The Role of Home Country Political Resources for Brazilian Multinational Companies

This paper aims to analyze the interactions between home country governments and Developing Country Multinational Companies (DMNCs). Drawing on evidence from the Brazilian political environment and Brazilian multinationals we investigate the mechanisms governments use to influence the internationalization process of domestic companies and firms’ political strategic responses to shape the political institutional environment in which they operate. We argue that foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows from developing economies need to be explored given specific country level contextual factors, such as high levels of government involvement. Our main findings support this idea and indicate that home country governments use a series of formal and informal mechanisms in order to drive the international expansion of DMNCs in both the entry and consolidation phases. Moreover, DMNCs political behavior in the home country political environment accounts for an important part of their strategy to develop political resources and obtain above average returns from governmental benefits

Transição do cuidado de pessoas idosas do hospital para casa

Objetivo: Analisar a qualidade da Transição do Cuidado de idosos que receberam alta do hospital para casa. Métodos: Estudo observacional transversal, realizado com 156 idosos, após internação em hospital público, localizado no município de Piracicaba, estado de São Paulo. Os dados foram coletados em prontuário eletrônico do paciente e por ligações telefônicas com idosos, seus familiares e/ou cuidadores, até quatro semanas após alta hospitalar. Foram utilizados questionário com dados sociodemográficos e instrumento Care Transitions Measure, versão validada para o Brasil. Resultados: A duração média da última internação foi de 8,27 dias causada, majoritariamente (72,44 %) por COVID-19 e 75% dos idosos apresentaram entre 1 e 3 comorbidades, sendo a hipertensão arterial sistêmica (57,7%) a mais frequente. A média de escore do CTM 15 - Brasil foi 68,6. O Fator 1 – Preparação para o autogerenciamento obteve o maior escore (70,5) e o Fator 4 – Plano de Cuidados, o menor (59,14). Houve correlação positiva entre os 4 fatores do Care Transitions Measure, também entre estes fatores e do número de medicamentos utilizados para tratamento dos idosos, de acordo com a Classificação Anatômica Terapêutica Química. Conclusão: Evidenciou-se a qualidade da Transição do Cuidado no hospital, próxima do valor considerado satisfatório, sendo dois dos quatro fatores com pontuação maior que 70; entretanto há necessidade de adoção de estratégias para melhorar o processo de alta do hospital para casa, principalmente, no que se refere a preferências asseguradas e plano de cuidado dos idosos.Objective: To analyze the quality of care transition of older adults who were discharged from hospital to home. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study, conducted with 156 older adults after public hospital admission, located in the municipality of Piracicaba, state of São Paulo. Data were collected in patients’ electronic medical records and by telephone calls with older adults, their relatives and/or caregivers, up to four weeks after hospital discharge. We used a questionnaire with sociodemographic data and the Care Transitions Measure, version validated for Brazil. Results: The mean duration of the last hospitalization was 8.27 days, mostly caused (72.44%) by COVID-19 and 75% of older adults had between 1 and 3 comorbidities, with hypertension (57.7%) being the most frequent. The mean CTM-15 score was 68.6. Factor 1, Management preparation, obtained the highest score (70.5), and Factor 4, Care plan, the lowest (59.14). There was a positive correlation between the 4 factors of Care Transitions Measure, also among these factors is the number of drugs used to treat older adults, according to the Anatomical Chemical Therapeutic Classification. Conclusion: We evidenced the quality of the transition of care in the hospital close to the value considered satisfactory, with two of the four factors with a score greater than 70; however, there is a need to adopt strategies to improve the discharge process from hospital to home, especially with regard to preferences imported and care plan for older adultsObjetivo: Analizar la calidad de la transición del cuidado de adultos mayores que recibieron alta del hospital a su casa. Métodos: Estudio observacional transversal, realizado con 156 adultos mayores, después de estar internados en un hospital público ubicado en el municipio de Piracicaba, estado de São Paulo. Los datos fueron recopilados de la historia clínica del paciente y mediante llamados telefónicos a los adultos mayores, sus familiares o cuidadores, hasta cuatro semanas después del alta hospitalaria. Se utilizó un cuestionario con datos sociodemográficos y el instrumento Care Transitions Measure, versión validada para Brasil. Resultados: La duración promedio de la última internación fue de 8,27 días, causada principalmente por COVID-19 (72,44 %) y el 75 % de los adultos mayores presentó entre una y tres comorbilidades, con hipertensión arterial sistémica como la más frecuente (57,7 %). El promedio de puntuación del CTM 15 - Brasil fue de 68,6. El Factor 1: Preparación para la autogestión obtuvo la mayor puntuación (70,5) y el Factor 4: Plan de cuidados, el menor (59,14). Se observó correlación positiva entre los cuatro factores del Care Transitions Measure, también entre estos factores del y número de medicamentos utilizados para el tratamiento de los adultos mayores, de acuerdo con la Clasificación Anatómica Terapéutica Química. Conclusión: Se evidenció la calidad de la transición del cuidado en el hospital, cercana al valor considerado satisfactorio, donde dos de los cuatro factores obtuvieron puntuación superior a 70. Sin embargo, existe la necesidad de adoptar estrategias para mejorar el proceso del alta del hospital a la casa, principalmente respecto a las preferencias aseguradas y al plan de cuidado de los adultos mayores

The Fourteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and from the Second Phase of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) has been in operation since 2014 July. This paper describes the second data release from this phase, and the 14th from SDSS overall (making this Data Release Fourteen or DR14). This release makes the data taken by SDSS-IV in its first two years of operation (2014–2016 July) public. Like all previous SDSS releases, DR14 is cumulative, including the most recent reductions and calibrations of all data taken by SDSS since the first phase began operations in 2000. New in DR14 is the first public release of data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey; the first data from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2), including stellar parameter estimates from an innovative data-driven machine-learning algorithm known as "The Cannon"; and almost twice as many data cubes from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) survey as were in the previous release (N = 2812 in total). This paper describes the location and format of the publicly available data from the SDSS-IV surveys. We provide references to the important technical papers describing how these data have been taken (both targeting and observation details) and processed for scientific use. The SDSS web site (www.sdss.org) has been updated for this release and provides links to data downloads, as well as tutorials and examples of data use. SDSS-IV is planning to continue to collect astronomical data until 2020 and will be followed by SDSS-V

ENTRE O MEDO E A OUSADIA VAMOS TECENDO A REDE INTERNACIONAL CAFÉ COM PAULO FREIRE

Esse texto conta a história de 8 mulheres, sendo que nem todas se conhecem pessoalmente, mas se conhecem graças a encontros nos caminhos da vida freiriana. Cada uma vem de uma parte do Brasil e hoje compõem a Curadoria do Café com Paulo Freire, cuja tarefa central é tecer a Rede Nacional e Internacional do Café com Paulo Freire. Os relatos apresentados são sucintos e relevantes, pois trazem elementos da criação do Café e as motivações pessoais e coletivas que tecem os fios desta Rede. Conclui-se que as mulheres curadoras atuam na perspectiva de manter a vivacidade dos princípios, práticas e conceitos de Paulo Freire, no sentido de recriá-lo. A alegria de observar o Café Com Paulo Freire, alçando voos cada vez mais distantes, é o que potencializa as ações destas 8 mulheres, na certeza de que os princípios freireanos podem transformar vidas

Reproductive ecology of the exotic tree Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae) in southeastern Brazil Ecologia reprodutiva da árvore exótica Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae) no sudeste do Brasil

The exotic tree Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae), a species native to Central America, is used as fish feed and fiber and cellulose production in Brazil. This study was carried out in urban areas and verified the reproductive biology of this plant species. Flower and fruit morphology, compatibility system, reproductive phenology, pollination and frugivore animals, and germination of disseminated seeds were recorded by standard field and laboratory procedures. This tree is self-compatible and autonomously self-pollinated, with its flowers being mainly visited by bees and its fruits consumed by birds and bats. Germination of its dispersed seeds is fast and occurs at a high rate. The results of this work suggest that M. calabura is very adaptable to cultivated areas,thus being an excellent choice for urban reforestation. However, its reproductive characteristics place this plant as an invasive species with significant potential in southeastern Brazil.<br>A árvore exótica Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae) é nativa da América Central e, no Brasil, ela é utilizada para alimentação de peixes e para produção de fibras e celulose. Este estudo, realizado em áreas urbanas, verificou a biologia reprodutiva dessa espécie vegetal. A morfologia de flores e frutos, o sistema de compatibilidade, a fenologia reprodutiva, os animais polinizadores e frugívoros e a germinação das sementes foram estudados através de procedimentos-padrão de campo e laboratório. A árvore é autocompatível e apresenta autopolinização espontânea, com suas flores visitadas por abelhas e frutos consumidos por aves e morcegos. A germinação das sementes é rápida e com elevada taxa. A conclusão é que M. calabura é uma espécie vegetal altamente adaptada à reprodução sob condições de cultivo, sendo uma excelente opção para inclusão em projetos de reflorestamento urbano. Apesar disso, as características reprodutivas colocam essa espécie como importante e potencial planta invasiva no Sudeste brasileiro

CYP19A1 mediates severe SARS-CoV-2 disease outcome in males

Stanelle-Bertram S, Beck S, Mounogou NK, et al. CYP19A1 mediates severe SARS-CoV-2 disease outcome in males. Cell Reports Medicine . 2023: 101152.Male sex represents one of the major risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcome. However, underlying mechanisms that mediate sex-dependent disease outcome are as yet unknown. Here, we identify the CYP19A1 gene encoding for the testosterone-to-estradiol metabolizing enzyme CYP19A1 (also known as aromatase) as a host factor that contributes to worsened disease outcome in SARS-CoV-2-infected males. We analyzed exome sequencing data obtained from a human COVID-19 cohort (n= 2,866) using a machine-learning approach and identify a CYP19A1-activity-increasing mutation to be associated with the development of severe disease in men but not women. We further analyzed human autopsy-derived lungs (n= 86) and detect increased pulmonary CYP19A1 expression at the time point of death in men compared with women. In the golden hamster model, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes increased CYP19A1 expression in the lung that is associated with dysregulated plasma sex hormone levels and reduced long-term pulmonary function in males but not females. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters with a clinically approved CYP19A1 inhibitor (letrozole) improves impaired lung function and supports recovery of imbalanced sex hormones specifically in males. Our study identifies CYP19A1 as a contributor to sex-specific SARS-CoV-2 disease outcome in males. Furthermore, inhibition of CYP19A1 by the clinically approved drug letrozole may furnish a new therapeutic strategy for individualized patient management and treatment. Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved