A dynamic model of simultaneous price competition with switching and search costs

Esse artigo apresenta um modelo dinâmico de competição em precos que incorpora tanto custos de procura quanto custos de switching e onde que as decisões do consumidor e das firmas são simultâneas. Dadas as hipóteses feitas n ós veremos que este modelo possui equilí brio. As principais propriedades do equil íbrio deste modelo são: Se os custos de procura forem baixos o suficiente, em equilí brio o consumidor vai procurar todas as firmas no mercado enquanto que o aumento dos custos de procura vai reduzir a propor cão de firmas que o consumidor busca. Um resultado contraintuitivo e que os pre cos esperados pagos pelo consumidor normalmente decresce em nossas computa cões numéricas do equil íbrio quando os custos de procura aumentam. Enquanto que aumentar os custos de switching tamb ém vai produzir o resultado contraituitivo que as firmas unmatched vão diminuir suas ofertas de modo a atrair o consumidor.

A autonomia do servidor público no Brasil

A autonomia pessoal do servidor público, em seu agir na Administração Pública, é um dos pressupostos para a eficaz implementação de ações de gestão do conhecimento. Ela também é um anseio do trabalhador, sempre defendido em manifestações das mais diversas associações de classe. Contudo, ela esbarra em restrições políticas, legais, administrativas e culturais. Este trabalho, debruçado sobre fontes secundárias e teóricas, identificou a natureza da autonomia pessoal, suas modalidades, suas fontes, suas restrições, bem como sua possibilidade de desenvolvimento. O trabalho, de natureza teórica, foi desenvolvido por meio de interpretação transdisciplinar das fontes, em sua maior parte oriundas da literatura sociológica, administrativa, do direito e da filosofia. O conceito de autonomia é trabalhado inicialmente, seguido por sua primeira subdivisão em duas dimensões. Em seguida, a disciplina que a doutrina de Direito Administrativo brasileiro impõe à autonomia do servidor público é explorada e problematizada. Em seguida, é abordada a questão sob a visão sociológica, a partir do modelo burocrático ideal de Max Weber e das constatações de Michel Crozier. A relação entre a autonomia e as burocracias profissionais também é passada em revista. Por fim, a personalidade humana é apresentada como a fonte da autonomia, bem como sua justificação diante de doutrinas que a negam e atacam. Foram identificadas três dimensões da autonomia: substantiva, técnica e objetiva; bem como propostos caminhos para que, nas organizações públicas, essas dimensões possam florescer, dentro dos legítimos limitantes políticos, legais e administrativos identificados.

The macroeconomics of price adjustments under information frictions and menu costs

Esta tese se dedica ao estudo de modelos de fixação de preços e suas implicações macroeconômicas. Nos primeiros dois capítulos analiso modelos em que as decisões das firmas sobre seus preços praticados levam em conta custos de menu e de informação. No Capítulo 1 eu estimo tais modelos empregando estatísticas de variações de preços dos Estados Unidos, e concluo que: os custos de informação são significativamente maiores que os custos de menu; os dados claramente favorecem o modelo em que informações sobre condições agregadas são custosas enquanto que as idiossincráticas têm custo zero. No Capítulo 2 investigo as consequências de choques monetários e anúncios de desinflação usando os modelos previamente estimados. Mostro que o grau de não-neutralidade monetária é maior no modelo em que parte da informação é grátis. O Capítulo 3 é um artigo em conjunto com Carlos Carvalho (PUC-Rio) e Antonella Tutino (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas). No artigo examinamos um modelo de fixação de preços em que firmas estão sujeitas a uma restrição de fluxo de informação do tipo Shannon. Calibramos o modelo e estudamos funções impulso-resposta a choques idiossincráticos e agregados. Mostramos que as firmas vão preferir processar informações agregadas e idiossincráticas conjuntamente ao invés de investigá-las separadamente. Este tipo de processamento gera ajustes de preços mais frequentes, diminuindo a persistência de efeitos reais causados por choques monetários.

Debt maturity determinants in Brazil: evidence from private and public corporate borrowings

This study provides an empirical investigation of the determinants of long-term debt maturity in Brazil. We built a unique database that includes privately placed debt and public debt for 308 publicly traded, non-financial Brazilian companies, from 2009 to 2013. We perform GMM panel analyses using as dependent variables the amount of long-term debt payable in more than one, three, and five years for total debt, BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank) debt and corporate bonds. The results show that the BNDES finances less risky firms, i.e., those that are larger, older, more tangible and more transparent. We also find support for information asymmetry theories, as companies with higher transparency levels have similar leverage levels relative to others but higher proportions of long-term debt in their capital structures. Regarding debt levels, we find that more levered companies are larger, less profitable, more tangible and have fewer growth opportunities. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to address the determinants of long-term debt maturity in Brazil that uses various specifications of long-term debt and that examines different types of debt.

Relações de cooperação em consórcios públicos de regiões metropolitanas: análises do CONDIAM/PB e consórcio grande Recife

With the disorganized decentralization occurred in Brazil after the 1988 Constitution, municipalities have risen to the level of federal entities. This phenomenon became known as "municipalism" also brought some negative effects such as low capacity financial, economic and political of these entities. In the face of this reality , the municipalities sought in models of collaborative features to address public policy issues ultrarregionais, one of these models are the Public Consortia. Characterized as the organization of all federal entities that aim to solve public policy implementation alone that they could not, or spend great resources for such. This reality of the municipalities have an aggravating factor when looking at the situation in Metropolitan Regions (MRs). This is because the RMs has a historical process of formation that does not encourage cooperation, since that were created top-down during the military regime. Furthermore, the metropolitan municipalities have significant power asymmetries, localist vision, rigidity earmarked revenues, different scenarios conurbation, difficulty standardization of concepts and others that contribute to the vision of low cooperation of these metropolitan areas. Thus, the problem of this work is in the presence of collaborative arrangements, such as the Public Consortia in metropolitan areas, which are seen as areas of low cooperation. To elucidate this research was used for analysis the cases of CONDIAM/PB and Consórcio Grande Recife/PE, because they are apparently antagonistic, but with some points of similarity. The cases has as foundation the Theory of Common Resources, which provides the possibility of collective action through the initiative of individuals. This theory has as its methodology for analyzing the picture IAD Framework, which proposes its analysis based on three axes: external variables, the arena of action and results. The nature of the method of this research was classified as exploratory and descriptive. For the stage of date analysis, was used the method of document analysis and content, Further than of separation of the cases according to theur especificities. At the end of the study, noted that the CONDIAM/PB was a strategy of municipal government of Joao Pessoa to attract funds from the Federal Government for the purpose of to build a landfill, and over the years the ideology of cooperation was left aside, the prevailing view localist municipalities. In the case of Consórcio Grande Recife/PE, members act with some degree of cooperation, especially the collaborative aspect of the region, however, still prevails with greater strength the power of the state of Pernambuco in the decisions and paths of the consortium. Thus, was conclude that the Public Consortia analyzed are an experience of collaborative arrangement, from the initiative of members, as the theory of common resources says, but has not actually signed as a practice of collective action to overcome the dilemmas faced by metropolitan areas

Formulação de bloco intertravado cerâmico com adição de resíduos urbanos e industriais

The production of waste from urban and industrial activities is one of the factors of environmental contamination and has aroused attention of the scientific community, in the sense of its reuse. On the other hand, the city of Salvador/Ba, with approximately 262 channels, responsible for storm water runoff, produces every year, by the intervention of cleaning and clearing channels, a significant volume of sediments (dredged mud), and thus an appropriate methodology for their final destination. This study aims to assess the influence of incorporation of these tailings in arrays of clay for production of interlocked block ceramic, also known as ceramic paver. All the raw materials from the metropolitan region of Salvador (RMS) were characterized by x-ray fluorescence, x-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TG and TDA), particle size analysis and dilatometry. With the use of statistical experimental planning technique, ternary diagram was defined in the study region and the analyzed formulations. The specimens were prepared with dimensions of 60x20x5mm³, by uniaxial pressing of 30 MPa and after sintering at temperatures of 900°, 1000º and 1100ºC the technological properties were evaluated: linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specifies mass, flexural rupture and module. For the uniaxial compression strength used cylindrical probe body with Ø 50 mm. The standard mass (MP) was prepared with 90% by weight of clay and 10% by weight of Channel sediment (SCP), not being verified significant variations in the properties of the final product. With the incorporation of 10% by weight of manganese residue (PFM) and 10% by weight of the Ceramic waste (RCB) in the mass default, in addition to adjusting the plasticity due to less waste clay content, provided increased linear firing shrinkage, due the significant concentration of K2O, forming liquid phase at low temperature, contributing to decreased porosity and mechanical resistance, being 92,5 MPa maximum compressive strength verified. After extract test leachate and soluble, the piece containing 10% of the PFM, was classified as non-hazardous and inert material according to NBR10004/04 ABNT. The results showed the feasibility on using waste, SCP, RCB and PFM clay mass, at temperatures above 900ºC, paver ceramic production, according to the specifications of the technical standards, so that to exceed the 10% of the PFM, it becomes imperative to conduct studies of environmental impacts

A influência do sorriso gengival no vedamentos labial

Ideally the smile should expose minimal gingival, therefore patients with gummy smile and passive eruption altered or excessive marginal gingivae, usually excessive gingival display because incomplete anatomical crown exposure is present. If the maxillary incisor show at rest is optimal, active upper incisor intrusion should not be iniciated. To achieve a smile with minimal gingival exposure, the anatomic crown should be fully exposed by surgical crown lengthening. Precise determination of the location of cementoenamel junction prior to surgery, precise placement of incisions and correct establish of biological width are necessary in order to achive this goal. One protocol is decribed and clinical results from 15 brazilian subjects, after three years post surgery are showed

Mercado de trabalho e estrutura sócio-ocupacional: estudo comparativo entre as regiões metropolitanas de Fortaleza, Recife e Salvador 2001-2008

The economic transformations in the world, the end of World War II, listing significant changes in production structures and labor market in the world. Initially developed countries realize these changes and subsequently developing countries. The changes in production patterns, especially with the crisis of Fordism, peripheral countries further accentuated the problems in the workplace. Flexible accumulation, in turn, was responsible for significant changes in the labor market at the periphery of global capitalism. This restructuring process, in Brazil, begun from the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, being more accentuated the impacts on the labor market in the poorest regions of the country, particularly the Northeast. In that sense, this thesis aims to evaluate the job market in the metropolitan areas of Fortaleza, Recife and Salvador in light of the transformation process in the production structures and labor market and its influences in the 2000s. The time frame are the years 2001-2008. Data are from the National Household Sample Survey - PNAD and were drawn from the study proposal developed by the Centre of the Metropolis. The study shows that the labor market of the three metropolitan areas continues to be affected by the restructuring process of the late twentieth century. It found high rates of unprotected busy at work is more precarious conditions of employment for non-whites, women, adolescents / young and old. We also highlight the high percentage of employed persons earning income up 1.00 minimum wage, and a large number of persons employed in the tertiary and tertiary non-specialist. With the picture observed in the three metropolitan areas you can see the major problems in the labor market that proliferate, especially in the metropolitan context of the Northeast, with characteristics similar to those observed in the literature that investigated the labor market in 1990

Efeitos agudos da aplicação do laser de baixa potência sobre o desempenho neuromuscular do sóleo em sujeitos saudáveis

A laserterapia de baixa potência (LBP) tem demonstrado recentemente ser capaz de aumentar a resistência à fadiga, bem como potencializar o desempenho neuromuscular através de seus efeitos metabólicos e fotoquímicos. Estudos anteriores mostraram que o LBP reduziu o estresse oxidativo do exercício, promovendo um retardo da fadiga muscular e minimizando seus efeitos deletérios. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar se a aplicação do LBP antes de um protocolo de fadiga teria efeito sobre o desempenho neuromuscular nas variáveis eletromiográficas e dinamométricas do músculo sóleo em sujeitos saudáveis. Esta pesquisa caracterizou-se como um estudo experimental do tipo ensaio clínico controlado, randomizado e cego, no qual participaram 60 voluntários de ambos os sexos, com faixa etária entre 18 e 28 anos e fisicamente ativos, segundo o questionário internacional para a prática de atividade física (IPAQ). Os sujeitos foram alocados randomicamente em três grupos: Controle (G1), Placebo (G2) e Laser (G3) e todos os voluntários foram submetidos a uma avaliação inicial (AV-1), um Protocolo de Fadiga e uma avaliação final (AV-2), compostas por contrações isocinéticas para flexão plantar a uma velocidade de 90°/s. Os resultados encontrados nesse estudo mostraram que não houve diferença estatística entre os três grupos da pesquisa nas variáveis eletromiográficas de RMS e Frequência Mediana, contudo, em relação à dinamometria, o grupo que recebeu a aplicação do Laser obteve um índice de fadiga significativamente menor (p=0,04) quando comparado aos grupos Controle e Placebo. Além disso, a aplicação do laser pré-exercício também resultou em um aumento nas variáveis de desempenho potência e trabalho. Com isso, pode-se concluir que o LBP foi capaz de melhorar o desempenho do sóleo em sujeitos saudáveis, justificado pelo aumento da resistência à fadiga

Growth curve in Santa Ines sheep

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desenvolvimento de perfis aerodinâmicos a partir de suas características utilizando redes neurais artificiais

One of the current major concerns in engineering is the development of aircrafts that have low power consumption and high performance. So, airfoils that have a high value of Lift Coefficient and a low value for the Drag Coefficient, generating a High-Efficiency airfoil are studied and designed. When the value of the Efficiency increases, the aircraft s fuel consumption decreases, thus improving its performance. Therefore, this work aims to develop a tool for designing of airfoils from desired characteristics, as Lift and Drag coefficients and the maximum Efficiency, using an algorithm based on an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). For this, it was initially collected an aerodynamic characteristics database, with a total of 300 airfoils, from the software XFoil. Then, through the software MATLAB, several network architectures were trained, between modular and hierarchical, using the Back-propagation algorithm and the Momentum rule. For data analysis, was used the technique of cross- validation, evaluating the network that has the lowest value of Root Mean Square (RMS). In this case, the best result was obtained for a hierarchical architecture with two modules and one layer of hidden neurons. The airfoils developed for that network, in the regions of lower RMS, were compared with the same airfoils imported into the software XFoil

Use of Saponins as an Effective Surface Modifier in Cellulose Nanocomposites

The present paper deals with the extraction of saponins from the pericarp of Sapindus mukorossi to use as compatibilizer in nanocomposites. The nanofibrils extracted from banana fibres are utilized as reinforcement of nanocomposite. These nanofibers were treated with Saponin, GPS (3-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane) and APS (3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane) to compare the effectiveness of surface treatment. The effectiveness of surface modification was reflected on the increase in mechanical (tensile test, flexural modulus, impact test) properties and decrease in the RMS (Roughness Measurement System) roughness investigation by SFM (Scanning force microscopy) analysis.

Intercomparison of integrated water vapor estimates from multisensors in the amazonian region

Water vapor is an atmospheric component of major interest in atmospheric science because it affects the energy budget and plays a key role in several atmospheric processes. The Amazonian region is one of the most humid on the planet, and land use change is able to affect the hydrologic cycle in several areas and consequently to generate severe modifications in the global climate. Within this context, accessing the error associated with atmospheric humidity measurement and the validation of the integrated water vapor (IWV) quantification from different techniques is very important in this region. Using data collected during the Radiation, Cloud, and Climate Interactions in Amazonia during the Dry-to-Wet Transition Season (RACCI/DRY-TO-WET), an experiment carried out in southwestern Amazonia in 2002, this paper presents quality analysis of IWV measurements from RS80 radiosondes, a suite of GPS receivers, an Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) solar radiometer, and humidity sounding from the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB) aboard the Aqua satellite. When compared to RS80 IWV values, the root-mean-square (RMS) from the AERONET and GPS results are of the order of 2.7 and 3.8 kg m(-2), respectively. The difference generated between IWV from the GPS receiver and RS80 during the daytime was larger than that of the nighttime period because of the combination of the influence of high ionospheric activity during the RACCI experiment and a daytime drier bias from the RS80.

Analysis of relative humidity sensors at the WMO Radiosonde intercomparison experiment in Brazil

The quality of the vertical distribution measurements of humidity in the atmosphere is very important in meteorology due to the crucial role that water vapor plays in the earth's energy budget. The radiosonde is the humidity measurement device that provides the best vertical resolution. Also, radiosondes are the operational devices that are used to measure the vertical profile of atmospheric water vapor. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has carried out several intercomparison experiments at different climatic zones in order to identify the differences between the available commercial sensors. This article presents the results of an experiment that was carried out in Brazil in 2001 in which major commercial radiosonde manufacturers [e.g., Graw Radiosondes GmbH & Co., KG (Germany); MODEM (France); InterMet Systems (United States); Sippican, Inc. (United States); and Vaisala (Finland)] were involved. One of the main goals of this experiment was to evaluate the performance of the different humidity sensors in a tropical region. This evaluation was performed for different atmospheric layers and distinct periods of the day. It also considers the computation of the integrated water vapor (IWV). The results showed that the humidity measurements achieved by the different sensors were quite similar in the low troposphere (the bias median value regarding the RS80 was around 1.8%) and were quite dispersed in the superior layers (the median rms regarding the RS80 was around 14.9%).

Modelagem de distorções entre sad 69 e sirgas 2000 pelo método de shepard e grades regulares

Brazil follows the tendency of some countries to update and/or review their fundamental geodetic network. The adoption of geocentric referentials like SIRGAS 2000, the new official reference system of the Geodetic Brazilian System has been an advance. Changes in referential implies in coordinates changes on the network stations as well as the network geometry. To make use of analogical and digital products which are already known in the old referentials are necessary approaches to the coordinate conversion, which minimize the distortions between the used reference frames. This paper presents a distortion modeling approach between reference frames, based on distortion grid generation by using the Shepard's method. To analyze the approach some experiments were performed with the generation of a 1 degrees x1 degrees distortion grid to model the distortions between SAD 69 (1996) and SIRGAS (2000) frames. The results in the test stations were promising, with an average reduction of 50% in the RMS coordinates after the distortions modeling.