Longitudinal Factor Analysis of Public Expenditure Composition and Human Development in Brazil After the 1988 Constitution

The way public policies are managed in Brazil has changed since the 1988 Federal Constitution. This study aimed to identify how changes in the structure of public expenditure composition at Brazilian federal states influenced local human development in these states. The states’ public expenditures were categorized according to their nature as spending indices whereas human development was measured through a human development index (HD). To verify the relationships between these variables, an accounting-social theoretical model was created and estimated through latent growth modeling (LGM). The LGM measurement period comprised five administration cycles of the Brazilian states (1988–2011). Variables were measured on data of the second year of state government term; their mean initial values and growth rates were recorded. Results show that, influenced by policies of centralized regulation promoted by the federal government, only the social spending growth rates had statistically significant effect on the human development growth rate, although not considered of great magnitude. Among mean initial values, the most significant was that of minimum spending (SIm), which denotes the direct impact of the Fiscal Accountability Law [Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal, in Portuguese] on human development improvements. The mean initial value of economic spending also showed a positive and significant effect on HD growth rate.     

Family Relationships,Social Connections,and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Older Adults in International Migrant Families

This study explored whether and how family relationships and social connections influence depressive symptoms of older migrants and older adults in transnational families using the data gathered from a cross-sectional survey in Los Angeles, California, United States, and Beijing, China. Regression results showed that the older migrants reported significantly higher levels of depression than the elders in transnational families. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining close family relations and having large friendship networks for older adults in international migrant families.     

Urbanization impacts the taxonomic and functional structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in a small Neotropical city

Due to habitat fragmentation, resource disruption and pollution, urbanization is one of the most destructive forms of anthropization affecting ecosystems worldwide. Generally, human-mediated perturbations dramatically alter species diversity in urban sites compared to the surroundings, thus influencing the functioning of the entire ecosystem. We investigated the taxonomic and functional diversity patterns of the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in tank bromeliads by comparing those found in a small Neotropical city with those from an adjacent rural site. Changes in the quality of detrital inputs in relation to lower tree diversity and the presence of synanthropic species are likely important driving forces behind the observed structural changes in the urban site. Leaf-litter processors (i.e., shredders, scrapers) were positively affected in the urban site, while filter-feeders that process smaller particles produced by the activity of the shredders were negatively affected. Because we cannot ascertain whether the decline in filter-feeders is related to food web-mediated effects or to competitive exclusion (Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were present in urban bromeliads only), further studies are necessary to account for the effects of intra-guild competition or inter-guild facilitation.     

Palm Distributions for Log Gaussian Cox Processes

This paper establishes a remarkable result regarding Palm distributions for a log Gaussian Cox process: the reduced Palm distribution for a log Gaussian Cox process is itself a log Gaussian Cox process that only differs from the original log Gaussian Cox process in the intensity function. This new result is used to study functional summaries for log Gaussian Cox processes.     

A new generalized two-sided class of distributions with an emphasis on two-sided generalized normal distribution

The ordinary-G class of distributions is defined to have the cumulative distribution function (cdf) as the value of the cdf of the ordinary distribution F whose range is the unit interval at G, that is, F(G), and it generalizes the ordinary distribution. In this work, we consider the standard two-sided power distribution to define other classes like the beta-G and the Kumaraswamy-G classes. We extend the idea of two-sidedness to other ordinary distributions like normal. After studying the basic properties of the new class in general setting, we consider the two-sided generalized normal distribution with maximum likelihood estimation procedure.     

Does the Person‐of‐the‐Therapist Training (POTT) Promote Self‐Care? Personal Gains of MFT Trainees Following POTT: A Retrospective Thematic Analysis

As we recognize how taxing our profession can be, therapist's self‐care has become a salient topic in mental health. However, we are still discerning how to promote self‐care in our practice and in training. In this paper, we present a study on the personal gains that MFT students experienced after participating in the Person‐of‐the‐Therapist Training (POTT). We propose that the reported changes (better understanding of self, change to self, relational changes, and change as a process) constitute improvements in the trainees’ well‐being, and can therefore be considered self‐caring behaviors and practices. We state that models like POTT, that focus on embracing our vulnerability, can help clinicians be more caring toward ourselves. We conclude this paper by presenting clinical and training recommendations.     

21世纪:通货紧缩与通货膨胀谁主沉浮

世纪之交 ,通货紧缩的现实 ,对通货膨胀提出了挑战 ;通货紧缩就是指价格水平的持续下降 ;由于高新科技的迅猛发展对价格水平运动具有两重作用 ,高新科技的迅猛发展并不必然导致劳动生产率的提高和价格水平的降低 ,甚至出现“劳动生产率悖论” ,成为促使价格水平上涨的一个动因 ,所以“技术型通货紧缩”否定不了通货膨胀 ;当前世界各国对付通货紧缩措施的实质都是通货膨胀的政策 ;从对 2 1世纪通货紧缩的展望来看 ,通货紧缩也不否定通货膨胀 ,通货膨胀远未投降 ,它只是披上了新的更加危险的外衣。从全球的经济现实来看 ,促使通货膨胀和价格水平上涨的的结构性因素及微观内生机制依然存在 ,通货膨胀并没有“寿终正寝” ,世纪性的物价上涨并未结束 ,通货膨胀依然是新世纪经济学的主要“敌人” ,人类驾驭和对付通货膨胀的道路仍很漫长。     

“五四”后西方伦理学在中国传播途径考略

"五四"后,封闭国人心灵的精神枷锁被进一步砸烂,西学以更猛烈的速度和更大的规模涌入中国.西方伦理学便是在这一时期以多种途径大规模传入中国,翻译西书、著书介绍、撰写文章;邀请欧美哲学主要代表人物来华讲学;西方伦理学进入中国大学课堂,通过课堂教学得以传播,这些都成为西方伦理学在中国广泛传播的重要途径.