A costs structure analysis of the Brazilian sugar and ethanol companies

The Brazil consolidated itself as the largest world producer of sugarcane, sugar and ethanol. The creation of the Programa Nacional do Alcool - PROALCOOL and the growing use of cars with flexible motors were some of the factors that helped to motivate still more the production. Evolutions in the agricultural and industrial research did the Brazilian competitiveness in sugar and ethanol globally elevated, what is evidenced when comparing the amount produced at the country and the production costs, which turned a big one differential. Therefore, the administration of costs is of great relevance to the sugar and ethanol companies, for representing a significant rationalization in the production processes, with economy of resources and the reach of better earnings, besides reducing the operational risk pertinent at the fixed costs of production. Thus, the present work has for objective to analyze the costs structure of sugar and ethanol companies of the Center-south area of the country through an empiric-analytical study based in methodologies and concepts extracted of the costs accounting. It is verified that great part of the costs and operational expenses have variable behavior, a positive factor for the sector reducing the operational risk of the activity. The main restraint of this study is the sample of five years and 10% of the number of plants in Brazil that although they represent 30% of the national production, don`t allow the generalization of the model.

The relative energetic costs of the larval period, larval swimming and metamorphosis for the ascidian Diplosoma listerianum

Variation in larval quality has been shown to strongly affect the post-metamorphic performance of a wide range of marine invertebrate species. Extending the larval period of non-feeding larvae strongly affects post-metamorphic survival and growth in a range of species. These 'carry-over' effects are assumed to be due to changes in larval energetic reserves but direct tests are surprisingly rare. Here, we examine the energetic costs ( relative to the costs of metamorphosis) of extending the larval period of the colonial ascidian Diplosoma listerianum. We also manipulated larval activity levels and compared the energy consumption rates of swimming larvae and inactive larvae. Larval swimming was, energetically, very costly relative to either metamorphosis or merely extending the larval period. At least 25% of the larval energetic reserves are available for larval swimming but metamorphosis was relatively inexpensive in this species and larval reserves can be used for post-metamorphic growth. The carry-over effects previously observed in this species appear to be nutritionally mediated and even short (< 3 h) periods of larval swimming can significantly deplete larval energy reserves.

Employee group memberships and organisational communication during organisational change

The preset study adopted an intergroup approach to information sharing and communication in three organisational samples during change. In Study 1, employees from a public hospital (N = 142) completed a survey measuring perceptions of organisational communication and strength of identification with the work unit and the organisation as a whole. Consistent with predictions, team members rated communication from double ingroup members (same work unit/same occupational group) more favourably than communication from partial group members (same work unit/different occupational group). Also as predicted, work unit identification was related to favourable ratings of work unit communication across occupational groups, whereas occupational identification was related to favourable ratings of work unit communication within occupational groups. In Study 2, strength of identification with three organisational groups was associated with positive ratings of communication among employees from the same public hospital (N = 189) and a military organisation (N = 2119). Based on these results, intergroup strategies for the management of information sharing and organisational communication during change are discussed.

Ultraviolet signals ultra-aggression in a lizard

Understanding the role of multiple colour signals during sexual signalling is a central theme in animal communication. We quantified the role of multiple colour signals (including ultraviolet, UV), measures of body size and testosterone levels in settling disputes between male rivals in an elaborately ornamented, African lizard, played out in a large 'tournament' in the wild. The hue and brightness (total reflectance) of the UV throat in Augrabies flat lizards, Platysaurus broadleyi, as well as body size, were consistent and strong predictors of 'fighting ability'. Males with high fighting ability were larger and displayed a UV throat with low total reflectance. In contrast, males with low fighting ability were smaller and had violet throats with broader spectral reflectance curves (higher total reflectance). As fighting ability is associated with alternative reproductive tactics in this system (territorial versus floater), we also examined the role of colour signals in predicting male reproductive tactic. Territorial males had UV throats with higher chroma but had poorer body condition than floater males, probably because of the energetic costs of maintaining a territory. Although testosterone was not a significant predictor of fighting ability or reproductive tactic, it was correlated with the hue of the UV throat, suggesting that testosterone may impose some constraint on signal expression. Lastly, we show that within the context of the natural signalling environment, UV-reflective throats constitute a conspicuous, effective signal that male Augrabies flat lizards use to advertise their status honestly to rivals. (c) 2006 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Young people's beliefs about intergenerational communication - An initial cross-cultural comparison

This article examines young people's perceptions of their conversations with older people (age 65-85) across nine cultures-five Eastern and four Western. Responses from more than 1,000 participants were entered into a cross-national factor analysis, which revealed four initial factors that underlie perceptions of intergenerational conversations. Elder nonaccommodation was when young participants reported that older people negatively stereotyped the young and did not attend to their communication needs. On the other hand, elder accommodation was when older people were perceived as supportive, attentive and generally encouraging to young people. A third factor was respect/obligation and a fourth factor labeled age-irrelevant positivity described a situation where young people felt conversations with much older people were emotionally positive and satisfying, age did not matter: Examining cross-cultural differences, some East versus West differences were observed, as might be expected, on the basis of simplistic accounts of Eastern collectivism versus Western individualism. However the results challenge commonsense notions of the status of old age in Eastern versus Western cultures. On some dimensions, participants from Korea, Japan, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines appear to have relatively less positive perceptions of their conversations with older people than the Western cultures-the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. But there was also evidence of considerable cultural variability, particularly among Eastern cultures-variability that has heretofore all too often been glossed over when global comparisons of East versus West are made. A range of explanations for these cultural differences is explored and implications for older people in these societies are also considered.

Enabling International Communication among Brazilian Occupational Therapists: Seeking Consensus on Occupational Terminology

The purpose of this study was to examine how key occupational therapy terminologies are used by Brazilian occupational therapists. A nominal group approach combined with a Delphi technique involving 31 Brazilian occupational therapists was applied. A sociolinguistic approach was adopted since it broadens our understanding of the social and cultural determinants of terminology consolidation. Brazilian occupational therapists were found to adopt the term activity more often than human action or doing. Even less often were praxis and occupation applied. No consensus was reached regarding which of the terms is most preferred. While Brazilian occupational therapists have been developing their profession from international standards, it is still embedded in local demands and policies. Additionally, the political context must be considered when building an international dialogue between members of a professional body. Such a dialogue could engage professionals from different countries in meaningful exchanges about their practices. These exchanges may lead to the development of solid professional communities that can contribute meaningfully to social change. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Validation of ASHA FACS-Functional Assessment of Communication Skills for Alzheimer Disease Population

This study vas aimed to validate the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment Of Communication Skills (ASHA FACS) for a Brazilian population. The scale was translated and adapted into Portuguese. Thirty-two patients with mild Alzheimer disease (AD). 25 patients with moderate AD. and 51 elderly without dementia were examined with Mini Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale. and Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog). The ASHA FACS was answered by their relative/caregiver. The scale`s internal consistency. its inter-examiner and intra-examiner`s reproducibility. and scale`s criterion validity were researched by correlation with ADAS-cog,. The sensitivity and specificity Were also researched. Statistical analyses indicated that the ASHA FACS has excellent internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.955), test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.995; P < 0.001). and inter-examiners (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.998: P < 0.001). It showed excellent criterion validity when correlated with ADAS-cog,. The ASHA FACS scale showed good sensitivity (75.0%) and specificity (82.4%) values once it is an ecologic and broad evaluation. The ASHA FACS Portuguese version is a valid and reliable instrument to verify communication alterations in AD patients and fills an important gap of efficiency indicators for speech language therapy in our country.

Assessing deaf and hearing children`s communication in Brazil

In Brazil there are no specific tests for either signed or spoken language for deaf children. A protocol evaluating communicative abilities independent of modality of communication (sign language or spoken language), and comprising assessments of (a) pragmatic profile; (b) modality of communication and linguistic level; (c) complexity of communication; and (d) style and efficacy of communication between parent and child was administered to 127 deaf and hearing children. The children, aged 3-6 years old, were distributed in three groups: 20 with severe hearing loss, 40 with profound hearing loss and 67 normally hearing. Deaf children were found to be delayed, independent of their linguistic level and preferred modality of communication. The protocol in this study proved to be an useful instrument for gathering relevant information about the three groups of preschool children`s communicative abilities, and particularly suitable for use in countries where standardized assessments are not available. Learning outcomes: The reader will be introduced to the use of an assessment protocol comprising its development, application and data analysis. The reader will be informed about assessment of deaf children`s preferred modality of communication, by the participation of a bilingual (sign language user) professional. Communication abilities can be assessed independently of the linguistic modality. In developing countries in general, where simple and easy to administer assessments tools are scarce, such a protocol is of specific value. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of the expressive communication skills of triplet, twin and singleton children

Few studies have focused on the language acquisition of higher multiple birth sets. In this study, the communication skills of 51 triplet children are described. The measures used were: mean length of utterance; type-token ratio; conversational nets; phoneme repertoire; and number of different types of phonological processes used. The data gained were used to compare the communication skills of triplets with those of twins, singletons and normative data available in the literature. Siblings within triplet sets were also compared using language samples obtained from adult-child interactions and when the three children were playing together. The results indicated that the triplets' early communication skills were different from those of both singletons and twins. The triplets' difficulties included delayed syntactic development, limited use of different language functions and delayed phonological development. In contrast, twins' communication profile is characterised by disordered phonological development.

The impact of staff empowerment and communication style on customer evaluations: The special case of service failure

Empowering front-line staff to deal with service failures has been proposed as a method of recovering from service breakdown and ensuring greater customer satisfaction. However, no empirical study has investigated consumer responses to empowerment strategies. This research investigates the effect on customer satisfaction and service quality of two employee characteristics: the degree to which the employee is empowered (full, limited, and none), and the employee's communication style (accommodative - informal and personal, and underaccommodative-formal and impersonal). These employee characteristics are studied within the context of service failures. Subjects were shown videotaped service scenarios, and asked to complete satisfaction and service quality ratings. Results revealed that the fully empowered employee produced more customer satisfaction than the other conditions, but only when the service provider used an accommodating style of communication. Fully empowered and nonempowered employees were not judged differently when an underaccommodating style of communication was adopted. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.