Brazil Research Articles

Economic Future of BRICS Countries

This article examines the economic prospects of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) against the backdrop of the current international political climate. The global economy has undergone significant changes in recent years, and the emergence of new political and economic powers has disrupted the traditional balance of power. BRICS countries have emerged as significant players in the world economy, representing over 40% of the world’s population and accounting for nearly a quarter of the world’s GDP. However, the global political landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with trade tensions, political instability, and geopolitical conflicts threatening to derail the economic growth of these nations. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian special military operation in Ukraine has further exacerbated these challenges, caused widespread economic disruptions and altered the course of global trade and investment. Thus, the article explores the economic policies and strategies adopted by the BRICS countries to navigate this shifting geopolitical landscape. The author examines the macroeconomic indicators and trends of these nations, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. We also discuss the impact of global events such as the US-China trade war and the rise of protectionism on the economic prospects of these countries. Overall, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic future of BRICS countries and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The findings of this study can inform policymakers, investors, and businesses on how to navigate the current international political situation and tap into the potential of these emerging economies.

Voice, capacity, awareness: Early career ocean professionals’ perspectives on the equitable implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement

Abstract The urgent need for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean has come into focus as an international concern over the last decade, prompting negotiations for a new legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction: the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement. After almost 15 years of debate, the BBNJ Agreement was concluded in March 2023. This paper is an opinion piece that showcases our perspectives as two early career ocean professionals from developing countries (Brazil and Cabo Verde) who participated as observers in the Fifth Intergovernmental Conference for the development of the BBNJ Agreement, held in 2022 and 2023. We identified factors that affected the equitable participation of professionals from developing countries in the BBNJ Agreement process. We offer our reflections on the underrepresentation of some countries in negotiations, as well as in science, and the factors hindering capacity to express their own needs and concerns. We present three suggestions for creating more equitable participation of countries in such negotiations and enabling the future implementation of the BBNJ Agreement by developing countries: (1) Increase professional opportunities and develop capacity of early researchers from developing countries; (2) fair participation in implementation of BBNJ Agreement; and (3) enabling capacity in developing countries to be sustained in the long term.

A Review on Measurement of Radon Gas Concentration in Drinking Water

Radon is a noble gas that has a high risk to the human body, and existence at various rates in soil, air and different source of water. Moreover, radon has a short lifetime but it can produce more risk to public health. Humans are good users of water by food, drinking water, vegetable, shower and dishwashing, however, we do have not good knowledge about the risk of radon, and we need to do more research because it’s one of the main factors to various types of cancer such as lung and stomach cancer. This review used different data in some research in different countries (Romania, Chania, Brazil, Sudan, India, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen) in (2012-2020) with the help of the RAD7 detector because it has higher resolution and is faster in measurement. In current review, higher average reading of radon was found in Nigeria, its reading was (36.1 Bq/L) which was more than the standard value in the world for drinking water (11.1 Bq/L). In any country there are so many factors to high and low concentration of radon in drinking water which are discussed and explained in this review.

Widespread Geographical Disparities in Phytoplankton Ecology Research in the Face of Climate Change: A Review

Climate change is a global threat that is better understood through global research spanning many regions, countries, and life-supporting ecosystems. This review focused on the bibliometric analysis of the distribution of a global research compendium on phytoplankton, an aquatic community that accounts for half of the carbon fixation in the global carbon cycle. A total of 716 primary research papers published in the immediate past decade (2012–2022) were reviewed. The articles were sampled from Web of Science and described field and laboratory experiments quantifying the impact of global climate change on phytoplankton from different climate zones (tropical, subtropical, temperate, subpolar, and polar) and ecosystems (freshwater, brackish, and marine). Analyses of these studies suggest that the bulk of the global research effort (80%) focused on high-latitude areas, and only a few (17%) were carried out in the tropics, largely led by four countries (Australia, Brazil, India, and Saudi Arabia), while Africa’s contribution was minuscule (<1%). In terms of ecosystems, the majority (76%) of the research was in marine waters, irrespective of the climate zone. Analyses of these studies also highlighted widespread disparities in phytoplankton research in tropical aquatic ecosystems, particularly in Africa. Strategic investment in terms of targeted funding, institutional networks, and partnerships between the global north and global south are necessary to increase phytoplankton research across different ecosystems in the tropics.

Paralelizm polityczny jako koncepcja teoretyczna i jej zastosowanie na przykładzie Brazylii

Political Parallelism as a Theoretical Concept and its Application on the Example of Brazil Political parallelism is one of the theoretical categories used to classify media systems and summarise the relationships occurring in the media under the influence of politics and in politics under the influence of the media. The aim of the article, a review work, is to analyse the issue of political parallelism concerning the classic concepts of C. Seymour‑Ure, J.G. Blumler, and M. Gurevitch, as well as D.C. Hallin and P. Mancini, and to present different positions criticising the usefulness of these theories for the study of countries other than Western European ones. The study also presents the adequacy of applying the classic concepts of political parallelism to analyses regarding the Federative Republic of Brazil. The thesis of this case study is that the classic theories of political parallelism do not fully allow for determining the relationships between the sphere of politics and the media in this country. The thesis was adopted as a result of long-term and holistic analyses of the characteristics of Brazil’s political and media systems. A systematic literature review was used (Fink 2005, p. 17), which makes it possible to learn the essence of the phenomenon and formulate conclusions, and the qualitative methods used, despite their problems (Flick 2002, pp. 5–24), as well as systemic analysis, complete the whole.

Estresse no cotidiano dos profissionais de enfermagem: reflexos da rotina laboral hospitalar

Aim: to assess the way members of the nursing staff of the University Hospital of Northeast Brazil experience stress in daily life of their work activities. Method: a descriptive study of qualitative approach. Data collection was carried out in June 2015, through semi-structured interview. Twenty-three professionals of the nursing staff, who compose the units that provide specific care to adult inpatients, participated. The data were analyzed according to Bardin's content analysis technique. Results: the following categories emerged: Stressors in daily work - with the sub-categories: routine care experienced by staff; the difficulty in solving problems of surplus and experienced work overload - and family caregivers and nursing staff: implications for care. Conclusions: the stressor agents may interfere directly on the health of professionals that participated in the study, as well as on the development of quality nursing care.

Service guidelines, models, and protocols for integrating rehabilitation services in primary healthcare in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa: a scoping review

Purpose The WHO emphasises that rehabilitation services must be integrated into primary healthcare as an inherent part of universal health coverage. However, there is limited research on the integration of rehabilitation services in primary healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the literature on service guidelines, models, and protocols that support the integration of rehabilitation services in primary healthcare in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Methods A scoping review guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework was conducted. Structured database and website searches identified published and unpublished records from 2010, which were subjected to eligibility criteria. Mendeley, JBI SUMARI, and Microsoft Excel were used to extract and synthesise the data. Results The search strategy identified 542 records. Thirty-two records met the inclusion criteria. Shared care and community-based rehabilitation were the most reported practice models, and the implementation of the models, guidelines, and protocols was mostly described in mental health services. Conclusion This review discusses BRICS countries’ rehabilitation service guidelines, models, and protocols for primary healthcare integration and implementation challenges. Rehabilitation professionals should rethink, realign, and apply existing models because of the lack of primary healthcare integration directives.

BRICS TENDENCIES TOWARDS REDEFINING THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER

The paper analyzes the tendencies of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) as an informal block for the creation of a new global economic and political reality. Former superpowers and economies with the most pronounced growth trends are today gathered around a common idea - the creation of an alternative global order. Propagating their vision of the modern world, the BRICS member states seek to change the current constellation of forces at the global level, shift the center of world power from the Euro-Atlantic region and create functional multilateralism. Using the idea and concept of the New Silk Road, China is strengthening its influence in an area where it was not represented during the first decade of the 21st century. Russia is building a new global position based on its energy potential and military cooperation with non-European countries Brazil, India and the Republic of South Africa use instruments of economic diplomacy to further strengthen competitive activities. Brazil is focused on the growth of the trade exchange of agricultural products, above all, fruit. India is repositioning itself globally on the basis of industrial production in the field of information and communication technologies. The Republic of South Africa, as the most developed country in Africa, finds the basis for a new role on the international stage in natural resources and a developed mining sector. The individual influence that the states of this forum have in the global framework is strengthened by joint and coordinated action within the most important global institutions. Certain changes have been made in the quota system of the International Monetary Fund, the issue of the election of leading individuals of the World Bank Group and the World Trade Organization is increasingly topical, as well as the reform of the United Nations Organization, all as a result of the influence of the BRICS countries in the aforementioned institutions.

Sun protection and sun exposure habits among tattooed individuals

AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about sun‐exposure and sun‐protection behaviors among tattooed individuals.ObjectivesThis study sought to investigate the sun‐exposure and sun‐protective habits among tattooed individuals.MethodsPopulation‐based study using a representative sample of the general population aged ≥18 years from four countries (Brazil, China, Russia and United‐States). All participants were asked to fill in a digital structured questionnaire. We inquired about socio‐demographics, self‐evaluation of their skin phototype (from I to VI), tattoo(s) and sun‐exposure and sun‐protection habits.ResultsA total of 9031 adult participants responded to the questionnaire of whom 1682 (18.6%) had ≥ 1 tattoo(s). The prevalence of tattoos was significantly higher among individuals with lighter skin tone (phototype I to III, 20.2%) compared to those with darker one (phototype IV to VI, 13.9%, p<0.001). Almost 20% percent of the tattooed individuals acknowledged heavy lifestyle sun‐exposure compared to 11% of those without tattoos (p<0.001). Multinomial analyses showed that Brazilians and those having ≥ 1 tattoo were more likely to have intermediate and intense lifestyle sun‐exposure. Tattooed individuals were more likely to report that they used regular or occasional sun‐protection methods than non‐tattooed individuals (p < 0.001 and 0.016 respectively). Multinomial analyses for regular sun‐protection methods showed significant association with respondents from Brazil and those having one tattoo, but not more than one tattoo. Limitations include mainly that this is a questionnaire‐based study and and we lack of questions about sunburns and skin cancers.ConclusionsThis large population‐based study shows that tattooed individuals do have a heavily sun‐exposed lifestyle but, at the same time, display sun‐protection habits.

Is the Availability of Biosimilar Adalimumab Associated with Budget Savings? A Difference-in-Difference Analysis of 14 Countries.

The aim was to assess the influence of the presence of biosimilar adalimumab on adalimumab budget savings in 14 high- and upper-middle-income countries. This study analyzed Multinational Integrated Data Analysis System (MIDAS)-IQVIA data from the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2018 to the Q4 of 2019, comparing adalimumab expenditure (in United States dollars) and consumption (in standard units [SU]) across 14 countries (Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan). The countries were divided into two groups based on the availability of adalimumab biosimilars during the study period. A difference-in-difference design was employed to analyze the groups, focusing on changes from Q4 2018 to Q4 2019. Additionally, changes in adalimumab expenditure were decomposed into price, quantity, and drug mix during the study period. Among countries with adalimumab biosimilars, there was a significant decrease in expenditure (-$371.0 per gross domestic product per capita; p=0.03) over four quarters, while the consumption significantly increased (1.0 SU per 1000 population; p=0.02). This was consistent with visual observations and differed from countries without adalimumab biosimilar. Sensitivity analysis with a narrowed list of countries (12 high-income countries) showed a consistent trend. Adalimumab expenditure decreased by 14% during the study period in countries where adalimumab biosimilars were available, mainly due to the price changes (Pt=0.85; -15%) and the drug-mix effect (εt =0.88; -12%). Yet, adalimumab expenditure (Et = 1.04; +4%) changed in a quantity-dependent manner (Qt = 1.06; +6%) in countries where adalimumab biosimilars were absent. The availability of biosimilars was associated with a decrease in adalimumab expenditure without compromising the consumption of adalimumab.

Performance and explainability of feature selection-boosted tree-based classifiers for COVID-19 detection

In this paper, we evaluate the performance and analyze the explainability of machine learning models boosted by feature selection in predicting COVID-19-positive cases from self-reported information. In essence, this work describes a methodology to identify COVID-19 infections that considers the large amount of information collected by the University of Maryland Global COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey (UMD-CTIS). More precisely, this methodology performs a feature selection stage based on the recursive feature elimination (RFE) method to reduce the number of input variables without compromising detection accuracy. A tree-based supervised machine learning model is then optimized with the selected features to detect COVID-19-active cases. In contrast to previous approaches that use a limited set of selected symptoms, the proposed approach builds the detection engine considering a broad range of features including self-reported symptoms, local community information, vaccination acceptance, and isolation measures, among others. To implement the methodology, three different supervised classifiers were used: random forests (RF), light gradient boosting (LGB), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB). Based on data collected from the UMD-CTIS, we evaluated the detection performance of the methodology for four countries (Brazil, Canada, Japan, and South Africa) and two periods (2020 and 2021). The proposed approach was assessed in terms of various quality metrics: F1-score, sensitivity, specificity, precision, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and area under the ROC curve (AUC). This work also shows the normalized daily incidence curves obtained by the proposed approach for the four countries. Finally, we perform an explainability analysis using Shapley values and feature importance to determine the relevance of each feature and the corresponding contribution for each country and each country/year.

Analysis of Symmetric and Asymmetric Effects of Exchange Rate Pass-Through in Inflation-Targeting Countries

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of symmetry and asymmetry of the exchange rate pass-through in Middle-Income and High-Income countries that implement inflation-targeting policies. This study uses a sample of Middle-Income Countries (South Africa, Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Mexico) and High-Income Countries (Australia, Japan, Canada, Norway, and Sweden) in the form of time-series 2000:Q1- 2021:Q4 with the method of Autoregressive Distribution Lag (ARDL) and Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL). The results showed that five countries have a significant positive effect on the real exchange rate on inflation in the short-run in the ARDL method. In addition, in the NARDL method, five countries significantly positively affect the depreciation of the real exchange rate on inflation in the short-run. Then, only one country has a significant negative effect between the appreciation of the real exchange rate on inflation in the short-run and eight countries in the long-run. Based on the estimation results, it can be concluded that the average quantity of real exchange rate effect on inflation (exchange rate pass-through) in Middle-Income Countries is greater than in High-Income Countries. Therefore, inflation-targeting policies are more flexible to be applied in high-income countries. In addition to the exchange rate, other variables such as oil prices, money supply, and real GDP also greatly affect inflation and have different effects in each country.

WITHDRAWN: Extreme risk contagion from the United States to BRICS stock markets: A multivariate quantile analysis

This paper explores the transmission of risk from the United States equity market to the equity markets of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) using a multivariate quantile process. The focus is on the contagion effect at the extreme quantiles, both upside and downside. In addition, a pseudo-impulse-response function (PIRF) analysis is conducted to investigate the responses of the five emerging stock markets to a shock in the US market. The results reveal an asymmetric pattern of underlying tail dependence from three different perspectives: the sign of the effect in response to external shocks at various quantiles, the extent and persistence of the effect, and a shift in dependency structure across different market phases. The paper also discusses the implications of these findings for investors and policymakers in terms of portfolio holdings and policy coordination.

OP137 A Qualitative Exploration Of The National Institute For Health And Care Excellence’s Impact On International Health Technology Assessment

IntroductionThe National Institute For Health And Care Excellence (NICE) is widely acknowledged as a seminal health technology assessment (HTA) body, known for its transparent and accountable approach to decision-making. This research aimed to investigate the impact of NICE methodology and decisions on international HTA bodies. We sought to identify direct and indirect factors that may influence an international HTA body’s methods or outcomes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research to use a qualitative approach to understand the influence of NICE on other HTA bodies.MethodsWe conducted 13 semi-structured qualitative interviews with HTA and market access experts from industry and academia from nine countries (Brazil, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates). The interview script was organized into three main sections: comparing NICE methods and processes with other HTA bodies; the impact of specific NICE decisions; and Likert scale questions (to allow for comparability of opinions).ResultsMost interviewees believed their local HTA body would consider NICE’s decision when evaluating a medicine. However, the way and extent to which NICE influences HTA varied across countries. The most common means of considering a NICE decision was as background information or context for an HTA evaluation. Generally, interviewees suggested that negative NICE decisions had more impact on local decision-making than positive decisions. Nine of the 13 interviewees agreed or strongly agreed that their country’s HTA body considers the decisions of other HTA bodies in their decision-making process. Eleven of the 13 interviewees agreed or strongly agreed that the development of their country’s HTA body methods and processes was influenced by NICE.ConclusionsNICE is perceived to be a seminal HTA body, with continued influence on HTA agencies in other countries. However, the mechanisms and extent of this influence varies considerably between countries. We suggest that implicit factors are likely to contribute more to NICE’s influence than individual decisions. Nevertheless, further research is needed to reveal these factors and increase efficiency in international HTA decision-making processes.

Engajamento no trabalho: uma pesquisa com servidores públicos estaduais

Engajamento no trabalho é um tema emergente na psicologia organizacional e exprime um comportamento fisicamente envolvido, cognitivamente vigilante e emocionalmente conectado com a atividade laboral. Este construto é formado por três dimensões: vigor, dedicação e absorção. Profissionais engajados mostram maior iniciativa e entusiasmo para superar os desafios que as tarefas exigem. Diante deste contexto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar as características e a intensidade do engajamento no trabalho entre servidores públicos em um instituto no estado do Pará. A metodologia foi exploratória e descritiva, feita na forma de survey, com a utilização do Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17). A amostra foi formada por 100 servidores, selecionados em amostragem não probabilística por julgamento e o tratamento dos dados utilizou estatística descritiva, correlacional e multivariada. Os resultados mostraram engajamento com intensidade intermediária em todas as dimensões do construto. A análise de agrupamentos revelou três grupos denominados, conforme a intensidade no engajamento, em baixo (25%), médio (61%) e alto engajamento (14%). As conclusões recomendam investimentos em estratégias de gestão de pessoas, especialmente para equilibrar as demandas do trabalho aos recursos pessoais e organizacionais, que é uma forma de aumentar o engajamento e evitar o adoecimento laboral.

Does energy efficiency, renewable energy and effective capital promote economic growth in the emerging 7 economies? New evidence from CS-ARDL model

Gross Domestic Product is regarded as the major indicator which determines the standards of living in a country. Consequently, energy use is far regarded as one of the major determinants of economic growth in an economy. However, fossil fuel energy greatly contributes to environmental degradation, global warming and the spread of various diseases. The present-day research is aimed at examining the effect of energy efficiency, renewable energy and effective capital on Gross Domestic Product in the emerging seven countries (Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Turkiye, Indonesia, China and India), during the period 1990 to 2019. The main novelty of the research is that it examines the effect of effective capital on Gross Domestic Product, a study which has not been done. Effective capital which is the combined effect of energy and physical capital in the production process is inevitable in raising economic growth. Additionally, the effect of energy efficiency on economic growth in the emerging seven countries has been partially investigated. The findings of this research are robust and unique to those of past researches, because Cross-sectional Augmented Autoregressive Distributive Lag technique which is strong in the presence of cross-sectional dependence, heterogeneity and dynamics is employed. The outcomes provided in this research shows that, energy efficiency and effective capital significantly promotes economic growth, while non-renewable energy provides significant positive effect in the short-run, with no significant effect in the long-run. This study recommends the efficient utilization of energy, ensuring that each single unit of energy employed produces the highest possible output.

The Effects of Energy Prices on Oil-Gas Sectoral Stock Returns for BRIC Countries: Evidence from Space State Models

This paper examines the effects of oil and natural gas prices on the oil and gas sectors of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) over the period over from 20013 to 2022. Unlike previous studies, it employs a time-varying capital asset pricing model based on the estimation of state-space mode. In brief, the findings highlight significant changes in the asset-pricing model parameters across all countries, indicating the limitations of using time-invariant estimates. Specifically, Brazil shows the highest volatility in oil price risk, followed by Russia, both being oil-exporting countries, while market beta values remain relatively stable. Time-varying estimates further suggest that natural gas parameters are relatively lower and less significant than those of oil prices. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict's energy crisis adversely affects the performance of oil and gas sectoral stock returns. This war has had a negative and significant impact on China's oil-gas stock return.

A new answer to the old question of the environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). Does it work for BRICS countries?

Given the escalating trends of rapid industrialization, energy consumption, and environmental concerns, it is crucial to comprehend the interplay between industrial growth and environmental sustainability. This study mainly focuses on verifying the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis by investigating the nexus between industrial growth and CO2 emissions in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) from 1990 to 2020. Additionally, this study investigates the impact of financial development, trade openness, renewable energy consumption, and fossil fuel consumption on CO2 emissions. Robust econometric methods are employed to address the cross-sectional dependency, endogeneity, and weak instrument issues. The findings reveal that fossil fuel consumption leads to environmental deterioration, while renewable energy consumption, financial development, and trade openness enhance environmental quality. Furthermore, the results also support the validity of the EKC hypothesis for all BRICS countries. The causality results indicate a feedback relationship among industrial growth, trade openness, and CO2 emissions. These findings hold important implications for policymakers in crafting effective energy policies aligned with the Paris Agreement's objectives, harmonizing the balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability in the BRICS countries.

How does economic policy uncertainty influence the innovation activities: Empirical evidence from BRICS

This study investigates the relationship between Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) and innovation activities within the context of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) over the period from 2000 to 2019. Focusing on the interplay between economic policy uncertainty and innovation, this research aims to provide empirical evidence regarding the potential impact of EPU on innovation efforts within these emerging economies. By employing FMOLS (fully modified ordinary least square) and controlling for other relevant factors, the study seeks to isolate the specific influence of economic policy uncertainty on innovation outcomes across the BRICS countries. The findings of the study reveal a significant and negative relationship between EPU and innovation activities. The empirical evidence suggests that heightened levels of economic policy uncertainty tend to stifle innovation efforts across these economies. This negative effect underscores the potential hindrance that uncertain economic environments can impose on research, development, and the implementation of new ideas and technologies. The implications of these findings are important for policymakers, businesses, and researchers. Policymakers can use this evidence to recognize the importance of providing stable and predictable economic policy frameworks to foster innovation. In conclusion, this study contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on the intricate relationship between EPU and innovation activities. The empirical evidence presented herein underscores the need for policy measures that promote stability and predictability in economic environments to facilitate sustained innovation and economic growth.

PSVI-13 Nutritional Value of Corn Sourced from US, Brazil, and Argentina on Growth Performance, Energy Digestibility, and Amino Acid Digestibility in Pigs

Abstract This study was conducted to identify the nutritional value of corn from US, Brazil (BRZ), and Argentina (ARG). A total of 96 nursery pigs [initial body weight (BW) = 8.79 kg] were used in the feeding trial for 25 days and fed one of three diets with sole corn source (3 treatments, 8 replicates, 4 pigs/pen) in a randomized complete block design. The BW and feed consumption of pigs were measured every week to calculate the average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed ratio (G:F). Twelve barrows (average BW = 23.7 ± 2.6 kg) housed in metabolic crates were fed one of three experimental diets with corn as a sole energy source to determine the energy value of the corn. The pigs had 7 d of adaption, followed by 4 d of fecal and urine collection with a total collection method for two periods (3 treatments, 8 replicates, 1 pig/crate). Ten ileal-cannulated pigs (average BW = 20 kg) were fed one of four diets, such as corn starch-based diet with different corn sources, and a nitrogen-free diet supplemented with titanium dioxide, in a 4 x 4 Latin Square design (4 treatments, 10 replicates, 1 pig/crate) to determine the ileal digestibility of amino acids by using an indicator method. The ileal-cannulated pigs had 5 days of adaptation, followed by 2 days of ileal digesta collection. Pigs were fed the diets at three times of maintenance energy requirement according to NRC (2012) in two equal meals daily. Pigs fed the US corn diet showed greater (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F for d 0 to 7 than those of pigs fed ARG diet by 13% and 16%, respectively, and tended to have greater (P < 0.10) ADG and G:F for d 0 to 7 than those of pigs fed BRZ corn diet. Pigs fed the US corn diet had greater (P < 0.05) G:F for the overall period (d 0 to 25) than that of pigs fed the BRZ diet by 4% and had a tendency of greater (P < 0.10) G:F for the overall period than that of pigs fed the ARG diet. Dietary corn sources have no significant influence on the standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids and crude protein in pigs. The metabolizable energy values for US, ARG, and BRZ were 3,297 kcal/kg, 3,297 kcal/kg, and 3,240 kcal/kg, respectively. The net energy values for US, ARG, and BRZ were 2,644 kcal/kg, 2,636 kcal/kg, and 2,592 kcal/kg, respectively. However, dietary corn sources had no significant differences in metabolizable energy and net energy values. In conclusion, dietary US corn improved the growth performance of nursery pigs through the improved energy values in pigs compared with the Brazil and Argentina corns.