Welcome from the policies, socio-economic aspects, and health systems research section

At BMC Obesity, the Policies, Socio-economic Aspects, and Health Systems Research Section provides an opportunity to submit research focussed on what we need to know to support implementation of obesity policies most likely to achieve substantial, sustainable and equitable reductions in the prevalence of obesity globally. Here, we present the aims and objectives of this section, hearing from each of the Associate Editors in turn. The ambition of the Policies, Socio-economic Aspects, and Health Systems Research Section is to foster innovative research combining scientific quality with real world experience. We envisage this will include research addressing the structural drivers of obesity, solution oriented research, research addressing socio-economic inequalities in obesity and obesity prevention in low and middle income countries. We look forward to stimulating research to advance both the methods and substance required to drive uptake of effective and equitable obesity reduction policies globally.

Des mots, des figures, des personnages : une étude de quelques aspects de paroles de Jacques Prévert

A presente dissertação tem por objetivo estudar alguns aspectos de Paroles, conjunto de poemas de Jacques Prévert (1900-1977). Ela começa com um primeiro capítulo de introdução à retórica: uma breve história da retórica ou de seu lugar na sociedade ocidental, em seguida uma apresentação do sistema retórico. O segundo capítulo estuda a trajetória da vida e da escrita de Jacques Prévert até a publicação de Paroles. O terceiro capítulo estuda alguns aspectos de Paroles. Ele começa por perguntar qual o tipo de linguagem utilizada por Prévert: ela é tão simples e popular quanto parece? Depois, ele se debruça sobre a questão do jogo de palavras. Em seguida ele tenta fazer um levantamento bastante completo, um inventário das figuras de retórica presentes em Paroles. Para evitar que a leitura do capítulo se tornasse excessivamente pesada e indigesta, foi organizado um anexo que recebeu todo o inventário quantitativo; ele se encontra após o texto propriamente dito da dissertação. Enfim, o capítulo apresenta algumas considerações de ordem temática, sobre a questão da população: quais espécies de personagens povoam Paroles? Um breve léxico dos principais termos da retórica se encontra no fim da dissertação, antes da bibliografia.

Essays on the monetary aspects of the term structure of nominal interest rates

Interest rates are key economic variables to much of finance and macroeconomics, and an enormous amount of work is found in both fields about the topic. Curiously, in spite of their common interest, finance and macro research on the topic have seldom interacted, using different approaches to address its main issues with almost no intersection. Concerned with interest rate contingent claims, finance term structure models relate interest rates to lagged interest rates; concerned with economic relations and macro dynamics, macro models regress a few interest rates on a wide variety of economic variables. If models are true though simplified descriptions of reality, the relevant factors should be captured by both the set of bond yields and that of economic variables. Each approach should be able to address the other field concerns with equal emciency, since the economic variables are revealed by the bond yields and these by the economic variables.

Aspects of Brazilian competition policy

Este Trabalho Discute a Evolução da Defesa da Concorrência no Brasil a Partir de uma Perspectiva Histórica e Comparada. para Tanto, Primeiramente são Apresentadas as Transformações Estruturais da Economia Brasileira Assim como as Circunstâncias Internacionais que Fizeram com que a Defesa da Concorrência se Tornasse Relevante, o que Permite Fazer um Contraste com a Evolução de Outros Regimes de Concorrência. em Segundo Lugar, são Apresentados os Desafios e as Peculiaridades da Implementação da Defesa da Concorrência em uma Economia em Desenvolvimento e como Tais Desafios Foram Tratados no Caso Brasileiro. a Principal Conclusão é que as Melhores Práticas dos Países do Ocde não Podem ser Automaticamente Importadas sem a Devida Atenção Às Peculiaridades de uma Economia em Desenvolvimento.

On certain geometric aspects of portfolio optimisation with higher moments

We discuss geometric properties related to the minimisation of a portfolio kurtosis given its first two odd moments, considering a risk-less asset and allowing for short sales. The findings are generalised for the minimisation of any given even portfolio moment with fixed excess return and skewness, and then for the case in which only excess return is constrained. An example with two risky assets provides a better insight on the problems related to the solutions. The importance of the geometric properties and their use in the higher moments portfolio choice context is highlighted.

Inflation targeting, credibility and coordination aspects

There are plenty of economic studies pointing out some requirements, like the inexistence of fiscal dominance, for inflation targeting framework be implemented in successful (credible) way. Essays on how public targets could be used in the absence of such requirements are unusual. In this papel' we appraise how central banks could use inflation targeting before soundness economic fundamentaIs have been achieved. First, based on concise framework, where confidence crises and imperfect information are neglected, we conclude that less ambitious (greater) target for inflation increases the credibility in the precommitment. Optimal target is higher than the one obtained using the Cukierman-Liviatan [7] model, where increasing credibility effect is not considered. Second, extending the model to make confidence crises possible, multiple equilibria solutions becomes possible too. In this case, to set greater targets for inflation may stimulate confidence crises and reduce the policymaker credibility. On the other hand, multiple (bad) equilibria may be avoided. The optimal target depends on the likelihood of each equilibrium be selected. Finally, when perturbing common knowledge uniqueness is restored even considering confidence crises, as in Morris-Shin[ 14]. The first result, i.e. less ambitious target for inflation increases credibility in precommitment, is also recovered. Adding a precise public signal, cOOl'dinated self-fulfilling actions and equilibrium multiplicity may still exist for some lack of common knowledge (as in Angeleto and Weming[l]). In this case, to set greater targets for inflation may stimulate confidence crisis again, reducing the policymaker credibility. From another aspect, multiple (bad) equilibria may be avoided. Optimal policy prescriptions depend on the likelihood of each equilibrium be selected. Results also indicate that more precise public information may open the door for bad equilibrium, contrary to the conventional wisdom that more central oank transparency is always good when considering inflation targeting framework.

Aspects de la syntaxe, de la semantique et de la morphologie des verbes a trait de /complexite/

Cette dissertation porte sur l’analyse syntactico-sémantique des verbes à trait de complexité. Le trait de complexité (Blanche-Benveniste et al. 1984) réunit une classe de verbes connue comme verbes ‘symétriques’, ‘réciproques’ ou ‘collectifs’ sans toutefois se limiter à ces ensembles (cf. grouiller, collectionner, amonceler, scinder, etc.). Ce trait induit une lecture ‘plurielle’ à l’entité formée du lexème verbal et de ses arguments et qui se traduit, sur le plan morphosyntaxique, par deux propriétés: sélection obligatoire d’une position syntaxique (sujet ou objet) au pluriel; en absence de ce pluriel morphologique, le trait de complexité se réalise par la sélection d’un complément prépositionnel correlié à une position syntaxique (sujet ou objet) et l’interprétation de ‘pluriel’ des deux éléments correliés. L’hypothèse générale, et point de départ de cette dissertation, consiste à préciser l’interprétation de ‘pluralité inhérente’ des verbes à trait de complexité comme étant de type ‘collectif’, défini comme désignant du ‘plus d’un en un’ (Jespersen, 1971). La notion de ‘collectif’ est à distinguer de la notion de ‘pluriel’ (Gillon, 1992) et permet d’expliquer le lien entre les deux propriétés morphosyntaxiques présentées. Cette hypothèse générale s’appuie sur la sélection d’un ensemble d’outils d’analyse. Un premier outil vise à rendre compte, du point de vue formel, des réseaux syntactico-sémantiques, par une représentation abstraite de la syntaxe verbale, conçue comme une ‘syntaxe de position’ et où sont délimitées, autour du noyau verbal, deux zones syntaxiques (zone SUJET et zone OBJET) constituées de points d’ancrage du trait de complexité. En tenant compte de la spécificité du ‘collectif’ par rapport à la ‘pluralité’, le recours au concept d’opérateurs de complexité, entendus comme des opérateurs du trait [+discret] (Doetjes, 1999), permet de mieux définir la notion du ‘collectif’ appliquée au domaine verbal. Les différents opérateurs – affixes dérivationnels, constructions prépositionnelles, constructions en SE - se situent à différents niveaux de structuration. L’analyse par ‘opérateurs de complexité’ ([+discret]) présuppose également la prise en compte de la fonction quantitative. Dans cette perspective, ces opérateurs induisent différents degrés de l‘individuation’ des constituants du ‘collectif’ dénoté par la sémantique des verbes à trait de complexité. Les échelles de gradation de [+discret] rendent compte de cette propriété. Les valeurs de ‘plus d’un’ et ‘en un’ dénotées par les expressions verbales à trait de complexité sont interprétées comme faisant partie d’une structure conceptuelle de type ‘tout-intégré’ d’après l’approche lexicale et multidimensionnelle de la sémantique conceptuelle des relations parties/tout de Moltmann (1997).

Structural Aspects of the Distinct Biochemical Properties of Glutaredoxin 1 and Glutaredoxin 2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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