Innovation in public-private partnerships (PPPs): the Spanish case of highway concessions

This article identifies the factors that determine innovation in transport PPPs in Spain. Innovation is an important way of achieving efficiency but it is not an intrinsic characteristic of PPP projects. The authors describe the multiple regression model they devised to estimate innovation. The results show that PPP contracts can be designed to maximize innovation in R&D. However, there does not appear to be greater innovation in any other areas. The information provided has important implications for public service organizations considering new contracts with the private sector

Low-redshift estimates of the absolute scale of baryon acoustic oscillations

Measurements of the characteristic length scale $r_s$ of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) provide a robust determination of the distance-redshift relation. Currently, the best (sub-per cent) estimate of $r_s$ at the drag epoch is provided by Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) observations assuming the validity of the standard $\Lambda$CDM model at $z \sim 1000$. Therefore, inferring $r_s$ from low-$z$ observations in a model-independent way and comparing its value with CMB estimates provides a consistency test of the standard cosmology and its assumptions at high-$z$. In this paper, we address this question and estimate the absolute BAO scale combining angular BAO measurements and type Ia Supernovae data. Our analysis uses two different methods to connect these data sets and finds a good agreement between the low-$z$ estimates of $r_{s}$ with the CMB sound horizon at drag epoch, regardless of the value of the Hubble constant $H_0$ considered. These results highlight the robustness of the standard cosmology at the same time that they also reinforce the need for more precise cosmological observations at low-$z$.Comment: 8 pages, 4 tables, and 3 figure

AÇÃO CIVIL PÚBLICA E A EFETIVIDADE DA TUTELA DO MEIO AMBIENTE: UM ESTUDO DE CASO

Trabalho destinado à análise do Recurso Especial nº 625249/PR com escopo de ratificar a importância da ação civil pública como instrumento adequado e eficaz para a defesa do meio ambiente

As corregedorias dos órgãos de segurança pública no Brasil

Esse artigo pretendeu abordar um diagnóstico geral sobre o modo de funcionamento das Corregedorias dos órgãos de segurança pública no Brasil, entre eles: Polícias Militares, Polícias Civis, Corpos de Bombeiros Militares, Polícia Federal e Polícia Rodoviária Federal. Os dados coletados procedem fundamentalmente de um questionário eletrônico que foi enviado, no ano de 2012, a todas as corregedorias dessas instituições no país. Em geral, as corregedorias analisadas apresentam sérias limitações de infraestrutura, pessoal, capacitação e investimento, assim como não costumam produzir e divulgar informações sobre o seu próprio desempenho. Suas atividades ficam centradas, sobretudo, na repressão dos desvios dentro do modelo do contraditório penal, com pouca ênfase em ações preventivas e de controle de qualidade. Por outro lado, mesmo o investimento nas atividades correcionais é ainda modesto em termos quantitativos e qualitativos, de modo que as Corregedorias ainda não conseguem desempenhar o papel que seria desejável em termos da melhora da qualidade do serviço das agências de segurança no país

Cosmological model-independent constraints on the baryon fraction in the IGM from fast radio bursts and supernovae data

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration radio transients with an observed dispersion measure ($DM$) greater than the expected Milky Way contribution, which suggests that such events are of extragalactic origin. Although some models have been proposed to explain the physics of the pulse, the mechanism behind the FRBs emission is still unknown. From FRBs data with known host galaxies, the redshift is directly measured and can be combined with estimates of the $DM$ to constrain the cosmological parameters, such as the baryon number density and the Hubble constant. However, the poor knowledge of the fraction of baryonic mass in the intergalactic medium ($f_{IGM}$) and its degeneracy with the cosmological parameters impose limits on the cosmological application of FRBs. In this work we present a cosmological model-independent method to determine the evolution of $f_{IGM}$ combining the latest FRBs observations with localized host galaxy and current supernovae data. We consider constant and time-dependent $f_{IGM}$ parameterizations and show, through a Bayesian model selection analysis, that a conclusive answer about the time-evolution of $f_{IGM}$ depend strongly on the $DM$ fluctuations due to the spatial variation in cosmic electron density ($\delta$). In particular, our analysis show that the evidence varies from strong (in favor of a growing evolution of $f_{IGM}$ with redshift) to inconclusive, as larger values of $\delta$ are considered.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Forecasting constraints on the baryon mass fraction in the IGM from fast radio bursts and type Ia supernovae

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are transient events with a high energy and short duration in the radio frequency. By identifying the origin of the pulse, it is possible to measure the redshift of the host galaxy, which can be used to constrain cosmological and astrophysical parameters and test aspects of fundamental physics when combined with the observed dispersion measure ($DM$). However, some factors limit the application of FRBs in cosmology: (i) the current poor modelling of the fluctuations in the $DM$ due to spatial variation in the cosmic electrons density; (ii) the fact that the fraction of baryon mass in the intergalactic medium ($f_{IGM}$) is degenerated with some cosmological parameters; (iii) the limited current knowledge about host galaxy contribution ($DM_{host}$). In this work, we investigate the impact of different redshift distribution models of FRBs to constrain the baryon fraction in the IGM and host galaxy contribution. We use a cosmological model-independent method developed in previous work \cite{Lemos2023} to perform the analysis and combine simulated FRB data from Monte Carlo simulation and supernovae data. Since the physical mechanism responsible for the burst is still unknown, we assume four distribution models for the FRBs, namely gamma-ray bursts (GRB), star formation rate (SFR), uniform and equidistant (ED). Also, we consider samples with $N = 15$, 30, 100 and 500 points and three different values of the fluctuations of electron density in the $DM$, $\delta = 0, 10, 100$ pc/cm$^{3}$. Our analysis shows that the GRB, SFR and Uniform distribution models present consistent results within $2\sigma$ for the free parameters $f_{IGM}$ and $DM_{host,0}$ and highlights the crucial role of $DM$ fluctuations in obtaining more precise measurements.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Síntomas genitourinarios y calidad de vida de mujeres con cáncer de mama en quimioterapia

This study aimed to compare genitourinarysymptoms and quality of life in women with breastcancer before and after chemotherapy treatment.This is a prospective and analytical study carried outwith 60 women treated at a hospital in the state of Paraná.Sociodemographic data, menopausal status, climactericsymptoms, quality of life, and pelvic floor strength andresistance were collected. Descriptive statistics, t-tests,Shapiro-Wilk, Cochran, Factorial Analysis of Variancefor Repeated Measures and Fishers least significancedifference were used for data analysis. Participants sufferedgenitourinary alterations, such as reduced strength andresistance of the pelvic floor muscles, urinary incontinenceand vulvovaginal atrophy, regardless of the evaluatedfactors (type of chemotherapy, parity, and menopausalstatus). Therefore, greater attention and discussion bymultidisciplinary health teams is necessary, as thesesymptoms can be reduced and managed if recognized early.de mama antes e após o tratamentoquimioterápico. Trata-se de um estudo prospectivo eanalítico realizado com 60 mulheres atendidas em umhospital no estado do Paraná. Foram coletados dadossociodemográficos, status menopausal, sintomas doclimatério, qualidade de vida e força e resistência doassoalho pélvico. Utilizou-se estatística descritiva, assimcomo os testes t, de Shapiro-Wilk, de Cochran, análiseda variância fatorial para medidas repetidas e métodoLSD de Fisher para análise dos dados. As participantessofreram alterações geniturinárias como redução de força eresistência dos músculos do assoalho pélvico, incontinênciaurinária e atrofia vulvovaginal independente dos fatoresavaliados (tipo de quimioterapia, paridade e statusmenopausal). Entende-se que é necessário que haja maioratenção e discussão por parte das equipes multiprofissionaisde saúde, pois esses sintomas, se reconhecidosprecocemente, podem ser reduzidos e gerenciadosEste estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar lossíntomas genitourinarios y la calidad de vida en mujerescon cáncer de mama antes y después del tratamientocon quimioterapia. Se trata de un estudio prospectivo yanalítico realizado con 60 mujeres que recibieron atenciónen un hospital del estado de Paraná (Brasil). Se recogierondatos sociodemográficos, estado menopáusico, síntomas climatéricos, calidad de vida y fuerza y resistencia del suelo pélvico.Se utilizaron estadísticas descriptivas, pruebas t de Shapiro-Wilk yde Cochran, análisis factorial de varianza para medidas repetidasy LSD-Fisher para el análisis de datos. Las participantes sufrieronalteraciones genitourinarias, como disminución de la fuerza yresistencia de los músculos del suelo pélvico, incontinencia urinaria yatrofia vulvovaginal, independientemente de los factores evaluados(tipo de quimioterapia, paridad y estado menopáusico). Se concluyeque es necesaria una mayor atención y discusión por parte de losequipos de salud multidisciplinarios, ya que estos síntomas puedenreducirse y manejarse si se reconocen a tiemp