Organizations and the united nations millennium development goals: evidence from some of the largest companies in brazil

The objective of this study is to verify whether some of the largest companies in Brazil adopt management practices aligned with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Design/methodology/approach – Overview information obtained from the web sites of six Brazilian multinational companies listed in the Forbes Global 2000 ranking was analyzed. Findings – The major findings of this study indicate that the companies studied did not demonstrate clear knowledge of the MDGs, nor did they adopt practices aiming at meeting those goals. The evidences show that the companies adopt corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, which are indirectly related to four MDGs. It was observed that the CSR practices tend to be developed based on a contingency perspective according to the characteristics and impacts of products offered by those companies. Therefore, there is a window of opportunity for those companies to begin developing programs in order to meet the MDGs aiming at new business opportunities, innovative CSR practices, and new ways to make CSR information evident and more organized.

The safe motherhood referral system to reduce cesarean sections and perinatal mortality - a cross-sectional study [1995-2006]

Background: In 2000, the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set targets for reducing child mortality and improving maternal health by 2015.Objective: To evaluate the results of a new education and referral system for antenatal/intrapartum care as a strategy to reduce the rates of Cesarean sections (C-sections) and maternal/perinatal mortality.Methods: Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University/UNESP, Brazil. Population: 27,387 delivering women and 27,827 offspring. Data collection: maternal and perinatal data between 1995 and 2006 at the major level III and level II hospitals in Botucatu, Brazil following initiation of a safe motherhood education and referral system. Main outcome measures: Yearly rates of C-sections, maternal (/100,000 LB) and perinatal (/1000 births) mortality rates at both hospitals. Data analysis: Simple linear regression models were adjusted to estimate the referral system's annual effects on the total number of deliveries, C-section and perinatal mortality ratios in the two hospitals. The linear regression were assessed by residual analysis (Shapiro-Wilk test) and the influence of possible conflicting observations was evaluated by a diagnostic test (Leverage), with p < 0.05.Results: Over the time period evaluated, the overall C-section rate was 37.3%, there were 30 maternal deaths (maternal mortality ratio = 109.5/100,000 LB) and 660 perinatal deaths (perinatal mortality rate = 23.7/1000 births). The C-section rate decreased from 46.5% to 23.4% at the level II hospital while remaining unchanged at the level III hospital. The perinatal mortality rate decreased from 9.71 to 1.66/1000 births and from 60.8 to 39.6/1000 births at the level II and level III hospital, respectively. Maternal mortality ratios were 16.3/100,000 LB and 185.1/100,000 LB at the level II and level III hospitals. There was a shift from direct to indirect causes of maternal mortality.Conclusions: This safe motherhood referral system was a good strategy in reducing perinatal mortality and direct causes of maternal mortality and decreasing the overall rate of C-sections.

Social disparity and oral health

There is a clear reported association between social disparity and oral health, for example, between dental caries and malnutrition in children. This fact is detected in several studies, and also found amongst the Brazilian population. However, several efforts have been made to improve the quality of life of the population and to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. Oral health is a branch to be improved among these goals. The Brazilian experience has been drawing the attention of authorities, insofar as there have been direct improvements in oral health through state oral health programs, and also indirect results by improving the quality of life of the population. Included within the Brazilian oral health programs are the Family Health Program and Smiling Brazil Program. The former is a global healthcare program which involves primary oral healthcare, while the latter is a specialized oral care program. Among the social programs that would indirectly improve oral health are Family Stipend and the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience of Natal (ELS-IINN). In conclusion, although oral health problems are related to socioeconomic factors, the implementation of primary oral health programs and programs to improve the population's quality of life may directly or indirectly improve the oral health scenario. This fact is being observed in Brazil, where the oral health policies have changed, and social programs have been implemented.

Aplicação da análise fatorial em cidades do Vale do Paraíba considerando os objetivos do milênio

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Perfil materno e dos recém-nascidos nascidos vivos na primeira década do século XXI em município do interior paulista com ênfase na prematuridade

The concern with infant mortality has been a priority in public policies, especially for Brazil to achieve the Millennium Development Goal number four: reducing child mortality by 75% by the year 2015. It is known that prematurity has an intimate relationship with mortality of children under one year and therefore it is necessary an effective intervention in risk factors linked to premature births. To evaluate the profile of mothers and newborn babies living in Botucatu-SP, in the period 2001 to 2009, focusing on prematurity. A quantitative study, retrospective, descriptive, epidemiological, from the Information System Newborn Alive. The prevalence of preterm births was 15.1%, and low birth weight 14.7%. Among infants, the Apgar score below 7 at 1 and at 5 minutes was 13.1% and 2.4% respectively. Considering the total of pregnant women studied, 20.3% were adolescents and 10.3% were aged 35 years or more and most (63.2%) had eight or more years of school approval. The profile of mothers of premature infants shows that 23.6% were teenagers, 14.1% had at least 35 years and 60.4% had at least primary education. With regard to premature deliveries, caesarean sections and 58.4% were between the total newborns, this type of delivery was achieved in 46.6% of cases. Prematurity was associated with an Apgar score below seven in the first and fifth minutes of life, presence of malformation and multiple pregnancy. Among maternal variables, prematurity was associated with extremes of maternal age, maternal education, history of stillbirth, primiparas, white and presence of the mother's partner. With regard to delivery was associated with cesarean section and outside the hospital. This study assessed maternal characteristics associated with prematurity and point out how relevant the pregnancies at the extremes of age and those that occur in women with low education level, indicating the interference... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Childbirth care: contributing to the debate on human development

Com a finalidade de subsidiar gestores da área de saúde da mulher, na formulação de políticas públicas, voltadas ao desenvolvimento humano, realizou-se esta investigação, cujo objetivo foi avaliar a estrutura e o processo da atenção ao parto e ao neonato desenvolvido em região do interior paulista. Estudo epidemiológico, voltado para avaliação dos serviços de saúde, baseou-se na observação da assistência prestada pelo Sistema Único de Saúde em 12 maternidades e 134 partos, adotando-se padrões estabelecidos pelo Ministério da Saúde ou Organização Mundial de Saúde para comparação. Os resultados apontam problemas relacionados à estrutura em algumas maternidades, mostrando que práticas úteis ao parto normal ainda são pouco utilizadas, enquanto que outras prejudiciais ou ineficazes ainda são utilizadas rotineiramente. Reverter esse quadro será essencial para oferecer atendimento de qualidade às mulheres, com conseqüente redução nas taxas de mortalidade materna e neonatal, para que a região atinja as metas estabelecidas para ampliação do desenvolvimento humano no milênio.

Development of Novel Guava Puree Films Containing Chitosan Nanoparticles

One of the overall goals of industries is to use packages that do not cause environmental problems at disposal time, but that have the same properties as the conventional ones. The goal of this study is to synthesize edible films based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) with guava puree and chitosan (CS) nanoparticles. This was divided into two stages, the first is the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles and the second is the production of the films. For the nanoparticles, average size and zeta potential measurements were performed. The characterizations of mechanical and thermal properties, solubility and water vapor permeability tests were conducted in the films. It was observed that when the nanoparticles were added to HPMC and guava puree films, they improved their mechanical and thermal properties, as well as decreased the films solubility and permeability. The potential application of the films prepared would be in edible films with flavor and odor to extend the shelf life of products.

Development of silicon carbide substrates for aerospace applications

Payload and high-tech are important characteristics when the goals are aerospace applications. The development of the technologies associated to these applications has interests that transcend national boundaries and are of strategic importance to the nations. Ultra lightweight mirrors, supports and structures for optical systems are important part of this subject. This paper reports the development of SiC substrates, obtained by pressing, to be applied on embedded precision reflective optics. Different SiC granulometries, having YAG as sintering additive, were processed by: ball milling, drying and deagglomeration, sift, uniaxial and isostatic pressing, and, finally, argon atmosphere sintering at 1900°C. Different porosities were obtained according to the amount of organic material added. Into one side of the samples pellets of organic material were introduced to generate voids to reduce the weight of samples as a whole. The substrates were grinding and polished, looking for a SiC surface having low porosity, as porosity is directly related to light scattering that should be avoided on optical surfaces. Laser surface treatments were applied (using or not SiC barbotine) as a method to improve the surface quality. The samples were characterized by optical and laser confocal microscopy, roughness measurements and mechanical tests. The results are very promissory for future applications. © 2012 Materials Research Society.

Seedling morphology and development in the epiphytic cactus Epiphyllum phyllanthus (L.) Haw. (Cactaceae: Hylocereeae)

Seedling morphology is relevant in classification, taxonomy, and vegetation studies to understand plant life cycles, germination succession and requirements, and developmental progression. However, most morphological studies of seedlings lack analysis of organ anatomy, impeding the comprehension of series of development and establishment in a particular environment. Here, we have taken a traditional anatomical approach to examine the stages of seedling development in Epiphyllum phyllanthus, a holo-epiphytic cactus of tribe Hylocereeae. The goals were 1) to offer a comprehensive description of growth series in E. phyllanthus seedlings based on morphological and anatomical analysis and 2) to examine the initial growth phases in the life cycle of this species to identify organ development and understand their adaptive significance in relation to seedling establishment. Our results include descriptions of seed morphology, embryonic features, and seedling vascularization pattern in the root, hypocotyl, cotyledons, and epicotyl. The morphological and developmental patterns in E. phyllanthus seedlings have potential phylogenetic and ontogenetic implications in the Cactaceae. Characters such as the presence of mucilage on the seed coat, the lack of seed operculum, and large cotyledons in E. phyllanthus are comparable to basal cacti, but the root anatomy is more similar to columnar relatives. At the familial level, there is an apparent trend in decreasing number of phloem and xylem poles in the stele of primary root, correlated with degree of specialization and advanced phylogenetic position: tetrarch to septarch-octarch in basal lineages, tetrarch Cereus-type in columnar species, to the diarch vascular system in Rhipsalideae and some species with cylindric/globose stem. © Torrey Botanical Club.

Youth purpose and life goals of students engaged in community and social activities

Purpose provides a moral compass for young people to apply their strengths and virtues in their lives. Deepen the studies about youth purpose may contribute to the design of new and more efficient moral education strategies, aiming the development of greater citizenship awareness, social justice and youth engagement in the construction of a society based on democracy, justice and social solidarity. This research paper explores the identification of life goals, the beyond the self or self-oriented purpose in life, a meaningful engagement in purposeful activities and the well-being and satisfaction with life in Brazilian youth engaged and not engaged in social and community issues.