Behavioural economics in competition policy enforcement for financial product markets

Behavioural Economics (BE) acknowledges that individuals often make choices that are not entirely rational. The UK Competition and Markets Authority and Financial Conduct Authority have recently highlighted the relevance of BE. This article explains the difference it makes to the economic analysis of competition and why it is seen as particularly relevant to financial product markets. BE is already being used to frame and test theories of harm. It also brings experimental techniques to the analytical toolkit. The current approach is illustrated with examples from recent and ongoing cases. Finally, the risks of over-intervention and unintended harm from inappropriate remedies are highlighted

Price-concentration analysis in merger cases with differentiated products

This paper considers the empirical assessment of the relationship between prices and number of firms in local markets in geographic or, more generally, characteristic space and its use as evidence in merger cases. It outlines a structural, semi-nonparametric econometric model of competition in such markets, examines its testable implications in terms of price-concentration relationships, and demonstrates that the model is non-parametrically identified. This general approach to price-concentration analysis in differentiated product markets is illustrated in a small-scale application to cinemas in the UK. The application highlights the main decision points faced by an authority when assessing the weight that can be attached to this type of analysis as evidence

Nam June Paik and Avant-Garde as Pedagogy: Promoting Student Engagement and Interdisciplinary Thinking in the Undergraduate Humanities Classroom

This dissertation demonstrates how avant-garde methods can be employed as pedagogical methods in the undergraduate Humanities classroom to promote student engagement and interdisciplinary thinking. The study first addresses pedagogy and avant-garde art within their historical contexts as separate, but related disciplines. Subsequently the study fuses pedagogy and avant-garde art and provides examples of in-class activities and out-of-class assignments that illustrate the ways in which avant-garde methods function as practical teaching and learning methods. Further, the study presents artist Nam June Paik, whose work exemplifies the theoretical and practical underpinnings of avant-garde art as pedagogy. The dissertation champions the pedagogy of John Dewey, who called for a progressive educational system. It also argues for Paulo Freire\u27s critical pedagogy and the Jesuits\u27 Ignatian pedagogical paradigm, both of which serve as necessary complements in achieving Dewey\u27s goal of an experiential educational environment. Dewey believed education should co-exist with life and should not be treated as a preparation for it, and thus his theories on aesthetics, in particular, argued that art is not severed from life, an idea shared by four avant-garde movements discussed in this study: Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, and Fluxus. Each of these movements sought to change the political and cultural environment, while maintaining that art and life are on equal ground. These pedagogies, aided by avant-garde methods, encourage and challenge students to engage with and think critically about the world around them

A Semiotic Analysis of Community’s “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons”

Unsurprisingly, the use of blackface rightfully remains a controversial topic situated within a remarkedly large sphere of popular culture (spanning nearly 200 years), as its roots stem directly from the systematic oppression of the African American community by silencing their voices and deleting their visibility. Such depictions turned people of color into grotesque and exaggerated caricatures that cemented deeply hurtful, incorrect, and negative stereotypes that continue to live and haunt our society and culture today. This project addresses the controversial use of blackface in popular media, by briefly contextualizing its history and influence and then situating such context within a critical analysis of an episode from NBC’s popular sitcom Community (“Advanced Dungeons and Dragons,” Season 1, Episode 14). The 2020 quarantine period brought the show a new audience, and along with the rise of BLM protests, this episode was subsequently deleted without explanation. In turn, also discussed herein, are the ethical issues that arise from corporate censorship in the erasure of legitimately (or seemingly) problematic texts from history. Consequently, two ethical guidelines serve to ground the argument. First, an Aristotelian virtue-based approach is used to discuss the reality that yes, the Community writers depicted the character of Ben Chang dressed as a dark elf or “drow” but did so in a fashion that neither negates nor stereotypes the Black community or its culture. Second, a Kantian duty-based approach is used to demonstrate how the actions by streaming companies to remove this episode was without merit and sets a dangerous precedent

Characterization of the genetic architecture of dilated cardiomyopathy using families and cohorts

Cardiomyopathies are the leading cause of heart transplantation in the developed world, and dilated cardiomyopathy accounts for an important proportion of all heart failure cases in large clinical trials. In spite of a strong genetic basis for dilated cardiomyopathy being demonstrated widely in the past two decades, 60% of familial cases remain unexplained. Dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by marked genetic heterogeneity, with more than 60 individual genes reported to cause the disease, yet only one (TTN) explaining more than 10% of cases. Here, high-throughput sequencing data, advanced imaging techniques and bioinformatics analyses were used to dissect the genetic architecture of dilated cardiomyopathy, by measuring the contribution of single genes and multi-genic variation on disease risk and severity, and performing gene and variant discovery in affected families. Burden testing (using bespoke software developed in the R programming language for this study) and regression modelling were used to examine the genetic determinants of disease by comparing a cohort of disease cases (n=332) to ethnically matched, phenotypically characterised healthy controls (n=319). This produced a measure of the contribution of each gene to dilated cardiomyopathy, taking into account the background variation rate in the general population. Analyses of multi-genic interactions were also performed, and having detected the signature of additive effects of variation in multiple genes on both disease likelihood and severity, further analyses were performed to identify specific gene-gene interactions in causing dilated cardiomyopathy. Subsequently, variant prioritisation strategies were developed to identify, from whole-exome sequencing data, possible genetic causes of an unexplained and very severe form of early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy segregating in a family. This led to the identification of new candidate genes, which might contribute towards a genetic diagnosis in the analysed family and to new insights into the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy. Preparatory work in developing variant prioritisation pipelines from whole-exome sequencing data had been performed earlier, on families affected with various inherited arrhythmia syndromes.Open Acces

Análise não-linear de séries temporais univariadas: modelagem, previsão e caos

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produçã

O financiamento do tratamento oncológico na rede pública de saúde

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro Sócio-Econômico. Economia.Esta monografia trata do financiamento do tratamento oncológico na rede pública, seus mecanismos de arrecadação, gastos e políticas específicas de prevenção, diagnostico, tratamento, reabilitação e cuidados paliativos, denominada Política Nacional de Atenção Oncologia. Iniciamos o trabalho conceituando a Economia da Saúde, base para todo e qualquer estudo na área de políticas de saúde (públicas ou privadas), que unifica conhecimentos adquiridos na área da Medicina aos conceitos na área das Ciências Econômicas. Através da Avaliação Econômica em Saúde, importante ferramenta da disciplina, gestores tomam suas decisões visando uma melhor alocação de recursos escassos e buscando pela máxima eficiência do setor. O interesse por esta temática surgiu devido ao crescimento da doença no Brasil e no Mundo e que em menos de trinta anos possivelmente será a primeira causa de morte no país e com certeza impactará os cofres públicos devido a seu alto custo e ao tempo que o paciente fica em tratamento. Nessa perspectiva o estudo expõe o Sistema de Saúde Brasileiro, com um breve histórico sobre o tema até chegar a implementação do SUS - Sistema Único de Saúde, o sistema público do Brasil, seus desafios macroeconômicos, microeconômicos e de financiament

Representações de língua e conceitos adjacentes e o tratamento do erro oral em sala de aula : reflexões para uma práxis pedagógica consciente do inglês como língua franca

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Francisco Carlos FogaçaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras. Defesa : Curitiba, 27/06/2018Inclui referências: p.129-136Resumo: A tarefa de investigar o tratamento dos erros orais em sala de aula compreende inúmeros caminhos e pode ser deveras abrangente. Esta pesquisa configura-se como um estudo etnográfico de cunho qualitativo, embasado em um arcabouço teórico amplo, de interesse investigativo e interpretativista, no campo dos estudos da linguística aplicada e da formação docente continuada. Para tal, conta com a colaboração de dois professores de um instituto de línguas na cidade de Curitiba, Paraná, os quais responderam a questionários anteriormente e posteriormente à observação e filmagem de suas aulas, com sessões de visionamento e autoconfrontação. O referencial teórico discute noções de língua, de erros em diferentes abordagens de ensino, o paradigma mono vs. multilinguismo e a perspectiva do inglês como língua franca (ILF), além de conceitos como inteligibilidade e crenças. As questões norteadoras da pesquisa são a busca de quais visões de língua e conceitos adjacentes influenciam o que esses professores consideram "erros", bem como impactam a correção (ou não correção) deles em sala de aula. Assim, este estudo, através da investigação de como essas crenças e representações afetam as instâncias de feedback, promoveu reinterpretações do processo de correção do erro oral em sala de aula para o ensino de inglês no cenário brasileiro na contemporaneidade, sob a sua perspectiva como língua franca. Nessa perspectiva, o inglês é visto sob um viés multilíngue, alinhado aos contextos de interação no mundo globalizado, onde os interlocutores são, em sua maioria, falantes de outras primeiras línguas. A análise dos questionamentos deu-se, então, a partir do processo de triangulação dos dados obtidos através das entrevistas e do estudo empírico em sala de aula e das suas relações com o referencial teórico, por meio do qual foi possível concluir que as crenças acerca da correção nem sempre se alinham à prática, e que a concepção do ILF, ainda que permeie de forma positiva as representações dos professores, nem sempre pode ser observada empiricamente. A esfera da teoria acerca do ensino de línguas carece de uma pedagogia que considere as interações em ILF no mundo atualmente, como a inclusão do ensino de estratégias de negociação de sentido, para que elas sejam, de fato, incorporadas à práxis. Palavras-chave: Tratamento do erro. Correção. Inglês como língua franca. Crenças. Estratégias de negociação de sentido.Abstract: The task of investigating the handling of oral mistakes in the classroom comprises countless paths and can indeed be a comprehensive one. This research is presented as an ethnographic study of a qualitative nature, based on a wide theoretical framework, of investigative and interpretative interest, in the field of applied linguistics and continuing teacher education. To this end, it counts with the collaboration of two teachers from a language institute in the city of Curitiba, Paraná, who responded to questionnaires before and after the observation and recording of their lessons, with instances of stimulated recall and self-confrontation. The theoretical background discusses notions of language, of mistakes in different teaching approaches, the paradigm mono vs. multilingualism and the perspective of English as a lingua franca (ELF), besides concepts such as intelligibility and beliefs. The guiding questions of the research are a search as to which language views and adjacent concepts influence what these teachers regard as "mistakes", as well as the impact they have on the correction (or not) of them in the classroom. Thus, this study, through the investigation of how those beliefs and representations affect the feedback instances, has promoted reinterpretations of the process of correcting oral mistakes in the classroom for the teaching of English in the contemporary Brazilian scenario, from a perspective of it as a lingua franca. In this perspective, English is seen in a multilingual bias, alongside the contexts of interaction in the globalized world, where the interlocutors are mostly speakers of other first languages. The analysis of the questionings was then based on the process of triangulation of the data drawn from the interviews and the empirical study in the classroom and its relation with the theoretical reference, through which it was possible to conclude that the beliefs about correction are not always aligned with practice, and that the perception of ELF, even if it permeates positively the teachers' representation, cannot always be observed empirically. The realm of the theory surrounding the teaching of languages lacks considerations about interactions in ELF in the world, such as the integration of the teaching of negotiation strategies, so that they are, in fact, incorporated into the praxis. Keywords: Error correction. Mistakes. ELF. Beliefs. Negotiation strategies

Modelo para a promoção do ensino-aprendizagem contextualizado de representação digital em cursos de design

Orientadora: Profa. Dra. Vania Ribas UlbrichtTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Artes, Comunicação e Design, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Design. Defesa : Curitiba, 11/12/2018Inclui referências: p.344-351Resumo: O ensino-aprendizagem de representação digital em cursos de design gráfico de universidades públicas brasileiras ocorre de forma isolada, pouco conectada e descontextualizada de outros conhecim entos e práticas do design. O problema dessa abordagem de ensino é que ela pode promover uma aprendizagem fragm entada, na qual o indivíduo pode ser muito bom para operar a ferramenta software, mas ter pouco conhecim ento e habilidade para aplicá-la de forma eficiente e estratégica na resolução de problemas de design. Apesar de professores e estudantes concordarem com a importância dessa contextualização, nenhum modelo de ensino-aprendizagem que promova a sua im plantação de forma efetiva foi encontrado na literatura ou durante a pesquisa e campo. Logo, o objetivo geral desta tese foi desenvolver um modelo de ensino-aprendizagem que auxilie a contextualização de conhecim entos em representação digital com os demais conhecim entos em design. Para isso, adotou como eixo central de condução da pesquisa o método da design science research, estruturado em quatro etapas: definição e análise do problema, desenvolvim ento do artefato, avaliação e aprendizagem. A primeira etapa foi voltada para um diagnóstico da atividade de ensino-aprendizagem de representação digital no contexto brasileiro, permitindo uma melhor com preensão do problema e a geração de requisitos para o novo modelo. Os dados para esse diagnóstico foram levantados por meio de revisões de literatura narrativa e sistem ática, pesquisa documental em planos de ensino, projetos pedagógicos de cursos e materiais didáticos e a entrevista com professores e estudantes. Para a análise dos dados e identificação das relações e conflitos entre os diversos aspectos da atividade foi aplicada a teoria da atividade. Além de validar e auxiliar na melhor com preensão do problema da falta de contextualização, o diagnóstico também identificou mais quatro problemas que deveriam ser abordados pelo novo modelo. A partir desses dados, os requisitos e recom endações foram gerados e uma primeira versão do modelo proposta na segunda fase na pesquisa. Na terceira fase, a avaliação do modelo foi viabilizada por meio do desenvolvim ento de um curso intensivo do software para diagram ação Adobe InDesign contextualizado com outros conhecim entos em design editorial. Esse curso foi aplicado quatro vezes, as três primeiras com estudantes de design da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR) e a última com estudantes da Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR). Os resultados apontaram o modelo proposto como uma solução satisfatória para o problema identificado, pois apresentou efetividade na promoção da aprendizagem de representação digital, de outros conhecim entos em design e na integração e contextualização destes. Além disso, os participantes apontaram satisfação com o processo. A partir desses resultados, a quarta e última fase buscou explicitar todos os artefatos e aprendizagens produzidos ao longo da pesquisa, além de debater como eles podem ser generalizados para outros contextos além do escopo desta pesquisa. Palavras-chave: representação digital, ensino de design, ensino de software, interdisciplinaridade, design science research.Abstract: The teaching and learning of digital representation in graphic design courses of Brazilian public universities occurs in an isolated, little connected and decontextualized form with other design knowledge and practices. The problem with this teaching approach is that it can promote fragmented learning in which the individual may be very good at operating the software tool but having little knowledge and ability to apply it efficiently and strategically in solving design problems. Although teachers and students agree on the importance of this contextualization, no teaching-learning model that promotes its implementation in an effective way was found in the literature or during the research and field. Therefore, the general objective of this thesis was to develop a teachinglearning model that helps the contextualization of knowledge in digital representation with the other knowledge in design. In order to do this, it adopted the design science research method, structured in four stages: problem definition and analysis, artifact development, evaluation and learning. The first stage was aimed at a diagnosis of the teaching-learning activity of digital representation in the Brazilian context, allowing a better understanding of the problem and the generation of requirements for the new model. Data for this diagnosis were collected through reviews of narrative and systematic literature, documental research in teaching plans, pedagogical projects of courses and didactic materials, and interviews with teachers and students. For the analysis of the data and identification of the relations and conflicts between the various aspects of the activity, the activity theory was applied. In addition to validating and helping to better understand the problem of lack of contextualization, the diagnosis also identified four more problems that should be addressed by the new model. From these data, the requirements and recommendations were generated and a first version of the model proposed in the second phase in the research. In the third phase, the evaluation of the model was made possible through the development of an intensive course for the software Adobe InDesign contextualized with other knowledge in editorial design. This course was applied four times, the first three with design students from the Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR) and the last one with students from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). The results pointed out the proposed model as a satisfactory solution to the identified problem, since it showed effectiveness in promoting the learning of digital representation, other knowledge in design and in the integration and contextualization of these. In addition, the participants indicated satisfaction with the process. From these results, the fourth and last phase sought to make explicit all the artifacts and learning produced throughout the research, as well as discuss how they can be generalized to other contexts beyond the scope of this research. Keywords: digital representation, design teaching, software learning, interdisciplinarity, design science research

Information Design and the COVID-19 pandemic: What is the contribution to health and citizenship?

Multiple and various graphic design pieces were created around the world for digital media during the COVID-19 pandemic. These graphic design pieces were meant to disseminate information about the disease caused by the new Corona Virus SARS-CoV-2 to inform people on how to better protect themselves. Information Design uses guidelines and principles that would inform the design of useful graphic pieces to combat the pandemic and help the people to address their health needs for citizenship rights. This research analyzed multiple pieces made available by Fiocruz (a Brazilian health institution). The case study presented in this paper explores the piece with information explaining how soap acts on the virus and proposes a new design to improve its quality