A Probabilistic Approach for Assessing the Significance of Contextual Variables in Nonparametric Frontier Models: an Application for Brazilian Banks

This article presents an empirical application illustrating the use of a nonparametric frontier model relying on a probabilistic definition of the production frontier. The significance of the variable nonperforming loans in productive efficiency is assessed, for a sample of Brazilian banks, using the concepts of condicional and unconditional efficiency measures, in a context where it is not necessary to impose any particular distribution for the production data. The analysis is robust relative to the assumptions of separability.

Diversity, markets and privatization in brazilian higher education

Mestrado em Higher Education (Erasmus Mundus)Diversidade é um conceito positivamente apoiado pois acredita-se que ele aumente as possibilidades de escolha dos alunos, bem como das instituições no desenvolvimento do sistema de educação superior, especialmente em nações em desenvolvimento. É considerado um mecanismo chave pois faz a educação superior ser mais dinâmica e eficiente. O presente estudo analisa a diversidade no sistema de graduação brasileiro de educação superior baseando-se em dados relativos a 2005. Considera-se o fato de que este sistema possui uma participação significativa do sector privado com fins lucrativos, no qual os mecanismos de mercado exercem fortes influências e analisa até que ponto tais influências são similares (ou não) em relação aos sectores público e privado sem fins lucrativos. O estudo evidencia que o uso de mecanismos de diversidade é influenciado por diferentes razões, as quais dependem em grande parte da forma de financiamento de cada sector e geram resultados que devem ser monitorados a fim de irem ao encontro dos objectivos de desenvolvimento da sociedade. ABSTRACT: Diversity is a concept that is supported positively as it may enlarge students’ choice as well as institutions’ possibilities to develop a higher education system, especially in developing nations. It is considered a key mechanism as it makes higher education more dynamic and efficient. This study analyse diversity in Brazilian higher education system based on data relative to 2005. It takes into consideration the fact that this system has a significant participation of a private for-profit sector in which market mechanisms exert strong influences, and analyses to what extent these influences are similar (or not) in relation to public, not-for-profit and for-profit institutions. It evidences that the use of diversity mechanisms is influenced by different reasons that depend in great part on the funding of each sector and it results in outcomes that should be monitored in order to accomplish with society goals of development

PRP and BMAC for Musculoskeletal Conditions via Biomaterial Carriers.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) are orthobiologic therapies considered as an alternative to the current therapies for muscle, bone and cartilage. Different formulations of biomaterials have been used as carriers for PRP and BMAC in order to increase regenerative processes. The most common biomaterials utilized in conjunction with PRP and BMAC clinical trials are organic scaffolds and natural or synthetic polymers. This review will cover the combinatorial strategies of biomaterial carriers with PRP and BMAC for musculoskeletal conditions (MsCs) repair and regeneration in clinical trials. The main objective is to review the therapeutic use of PRP and BMAC as a treatment option for muscle, bone and cartilage injuries

Estudo prospectivo do impacto da comorbidade psiquiátrica no tempo de permanência de pacientes internados em enfermarias de clínica médica.

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Curso de Medicina, Florianópolis, 200

Words Faithful to the Phenomenon: A Discursive Analysis Method to Investigate Decision-Making Processes in the Intensive Care Unit.

The article presents the developing of a tool aimed to analyze the decision-making (DM) processes in critical care contexts. It was developed in a study conducted through a phenomenological approach. By analyzing the discursive practice through which physicians in an intensive care unit (ICU) arrive at decisions, we construct a discursive profile of each ICU involved, to improve the ICU team members\u2019 knowledge of the complexity of their DM processes. To do so, we develop a system of analysis capable of capturing discursive actions faithfully. Our method facilitates a system of analysis that highlights the role of the various discursive acts in conversational flow, starting from the needs in an ICU setting, which are spontaneously recognized from the data, to the almost simultaneous processes of description and understanding. This has led to the creation of a tool follows the phenomenological-grounded route

A Discursive Analysis Method to Investigate Decision-Making Processes in the Intensive Care Unit

The article presents the developing of a tool aimed to analyze the decision-making (DM) processes in critical care contexts. It was developed in a study conducted through a phenomenological approach. By analyzing the discursive practice through which physicians in an intensive care unit (ICU) arrive at decisions, we construct a discursive profile of each ICU involved, to improve the ICU team members' knowledge of the complexity of their DM processes. To do so, we develop a system of analysis capable of capturing discursive actions faithfully. Our method facilitates a system of analysis that highlights the role of the various discursive acts in conversational flow, starting from the needs in an ICU setting, which are spontaneously recognized from the data, to the almost simultaneous processes of description and understanding. This has led to the creation of a tool follows the phenomenological-grounded route

Re-approaches and Possible Applications to the Concept of Human Security

Este artículo describe y analiza el concepto de seguridad humana en el ámbito de Naciones Unidas y de las Relaciones Internacionales y su relación con la doctrina de la Responsabilidad de proteger (R2P). Pretendemos responder a las siguientes preguntas: ¿La utilización de la doctrina de la Responsabilidad de proteger amplía el concepto de la seguridad humana o lo reduce a su dimensión vertical? ¿El concepto de seguridad humana contribuye a la comprensión y enfrentamiento a la Trata de Personas (la Trata)? Con miras a contestar estas preguntas, el artículo está estructurado en tres partes: en la primera parte, presentamos el marco teórico-conceptual de la seguridad humana con base en los documentos de Naciones Unidas y la teoría de las relaciones internacionales; en la segunda, desde la noción de la R2P, su contenido y práctica internacional, observamos su contribución para el concepto de seguridad humana; en la tercera, utilizamos el enfoque de la seguridad humana para una comprensión global de la Trata.This article describes and analyzes the concept of human security within the scope of the United Nations and International Relations, and its relationship with the Responsibility to protect doctrine (R2P). We aim to answer the following questions: Does the use of the Responsibility to Protect doctrine widen the concept of human security or reduce it to its vertical dimension? The concepts of human security contribute to the understanding and the fighting against human trafficking? In order to answer these questions, the article is divided into three parts: in the first part, we present the theoretical and historical elements of the concept of human security developed in the United Nations documents, and within the scope of the International Relations Theory; in the second part, we analyze the contribution of the content and international practice of the R2P doctrine to the concept of human security; in the third part, we analyze the concept of human security in order to have a global understanding of human trafficking

How to evaluate Industrial Engineering undergraduate teachers?

In Brazil, teacher evaluation is required by the National Higher System Evaluation System (INEP, 2011). At UFAM, it is done through the student portal, which is considered ineffective, compromising the process of continuous improvement of teaching and learning. The article evaluates the students\u27 level of satisfaction with the quality of the services provided by the teachers who taught discipline for the FT/UFAM Industrial Engineering course, to propose suggestions for improvements. To this end, the UFAM evaluation portal was studied, then a review of performance evaluation articles allowed the development of a questionnaire (Appendix 1) that was applied in 2011 to 112 (70%) students enrolled in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th periods of this course. After analyzing the data, it was concluded that: a) the UFAM website to evaluate teachers was considered negative by more than 1/3 of the respondents, and the obligation to answer, the excessive amount of questions, the lack of feedback and improvement actions discourage students from responding; b) On the other hand, the application of the questionnaire revealed that the best-evaluated subjects were Special Topics of Industrial Engineering I and II, Management of Technological Innovation, Sanitation Applied to Production, Calculus II, Linear Algebra, Transport Phenomena, and Digital Electronics, most of which were taught by teachers of 2nd and 4th period. For improvement, it is recommended to identify the good teaching and learning practices of these teachers to apply seminars and disseminate them through FT/UFAM

Ask me what I think - Service Learning and the development of civic skills in pre-service teachers' training

Service Learning (SL) is an approach particularly effective for the in-service teacher training because it allows future teachers. Firstly because it meets the European Commission recommendations about pre-service teachers\u2019 training according to which the dialogue and collaboration between schools and universities are essential to promote effective pre-service teachers\u2019 training (European Commission, 2014). Moreover, SL, promotes in future teachers a reflective attitude, making them discover that facing the real problems that characterise real educational contexts means being able to analyse their practical experience to evaluate theories of education rooted in experience, which are meaningful frameworks for practice (Mortari, 2017). And finally, SL helps pre-service teachers to understand what it means to act in a service-oriented manner, because service the \u201caction\u201d in SL is not simply the result if a \u201cdeal\u201d between two parties (the pre-service teacher and the in-service teacher) but is the flourishing of a relationship that involves the whole community in which this experience is set, and this makes the SL a transformative moment not only for the teachers who are directly involved in it but also for the whole environment in which this experience. is set (Boyle\u2010Baise, 1998, European Commission, 2014). In conclusion SL is an experiential learning that helps to develop the profile of a teacher in which the professional skills are strictly connected to civic skills: for these reasons, University of Verona organizes for students of the Master\u2019s Degree in Primary School Education a Service Learning program, aimed to enrich future teachers profile developing not only their professional skills bit also their civic skills, reading it in the light of the ethics of care. This program, which is currently at its second edition, involves senior students, in-service teachers in different schools and an academic team that assumes the role of supervisor. Future students define: (i) in cooperation with in-service teachers the needs of the contexts, (ii) in cooperation with the academic team the educative goals that they must reach and (iii) in cooperation with in-service teachers and the academic team the project aimed to suit the context\u2019s needs and reach the student\u2019s educative goals. At the end, every student realises a detailed record of every phase of the CSL and a dissertation that critically analyses service actions. This paper presents the first results of a research conducted on forty students involved in the SL program during the academic year 2017/2018. This study starts from a consideration: we have designed this program because we are convinced that a SL experience helps future teachers to develop skills essential for their professional profile (reflective skills, civic skills, teaching skills, etc.) but, starting from their experience, what the subjects involved in the SL experience think to have gained through this experience? To find an answer to this question we developed a study that follows an ecological paradigm, according to the idea that in order to throw light on something that happens in a real context you must ask to those who are involved in that real context (Merriam, 2002; Mortari, 2007). According to its aim, the study is set in a phenomenological framework because it is particularly suitable to explore the meanings that someone gives to his or her experience (Lincoln and Guba 1985; Mortari, 2007). The data are embodied by reflective texts written by the students about their SL experiences. The analysis, which is still ongoing, is conducted through the tool of content analysis because it allows to define and organize the meaning of a text to discover the core elements without losings its undertones (Elo & Kyngas, 2008; Hsieh & Shannon, 2005

Structured lipids: alternatives for the production of human milk fat substitutes

Human milk has characteristics of great importance for the newborn. Its composition shows all nutrients in quantity and quality needed, in addition to providing protection against infections and allergies and stimulating the immune system. Therefore, the composition of fatty acids and their distribution in the triacylglycerols are targets of studies on infant formula, and the triacylglycerols of human milk fat should serve as a model for the lipid components. This review aims to report studies of technology in lipids in order to produce structured lipids as substitutes of human milk fat