The impact of climate change on the brazilian agriculture: a ricardian study at microregion level.

We use at microregion level from the Brazilian Census years 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2006 to assess the impact of climate change on Brazilian agriculture using a Ricardian model. We estimate the Ricardian model using repeated cross sections for each Census Year, a pooled model and a twostage model based on Hsiao 2003. Results show that a marginal increase of temperature is harmful for agriculture in all regions of Brazil, with the exception of the South. The most negative impacts are felt in the North and in the North-East. There is mixed evidence on the effect of a marginal impact of precipitation. Additional rainfall is beneficial in South, South-East and in the Center-West. It is harmful in other regions. Impact estimates with three GCM scenarios generated using the A2 SRES emission scenario show that climate change is expected to be generally harmful in 2060. In 2100 only the climate change scenario generated by the Hadley HADCM3 model predicts negative impacts; the MIMR model predicts that climate change will not significantly affect land values while the NCPCM model predicts significant beneficial effects using the Hsiao model and nonsignificant beneficial effects using the pooled model. Among Brazilian regions, only the South and some cases the South-East are expected to benefit from climate change.

Sensitization and Disposition to Change Facing the Challenges of the New Educational Circumstances

This article is about the necessity of an up to date vision in teachers��� training. It starts with the latest studies and advances surrounding learning-along-life term. It presents a set of topics inspired in the contributions of new fields of study connected to learning. Such contributions, as neuroscience, should be considered in the decisions related to future teachers��� training, thus favoring the transformation of the pedagogical practice. Awareness and disposition to change are essential requirements for teacher trainers who will drive investigative processes and pedagogical proposals generation; all of this according to the new and dynamic knowledge society.

Irreversible change of pore structure of MCM-41 upon hydration at room temperature

The pore structure stability of MCM-41 materials upon hydration/dehydration was studied by XRD, Si-29 MAS NMR, and gravimetric adsorption techniques. Results demonstrated that collapses of the pore structure of MCM-41 occurred upon rehydration at room temperature due to the hydrolysis of the bare Si-O-Si(Al) bonds in the presence of water vapor. Full structure collapses of MCM-41 were found to occur when a MCM-41 sample was left in air for three months. It is also suggested that care must be taken when XRD is used to evaluate the structure property of MCM-41 materials to avoid the possible adverse effects of water vapor.

PULSATILITY INDEX CHANGE OF BRACHIAL ARTERY SHOWS BETTER REPRODUCIBILITY THAN FLOW-MEDIATED VASODILATION

We aim to evaluate intra- and interobserver reproducibility of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and of pulsatility index change (PI-C) 1 min after a 5-min forearm compression in pregnant women. Flow-mediated dilation and PI-C were assessed in 31 healthy pregnant women in 3 consecutive days, by two observers. A broader range of response to the stimulus was observed for PI-C (-58.99%-86.71%) than FMD (2.38%-27.01%). The intraclass correlation coefficients were higher for PI-C than for FMD (intra = 0.90 vs. 0.69, p = 0.047; inter = 0.94 vs. 0.61, p = 0.007). Therefore, PI-C measurements were more reliable than FMD. However, studies comprising of subjects with cardiovascular risk factors relating FMD and PI-C become necessary to validate this method for the study of endothelial dysfunction. (E-mail: wpmartins@gmail.com) (C) 2010 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.

Evolution of colorectal cancer: Change of pace and change of direction

This review compiles evidence for an alternative to the classical adenoma-carcinoma sequence in the evolution of colorectal cancer. It is suggested that between 30 and 50% of colorectal cancers are not initiated by mutation of the tumor suppressor gene APC, but through the epigenetic silencing of genes implicated in the control of differentiation, cell cycle control and DNA repair proficiency. The precursor polyps are often characterized by a serrated architecture, and include hyperplastic polyps, admixed polyps and serrated adenomas. The alternative pathway is heterogeneous and may culminate in cancers showing low or high level DNA microsatellite instability (MSI-L and MSI-H, respectively), and in cancers that are microsatellite stable (MSS). Cancers showing DNA MSI may be characterized by an accelerated evolution. Cancers in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer show features of both classical (adenoma and APC mutation) and alternative pathways (rapid evolution, MSI-H and lack of chromosomal instability). (C) 2001 Blackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd.

Monitoring morphisms to support sustainable interoperability of enterprise systems

Dissertation to obtain the Master degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

A technology diffusion perspective of Enterprise Resource Planning across European Small and Medium Enterprises: from determinants to Use to Value

Tese apresentada como requisito parcial para obten����o do grau de Doutor em Gest��o de Informa����o

Climate change in the Atlantic Ocean since the 1940's and the effects on the global climate

En aquest projecte s���ha estudiat la relaci�� entre els canvis en les temperatures superficials de l���Oce�� Atl��ntic i els canvis en la circulaci�� atmosf��rica en el segle XX. Concretament s���han analitzat dos per��odes de estudi: el primer des del 1940 al 1960 i el segon des del 1980 fins al 2000. S���ha posat especial inter��s en les anomalies en les temperatures superficials del mar en la regi�� tropical de l���Oce�� Atl��ntic i la possible interconnexi�� amb els canvis clim��tics observats i predits. Per a la realitzaci�� de l���estudi s���han dut a terme una s��rie d���experiments utilitzant el model clim��tic elaborat a la universitat d���UCLA (UCLA���AGCM model). Els resultats obtinguts han estat analitzats en forma de mapes i figures per a cada variable d���estudi. Tamb�� s���ha fet una comparaci�� entre els resultats obtinguts i altres trobats en altres treballs publicats sobre el mateix tema de recerca. Els resultats obtinguts s��n molt amplis i poden tenir diverses interpretacions. Tot i aix�� algunes de les conclusions a les quals s���ha arribat s��n: les difer��ncies m��s significatives per a les variables estudiades i trobades a partir dels resultats obtinguts del model per als dos per��odes d���estudi s��n en els mesos d���hivern i a la zona dels tr��pics; concretament a parts del nord de sud Am��rica i a parts del nord d�����frica. S���han trobat tamb�� canvis significatius en els patrons de precipitaci�� sobre aquestes mateixes zones. Tamb�� s���ha observant un moviment cap al nord de la zona d���interconverg��ncia tropical i pot ser degut a l���an��mal gradient trobat a la zona equatorial en les temperatures superficial de l���Oce��. Tot i aix�� per a una definitiva discussi�� i conclusions sobre els resultats dels experiments, seria necessari un estudi m��s ampli i profund.

Stage of change of cigarette smoking in drug dependent patients

R��sum�� En Suisse, les programmes de d��saccoutumance au tabac se r��f��rent g��n��ralement au mod��le de pr��paration au changement de Prochaska et DiClemente (1983), Les patients atteints de maladies somatiques li��es au tabagisme comme les pathologies cardiovasculaires ou pulmonaires acc��dent facilement �� ces programmes, contrairement aux patients pr��sentant une d��pendance �� des drogues illicites. La pr��valence de fumeurs dans cette population est pourtant ��lev��e et les probl��mes engendr��s par le tabac sont importants, non seulement d'un point de vue individuel mais aussi en terme de sant�� publique. Il est par cons��quent int��ressant d'��valuer la motivation concernant la d��saccoutumance au tabac de patients toxicomanes entreprenant un sevrage de drogues illicites. Dans cette ��tude, nous avons ��valu�� les stades de pr��paration au changement concernant la d��pendance au tabac chez 100 patients toxicomanes hospitalis��s sur un mode volontaire dans le cadre d'un programme de sevrage �� des drogues ill��gales. L'��valuation s'est faite �� l'aide d'un auto-questionnaire dont les r��sultats indiquent qu'une minorit�� de patients sont d��cid��s �� interrompre la consommation de tabac. En effet, seul 15% des patients se trouvaient aux stades de contemplation ou de d��cision. De plus, 93% des sujets consid��raient l'arr��t du tabac comme difficile ou tr��s difficile. Ces donn��es montrent qu'il existe un d��calage important entre la motivation relative au sevrage de drogues ill��gales et la motivation li��es �� l'arr��t du tabac. En effet, malgr�� leur motivation ��lev��e pour se sevrer de drogues illicites, la proportion de patients restant au stade de pr��contemplation concernant la d��saccoutumance au tabac reste ��lev��e. Diverses hypoth��ses permettent d'expliquer ces r��sultats, notamment la perception que la d��saccoutumance au tabac est plus difficile �� r��aliser que le sevrage de substances illicites. Abstract Nicotine cessation programmes in Switzerland, which are commonly based on the stage of change model of Prochaska and DiClemente (1983), are rarely offered to patients with illicit drug dependence. This stands in contrast to the high smoking rates and the heavy burden of tobacco-related problems in these patients. The stage of change was therefore assessed by self-administered questionnaire in 100 inpatients attending an illegal drug withdrawal programme. Only 15% of the patients were in the contemplation or decision stage. 93% considered smoking cessation to be difficult or very difficult. These data show a discrepancy between the motivation to change illegal drug consumption habits and the motivation for smoking cessation. The high pro-portion of patients remaining in the precontemplation stage for smoking cessation, in spite of their motivation for illicit drug detoxification, may be due to the perception that cessation of smoking is more difficult than illicit drug abuse cessation.

Interest rate restrictions in a natural experiment: loan allocation and the change in the usury laws in 1714

This article studies the effects of interest rate restrictions on loan allocation. The British governmenttightened the usury laws in 1714, reducing the maximum permissible interest rate from 6% to5%. A sample of individual loan transactions reveals that average loan size and minimum loan sizeincreased strongly, while access to credit worsened for those with little social capital. Collateralisedcredits, which had accounted for a declining share of total lending, returned to their former role ofprominence. Our results suggest that the usury laws distorted credit markets significantly; we findno evidence that they offered a form of Pareto-improving social insurance.

Stage of change of cigarette smoking in drug dependent patients.

Nicotine cessation programmes in Switzerland, which are commonly based on the stage of change model of Prochaska and DiClemente (1983), are rarely offered to patients with illicit drug dependence. This stands in contrast to the high smoking rates and the heavy burden of tobacco-related problems in these patients. The stage of change was therefore assessed by self-administered questionnaire in 100 inpatients attending an illegal drug withdrawal programme. Only 15% of the patients were in the contemplation or decision stage. 93% considered smoking cessation to be difficult or very difficult. These data show a discrepancy between the motivation to change illegal drug consumption habits and the motivation for smoking cessation. The high proportion of patients remaining in the precontemplation stage for smoking cessation, in spite of their motivation for illicit drug detoxification, may be due to the perception that cessation of smoking is more difficult than illicit drug abuse cessation.

Entropy change of martensitic transformations in Cu-based shape-memory alloys

We have investigated the different contributions to the entropy change at the martensitic transition of different families of Cu-based shape-memory alloys. The total entropy change has been obtained through calorimetric measurements. By measuring the evolution of the magnetic susceptibility with temperature, the entropy change associated with conduction electrons has been evaluated. The contribution of the anharmonic vibrations of the lattice has also been estimated using various parameters associated with the anharmonic behavior of these alloys, collected from the literature. The results found in the present work have been compared to values published for the martensitic transition of group-IV metals. For Cu-based alloys, both electron and anharmonic contributions have been shown to be much smaller than the overall entropy change. This finding demonstrates that the harmonic vibrations of the lattice are the most relevant contribution to the stability of the bcc phase in Cu-based alloys.

Stage of change of cigarette smoking in alcohol-dependent patients.

Despite the heavy burden of tobacco-related problems in alcohol-dependent patients, little effort has been directed toward reducing the prevalence of smoking in these patients. It seems reasonable to develop nicotine addiction treatments for alcohol-dependent patients based on the smoker's stage of change. To assess the stage of change for tobacco consumption and possible quitting barriers in alcohol-dependent patients, 88 consecutively admitted inpatients of a Swiss university-affiliated alcohol withdrawal clinic were interviewed with a semistructured schedule. More than half of the alcohol-dependent smokers (50.7%) considered the possibility of smoking cessation or had already decided to stop, although the majority (83.1%) were highly dependent smokers. Positive reinforcers were factors influencing motivation both to stop smoking as well as to continue smoking, whereas negative reinforcers had no influence. As recovering alcoholic patients are often interested in smoking cessation and the introduction of nicotine treatment interventions has been shown not to jeopardize the outcome of alcohol treatment, alcohol treatment programs should include counseling for smoking cessation. Education and training for staff is essential, as their beliefs and habits remain an important barrier.

Length Change of P. C. Concrete Due to Moisture Content, MLR-85-09, 1987

Portland cement concrete is an outstanding structural material but stresses and cracks often occur in large structures due to drying shrinkage. The objective of this research was to determine the change in length due to loss of moisture from placement through complete drying of portland cement concrete. The drying shrinkage was determined for four different combinations of Iowa DOT structural concrete mix proportions and materials. The two mix proportions used were an Iowa DOT D57 (bridge deck mix proportions) and a water reduced modified C4 mix. Three 4"x 4"x 18" beams were made for each mix. After moist curing for three days, all beams were maintained in laboratory dry air and the length and weight were measured at 73��F �� 3��F. The temperature was cycled on alternate days from 73��F to 90��F through four months. From four months through six months, the temperature was cycled one day at 73��F and six days at 130��F. It took approximately six months for the concrete to reach a dry condition with these temperatures. The total drying shrinkage for the four mixes varied from .0106 in. to .0133 in. with an average of .0120 in. The rate of shrinkage was approximately .014% shrinkage per 1% moisture loss for all four mixes. The rate and total shrinkage for all four mixes was very similar and did not seem to depend on the type of coarse aggregate or the use of a retarder.