Sustainability of vector control strategies in the Gran Chaco Region: current challenges and possible approaches

Sustainability has become a focal point of the international agenda. At the heart of its range of distribution in the Gran Chaco Region, the elimination of Triatoma infestans has failed, even in areas subject to intensive professional vector control efforts. Chagas disease control programs traditionally have been composed of two divorced entities: a vector control program in charge of routine field operations (bug detection and insecticide spraying) and a disease control program in charge of screening blood donors, diagnosis, etiologic treatment and providing medical care to chronic patients. The challenge of sustainable suppression of bug infestation and Trypanosoma cruzi transmission can be met through integrated disease management, in which vector control is combined with active case detection and treatment to increase impact, cost-effectiveness and public acceptance in resource-limited settings. Multi-stakeholder involvement may add sustainability and resilience to the surveillance system. Chagas vector control and disease management must remain a regional effort within the frame of sustainable development rather than being viewed exclusively as a matter of health pertinent to the health sector. Sustained and continuous coordination between governments, agencies, control programs, academia and the affected communities is critical.

The generation and re-generation of social capital and enterprises in multi-stakeholders social cooperative enterprises: a system dynamic approach

Theories on social capital and on social entrepreneurship have mainly highlighted the attitude of social capital to generate enterprises and to foster good relations between third sector organizations and the public sector. This paper considers the social capital in a specific third sector enterprise; here, multi-stakeholder social cooperatives are seen, at the same time, as social capital results, creators and incubators. In the particular enterprises that identify themselves as community social enterprises, social capital, both as organizational and relational capital, is fundamental: SCEs arise from but also produce and disseminate social capital. This paper aims to improve the building of relational social capital and the refining of helpful relations drawn from other arenas, where they were created and from where they are sometimes transferred to other realities, where their role is carried on further (often working in non-profit, horizontally and vertically arranged groups, where they share resources and relations). To represent this perspective, we use a qualitative system dynamic approach in which social capital is measured using proxies. Cooperation of volunteers, customers, community leaders and third sector local organizations is fundamental to establish trust relations between public local authorities and cooperatives. These relations help the latter to maintain long-term contracts with local authorities as providers of social services and enable them to add innovation to their services, by developing experiences and management models and maintaining an interchange with civil servants regarding these matters. The long-term relations and the organizational relations linking SCEs and public organizations help to create and to renovate social capital. Thus, multi-stakeholder cooperatives originated via social capital developed in third sector organizations produce new social capital within the cooperatives themselves and between different cooperatives (entrepreneurial components of the third sector) and the public sector. In their entrepreneurial life, cooperatives have to contrast the "working drift," as a result of which only workers remain as members of the cooperative, while other stakeholders leave the organization. Those who are not workers in the cooperative are (stake)holders with "weak ties," who are nevertheless fundamental in making a worker's cooperative an authentic social multi-stakeholders cooperative. To maintain multi-stakeholder governance and the relations with third sector and civil society, social cooperatives have to reinforce participation and dialogue with civil society through ongoing efforts to include people that provide social proposals. We try to represent these processes in a system dynamic model applied to local cooperatives, measuring the social capital created by the social cooperative through proxies, such as number of volunteers and strong cooperation with public institutions. Using a reverse-engineering approach, we can individuate the determinants of the creation of social capital and thereby give support to governance that creates social capital.

Tannery and coal mining waste disposal on soil

Tannery residues and coal mine waste are heavily polluting sources in Brazil, mainly in the Southern States of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. In order to study the effects of residues of chrome leather tanning (sludge and leather shavings) and coal waste on soybean and maize crops, a field experiment is in progress since 1996, at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Experimental Station, county of Eldorado do Sul, Brazil. The residues were applied twice (growing seasons 1996/97 and 1999/00). The amounts of tannery residues were applied according to their neutralizing value, at rates of up to 86.8 t ha-1, supplying from 671 to 1.342 kg ha-1 Cr(III); coal waste was applied at a total rate of 164 t ha-1. Crop yield and dry matter production were evaluated, as well as the nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn) and Cr contents. Crop yields with tannery sludge application were similar to those obtained with N and lime supplied with mineral amendments. Plant Cr absorption did not increase significantly with the residue application. Tannery sludge can be used also to neutralize the high acidity developed in the soil by coal mine waste.

Enteroparasitic occurrence in fecal samples analyzed at the University of Western São Paulo-UNOESTE clinical laboratory, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo State, Brazil

This study aims to analyze the enteroparasitic occurrence in children from 0 to 12 years old consulted at the University of western São Paulo Clinical Laboratory, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil, in relation to the socioeconomic profile of the attended children. Stool samples were examined and a questionnaire was applied with the objective of knowing the patient's age, sex, medical attendance, characteristic of the habitation, provisioning of water, dejection and domestic waste fates, use of footwear and clinical signs. The software EPI INFO 6 (Version 6.04b) was used for the elaboration of the data bank structure and analysis after previous data codification. Among 1,000 children analyzed, as many as 21.3% presented some kind of parasite. The most frequent protozoan was Giardia lamblia (7.3%) followed by Entamoeba coli (3.9%). The most frequent helminth was Enterobius vermicularis (1.9%) followed by Hymenolepis nana (0.5%). The most frequent protozoan association was Giardia lamblia / Entamoeba coli (0.9%).

Avaliação da concentração de alguns íons metálicos em diferentes espécies de líquens do cerrado Sul-Mato-Grossense

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, Cr, Zn and Cu were determinated using flame atomic absorption spectrometry in nine lichen species of the Sul-Mato-Grossense cerrado. The average metal ion concentrations varied in the following ranges: Fe, 248.41-1568.01; Mn, 98.50-397.33; Co, 10.08-24.81; Cr, 18.24-44.26; Zn, 14.62-34.79 and Cu, 3.23-7.57 mg kg-1. Statistical analysis (Pearson and Cluster) applied to the metal ion concentrations indicated that the accumulation of these ions can be due to several anthropogenic sources including agricultural activities, mineral exploration, biomass burning, soil mineral composition and leather tanning processes by chromium.

System to outline the graduatestudents

Objective: to evaluate the system to outline the graduate students from the Post-Graduate Programs of CAPES Medicine III area. Method: it was analyzed the book of indicators and the Document of Area of the Post-Graduate Programs of Surgery, also checking the literature about this issue. Results: there was a paucity of data from most of the programs, as regards to the methods for evaluation of graduate students. The current system lacks a standard and an institutional support to outline the graduate students. In the public system there is a concentration of postgraduate students in Medicine; however, they represent a small part of those Brazilians students who finished their graduation courses in Medicine. In the current context, the quest for the post graduate courses and consequently for a research field or even a teaching career, has been replaced by the private sector jobs and the labor market, both in non-academic assistance activities. Conclusion: it is imperative to establish not only science and technology innovation policies but also educational and health policies acting harmoniously and stimulating the qualification and the teaching career, improving the post-graduate courses. It is necessary to develop a single form under the institutional guidance of CAPES with the conception of a National Program for Graduate Student in order to consolidate guidelines to mapping the graduate students of post-graduate programs in surgery, in our country.

Frog meat microbiota (Lithobates catesbeianus) used in infant food

Captive breeding of bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is of great economic potential, mainly for its thighs and leather. The nutritional quality of frog meat includes properly balanced amino acids with a protein profile of high biological value, low fat and low cholesterol, and high digestibility due to its short chain molecule structure. It is recommended by doctors and nutritionists, especially for protein restricted children or malnourished children. Aiming to aggregate value to the segment and offer a product with nutritional properties that meet the need of children aged six months and above, a meat product based on the composition of frog meat was developed experimentally. To ensure raw material quality after bleaching and deboning, the microbiota present in the frog meat was determined. The analyses were performed according to Brazilian laws. It was observed that the resident and transient microbiota met the standards set by regulations. The results found were: mesophyll 4.5 x 10(4) CFU/g; Staphylococcus coagulase positive 2.0 x 10² CFU/g; negative for Salmonella sp. and Aeromonas spp. The findings indicate that the raw material showed satisfactory sanitation even in terms of family industry.

The underestimated role of universities for the Brazilian system of innovation

Conventional wisdom usually underestimates the important role of public research institutes and universities in successful cases of Brazilian economy. History of science and technology institutions shows a long-term process of formation of these institutions and their interactions with industrial firms, agricultural producers or society. This paper investigates historical roots of successful cases of Brazil. First, we present the late onset of National Innovation System (NSI) institutions and waves of institutional formation in Brazil. Second, we describe the history of three selected successful cases, which spans from a low-tech sector (agriculture), a medium-tech sector (steel and special metal alloys), to a high-tech sector (aircraft). These findings present new challenges for present-day developmental policies.

Interaction between information systems and work in the Brazilian banking sector

This article presents the results of a research to understand the conditions of interaction between work and three specific information systems (ISs) used in the Brazilian banking sector. We sought to understand how systems are redesigned in work practices, and how work is modified by the insertion of new systems. Data gathering included 46 semi-structured interviews, together with an analysis of system-related documents. We tried to identify what is behind the practices that modify the ISs and work. The data analysis revealed an operating structure: a combination of different practices ensuring that the interaction between agents and systems will take place. We discovered a structure of reciprocal conversion caused by the increased technical skills of the agent and the humanization of the systems. It is through ongoing adjustment between work and ISs that technology is tailored to the context and people become more prepared to handle with technology.

Parasitological and serological studies on amoebiasis and other intestinal parasitic infections in the rural sector around Recife, Northeast Brazil

Parasitological examinations were carried out during July to December, 1989, on 485 inhabitants of four villages in São Lourenço da Mata, 25 km northwest of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Approximately 99.6% of the inhabitants were infected with at least one species of intestinal parasites. A high prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni (82.1%), hookworm (80.2%) Trichuris trichiura (69.9%), Ascaris lumbricoides (61.9%) and Entamoeba coli (36.7%) infections were demonstrated. Test tube cultivation revealed that the most common species of hookworm in this region was Necator americanus (88.4%), and also that the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis was 5.8%. Three hundred and thirty-four sera were serologically examined for amoebiasis by the gel diffusion precipitation test (GDP) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No positive reaction was observed in all sera as examined by GDP, while 24 sera were positive by ELISA.

The distribution pattern of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the peridomiciles of a sector with canine and human visceral leishmaniasis transmission in the municipality of Dracena, São Paulo, Brazil

The specimen distribution pattern of a species can be used to characterise a population of interest and also provides area-specific guidance for pest management and control. In the municipality of Dracena, in the state of São Paulo, we analysed 5,889 Lutzomyia longipalpis specimens collected from the peridomiciles of 14 houses in a sector where American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is transmitted to humans and dogs. The goal was to analyse the dispersion and a theoretical fitting of the species occurrence probability. From January-December 2005, samples were collected once per week using CDC light traps that operated for 12-h periods. Each collection was considered a sub-sample and was evaluated monthly. The standardised Morisita index was used as a measure of dispersion. Adherence tests were performed for the log-series distribution. The number of traps was used to adjust the octave plots. The quantity of Lu. longipalpis in the sector was highly aggregated for each month of the year, adhering to a log-series distribution for 11 of the 12 months analysed. A sex-stratified analysis demonstrated a pattern of aggregated dispersion adjusted for each month of the year. The classes and frequencies of the traps in octaves can be employed as indicators for entomological surveillance and AVL control.

Tri-sector partnerships in social entrepreneurship: discourse and practice of the actors from the circles of action and reflection

This article discusses the construction of tri-sector partnerships in three projects conducted in Brazil in different fields of intervention of public policy (access to water, basic education and performance of boards of rights of children and adolescents). Collaborative articulations involving the players from three sectors (the State, civil society and the market) are practices that are little studied in the Brazilian and even in the international context, as tri-sector partnerships are rare, despite the proliferation of lines of discourse in support of alliances between governments and civil society or between companies and NGOs in the management of public policy. As a research strategy, this study resorted to cooperative inquiry, a method that involves breaking down the boundaries between the subjects and the objects of the analysis. Besides working toward a better understanding of the challenges of building tri-sector partnerships in the Brazilian context, the article also tries to show the relevance to public policy studies of investigative methods based on the subjects studied, as a means of developing an understanding of the practices, lines of discourse and dilemmas linked to social action in social programs.