Reduction of Models in the Presence of Nuisance Parameters

In many statistical inference problems, there is interest in estimation of only some elements of the parameter vector that defines the adopted model. In general, such elements are associated to measures of location and the additional terms, known as nuisance parameters, to control the dispersion and asymmetry of the underlying distributions. To estimate all the parameters of the model and to draw inferences only on the parameters of interest. Depending on the adopted model, this procedure can be both algebraically is common and computationally very costly and thus it is convenient to reduce it, so that it depends only on the parameters of interest. This article reviews estimation methods in the presence of nuisance parameters and consider some applications in models recently discussed in the literature.

Older people's experience of utilisation and administration of medicines in a health- and social care context

BACKGROUND: People living at home who lack ability to manage their medicine are entitled to assistance to improve adherence provided by a home care assistant employed by social care. AIM: The aim was to describe how older people with chronic diseases, living at home, experience the use and assistance of administration of medicines in the context of social care. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. METHODS: Ten participants (age 65+) living at home were interviewed in the participants' own homes. Latent content analysis was used. FINDINGS: The assistance eases daily life with regard to practical matters and increases adherence to a medicine regimen. There were mixed feelings about being dependent on assistance; it interferes with self-sufficiency at a time of health transition. Participants were balancing empowerment and a dubious perception of the home care assistants' knowledge of medicine and safety. Physicians' and district nurses' professional knowledge was a safety guarantee for the medicine process. CONCLUSIONS: Assistance eases daily life and medicine regimen adherence. Dependence on assistance may affect self-sufficiency. Perceived safety varied relating to home care assistants' knowledge of medicine. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: A well-functioning medicine assistance is crucial to enable older people to remain at home. A person-centred approach to health- and social care delivery is efficient and improve outcome for the recipient of care.

Solving the non-convexity problem in some shopping-time and human-capital models

Several works in the shopping-time and in the human-capital literature, due to the nonconcavity of the underlying Hamiltonian, use Örst-order conditions in dynamic optimization to characterize necessity, but not su¢ ciency, in intertemporal problems. In this work I choose one paper in each one of these two areas and show that optimality can be characterized by means of a simple aplication of Arrowís (1968) su¢ ciency theorem.

Two additions to Lucas's "inflation and welfare"

This work adds to Lucas (2000) by providing analytical solutions to two problems that are solved only numerically by the author. The first part uses a theorem in control theory (Arrow' s sufficiency theorem) to provide sufficiency conditions to characterize the optimum in a shopping-time problem where the value function need not be concave. In the original paper the optimality of the first-order condition is characterized only by means of a numerical analysis. The second part of the paper provides a closed-form solution to the general-equilibrium expression of the welfare costs of inflation when the money demand is double logarithmic. This closed-form solution allows for the precise calculation of the difference between the general-equilibrium and Bailey's partial-equilibrium estimates of the welfare losses due to inflation. Again, in Lucas's original paper, the solution to the general-equilibrium-case underlying nonlinear differential equation is done only numerically, and the posterior assertion that the general-equilibrium welfare figures cannot be distinguished from those derived using Bailey's formula rely only on numerical simulations as well.

Endogenous growth with deferred technological change

Lucas (2009) propôs um modelo com dois setores para explicar padrões observados em dados de crescimento. Entretanto, a análise de Lucas não envolve uma decisão intertemporal para o consumidor. O comportamento das variáveis é determinado à priori pela tecnologia escolhida. Rodriguez (2006) propôs um modelo com a tecnologia com dois setores apresentada por Lucas adicionando um processo de decisão intertemporal para o consumidor. Adicionalmente aos resultados obtidos por Rodriguez, nós caracterizamos suficiência e apresentamos exemplos esclarecedores de casos particulares do modelo. Ademais, nós fazemos um esforço para derivar novos insights e esclarecer alguns pontos técnicos. Finalmente, nós obtemos condições sob as quais a economia investe em capital humano mesmo com benefícios diferidos.

A green revolution in Mozambique: a study about the government possibilities to launch a sustainable green revolution

The present study is focused on the analysis of the political, economical and social factors that may interfere with the possibility of a Green Revolution as a solution for Mozambique to reach self-sufficiency and to reduce poverty. In order to perform such analysis, the study analyzes the consequences of the decolonization process in Mozambique focusing that the independence process in Mozambique did not create non-colonial models for the Agriculture Sector. Later on, the study tries to understand the impact of HIV/AIDS and Malaria on the labor force. By then, it explores the concepts of the Green Revolution and its successful history in India. At the end, it tries to evaluate if a Green Revolution is possible in Africa, especially in Mozambique, first identifying the factors, which characterized the Green Revolution in India, and trying to link those factors with the reality of Mozambique. The report is structured as followed; Chapter 2, ¿The decolonization process and its impacts on the agriculture sector¿. It gives information about the decolonization process, and explores its consequences. Chapter 3, ¿The Impacts of HIV/AIDS and Malaria on the Labor Force¿. It analyzes the impact of those diseases in the labor force. Chapter 4 ¿The Green Revolution and the Agriculture Sector¿, explores the concepts of Green Revolution, its success in India and its history in Mozambique. Chapter 5, finally, centers on conclusions, findings and recommendations.

REPETRO - Regime Aduaneiro Especial de Importação e Exportação de Bens Destinados à Pesquisa e Lavra de Petróleo e Gás: análise dos entraves e propostas de soluções

REPETRO, the special tax regime for importing and exporting goods for the exploration and drilling of oil and gas, aims at bringing foreign assets to Brazil enjoying a suspension or even an exemption of taxes, so that Brazilian industry may profit from about 8 billion American dollars in investments. The creation of normative devices as well as the management of the REPETRO model are under the exclusive responsibility of the Brazilian Internal Revenue Services. REPETRO was created in 1999 and is composed of the following customs treatments: importation of goods with suspension of taxes by use of the drawback special regime, suspension mode for national exporting industry; exportation with fictitious exit for the national industry; temporary admission of goods or assets used in oil exploration and production, attending to the needs of both the national and foreign market. Considering the inability of the Brazilian government in restructuring its foreign trade model so that a strong investment in technology could provide for the sector¿s needs, we must ask how we can change REPETRO to help the various companies in the oil business? The issue is very important for one of our main economic activities, though not enough studied. The energy sector has a strategic importance for the development and the economic independence of any country. The winds of globalization lead Brazil to open its economy in the last decade and the national policy for exploration and drilling (E&D) was altered. The government created a new agency dedicated to market control and energy policies, the National Agency for Oil and Biofuels (ANP). With the opening of the market, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras, the Brazilian giant, lost the monopoly of the oil business. The P-50 Platform, with a capacity for 180,000 barrels per day, was imported based on REPETRO. When it began operating on April 21st, 2006, Brazil achieved self-sufficiency in oil production. The present work intends to estimate the main variables affecting the importation and exportation of goods and assets for E&D, showing how REPETRO works. We also intend to look at the results yielded by the REPETRO model for the development of the production of oil and gas in Brazil, as well as show proposals for its modernization. It has been established that even though since its implementation the REPETRO model has brought fiscal advantages through the reduction of tax costs relating to foreign commerce operations and the incentive of investments in the E&D area with the increase in the national oil production there remain the following limitations: lack of preparation and of knowledge of the model; lack of adjustement of the model to the reality of actitity of E&D of oil and gas; taxes over the pre-operational stage or investment in oil production stage; non-allowance of full access by the national industry to the supply of goods and products relating to the industrialization of goods allowed by REPETRO; other fiscal and administrative difficulties. We conclude that the REPETRO model is important for the development of the area of E&D of oil and gas, but not completely effective. It is necessary to change it or create a new model based on a new perspective of the customs treatment of the activities of exploration and production, minimizing administrative procedures relating to the operations of exportation and importation.

Problemas na abordagem das variedades de capitalismo nas economias da América Latina

A abordagem da Variedades de Capitalismo (VoC) tem se mostrado uma poderosa e influente lente de análise da literatura mais antiga do capitalismo comparativo. Inicialmente concebida para aplicação imediata em economias capitalistas desenvolvidas do Norte, tem sido manejada para explicar aspectos econômicos e institucionais em contextos diversos. O presente trabalho traz como questão a adequação e suficiência dessa abordagem para compreensão de economias em desenvolvimento na América Latina. Partindo de uma aplicação teórica dessa abordagem para analisar as economias políticas da região e procedendo à uma avaliação crítica do sucesso dessa aplicação, a hipótese do presente trabalho é a de que, embora útil para explicar muitos aspectos dessas economias em desenvolvimento, ela é insuficiente e falha na compreensão completa desses capitalismos, sobretudo por não captar o papel preponderante do estado em suas conformações.

Faixa de suficiência para a cultura do algodão no centro-oeste do Brasil: II. micronutrientes

For to establish the micronutrients sufficiency range for the cotton, was used the method of mathematical chance for nutritional monitory data of three cotton growth locations in the Midwest of the Brazil, evaluating 152 areas. The method of mathematical chance was adequate for to establish cotton micronutrients references values, can be to help parameters were the conventional research cannot to prove in the short time. The micronutrients sufficiency range for productivity of 4000kg ha(-1) were, in the mg kg(-1), 41-89; 4-14; 90-230; 23-100; 25-50, and for 4500kg ha(-1) was 53-83; 4-12; 110-440; 40-60 e 25-50 for B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, respectively. The sufficiency ranges indicated was similar to the existing official recommendations, however, is indicated the approach for to supply the specifics of the systems. The limitations of the method can be minimized with the expansion of the nutritional monitoring system in the cotton crops.

Faixas de suficiência para a cultura do algodão no centro-oeste do Brasil: I. macronutrientes

The cotton growth occupies about 1.1 million hectares in Brazil and the midwest, especially the state of Mato Grosso, is the largest producer in the country. This work aimed to establish the sufficiency ranges for macronutrients in cotton crops by the method of mathematical chance. The work was carried out from 2000 to 2003 in the cities of Costa Rica (MS), Diamantino and Sapezal (MT), totaling 152 samples of plant tissue and yield. The chance mathematics method was adequate for to establish cotton macronutrients references values, can be to help parameters were the conventional research cannot to prove in the small time space. The use of different yields for the calculation of mathematical chance (4,000 and 4,500kg ha(-1)) in the population studied, no difference between the sufficiency ranges for macronutrients. The macronutrients sufficiency range was, in the mg kg(-1), 33-45; 3.8-5.3; 15-21; 20-36; 4.0-7.2 e 2.8-8.6 for N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S, respectly. The indicated range, however to similar with the recommendations published, they demonstrate improvement about to obtainment of increases productivities.

Nutrição e produção da bananeira 'Prata-anã' adubada com zinco e boro diretamente no rizoma, via muda desbastada

Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de diferentes doses de Zn e B, aplicados diretamente no rizoma, via muda desbastada, sobre a nutrição das plantas e produção da bananeira 'Prata-anã', foi instalado um experimento em Jaíba - MG, sob irrigação, conduzido por três ciclos produtivos consecutivos. Utilizou-se o desbastador lurdinha para extrair a gema apical de um broto cortado rente ao solo, de forma que, no local, ficasse um orifício onde os adubos foram aplicados. Empregou-se o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com 20 tratamentos resultantes de um fatorial completo entre 5 doses de zinco (0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5 e 10,0 g de Zn família-1 ano-1) x 4 doses de boro (0; 0,68; 1,36 e 2,04 g B família-1 ano-1), com 10 repetições de uma planta. Avaliaram-se os teores de nutrientes na terceira folha e a produção em massa de frutos por cacho. Os adubos promoveram alterações nos teores foliares de nutrientes, porém sem magnitude suficiente para alterar a condição nutricional quando se consideram as faixas de suficiência. O Zn interferiu na produção, porém os menores valores foram observados na dose intermediária e não houve ajuste de modelo de regressão.

Amostragem foliar da bananeira 'Prata-Anã

Para diagnose nutricional da bananeira, é necessário padronizar a amostragem do tecido a ser utilizado, já que a composição mineral varia com a idade da planta, com a folha amostrada, entre as diversas partes da folha, ao que se somam as condições ecológicas, diferenças varietais e flutuações sazonais dos elementos. Portanto, a possibilidade de equívoco na interpretação é considerável. O Método de Amostragem Internacional de Referência (MEIR) para bananeira recomenda coletar a terceira folha de plantas com cachos que apresentem todas as pencas visíveis e não mais que três mãos de flores masculinas abertas, retirando-se a metade interna de uma faixa central do limbo, desprovida da nervura central. Há uma dificuldade em seguir tal recomendação para bananeira 'Prata-Anã' cultivada no norte de Minas Gerais, pois ela possui porte alto e roseta foliar muito densa, que confunde a localização da folha amostrada. Além disso, normalmente, as amostras são retiradas com largura diferente dos 10 cm recomendados. Dadas as dificuldades de amostragem da bananeira 'Prata-Anã' e o fato de besta cultivar sob irrigação ser pouco estudada, comparada àquelas do subgrupo Cavendish, o presente trabalho objetivou determinar o efeito da folha amostrada e da largura da amostra sobre os teores minerais de bananeira 'Prata-Anã' cultivada sob irrigação no norte de Minas Gerais. Apesar das variações estatísticas, os teores foliares mantiveram-se dentro da faixa de suficiência, independentemente da posição da folha amostra da- 2ª, 3ª ou 4ª folha - ou do tamanho da amostra - 10; 20 ou 30 cm de largura. Isto sugere que a coleta de folha na posição acima (segunda) ou abaixo (quarta) da folha recomendada terceira, numa largura foliar de 10 a 30 cm, pouco altera os teores foliares em relação à indicação pelo método MEIR, tolerando-se assim uma possível variação da amostra quanto à posição e à largura foliar testadas.

Padrões nutricionais para lavouras arrozeiras irrigadas por inundação pelos métodos da CDN chance matemática

Para o arroz irrigado, poucos trabalhos utilizam métodos de diagnose foliar desenvolvidos para as condições locais de clima, solo ou cultivares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os métodos da Diagnose da Composição Nutricional e da Chance Matemática na definição dos padrões nutricionais de lavouras arrozeiras do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Resultados de produtividade de grãos e teores foliares de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn e Mo de 356 lavouras arrozeiras cultivadas sob sistema de irrigação por inundação foram utilizados para a determinação das faixas de suficiência calculadas pelo método da Chance Matemática. As faixas de suficiência foram comparadas com valores críticos propostos pela literatura e com o intervalo de confiança do teor médio dos nutrientes em lavouras consideradas nutricionalmente equilibradas, identificadas pelo método Diagnose da Composição Nutricional. Observou-se pouca concordância entre os valores das faixas de suficiência indicados pelos métodos da Chance Matemática e da Diagnose da Composição Nutricional e os respectivos valores indicados na literatura. A faixa de teores foliares adequados, consistentes com maior produtividade média das lavouras arrozeiras, foi indicada ser de 23 a 28 g kg-1 para N; 11 a 14 g kg-1 para K; 1,4 a 2,0 g kg-1 para S; 6 a 12 mg kg-1 para B; e 70 a 200 mg kg-1 para Fe. Para os teores foliares de P, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Mn e Zn e Mo nenhuma das faixas adequadas testadas indicou capacidade para distinguir as lavouras arrozeiras quanto à produtividade média.

Sucrose and nitrogen supplies regulate growth of maize kernels

The growth of maize (Zea mays L.) kernels depends on the availability of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) assimilates supplied by the mother plant and the capacity of the kernel to use them. Our objectives were to study the effects of N and sucrose supply levels on growth and metabolism of maize kernels. Kernel explants of Pioneer 34RO6 were cultured in vitro with varying combinations of N (5 to 30 mM) and sucrose (117 to 467 mM). Maximum kernel growth was obtained with 10 mM N and 292 mM sucrose in the medium, and a deficiency of one assimilate could not be overcome by a sufficiency of the other. Increasing the N supply led to increases in the kernel sink capacity (number of cells and starch granules in the endosperm), activity of certain enzymes (soluble and bound invertases, sucrose synthase, and aspartate aminotransaminase), starch, and the levels of N compounds (total-N, soluble protein, and free amino acids), and decreased the levels of C metabolites (sucrose and reducing sugars). Conversely, increasing the sucrose supply increased the level of endosperm C metabolites, free amino acids, and ADPG-PPase and alanine transaminase activities, but decreased the activity of soluble invertase and concentrations of soluble protein and total-N. Thus, while C and N are interdependent and essential for accumulation of maximum kernel weight, they appear to regulate growth by different means. Nitrogen supply aids the establishment of kernel sink capacity, and promotes activity of enzymes relating to sucrose and nitrogen uptake, while sucrose regulates the activities df invertase and ADPG-PPase. (C) 1999 Annals of Botany Company.

Utilização da medida do clorofilômetro no manejo da adubação nitrogenada em plantas de pimentão

O adequado manejo da adubação nitrogenada ao longo do ciclo da cultura do pimentão é complicado pela falta de um índice do N disponível no solo e por ser a análise química de folhas um método de diagnose demorado. Foi realizado um experimento em vasos, em um túnel de plástico pertencente ao Departamento de Recursos Naturais/Ciência do Solo, da FCA/UNESP, Botucatu (SP), com o objetivo de avaliar o índice de suficiência de nitrogênio (ISN), calculado com base nas medidas do clorofilômetro, como ferramenta auxiliar no manejo da adubação nitrogenada em plantas de pimentão. O experimento foi composto de doses de N (4,9; 9,8; 14,7; 19,6; e 24,5 g de N 50 kg-1 de solo - uma planta) aplicadas de modo convencional ou pela fertirrigação e um tratamento em que as plantas não receberam apenas a adubação nitrogenada, com sete repetições. As medidas do clorofilômetro foram realizadas a cada 15 dias em cinco folhas recém-maduras por planta. O ISN foi calculado pela relação entre a média das medidas do clorofilômetro nas plantas dos tratamentos (MCT) e a média das medidas do clorofilômetro nas plantas que receberam a maior dose (MCR), na área de referência (ISN = MCT/MCR x 100). O ISN pode ser um bom indicador do momento de aplicação do adubo nitrogenado e auxiliar no ajuste da dose de N de acordo com a exigência das plantas de pimentão, com a finalidade de aumentar a eficiência de utilização do N aplicado.