Social responsibility and environmental sustainability. The case study of Vale (Brazil)

Corporate social responsibility deals with companies' actions aiming a positive impact namely on environment, consumers, employees or communities, for example. It requires a set of duties and obligations, in relation to the society and to the communities in which the organization is operating. In Brazil, the corporate social responsibility is still a big challenge, since the actions of social responsibility have not contributed effectively to improve the living conditions of society and the transformation of existing social reality. This study emphasizes the perspective of environmental sustainability that underpins the more general concept of social responsibility. Besides, it is presented the case study of the company Vale, carrying out business in Brazil

Global positioning system technology (GPS) for psychological research: A test of convergent and nomological validity

The purpose of this paper is to examine the convergent and nomological validity of a GPS-based measure of daily activity, operationalized as Number of Places Visited (NPV). Relations among the GPS-based measure and two self-report measures of NPV, as well as relations among NPV and two factors made up of self-reported individual differences were examined. The first factor was composed of variables related to an Active Lifestyle (AL) (e.g., positive affect, extraversion…) and the second factor was composed of variables related to a Sedentary Lifestyle (SL) (e.g., depression, neuroticism…). NPV was measured over 4 days. This timeframe was made up of two week and two weekend days. A bi-variate analysis established one level of convergent validity and a Split-Plot GLM examined convergent validity, nomological validity, and alternative hypotheses related to constraints on activity throughout the week simultaneously. The first analysis revealed significant correlations among NPV measures- weekday, weekend, and the entire 4-day time period, supporting the convergent validity of the Diary-, Google Maps-, and GPS-NPV measures. Results from the second analysis, indicating non-significant mean differences in NPV regardless of method, also support this conclusion. We also found that AL is a statistically significant predictor of NPV no matter how NPV was measured. We did not find a statically significant relation among NPV and SL. These results permit us to infer that the GPS-based NPV measure has convergent and nomological validity

Do slower life history strategies reduce sociodemographic sex differences?

This study examines the relations between sociodemographic sex differences and life history strategies in the populations of Mexican States. Sex differences in anatomy and behavior was measured with traits such as educational achievement, mortality, and morbidity. The data were obtained from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) and sampled from thirty-one Mexican states and the Federal District (N = 32). An extension analysis was performed selecting only the sex ratio variables that had a correlation with the slow Life History factor greater than or equal to an absolute value of .25. A unit-weighted sex ratio factor was created using these variables. Across 32 Mexican states, the correlation between latent slow life history and sex ratio was .57 (p .05). These results are consistent with our hypothesis that slower life histories favor reduced sexual dimorphism in physiology and behavior among human subnational populations. The results of the study further understanding of variations in population sex differences, male-biased behaviors toward sexual equality, and the differences among subnational (regional) populations within the United States of Mexico.   DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v6i1_chavarria_miner

Social responsibility and environmental sustainability: the Case of Caixa Geral de Depósitos (Portugal) and Vale (Brazil)

Social responsibility requires a set of duties and obligations, whether individuals or firms in relation to society and to the communities in which the organization is operating. The tradition of social intervention in Portugal dates from the fifteenth century and the founding of Mercy. However, environmental issues have never been felt in a sensitive position in responsible business, given the weakness of industrial development which lasted until the 60’s. In Brazil, the corporate social responsibility is still particularly a big challenge, since the actions of social responsibility have not contributed effectively to improve the living conditions of society and the transformation of existing social reality. The purpose of this study is to emphasize the perspective of environmental sustainability that underpins the more general concept of social responsibility and, through the case study Caixa Geral de Depósitos, assess the strengths and weaknesses of the development of measures of social responsibility in this area in Portugal, and present the case of the company Vale, carrying out business in Brazil

No evidence that polymorphisms of brain regulator genes Microcephalin and ASPM are associated with general mental ability, head circumference or altruism

We test the hypothesis that polymorphisms of the brain regulator genes MCPH1 and ASPM contribute to variations in human brain size and its correlates. We measured general mental ability, head circumference and social intelligence in 644 Canadian adults (496 Caucasians, 36 Orientals, 84 Mixed Race/Other and 28 Blacks; 257 men and 387 women). The gene polymorphisms were assessed from buccal DNA; mental ability by Wonderlic Personnel Test and Multidimensional Aptitude Battery; head circumference by stretchless tape; and social intelligence by prosocial attitude questionnaires. Although all measures were construct valid and the allele frequencies showed expected population differences, no relationship was found between the genes and any of the criteria. Among Caucasian 18–25 year olds, for example, the two mental ability tests correlated with each other (r=0.78, N=476, p<0.001), with head circumference (r=0.17, N=182, p<0.05) and with prosocial attitudes (r=0.23, N=182, p<0.001)

Planejamento e implantação do sistema de gestão da qualidade na Embrapa Uva e Vinho.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo propor uma abordagem para conduzir um processo de Implantação de um SGQ (Sistema de Gestão da Qualidade) e relatar os resultados recentes alcançados na Embrapa Uva e Vinho

Tratamiento asistido por artroscopia de las fracturas de radio distal

ResumenLa artroscopia proporciona una valoración directa de la superficie articular y permite detectar lesiones asociadas en las fracturas de la extremidad distal del radio. Su incorporación al tratamiento de estas fracturas ha supuesto un mejor control de la reducción de los trazos articulares, pero se trata de una técnica compleja que aún no está generalizada entre la mayoría de los cirujanos ortopédicos y/o de la mano y la muñeca.Se realiza una revisión y actualización de las ventajas, las indicaciones, las claves técnicas, los resultados y los datos científicos de su utilidad para el tratamiento de las fracturas del radio distal.AbstractArthroscopy provides a direct evaluation of the joint surface and enables associated injuries to be detected in fractures of the distal end of the radius. Although its incorporation into the treatment of these fractures has led to a better control in the reduction of joint traces, it is a complicated technique that is still not in general use by the majority of orthopaedic and/or hand and wrist surgeons.A review is presented here, as well as an update of the advantages, indications, the key techniques, results, and scientific data of its use in the treatment of distal radius fractures