Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-02-06T10:56:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 paulogiovannidealbuquerquesuassuna.pdf: 2986435 bytes, checksum: 601a570e293e2ce7dbca44808cdfce4a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-02-06T16:04:12Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 paulogiovannidealbuquerquesuassuna.pdf: 2986435 bytes, checksum: 601a570e293e2ce7dbca44808cdfce4a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-06T16:04:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 paulogiovannidealbuquerquesuassuna.pdf: 2986435 bytes, checksum: 601a570e293e2ce7dbca44808cdfce4a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-07-30 / INTRODUÇÃO: Os fatores de risco cardiovasculares tradicionais e os relacionados à Doença Renal Crônica contribuem para a alta taxa de mortalidade cardiovascular na população em diálise. A coexistência nesta população de desnutrição, inflamação, aterosclerose, anemia e calcificação vascular têm enorme impacto na sobrevida dos pacientes. Como na população geral, as estatinas reduzem a mortalidade geral e cardiovascular na população em diálise através da redução lipídica e seus efeitos pleiotrópicos, destacadamente a capacidade de reduzir a resposta inflamatória crônica destes pacientes, evidenciada pela redução dos níveis de Proteína CReativa ultra-sensível (PCR-us). O grupo de pacientes em hemodiálise com baixo LDL-colesterol (LDL-c), níveis elevados de PCR-us e anemia apresentam alto risco cardiovascular e ainda não existem evidências definitivas de benefício com uso de estatinas. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a eficácia de uma baixa dose de sinvastatina que visa apenas efeitos pleiotrópicos em comparação com uma dose padrão na redução da resposta inflamatória evidenciada pelos níveis de PCR-us, parâmetros hematimétricos, resistência à eritropoetina (IR-EPO), índice de massa corpóreo (IMC) e escore de inflamação-desnutrição (MIS). MÉTODO: Quarenta e dois pacientes estáveis em hemodiálise há mais de seis meses, maiores de 18 anos e sem evidência de processos inflamatórios foram divididos segundo os níveis de LDL-c. Os pacientes com LDL-c<100mg/dl receberam apenas 20mg de sinvastatina após hemodiálise (HD) (grupo-1), enquanto os pacientes com LDL-c>100mg/dl (grupo-2) receberam 20mg/dia durante oito semanas. Antes e após o tratamento foram medidos os níveis de PCR-us, hemoglobina (Hb), hematócrito (Hct) e calculado o IR-EPO, IMC e MIS. Os dados foram analisados com o programa estatístico SPSS. Foi considerado significante p<0.05. RESULTADOS: Houve redução significativa dos níveis de LDL-c e PCR-us em ambos os grupos, sendo a redução do LDL-c significantemente maior no grupo-2 (16,26±17,51% vs 37,73±11,73%, p<0,0001) enquanto a redução da PCR-us foi equivalente em ambos os grupos (35,97±49,23% vs 38,32±32,69%, p=0,86). Houve também queda da IR-EPO e melhora dos parâmetros hematimétricos. Não houve mudança no IMC ou MIS. CONCLUSÃO: A baixa dose de sinvastatina mostrou-se tão eficaz quando a dose usual em reduzir os níveis de PCR-us, a IR-EPO e melhorar os parâmetros hematimétricos, apontando para uma importante redução do risco cardiovascular nestes pacientes. / BACKGROUND: The traditional cardiovascular risk factors and the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) related risk factors contribute to the extremely high rate of cardiovascular mortality seems in dialysis population. The coexistence of malnutrition, inflammation, accelerated atherosclerosis, vascular calcification and anemia has an enormous impact in the life span of these patients. As in the general population, statins reduce cardiovascular mortality in dialysis population through lipid lowering and its pleiotropic effects, mainly by the chronic inflammatory process reduction capacity, shown up by the high-sensitive C-reactive protein levels (CRP-hs) reduction. The group of dialysis patients with low LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c), elevated CRP-hs levels and anemia present the highest cardiovascular risk and there are no definite evidences of benefit with statins use. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a low dose of simvastatin that aims only pleiotropic effects in comparison with a standard dose in CRP-hs levels reduction, hematimetric parameters, erythropoietin resistance (EPO-RI), body mass index (BMI) and inflammation score (MIS). METHODS: Forty-two stable dialysis patients with more than six months on maintenance dialysis program, with more than 18 years old and without inflammation evidence were divided based on LDL-c basal levels. The patients with LDL-c <100mg/dl received only 20mg of simvastatin after hemodialysis session (HD) (group-1), while the patients with LDL-c >100mg/dl (group-2) received 20mg/day during eight weeks follow-up phase. Before and after the statin use, the CRP-hs levels and hematimetric parameters was measured and calculated the EPO-RI, BMI and MIS. The data were analyzed with the SPSS statistic program, through. Was considered significant p<0.05. RESULTS: We found a significant reduction of LDL-c and CRP-hs levels in both groups, but the LDL-c levels reduction was significantly bigger in group-2 (16,26±17,51% vs 37,73±11,73%, p<0,0001) while the PCR-hs levels reduction was equivalent in both groups (35,97±49,23% vs 38,32±32,69%, p=0,86). Lowering of EPO-RI and improvement of hematimetric parameters were also observed. There were no changes in BMI or MIS. CONCLUSION: The pleiotropic dose showed itself as efficient as the usual dose in CRP-hs levels, EPO-RI reduction and improvement of hematimetric parameters, showing an important cardiovascular risk reduction in these patients.

A utilização do modelo de Black-Scholes e suas extensões na precificação de opções é bastante difundida tanto na academia quanto no mercado financeiro. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho de um modelo alternativo de precificação de opções em relação ao do modelo de Black na precificação de opções sobre futuro de dólar. Mais especificamente, a partir de hipóteses sobre o comportamento agregado da economia, da trajetória de preços de ativos e das preferências a risco dos agentes econômicos, é possível reconciliar uma condição de equilíbrio parcial, necessária para a precificação de opções, com uma condição de equilíbrio geral da economia. Essa reconciliação é obtida a partir da escolha cuidadosa de pares de preferências a risco e distribuições e possibilita a obtenção do preço de equilíbrio livre de preferências de um derivativo lançado sobre um dado ativo-objeto. O presente estudo utiliza os resultados de uma generalização recente feita por Câmara (2003), que demonstrou como distribuições e preferências podem ser combinadas de forma que se obtenham fórmulas fechadas para precificação de opções. Particularmente, assume-se que os preços do contrato futuro de dólar possuem distribuição lognormal com assimetria negativa, hipótese que resulta em uma fórmula alternativa de precificação de opções lançadas sobre esse contrato. O modelo obtido foi matematicamente contrastado com o modelo de Black, o que possibilitou que as implicações nos preços das opções, resultantes da premissa de assimetria negativa, fossem evidenciadas. Os desempenhos dos modelos foram comparados com base nos preços de mercado das opções. Os resultados alcançados sugerem que , em geral, o modelo de Black apresenta desempenho melhor que o modelo alternativo na precificação de opções sobre futuro de dólar. / The utilization of the Black-Scholes option pricing model is widespread, in both the academe and the market. Additionally, the literature related to its generalizations and adaptations is vast. Of particular importance are works concerning new sufficient conditions for existing risk-neutral option pricing equations. Under a new set of propositions on distributions and preferences, Câmara (2003) derived new analytical solutions for the price of European-style contingent claims. The objective of the present study was to adapt and test an option pricing model that was derived by Câmara (2003). Particularly, the tested model assumes that the underlying asset, in this case the US dollar futures contract traded on the Brazilian Mercantile & Futures Exchange, follows a negatively skew lognormal distribution. The performance of the alternative model was compared to that of the Black model, the standard model used in the market to price such options. More specifically, the performances of both models were measured against the market prices of US dollar futures options. Also, considerations about the validity of the negative skew lognormal hypothesis were made and a mathematical analysis of the differences in the prices generated by the two models was carried out. In the end, although the alternative model produces, in some cases, prices that are closer to the market’s, the evidences suggest that, in general, the Black model performs better than the alternative one.

This thesis aims to analyse the use of stereotypes about the Latin-American minority in the rhetoric of presidential candidates, using the single case of the 2016 US Presidential Campaign. The primary focus is the binary relation Self-Other established by the candidates through the use of stereotypes about the minority group and themselves. The analysis is performed in a framework that combines representation theory, constructivism and post colonial theory. The speeches and debates of the candidates, which served as data, demonstrate that stereotypes are present and help represent the Latin-American group as a negative Other, a threat or victimized burden. At the same time, through the representation of this specific Other, the candidates are creating their Self political persona, which in this case is a hero who will protect the American society from the threat, or a hero who will rescue the poor from their own victimized situation. Both candidates show similarities in the use of generalized stereotypes to mention LatinAmericans or in the context in which they refer to them. While they differ in the way that they create the Other, their position to confront the problem yields a similar political persona, as both want to be rescuers. Trump portrays LatinAmericans as a threat to security or as a poor victim, while Clinton also refers to the group as a victim, but also as an asset to economy. The intention of this thesis is to contribute to the field of stereotypes in political discourse in relation to the establishment of binary oppositions.

This dissertation, by using the case of tensions between the United States and Venezuela between 2001-2007, examines Rummel’s hypothesis that democratic countries are inherently peaceful, and investigates whether the tensions in US-Venezuela relations under president George W Bush and president Hugo Chavez confirms or rejects Rummel’s hypothesis. A review of relevant documents, reports by non-governmental organizations and previous research in the field of international relations lead us to the conclusion that while the strained relationship between the US and Venezuela did reach a stage of coercive diplomacy, as defined by Jakobsen, the threats between the two countries did not escalate towards military aggression, and therefore Rummel’s hypothesis is confirmed.

No description available.

Osteopathic physician (D.O.) residency programs that do not achieve accreditation under the new Single Accreditation System (SAS) standards by June 30, 2020 will lose access to their share of more than $9,000,000,000 of public tax dollars. This U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) funding helps sponsoring institutions cover direct and indirect resident physician training expenses. A significant financial burden would then be shifted to marginal costs of the residency program’s sponsoring institution in the absence of CMS funding. The sponsoring institution’s ability or willingness to bare these costs occurs during a time when hospital operating margins are at historic lows (Advisory.com /Daily Briefing /May 18, 2017 | The Daily Briefing / Hospital profit margins declined from 2015 to 2016, Moody's finds). Loss of access to CMS funding may result in potentially cataclysmic reductions in the production and availability of primary care physicians for rural and urban underserved populations. Which osteopathic residency programs will be able to survive the new accreditation requirement changes by the 2020 deadline? What are some of the defining attributes of those programs that already have achieved “initial accreditation” under the new SAS requirements? How can the osteopathic programs in the process of seeking the new accreditation more effectively “pivot” by learning from those programs that have succeeded? What are the potential implications of SAS to both access and quality of health care to millions of Americans? This report is based upon a study that examined and measured how osteopathic physician residency programs in the U.S. are accommodating the substantive structural, financial, political and clinical requirements approximately half way through a five-year adaptation period. In 2014, US Graduate Medical Education (GME) physician program accreditation systems formally agreed to operate under a single accreditation system for all osteopathic (D.O) and allopathic (M.D.) programs in the U.S. Since July 1, 2015, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) accredited training programs have been eligible to apply for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation. This agreement to create a Single Accreditation System (SAS) was consummated among the AOA, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and ACGME with a memorandum of understanding. As this research is published, the ACGME is transitioning to be the single accreditor for all US GME programs by June 30, 2020. At that time, the AOA would fully relinquish all its GME program accreditation responsibilities. The new SAS operates under published ACGME guidelines and governance. Business policy and health care resource allocation question motivated this research. Failure of osteopathic programs to “pivot” to the new standards could result in fewer licensed physicians being produced in the high demand primary care field. Potential workforce shortage areas include urban and especially rural populations (CRS Report 7-5700 R44376 Feb 12, 2016). Large physician shortages already have been projected to care for a rapidly aging US population without considering the impact of the GME accreditation changes currently underway (Association of American Medical Colleges 2017 Key Findings report www.aamc.org/2017projections). The goal of this research is to provide osteopathic GME programs practical insights into characteristics of a sample of osteopathic GME programs that have successfully made the “pivot” into SAS requirements and been accredited by ACGME and those that have not. The study seeks to better understand the experiences, decisions, challenges and expectations directly from osteopathic programs directors as they strive to meet the realities of the new SAS requirements. Do programs that are already accredited differ significantly from those that have not? How do characteristics such as program size, geographic locations, clinical program components, program sponsor structure, number and experience of faculty and administration, cost planning and perceived benefits of the movement to SAS factor into successfully meeting the new requirements before the 2020 closing date? A cross-sectional research survey was designed, tested and deployed to a national sample of currently serving osteopathic GME program directors. The survey elicited data about each program’s “pivot” from AOA GME accreditation practices and guidelines to the new Single Accreditation System (SAS). The survey instrument was designed to obtain information about patterns in osteopathic GME program curricula, administrative support functions, faculty training, compliance requirements and program director characteristics shared by those programs that have been granted “initial accreditation” by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) who administer SAS. Thirty five (35) osteopathic GME program directors responded to the 26 question survey in June 2017. Descriptive statistics were applied and central tendency measures determined. The majority of survey respondents were Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) from specialty residency programs sponsoring an average of 16 residents. Respondents were mostly non-profit, urban, multi-facility health system locations with an existing affiliation with a research college or university. About half of the programs had completed some form of fiscal due diligence related to the potential cost impact of SAS. None of those surveyed reported utilizing outside consultants to assist in the SAS “pivot” process. Most programs plan to keep the same number of residents while others expressed an interest in expanding or contracting. None of the respondents planned to close their program. The dichotomous dependent variable (DV) was whether or not the Osteopathic GME program had “achieved or not yet achieved initial SAS accreditation” at the time of the survey. A cross tabulation analysis of the DV with potential predictive variables (IV) was conducted and Chi-square and various exact significance tests were applied to gage goodness of fit. Results were grouped into categories that aligned with the five research questions and hypotheses. Several characteristics were shared by those programs that achieved SAS. GME sponsor institutions that currently have dually accredited programs by the AOA and ACGME seemed to be at a distinct advantage. Although they represented a smaller number of total survey respondents (20%), all primary care program participants reported SAS achievement. Directors reported an average of six (6) full-time paid faculty members teaching in their programs and twice that number of preceptor volunteers in the total sample. Realization of any operational cost savings or efficiencies as a result of moving to a single accreditation system was a principle concern for the majority (86%) of GME program director respondents, regardless of current accreditation status, although most felt SAS would result in offering medical student graduates access to all accredited US GME residency and fellowships programs.

Political opposition to globalisation has risen in industrialized countries, although the positive overall effects on the growth of the world economy and the alleviation of poverty are empirically verifiable. However, the effects of globalisation vary according to regions, professional groups, and education. In the period of intensive globalisation, unemployment and inequality have risen, and people feel their lives to be determined by forces they cannot influence. Since the many new challenges, such as climate protection, can be better solved by worldwide efforts, it is indispensable to avoid new national barriers and to strengthen the endorsement of globalisation and the concomitant welfare effects. However, it is also necessary to respect cultural differences in preferences and to view globalisation as a search and learning process. Instruments for the implementation of such a strategy may vary according to regional specifics. Social and ecological goals - gaining higher importance with rising per capita incomes - are well-represented in the European model, but for worldwide solutions other socio-economic models will offer preferences and solutions. Apart from the announced partial withdrawal of the United States from globalisation and the upcoming dominance of China in world affairs and large scale investment, Europe would be well-advised to take a greater responsibility if not the lead in determining the rules of globalisation. Based on an opinion-forming process within Europe, responsible globalisation can significantly improve the quality of life in Europe and its partners worldwide.

Black electoral politics has undergone a profound transformation in the half century since African Americans statutorily secured equal voting rights with whites. Once confined to a small number of exceptional cases, the population of black elected officials has multiplied dramatically. The genre which studies African American politics has, likewise, vigorously proliferated, but theoretical deficiencies persist. In particular, the dominant model used to explain the choice of racial campaign strategies by African American candidates in jurisdictions where most of their voters are white is incomplete. The model's underlying hypothesis is premised on limited and increasingly outdated assumptions. Commentators continue to argue that successful black candidates must discard their racial identity in order to win white votes, yet a careful examination of the actual practices of black politicians in majority-white jurisdictions demonstrates that this argument is not substantiated empirically. As a result, scholars are mischaracterising the potential for black candidates to win elections in majority-white contexts. This thesis is an attempt to advance the scholarship through a theoretical reconceptualisation of racial campaign strategies underpinned by original, empirical research. The thesis sets out to achieve two goals. The first goal is to provide a rich, analytical account based on primary research of the range of campaign strategies available to office-seeking African American candidates outside of majority-black election contexts. The thesis demonstrates the capacity for black candidates to embrace their racial identity and champion policies which redress racial inequality while still seeking support from white voters. The second objective is to offer plausible explanations as to the strategic decision-making process in these campaigns. The thesis highlights the shifting importance of three sets variables which candidates face when choosing their racial campaign strategies: racial context and history, the racial attitudes of supportive and opposing elite actors, and candidates' own racial biographies.

This study uses a longitudinal case study approach to observe change in ‘US and THEM-thinking’. Its purpose is to increase awareness of identity processes among participants and to test if the Attitude-Behaviour-Context-Triangle (the ABC-triangle) may be a way to achieve that. The ABC-triangle is modified as an ‘identity-analysis tool’ rather than a ‘conflict-analysis tool’.               Aspects relating to recognition of multiple identity affiliations compared to singular-identity categorisation is of interest. The traditional identity theories suggest that high identity salience increase singular-identity categorisation and thereby increase positive emotions for ingroup and negative emotions for outgroup. This study is partly based on the social identity perspective but complements it with Thoits’ identity-accumulation hypothesis and Hogg’s uncertainty-identity theory. Hogg’s theory locates uncertainty reduction as a main contributor to singular-identity categorisation together with its’ implied negative consequences. Hogg’s solutions are located both in multiple identity affiliations, as do Thoits, and in perceived cognitive ability to deal with uncertainty. This study emphasises awareness of identity processes to be the single most important factor for decreasing negative views of ‘THEM’. Overlooked in the more dominant theories of this area, it finds that recognition of multiple identity affiliations influences the perceived singular-identity terms imposed by an ‘US and THEM-situation’. Thereby, challenging imposed identity-restrictions and perceived intergroup competition. Furthermore, it questions the theoretical importance given to identity salience in previous research and theories since high identity salience, in this case, does not equal a singular-identity categorisation or increase negative views of ‘others’.

At the height of their popularity in the 1990s, there were 140 feminist bookstores in the US and Canada (Onosaka 2006). Today, in 2017, there are thirteen left. Feminist bookstores began opening in the 1970s promoting ideas about lesbian separatism, woman only spaces, and nurturing a feminist community. Although many functioned as for-profit stores, many also operated community centers and non-profit organizations. Feminist bookstores provide an excellent site for scholars view decades of social movement organizing merging theory, practice, activism, and academics. As a social movement organization, feminist bookstores as are the quintessential node of academia and activism. Of the thirteen bookstores left, only two are located in the US South: Charis Books and More is in Atlanta, GA and Iris Books is in Gainesville, FL. During my yearlong ethnography, I gathered archival data, field notes and ethnographic data, interview data, and oral histories This is the first comprehensive ethnography of feminist bookstores which looks at the ways feminist theories are used by social movement organizations to create, maintain, and alter collective identities and to reach feminist movement goals. Through my study of these two bookstore owners, workers, and boards, I illuminate the social organization of feminist social movement organizations in the South. In chapter two, I show how the bookstores see the existence of a tangible space to allow for contestation about collective identities and “home work” as a successful social movement outcome. In chapter three, I find that participants believe that southern identity, which is steeped in understands of the past, have created a need for the bookstore’s longevities and for progressive communities. In chapter four, I demonstrate that due to the unique positioning of the histories of racism and slavery in the South, these feminist organizations believe a central problem of feminism is to actively name and confront racism within both the South and feminism. In the fifth chapter, using two gender disputes a decade a part, I argue that the narrative of gender progress understood as inclusion of queer issues as well as transgender and gender variant identities touted by many scholars (Whittier 1995; Jagose 1996; Armstrong and Crage 2006) inaccurately represents the intricacies within practices of feminism. When it comes to feminist identities, politics, and civil rights discourses, our current political climate has illustrated that there is not room for linear narratives of progress—within movements or individual identities. Focusing on the combination of histories and demographics, with an emphasis on race and queerness, this project analyzes how the US South provides a complex space to understand the challenges of intersectional and white feminist communities and social movements.