Land Reform, Efficiency and Rural Institutional Change: theory and stochastic frontier analysis with panel data (1998-2006)

This work deals with land reform in Brazil through an evolutionary and new institutional economics theoretical framework. Firstly, this theoretical underpinning delineates the existence of an intrinsic relation between asset equality and economic efficiency, going against the neoclassical trade-off. From this relation it is established that the utilization of society’s productive forces depends directly on institutional structures and propriety relations. In this sense, the way land reallocations are done, through different land redistribution policies, affects directly the level of agricultural product. The product is dependent on the level of allocative and technical efficiency society is submitted to. However, albeit static effects, society is susceptible to dynamic effects of institutional change. Insofar we develop analytical schematics where land reform is related to rural institutional change. From this schematics we derive the hypothesis that the market based land reform executed in Brazil, as a way to redistribute assets supposedly with a governance structure, system of incentives and complementary institutions to the factor markets, there is a gain in systemic productive efficiency at the microeconomic level. To test this hypothesis we develop a stochastic frontier econometric model with time-varying technical inefficiency effects and panel data. We analyze 106 projects of the Cédula da Terra Program in the states of Bahia, Maranhão, North of Minas Gerais, Pernambuco and Ceará, for the years 2000 and 2006. We conclude that this land reform has partial success in establishing productive organizations that evolve constantly their efficiency, wherein learning-by-doing is fundamental. Additionally, the governance effects are limited – the structure was not devised for institutional change – effects of transaction costs and conventions remain, causing market failure and persistence of inefficient forms of organization.land reform, cédula da terra, brazil, stochastic frontier analysis, evolutionary, institutional economics

Reforma Agrária, Eficiência e Mudança Institutional no Campo: análise teórica e de fronteira estocástica com dados em painel (1998-2006)

This work deals with land reform in Brazil through an evolutionary and new institutional economics theoretical framework. Firstly, this theoretical underpinning delineates the existence of an intrinsic relation between asset equality and economic efficiency, going against the neoclassical trade-off. From this relation it is established that the utilization of society’s productive forces depends directly on institutional structures and propriety relations. In this sense, the way land reallocations are done, through different land redistribution policies, affects directly the level of agricultural product. The product is dependent on the level of allocative and technical efficiency society is submitted to. However, albeit static effects, society is susceptible to dynamic effects of institutional change. Insofar we develop analytical schematics where land reform is related to rural institutional change. From this schematics we derive the hypothesis that the market based land reform executed in Brazil, as a way to redistribute assets supposedly with a governance structure, system of incentives and complementary institutions to the factor markets, there is a gain in systemic productive efficiency at the microeconomic level. To test this hypothesis we develop a stochastic frontier econometric model with time-varying technical inefficiency effects and panel data. We analyze 106 projects of the Cédula da Terra Program in the states of Bahia, Maranhão, North of Minas Gerais, Pernambuco and Ceará, for the years 2000 and 2006. We conclude that this land reform has partial success in establishing productive organizations that evolve constantly their efficiency, wherein learning-by-doing is fundamental. Additionally, the governance effects are limited – the structure was not devised for institutional change – effects of transaction costs and conventions remain, causing market failure and persistence of inefficient forms of organization

Reforma Agrária, Eficiência e Mudança Institutional no Campo: análise teórica e de fronteira estocástica com dados em painel (1998-2006)

This work deals with land reform in Brazil through an evolutionary and new institutional economics theoretical framework. Firstly, this theoretical underpinning delineates the existence of an intrinsic relation between asset equality and economic efficiency, going against the neoclassical trade-off. From this relation it is established that the utilization of society’s productive forces depends directly on institutional structures and propriety relations. In this sense, the way land reallocations are done, through different land redistribution policies, affects directly the level of agricultural product. The product is dependent on the level of allocative and technical efficiency society is submitted to. However, albeit static effects, society is susceptible to dynamic effects of institutional change. Insofar we develop analytical schematics where land reform is related to rural institutional change. From this schematics we derive the hypothesis that the market based land reform executed in Brazil, as a way to redistribute assets supposedly with a governance structure, system of incentives and complementary institutions to the factor markets, there is a gain in systemic productive efficiency at the microeconomic level. To test this hypothesis we develop a stochastic frontier econometric model with time-varying technical inefficiency effects and panel data. We analyze 106 projects of the Cédula da Terra Program in the states of Bahia, Maranhão, North of Minas Gerais, Pernambuco and Ceará, for the years 2000 and 2006. We conclude that this land reform has partial success in establishing productive organizations that evolve constantly their efficiency, wherein learning-by-doing is fundamental. Additionally, the governance effects are limited – the structure was not devised for institutional change – effects of transaction costs and conventions remain, causing market failure and persistence of inefficient forms of organization

Protocol for a scoping review of skin self-care of people with spinal cord injury

In recent years, increasing methodological references have been used in scientific research; these are points of support in the search for evidence, formulation and elaboration of instruments, scales, guideline and protocols. However, significant variability currently exists in scoping review conduct and reporting, thus limiting the potential of the methodology to advance research and practice about skin self-care of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Our objective was to perform a scoping review protocol within the health rehabilitation context of people with SCI, focusing on skin self-care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Natural Growth Promoters Replacing Traditional Growth Promoters in Diets for Light Replacement Pullets: A Systematic Approach

ABSTRACT The effect of using natural growth promoters (NGP) to replace traditional antimicrobials on performance, biometry of digestive and reproductive organs, sexual maturity and bone characteristics of replacement pullets was evaluated; and the relationship between these variables according to the diets was verified. Eight-week-old birds were randomly assigned to a completely randomized design and fed different diets: negative control (without growth promoters); positive control - conventional growth promoter; organic acids (OA); symbiotic (S); essential oil (EO); OA + S; and EO + S. The performance, relative weight of digestive and reproductive organs and length intestines, height and crest length, sternum length, bone quality and sexual maturity of birds were similar (p>0.05) between treatments. The heat map combined with cluster analysis showed a uniform static pattern with the formation of three horizontal groups formed by the treatments: 1) negative control, S and OA + S; 2) positive control and OE and 3) OA and OE + S. A null relationship between the treatments and the variables under study was observed. The principal components analysis revealed an association of variables in three components with 60.55% of variation. NGP can replace traditional promoters, as they do not interfere with performance, biometrics or sexual maturity. Height and length are predictive variables for the development of reproductive organs, especially the oviduct. A similarity was identified through multivariate techniques between symbiotic and organic + symbiotic acids; positive control and essential oils; and organic and symbiotic acids + essential oils

Superpulsed low-level laser therapy protects skeletal muscle of mdx mice against damage, inflammation and morphological changes delaying dystrophy progression.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of preventive treatment with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on progression of dystrophy in mdx mice. Methods: Ten animals were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups treated with superpulsed LLLT (904 nm, 15 mW, 700 Hz, 1 J) or placebo-LLLT at one point overlying the tibialis anterior muscle (bilaterally) 5 times per week for 14 weeks (from 6th to 20th week of age). Morphological changes, creatine kinase (CK) activity and mRNA gene expression were assessed in animals at 20th week of age. Results: Animals treated with LLLT showed very few morphological changes in skeletal muscle, with less atrophy and fibrosis than animals treated with placebo-LLLT. CK was significantly lower (p = 0.0203) in animals treated with LLLT (864.70 U.l−1, SEM 226.10) than placebo (1708.00 U.l−1, SEM 184.60). mRNA gene expression of inflammatory markers was significantly decreased by treatment with LLLT (p<0.05): TNF-α (placebo-control = 0.51 µg/µl [SEM 0.12], - LLLT = 0.048 µg/µl [SEM 0.01]), IL-1β (placebo-control = 2.292 µg/µl [SEM 0.74], - LLLT = 0.12 µg/µl [SEM 0.03]), IL-6 (placebo-control = 3.946 µg/µl [SEM 0.98], - LLLT = 0.854 µg/µl [SEM 0.33]), IL-10 (placebo-control = 1.116 µg/µl [SEM 0.22], - LLLT = 0.352 µg/µl [SEM 0.15]), and COX-2 (placebo-control = 4.984 µg/µl [SEM 1.18], LLLT = 1.470 µg/µl [SEM 0.73]). Conclusion: Irradiation of superpulsed LLLT on successive days five times per week for 14 weeks decreased morphological changes, skeletal muscle damage and inflammation in mdx mice. This indicates that LLLT has potential to decrease progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy