Governance and Social Network: Analysis in Cooperatives of Small Citrus Producers in the São Paulo State, Brazil

The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the network governance structure adopted by small producers’ citrus cooperatives has allowed the reduction of risks in transactions, ex-ante (adverse selection) and ex-post (moral hazard), and the problems of opportunism downstream and upstream of the production chain. The planned methodological procedure included the structuring and research of two case studies in cooperatives of small orange producers in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, comprising a sample of 35 cooperative members surveyed between the two cooperatives analyzed. The analyzes were supported by the Transaction Cost Economics and Social Network approaches. Results indicate the importance of the cooperatives and their network format, as economic agents, in maintaining small producers in the citrus industry activity, allowing the reduction of risks in transactions and the problems of opportunism, downstream and upstream of the chain. It was verified the academic contribution and theoretical reinforcement brought by this study - through the empirical surveys and results produced - to the theory of hybrid governance formats, which lacks empirical support and greater analytical strengthening on the part of the academy, according to its own authors. It is suggested, for future analysis, the use of the network governance approach aimed at strengthening the class of small producers of other agribusiness cultures, also using the theoretical basis belonging to NIE, TCE and Networks. The continuity of analyzes based on relational governance, with institutional and transactional economics as a basis, represents not only academic documentation and support for small rural producers of different cultures, but also the guarantee of theoretical robustness to a structure that is still incipient in historical terms, which finds in Brazilian agribusiness a fertile ground for its development and materialization

Jefferson scale of physician lifelong learning: translation and adaptation for the portuguese medical population

The competence and professionalism of doctors depend on the process of Lifelong Learning (LLL). In the Portuguese settings, in which the re-certification of physicians' skills or knowledge is currently not required, the exercise of LLL is left to personal motivation and initiative. The importance of LLL has been highlighted in numerous international recommendations and has already led, in the United States, to the development and validation of a scale for measuring physician LLL - the Jefferson Scale of Physician Life Long Learning (JSPLL). The lack of valid instruments to measure LLL adapted to the Portuguese contexts was the basis for this work, which presents the translation and adaptation of JSPLL, and the subsequent validation of the translated version to the Portuguese medical community. The translation and validation of the English version of JSPLL (JSPLL-VP) was conducted with physicians of Health Care institutions in the District of Braga, Portugal, in 2007. Methods of both qualitative (translation, assessment of the translation, retro translation) and quantitative nature (internal consistency analysis, factor analysis and analysis of response frequencies) resulted in a factor analysis that replicated, with the exception of three items, the distribution of the original scale by four factors: professional learning beliefs and motivation, scholarly activities, attention to learning opportunities and technical skills in seeking information. The results show that the JSPLL-VP is a valid Scale fit for purpose. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the whole scale (.89) and for each factor, confirmed the internal consistency of the Scale. Additionally, differences were found between mean and standard deviations for different Scale factors. In summary, this work provides a new validated tool to monitor physician's LLL in Portugal. The transversal characterization of LLL of specific medical professionals - by specialty or by type of institution - or longitudinal studies in relation with profiles of medical training can contribute to the quality of Medical Education at the pre- or post-graduate levels.Concluída a formação universitária, a competência e o profissionalismo médicos dependem do processo de Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida (ALV) que estes desenvolvam durante a sua actividade profissional. Em contextos que não promovam a re-certificação de competências ou de conhecimentos ao longo da carreira médica, a ALV depende da motivação e da iniciativa pessoais. A importância da ALV tem sido sublinhada em numerosas recomendações internacionais e já conduziu, nos EUA, ao desenvolvimento e validação de uma escala de medição específica para a ALV de médicos – a Jefferson Scale of Physician Life Long Learning (JSPLL). A inexistência de instrumentos válidos de medida adaptados ao contexto Português conduziu a este trabalho, que apresenta a tradução e adaptação da JSPLL, e a subsequente validação da versão traduzida para a população médica Portuguesa. A tradução e validação da versão portuguesa da JSPLL (JSPLL-VP) foi realizada com uma amostra representativa de médicos de instituições prestadoras de cuidados de saúde do distrito de Braga, no ano de 2007. Aplicados os devidos procedimentos de natureza qualitativa (tradução, avaliação da tradução, retro tradução) e quantitativa (análise da consistência interna, análise factorial e cálculo de frequências de resposta), verificou-se que a análise factorial replicou, à excepção de três itens, a distribuição da escala original por quatro factores: profissionalismo, motivação e crenças relacionadas com a aprendizagem, actividades académicas, atenção a oportunidades de aprendizagem e competências técnicas de procura de informação. As evidências resultantes da análise efectuada permitem afirmar que a JSPLL-VP é uma escala válida para os fins a que se propõe. A consistência interna foi confirmada através dos coeficientes alpha de Cronbach para cada factor e para a escala global (.89). Adicionalmente, foram encontradas diferenças entre médias e desvios padrão nos resultados dos diferentes factores da Escala. Por conseguinte, este trabalho disponibiliza um novo instrumento validado, que poderá fornecer elementos interessantes para a monitorização ou o desenvolvimento da ALV da população médica portuguesa. A caracterização da ALV em estudos transversais com diferentes grupos de profissionais médicos – por especialidade ou por tipo de instituição – ou longitudinais com o estudo da sua relação com perfis de formação médica, poderá contribuir para a qualidade da Educação Médica aos níveis pré ou pós-graduado

Microfluidic-based platform to mimic the in vivo peripheral administration of neurotropic nanoparticles

Aim: Propose a nanoparticle for neuron-targeted retrograde gene delivery and describe a microfluidic-based culture system to provide insight into vector performance and safety. Methods: Using compartmentalized neuron cultures we dissected nanoparticle bioactivity upon delivery taking advantage of (quantitative) bioimaging tools. Results: Targeted and nontargeted nanoparticles were internalized at axon terminals and retrogradely transported to cell bodies at similar average velocities but the former have shown an axonal flux 2.7-times superior to nontargeted nanoparticles, suggesting an improved cargo-transportation efficiency. The peripheral administration of nanoparticles to axon terminals is nontoxic as compared with their direct administration to the cell body or whole neuron. Conclusion: A neuron-targeted nanoparticle system was put forward. Microfluidic-based neuron cultures are proposed as a powerful tool to investigate nanoparticle bio-performance.The work was financed by Portuguese funds through the FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia in the framework of the projects PTDC/CTM-NAN/115124/2009 and PTDC/CTM-NAN/3547/2014. CDF Lopes, CP Gomes and E Neto acknowledge the FCT for their PhD scholarships(SFRH/BD/77933/2011, SFRH/BD/77930/2011 and SFRH/BD/81152/2011, respectively). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript

Chromosome analysis of five Brazilian species of poison frogs (Anura: Dendrobatidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Dendrobatid frogs have undergone an extensive systematic reorganization based on recent molecular findings. The present work describes karyotypes of the Brazilian species Adelphobates castaneoticus, A. quinquevittatus, Ameerega picta, A. galactonotus and Dendrobates tinctorius which were compared to each other and with previously described related species. All karyotypes consisted of 2n = 18 chromosomes, except for A. picta which had 2n = 24. The karyotypes of the Adelphobates and D. tinctorius species were highly similar to each other and to the other 2n = 18 previously studied species, revealing conserved karyotypic characteristics in both genera. In recent phylogenetic studies, all Adelphobates species were grouped in a clade separated from the Dendrobates species. Thus, we hypothesized that their common karyotypic traits may have a distinct origin by chromosome rearrangements and mutations. In A. picta, with 2n = 24, chromosome features of pairs from 1 to 8 are shared with other previously karyotyped species within this genus. Hence, the A. picta data reinforced that the C-banding pattern and the NOR location are species-specific traits in the genus Ameerega. Moreover, the Ameerega monophyletism proposed by previous phylogenetic studies indicates that the karyotypic differences among species in this genus result from a long divergence time.9013137Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [02/12139-9, 05/05132-6]CNPq [300660/2005-7

Um comparativo entre uma carteira de investimento teórica e os investimentos praticados por um grupo de investidores

The objective of this study is to compare the investments made by a group of investors with a theoretical investment portfolio in terms of performance. Through a descriptive research and quantitative approach, the study was carried out through a survey, whose research instrument was an electronic questionnaire. The sample is composed of 119 entrepreneurs from a Municipality of the State of Santa Catarina and to analyze the data was used the technique of descriptive analysis. Savings stands out as the most representative investment, with 82% of the investments practiced which indicates a predominance of the conservative profile, thus creating the theoretical investment portfolio, composed of 4 investments, where they are compared with the Interbank Deposit Certificate (CDI). The monitoring of the portfolio for the purpose of comparison with savings takes into account a period of 24 months. The return on the investment portfolio is defined by a weighted average of the investment income. In comparison, it is possible to observe the evolution of the yields in the period of 24 months, and the theoretical portfolio developed is above the CDI surpassing the 32% of profitability, however the savings in turn has 15.06% of profitability, thus making feasible the theoretical investment portfolio. O estudo objetiva comparar em termos de desempenho os investimentos praticados por um grupo de investidores, com uma carteira de investimentos teórica. Por meio de uma pesquisa descritiva e abordagem quantitativa, o estudo foi realizado mediante uma survey, cujo instrumento de pesquisa foi um questionário eletrônico. A amostra foi composta por 119 empresários de um Município do Estado de Santa Catarina, e para analisar os dados utilizou-se a técnica de análise descritiva. A poupança destaca-se como o investimento mais representativo, com 82% dos investimentos praticados, o que indica predominância do perfil conservador, dessa forma criada a carteira de investimentos teórica, composta por quatro investimentos, em que são comparados com o indexador Certificado de Depósito Interbancário (CDI). O acompanhamento da carteira com a finalidade de comparação com a poupança leva em consideração um período de 24 meses. A rentabilidade da carteira de investimentos é definida por uma média ponderada entre os rendimentos dos investimentos. No comparativo é possível observar a evolução das rentabilidades no período de 24 meses, sendo que a carteira teórica desenvolvida fica acima do CDI, ultrapassando os 32% de rentabilidade, no entanto, a poupança, por sua vez, tem 15,06% de rentabilidade, viabilizando, desse modo, a carteira de investimento teórica

SEROLOGICAL DETECTION OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS IN FREE-RANGING NEOTROPICAL PRIMATES (Sapajus spp., Alouatta caraya) FROM THE PARANÁ RIVER BASIN, BRAZIL

Nonhuman primates are considered as the natural hosts of Hepatitis A virus (HAV), as well as other pathogens, and can serve as natural sentinels to investigate epizootics and endemic diseases that are of public health importance. During this study, blood samples were collected from 112 Neotropical primates (NTPs) (Sapajus nigritus and S. cay, n = 75; Alouatta caraya, n = 37) trap-captured at the Paraná River basin, Brazil, located between the States of Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul. Anti-HAV IgG antibodies were detected in 4.5% (5/112) of NTPs, specifically in 6.7% (5/75) of Sapajus spp. and 0% (0/37) of A. caraya. In addition, all samples were negative for the presence of IgM anti-HAV antibodies. These results suggest that free-ranging NTPs were exposed to HAV within the geographical regions evaluated