Persistent efficacy of 3.5% doramectin compared to 3.15% ivermectin against gastrointestinal nematodes in experimentally-infected cattle in Brazil

The present study aimed to evaluate the persistent efficacy of a 3.5% doramectin* (700μg/kg) formulation compared to 3.15% ivermectin** (630μg/kg) treatment, administered subcutaneously at a dose of 1mL/50kg body weight in cattle experimentally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. Seventy-two male crossbred Holstein cattle that were negative for helminth infection were divided into nine groups. Treatments of 3.5% doramectin (Groups 2, 4, 6 and 8) and 3.15% ivermectin (Groups 3, 5, 7 and 9) were administered on days 49, 42, 35 and 28 prior to challenge with infectious nematode larvae (L3). Animals in the control group (Group 1) received saline solution on day 49 before challenge. Beginning on day zero, each animal received 50mL orally of a mixed culture containing approximately 3,000 third stage larvae (L3) of Haemonchus (60%), Oesophagostomum (20%), Cooperia (15%) and Trichostrongylus (5%) for seven consecutive days, resulting in a total challenge of 21,000 larvae/animal. Due to the large number of cattle, autopsies were performed between days 28 and 35 after the last day of inoculation. The formulation containing doramectin (700 mcg/kg) achieved persistent efficacy against H. placei and C. punctata for 49 and 35days, respectively. The persistent efficacy of ivermectin (630 mcg/kg) against H. placei lasted for 49days, but this treatment was ineffective against C. punctata. Both formulations demonstrated persistent efficacy against T. axei for 49days. The persistent efficacy of doramectin (700 mcg/kg) and ivermectin (630 mcg/kg) lasted for 49 and 42days against O. radiatum, respectively. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Factors affecting the adoption of green supply chain management practices in Brazil: Empirical evidence

The aim of this study is to identify and analyse the factors that affect the adoption of Green Supply Chain Management practices based on empirical evidence from the Brazilian electronics sector. Data are collected in a survey of 100 electronics companies and analysed using statistical analysis of variance and regression methods. The study finds that the size of the company, previous experience with Environmental Management Systems, and the use of hazardous inputs are positively correlated with GSCM practices adoption. Surprisingly, formal pressure from the stronger tier/player in the supply chain is not correlated with the adoption of GSCM practices. Finally, we present some explanations for these findings and suggestions for future research. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Green supply chain management in local and multinational high-tech companies located in Brazil

The objective of this article is to analyse how green supply chain management (GSCM) practices are being adopted by some high-tech companies located in Brazil. The research was conducted using the case study approach, focusing on eight companies that are representative of this sector. The main results are: (a) the most adopted GSCM practices in the studied high-tech companies located in Brazil are internal environmental management, investment recovery and reverse logistics and (b) Brazilian environmental legislation and international policies are very important in driving the adoption of GSCM practices. The internationalisation of companies was also found to be a variable that interferes with the adoption of GSCM practices. This is one of the first studies that examine the relationship between GSCM and the internationalisation of companies located in Brazil. © 2013 Springer-Verlag London.

Challenges of teaching corporate environmental management in Brazil

This paper sheds light on the main challenges of teaching Corporate Environmental Management (CEM) in Brazil. Thus, we analysed the main challenges for CEM in Brazil from the viewpoint of teachers. The objective of the research is achieved by means of interviews performed with five renowned professors responsible for teaching CEM in undergraduate courses. Results indicate five types of barriers for teaching CEM: weak integration of other teachers in the teaching of CEM; low level of acceptance of CEM as a subject by the peers teachers; a lack of focus on business while teaching CEM; a scarcity of CEM teaching materials appropriate for the realities of Brazil; and a relative lack of interest among some students in CEM. Teaching CEM is fundamental for the education of more responsible students, but little is known about teaching CEM in Brazil.. Copyright © 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Environmental management and operational performance in automotive companies in Brazil: The role of human resource management and lean manufacturing

The main objective of this study is to verify the influence of Environmental Management (EM) on Operational Performance (OP) in Brazilian automotive companies, analyzing whether Lean Manufacturing (LM) and Human Resources (HR) interfere in the greening of these companies. Therefore, a conceptual framework listing these concepts was proposed, and three research hypotheses were presented. A questionnaire was elaborated based on this theoretical background and sent to respondents occupying the highest positions in the production/operations areas of Brazilian automotive companies. The data, collected from 75 companies, were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The main results are as follows: (a) the model tested revealed an adequate goodness of fit, showing that overall, the relations proposed between EM and OP and between HR, LM and EM tend to be statistically valid; (b) EM tends to influence OP in a positive and statistically weak manner; (c) LM has a greater influence on EM when compared to the influence HR has over EM; (d) HR has a positive relationship over EM, but the statistical significance of this relationship is less than that of the other evaluated relationships. The originality of this paper lies in its gathering the concepts of EM, LM, HR and OP in a single study, as they generally tend not to be treated jointly. This paper also provided valid empirical evidence for a littlestudied context: the Brazilian automotive sector. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Green teams: Understanding their roles in the environmental management of companies located in Brazil

Green teams are frequently considered in the state-of-the-art literature as an essential factor for companies aiming to implement and improve environmental management approaches and practices. However, most of the available literature on green teams is conceptual and theoretical by nature. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to evaluate the main characteristics of green teams in Brazilian companies and to analyse the relationships between green teams and the maturity level of environmental management in those companies. Based on a conceptual background on corporate environmental management and green teams, a research was done in two complementary phases: a survey of 94 companies with ISO 14001 certification; and a multiple case study of four industrial companies. Survey results suggest that 82% of the studied companies have cross-functional green teams, i.e. involving various companies' departments; and 65% have functional green teams, i.e. individual department teams. The results of the case study suggest that the use of green teams is an instrument to the greening of companies with ISO 14001 in Brazil. The company with the most proactive and advanced environmental management is the same company which uses green teams more intensely. Green teams are especially necessary for implementing more technical environmental management practices, e.g. Life Cycle Assessment. Since this is one of the first studies analysing green teams, the results presented can be useful for companies and public policies aiming to implementation of environmental initiatives. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resilience as protagonism: interpersonal relationships, cultural practices, and personal agency among working adolescents in Brazil

A visual methods study was conducted with 16 at-risk youth living in a mid-sized Brazilian city. In this study, we focus on data obtained from four of those youth who were working adolescents, aged 13-15, and identify contextually specific protective processes associated with resilience. Through a reciprocal process of collaborative research that included observation, photo elicitation, video recording of a 'day in the life' of each youth, and semi-structured interviews, youth and researchers co-constructed an understanding of adaptive coping in a particularly challenging social environment. By employing techniques from grounded theory to analyze the data, we identified a pattern of protagonism among these youth that enabled them to maintain well-being despite exploitation as working children. This conceptualization of protagonism as a protective process has implications for human service workers who intervene to improve the living conditions of working children. © 2013 Taylor & Francis.

Provocações brasileiras: a imprensa contracultural made in Brazil : coluna Underground (1969-1971), Flor do mal (1971) & a Rolling Stone brasileira (1972-1973)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Antimicrobial susceptibility of streptococcus suis isolated from clinically healthy swine in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Serology, isolation, and molecular detection of Leptospira spp. from the tissues and blood of rats captured in a wild animal preservation centre in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Undergraduate research in medical education: a descriptive study of students' views

Background: Medical students engage in curricular and extracurricular activities, including undergraduate research (UR). The advantages, difficulties and motivations for medical students pursuing research activities during their studies have rarely been addressed. In Brazil, some medical schools have included undergraduate research into their curriculum. The present study aimed to understand the reality of scientific practice among medical students at a well-established Brazilian medical school, analyzing this context from the students' viewpoint.Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on a questionnaire applied to students from years one to six enrolled in an established Brazilian medical school that currently has no curricular UR program.Results: The questionnaire was answered by 415 students, 47.2% of whom were involved in research activities, with greater participation in UR in the second half of the course. Independent of student involvement in research activities, time constraints were cited as the main obstacle to participation. Among students not involved in UR, 91.1% said they favored its inclusion in the curriculum, since this would facilitate the development of such activity. This approach could signify an approximation between the axes of teaching and research. Among students who had completed at least one UR project, 87.7% said they would recommend the activity to students entering the course.Conclusion: Even without an undergraduate research program, students of this medical school report strong involvement in research activities, but discussion of the difficulties inherent in its practice is important to future developments.

A genetic linkage study in Brazil identifies a new locus for persistent developmental stuttering on chromosome 10

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The first assess of the haplotypes from COI gene sequences in species of spittlebugs (Cicadomorpha: Hemiptera) and aquatic true bugs (Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha: Hemiptera) in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Information access law and disclosing of information by joint-stock companies in Brazil: open data and Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) standard

The strategic management of information plays a fundamental role in the organizational management process since the decision-making process depend on the need for survival in a highly competitive market. Companies are constantly concerned about information transparency and good practices of corporate governance (CG) which, in turn, directs relations between the controlling power of the company and investors. In this context, this article presents the relationship between the disclosing of information of joint-stock companies by means of using XBRL, the open data model adopted by the Brazilian government, a model that boosted the publication of Information Access Law (Lei de Acesso à Informação), nº 12,527 of 18 November 2011. Information access should be permeated by a mediation policy in order to subsidize the knowledge construction and decision-making of investors. The XBRL is the main model for the publishing of financial information. The use of XBRL by means of new semantic standard created for Linked Data, strengthens the information dissemination, as well as creates analysis mechanisms and cross-referencing of data with different open databases available on the Internet, providing added value to the data/information accessed by civil society.

Survey of the nutritional recommendations and management practices adopted by feedlot cattle nutritionists in Brazil

Thirty-three feedlot cattle nutritionists were surveyed to evaluate the management practices and nutritional recommendations adopted by feedlots in Brazil. The web-based survey consisted of 81 questions that included: general information (n = 10); general commodity information (n = 15); use of coproducts (n = 5), roughage source and level (n = 5); adaptation methods (n = 7); feed mixers (n = 6); feeding management (n = 6); cattle management and type of cattle fed (n = 13); formulation practices (n = 9); information resources used for nutritional recommendations (n = 2); and additional questions (n = 3). In total, the 33 nutritionists were responsible for approximately 2,658,000 animals, and moreover, 65.5% of those participants had clients that feed less than 5000 animals yearly. Corn was the primary source of grain used in feedlot diets (87.9%) and cracking was the primary processing method recommended by nutritionists (57.6%). The average concentrate and roughage inclusion in finishing diets was 79.0% and 21.0%, respectively. The main challenges faced by nutritionists are the lack of available and precise equipment and lack of trained employees with respiratory diseases as the main health problem. This survey of nutrition and management practices should aid in the development of research for the feedlot industry in Brazil and similar tropical climates, as well as provide data to facilitate the broader application of future NRC models. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.