RCAAP Repository

This paper is concerned with the analysis of the impact that socioeconomic characteristics of individuals and regions, with special emphasis on income inequality, have in the process of repeat property criminal victimization. To accomplish this task,a series of count data models is estimated. The zero inflated negative binomial model performs best, in a series of nested and non-nested inferencial procedures. These econometrics models are applied to a unique data set: the 1988 PNAD. For this specific year only, an additional set of questions provide us with a national sample of victimization, something yet not available again until now. Our results are in close accordance to the international literature, and the estimative concerning the impact of income inequality on repeat victimization is quite strong and robust to the use of different measures and control for cluster effects. The elasticity of the GINI coefficient is positive and the strongest among all variables (0.3666), meaning that increasing inequality leads to more victimizations. The results about the effect of inequality has the potential to offer new insights for security policies at both the federal and state level in Brazil.

Measuring the degree of market power has been the object of many applied studies in the industrial organization field. But, as this paper points out, identification problems arise when we estimate markups from production function regressions using data sets that do not report firm or plant-level physical quantities of output. In a differentiated product industry, the lack of such information introduces an unobserved (price) heterogeneity term. In this paper, I set up an econometric model that controls for this unobserved term and shows that failing to do so leads to spurious markup estimates. I illustrate this result using data from Colombian plants. The results reveal that, if we do not control for (price) heterogeneity, we will find misleading evidence of firms with little or no market power.

This paper considers alternative proofs of the Hotelling’s lemma and Shephard’s lemma using new relations of duality in the theory of the production. The proofs proposals possess two advantages, relatively to the usual demonstrations, which are, not the use of the known enveolpe theorem and the validity of the demonstration for interior points to the production set

This article has as objective to investigate the relation between growth, poverty and inequality in the Brazilian cities. The objectives are: measure the elasticities of the reduction of the poverty in relation to the economic growth and the variation rate of the income inequality; test the existence of nonlinear interaction between the growth and the initial inequality (Bourguignon Hypothesis). We estimate growth incidence curves (GIC) for the cities to analyze the quality of growth. The results suggest that, between the regions, the biggest elasticity of the reduction of the poverty was observed in the Southeast and corroborate Bourguignon hypothesis. The results point with respect to a negative correlation between the elasticity redistribution and the initial Gini and positive between the module of the two elasticities. The GICs disclose that Brazil and no region had presented pro-poor growth in the period. Between the states this happens with Roraima. In the mesorregiões, only 7.35% had presented pro-poor growth while for the microrregiões this number exceeds 11%. The municipal analysis almost discloses to pro-poor growth in 25% of the cities.

Zeolite NaA (LTA) has been successfully synthesized by hydrothermal route, in which kaolim was used as silicon and aluminum source. The obtained zeolite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption, thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared absorption spectroscopy (IR), luminescence and granulometry. The X-ray diffraction data refinement by Rietveld method and software DBWS9807 has made possible the confirmation of only one crystallographic phase on the synthesis process and the particle size measurements. Particle sizes vary from 48 nm to 74 nm. Zeolite A morphologic properties were observed by scanning electron microscopy analysis, in which one could observe crystals with different sizes but with the same cubic shape. Na+ ions have been replaced for NH4 +, in a simple ion exchange process. This way, zeolite A has acquired its ammoniac state. The efficiency of this process has been confirmed by infrared analysis, with the appearance of bands in 1402 cm-1 and 1450 cm-1 after ion exchange, and by acid titillation. Zeolite thermal stability, either on Na+ or NH4 + states, has been determined by thermogravimetry. Activation energies for the thermogravimetric process related to weigh loss through volatilization caused basically by water and ammonia liberation from zeolite surface, were from 71,7 kJ.mol-1 to 205,7 kJ.mol-1. Luminescence analysis has indicated that Eu3+, used as probe, is not located in a symmetric center and the sites in which the abovementioned ion is located is not homogeneous. The particle size obtained from granulometric analysis was around 10 m, what indicates agglomerations formed by zeolite crystals. According to calcium removal analyses by zeolite A, it appears as na excellent water softener and as a potential substitute for polyphosphates, frequently used in detergents

NUNES, Rosângela Venâncio (2009). Avaliação do desempenho de cadeias produtivas da agricultura familiar – o caso do leite in natura em Quixadá / Ceará. 2009, 265f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Logística e Pesquisa Operacional), Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação,Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2009.

The purpose of this dissertation is to desire a formula for the operator Lr(g) = div(Pr gradient g) of a new support function g, defined over a hypersurface Mn in a Riemannian space form Mc n +1, and to show that a compact smooth starshaped hypersurface Σn in the Euclidean sphere Sn+1,whose second symmetric function S2 is positive and constant must be a geodesic sphere Sn (p). This generalizes a result obtained by Jellett [9] in 1853 for such surfaces in Euclidean space R3.

We study foliations of space forms by complete hypersurfaces, under some mild conditions on its higher order mean curvatures. In particular, in Euclidean space we obtain a Bernstein-type theorem for graphs whose mean and scalar curvature do not change sign but may otherwise be nonconstant. We also establish the nonexistence of foliations of the standard sphere whose leaves are complete and have constant scalar curvature, thus extending a theorem of Barbosa, Kenmotsu and Oshikiri. For the more general case of r-minimal foliations of the Euclidean space, possibly with a singular set, we are able to invoke a theorem of Ferus to give conditions under which the nonsigular leaves are foliated by hyperplanes.

Infection by Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial species classified by WHO as being carcinogenic (group I) affects more than half the world population. First-degree relatives to patients with gastric cancer are at increased risk of developing gastric cancer. The present study evaluated the prevalence of precursor lesions of gastric cancer and infection by Helicobacter pylori in first-degree relatives to patients with gastric cancer as compared to controls with no family history of gastric cancer. One hundred four first-degree relatives to 40 patients with noncardiac gastric cancer were enrolled in the study and compared to 108 controls. The groups were statistically homogenous in terms of age. All patients were submitted to endoscopic evaluation and biopsy as described in the Sydney protocol. The histopathological analysis was carried out by a single, experienced pathologist blinded to the origin of the samples. Although the prevalence of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia was similar for the two groups, association with these lesions was more common among relatives than controls (p=0.021). Incomplete intestinal metaplasia was also more significant among relatives (p=0.001), as was displasia (p=0.025). The group of relatives presented a pattern of pangastritis associated with lymphoid follicles characteristic of increased risk for gastric carcinogenesis. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with regard to the prevalence of H. pylori, though infection involving body and antrum was more prevalent among relatives (p=0.001). Our findings suggest that relatives to patients with gastric cancer present a greater prevalence of histopathological changes associated with the presence of H. pylori

We present an extension to Barta's Theorem due to G. P. Bessa and J. F. Montenegro and we show some geometric applications of the obtained result. As first application, we extend Chang's lower eigenvalue estimates of the Laplacian in normal geodesic balls. As second application, we generalize Cheng-Li-Yau's eigenvalue estimates to a minimal submanifold of the space forms.

This work describes the development and study of environmental friendly epoxies anticorrosives paints, which were formulated using zinc phosphate (ZP), zinc molybdate (ZM), zinc and calcium molybdate (ZCM), zinc phosphomolybdate (ZMP) and zinc and calcium phosphomolybdate (MZAP), as safe alternative to more traditional anticorrosive pigments (lead, chromium and other heavy metals). Additionally, environmental considerations are limiting the use of solvent-borne paints because it contibutes to atmospheric pollution and empairs health problems. Thus, hydrosoluble epoxy resin was used in the formulation of the water-borne paints. The aim od this research is to employ molybdate-based pigments in order to check their efficiency in water borne paints. Inhibitive properties of the pigments were evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization curves, open ciricuit potential (Eoc) and mass loss monitoring during 30 days in immersion test of SAE 1010 steel in aqueous saturated pigment solutions with 10-2 mol dm-3 NaCl. The physical chemical characterization of the corrosion products was carried out by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction techniques. All the tests showed that the phosphomolybdate pigments presented the better corrosion inhibiting properties. All the paints were formulated with 16% (v/v) epoxy resin, 7.5 % (v/v) anticorrosive pigment, and additives and fillers in order to maintain the PVC/CPVC ration equal to 0.8. the dry thickness of the painted samples was approximately 120 μm. The paint performance was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) during immersion tests, of the atmospheric exposition and accelerated ensay of salt spray. The thermal stability of the paintings was also studied by thermal gravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The impedance diagrams of all painted samples showed only one capacitive loop, with impedance values higher than 109 Ωcm2. Capacitance values varied between 10-6 and 10-10 Fcm-2. The results suggest that the combination of the molybdate and phosphate gives the best inhibitive properties. About the thermal analyses were observed that the molybdates and phosphomolybdates pigments showed the better performances thus in the thermal stability of epoxy resin, because theses pigments showed higher interaction between pigment-resin; just as in the relation the energy involved in the cure process of polymeric film, because these pigments contribued to reduce the heat involved in the cure process.

This study analyzed and verified the importance of sustainability in three land settlements benefited by land reform program of the Federal and State Government in Caucaia county, State of Ceará. It is important to know that the funds allocated to the program did improve the well-being of the favored families. For that, two federal land settlements of "Angicos" and "Boqueirão dos Cunhas" and state land settlement of "Buque/Poço Verde" were selected. A questionnaire containing economic, social, environmental and social capital variables was prepared to measure the sustainability of those settlements. The results built up a sustainability index based on an average of social economic development index, environmental index and social capital index. The value of sustainability index suggested that the three land settlements have a medium development level.

The objective of this study was to identify and analyze tangible and intangible social capital of benefited communities by the resources of rural Poverty Reduction Program in the State of Ceará. Data were obtained by interviewing individuals and leaders of communities benefited by projects such as water supply, land reform, rural electrification and agricultural mechanization. A social capital index was built for each type of project. The results indicated that communities have medium level of social capital accumulation and resources supplied by this program contributed to increase social capital in these communities.

The main objective of the study is to verify the impact of program of small agricultural credit on the quality of life of the benefited families in the state of Ceara. The data was obtained through the application of questionnaires to the benefited families in the county of Quixada. Table, graphic and descriptive analysis were used to describe the collected data. The t-student, Tukey test and Kruskall-Wallis test were used to compare the mean values of selected variables and proportions of benefited and non benefited families were used, respectively. The employment per hectare cultivated is higher on the properties having cattle breeding and hog production activities financed by the credit program. The main of income of benefited and non benefited families is agriculture and retirement and pension, respectively. The average income per hectare cultivated is higher from hog production due to rapid returns as compare to cattle breeding and goat and sheep raising activities. The benefited and non benefited families have the average quality of life. The living condition, access to education and health facilities contributed the most in the formation of life quality index and leisure facilities contributed less in improving the quality of life of the benefited and non benefited families.

In this work, we have presented a Raman scattering study of L-proline (C5H9NO2) crystals at room temperature and high hydrostatic pressure conditions over the spectral range 30−3200 cm−1. We have proposed an assignment of the Raman bands to various vibration modes based on previous Raman spectroscopy studies of L-proline and others amino acids such as L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine. The high-pressure Raman espectra suggest that the L-proline crystal undergoes a reversible structural phase transition between 1.5 and 2.5 GPa, associated with conformational changes of L-proline molecules in the unit cell. It also was observed at about 5.2 GPa a conformational change that may be related with modifications of the proline pyrrolidine ring.

SILVA, Carlos Alex Souza da. Campos tensoriais anti-simétricos de matéria em espaços curvos. 2008. 76 f. : Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Centro de Ciências, Departamento de Física, Fortaleza, 2007..

Verifica a existência de desigualdade de gênero na duração do desemprego e os seus possíveis efeitos sobre o salário aceito pelo trabalhador no momento de saída do estado de desemprego. Utiliza os microdados da Pesquisa Mensal de Emprego (PME) do ano de 2006, realizada pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). A análise da duração do desemprego é realizada com base no modelo de risco proporcional, assumindo-se uma distribuição Weibull e controlando-se a heterogeneidade nãoobservada, assumindo-se uma distribuição do tipo Gamma. A equação de salários aceitos é estimada a partir do método de mínimos quadrados em dois estágios, devido à possível simultaneidade entre as variáveis de salário e de duração do desemprego. Os resultados mostram que existe uma diferença de gênero significativa no risco de saída do estado de desemprego. Um resultado importante é o fato de o número de crianças no domicílio afetar o risco de forma oposta para homens e mulheres. Essa assimetria reflete condições econômicas, sociais e culturais. Em relação à dependência da duração, encontra-se um efeito negativo da duração do desemprego sobre o salário aceito pelo trabalhador. Estes resultados geram uma nova perspectiva de estudo da diferenciação de gênero no mercado de trabalho brasileiro.

O objetivo do presente estudo é analisar a atividade de busca por emprego dos trabalhadores desempregados no mercado de trabalho brasileiro na década de 1990, utilizando-se como base de dados a Pesquisa de Padrão de Vida (PPV), do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), de 1996-1997. Duas metodologias econométricas são aplicadas: primeiro, estima-se uma equação de salários por Mínimos Quadrados em Dois Estágios (MQ2E) e observa-se que o salário de reserva diminui à medida que a duração do desemprego aumenta, portanto, oferecendo pela primeira vez uma evidência empírica para a hipótese da não-estacionariedade do salário de reserva. Segundo, estima-se a função risco empírica a partir dos modelos de risco proporcional e verifica-se que o risco de sair do desemprego é mais sensível ao salário de reserva quando comparado aos valores estimados para outros países. Os resultados evidenciam o papel fundamental que o modelo de busca, baseado na noção do salário de reserva, possui na estimação dos determinantes do desemprego no Brasil na década de 1990.

Introduction: Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is an effective means of treating patients with acute respiratory failure and its use has been well established in cardiogenic pulmonary edema and in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reducing the need for endotracheal intubation and improving survival. Furthermore the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) – a mode of NIPPV – is the recommended treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), where frequently there is no abnormality in pulmonary parenchyma. Also in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) may result in alveolar recruitment of nonaerated units as well as in overinflation of the aerated lung areas. Alveolar overinflation is considered an important factor related to ventilator-induced lung injury causing higher mortality. The prone position has beneficial effects on oxygenation in these patients and the additive effect of PEEP with this maneuver is debatable. High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is an excellent imaging method to evaluate the effects of positive pressure and prone position on pulmonary parenchyma. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of CPAP applied by a nasal mask on pulmonary inflation in normal subjects in supine and prone positions. Patients and methods: This is an interventionist study that evaluated eight healthy volunteers. A protocol of HRCT of the lung was performed in three regions: at the apex (2 cm above the aortic level), hilum (1 cm below the carina) and basis (2 cm above the right diaphragm) in the supine position, without and with CPAP of 5, 10 and 15 cmH2O. Also HRCT slices were performed in the prone position at the lung basis, without and with CPAP of 10 cmH2O. All HRCT slices were obtained at the functional residual capacity. Each CPAP level was maintened at least five minutes and the period between the different levels of CPAP was similar. For analysis the results were divided into regions ventral, medial and dorsal and with slices of apex, hilum and basis together. The mean lung densities (MLD) and the percentual of units with densities lower than -950 UH (overinflated) were calculated for each region. Results: There was no difference between the MLD of apex, hilum and basis for the same level pressure. In the supine position, there were a MLD reduction and an increase of the number of pixels on hyperinflated areas according to CPAP levels: without CPAP -761 HU e 7,25%; CPAP 5: -780 HU e 8,57%; CPAP 10: -810 HU e 11,62%; CPAP 15: -828 UH e 14,65% (p< 0,05). The same occurred in the prone position without CPAP: -759 UH e 6,30% and with CPAP 10: -803 UH e 9,94% (p < 0,05). It was observed a crescent ventro-dorsal density gradient in supine position that was inverse in prone position. At CPAP of 10 cmH2O there was lower percentage of pixels on hyperinflated areas in the prone position than in supine. In the non dependent lung regions (ventral in supine and dorsal in prone) there were lower percentage of pixels on hyperinflated areas and higher on normoaerated areas in the prone position than in supine with little differences in the dependent regions. Conclusions: Non invasive CPAP in normal subjects induces progressive overdistension with increase of pressure levels in supine and prone positions. CPAP of 10 cmH2O causes less overdistension of the non dependent regions than the same level of CPAP in supine position, without inducing significant overinflation of the dependent regions. So that the prone position causes a more homogeneous air distribution through the lungs.

Plant-derived lectins inhibit neutrophil chemotaxis, probably through a competitive mechanism with endogenous selectins for a glycosidic residue in the membrane of endothelial cells, leukocytes or in components of the extracellular matrix. We investigated the effects of a lectin isolated from Dioclea violacea (Dviol) seeds in the zymosan-induced arthritis (Azy). Wistar rats (180 a 220g) received an intraarticular (i.a.) injection of 1 mg zymosan (Zy) into the right knee. The hyperalgesia was evaluated with the test for articular incapacitation, measured as the paw elevation time (PET) in s/1min. Cell influx (IC) was assessed in the joint exudate, obtained 6 h after injection of the Zy, through washing and aspiration of the joint. Groups were pretreated 30min before the Zy with Dviol (1 - 30 µg; i.a. ou 1 - 10mg/kg; e.v.), and were compared to non-treated groups (NT), that received the Zy and the vehicle. Others groups received only Dviol (0,3 - 30µg; i.a. and the naïve animals (NV) received just saline i.a. The i.v. administration of Dviol (6mg/kg) significantly reduced the hyperalgesia (p<0.01) (PET= 14,08 ± 1,4) as compared to NT (PET= 36,06 ± 3,3). The i.v. injection of Dviol inhibited IC (18.266,7 ± 1.890,1; 14.633,3 ± 3.207,2; 2.790 ± 503,3 e 120 ± 37,4 cells/mm3 for the 1, 3, 6, and 10mg doses of Dviol, respectively). Dviol given i.a. isolated (30µg) increased PET (15,5 ± 0,9) significantly, as compared to NV. Dviol i.a. isolated (0,3 - 30 µg) significantly increased IC (3.600 ± 676; 4.958,3 ± 1037,2 e 8.350 ± 1.511,5 cells/mm3 for 0,3, 3 e 30 µg, respectively), as compared to NV (858,3 ± 389,5 cells/mm3). Dviol (10 µg i.a.) given 30min before the Zy significantly inhibited the hyperalgesia (PET = 20,15 ± 2,2) (p<0.01), as compared to NT (TSP= 9,9 ±1,2). Dviol i.a. (1, 10, and 30μg) significantly reduced IC (18.266,7 ± 1.890,1; 11.366,7 ± 2.883,7 e 19.866,7 ± 1.783,4 cells/mm3, respectively), as compared to NT. The i.v. administration of Dviol (6 mg/kg) + manose reversed the inhibitory action of Dviol in the hyperalgesia (PET= 38,4 ± 4,4) (P<0.01) and in the IC (15200 ± 1829,7 cells/mm3) of the AZy, as compared to Dviol (6mg/kg; i.v.) (TEP= 14,08 ± 1,4 and IC= 2.790 ± 503,3 cells/mm3). The results demonstrate, for the first time, that the lectin isolated from Dviol has anti-inflammatory effect in an experimental arthritis model. This effect appears to be prominently due to the coupling of Dviol to intrarticular polysaccharide residues. However, we can not exclude that coupling to protein residues may be also involved in this mechanism.