An Econometric Analysis of the Relationship Between the Namibian Government Debt and Economic Growth

The association between government debt and economic growth is complex. Namibia is not excluded from this spectacle as concerns are mounting about the fast-increasing state debt and its implication on economic growth in the long run. By the end of 2016, government debt constituted 40.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Domestic and external debt constituted 25.3 and 15.3 percent of GDP respectively. Total interest paid on state debt stood at about 1 percent of GDP. Various financial debates stress that the debt incurred to enhance economic growth via investment should also consider interest payment costs. Counterarguments emphasise that if governments borrow to stimulate growth via increased economic earnings, then state debt growth might not pose a problem to the economy. This study examined the relationship between economic growth and government debt components for Namibia over the sample period 2000-2016. The study employed a time series econometric model method to examine the nature of the relationship that exists between government debt indicators and economic growth. The augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) was employed in testing the unit root characteristics of the series and to determine the order of integration. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) cointegration framework was also employed to determine whether there is a long run and short-run relationship between the variables. Finally, the Granger Causality Test was conducted to test causation between the variables. To investigate these issues, quarterly time series data for the period 2000-2016 was used. The results of cointegration analysis supports the existence of a positive long run cointegration relationship between government debt indicators and economic growth to indicate that debt drives economic growth in Namibia. The study found no causality effect between general debt, foreign debt, domestic debt and GDP. The main policy recommendation from this study is that, in order to avoid the country from plunging into a debt crisis, the Namibian government should consider determining an optimal debt-to-GDP ratio to serve as an indicator beyond which an increase in debt will be deemed unsustainable. The government should further ensure that the debt Fund is used for production and infrastructure development instead of consumption spending to stimulate the productive capacity of the economy

O ENEM e os professores de matenática do ensino médio do Paraná : delineamento de uma noção de responsabilidade curricular

Orientadora: Profª Drª Maria Tereza Carneiro SoaresTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação. Defesa: Curitiba, 31/08/2012Bibliografia: f. 106-112Resumo: Esta pesquisa olhou para o Exame nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM) com o intuito de conhecer o tipo de repercussão que esse exame provoca no trabalho do professor de matemática da escola básica, particularmente no ensino médio na rede estadual do Paraná. Tratou ainda de identificar em que medida esse trabalho tem se traduzido em consonância com a matriz de referência do ENEM e em detrimento das diretrizes curriculares do ensino médio e o que os professores de matemática do ensino médio dizem a esse respeito. Esta pesquisa, que envolve pensamento a respeito de currículo e de avaliação, leva em conta também a formação do professor que ensina matemática. Esses são temas bastante imbricados uns nos outros e qualquer movimento feito nas compreensões sobre um deles confere, necessariamente, um novo feitio nas concepções a respeito dos outros. Foi estabelecido assim o desenho de fronteiras entre avaliação em larga escala, currículos e formação de professores de matemática. As fronteiras foram desenhadas a partir dos três campos, porém mais marcadamente a partir do campo dos currículos, como reconhecimento do alargamento crescente do alcance das discussões em torno dele. Só foi possível ter acesso ao material para análise interrogando o entorno em que isso acontece e para isso foi enviado para os professores, por correio eletrônico, um questionário composto de questões objetivas e abertas. Para compor o questionário foi utilizado o Google Docs, uma ferramenta que permite criar e editar documentos online e possibilita o acesso de vários usuários ao mesmo tempo. No intuito de fazer o acabamento desta tese foram reunidos os apontamentos feitos ao longo do texto com o objetivo de delinear uma noção de responsabilidade curricular de modo geral e mais particularmente na direção de políticas educacionais para a educação matemática no interior das instituições de ensino.Abstract: This research evaluated the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM) in order to analyze its repercussion on the high school Mathematics teachers, especially the ones of the public schools of Paraná State. It also identified how well it has been suiting the benchmark of ENEM and the general high school policies, and reported what the high school teachers have to say about it. This research, which covers thoughts on school curriculum and evaluations, also takes into account the training of the Mathematics teachers. All of these subjects are really connected to each other and any change made in any of them necessarily alters the conceptions of the others. Thus, a layout of the borders among large-scale evaluations, school curriculum and the training of the Mathematics teachers was established and based on the three variables, although focused on the school curriculum due to a growing growth of the discussions about it. One could only analyze the material investigating its surroundings. For that matter, an open-ended/objective questions questionnaire was sent to the teachers. Google Docs, a tool used to create and edit documents online and which allows many users at the same time, was used to prepare the questionnaire. The final results of this research are shown throughout this text, in order to outline a notion of general curricular responsibility and especially discuss the educational policies on Mathematics education in the educational institutions.Resumen: Esta investigación está volcada para el Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM) con el objetivo de conocer el tipo de repercusión que este examen provoca en el trabajo del profesor de matemática de la escuela básica, particularmente en la enseñanza media en la red estadual de Paraná. Se trató de identificar en qué medida este trabajo se ha traducido en consonancia con la matriz de referencia del ENEM y en detrimento a las directrices curriculares de la enseñanza media y lo que los profesores de matemática de la enseñanza media dicen con relación a eso. Esta investigación, que involucra pensamiento a respecto del currículo y de la evaluación, también tiene en cuenta la formación del profesor que enseña matemática. Estos son temas bastante imbricados unos con otros y cualquier movimiento hecho en las comprensiones sobre uno de ellos confiere, necesariamente, una nueva forma en las concepciones con respecto a los otros. Se estableció el diseño de fronteras entre la evaluación en larga escala, currículos y formación de profesores de matemática. Las fronteras se diseñaron a partir de los tres campos, pero marcadamente a partir del campo de los currículos, como reconocimiento de la ampliación creciente del alcance de las discusiones en torno de él. Sólo fue posible tener acceso al material para análisis interrogando el entorno en que eso acontece y para ello se envió para los profesores, por correo electrónico, un cuestionario compuesto de preguntas objetivas y abiertas. Para componer el cuestionario se utilizó el Google Docs, una herramienta que permite crear y editar documentos online y posibilita el acceso de varios usuarios al mismo tiempo. Con el objetivo de concluir esta tesis se reunieron los apuntes hechos a lo largo del texto con el objetivo de delinear una noción de responsabilidad curricular de modo general y en especial, en la dirección de políticas educacionales para la educación matemática en el interior de las instituciones de enseñanza

Um olhar sobre o valor dos conteúdos de matemática : a vez de quem ensina

Orientadora: Maria Tereza Carneiro SoaresDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação. Defesa: Curitiba, 2004Inclui bibliografia e anexosResumo: Este trabalho apresenta o modo como duas professoras de matemática, protagonistas deste estudo, pensam o valor da Matemática na composição dos currículos nas escolas de ensino fundamental em que trabalham. Os objetivos que se quis atingir são: conhecer e explicitar o que dizem essas duas professoras a respeito do valor que conferem aos conteúdos que selecionam para ensinar a suas classes e revelar a conjuntura que motiva essas escolhas. Foram recolhidos os depoimentos de uma professora de escola pública e uma de escola particular de Curitiba. Em ambos os casos as escolhas recaíram sobre profissionais que atuam na 7a série do ensino fundamental. Os procedimentos de coleta e registro de dados incluem entrevistas individuais com as professoras escolhidas e a análise de documentos como planejamentos anuais e planos de aula. A construção de categorias de análise foi desenvolvida a partir de núcleos significativos retirados das respostas obtidas nas entrevistas. A intenção é discutir a necessidade e as possibilidades de dar voz e vez aos professores de matemática da escola fundamental no debate curricular e defender a viabilidade de promover discussões curriculares, com vistas ao desenvolvimento de um pensamento curricular, já nos cursos de formação de professores de matemática.Abstract: This work presents the way two Mathematics teachers, the protagonists of this study, think about the value of Mathematics in the curriculum of the elementary schools where they work. Our main objectives are: to know and to make explicit what these two teachers say concerning the value of the contents they have selected to teach their groups and to reveal the conjuncture which has motivated their choices. We have taken the statements of a state school teacher as well as of a private school one. In both cases, our choices were made upon the fact that they both work with 7th grade classes. The data collection procedures and the data record include: individual interviews with the teachers and analysis of documents such as annual plannings and class plannings. The construction of the categories for analysis was developed from meaningful topics obtained during the interviews. The intention is to discuss the need and the possibilities of giving voice and turn to the elementary school Mathematics teachers to debate the curriculum and to defend the feasibility of promoting curricula discussions, in order to achieve the development of a curriculum thought within the Mathematics teachers' graduation courses from the beginning

Contaminaçao alimentar e seus efeitos na bionomia de Ceriodahnia cornuta (Cladocera, Daphnidae)

Orientadora: Ana Teresa LombardiCo-orientadora: Maria da Graça Gama MelaoMonografia (Bacharelado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciencias da Terra, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Curso de Graduaçao em OceanografiaResumo: Uma forma grave de poluição ambiental é o despejo de metais nos ambientes aquáticos, fato que tem sido comumente observado. O plâncton forma a base de cadeias alimentares em ambientes aquáticos e pode atuar como fonte de entrada de metais tóxicos nestas cadeias, vindo a atingir o Homem. A ingestão de quantidades excessivas de cobre pode causar ao ser humano a irritação e corrosão da mucosa, problemas hepáticos, renais, irritação do sistema nervoso e depressão. O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar os efeitos do metal cobre em organismos do zooplâncton (Ceriodaphnia cornuta) fornecido através de alimento (microalga Selenastrum capricornutum) cronicamente contaminado. Para tanto, a S. capricornutum foi contaminada com cobre (CuCl2), nas concentrações nominais de 10-7M e 10-6M, e posteriormente foi fornecida como alimento para a espécie zooplanctônica C. cornuta. Foram investigadas a capacidade de acúmulo do metal tanto na microalga como também no zooplâncton e seus efeitos sobre a bionomia do animal, ao longo de toda sua história de vida. Resultados significativos foram encontrados, visto que estes organismos demonstraram uma alta plasticidade fenotípica em resposta ao estresse causado pelo metal. Duas estratégias de vida diferentes foram verificadas, uma focada na reprodução, ocorrida nos animais alimentados com microalgas contaminadas com cobre à concentração de 1x10-7 gCu/dia, e a outra em crescimento somático, manifestada pelos animais tratados com as algas contaminadas com a concentração de 5x10-8 gCu/dia do metal. Além disso, a presença do cobre afetou os organismos teste em termos de comprimento dos animais na primípara (idade em que o juvenil atinge a maturidade sexual) e quanto à longevidade. Observou-se também que vários ovos foram abortados, algumas fêmeas passaram seu ciclo de vida sem produzir descendentes e alguns neonatos nasceram mortos

Simulation in manufacturing and business: A review

Copyright @ 2009 Elsevier B.V.This paper reports the results of a review of simulation applications published within peer-reviewed literature between 1997 and 2006 to provide an up-to-date picture of the role of simulation techniques within manufacturing and business. The review is characterised by three factors: wide coverage, broad scope of the simulation techniques, and a focus on real-world applications. A structured methodology was followed to narrow down the search from around 20,000 papers to 281. Results include interesting trends and patterns. For instance, although discrete event simulation is the most popular technique, it has lower stakeholder engagement than other techniques, such as system dynamics or gaming. This is highly correlated with modelling lead time and purpose. Considering application areas, modelling is mostly used in scheduling. Finally, this review shows an increasing interest in hybrid modelling as an approach to cope with complex enterprise-wide systems

VIVACE: A framework for the systematic evaluation of variability support in process-aware information systems

Context: The increasing adoption of process-aware information systems (PAISs) such as workflow management systems, enterprise resource planning systems, or case management systems, together with the high variability in business processes (e.g., sales processes may vary depending on the respective products and countries), has resulted in large industrial process model repositories. To cope with this business process variability, the proper management of process variants along the entire process lifecycle becomes crucial. Objective: The goal of this paper is to develop a fundamental understand-ing of business process variability. In particular, the paper will provide a framework for assessing and comparing process variability approaches and the support they provide for the different phases of the business process life

Therapeutic targeting of CK2 in acute and chronic leukemias

Phosphorylation can regulate almost every property of a protein and is involved in all fundamental cellular processes. Thus, proper regulation of phosphorylation events is critical to the homeostatic functions of cell signaling. Indeed, deregulation of signaling pathways underlies many human diseases, including cancer.[1] The importance of phosphorylation makes protein kinases and phosphatases promising therapeutic targets for a wide variety of disorders.[2] CK2, formerly known as casein kinase II, was discovered in 1954, [3] although only recently, and especially over the last two decades, it has become one of the most studied protein kinases, due to its ubiquity, pleiotropy and constitutive activity. In particular, appreciation of its pleiotropy has completely changed our vision of CK2 biology, from an ordinary cell homeostasis-maintaining enzyme to a master kinase potentially implicated in many human physiological and pathological events. CK2 is responsible for about 25% of the phosphoproteome,[4] as it catalyzes the phosphorylation of >300 substrates.[5] This partly explains the CK2 interconnected roles that underlie its involvement in many signaling pathways. However, CK2 prevalent roles are promotion of cell growth and suppression of apoptosis. Accordingly, several lines of evidence support the notion that CK2 is a key player in the pathogenesis of cancer. High levels of CK2 transcript and protein expression, as well as increased kinase activity are associated with the pathological functions of CK2 in a number of neoplasias.[6] It was only over the last decade, after extensive analyses in solid tumors, that basic and translational studies have provided evidence for a pivotal role of CK2 in driving the growth of different blood cancers as well, although the first report demonstrating increased CK2 expression in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) dates back to 1985.[7] Since then, CK2 overexpression/activity has been demonstrated in other hematological malignancies, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). [8] With the notable exceptions of CML and pediatric ALL, many patients with leukemias still have a poor outcome, despite the development of protocols with optimized chemotherapy combinations. Insufficient response to first-line therapy and unsalvageable relapses present major therapeutic challenges. Moreover, chemotherapy, even if successful, could have deleterious long-term biological and psychological effects, especially in children.[9] Furthermore, CML patients can develop resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), while both primary chemoresistant and relapsed pediatric ALL cases still remain an unresolved issue.[9

Understanding business process management: implications for theory and practice

Draft version published as a discussion paper. Final version published in British Journal of Management © British Academy of Management. Available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/This paper presents an empirically validated framework of business process management (BPM) to enable the pursuit of BPM theory. Phase 1 of the research focused on the development of an initial framework of BPM, derived from a synthesis of current literature. This comprised five key themes, subsequently categorized as 'application components' of BPM. The empirical validation of the framework was approached through case-based research, utilizing semi-structured interviews with managers of a large financial services organization, to explore the dimensions of the framework. The results suggest that, in addition to confirming the five 'application components' of the initial framework, three additional 'conceptual components' are important. These concepts differentiate BPM from other process management activities, and suggest that developing a prerequisite 'process mindset' is a fundamental component of a BPM approach