Regional subsidies and industrial prospects of lagging regions

Large and sustained differences in economic performance across regions of developing countries have long provided motivation for fiscal incentives designed to encourage firm entry in lagging areas. Empirical evidence in support of these policies has, however, been weak at best. This paper undertakes a direct evaluation of the most prominent fiscal incentive policy in Brazil, the Fundos Constitucionais de Financiamento (Constitutional Funds). In doing so, we exploit valuable features of the Brazilian Ministry of Labor's RAIS data set to address two important elements of firm location decisions that have the potential to bias an assessment of the Funds: (i) firm “family structure” (in particular, proximity to headquarters for vertically integrated firms), and (ii) unobserved spatial heterogeneity (with the potential to confound the effects of the Funds). We find that the pull of firm headquarters is very strong relative to the Constitutional Funds for vertically integrated firms, but that, with non-parametric controls for time invariant spatial heterogeneity, the Funds provide statistically and economically significant incentives for firms in many of the targeted industries.

Integral representation with convex capacities that are squeeze of (additive) probability measures

In this paper I will investigate the conditions under which a convex capacity (or a non-additive probability which exhibts uncertainty aversion) can be represented as a squeeze of a(n) (additive) probability measure associate to an uncertainty aversion function. Then I will present two alternatives forrnulations of the Choquet integral (and I will extend these forrnulations to the Choquet expected utility) in a parametric approach that will enable me to do comparative static exercises over the uncertainty aversion function in an easy way.

Convergence analysis of sampling-based decomposition methods for risk-averse multistage stochastic convex programs

We consider a class of sampling-based decomposition methods to solve risk-averse multistage stochastic convex programs. We prove a formula for the computation of the cuts necessary to build the outer linearizations of the recourse functions. This formula can be used to obtain an efficient implementation of Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming applied to convex nonlinear problems. We prove the almost sure convergence of these decomposition methods when the relatively complete recourse assumption holds. We also prove the almost sure convergence of these algorithms when applied to risk-averse multistage stochastic linear programs that do not satisfy the relatively complete recourse assumption. The analysis is first done assuming the underlying stochastic process is interstage independent and discrete, with a finite set of possible realizations at each stage. We then indicate two ways of extending the methods and convergence analysis to the case when the process is interstage dependent.

Multistep stochastic mirror descent for risk-averse convex stochastic programs based on extended polyhedral risk measures

We consider risk-averse convex stochastic programs expressed in terms of extended polyhedral risk measures. We derive computable con dence intervals on the optimal value of such stochastic programs using the Robust Stochastic Approximation and the Stochastic Mirror Descent (SMD) algorithms. When the objective functions are uniformly convex, we also propose a multistep extension of the Stochastic Mirror Descent algorithm and obtain con dence intervals on both the optimal values and optimal solutions. Numerical simulations show that our con dence intervals are much less conservative and are quicker to compute than previously obtained con dence intervals for SMD and that the multistep Stochastic Mirror Descent algorithm can obtain a good approximate solution much quicker than its nonmultistep counterpart. Our con dence intervals are also more reliable than asymptotic con dence intervals when the sample size is not much larger than the problem size.

Effect of price and in-store promotion on sales: a study of distinct regions in an emerging market

Increasing competition caused by globalization, high growth of some emerging markets and stagnation of developed economies motivate Consumer Packaged Goods (CPGs) manufacturers to drive their attention to emerging markets. These companies are expected to adapt their marketing activities to the particularities of these markets in order to succeed. In a country classified as emerging market, regions are not alike and some contrasts can be identified. In addition, divergences of marketing variables effect can also be observed in the different retail formats. The retail formats in emerging markets can be segregated in chain self-service and traditional full-service. Thus, understanding the effectiveness of marketing mix not only in country aggregated level data can be an important contribution. Inasmuch as companies aim to generate profits from emerging markets, price is an important marketing variable in the process of creating competitive advantage. Along with price, promotional variables such as in-store displays and price cut are often viewed as temporary incentives to increase short-term sales. Managers defend the usage of promotions as being the most reliable and fastest manner to increase sales and then short-term profits. However, some authors alert about sales promotions disadvantages; mainly in the long-term. This study investigates the effect of price and in-store promotions on sales volume in different regions within an emerging market. The database used is at SKU level for juice, being segregated in the Brazilian northeast and southeast regions and corresponding to the period from January 2011 to January 2013. The methodological approach is descriptive quantitative involving validation tests, application of multivariate and temporal series analysis method. The Vector-Autoregressive (VAR) model was used to perform the analysis. Results suggest similar price sensitivity in the northeast and southeast region and greater in-store promotion sensitivity in the northeast. Price reductions show negative results in the long-term (persistent sales in six months) and in-store promotion, positive results. In-store promotion shows no significant influence on sales in chain self-service stores while price demonstrates no relevant impact on sales in traditional full-service stores. Hence, this study contributes to the business environment for companies wishing to manage price and sales promotions for consumer brands in regions with different features within an emerging market. As a theoretical contribution, this study fills an academic gap providing a dedicated price and sales promotion study to contrast regions in an emerging market.

Análise de modelos geológicos utilizando percolação dinâmica

In the present study we elaborated algorithms by using concepts from percolation theory which analyze the connectivity conditions in geological models of petroleum reservoirs. From the petrophysical parameters such as permeability, porosity, transmittivity and others, which may be generated by any statistical process, it is possible to determine the portion of the model with more connected cells, what the interconnected wells are, and the critical path between injector and source wells. This allows to classify the reservoir according to the modeled petrophysical parameters. This also make it possible to determine the percentage of the reservoir to which each well is connected. Generally, the connected regions and the respective minima and/or maxima in the occurrence of the petrophysical parameters studied constitute a good manner to characterize a reservoir volumetrically. Therefore, the algorithms allow to optimize the positioning of wells, offering a preview of the general conditions of the given model s connectivity. The intent is not to evaluate geological models, but to show how to interpret the deposits, how their petrophysical characteristics are spatially distributed, and how the connections between the several parts of the system are resolved, showing their critical paths and backbones. The execution of these algorithms allows us to know the properties of the model s connectivity before the work on reservoir flux simulation is started

Efficacy of linear and convex transducers for ultrasound-guided transvaginal follicle aspiration

A new device was developed to hold linear transducers for transvaginal follicle aspiration. Efficacy of follicle aspiration was compared using a linear 6 MHz and a convex 5 MHz transducer. Fifty-five cows were submitted to follicle aspiration at random days of the estrous cycle. Aspirations were conducted with linear (n = 28) and convex (n = 38) transducers with 18 G needles at a negative pressure corresponding to 13 ml H2O/min. A greater number of follicles were aspirated using convex than to linear probe (12.4 versus 7.8, respectively, P < 0.05). Mean number of oocytes and recovery rates were similar for convex (5.4 and 48.6%) and linear (4.6 and 59.3%) transducers. Limited space between the linear transducer and needle guide restricted access to some portions of the ovary, reducing the number of follicles aspirated using a linear transducer. The newly developed adaptor allowed greater stability, holding the ovaries firmly against the linear transducer. This diminished mobility permitted a similar number of oocytes to be recovered with both transducers. In conclusion, this new adaptor provided a low cost alternative for routine follicle aspiration and oocyte recovery in cattle. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genotype by environment interaction for birth and weaning weights of composite beef cattle in different regions of Brazil

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

Evaluation of thermal stress indexes for dairy cows in tropical regions

Seis índices de estresse ambiental foram aplicados a 1.359 dados de 359 vacas Holandesas e 54 vacas Jersey em rebanhos comerciais do Ceará e Rio Grande do Norte. O critério de seleção aplicado aos índices foi sua correlação com a temperatura retal e a freqüência respiratória dos animais. O Índice de Temperatura e Umidade (THI) e o Índice de Globo e Umidade (BGHI) apresentaram os piores resultados, com correlações muito baixas com as respostas dos animais. Os índices escolhidos foram o Índice de Temperatura Equivalente (ESI), correlacionado significativamente com a temperatura retal (r = 0,293) e a freqüência respiratória (r = 0,520), e o Índice de Carga Térmica (HLI), com correlações r = 0,286 e r = 0,542 respectivamente.

Caracterização de estruturas planares com substratos Iso/Anisotrópicos truncados através da técnica da ressonância transversa modificada

This work presents a theoretical and numerical analysis using the transverse resonance technique (TRT) and a proposed MTRT applied in the analysis of the dispersive characteristics of microstrip lines built on truncated isotropic and anisotropic dielectric substrates. The TRT uses the transmission lines model in the transversal section of the structure, allowing to analyze its dispersive behavior. The difference between TRT and MTRT consists basically of the resonance direction. While in the TRT the resonance is calculated in the same direction of the metallic strip normal axis, the MTRT considers the resonance in the metallic strip parallel plane. Although the application of the MTRT results in a more complex equivalent circuit, its use allows some added characterization, like longitudinal section electric mode (LSE) and longitudinal section magnetic mode (LSM), microstrips with truncated substrate, or structures with different dielectric regions. A computer program using TRT and MTRT proposed in this work is implemented for the characterization of microstrips on truncated isotropic and anisotropic substrates. In this analysis, propagating and evanescent modes are considered. Thus, it is possible to characterize both the dominant and higher order modes of the structure. Numerical results are presented for the effective permittivity, characteristic impedance and relative phase velocity for microstrip lines with different parameters and dimensions of the dielectric substrate. Agreement with the results obtained in the literature are shown, as well as experimental results. In some cases, the convergence analysis is also performed by considering the limiting conditions, like particular cases of isotropic materials or structures with dielectric of infinite size found in the literature. The numerical convergence of the formulation is also analyzed. Finally, conclusions and suggestions for the continuity of this work are presented

Potential and costs for the production of electrolytic hydrogen in alcohol and sugar cane plants in the central and south regions of Brazil

This project verified the potential for the production of hydrogen via water electrolysis by using the exceeding electrical energy resultant from alcohol and sugar plants that use sugar cane bagasse as fuel. The studies were carried out in cogeneration plants authorized by the Electrical Energy National Agency (ANEEL). The processing history of sugar cane considered was based on the 2006/2007 harvests. The total bagasse produced, electrical energy generated and exceeding electrical energy in a year were calculated. It was obtained an average energy consumption value of 5.2 kWh Nm(-3) and the hydrogen production costs regarding the amount of sugar cane processed that ranged from US$ 0.50 to US$ 0.75 Nm(-3). The results pointed that the costs for the production of hydrogen via the bagasse exceeding energy are close to the production costs that use other sources of energy. As the energy generated from the bagasse is a renewable one, this alternative for the production of hydrogen is economical and environmentally viable. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estudo das propriedades físico-químicas de biocombustíveis microemulsionados

The development of new fuels is an important field of scientific and technological activities, since much of the energy consumed in the world is obtained from oil, coal and natural gas, and these sources are limited and not renewable. Recently it has assessed the employment of microemulsions as an alternative for obtaining fuel isotropic between phases originally not miscible. Among many advantages, emphasizes the application of substances that provide the reduction of levels of emissions compared to fossil fuels. Thus, this work was a study of various microemulsified systems, aiming to check the performance of the winsor regions front of the use of surfactants: RENEX 18 → 150, UNITOL L-60 → L-100 and AMIDA 60, together with structure of esters from soybean and castor bean oils. From the results it were chosen four systems to physico-chemical analyzes: System I RENEX 60, Soil bean oil, methylic ester (EMOS) and water; System II RENEX 60/AMIDA 60, EMOS and water; System III RENEX 70, mamona oil methylic ester (EMOM) and water and System IV RENEX 95, EMOM and water. The tests of physico-chemical characterization and study of temperature increase were done with nine points with different compositions in a way to include the interest area (microemulsion W/O). After this study, was conducted a modeling to predict the viscosity, the property is more varied as function of compositions systems changes. The best results were the systems II and IV with a temperature stability above 60°C. The system I had its physico-chemical characterization very similar to a fossil fuel. The system II was the best one due to its corrosivity be stable. In the modeling the four systems had shown good, with an error that varied between 5 and 18%, showing to be possible the viscosity prediction from the composition of the system. The effects the microemulsion and the engine´s performance with the microemulsion were also avaliated. The tests were performed in a cycle-diesel engine. The potency and consumption were analysed. Results show a slight increase the rendiment fuel compared with the conventional as well as a decrease in specific consumption

Water beetles in mountainous regions in southeastern Brazil

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

Gene Expression Profiles Stratified according to Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Susceptibility Regions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Morphology of the eggs of the genus Belminus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) by optical and scanning electron microscopy

The external morphology of eggs of the species Belminus corredori Galvao & Angulo, 2006, Belminus herreri Lent & Wygodzinsky, 1979 and Belminus ferroae Sandoval, Pabon, Jurberg & Galvao, 2007 is described for the first time using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Females lay one egg at a time; the shape of the egg is oval with lateral flattening, a rounded caudal area and a true and simple convex operculum. The average size of the egg among these species is 0.51-0.58 mm in length and 0.36-0.4 mm in width. As a generic character we highlight the discovery of a chorion rim with one to four grooves always joined to the micropyles. All species present a clear polygonal pattern only in the operculum and in the egg's cephalic region, while the median and caudal regions show a smooth appearance, features that are shared only with the eggs of the genus Alberprosenia. A discriminant analysis of the polygonal design of the operculum proved to be useful for the identification of the species.