Procedimentos metodológicos para a elaboração de projetos de pesquisa relacionados a dissertações de mestrado em Ciências Contábeis
This study aimed to distinguish the essential stages in the elaboration of a research project for a master's dissertation in Accountancy. A documentary and bibliographic research was carried out by means of a deductive methodology. It was concludes that the essential stages for the elaboration of an Accountancy master's research project are: a) Title; b) Introduction; c) Problem Characterization; d) (General and Specific) Objectives; e) Relevance; f) Study Delimitation; g) Methodology; h) Literature Review; i) References; j) Timetable, since these represent the basic requirements that qualify a master's project.
Misvaluation and behavioral bias in the Brazilian stock market
ABSTRACT The study sought to apply the model developed by Gokhale et al. (2015) to identify the existence of overreaction and behavioral biases in the Brazilian stock market and analyze its performance as an investment strategy on the São Paulo Stock, Commodities, and Futures Exchange (BM&FBOVESPA) in the short term and long term, as well as test its robustness with time window simulations. The impacts of behavioral finance on capital markets can affect economic decisions, perpetuate or increase asset pricing anomalies, and in more extreme and persistent situations contribute to the formation of bubbles that can compromise the entire financial system of a country. The study pioneers an innovative methodology in the Brazilian stock market for identifying behavioral biases and obtaining abnormal returns and higher returns than the Ibovespa. The research uses the model developed by Gokhale, Tremblay, and Tremblay (2015) in three samples with quotations data for Brazilian publicly-traded companies that compose the Ibovespa and IBrA in the period from 2005 to 2016. With the R statistical software, the Fundamental Valuation Index (FVI) was calculated for each sample share and each year. From the FVI index, the undervalued shares were identified, indicating that the sales price does not reflect their economic fundamentals, and portfolio simulations were carried out for investment over three months or the next year. The results indicate the possible existence of overreaction and behavioral biases in the Brazilian stock market, which lead to the possibility of higher abnormal returns than those of the Ibovespa. Similar to the US market, at the end of the 2006-2016 period simulated portfolios yielded more than 274%, while the Ibovespa yielded approximately 80%. The robustness tests attest to the effectiveness of the model. The various investment portfolios, simulated over different time horizons, yielded more than the Ibovespa on average. The study also confirmed the assumptions of Gokhale, Tremblay, and Tremblay (2015) regarding the model's inadequacy for short-term strategies.
Synergistic and antagonistic combinations of drugs in human prostate cancer cell lines in vitro
Microtubulin binding agents such as docetaxel have significant preclinical and clinical activity in the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. We have previously used median-effect analysis in vitro to define both synergistic and antagonistic drug combinations which may be of value in management of human disease. These studies extend our findings in defined prostate cancer cell lines. A semi-automated microtiter culture system was used. Docetaxel was combined with 18 other agents, incubated with DU 145, LnCaP or PC 3 prostate cancer cell lines for 72 h and the cells then incubated with MTT to determine cytotoxic effect. Both doublet and triplet combinations were examined. Synergy and antagonism as measured by the combination index were determined for each combination. The non-mutually exclusive criterion was applied. Docetaxel demonstrated cytotoxic additive effects or synergy with cis-retinoic acid, cyclosporin A and vinorelbine in all three cell lines. Docetaxel combined with either epirubicin or doxorubicin displayed cytotoxic synergistic effects in hormone-refractory DU 145 and PC 3 cell lines. In contrast, drugs which have been combined clinically to treat hormone-refractory prostate cancer, i.e. cisplatin, carboplatin or etoposide, were antagonistic when combined with docetaxel. We conclude that combinations of docetaxel with either cis-retinoic acid or vinorelbine may offer an enhanced cytotoxic effect in the management of hormone-refractory prostate cancer and need to be evaluated for therapeutic effect. The combination of docetaxel with an anthracycline was also synergistic in the two hormone-refractory cell lines, DU 145 and PC3, thus suggesting a potential role in advanced disease after endocrine failure. Combinations of docetaxel with platinum or etoposide may lead to subadditive effects in treatment.