Valuation and performance of firms in complex ownership structures : an application to Korean chaebols

We propose several new metrics to describe the complex ownership structure of business groups, and provide simple formulas and algorithms to compute these metrics. We use these measures to describe in detail the ownership structure of Korean chaebols in the period of 2003 to 2004. In addition, we validate the usefulness of our new metrics by showing empirically that they are important for understanding the valuation and performance of group firms. In particular, we show evidence that firms that are central to the control structure of the chaebol (central firms), firms in cross-shareholdings, and firms that are placed at the bottom of the group (i.e., with lower ultimate ownership) have lower profitability than other group firms. The valuation results suggest that central firms and firms in cross-shareholding loops have lower valuations than other public Chaebol firms. The lower valuation of these firms is not explained by variation in measures of ownership concentration and separation between ownership and control.

Simvastatin improves the healing of infected skin wounds of rats

This study explores the potential of the simvastatin to ameliorate inflammation and infection in open infected skin wounds of rats. Methods: Fourteen Wistar rats weighing 285±12g were used. The study was done in a group whose open infected skin wounds were treated with topical application of sinvastatina microemulsion (SIM, n=7) and a second group with wounds treated with saline 0.9 % (SAL, n=7). A bacteriological exam of the wounds fluid for gram positive and gram negative bacteria, the tecidual expression of TNFá and IL-1â by imunohistochemical technique, and histological analysis by HE stain were performed. Results: The expression of TNFa could be clearly demonstrated in lower degree in skin wounds treated with simvastatin (668.6 ± 74.7 ìm2) than in saline (2120.0 ± 327.1 ìm2). In comparison, wound tissue from SIM group displayed leukocyte infiltration significantly lower than that observed in SAL group (p<0.05). Culture results of the samples taken from wound fluid on fourth post treatment day revealed wound infection in only one rat of group simvastatin (SIM), where Proteus mirabilis, Escherchia coli and Enterobacter sp were isolated. In the rats whose wounds were treated with saline (SAL), polymicrobial infection with more than 100,000 CFU/g was detected in all the wounds. Conclusion: In addition to its antiinflammatory properties, the protective effects of simvastatin in infected open skin wounds is able to reduce infection and probably has antibacterial action. The potential to treat these wounds with statins to ameliorate inflammation and infection is promising

Estratégias internacionais da fruticultura do RN: o caso finobrasa processo e evolução

The present inquiry has as main objective to understand the process of formation of the international strategies of the exporting companies of fruits of the RN through the theory of the resource dependence. Aiming at to clarify as the companies they can carry through the process of internationalization through this theory had been study the behavior and economic theories of the process of internationalization of companies. Amongst the economic theories they are distinguished the eclectic paradigm of Dunning (1958), Vernon (1669) through the theory of the cycle of the product and Bucley and Casson (1979) with the theory of the international operations. In the mannering boarding they had been investigated the school of Upsala through Johanson and Valnhe (1977) with the concept of the increasing of the markets and in the distance psychic starts and the interaction of the purchaser-salesman of Hallen and Wiedersheim-Paul (1979). In this perspective it observes main the occured changes in the organization in function of this process, following the rules observed by the gradual ingression in the international market, having as base ways of entrances in the external market used by these companies, in view of the frist phase that the company presents of businesses. Ahead of you analyze of these theories the study searches to analyze the convergence of the concepts proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources (PFEFFER; SALANCIK, 1978). and strategies of internationalization of the companies. The research is characterized as qualitative case study which adopts and exploratory and analytical type, retrospective matrix. The adopted strategy is of case study and the unit of analysis consisting of the Finobrasa, pertaining company to the Vicunha Group. The main method of collection of data was halfstructuralized interview allied the documentary research that together had presented an empirical perspective of the internationalization process. The analysis and quarrel of the results understand the description and the interpretation of the one of the information through the technique of analyzes of content. Initially the historical of the exportation of fruits of the Rio Grande do Norte with the focus in the region Açu/Mossoró is presented and after that the information of the Finobrasa are presented as base of the study. The main events are identified that had constituted the phases of the strategical model of the company. It was observed that the dimensions most excellent amongst those proclaimed by the School of Uppsala had been the learning, staffs and the step-starts is sufficiently gifts in the reality of the company, as well as the aspects of strategical alliances since the consolidated relationship of the Vicunha Group create a more solid trajectory in the international market allied the conditions created windows of marked . One understands, therefore, that the investigated process still has base the theoretical theories of the internationalization strategies corroborating for the theoretical convergence of the rules proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources.

Nego veio é um sofrer : uma etnografia da subalternidade e do subalterno numa irmandade do Rosário

The object of this work is a fellowship of São Sebastião e Nossa Senhora do Rosário in the city of Jardim do Seridó (RN), that is, a black catholic fellowship on the sertão potiguar. The devotion to Nossa Senhora do Rosário, in colonial Brazil, organizes itself through black catholic men as fellowships. They blossomed in Brazil until the abolition, getting support from the Catholic church, from owners of slaves and from the population in general − unlike others afro-Brazilian religious expression. Today, these fellowships remain active, against the sentimental pessimism of the folklore studies, and they also have a highlight position in the calendar of many cities in Brazil, and in particular in Seridó. The research s foothold is the apparent valorization of the fellowship by the local elite, attitude that hides asymmetric relationships between the group of negros do Rosário and the local authorities, having as its consequence that the members occupy a subaltern position inside their own fellowship. This subalternity take place, mainly, in the public area, where the negros do Rosário cannot represent themselves neither political nor discursively. To discuss this idea, it s done a brief historical of these catholic institutions as well as a description of the relationship between the negros do Rosário and the elites of the city. Then, the phenomenon is analyzed as folklore and/or religion , under the perspective of many agents that participate in this process. In other moment, it is going to be presented how the group formulates their own representation of the history, of the devotional forms and of their own political-religious experiences. In this sense, an ethnography of the subalternity is understood as an analysis of the process that leads the negros do Rosário to become a subaltern group. It s also outlined the perception that the group has of its own position, through an ethnography essay of the subaltern subject. The research, focused in the group of Rosário, was done between August 2010 and January 2012 and includes other agents (like treasurers, priests and intellectuals). Besides that, as a methodological complement, there are documental research, photography, as well as shoots of the party days and public presentation

Entre ecos e narcisos: estudo de caso sobre a prática teatral com adolescentes como atividade extracurricular numa escola de nível médio

This masters thesis discusses the studying and the teaching of drama and its implications among teenagers of the contemporary world. This paper also analyses an extracurricular project entitled Drama in the development of citizenship , which was carried out in the public state school Berilo Wanderley in Natal/RN, between 1999 and 2005 with high school students. It comprises a case study that aimed at understanding how and why they chose to take drama classes outside of the school curriculum and even after they graduated, some of them never left the school project and even started participating in the cultural and artistic context of the city of Natal quite actively, both as part of an audience as well as on artistic, political, social and pedagogical performance. The project was high significant for its participants, for the school and for the community, by creating a sense of recognition of the relevance of the pedagogical and artistic production in the public school, as it managed to yield knowledge that helped students to understand the values of group work, sharing information, collaborative assessment and, most of all, to engender actions of protagonism by the teenagers themselves within their social environments. The empirical process developed is placed in a contemporary historical context where educational paradigms shifts occur, and where categories of youth empowerment and protagonism are fundamental to the educational process in the 21st century. The objective of this study is to reflect upon the pedagogical dimension of drama classes for teenagers, aiming at providing further discussions on the role of acting classes in the construction of the personality among youngsters, thus hoping to contribute to other teaching practices, including drama and other subjects of general education

Intraocular pressure evaluation of equines anesthetized with romifidine, tiletamine/zolazepam, halothane and vecuronium

O objetivo deste estudo foi o de avaliar uma associação anestésica com e sem a utilização de relaxante muscular não-despolarizante e seu efeito sobre a pressão intra-ocular de eqüinos. Também objetivou-se uma técnica anestésica sem efeitos adversos que possa ser utilizada em procedimentos e cirurgias oftálmicas nesta espécie animal. Para tanto, dezesseis eqüinos foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos de oito animais cada. Os animais do grupo I foram pré-medicados com romifidina, induzidos com tiletamina/zolazepam e a anestesia foi mantida com halotano e vecurônio. Os animais do grupo II receberam a mesma associação anestésica, com exceção do vecurônio. No decorrer do experimento, a pressão intra-ocular, a pressão arterial e a freqüência cardíaca foram avaliadas em diferentes momentos. A associação anestésica composta pela romifidina, tiletamina/ zolazepam e halotano com e sem vecurônio não promoveu alterações estatisticamente significativas na pressão intra-ocular de eqüinos e o seu uso é exeqüível em procedimentos oftálmicos nesta espécie animal.

Histopathological and histomicrobiological study of root canal therapy medication, comparison of calcium hydroxide versus gutta-percha with zinc oxide/eugenol in the teeth of dogs

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

Uma análise histórico-epistemológica do conceito de grupo

This work aims to analyze the historical and epistemological development of the Group concept related to the theory on advanced mathematical thinking proposed by Dreyfus (1991). Thus it presents pedagogical resources that enable learning and teaching of algebraic structures as well as propose greater meaning of this concept in mathematical graduation programs. This study also proposes an answer to the following question: in what way a teaching approach that is centered in the Theory of Numbers and Theory of Equations is a model for the teaching of the concept of Group? To answer this question a historical reconstruction of the development of this concept is done on relating Lagrange to Cayley. This is done considering Foucault s (2007) knowledge archeology proposal theoretically reinforced by Dreyfus (1991). An exploratory research was performed in Mathematic graduation courses in Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA) and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). The research aimed to evaluate the formation of concept images of the students in two algebra courses based on a traditional teaching model. Another experience was realized in algebra at UFPA and it involved historical components (MENDES, 2001a; 2001b; 2006b), the development of multiple representations (DREYFUS, 1991) as well as the formation of concept images (VINNER, 1991). The efficiency of this approach related to the extent of learning was evaluated, aiming to acknowledge the conceptual image established in student s minds. At the end, a classification based on Dreyfus (1991) was done relating the historical periods of the historical and epistemological development of group concepts in the process of representation, generalization, synthesis, and abstraction, proposed here for the teaching of algebra in Mathematics graduation course

Stretch Injuries of Skeletal Muscles: Experimental Study in Rats' Soleus Muscle

The study aimed to verify the physiological injury behavior by stretching the soleus muscle of rats, using a noninvasive experimental model. Twenty-four rats were used and divided into three groups of eight animals: control group (A), group that performed tetanus followed by electrical stimulation and a sudden dorsiflexion of the left paw performed by a device equipped with a mechanism of muscle soleus rapid stretching (B); and a group that only received the tetanus (C). Three days later, the animals were killed, and the soleus muscle was resected and divided into three segments. Morphological changes indicative of muscle damage appeared in all three segments of group B. In a lesser degree, similar changes were also detected in muscles subjected to only tetanus. This model was effective; reproducing an injury similar to what occurs in human sports injuries.

Effect of a novel soy fermented product enriched with isoflavones and calcium on bone tissue of rats.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of soy fermented product intake on the corporal weight and bone tissue of ovariectomized mature rats. This product was fermented with Enterococcusfaecium and Lactobacillus jugurti and enriched with isoflavones and calcium. The animals were divided in 5 groups: sham-ovariectomized; ovariectomized; ovariectomized treated with soy fermented product enriched with isoflavones and calcium; ovariectomized treated with soy fermented product enriched with calcium and ovariectomized treated with nonfermented product enriched only with calcium. In order to evaluate the effect of the tested product on bone tissue (femur and tibia), the following parameters were analyzed: length; mechanical assay of three points; density (Archimedes principle); mineral content; calcium content; measure of the trabecular widths. The corporal weight of group treated with soy fermented product containing isoflavones and calcium showed no statistical difference from sham-ovariectomized group and trabecular widths tended to have larger than ovariectomized group. However, there was no significant difference to the other evaluated parameters in result of the diverse treatments. Thus, soy fermented product enriched with isoflavones and calcium inhibited the increasing of corporal weight caused by ovariectomy and revealed a tendency to trabecular protection after castration.

The Growing Impact of Niobium in Organic Synthesis and Catalysis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação dos níveis de proteína C-reativa ultra-sensível em pacientes com periodontite crônica severa generalizada e sem periodontite

INTRODUCTION: The high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) constitutes an inflammatory mediator used as predictor of cardiovascular risk that comes being researched as indicative relation factor between cardiovascular and periodontal diseases. PROPOSITION: To compare serumals levels of C-reactive protein between patients with and without generalized severe chronic periodontitis. METHODOLOGY: A seccional study was realized using a sample with 62 patients, being 31 participants carriers of periodontal diseases (Group I) and 31 without periodontal diseases (Group II), grouped to the pairs by age and sex. As inclusion criterio were selected patients with diagnosis of generalized severe chronic periodontitis, being preculeds, individuals which presented systemic disease, recent infection history, historical of CVA or stroke, smokers, pregnants and lactants. The research consisted of two stages, a clinc and other biochemist. The clinical stage is constituted of periodontal examination and the biochemist stage, of the peripheral blood collection for determination hsCRP levels and a hemogram to inquire any panel which could suggest infectious and/or inflammatory process. RESULTS: Periodontal disease group presented a average of 0,36mg/dL, while the group without disease presented 0,17 mg/dL, do not existing significant difference statistically between the averages (p = 0,061). The cardiovascular risk for the group I was classified high for 27,6% of participants and low for 72,4% of them. In the group II, 6,45% presented high risk e 93,5% low risk, being this significant relation statistically gotten for Fisher s Test (p = 0,042) presenting OR = 5,33; IC = 95% (1,02 27,4). The independets variables reseacred do not presented significant association statistically with the levels of hsCRP. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that despite of carriers patients of periodontal diseases do not present differents serumals levels of hsCRP from the other group, the periodontal disease was considered as risk factor for hsCRP plasmatic levels elevation

Práticas educativas e integralidade na saúde da família: um estudo etnográfico

Primary Health Care, especially in the family health strategy, it is expected that the joint assistance and actions of health promotion. The Ministry of health (BRAZIL, 2007) defines health education as an eyeshadow strategy of prevention and health promotion, based on reflective practices, which allow the user to their condition of historical, social and political subject, under the vision of an expanded clinic on the part of health professionals. In this sense, there are guidelines for it professionals to develop educational activities and that they can interfere in the health/disease process of the population, with a view to the development of autonomy of the subject. This research had as objective to understand in the light of the integrality of the care, as is the production of health education practices, within the framework of the family health strategy from ethnographic study in a family health unit (USF). The location of the research was the unit of USF Felipe Camarão II in West Health District, in the city of Natal, RN, Brazil, selected from preliminary mapping of educational practices deployed in units of health of the family of this municipality, based on criteria such as time-to-deployment of USF and sustainability of existing actions. Immersion in the field consisted of participant observation with journaling, held during the period of August 2012 to January 2013, in which she accompanied team work processes in clinical-welfare actions on the USF, in households and in educational activities of group character. The results presented in ethnographic description were analyzed based on the axes proposed by Ayres (2009) for identification of integrality in health practices:the axis of the needs; the axis of the purposes; the joint axis; and the axis of the interactionsThe evidence described from observation point the presence of each axle up health education practices developed by the teams, even incipient form, namely: articulation and appreciation of knowledge and practices of popular culture with local initiatives (Pastoril do Peixe Boi Encantado, Auto de Natal e Grupo Terapia e Arte); Clinical integration with health promotion actions and coordination of multidisciplinary knowledge, with professional-user link (course for pregnant women). However, a few challenges were identified to be faced in order to move forward in these practices in integral care: the need to break with the fragmentation of actions; strengthening teamwork; need for greater sustainability policy of collective actions; intersectoral work aimed at a better role of the State in the face of the health-disease process, adding to the action of individuals.The analysis produced from observation of the processes experienced indicates the need for a better recognition of local managers that actions similar to those that occur in the USF Felipe Camarão II enable advances in completeness as allows inclusion of actors involved in the processes of health work, and stimulate participation and shared responsibility in the fight for health-disease situations

Educação sexual na escola a partir da psicologia histórico-cultural

Este artigo relata um projeto na área da Psicologia da Educação com referencial histórico-cultural. O projeto foi desenvolvido em uma escola de ensino fundamental que teve como objetivo oferecer educação sexual para adolescentes auxiliando-os para viverem com autonomia e responsabilidade sua sexualidade. A intervenção ocorreu em 15 encontros semanais, com o uso de diferentes estratégias metodológicas abrangendo os seguintes temas: 1) Identidade Grupal e levantamento de expectativas, 2) regras de convívio grupal, 3) Conceito de Sexualidade; 4) Conceito social de adolescência, 5) Fisiologia e saúde, 6) Saúde Sexual e reprodutiva, 7) Iniciação Sexual, 8) Gravidez na Adolescência, 9) Violência Sexual, 10) Padrões de Beleza e atitudes de discriminação e 11) Gênero e diversidade sexual. Alunos e professores avaliaram a proposta de intervenção como satisfatória e necessária na escola. Almeja-se a continuidade do projeto com outros alunos e oferecer formação aos professores.

Zona thinning with a noncontact diode laser in ICSI embryos from women of advanced age

Purpose: the objective of this study was to determine if the zona thinning (ZT) technique improved the rates of implantation and clinical pregnancy for patients aged, greater than or equal to38 years submitted to an ICSI program.Methods: A total of 100 patients submitted to ICSI and aged, greater than or equal to38 years were divided in a prospective and randomized manner into two groups: Group I - patients submitted to ZT (n = 50); a laser diode with 1.48 mum wavelength (Fertilaser) was used for the ZT procedure with 1-2 irradiations of 10 ms applied to four different positions on the zona pellucida (ZP) of each embryo to thin 60-90% of the ZP (each point with a 15-20 mum length of ZT). Group II - patients with no ZT (n = 50). In both groups, embryo transfer was performed on the second or third day.Results: the age of Group I patients (39.8 +/- 1.3) did not differ (p = 0.67) from that of Group II patients (40 +/- 1.9). The number of oocytes retrieved at metaphase II from Group I (6.4 +/- 4.2) and Group II (6.8 +/- 5) was similar (p = 0.94). Normal fertilization rates and cleavage rates were similar (p = 0.78 and p = 0.63, respectively) for Group I (71.5 +/- 22% and 96.7 +/- 11%) and Group II (73.5 +/- 19.7% and 96 +/- 11%, respectively). The number of embryos transferred was similar (p = 0.53) for the two groups (Group I = 3.1 +/- 1.3; Group II = 2.9 +/- 1.1). The thickness of the ZP of Group I embryos (16.9 +/- 2.4 mum) did not differ (p = 0.97) from that of Group II embryos (16.9 +/- 2.3 mum). The rates of embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy per embryo transfer were similar (p = 0.67, p = 0.61) for Group I (7 and 16%, respectively) and for Group II (8.2 and 22%, respectively).Conclusions: These results suggest that ZT in the population aged, 38 years may have no impact on ICSI success rates. However, this conclusion is limited to a situation in which length of the laser ZT was less than or equal to 20 mum and the laser was applied to four different positions.