The opportunity cost of preserving the Brazilian Amazon forest.

We estimate the trade-off between forest preservation and agricultural production for the Legal Amazon region, using census and deforestation data for municipalities in 2006.We use a directional distance function to represent the production possibility frontier, and then calculate the shadow price of reducing deforestation in terms of agricultural income foregone. Results indicate that, on average, to preserve 1 ha of forest, $797 in annual agricultural GDP must be foregone. Using a discount rate of 10average shadow price of$16 per ton of CO2 permanently sequestered

The Cost of Forest Preservation in the Brazilian Amazon: The “Arc of Deforestation”

We estimate the trade-off between agricultural production and forest preservation for the municipalities in Brazil’s agricultural frontier, the so-called “arc of deforestation,” using census and deforestation data for 2006. We use a nonparametric directional output distance function that allows us to identify the gradients of the production possibility frontier, which are the trade-offs of interest. We found that, on average, $979 is forgone in annual livestock, timber, and grain revenues to conserve 1 hectare of forest. This translates, ceteris paribus, to an average present value of costs to permanently sequester CO2 of$16.36/t, higher than most previous estimates

THE EFFECT OF THE EARLY ENTRANCE TO JOB MARKET ON THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE BRAZILIANS IN 2008

The early entrance to the job market has, among other consequences, a negative effect on the health status of the individual. In 2008, nearly a sixth of the Brazilian population claimed to have started working before the age of 10 and over a third reported to have started working between 10 and 15 years old. This paper aims to investigate the effect of early entrance to the job market on the current health status of the individual. The database provided by the National Survey by Household Sampling (PNAD) for 2008 was used to reach the objective of this paper. The analysis was conducted at national and regional extent using Ordered Logit method. It was evident that delaying entrance to the job market impacts positively on the current state of health. Moreover, it was found that the educational level and personal income increase the likelihood of the individual presenting a better state of health. Distinct effects of these variables on health status were also found when we took into account the regional context. The Southeast and South showed the most severe impacts of child labor on health, as well as the best results in terms of the impact of education and personal income on health status. In contrast, the North and Northeast regions showed the greatest gender disparities related to health status

Agricultural Production and Forest Preservation in the Brazilian Amazon

Brazil has become a strong competitor in world soybean production. In 2014, Brazil produced 28% of the world’s soybeans, while the United States produced 34%. Brazil increased its production sharply during the 1990s and 2000s, partly due to the expansion into the Amazon forest region. Soybean was one of the main commodities that led to this expansion. In 2016, the Legal Amazon region produced 33% of the Brazilian soybean production compared to 15% in 1990 (Figure 1)

THE EFFECT OF THE EARLY ENTRANCE TO JOB MARKET ON THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE BRAZILIANS IN 2008

The early entrance to the job market has, among other consequences, a negative effect on the health status of the individual. In 2008, nearly a sixth of the Brazilian population claimed to have started working before the age of 10 and over a third reported to have started working between 10 and 15 years old. This paper aims to investigate the effect of early entrance to the job market on the current health status of the individual. The database provided by the National Survey by Household Sampling (PNAD) for 2008 was used to reach the objective of this paper. The analysis was conducted at national and regional extent using Ordered Logit method. It was evident that delaying entrance to the job market impacts positively on the current state of health. Moreover, it was found that the educational level and personal income increase the likelihood of the individual presenting a better state of health. Distinct effects of these variables on health status were also found when we took into account the regional context. The Southeast and South showed the most severe impacts of child labor on health, as well as the best results in terms of the impact of education and personal income on health status. In contrast, the North and Northeast regions showed the greatest gender disparities related to health status

Factors associated with prolonged non-nutritive sucking habits in two cohorts of Brazilian children

Abstract Background Non-nutritive sucking habits (NNSH) are very common during childhood. However, if these habits were maintained for 36 months of age or more, they are considered to be prolonged (PNNSH) and can cause occlusal, physiological and esthetic changes. There is controversy about their prevalence and whether perinatal, social, demographic and health characteristics influence their onset and duration. So, the objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of PNNSH and to evaluate perinatal, early life and school age factors associated with their occurrence in children. Methods A sample of 1,463 children aged 7–11 years born in Ribeirão Preto (RP-1994) and São Luís (SL-1997/98), Brazil, was reevaluated at school age in 2004/05. Birth weight, gestational age and perinatal variables were obtained at birth. Type of feeding, occurrence and duration of finger and pacifier sucking were recorded retrospectively at school age. PNNSH were defined when persisted for 36 months of age or more. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated by Poisson regression (alpha = 5%). Results Prevalence of PNNSH was higher in RP (47.6%) than in SL (20.2%) – (p < 0.001). Perinatal variables were not associated to PNNSH, whilst female sex (PR = 1.27 in RP; PR = 1.47 in SL) and bottle feeding for 24 months or more (PR = 2.24 in RP; PR = 2.49 in SL) were risk factors in both locations. Breast feeding for 12 months or more (PR = 0.53 in RP; PR = 0.31 in SL) was associated with lower prevalence of PNNSH in both places. In SL, children whose mothers lived in consensual union (PR = 1.62) and worked outside the home (PR = 1.51) showed higher prevalence of PNNSH compared to their counterparts. Conclusions Prevalence of PNNSH was high especially in RP and was not associated with perinatal variables. In both cities there was an association between female sex, shorter breast-feeding duration, longer bottle feeding duration and higher prevalence of PNNSH.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109521/1/12889_2013_Article_6874.pd

O DEBATE PÚBLICO SOBRE A DESCRIMINALIZAÇÃO DO USO DE DROGAS NO BRASIL: ESFERA PÚBLICA EM JOGO, DEMOCRACIA EM DISPUTA E A ATUAÇÃO DO SISTEMA DE JUSTIÇA

As diretrizes gerais da política de drogas brasileira são traçadas pela Lei nº 11.343/2006, que institui o Sistema Nacional de Políticas Públicas sobre Drogas (Sisnad). A estrutura do modelo de controle brasileiro conta com a criminalização do consumo, da produção e da comercialização de drogas. Muito embora a lei preveja um tratamento penal ao usuário mais brando, sem previsão de pena de prisão, ele persiste sob a jurisdição penal do Estado. De outro lado, as condutas relacionadas à produção, distribuição e comercialização de drogas são puníveis com penas que variam entre cinco a quinze anos de prisão. Recentemente as discussões sobre a reformulação da política de drogas brasileira foram marcadas por episódios de censura. Fez-se necessária a intervenção do Judiciário para garantir a liberdade de expressão e o debate público sobre a questão. Além disso, o Judiciário também foi chamado a decidir sobre a constitucionalidade de um dos pilares essenciais do modelo, a criminalização do consumo de drogas. O STF ainda está por analisar essa questão, que pode mudar substancialmente a política brasileira de drogas. Este artigo levanta algumas questões sobre a consolidação da democracia brasileira e o papel do Judiciário, a partir das discussões sobre a reforma da política de drogas

INDICADORES SOCIOECONÔMICOS DOS PAÍSES DO CONTINENTE AMERICANO

Este trabalho objetiva avaliar os indicadores socioeconômicos dos países americanosa partir da análise multivariada. As técnicas utilizadas foram a análise de componentes principais e de cluster. Os resultados obtidos destacam, de um lado, Canadá e Estados Unidos, por apresentarem melhores indicadores e, de outro, Haiti, com o pior escore e precárias condições socioeconômicas. O Brasil assumiu a oitava posição na classificação geral e situou-se em um grupo com países como Uruguai, Chile e Argentina. Quanto às condições do mercado de trabalho, os resultados não foram muito conclusivos, pela ausência de conhecimento das especificidades desses países

SISTEMA DE REAPROVEITAMENTO DE ENERGIA UTILIZANDO CONJUNTO DE ANTENAS MICROSTRIP

Uma demanda atual e relevante utilizando antenas é o reaproveitamento de energia eletromagnética. Neste caso, é empregada uma tecnologia denominada rectenna que consiste da combinação de uma antena e um circuito retificador. Nesta tecnologia, antenas microstrip são bastante utilizadas pela facilidade de construção, flexibilidade e custo acessível. Porém, esse tipo de antena apresenta restrições operacionais em termos de eficiência, potência e largura de banda. Entretanto, tais restrições operacionais podem ser minimizadas com o projeto adequado da geometria da antena e utilizando configurações com mais de um elemento radiante organizados na forma de conjuntos. Assim sendo, este trabalho apresenta a aplicação de conjuntos de antenas microstrip retangulares em um sistema de reaproveitamento de energia utilizando a tecnologia de rectennas. Os conjuntos são projetados, simulados e otimizados utilizando o software CST®, aplicando-se o Algoritmo Genético para ajuste dos parâmetros da antena. A topologia escolhida para o circuito retificador é a dobrador de tensão, que é simulada e otimizada utilizando o software ADS®. São apresentados os resultados de simulação e medição do sistema completo de reaproveitamento de energia proposto.Palavras-chave: Rectennas, Reaproveitamento de energia, Algoritmo Genético, Conjunto de antena