Measuring Early Childhood Development Among 4-6 Year Olds: The Identification of Psychometrically Robust Items Across Diverse Contexts.

The last 15 years have seen an explosion of measurement tools for assessing the development of young children in low- and middle- income countries. This paper builds on and contributes to that literature by identifying a core set of caregiver-report items and a core set of direct assessment items that measure key developmental domains for children aged 4-6 (48-83 months) and that demonstrate adequate psychometric properties across diverse contexts, the first in this age group to the authors' knowledge. Data were harmonized from previous early childhood measurement efforts in 12 countries that all used the same base measurement tool. Data analyses yielded 20 caregiver report items and 84 child direct assessment items (grouped into 16 tasks) that show strong item-level statistics across countries and that cover the domains of early literacy, early numeracy, executive functioning, and social-emotional competencies. Next steps include adding data and items from other measurement tools to the same analytical framework and field testing across a number of contexts and early childhood measurement efforts. The vision is for the resulting core sets of items, along with guidance on data collection, management, and analysis, to serve as global public goods so that they can (i) present a starting point for linking across different early childhood measurement tools for children aged 4-6; (ii) increase quality across measurement efforts; and (iii) facilitate the scale up of early childhood measurement. When supplemented with items that capture local contexts and their measurement needs, these core sets of items should help to advance understanding of universal and context-specific factors that underlie child development and thus help policymakers make decisions that ensure children receive the quality early childhood care and education they need in order to reach their full potential.

Morphophysiological evaluation of Bauhinia divaricata L. (Fabaceae) plants at different water regimes / Avaliação morfofisiológica em plantas de Bauhinia divaricata L. (Fabaceae) em diferentes regimes hídricos

The pata-de-vaca (Bauhinia divaricata L.) tree is a species widely distributed in Brazil, it has a high ornamental and economic value. Its leaves are used in renal inflammations, such as diuretic, hypoglycemic, being considered a medicinal plant of popular use. The research was carried out in a greenhouse belonging to the Laboratório de Ecologia Vegetal, at the Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA), from Universidade Federal of Paraíba (UFPB). The objective was to evaluate the morphophysiological characteristics of B. divaricata plants at different water regimes. The experimental design was completely randomized with five water treatments 1 (100% control), 2 (80%), 3 (60%), 4 (40%) and 5 (20%) of the container capacity. The height, number of leaves and stem diameter were evaluated weekly. At the end of the experiment the plants had their organs separated and taken to the greenhouse to obtain the dry matter of the leaves, stem, roots and total dry matter, and also, biomass allocation in the leaves, stem and roots. Plant height did not differ statistically between the treatments. The number of leaves, diameter, leaf, stem and root allocation and root and shoot dry matter were higher under water availability (100% of container capacity). For the production of B. divaricata L. seedlings water regime should be 100% and 80% of the container capacity, but the seedlings grow satisfactorily.

A pata-de-vaca (Bauhinia divaricata L.) é uma espécie arbórea, amplamente distribuída no Brasil, de alto valor ornamental e econômico. Suas folhas são utilizadas nas inflamações renais, como diuréticas, hipoglicemiantes, sendo considerada uma planta medicinal de uso popular. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em casa de vegetação pertencente ao Laboratório de Ecologia Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA), Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). O Objetivo foi avaliar as características morfofisiológicas em plantas de Bauhinia divaricata em diferentes regimes hídricos. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos hídrico 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% e 20% da capacidade de pote. Avaliou-se, semanalmente a altura, número de folhas e diâmetro do caule. Ao final do experimento as plantas tiveram seus órgãos separados e levados à estufa para obtenção da matéria seca das folhas, caule, raízes e massa seca total, e ainda, alocação de biomassa nas folhas, caule e raízes. A altura de plantas não diferiu estatisticamente entre os tratamentos, o número de folhas, diâmetro, alocação de folhas, caules e raízes e massas seca da raiz e parte aérea foram maiores sob maior disponibilidade de água (100% da capacidade do recipiente). Para a produção de mudas de B. divaricata L. o regime hídrico deve ser de 100% e 80% da capacidade do recipiente, porém as mudas crescem satisfatoriamente.

Anaphylactic shock perioperative to patent blue dye.

Patent blue is one of the most used dyes for the identification of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer. This report describes a case of an anaphylactic shock reaction to patent blue dye in a patient with cross-reactivity to methylene blue. Therefore, after allergy confirmation, the operation was repeated avoiding blue dye and an alternative labelling technique with 99mTc albumin nanocolloids was used.

Morpho-physiological analyses of Allamanda blanchetii A. DC. seedlings under water deficit / Análises morfo-fisiológicas em plantas de Allamanda blanchetii A. DC sob déficit hídrico

The Allamanda blanchetii belongs to the Apocynaceae family, being an ornamental species popularly known as allamanda-roxa and is endemic to the Caatinga. The aim of this research was to evaluate the growth, gas exchange, relative water content, and stomatal density of A. blanchetii under water stress conditions. The experimental design was completely randomized with six levels of the maximum water holding capacity (MWHC) (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%) with eight replications. Weekly, it was performed the evaluations of plant height and number of leaves. The results for water stress treatment in the A. blanchetii plants show that they develop better in the water levels of 100% and 80% of the MWHC, without presenting significant morphological and physiological changes. In turn, 20% of the MWHC does not allow the survival of the A. blanchetii plants. The water restriction negatively interfered in the gas exchange in the treatment of 60% and 40% of the MWHC. Therefore, it can be concluded that the A. blanchetii plants grow satisfactorily in 100% and 80% of the MWHC, ensuring the growth and survival during the drought period. The water availability to which the plants were submitted does not influence the total chlorophyll and relative water content of leaves. Gas exchanges are adversely affected at levels of water availability below 80% of the MWHC.

Allamanda blanchetii pertence à família Apocynaceae, é uma espécie ornamental, conhecida popularmente como allamanda-roxa, endêmica da Caatinga. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o crescimento, trocas gasosas, conteúdo relativo de água e densidade estomática de A. blanchetii sob condições de estresse hídrico. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com seis capacidade máxima de retenção de água tratamentos hídricos (100%, 80%, 60%, 40% e 20%) com oito repetições. Os resultados obtidos sobre o déficit hídrico aplicado, as plantas de A. blanchetii se desenvolvem com níveis de água de 100% e 80% da CMRA, sem apresentar modificações morfológicas e fisiológicas significativas enquanto que com de 20% da CMRA não houve a sobrevivência de plantas. A restrição hídrica interferiu negativamente nas trocas gasosas, nos tratamentos de 60% e 40% CMRA. Portanto pode-se concluir que as plantas de A. blanchetii crescem satisfatória sob 100% e 80% CMRA garantindo a sua sobrevivência e crescimento durante a seca. A clorofila total e o teor relativo de água na folha das plantas não foram influenciados pelos regimes hídricos a que foram submetidas. As trocas gasosas são negativamente afetadas em níveis de disponibilidade hídrica abaixo de 80% da CMRA.

Prevenção e controle de homicídios: uma avaliação do impacto no Brasil

Publicação nº 337 da serie 'Texto para Discussão' do CEDEPLAR avalia o impacto do programa Fica Vivo, de prevenção e controle dacriminalidade, implementado no Brasil Os dados utilizados são os registros georeferenciados da Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais, nos anos de 2000 a 2006 e os dados do Censo Demográfico 2000.