Economic Determinants of Driver's Behavior in Minas Gerais

The aim of the paper is to evaluate the behavior of drivers when they face a safe-traffic environment. Some studies suggest that the laws that demand auto makers to produce safer vehicles also stimulate their drivers to drive carelessly, since the cost of driving carefully decreases. Likewise, a safer traffic environment or less dangerous surroundings can stimulate drivers to drive more aggressively and less carefully. This study tries to test whether the undesirable behavior described by Peltzman (1975) is observed on the highways and roads of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Estimates based on data found in the Brazilian Federal Road Police's accident report databank confirm drivers'' lack of attention in safer environments. The results suggest that careless behavior in traffic increases when safer conditions prevail.

ANALISA PEMBENTUKAN HARGA BARANG POKOK, DAN KESEIMBANGAN PASAR KOMODITI BERAS.

Abstrak Analisis pembentukan harga barang kebutuhan pokok dan keseimbangan pasar di kabupaten sidoarjo. Analisis ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana pembentukan harga dan keseimbangan pasar. Harga pada konsumen akhir juga dipengaruhi oleh alur perjalanan atau distribusi barang di suatu daerah tersebut. Harga beli pedagang atau penimbun di pasar tradisional dapat berubah karena aktifitas tersebut melewati / dari distributor, dari sini dapat disimpulkan bahwa harga barang dapat dipengaruhi oleh barang tersebut tersedia di pasaran dalam ambang batas normal, banyak atau sedikit ( langka ). Pada saat persediaan barang di pasar langka harga beli konsumen kepada pedagang pasar tradisional pasti akan mengalami harga naik, saat kondisi ketersediaan barang di pasar masing – masing komoditas melimpah harga beli konsumen kepada pedagang pasar tradisional dengan sendirinya harganya mengalami penurunan. Harga jual pedagang pasar tradisional untuk barang pokok juga berpengaruh dari kondisi barang langka dan melimpah dibandingkan dengan kondisi barang normal, apabila kondisi komoditi pokok di suatu wilayah langka maka harga penjualan akan naik dan sebaliknya saat barang melimpah harga penjualan dengan sendirinya akan menurun. Kata kunci : Pembentukan harga, Keseimbangan pasar

Structural changes in exchange rate regimes in Brazil

Following a dramatic breakdown of a managed floating regime, Brazil adopted a framework for policy consisting of inflation targeting and floating exchange rates. The country's commitment to this arrangement, however, is often put to dispute. In this paper we revisit the issue of whether Brazil has truly accepted to let its currency float, taking use of cross-currency linear regression models complemented by inferential techniques for evaluating the stability of exchange rate regimes. The results found suggest that Brazil does seem to have shifted towards greater exchange rate flexibility after the abandonment of its dollar-peg. However, after the adoption of inflation targeting the degree of exchange rate flexibility seems to have reduced a little.Structural changes; exchange rate regimes; emerging markets.

THE DETERMINANTS OF MIGRATION IN BRAZIL

In the present study, the neoclassic human capital model was used as the theoretical foundation for the analyses of the determinants of migration in Brazil. The empirical studies were carried on with the application of a multiple regression macro model based on the gravitational model and on the Poisson distribution. In the empirical model, the number of migrants between Brazilian mesoregions was the response variable. Many socioeconomic and criminal aspects of the origin and the destiny of the migrants were used as explanatory variables. The distance between these regions and many geographical dummies were also used as independent variables. This paper contains seven sections. The first one introduces some concepts that are related to the determinants of migration. The next section briefly shows some aspects of the Brazilian regional diversity. After this, some quantitative data about the process of migration is presented. The subsequent section discusses the theoretical models of the analysis, which is the human capital model, and presents some similar studies done by other authors. Then, is showed the methodology and the macro model of migration that were used in the empirical analysis. Finally, the main empirical results are shown and the final discussions and conclusions are presented.

Brazilian Land Tenure and Conflicts: The Landless Peasants' Movement

This paper analyzes conflicts and violence in Brazil involving landless peasants occupying privately-owned land, for the period 2000-2008. It is the first study to be undertaken at a national level, with a contemporary data span, using a count data model that allows for heterogeneity, endogeneity and dynamics. Results from the estimated model show that the violent land occupation grows with left-wing political support for land occupation, rural population density, and agricultural credit, and decreases with poverty, agricultural productivity. The study discusses the interconnection of land reform, poverty and conflict.Land occupation, land reform, Brazil, poverty, conflict.

The determinants of migration in Brazil

In the present study, the neoclassic human capital model was used as the theoretical foundation for the analyses of the determinants of migration in Brazil. The empirical studies were carried on with the application of a multiple regression macro model based on the gravitational model and on the Poisson distribution. In the empirical model, the number of migrants between Brazilian mesoregions was the response variable. Many socioeconomic and criminal aspects of the origin and the destiny of the migrants were used as explanatory variables. The distance between these regions and many geographical dummies were also used as independent variables. This paper contains seven sections. The first one introduces some concepts that are related to the determinants of migration. The next section briefly shows some aspects of the Brazilian regional diversity. After this, some quantitative data about the process of migration is presented. The subsequent section discusses the theoretical models of the analysis, which is the human capital model, and presents some similar studies done by other authors. Then, is showed the methodology and the macro model of migration that were used in the empirical analysis. Finally, the main empirical results are shown and the final discussions and conclusions are presented.

EXPANSÃO DA EDUCAÇÃO TECNOLÓGICA DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR NO BRASIL E RENDIÇÃO AO MERCADO

O presente trabalho aborda a expansão da educação superior sob a modalidade de Educação Tecnológica no Brasil durante o governo Lula. Tal expansão se realiza mediante a oferta de Cursos Superiores de Tecnologia (CST), estes considerados como possibilidade mais adequada de curso de nível superior público para a base da sociedade brasileira a partir do compromisso com o propalado “mercado de trabalho”. A nosso ver, nem a formação cogitada, nem a suposta inserção privilegiada no “mercado de trabalho” a partir daquela possibilitam a passagem da base social em questão para além da atual sociabilidade (ontologicamente unilateral) do capital. Para fundamentar esse entendimento, recorremos aos arquivos do Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (INEP), sobre a avaliação da educação superior brasileira, assim como aos documentos do Ministério da Educação (MEC) sobre a temática em discussão e, ainda, aos estudos desenvolvidos por pesquisadores da área de educação. Pretendemos, assim, demonstrar que a expansão da educação superior na modalidade de Educação Tecnológica não viabiliza a passagem da base da sociedade brasileira para uma condição que a coloque como sujeito na atual sociabilidade do capital. Daí falarmos em rendição ao mercado

Intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome in pancreatitis, paediatrics, and trauma

Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is an important contributor to early organ dysfunction in trauma and sepsis. However, relatively little is known about the impact of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in general internal medicine, pregnant patients, and those with obesity or burns. The aim of this paper is to review the pathophysiologic implications and treatment options for IAH in these specific situations. A MEDLINE and PubMed search was performed and the resulting body-of-evidence included in the current review on the basis of relevance and scientific merit. There is increasing awareness of the role of IAH in different clinical situations. Specifically, IAH will develop in most (if not all) severely burned patients, and may contribute to early mortality. One should avoid over-resuscitation of these patients with large volumes of fluids, especially crystalloids. Acute elevations in IAP have similar effects in obese patients compared to non-obese patients, but the threshold IAP associated with organ dysfunction may be higher. Chronic elevations in IAP may, in part, be responsible for the pathogenesis of obesity-related co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, pseudotumor cerebri, pulmonary dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and abdominal wall hernias. At the bedside, measuring IAP and considering IAH in all critical maternal conditions is essential, especially in preeclampsia/eclampsia where some have hypothesized that IAH may have an additional role. IAH in pregnancy must take into account the precautions for aorto-caval compression and has been associated with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Recently, IAP has been associated with the cardiorenal dilemma and hepatorenal syndrome, and this has led to the recognition of the polycompartment syndrome. In conclusion, IAH and ACS have been associated with several patient populations beyond the classical ICU, surgical, and trauma patients. In all at risk conditions the focus should be on the early recognition of IAH and prevention of ACS. Patients at risk for IAH should be identified early through measurements of IAP. Appropriate actions should be taken when IAP increases above 15 mm Hg, especially if pressures reach above 20 mm Hg with new onset organ failure. Although non-operative measures come first, surgical decompression must not be delayed if these fail. Percutaneous drainage of ascites is a simple and potentially effective tool to reduce IAP if organ dysfunction develops, especially in burn patients. Escharotomy may also dramatically reduce IAP in the case of abdominal burns

HIV/AIDS and time allocation in rural Malawi

AIDS morbidity and mortality are expected to have a large impact on households’ labor supply in rural Malawi since they reduce the time that adults can spend on production for subsistence and on income generating activities. However, the data demands for estimating this impact are high, limiting the amount of empirical evidence. In this paper, we utilize a unique combination of quantitative and qualitative data, including biomarkers for HIV, collected by the Malawi Diffusion and Ideational Change Project, to analyze the impact of AIDS-related morbidity and mortality on time allocation decisions for rural Malawians. We evaluate both the direct effect of HIV/AIDS on the time allocation of affected individuals as well as its indirect effect on the time allocation of surviving household members. We find that the latter is the most important effect of AIDS-related morbidity and mortality, especially on women’s time. Specifically, AIDS induces diversification of income sources, with women reallocating their time from work-intensive (typically farming and heavy chores) to cash-generating tasks (such as casual labor).Africa, AIDS/HIV, economic impact, Malawi, time allocation