Programa Mais Médicos : uma avaliação dos resultados iniciais referentes ao eixo do provimento emergencial a partir da teoria da avaliação de programas

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Centro de Estudos Avançados Multidisciplinares, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Sociedade e Cooperação Internacional, 2016.

An Information Theoretic Approach to Automatic Query Expansion

International audience

Exit ventriculoperitoneal shunt; enter endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV): contemporary views on hydrocephalus and their implications on management

Hydrocephalus has been known to affect humans since the birth of human medicine as it is described by Hippocrates. The management of this condition is however still dodged by challenges due to a poor understanding of its pathophysiology. The ventriculoperitoneal shunt presents considerable problems especially with respect to infection and shunt malfunction. Low income countries, that currently face the greater burden of paediatric hydrocephalus. experience an increased challenge with ventriculoperitoneal shunts due to a shortage of qualified personnel to handle shunt complications. Recent advances in neuro-endoscopic surgery have presented opportunities for alternative treatment options for hydrocephalus such as endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). This paper explores the alternative views in the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus and how they explain the effectiveness of ETV in treating hydrocephalus arising from a variety of causes.

Avaliação de projetos sociais: análise da metodologia utilizada pela Petrobrás

On the aggravation of social problems and the shortage of resources, the improvement of evaluation methods and control of its application, requiring more efficiency, efficacy, effectiveness and participation in its management, has been growing. As a result, emerges the importance of studying and developing such methodologies. The overall goal of this dissertation is to know what are the difficults to incorporate the point of view of executers and beneficiaries in evaluation process. To do so, has been done a research characterized as qualitative, with a field strategy using the case study of two social projects called Petrobras Child Program, situated in the metropolitan region of Natal, and Content Analysis technique for analyze the data. The conclusions of this work can assist in improving the process of projects evaluation financed by Petrobras, contributing with its social role, besides the possibility of encouraging a greater participation of other society actors, such as beneficiaries, in the evaluation process

Non-use of Formal Health Services in Malawi: Perceptions from Non-users

Background The study upon which this paper is based was undertaken to understand users’ and non-users’ perceptions concerning facilitators and barriers to equitable and universal access to health care in resource-poor countries such as Malawi. In this study, non-users of health services were defined as people who were not in need of health services or those who had stopped using them due to significant barriers. Methods A total of 80 interviews with non-users of health services were conducted in Rumphi, Ntchisi, Phalombe and Blantyre Districts of Malawi. Interviews focused on why informants were not using formal health services at the time of data collection. In order to identify non-users, snowballing was used health surveillance assistants, village headmen and community members also helped. One focus group discussion was also conducted with non-users of health services who were members of the Zion Church. Results Informants described themselves as non-users of health services due to several reasons: cost of health services; long distances to health facilities; poor attitude of health workers; belief in the effectiveness of traditional medicines; old age and their failure to walk. Others were non-users due to their disability; hence they could not walk over long distances or could not communicate effectively with health providers. Some of these non-users were complete non-users, namely members of the Zion Church and those who believed in traditional medicine, and they stated that nothing could be done to transform them into users of health services. Other non-users stated that they could become users if their challenges were addressed e.g. for those who were non-users of health services due to poor attitudes of health workers, they stated that if these health workers were transferred they would be able to access health services. Conclusions Public health education targeting both health workers and non-users, ensuring a functional outreach program and addressing other health system challenges such as shortage of drugs and human resources would assist in transforming non-users into users of health services.

Preliminary Validation of the "Plausibility of Intraracial Marriage Scale": A Study of Upwardly Mobile African American Women

Like many Americans, African American women often view marriage as an important life goal; however, it is likely that many also view it as one that is out of reach (Dixon, 2009; Wallace, 2014). The present study sought to address this issue by developing a new measure to assess African American women’s experiences in this regard in hopes of shedding light on how it impacts their dating and mating experiences. A total of 251 heterosexual African American women who were either enrolled in college or who had completed some form of postsecondary education completed an online survey assessing a variety of topics including their attitudes and emotions regarding a shortage of marriageable men, their standards to marry, and their willingness to date interracially. Results from this study established preliminary construct validity for a new scale assessing African American women’s attitudes and emotions about the shortage of “marriageable” African American men.

ASSESSING THE DETERMINANTS OF TISSUE CULTURE BANANA ADOPTION IN WESTERN KENYA

In this study cross-section data was used to analyze the effect of farmers’ demographic, socioeconomic and institutional setting, market access and physical attributes on the probability and intensity of tissue culture banana (TCB) adoption. The study was carried out between July 2011 and November 2011. Both descriptive (mean, variance, promotions) and regression analysis were used in the analysis. A double hurdle regression model was fitted on the data. Using multistage sampling technique, four counties and eight sub-locations were randomly selected. Using random sampling technique, three hundred and thirty farmers were selected from a list of banana households in the selected sub-locations. The adoption level of tissue culture banana (TCB) was about 32%. The results also revealed that the likelihood of TCB adoption was significantly influenced by: availability of TCB planting material, proportion of banana income to the total farm income, per capita household expenditure and the location of the farmer in Kisii County; while those that significantly influenced the intensity of TCB adoption were: occupation of farmers, family size, labour source, farm size, soil fertility, availability/access of TCB plantlets to farmers, distance to banana market, use of manure in planting banana, access to agricultural extension services and index of TCB/non-TCB banana cultivar attributes which were scored by farmers. Compared to West Pokot County, farmers located in Bungoma County are more significantly and likely to adopt TCB technology. Therefore, the results of the study suggest that the probability of adoption and intensity of the use of TCB should be enhanced. This can be done by taking cognizance of these variables in order to meet the priority needs of the smallholder farmers who were the target group. This would lead to alleviating banana shortage in the region for enhanced food security. Subsequently, actors along the banana value chain are encouraged to target the intervention strategies based on the identified farmer, farm and institutional characteristics for enhanced impact on food provision. Opening up more TCB multiplication centres in different regions will make farmers access the TCB technology for enhanced impact on the target population.

GESTIÓN HÍDRICA LOCAL

Resumen La Evaluación Múlticriterio (EMC), integra las diferentes dimensiones de una realidad en un sólo marco de análisis, para brindar un acercamiento de la gestión del recurso hídrico en los cantones Barva, Santa Bárbara y San Rafael de Heredia, con el objetivo de generar las políticas hídricas locales adecuadas. Esta estructura metodológica presenta una gran transparencia como herramienta en la toma de decisiones, identificando claramente los diferentes actores involucrados, describiendo, al mismo tiempo los problemas de gestión del recurso hídrico en la zona; a la vez que permite delimitar los conflictos sociales y mostrar diferentes posibilidades para su solución a través de compromisos y diálogo entre las partes. De éste diálogo emergen soluciones concretas, estructuradas como políticas locales hídricas, tales como: Planes de Gestión Hídrica, Inversión Pública y Privada, Coordinación Institucional, Reforma Institucional/legal. La zona presenta una atmósfera conflictiva alrededor de la gestión del agua y por tanto en la estructuración de políticas hídricas locales. Esta conflictividad ‘sectorial’(es decir por cantón) se superpone a una extraordinaria conflictividad ‘territorial’. La escasez o competencia sobre el agua se fundamenta en unas demandas crecientes que son expresión de un proceso de desarrollo urbano y turístico acelerado y desordenado.   Abstract The Evaluation Multi-criteria analysis (EMA), integrates the different dimensions of a reality in an analysis mark, to offer an approach of the administration of the hydric resources in the Heredia´s cities of Barva, Santa Bárbara and San Rafael, with the objective of generating the local adequate hydrics policies. This methodological structure presents a great transparency like tool in the taking of decisions, identifying the different involved actors clearly, describing, at the same time, the problems of administration of the hydric resources in the area; and at the same time, it allows to define the social conflicts, as showing different possibilities for their solution through commitments and dialogue among the parts. Of this dialogue concrete solutions they emerge, structured as hydrics local policies, such as: Plans of hydric management, Public and Private Investment, Institutional Coordination, Institucional/legal reforms. The area presents a conflicting atmosphere around the administration of the water and therefore in the structuring of local hydrics policies. This conflict 'sectorial' (to say for canton) it is superimposed to an extraordinary 'territorial' conflict. The shortage or competition for water are based in some growing demands that are expression of a process of quick and disordered urban and tourist development.

Apoio geoespacial a uma operação NEO

No âmbito das obrigações que o Estado Português tem em garantir a segurança dos seus cidadãos, é efetuada, em países ou regiões onde há comunidades nacionais, uma avaliação quanto ao risco de vida para os cidadãos nacionais que aí residam ou aí se encontrem, entendendo-se, à luz do direito internacional consuetudinário, que é legítima a eventual execução de intervenção militar de extração de nacionais não combatentes dessas zonas de risco. Este trabalho pretende contribuir para uma reflexão sobre o apoio geoespacial a uma operação de extração de cidadãos nacionais não combatentes, que se denomina NEO (non-combatant evacuation operation). Dada a importância do conhecimento holístico do ambiente operacional para os comandantes militares, os Sistemas de Informação Geográfica desempenham um papel fundamental em termos da análise, contextualização e visualização da informação geoespacial, sendo um precioso sistema de apoio à decisão. A tomada de decisão é efetuada com os contributos de várias áreas de conhecimento, sendo fundamental que o planeamento seja efetuado com base na mesma informação geoespacial, evitando a existência de uma multitude de dados geoespaciais nem sempre coerentes, atualizados e acessíveis a todos os que deles necessitam, pretendendo-se com este trabalho fornecer um contributo para resolver este problema. Aborda-se também a escassez dos dados geográficos nas zonas em que este tipo de operações se poderá desenrolar, a pertinência e a adequabilidade de utilização de dados espaciais abertos, os modelos de dados, bem como a forma como a informação pode ser disponibilizada.

Do imaginado ao imaginário : magia, improviso e salvação nas narrativas orais tradicionais e nos discursos de formação da Igreja e da religiosidade católica no Brasil

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Departamento de Sociologia, 2016.

Estudo da incorporação da cal em composições binárias de solo-cimento para produção de tijolos maciços

The use of binders in the soil for the production of solid bricks is an old construction technique that has been used by several civilizations over time. At the same time, the need for environmental preservation and the tendency of scarcity of natural resources make the construction invest in researching new concepts, methods and materials for building systems for the sustainability of their economic activities. Thus arises the need to obtain building materials with low power consumption, capable of reducing the growing housing shortage of rural and urban population. Currently, research has been conducted on this topic to better understand the cementitious and pozzolanic reactions that occur in the formation of the microstructure of the soil-cement when added to other materials such as, for example, lime, and the relationship between microstructure and formed interfaces with the physical, mechanical and chemical analysis in compounds made from these ternary compositions. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the results of the influence of the incorporation of lime to the soil-cement to form a ternary mixture to produce soil-cement bricks and mortar without structural purposes. From the inclusion of contents of 6 %, 8 %, 10% and 12% lime to the soil, and soil-cement mixes in amounts of 2 %, 3 %, 4 % and 5 % were shaped-bodies of -cylindrical specimens to determine the optimum moisture content and maximum dry apparent specific weight. Then they were cured, and subjected to the tests of compressive strength, absorption and durability modified. Compositions obtained the best results in the tests performed on the bodies-of-proof cylindrical served as a parameter for molding of solid bricks, which underwent the same experimental methodology previously cited. The raw materials used, as well as compositions in which the bricks were molded solid, were characterized by physical and chemical tests, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results obtained in the study indicate that the compositions studied, that showed the best results in terms of compressive strength, water absorption and durability ternary composition was soil, 10 % cement and 2 % lime

Essays on Financial Constraints, R&D Investments, and Competition

This dissertation consists of two chapters of theoretical studies that investigate the effect of financial constraints and market competition on research and development (R&D) investments. In the first chapter, I explore the impact of financial constraints on two different types of R&D investments. In the second chapter, I examine the impact of market competition on the relationship between financial constraints and R&D investments. In the first chapter, I develop a dynamic monopoly model to study a firm’s R&D strategy. Contrary to intuition, I show that a financially constrained firm may invest more aggressively in R&D projects than an unconstrained firm. Financial constraints introduce a risk that a firm may run out of money before its project bears fruit, which leads to involuntary termination on an otherwise positive-NPV project. For a company that relies on cash flow from assets in place to keep its R&D project alive, early success can be relatively important. I find that when the discovery process can be expedited by heavier investment (“accelerable” projects), a financially constrained company may find it optimal to “over”-invest in order to raise the probability of project survival. The over-investment will not happen if the project is only “scalable” (investment scales up payoffs). The model generates several testable implications regarding over-investment and project values. In the second chapter, I study the effects of competition on R&D investments in a duopoly framework. Using a homogeneous duopoly model where two unconstrained firms compete head to head in an R&D race, I find that competition has no effect on R&D investment if the project is not accelerable, and the competing firms are not constrained. In a heterogeneous duopoly model where a financially constrained firm competes against an unconstrained firm, I discover interesting strategic interactions that lead to preemption by the constrained firm in equilibrium. The unconstrained competitor responds to its constrained rival’s investment in an inverted-U shape fashion. When the constrained competitor has high cash flow risk, it accelerates the innovation in equilibrium, while the unconstrained firm invests less aggressively and waits for its rival to quit the race due to shortage of funds.

Effect of intermittent feeding on growth in early juveniles of the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus

Three experiments were conducted with juveniles of the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus to investigate the effect of intermittent feeding regimes on growth and the ability to tolerate the shortage of food. In experiment 1, stage III juveniles were assigned to one of seven intermittent feeding groups (from FS1: 1 day fed/1 day non-fed to FS7: 7 days fed/7 days non-fed) and two control groups, continuously fed (CF) and continuously starved (CS) animals; this experiment comprised a short-term intermittent feeding period until the first molt, followed by a continuous feeding period. In the experiment 2, stage III juveniles were assigned to one of three intermittent feeding groups (FS2 to FS4) and one control group (CF); it consisted of a prolonged intermittent feeding period, until the end of the experiment In the experiment 3, stage VI and VII juveniles were assigned to one of three intermittent feeding groups (FS2 to FS4) and one control (CF); it also consisted of a prolonged intermittent feeding period. The red claw crayfish juveniles were able to tolerate periods of intermittent feeding and underwent compensatory growth after continuous feed was re-established. The ability of crayfish to tolerate intermittent feeding was influenced by developmental stage and duration of the intermittent feeding period. Stage III juveniles survived, but decreased growth, when subjected to prolonged intermittent feeding. However, they showed full compensatory growth when the intermittent feeding period was short and followed by continuous feeding. on the other hand, stage VI-VII tolerated 60 days of prolonged intermittent feeding without any change in growth and survival. The hepatosomatic index (based on wet weight) values of the treatments and the control were similar, suggesting that intermittent feeding may not be considered a nutritional stress condition. The relative pleon weight (based on wet weight) values of the treatments and control were similar suggesting low use of nutrients from the muscle to increase the chance for survival. The juveniles of C quadricarinatus can tolerate relatively long periods of low food availability and this is an important adaptation for their survival in changing/unpredictable environments and an attribute favorable for the production of the species. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carências de boro no interior - norte e centro - de Portugal

In Portugal, boron deficiency has been observed almost everywhere, in particular in the interior of the country, causing severe crop damage. In the 1950’s, the growth anomalies in the Douro vineyards were recognised as a boron deficiency (called ´maromba’). From the 1980’s onwards systematic studies have been carried out in the northern and central interior of Portugal with the purpose of identifying and correcting this deficiency in fruit trees and forest/agroforest species. In this review paper an inventory of geological/lithological formations and soil groups is carried out where the boron shortage was most often detected. The environmental conditions that enhanced the occurrence of boron deficiency were reviewed. Based on studies carried out in these regions, the deficiency symptoms of selected trees were described, and also the boron concentrations in soils and leaves in which the symptoms had been observed were recorded. Experimental results of boron fertilisation in terms of growth or yield increase of crops were presented. Finally, an attempt is made to explain perplexities arisen from unexpected plant reactions, either due to the deficiency or to boron application, since the emergence of ´maromba’ in the 19th century until the present. In addition, some strategies for correction of scarcity of this micronutrient are suggested

Caracterização de casos de lesão medular e a sua relação com a independência funcional e qualidade de vida

Introdução: As lesões medulares acarretam consigo a problemática da deficiência, as suas respectivas sequelas interferem na qualidade de vida bem como na independência funcional destas pessoas, sendo habitual a existência de limitações que se prolongam ao longo a vida. O presente estudo visa a caracterização de sujeitos com lesão medular há mais de um ano, no que diz respeito à sua qualidade de vida e independência funcional, assim como, a relação entre as variáveis sóciodemográficas (género, idade, estado civil, escolaridade e profissão) e clínicas em estudo (nível, tipo, etiologia e data da lesão). Materiais e Métodos: O presente trabalho apresenta-se como um estudo observacional exploratório descritivo com abordagem quantitativa. A amostra foi formada por indivíduos adultos com lesão medular recrutados através da Associação Salvador e Associação Vida Independente. As medidas instrumentais utilizadas pelo estudo são o questionário sóciodemográfico e clínico, bem com a escala MIF (Granger, Hamilton, Keith, Zielezny, & Sherwins, 1986) e a escala SF-36 (Ware % Sherbourne, 1992). Resultados e Discussão: As análises demonstraram valores satisfatórios. A independência funcional e sua respectiva dimensão física e sóciocognitiva revelam resultados estatisticamente significativos com a variável nível neurológico. No que diz respeito à qualidade de vida esta demonstrou resultados estatisticamente significativos entre a dimensão desempenho emocional e a escolaridade entre o desempenho físico e a profissão e vitalidade e idade. Revelou igualmente valores satisfatórios entre todas as dimensões e o nível neurológico, entre a função social e data da lesão e por último entre a etiologia e função social, vitalidade, dor, saúde geral e mental. Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos com este estudo vêm reforçar a visão de que apesar dos indivíduos experienciarem um evento traumático e aspetos negativos após a lesão medular, há diferentes níveis de percepção de QoL e IF e que estas variam em função de algumas variáveis sóciodemográficas e clínicas. Neste ponto são ainda apresentadas as limitações do estudo e discutidas propostas de trabalhos futuros.