Expenditure on sports and leisure by the government of the state of Piauí / Gasto na função desporto e lazer pelo governo do estado do Piauí

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to analyze the participation of the government of Piauí in the bottom-up funding of sport and leisure public policies from 2013 to 2017, embracing four aspects: (1) comparison of expenditure with tax revenue; (2) comparison of expenditure with other social agendas, notably Social Assistance and Culture; (3) identifying the spending behavior regarding subfunctions; (4) analyzing the efficiency in resource liquidation comparatively. Quantitative data were collected from the National Treasure website and submitted to descriptive statistics. In a conclusive manner, the study indicated that: (a) state government expenditure with the SLF is far shorter than the estimated by the II National Sport Conference; (b) expenditure has not followed the positive revenue variation during the period; (c) when compared to Social Assistance and Culture, Sport and Leisure has been the less considered area on the government's agenda; (d) there has been an abrupt chance in the government's agenda towards performance sport; (e) the government acts in an efficient way regarding the liquidation of planned resources.

RESUMO O presente trabalho buscou analisar a participação do governo do estado do Piauí no financiamento bottom-up das políticas públicas de esporte e de lazer de 2013 a 2017, contemplando quatro dimensões: (1) comparação do gasto com a receita tributária; (2) comparação do gasto com outras agendas da área social, notadamente Assistência Social e Cultura; (3) identificar o comportamento de gasto em termos de subfunções; (4) analisar comparativamente a eficiência na liquidação dos recursos. Os dados quantitativos foram buscados diretamente no site do Tesouro Nacional e submetidos à estatística descritiva. De forma conclusiva, o estudo indicou que: (a) o gasto na FDL do governo estadual está muito distante do pretendido pela II Conferência Nacional de Esporte; (b) o gasto não acompanhou a variação positiva da receita ao longo do período; (c) quando comparado com Assistência Social e Cultura, Esporte e Lazer foi a área de menor peso na agenda do governo; (d) houve uma mudança abrupta na agenda de governo em direção ao esporte rendimento; (e) o governo age de forma eficiente na liquidação dos recursos planejados.

Assessing the timemania lottery as a sports public policy / A avaliação da loteria timemania como política pública de esporte

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the main results of Timemania as a sports public policy based on the efficiency, efficacy and social effectiveness principles. A descriptive-analytical research with qualitative approach was conducted through the analysis of contents from laws and official reports. Results suggest that the Timemania lottery was neither efficacious nor efficient, as it did not achieve the initial goals as to its revenues and debt payment for clubs. Timemania was not effective and did not significantly impact sports development. Finally, it is possible to conclude that Timemania, as a regulatory policy, fulfills the sole role of ensuring financial injection for major Brazilian football clubs.

RESUMO O artigo analisa os principais resultados da Timemania como política pública de esporte a partir dos princípios da eficiência, eficácia e efetividade social. Realizou-se uma pesquisa descritivo-analítica, com abordagem qualitativa, a partir da análise de conteúdos de leis e relatórios oficiais. Os resultados indicam que a Timemania não foi eficaz e eficiente, por não atender os objetivos iniciais de arrecadação e pagamento das dívidas dos clubes. A Timemania não foi efetiva e não impactou de forma significativa no desenvolvimento do esporte. Por fim, conclui-se que a Timemania, como uma política regulatória, cumpre o papel apenas de garantir um aporte financeiro para os clubes de futebol de maior destaque no Brasil.

The Ban on US Government Funding Research Using Human Fetal Tissues: How Does This Fit with the NIH Mission to Advance Medical Science for the Benefit of the Citizenry?

Some have argued that human fetal tissue research is unnecessary and/or immoral. Recently, the Trump administration has taken the drastic--and we believe misguided--step to effectively ban government-funded research on fetal tissue altogether. In this article, we show that entire lines of research and their clinical outcomes would not have progressed had fetal tissue been unavailable. We argue that this research has been carried out in a manner that is ethical and legal, and that it has provided knowledge that has saved lives, particularly those of pregnant women, their unborn fetuses, and newborns. We believe that those who support a ban on the use of fetal tissue are halting medical progress and therefore endangering the health and lives of many, and for this they should accept responsibility. At the very least, we challenge them to be true to their beliefs: if they wish to short-circuit a scientific process that has led to medical advances, they should pledge to not accept for themselves the health benefits that such advances provide.

Benefits of global financial reporting models for developing markets: The case of Romania.

The paper explores the benefits of global financial reporting models for developing countries, discussing the case of Romania, which, at the recommendations of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, exceeded the minimum requirements of the European Union, by imposing the full adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in individual financial statements of listed companies. Using regression analysis and decomposition techniques, the paper explores the evolution in value relevance of financial variables based on pre-(2009-2012) and post-(2014-2016) adoption samples, showing that after IFRS adoption financial information becomes significantly more relevant for equity valuations. We also provide empirical evidence showing that the degree of relevance for stock valuation, as well as the IFRS impact varies across types of firms. Overall, our findings tend to indicate the success of the financial reporting reform, which could be relevant for other jurisdictions facing similar decisions.

The inherent risks associated with newly traded biopharmaceutical firms.

Here, we provide a comprehensive study related to the risks of all biopharmaceutical firms going public in the USA between 1996 and 2015. We found 355 firms that met our requirements for being in the sector that focuses on creating drugs for humans. Collectively, these firms spent approximately US$86.9 billion on research and development (R&D) during this time. They also lost approximately US$69.3 billion in combined net income. We also examine the delisting of these firms from a public market, their number of collaborators at the initial public offering (IPO), and estimate the percentage ownership by other biopharmaceutical firms at the IPO.

Eleven essential steps to purchasing or selling a medical practice.

Based on our experience in representing more than 100 doctors and medical specialists in practice sales and acquisitions, we have identified 11 key considerations important to a deal. There are several issues to consider while going through the process of buying or selling a practice including the implementation of a "letter of intent" as a first step rather than drafting a contract, securing a lease, and verifying the property is not in violation of the local zoning requirements. There are also considerations with regard to the patients, which range from how will the accounts receivable at the time of the closing be handled to who is responsible for the handling of continued treatment in an ongoing case after a deal is finalized. This article details these considerations and more.

Benefits of the ballot box for species conservation.

Recent estimates reaffirm that conservation funds are insufficient to meet biodiversity conservation goals. Organisations focused on biodiversity conservation therefore need to capitalise on investments that societies make in environmental protection that provide ancillary benefits to biodiversity. Here, we undertake the first assessment of the potential ancillary benefits from the ballot box in the United States, where citizens vote on referenda to conserve lands for reasons that may not include biodiversity directly but that indirectly might enhance biodiversity conservation. Our results suggest that referenda occur in counties with significantly greater biodiversity than counties chosen at random. We also demonstrate that large potential gains for conservation are possible if the past and likely future outcomes of these ballot box measures are directly incorporated into national-scale conservation planning efforts. The possible synergies between ballot box measures and other biodiversity conservation efforts offer an under-utilised resource for supporting conservation.

An analysis of the implementation of PEPFAR's anti-prostitution pledge and its implications for successful HIV prevention among organizations working with sex workers.

INTRODUCTION: Since 2003, US government funding to address the HIV and AIDS pandemic has been subject to an anti-prostitution clause. Simultaneously, the efficacy of some HIV prevention efforts for sex work in areas receiving US government funding has diminished. This article seeks to explain why. METHODS: This analysis utilizes a case story approach to build a narrative of defining features of organizations in receipt of funding from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other US funding sources. For this analysis, multiple cases were compiled within a single narrative. This helps show restrictions imposed by the anti-prostitution clause, any lack of clarity of guidelines for implementation and ways some agencies, decision-making personnel, and staff on the ground contend with these restrictions. RESULTS: Responses to PEPFAR's anti-prostitution clause vary widely and have varied over time. Organizational responses have included ending services for sex workers, gradual phase-out of services, cessation of seeking US government HIV funds and increasing isolation of sex workers. Guidance issued in 2010 did not clarify what was permitted. Implementation and enforcement has been dependent in part on the interpretations of this policy by individuals, including US government representatives and organizational staff. CONCLUSIONS: Different interpretations of the anti-prostitution clause have led to variations in programming, affecting the effectiveness of work with sex workers. The case story approach proved ideal for working with information like this that is highly sensitive and vulnerable to breach of anonymity because the method limits the potential to betray confidences and sources, and limits the potential to jeopardize funding and thereby jeopardize programming. This method enabled us to use specific examples without jeopardizing the organizations and individuals involved while demonstrating unintended consequences of PEPFAR's anti-prostitution pledge in its provision of services to sex workers and clients.

The importance of working capital management for hospital profitability: evidence from bond-issuing, not-for-profit U.S. hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Increased financial pressures on hospitals have elevated the importance of working capital management, that is, the management of current assets and current liabilities, for hospitals' profitability. Efficient working capital management allows hospitals to reduce their holdings of current assets, such as inventory and accounts receivable, which earn no interest income and require financing with short-term debt. The resulting cash inflows can be reinvested in interest-bearing financial instruments or used to reduce short-term borrowing, thus improving the profitability of the organization. PURPOSE: This study examines the relationship between hospitals' profitability and their performance at managing two components of working capital: accounts receivable, measured in terms of hospitals' average collection periods, and accounts payable, measured in terms of hospitals' average payment periods. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Panel data derived from audited financial statements for 1,397 bond-issuing, not-for-profit U.S. hospitals for 2000-2007 were analyzed using hospital-level fixed-effects regression analysis. FINDINGS: The results show a negative relationship between hospitals' average collection period and profitability. That is, hospitals that collected on their patient revenue faster reported higher profit margins than did hospitals that have larger balances of accounts receivable outstanding. We also found a negative relationship between hospitals' average payment period and their profitability. Hospital managers did not appear to delay paying their vendors. Rather, the findings indicated that more profitable hospitals paid their suppliers faster, possibly to avoid high effective interest rates on outstanding accounts payable, whereas less profitable hospitals waited longer to pay their bills. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The findings of this study suggest that working capital management indeed matters for hospitals' profitability. Efforts aimed at reducing large balances in both accounts receivable and accounts payable may frequently be worthwhile investments that have the potential to reduce the costs associated with working capital management and thus improve the profitability of an organization.

Congressionally directed research will improve outcomes through funding opportunities for orthopaedics.

The large funding opportunities created by the US Congress have allowed the military and civilian orthopaedic communities to collaborate to define clinical problems and develop solutions. It is believed that this research effort will be constructive in the short term because of emphasis placed on funding projects that used relevant populations and approaches that will benefit patients soon. The immediate results will define best practice guidelines. Additionally, new therapies will be fielded that will reduce complications and improve the outcomes of both injured service personnel and civilians.

Negotiating contracts for vendor-financed purchases of EHR systems. Providers face extraordinary challenges securing financing for HIT projects, especially ones required to capitalize on ARRA incentives.

In this economic climate, healthcare providers may face extraordinary challenges securing financing for health IT projects, especially ones required to capitalize on the incentives in ARRA. Vendor financing may be the best option for many such providers. While such arrangements may often seem a win-win for both parties, providers should be aware of the many potential pitfalls inherent in vendorfinanced deals, including: 1.) additional pressure from vendors to accept their standard contractual terms and conditions because vendors have much more leverage if they are also the creditor in the transaction; 2.) failing to obtain necessary warranties and representations from vendors that their systems will comply with all relevant requirements under ARRA and will permit the provider to achieve meaningful use; and 3.) dealing with problems arising if the vendors' product fails to achieve certification, or the provider fails to achieve "meaningful use" in a timely manner.