Chinese multinational corporations in Brazil: strategies and implications in energy and telecom sectors

This study aims to understand how Chinese enterprises acted in Brazilian energy and telecommunication sectors in the past ten years and whether they would be leading to an increase in the asymmetries between Brazil and China. It argues that the asymmetries presented in the relations are due in large part to successful Chinese enterprises' strategies.

Conservação on farm da agrobiodiversidade de sítios familiares em Jequié, Bahia, Brasil

No Brasil, a Caatinga é área prioritária para conservação da biodiversidade, na qual muitas comunidades de agricultores mantêm práticas agrícolas fundamentais para a conservação on farm. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um levantamento sobre o perfil socioeconômico e cultural de feirantes, identificando espécies e manejos em suas roças, que favoreçam a conservação on farm da diversidade de espécies cultivadas. Foi analisada a influência da área das roças sobre a riqueza e abundância de plantas. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio de visitas em feiras livres e unidades familiares de agricultores, localizadas no município de Jequié - BA, nordeste do Brasil. Foram citadas 28 espécies para fins alimentares, pertencentes a 17 famílias botânicas e totalizando 75 etnovariedades. A influência da área das roças sobre a riqueza teve baixa correlação (r = 0,29, p < 0,01), enquanto a abundância de plantas, forte correlação (r = 0,69, p < 0,01). A maioria dos agricultores tem pouca instrução, baixa renda e, nas roças estudadas, foi verificada a ocorrência de conservação on farm.

Lyme Disease: antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in farm workers in Argentina

Lyme Disease is a tick-borne (specially by Ixodes ticks) immune-mediated inflammatory disorder caused by a newly recognize spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Indirect fluorescent antibody (IF) staining methods and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are frequently relied upon to confirm Lyme borreliosis infections. Although serologic testing for antibodies has limitations, it is still the only practical means of confirming B. burgdorferi infections. Because we have no previous report of Lyme disease in human inhabitants in Argentina, a study was designed as a seroepidemiologic investigation of the immune response to B. burgdorferi in farm workers of Argentina with arthritis symptoms. Three out of 28 sera were positive (#1,5 and 9). Serum # 1 was positive for Immunoglobulin G at dilution 1:320, serum # 5 and # 9 both to dilution 1:160; while for Immunoglobulin M all (#1, 5 and 9) were positive at low dilution (1:40) using IF. The results showed that antibodies against B. burgdorferi are present in an Argentinian population. Thus caution should be exercised in the clinical interpretation of arthritis until the presence of B. burgdorferi be confirmed by culture in specific media.

High occurrence of giardiasis in children living on a 'landless farm workers' settlement in Araras, São Paulo, Brazil

Enteric parasitosis remains an important public health problem in many areas around the world including in Brazil, and it is frequently associated with poverty and lack of sanitation facilities. Research carried out over the course of a year revealed that 96.6% (28/29) of children randomly selected from a 'landless farm workers' settlement in Araras, São Paulo, aged 4 - 15 years, presented Giardia intestinalis cysts. After referral to the neighborhood Health Office, all the children received tinidazole, given as a single dose of 50 mg/kg and 12 months later, new fecal samples were collected and analyzed. Despite the low adherence to the study, a high percentage (64.3% - 9/14) of the children remained positive for the parasite. This study showed a high positivity of giardiasis in child residents of the settlement, even after treatment; adults were not sensitized to the study and did not collected and/or deliver children fecal samples. The precarious living conditions are consistent with a high susceptibility to parasitic diseases, suggesting that the treatment of the infected individuals without identifying and eradicating the means of contamination is simply a palliative measure.

Produção de inoculante micorrízico on farm utilizando resíduos da indústria florestal

A produção de inoculante à base de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) utilizando o método on farm é uma alternativa para estimular o uso de inoculante microbiano no sistema de produção vegetal e reduzir os custos associados com a compra desse produto. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o potencial de resíduos do setor florestal, a casca de Pinus (CP) e o lodo de celulose (LC), como componentes do substrato para a produção de inoculante micorrízico on farm . Plantas de sorgo pré-colonizadas com os FMAs, Claroideoglomus etunicatum RJN101A e Dentiscutata heterogama PNB102A, foram estabelecidas em casa de vegetação por três meses em substrato formado por areia:argila expandida:solo (2:2:1). Após, essas foram transplantadas para sacos plásticos de 20 L contendo substrato formado por CP ou LC, misturados com casca de arroz carbonizada + solo de barranco (1:1:1). O experimento seguiu um fatorial 2 × 2, sendo dois isolados fúngicos e dois resíduos, com cinco repetições, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. As plantas cresceram por três meses sob condições ambientais e, após esse período, o substrato foi analisado quanto ao número de esporos de FMAs, à colonização micorrízica da planta hospedeira e ao potencial de inóculo pelo método do NMP (número mais provável). O substrato foi dividido em três camadas (superior, mediana e inferior) e apenas o número de esporos foi avaliado individualmente para cada camada. O número de esporos de ambos FMAs não foi influenciado pelo tipo resíduo, mas diminuiu da parte superior para a inferior dentro de cada unidade experimental. D. heterogama tendeu a produzir maior número de esporos do que C. etunicatum . A porcentagem de colonização micorrízica do sorgo pelos FMAs foi significativamente maior no resíduo LC do que CP. O número de propágulos infectivos de FMAs tendeu também a ser maior em LC (22 a 28 propágulos cm-3 substrato) do que em CP (1,6 a 6,5 propágulos cm-3 substrato). O resíduo LC tem potencial para ser utilizado como componente do substrato em sistemas de produção de inoculante micorrízico on farm.

Yield and performance of sugarcane in on-farm interface with rubber in Brazil

Agroforestry systems are indicated as an alternative for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivation in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, however there are not many field experiments on plant performance under these conditions in the world. The objective of this work was to assess crop yield and partitioning in a sugarcane-rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) interface in on-farm conditions. The availability of irradiance for the crop along the interface was simulated and its effe ct over sugarcane dry matter production was tested. Crop yield was negatively affected by distance of the trees, but development and sucrose were not affected. Above ground dry matter increased from 16.6 to 51.5 t ha-1 from trees. Partitioning did not have a defined standard, as harvest index increased from 0.85 to 0.93, but specific leaf area was not significant along the transect, ranging from 13.48 to 15.73 m² kg-1. Light is the main factor of competition between the trees and the crop, but the relative importance of below ground interactions increases closer to the trees. Feasibility of the system depends on maturity of the trees and management strategies.

Fibrinonecrotic enteritis of piglets in a commercial farm: a postmortem study of the prevalence and the role of lesion associated agents Isospora suis and Clostridium perfringens

The objectives were to determine the prevalence of fibrinonecrotic enteritis (FNE) on a farrow-to-finish farm of 1,000 sows, to categorize the pathological changes, and to to investigate the lesion associated agents Isospora suis and Clostridium perfringens. Causes of preweaning mortality (PWM) were classified into 8 categories including FNE. Obtained data were evaluated for statistical significance by adjusted Chi-square analysis. Samples of FNE were taken for complementary studies including a PCR technique for genotyping toxin genes of Clostridium perfringens from gut samples fixed in 10% neutral formalin. From 3,153 piglets examined, less than 1% was classified as FNE. FNE prevalence increased progressively from the first to the third week, the last differing statistically from the others. Eighty percent of gut samples with FNE lesions were positive to Isospora suis, when examined by PCR from 9 severe FNE lesions detected 7 positive samples only for a toxin gene, characteristic of C. perfringens type-A.

Equine proliferative enteropathy on a Brazilian farm

Abstract:Lawsonia intracellularis infection on a horse farm in the Midwest region of Brazil is described. Thirty-nine foals a few days to months old from a herd with 300 horses, experienced diarrhea with variable characteristics and intensities, weight loss, hyperemic mucous membranes and dehydration. In foals 3 to 6 months of age, hypoproteinemia associated with submandibular edema were also common. Intestinal fragments of a 7-month-old foal were sent to an animal disease laboratory for diagnosis. The observed macroscopic lesions were hyperemic serosa, thickening of the intestinal wall with a corrugation, thickening of the mucosa folds and reduction of intestinal lumen. Histological analysis of the small and large intestine revealed enterocyte hyperplasia of the crypts associated with diffuse marked decrease in the number of goblet cells and positive L. intracellularis antigen labeling by immunohistochemistry. Three out of 11 animals of the same property were seropositive for L. intracellularis, demonstrating the circulation of the agent throughout the farm, but none were PCR positive in fecal samples. Based on clinical signs and pathological findings, the diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy was confirmed.