Environmental policy-making networks and the future of the Amazon

This article examines four periods of environmental policy-making in the Amazonian region of Brazil. It specifically analyses the role of pro-environment and pro-development policy networks in affecting policy design and implementation. It argues that the efforts of environmentalist networks trying to advocate or block relative developmentalist policies in the Amazon depend on three critical factors - whether they are able to attract the support of elites (or at least block their developmentalist policy initiatives); the type and level of international support they have; and the organizational and financial resources that they are able to mobilize. In analysing the four periods, this article finds that while international influences and resources have been substantial in enabling environmentalist networks to flourish and influence the policy, their effectiveness has been nearly always outweighed by Brazilian developmentalist interests. The outcome in each phase has been a different form of stalemate on environmental protection, and the deforestation continued each time, albeit at slower rates. These findings suggest that the key for significantly lower rates of deforestation on the Amazon may be in the ability of pro-environment networks to neutralize opposition by creating an incentive structure that 'compensates' potential losers of policies that promote conservation

Análise da Operação Verde Brasil 2 à luz das teorias das relações interagências

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar o modelo operacional empregado na Operação Verde Brasil 2 à luz das teorias das Relações Interagências. Para tal, foi realizada uma contextualização da problemática referente ao ambiente operacional, a Amazônia Legal, abordando fatores geográficos, históricos e ambientais que, somados à ausência do Estado e a falta de políticas públicas, tornaram a região um palco para a ocorrência de crimes de toda ordem, cujas principais ameaças foram destacadas, permitindo a visualização da magnitude do desafio para as intuições nacionais. Nesse contexto, a Operação Verde Brasil 2 é deflagrada e surge como uma resposta do Estado para combater tais ameaças, sob a conjuntura da cooperação interagências, sem a qual torna-se impossível se lançar contra um desafio de tamanha complexidade. Visando um aprofundamento conceitual, o trabalho lança um olhar especial para as teorias que balizam as relações interagências, buscando identificar níveis de maturidade, cooperação e coordenação que sirvam de arcabouço teórico para o planejamento e execução de futuras operações, tanto no segmento militar, quanto no civil, além de fomentar a mentalidade do tema no âmbito acadêmico nacional, uma vez que o modelo de operação no ambiente interagências surge como a pedra angular do novo cenário de Segurança e Defesa do país.The present work aimed to analyze the operation model launched in the framework of Operação Verde Brasil 2 (Operation Green Brazil 2) under the light of the theories of Interagency Relations. To this end, a contextualization of the problem related to the operational environment, the Legal Amazon, addressing geographic, historical and environmental factors that, added to the absence of the State and the lack of public policies, made the region a stage for the occurrence of all kinds of crimes, whose main threats were highlighted, allowing the visualization of the magnitude of the challenge for national intuitions. In this context, Operation Green Brazil 2 is launched and appears as a State response to combat such threats, under the context of interagency cooperation, without which it becomes impossible to take on a challenge of such complexity. Aiming at a conceptual deepening, the work takes a special look at the theories that guide interagency relations, seeking to identify levels of maturity, cooperation and coordination that serve as a theoretical framework for the planning and execution of future operations, both in the military and civil segments. In addition to fostering the mentality of the subject in the national academic sphere, since the operating model in the interagency environment emerges as the cornerstone of the Country's new Security and Defense scenario

Potential geographic distribution of Hantavirus reservoirs in Brazil

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome is an emerging zoonosis in Brazil. Human infections occur via inhalation of aerosolized viral particles from excreta of infected wild rodents. Necromys lasiurus and Oligoryzomys nigripes appear to be the main reservoirs of hantavirus in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes. We estimated and compared ecological niches of the two rodent species, and analyzed environmental factors influencing their occurrence, to understand the geography of hantavirus transmission. N. lasiurus showed a wide potential distribution in Brazil, in the Cerrado, Caatinga, and Atlantic Forest biomes. Highest climate suitability for O. nigripes was observed along the Brazilian Atlantic coast. Maximum temperature in the warmest months and annual precipitation were the variables that most influence the distributions of N. lasiurus and O. nigripes, respectively. Models based on occurrences of infected rodents estimated a broader area of risk for hantavirus transmission in southeastern and southern Brazil, coinciding with the distribution of human cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. We found no demonstrable environmental differences among occurrence sites for the rodents and for human cases of hantavirus. However, areas of northern and northeastern Brazil are also apparently suitable for the two species, without broad coincidence with human cases. Modeling of niches and distributions of rodent reservoirs indicates potential for transmission of hantavirus across virtually all of Brazil outside the Amazon Basin

Em busca do equilíbrio: o debate atual sobre o conflito trabalho-família nos periódicos científicos Brasileiros

O presente trabalho buscou realizar uma investigação da produção científica brasileira recente sobre os temas conflito trabalho-família e equilíbrio trabalho-família, realizando, inicialmente, um estudo bibliométrico em periódicos científicos com classificação QUALIS/Capes (quadriênio 2013-2016) A2, B1, B2 e B3 no período de 2006 a 2017, no site SPELL® (Scientific Periodicals Electronic Library) para posterior análise e caracterização do estado da arte sobre o tema, no Brasil. A análise dos artigos selecionados levou à identificação das principais temáticas abordadas cujas reflexões são centradas, fundamentalmente, em torno de cinco grandes temas: questões de gênero; impactos da tecnologia no conflito; desafios enfrentados pelos gestores na busca pelo equilíbrio entre as esferas pessoal e profissional; aspectos gerenciais relacionados ao conflito trabalho-família; conflito e estudos críticos de gestão. Acredita-se que tais achados contribuam para o desenvolvimento de novas pesquisas sobre o tema, uma vez que uma melhor compreensão das principais questões discutidas possibilita a identificação das abordagens que ainda não foram investigadas e que contribuiriam para a ampliação do debate sobre o tema, bem como para o alcance de soluções para os problemas enfrentados pelos profissionais na atualidade, em sua tentativa de equilibrar vida pessoal e profissional

Selection of shrimp breeders free of white spot syndrome and infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis

The objective of this work was to select surviving breeders of Litopenaeus vannamei from white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) outbreak, adapted to local climatic conditions and negatively diagnosed for WSSV and infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV), and to evaluate if this strategy is a viable alternative for production in Santa Catarina, Brazil. A total of 800 males and 800 females were phenotypically selected in a farm pond. Nested-PCR analyses of 487 sexually mature females and 231 sexually mature males showed that 63% of the females and 55% of the males were infected with IHHNV. Animals free of IHHNV were tested for WSSV, and those considered double negative were used for breeding. The post-larvae produced were stocked in nine nursery tanks for analysis. From the 45 samples, with 50 post-larvae each, only two were positive for IHHNV and none for WSSV. Batches of larvae diagnosed free of virus by nested-PCR were sent to six farms. A comparative analysis was carried out in growth ponds, between local post-larvae and post-larvae from Northeast Brazil. Crabs (Chasmagnathus granulata), blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), and sea hares (Aplysia brasiliana), which are possible vectors of these viruses, were also evaluated. The mean survival was 55% for local post-larvae against 23.4% for post-larvae from the Northeast. Sea hares showed prevalence of 50% and crabs of 67% of WSSV

Performance of rK39-based immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test for serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis using whole blood, serum and oral fluid

Background: The development of rK39-based immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests represents an important advance for serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis, being cheap and easy to use at the point of care (POC). Although the use of rK39 have considerably improved the sensitivity and specificity of serological tests compared with total antigens, great variability in sensitivity and specificity was reported. This study aimed at the evaluation of “Kalazar Detect™ Rapid Test, Whole Blood” (Kalazar Detect RDT) for Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosis using oral fluid, whole blood and serum specimens collected at different endemic areas of VL of Brazil. Methodology: To evaluate Kalazar Detect RDT, oral fluid, whole blood and serum specimens from 128 VL patients, 85 healthy individuals, 22 patients with possible cross-reactivity diseases and 20 VL/aids coinfected patients were collected and assayed at the POC. Principal findings and conclusions: The performance of Kalazar Detect RDT in whole blood and serum was similar; however, using oral fluid, the sensitivity was low. Particularly in samples from the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state in Northeastern Brazil, we observed low sensitivity, 80.0% (95% CI: 62.7–90.5), using whole blood and serum, and poor sensitivity, 43.3% (95% CI: 27.4–60.8) with oral fluid. Those values were much lower than in the other regions, where sensitivity ranged from 92.7–96.3% in whole blood and serum, and 80.0–88.9% in oral fluid. Besides, in VL/aids coinfected patients, lower sensitivity was achieved compared with VL patients. In samples from Natal, the sensitivity was 0.0% (95% CI: 0.0–49.0) and 25.0% (95% CI: 4.6–69.9), using oral fluid and serum/whole blood, respectively; in samples from the other regions, the sensitivity ranged from 40.0–63.6% and 80.0–81.8%, respectively. As for specificity, high values were observed across the fluids, 100.0% (95% CI: 96.5–100.0) in whole blood, 96.3% (95% CI: 90.8–98.5) in serum, and 95.3% (95% CI: 89.5–98.0) in oral fluid; across localities, specificity ranged from 85.7–100.0%. Serum samples sent by the collaborating centers to Instituto de Medicina Tropical (n = 250) were tested by Kalazar Detect RDT, Direct Agglutination Test, Indirect immunofluorescence assay, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and IT-Leish® RDT. The regional difference in the performance of rK39-based RDT and lower sensitivity in Leishmania/HIV coinfected patients raise concern on the routine use of these products for the diagnosis of V

A five-year review of vertical HIV transmission in a specialized service: cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Healthcare professionals need to instill the process of prevention, control and treatment of people infected with HIV into care practice. Through maintaining preventive treatment among HIV-infected pregnant women, it has been demonstrated that prophylactic antiretroviral therapy, scheduled cesarean section and the prohibition of breastfeeding significantly reduce vertical HIV transmission. This study aimed to assess the rates of vertical HIV transmission in a specialized service and identify the factors associated with it. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study developed at the University Hospital of Santa Maria (RS), Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 198 notification forms and medical records of HIV-positive pregnant women and exposed children. RESULTS: The vertical transmission rate was 2.4%, and three children had been infected by vertical HIV transmission. The statistically significant risk factor was the use of injectable drugs. Delayed reporting of pregnancy, absence of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy, lack of proper prenatal care, incapacity to perform viral load detection tests and CD4+ T cell counts and obstetric and maternal clinical complications were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The vertical transmission rate was high and the recommended intervention measures were not adopted in full. Adequate prophylactic measures need to be implemented in HIV-positive pregnant women prenatally and during the antenatal, delivery and postpartum periods