.

Biologia alimentar e morfohistologia do tubo digestório do mussum, synbranchus marmoratus, bloch (osteichthyes: synbranchidae) no açude Marechal Dutra Gargalheiras , localizado no semi-árido brasileiro

Food habits and morpho-histology of the digestive tract of marbled swamp eel, Synbranchus marmoratus (Block, 1917) were investigated. The fish samples were captured during August, 2007 to July, 2008 in the Marechal Dutra reservoir, Acari, Rio Grande do Norte. The rain fall data was obtained from EMPARN. The fish captured, were measured, weighed, dissected, eviscerated and individual stomach weights were registered. The stomach contents analyses were carried out based on volumetric method, points, frequency of occurrence and applying the Index of Relative Importance. The degrees of repletion of the stomachs were determined besides the Index of Repletion relating to feeding activity variations and frequency of ingestion during the rainy and dry seasons. The rainfall varied from 0 mm a 335 mm with a mean value of 71.62 mm. Highest rainfall of 335.5 mm was registered in March, 2008 and August to December was the dry period. During the dry period the study species presented high degrees of repletion of the stomachs, with a peak value in the month of September (mean = 4.54; ± SD = 0.56). The minimum mean value of = 3.99 ± SD = 0.25 was registered in the month of May during the rainy period. The stomach contents of S. marmoratus registered show that this fish prefers animals, 78.22% of crustaceans 2.85% of mollusks, 3.25% of fish, 1.4% of insects and 13.5% of semi-digested organic matter, thus characterizing the study species as a carnivore with a preference for crustaceans. The morpho-histological aspects of the digestive tract of S. marmoratus indicate that the mouth is terminal adapted to open widely, thin lips with taste buds, small villiform teeth forming a single series on maxillas, four pairs of branchial arches with short and widely spaced branchial rays. The oesophagus is short and cylindrical with a small diameter. The oesophagus wall is thick with mucas surface and internal parallel folds. The stomach is retilinical in form, presenting cardiac, caecal and pyloric portions. The caecal portion is long and is intermediary in position between the cardiac and pyloric portions. The cardiac portion of the stomach is short and cylindrical formed of simple epithelial cylindrical mucus cells. The caecal portion is long with narrow walls, a big cavity and smaller folds which give rise to gastric glands. The phyloric portion has no glands and primary or secondary mucas folds. The morphohistological aspects of the digestive tract of S. marmoratus indicate its adaptation to a carnivorous feeding habit

Additive Intraocular Pressure Reduction Effect of Fixed Combination of Maleate Timolol 0.5%/Dorzolamide 2% (Cosopt) on Monotherapy With Latanoprost (Xalatan) in Patients With Elevated Intraocular Pressure A Prospective, 4-week, Open-label, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Purpose: To evaluate the additive effect of dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination in patients under monotherapy with latanoprost. Patients and Methods: In this prospective, 4-week, randomized, open-label controlled clinical trial, patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, which presented at least 15% intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction after a minimum period of 15 days of monotherapy with latanoprost and whose IOP level was considered above the established target-IOP level were randomized to receive fixed combination of timolol/dorzolamide twice daily in one of eyes. The fellow eye was kept under monotherapy and was included in the control group. A modified diurnal tension curve (mDTC) followed by the water drinking test were performed in the baseline and week 4 visits to evaluate IOP profile between groups. Results: Forty-nine per-protocol patients were analyzed. After latanoprost monotherapy run-in period, IOP levels were significantly reduced (P<0.001) in both control and study groups to 15.34 +/- 2.96 mm Hg and 15.24 +/- 2.84 mm Hg (30.8% and 32.2% IOP reduction, respectively; P=0.552). At week 4, mean baseline diurnal IOP levels were 15.60 +/- 3.09 and 14.44 +/- 3.03 (7.4% difference; P=0.01). Mean baseline IOP modified diurnal tension curve peak after latanoprost run-in period were 17.47 +/- 3.68 mm Hg and 17.02 +/- 3.35 mm Hg (control and study eyes, respectively; P=0.530). At week 4 visit, mean water-drinking test peaks were significantly reduced in the study eye group in comparison with the control group: 19.02 +/- 3.81 mm Hg and 20.39 +/- 4.19 mm Hg, respectively (6.7% reduction; P=0.039). Conclusions: In our sample, dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% fixed combination as add-on therapy in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension under monotherapy with latanoprost with IOP already in mid-teens levels may further enhance pressure reduction.

Achados de necropsia relacionados com a morte de 335 eqüinos: 1968-2007

Os protocolos de necropsia de 335 eqüinos necropsiados no LPV-UFSM entre 1968-2007 foram revisados com o objetivo de determinar os achados de necropsia relacionados com a causa da morte ou razão de eutanásia. A distribuição desses achados de acordo com os sistemas afetados foi a seguinte: digestivo (79/335 [23,6%]), músculo-esquelético (47/335 ([14,0%]), nervoso (37/335 [11,0%]), respiratório (35/335 [10,4%]), tegumentar (31/335 [9,3%]), hematopoético (24/335 [7,2%]), cardiovascular (13/335 [3,9%]), reprodutor (12/335 [3,5%]), urinário (7/335 [2,1%]) e endócrino (3/335 [0,9%]). Não foi possível determinar a causa da morte em 47 (14,0%) eqüinos necropsiados. As principais afecções do sistema digestivo foram as alterações na posição dos intestinos (17/79 [21,5%]), seguidas pelas obstruções e impactações (14/79 [17,7%]). As torções foram as principais alterações da posição dos intestinos (14/17 [82,4%]). Dentre as torções, as mais prevalentes foram as localizadas no intestino delgado (7/14 [50%]). A maioria dos eqüinos que morreram em razão de fratura óssea tinham idades entre 1-5 anos. As duas doenças mais freqüentemente diagnosticadas no sistema nervoso foram leucoencefalomalacia e tripanossomíase. Depressão respiratória causada por anestesia foi a principal causa de morte relacionada com o sistema respiratório. A anemia infecciosa eqüina foi a doença infecciosa mais diagnosticada e a principal razão para eutanásia observada neste estudo.

Atividade de três drogas antivirais sobre os herpesvírus bovino tipos 1, 2 e 5 em cultivo celular

A atividade de três fármacos antivirais (Aciclovir [ACV], Ganciclovir [GCV] e Foscarnet [PFA]) foi testada in vitro frente aos herpesvírus bovino tipos 1 (BoHV-1), 2 (BoHV-2) e 5 (BoHV-5). Para isso, utilizou-se o teste de reducao de placas virais em cultivo celular, testando-se diferentes concentracoes dos farmacos frente a 100 doses infectantes para 50% dos cultivos celulares (DICC50) dos respectivos virus. Pelo teste de MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), verificou-se que concentracoes inferiores a 200ƒÊg/mL dos tres antivirais resultaram em indices de viabilidade de celulas MDBK e Hep2 superiores a 80%. Com base na concentracao citotoxica para 50% das celulas (CC50) e na concentracao dos farmacos efetiva para inibir em 50% o numero de placas virais (EC50), calculou-se o indice de seletividade (IS) dos antivirais para os tres herpesvirus. Assim, o ACV demonstrou ser moderadamente ativo frente ao BoHV-1 (EC50: 112,9ƒÊg/mL e IS: 4,5), ao BoHV-2 (EC50: 114,2 ƒÊg/mL e IS: 4,5) e BoHV-5 (EC50: 96,9ƒÊg/mL e IS: 5,3). O GCV apresentou atividade moderada frente ao BoHV-2 (EC50: 33,5ƒÊg/mL e IS: 16,6) e, em menor grau, contra o BoHV-5 (EC50: 123,2ƒÊg/mL e IS: 4,5), sendo ineficaz frente ao BoHV-1 (EC50: 335,8ƒÊg/mL e IS: 1,7). O PFA apresentou atividade antiviral mais pronunciada, sendo o unico farmaco que, na concentracao de 100ƒÊg/mL, inibiu completamente a producao de placas pelos tres virus testados. O PFA foi o mais efetivo in vitro frente ao BoHV-1 (EC50: 29,5ƒÊg/mL e IS: 42,2), ao BoHV-2 (EC50: 45,2ƒÊg/mL e IS: 27,6) e ao BoHV-5 (EC50: 7,8ƒÊg/mL e IS: 160,6). Portanto, os resultados obtidos indicam que o PFA pode se constituir em um candidato para terapia experimental de infeccoes pelos herpesvirus de bovinos in vivo.

Determinantes sociales de la enfermedad diarreica aguda en niños menores de 5 años en países en desarrollo

Antecedentes: Cada año hay 2,5 billones de casos de diarrea en menores de 5 años y 1,3 millones de estos niños mueren; lo que constituye a la EDA como segunda causa de muerte en este grupo de edad Metodología: Análisis transversal transnacional multinivel de la Encuesta DHS y el Banco Mundial en 348.706 niños de 40 países Resultados: Prevalencia de EDA 14%. Inequidad (OR=1.335; IC 95% 1.117-1.663) y bajos ingresos en las naciones (OR=1.488; IC 95% 1.024-2.163) presentaron asociación con EDA. Vivir en un país pobre aumenta la asociación entre el índice de riqueza del hogar y EDA (OR=1.0961; IC 95% 1.003-1.207) y la asociación entre no educación de la madre y EDA (OR=1.310; IC 95% 1.035-1.601). Otros factores asociados con EDA fueron sexo femenino, (OR=0.922; IC 95% 1.900-0.944), edad de niño (OR=0.978; IC 95% 0.978-0.979), vacunación (OR=0.821; IC 95% 0.799-0.843), peso normal al nacer (OR=0.879; IC 95% 0.834-0.926), edad de la madre (OR=0.987; IC 95% 0.985-0.989), no educación de la madre (OR=1.416; IC 95% 1.283-1.564), madre trabajadora (OR=1.136; IC 95% 1.106-1.167), embarazo deseado (OR=0.774; IC 95% 0.753-0.795), familia nuclear (OR=0.949; IC 95% 0.923-0.975) e índice de riqueza del hogar (OR=0.948; IC 95% 0.921-0.977) Conclusiones: La desigualdad y los bajos ingresos de los países desarrollados se asocian con EDA, independientemente de las características del niño, la mamá o el hogar. El gasto en salud no presenta asociaciones con EDA. Esto se debe considerar en las campañas de salud pública orientadas al manejo de la EDA.

Módulo Activo Recreo Activo -MARA: una estrategia para incrementar la actividad física en niños y niñas de 5º grado en Bogotá.

Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de MARA (Modulo Activo Recreo Activo), sobre el tiempo de actividad física moderada vigorosa (AFMV) y de comportamiento sedentario de niños y niñas de 5º grado en 2 instituciones educativas oficiales de la ciudad de Bogotá. Materiales y métodos: Los participantes fueron 128 niños entre 10 y 12 años de edad, de 5to grado que asisten a dos colegios públicos en la localidad de San Cristóbal en Bogotá. La actividad física de los niños fue medida con acelerómetro GT3X+, durante 7 días entre julio y octubre de 2013. Uno de los colegios fue seleccionado aleatoriamente para ser intervenido por Muévete Escolar y su Módulo Activo Recreo Activo (MARA), (CIM) y otro colegio fue el grupo control (CC). El tiempo gastado en actividad física durante el día y en el momento de recreo fue medido antes y en la semana 10 después de la intervención: sedentario ( SED), actividad física leve ( AFL), actividad física moderada(AFM), actividad física vigorosa(AFV) y actividad física moderada a vigorosa (AFMV). Resultados: Posterior al análisis estadístico a través de modelos mixtos multinivel para ajustar por el efecto de conglomerado, se observó diferencia significativa entre CIM y CC (p < 0.0049) representado por incremento en los minutos de AFMV en CIM. Después de la intervención, los CMI disminuyeron los minutos de comportamiento sedentario (p= 0.0029), comparativamente con los CC. Conclusiones: El presente estudio contribuye a investigar sobre los efectos a corto plazo de modificar el momento del recreo, mediante la implementación de actividades guiadas, supervisadas y con el uso de materiales y equipos de juego. Los resultados del estudio sugieren que los efectos de la intervención con MARA fueron significativos especialmente en promover la práctica de AF diaria logrando incrementar los minutos de AFMV diaria, y así mismo disminuyendo comportamiento sedentario en el día. .

Two-dimensional QSAR studies on arylpiperazines as high-affinity 5-HT(1A) receptor ligands

5-HT(1A) receptor plays an important role in the delayed onset of antidepressant action of a class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Moreover, 5-HT(1A) receptor levels have been shown to be altered in patients suffering from major depression. In this work, hologram quantitative structure-activity relationship (HQSAR) studies were performed on a series of arylpiperazine compounds presenting affinity to the 5-HT(1A) receptor. The models were constructed with a training set of 70 compounds. The most significant HQSAR model (q(2) = 0.81, r(2) = 0.96) was generated using atoms, bonds, connections, chirality, and donor and acceptor as fragment distinction, with fragment size of 6-9. Predictions for an external test set containing 20 compounds are in good agreement with experimental results showing the robustness of the model. Additionally, useful information can be obtained from the 2D contribution maps.

Detection of bovine Herpesvirus type 5 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded bovine brain by PCR: a useful adjunct to conventional tissue-based diagnostic test of bovine encephalitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of PCR technique for the detection of BoHV-5 in routinely formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain tissues in 20 naturally infected calves affected by fatal meningoencephalitis. Brains were divided into two halves, one kept fresh for virus isolation and PCR assay, targeting the glycoprotein C gene from BoHV-5 genome. The other half brain, corresponding to posterior cortex region, was submitted to formalin fixation and embedded into paraffin blocks for microscopic evaluation and total DNA isolation. Most of the slides showed severe multifocal non-supurative encephalitis with neuronal degeneration, neurophagia, and no acidophilic intranuclear inclusions could be found in neurons and glial. The 20 fresh samples were confirmed, by virus isolation and PCR assay, as having the BoHV-5 virus and, respective glicoprotein C sequence, while 15 of 20 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples were considered positive for the same analysis. The results revealed the first description of PCR efficiency, applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain collected from naturally infected calves, improving the detection of BoHV-5 from archival samples in South America. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modelo de propagação para redes sem fio fixas na banda de 5,8 GHZ em cidades típicas da região amazônica

O estudo da perda de propagação, nas cidades da região amazônica, envolve ambiente caracterizado pelo clima tropical e, suburbano densamente arborizado. Levando consideração à importância da faixa ISM 5,8 GHz, esta dissertação apresenta um modelo propagação para a faixa de frequência em questão, agregando as características da atenuação experimentada pela onda de rádio quando se propaga em ambientes de cidades típicas região amazônica. Para tanto, medidas de potência recebida foram coletadas em 335 clientes fixos, distribuídos em 12 cidades na região norte do Brasil, sendo estes atendidos pelo programa de inclusão digital do estado do Pará, Navega Pará. Também foram realizadas medidas com mobilidade no campus da Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA). Apresenta ainda o desempenho do modelo proposto sobre outros modelos (Modelo SUI e COST231-Hata) descritos na literatura, para redes sem fio fixas e com mobilidade. As métricas desempenho utilizadas foram o erro RMS e o desvio padrão com relação aos dados medidos. O ajuste dos parâmetros do modelo proposto é realizado através do método de mínimos quadrados lineares, aplicado em duas etapas para diminuir a incerteza sobre os parâmetros ajustados. O modelo proposto alcançou um erro RMS de 3,8 dB e desvio padrão de 2,3 dB, superando os demais modelos que obtiveram erros RMS acima de 10 dB e desvios padrão acima de 5 dB. Os resultados obtidos mostram a sua eficiência sobre outros modelos para predição de perdas na faixa de 5,8 GHz em sistemas fixos e móveis.

IL-5 and IL-17A are critical for the chronic IgE response and differentiation of long-lived antibody-secreting cells in inflamed tissues

Prolonged survival of long-lived antibody-secreting cells in the BM has been implicated as a key component of long-term humoral immunity. The current study was designed to uncover the extrinsic signals required for the generation and maintenance of ASC in several niches (peritoneum, spleen and bone-marrow). Our results show that protein mixture of the Thalassophryne nattereri venom induced a chronic Th2 humoral response that is characterized by splenic hyperplasia with GC formation and venom retention by follicular DCs. Retention of B1a in the BM were observed. In the late phase (120 d) of chronic venom-response the largest pool of ASC into the peritoneal cavity consisted of B220(neg)CD43(high) phenotype; the largest pool of ASC into spleen was constituted by B220 positive cells (B220(high) and B220(low)), whereas the largest pool of ASC into in the BM was constituted by the B220(high)CD43(low) phenotype; and finally, terminally differentiated cells (B220(neg)CD43(high)) were only maintained in the inflamed peritoneal cavity in late phase. After 120 d a sustained production of cytokines (KC, IL-5, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-17A and IL-23) and leukocytes recruitment (eosinophils, mast cells, and neutrophils) were induced. IL-5- and IL-17A-producing CD4+ CD44+ CD40L+ Ly6C+ effector memory T cells were also observed in peritoneal cavity. Finally, treatment of venom-mice with anti-IL-5- and anti-IL17A-neutralizing mAbs abolished the synthesis of specific IgE, without modifying the splenic hyperplasia or GC formation. In addition, IL-5 and IL-17A negatively regulated the expansion of B1a in peritoneal cavity and BM, and promoted the differentiation of these cells in spleen. And more, IL-5 and IL-17A are sufficient for the generation of ASC B220(neg) in the peritoneal cavity and negatively regulate the number of ASC B220(Pos), confirming that the hierarchical process of ASC differentiation triggered by venom needs the signal derived from IL-5 and IL-17A. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kommentierung Art. 335 - 352 ZPO (Vollstreckung)

Der Kurzkommentar zur ZPO erlaubt in handlicher Form einen schnellen Zugriff auf das schweizerische Zivilverfahrensrecht. In knapper und übersichtlicher Darstellung werden die wesentlichen Fragestellungen analysiert und die wichtigsten Argumente und Gegenargumente zu umstrittenen Punkten für die Praxis verfügbar gemacht. Zur Neuauflage Für die 2. Auflage wurde der Kommentar umfassend aktualisiert und überarbei- tet. Die Nutzerinnen und Nutzer erhalten damit ein kompaktes Arbeitsmittel auf dem Stand Frühjahr 2013. Berücksichtigt werden insbesondere: − das neue Erwachsenenschutzrecht − die am 1.5.2013 in Kraft getretenen neuen Protokollierungsvorschriften für die Zeugeneinvernahme − die inzwischen schon zahlreichen Weichenstellungen in der Rechtsprechung zur schweizerischen Zivilprozessordnung − die seit 2011 erschienene praxisrelevante neue Literatur (inkl. Neuauflage des BSK ZPO

Impact of dental caries and trauma on quality of life among 5- to 6-year-old children: perceptions of parents and children.

OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of dental caries and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of 5- to 6-year-olds according to both self- and parental reports. METHODS A total of 335 pairs of parents and children who sought dental screening at the Dental School, University of São Paulo, completed the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5), which consists of a child self-report and a parental proxy-report version. Three calibrated examiners assessed the experience of caries according to primary teeth that were decayed, indicated for extraction due to caries, or filled (def-t). TDI were classified into uncomplicated and complicated injuries. Poisson regression models were used to associate the different clinical and sociodemographic factors to the outcome. RESULTS Overall, 74.6% of children reported an oral impact, and the corresponding estimate for parental reports was 70.5%. The mean (standard deviation) SOHO-5 scores in child self-report and parental versions were 3.32(3.22) and 5.18(6.28), respectively. In both versions, caries was associated with worse children's OHRQoL, for the total score and all SOHO-5 items (P < 0.001). In contrast, TDI did not have a negative impact on children's OHRQoL, with the exception of two items of the parental version and one item of the child self-report version. In the final multivariate adjusted models, there was a gradient in the association between caries experience and child's OHRQoL with worse SOHO-5 score at each consecutive level with more severe caries experience, for both child and parental perceptions [RR (CI 95%) = 6.37 (4.71, 8.62) and 10.81 (7.65, 15.27)], respectively. A greater family income had a positive impact on the children's OHRQoL for child and parental versions [RR (CI 95%) = 0.68 (0.49, 0.94) and 0.70 (0.54, 0.90)], respectively. CONCLUSIONS Dental caries, but not TDI, is associated with worse OHRQoL of 5- to 6-year-old children in terms of perceptions of both children and their parents. Families with higher income report better OHRQoL at this age, independent of the presence of oral diseases.