Has core inflation been doing a good job in Brazil?

This paper assesses the performance of the core inflation measures calculated by the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB). The evidence shows that they do not meet some key statistical criteria that a good core inflation should have: unbiasedness and the ability to forecast inflation. That performance stems, to a large extent, from the lack of a well-grounded statistical and economical basis behind them. Three new measures are built and assessed using the same criteria. The evidence shows that their behaviour is more in accordance to what the theory claims. However, they still lack the ability to help forecasting inflation. Hence both the BCB and the market should use core inflation cautiously.Core inflation; inflation; supply shocks; relative prices; volatility

Relationship between germination and bell pepper seed structure assessed by the X-ray test

Alternative use of the X-ray test to evaluate seed quality has become increasingly diverse. This study was performed primarily to establish experimental procedures and verify the effectiveness of the X-ray test to detect damage or abnormalities in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) seed structure associated with germination. Five seed lots each of hybrids Reinger and Sentinel were used. Two hundred seeds per lot were exposed to durations and intensities of X-radiation and visually classified into four categories according to the proportion between the area occupied by the embryo and endosperm in relation to the total cavity area in the internal seed structure, e.g. 0, < 50%, 50-75% and 100%. The last category was subdivided into two others based on the occurrence of morphological abnormalities. Seed samples obtained from different X-ray categories were then submitted to germination test at 25ºC for 14 days and subsequently compared with results of the X-ray analysis. Exposure to a 10 kV radiation for 260 s was the most suitable X-ray dose for visualizing seed structure. Seeds in which the area of the internal cavity occupied by the embryo and endosperm varied from 50-75% produced abnormal seedlings or did not germinate. Full seeds (100% of the internal cavity area occupied) with abnormal structure usually originated defective seedlings. As a consequence, the classification of bell pepper seeds according to the proportion occupied by the seed content (embryo + endosperm) allowed a reliable estimation of the degree of seed physical integrity based on X-ray analysis and its association with germination performance.CNPqFAPES

Transferência de políticas de compras públicas da agricultura familiar: a experiência da cooperação Brasil-FAO no Haiti

O trabalho propõe uma analise das modalidades de disseminação pelo Brasil de políticas para segurança alimentar e nutricional por meio de um estudo de caso comparativo de dois programas de compras locais no Haiti locais inspiradas nas experiências brasileiras ou que se beneficiaram da cooperação do Brasil. Nesse sentido, a partir do mapeamento dos processos (process-tracing) de disseminação, reinterpretação e adaptação nacional das referidas experiências brasileiras, espera-se apreender os elementos que contribuíram para a efetiva adequação das iniciativas à realidade haitiana, bem como testar a hipótese de hibridação entre modalidades de disseminação e internacionalização de politicas. (Résumé d'auteur

Estratégias para a promoção da qualidade de vida e combate aos fatores de risco de hipertensos na Unidade Básica de Saúde Sobrinho II, Barras-PI

A hipertensão arterial sistêmica é uma doença crônica, de natureza multifatorial que afeta diretamente a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Nesse contexto, o Ministério da Saúde, tem recomendado e promovido ações multiprofissionais na atenção primária à saúde, como o combate à hipertensão arterial sistêmica. Assim, o presente plano de ação visa abordar, a partir da literatura, a atuação da atenção básica, na prevenção e tratamento da Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica - HAS e sua relação com fatores de risco e a qualidade de vida. Ademais, propõe a intervenção da realidade local do Município de Barras, Piauí, tendo em vista o elevado número de hipertensos, incentivando uma melhoria na qualidade de vida dos pacientes inscritos na UBS Sobrinho II

The friendship paradox in scale-free networks

Our friends have more friends than we do. That is the basis of the friendship paradox. In mathematical terms, the mean number of friends of friends is higher than the mean number of friends. In the present study, we analyzed the relationship between the mean degree of vertices (individuals), , and the mean number of friends of friends, , in scale-free networks with degrees ranging from a minimum degree (k_min) to a maximum degree (k_max). We deduced an expression for - for scale-free networks following a power-law distribution with a given scaling parameter (alpha). Based on this expression, we can quantify how the degree distribution of a scale-free network affects the mean number of friends of friends.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure