Concentração Regional do Crédito e Consolidação Bancária no Brasil: Uma Análise Pós-Real

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar como o processo de consolidação bancária brasileiro, a partir da implementação do Plano Real, impactou a distribuição e concessão do crédito regionalmente. A partir da análise de dados estatísticos e da utilização da análise de dados em painel, avaliamos as implicações desse processo sobre o comportamento do setor bancário e seus efeitos sobre a concessão e distribuição de crédito regional. Os resultados obtidos no exercício empírico para o período 1994-2006 mostram indícios a favor da hipótese de que o processo de reestruturação bancária teve efeito negativo sobre a disponibilidade regional do crédito, sobretudo nas regiões periféricas do País. Adicionalmente, há evidências de que fatores monetários são importantes na explicação da tendência a concentração regional do crédito no Brasil.Oferta de Crédito, Economia Regional, Setor Bancário Brasileiro.

A ESTRATÉGIA COMO PRÁTICA SOCIAL: O CASO DA ARTE E CIÊNCIA

No campo da administração estratégica, muito se discute sobre as técnicas de gestão apropriadas para a pequena empresa, visto suas características específicas de decisão, direção e organização (LEONE, 1999; BERNARDES, 2005). Paralela a essa discussão, que se baseia na concepção de estratégia como um plano (MINTZBERG; AHLSTRAND; LAMPEL, 2006), os estudos da estratégia como uma perspectiva vêm se inserindo na agenda de pesquisadores como um esforço para explicar o processo de formulação de estratégia na pequena empresa. O principal objetivo desse estudo é analisar o processo de formação da estratégia em uma pequena empresa à luz da abordagem construcionista, uma corrente da escola cognitiva de estratégia (MINTZBERG; AHLSTRAND; LAMPEL, 2006). Para desenvolvimento do estudo utilizou-se da abordagem qualitativa e do estudo de caso como estratégia de pesquisa em uma empresa do ramo de estética, cujo nome utilizado nesse trabalho é Arte e Ciência. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas não-estruturadas, análise de documentos e observação no local. Os resultados evidenciam que a abordagem construcionista é adequada para compreender o processo de formação de estratégia na pequena empresa

Antioxidant Migration Studies in Chitosan Films Incorporated with Plant Extracts

This work was supported by CNPq/Brazil (grant number 200790/2014-5); CAPES (APQ-1 2009/02 E-26/110.414/2010, APQ-1 2011-2 E-26/110.269.2012, E-26/111.435/2012 - CsF/Brazil - BEX 11943-13-0); CENIMAT/I3N and MEtRiCS through FCT/MCTES (project number and UID/SEM/04077/2013CN).The aim of this work was to develop an active biopolymer based on chitosan by incorporating natural antioxidants. Five essential oils (ginger, rosemary, sage, tea tree and thyme) and six hydro-alcoholic extracts (from ginger, green and black tea, kenaf leaves, rosemary and sage plants) were tested. Migration assays were carried out to evaluate the films’ activity, and total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were monitored in the simulant during storage. Interaction between natural compounds and polymeric matrix was evaluated by FTIR spectroscopy. The diffusion of the phenolic compounds was not detected in the films incorporated with hydro-alcoholic extracts (HAEs), indicating their entrapment in the chitosan. Migration was observed in the films with essential oils (EOs), and biobased films incorporated with ginger, sage or rosemary essential oils, presented the highest diffusion and antioxidant activity in the simulant, highlighting their functionality and potential to be used as food active packaging materialpublishersversionpublishe

Phenotypic and genotypic detection of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis strains isolated from oral mucosa of AIDS pediatric patients

The aim of this study was to assess a collection of yeasts to verify the presence of Candida dubliniensis among strains isolated from the oral mucosa of AIDS pediatric patients which were initially characterized as Candida albicans by the traditional phenotypic method, as well as to evaluate the main phenotypic methods used in the discrimination between the two species and confirm the identification through genotypic techniques, i.e., DNA sequencing. Twenty-nine samples of C. albicans isolated from this population and kept in a fungi collection were evaluated and re-characterized. In order to differentiate the two species, phenotypic tests (Thermotolerance tests, Chromogenic medium, Staib agar, Tobacco agar, Hypertonic medium) were performed and genotypic techniques using DNA sequencing were employed for confirmation of isolated species. Susceptibility and specificity were calculated for each test. No phenotypic test alone was sufficient to provide definitive identification of C. dubliniensis or C. albicans, as opposed to results of molecular tests. After amplification and sequencing of specific regions of the 29 studied strains, 93.1% of the isolates were identified as C. albicans and 6.9% as C. dubliniensis. The Staib agar assay showed a higher susceptibility (96.3%) in comparison with other phenotypic techniques. Therefore, genotypic methods are indispensable for the conclusive identification and differentiation between these species

Phenotypic and genotypic detection of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis strains isolated from oral mucosa of AIDS pediatric patients

The aim of this study was to assess a collection of yeasts to verify the presence of Candida dubliniensis among strains isolated from the oral mucosa of AIDS pediatric patients which were initially characterized as Candida albicans by the traditional phenotypic method, as well as to evaluate the main phenotypic methods used in the discrimination between the two species and confirm the identification through genotypic techniques, i.e., DNA sequencing. Twenty-nine samples of C. albicans isolated from this population and kept in a fungi collection were evaluated and re-characterized. In order to differentiate the two species, phenotypic tests (Thermotolerance tests, Chromogenic medium, Staib agar, Tobacco agar, Hypertonic medium) were performed and genotypic techniques using DNA sequencing were employed for confirmation of isolated species. Susceptibility and specificity were calculated for each test. No phenotypic test alone was sufficient to provide definitive identification of C. dubliniensis or C. albicans, as opposed to results of molecular tests. After amplification and sequencing of specific regions of the 29 studied strains, 93.1% of the isolates were identified as C. albicans and 6.9% as C. dubliniensis. The Staib agar assay showed a higher susceptibility (96.3%) in comparison with other phenotypic techniques. Therefore, genotypic methods are indispensable for the conclusive identification and differentiation between these species.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Odontol, Dept Estomatol, Ave Prof Lineu Prestes 2227, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilAdolfo Lutz Inst, Nucleo Ciencias Biomed, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Lab Especial Micol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Lab Especial Micol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Dredging impact on trace metal behavior in a polluted estuary: a discussion about sampling design

Studies involving coastal sediment resuspension have shown that trace metals could be released to the water column due to changes in physical-chemical conditions. Therefore, if environmental agencies adopt screening protocols with insufficient evaluations of contaminant mobilization risks for a given area, the prediction of environmental impacts caused by dredging may be limited. This work evaluates the influence of spatial variation on the geochemical mobility of trace metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) after artificial sediment resuspension, using as study case the Iguaçu River estuary (Guanabara Bay, Brazil). The Iguaçu River drains the industrial complex of the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro State, besides the presence of agriculture and the input of untreated domestic wastes. Surface estuarine sediments were submitted to resuspension experiments in an open system, during 1h and 24h of agitation on local water. A clear tendency of metals’ solubilization was observed after resuspension, especially considering the dissolved concentrations of Cu (average: 8.0 µg L-1) and Zn (average: 0.9 mg L-1), especially for the samples from the transects 2 and 3. However, evaluations of water quality changes due to sediment resuspension are not requested by the legislation regulating the dredging activities. In the sediments, the results suggested a higher geochemical mobility of Cu, indicated by the massive increase on the bioavailable fraction after resuspension, mainly on the transect number 3, on the river’s mouth. The effects of resuspension were distinct between samples, suggesting that even in a small scale, important differences on metals’ mobility are found. Thus, the combined assessment of changes in metal concentrations in water and in the metal partitioning linked to the solid-phase was demonstrated to be a promising tool for predicting the environmental risks of dredging due to changes in the bioavailability of metals