Risk factors associated with the frequency of antibodies against Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in cattle in southern Mozambique

The study aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with the frequency of IgG antibodies against Babesia bovis and B. bigemina in cattle in southern Mozambique. Eight hundred and nine serum samples were collected from cattle in three provinces namely Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, and tested by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) to assess the humoral immune response towards B. bovis and B. bigemina. The chi-square test at 5% significance was used to determine whether there was an association between gender, age and geographic origin of seropositive animals. The overall prevalence was 78.8% (548/695) for B. bovis and 76.0% (528/695) for B. bigemina. The origin of the animals showed a significant association (p<0.05) with seropositivity to both agents, while gender and age was not associated (p>0.05). Maputo province had the highest rate of positive animals, with 93.7% (118/126) for B. bovis and 97.6% (123/126) for B. bigemina. In Gaza province 77.3% (321/415) of the animals were positive for B. bovis and 67.5% (280/415) for B. bigemina, while in the province of Inhambane the levels of seropositivity were 70.8% (109/154) and 81.2% (125/154) for B. bovis and B. bigemina respectively. In the present study, the frequency of cattle positive for B. bovis and B. bigemina was shown to increase among older age groups, suggesting that infection and re-infection persisted even after the primary infection. Thus, this region is considered to be in a state of enzootic stability with regards to B. bovis and B. bigemina.

Modeling short-range ballistic missile defense and Israel's Iron Dome system

This paper develops a model of short-range ballistic missile defense and uses it to study the performance of Israel’s Iron Dome system. The deterministic base model allows for inaccurate missiles, unsuccessful interceptions, and civil defense. Model enhancements consider the trade-offs in attacking the interception system, the difficulties faced by militants in assembling large salvos, and the effects of imperfect missile classification by the defender. A stochastic model is also developed. Analysis shows that system performance can be highly sensitive to the missile salvo size, and that systems with higher interception rates are more “fragile” when overloaded. The model is calibrated using publically available data about Iron Dome’s use during Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012. If the systems performed as claimed, they saved Israel an estimated 1778 casualties and $80 million in property damage, and thereby made preemptive strikes on Gaza about 8 times less valuable to Israel. Gaza militants could have inflicted far more damage by grouping their rockets into large salvos, but this may have been difficult given Israel’s suppression efforts. Counter-battery fire by the militants is unlikely to be worthwhile unless they can obtain much more accurate missiles.

Análisis de la incidencia de las campañas militares operación recompensa justa y operación plomo fundido en la redefinición de la doctrina de seguridad nacional de Israel

El propósito de esta investigación es determinar la incidencia de las campañas militares Operación Recompensa Justa y Operación Plomo Fundido en la redefinición de la Doctrina de Seguridad Nacional de Israel. El análisis se enfoca en una comparación entre la estrategia de 1973 -que hasta el momento había sido el pilar de Israel para conducirse en guerras regulares- y el documento de 2010, replanteado luego de que la Fuerzas de Defensa Israelís se enfrentaron a Hezbollah, en el sur del Líbano y a Hamas en la Franja de Gaza, para 2006 y 2009, respectivamente. La investigación es una monografía, pues utiliza la teoría del Realismo Defensivo en su dimensión explicativa, con el fin de dar cuenta de la cambiante percepción de seguridad frente a la existencia de amenazas no convencionales. Finalmente, a partir de la teoría de Relaciones Internacionales, es posible concluir que los Estados enfocan todas sus capacidades, entendidas en términos de poder material, hacia la consecución de sus objetivos estratégicos.

Cambios en la política de la Agencia de Naciones Unidas para refugiados de Palestina (UNRWA) tras la llegada de Hamas al poder 2002-2010

Este estudio de caso busca evaluar los cambios en las políticas de la Agencia de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados de Palestina en Oriente Próximo (UNRWA), luego de la llegada de Hamas al poder en Franja de Gaza en el año 2006. Así, es necesario partir de la creación y consolidación de ambas organizaciones, hasta el 2006, cuando se vieron en la necesidad de armonizar y complementar sus políticas por medio de la educación, para atender y satisfacer las necesidades de la población refugiada palestina. Igualmente, permite revisar como la complementación de sus políticas, fomentan la consolidación de una identidad palestina desde el sistema educativo palestino. Finalmente, desde los postulados teóricos de Robert Jervis sobre la percepción, se analiza cómo actores del sistema internacional perciben el actuar de la UNRWA, teniendo en cuenta que se encuentra trabajando en un territorio gobernado por una organización considerada terrorista por algunos actores internacionales.

LA COOPERACIÓN BILATERAL EN MATERIA MILITAR ENTRE EE.UU. Y EGIPTO Y SU INCIDENCIA EN LA SEGURIDAD FRONTERIZA CON ISRAEL (2002-2008).

Este estudio de caso se realiza con el ánimo de analizar la cooperación militar existente entre Estados Unidos y Egipto durante el periodo de 2002 a 2008. De esta manera, se busca conocer la incidencia que dicha cooperación tuvo en la seguridad fronteriza de Egipto e Israel. Para tal fin a lo largo del trabajo se procederá a exponer los principales aspectos del programa de cooperación analizado, se identificaran las principales amenazas a la seguridad fronteriza de Egipto y de Israel y se describirán las principales acciones que en el marco de dicho programa de cooperación militar se han tomado para hacerles frente a estas.

Between the headlines of the Israeli - Arabic conflict: the coverage of CNN and Al Jazeera

The purpose of this article is to analyze the coverage made by CNN and Al Jazeera (in Arabic) to operation Caste Lead and the Goldstone Report during 2008 and 2009. This investigation is based in the theory of Qualitative Analysis of Content, by Wildemuth and Zhang. The methodology follows up with the one proposed by the authors in the main theory, complementing it with the Gamson and Modigliani´s Framing theory. The methodology mention above display the different in the coverage development, determined by the geopolitical influences; being CNN more influenced by a Western pro USA and pro Israeli speech, while Al Jazeera is more prone to support the Palestinian cause, this is the thesis of this article. During the development of the investigation, the thesis was demonstrated to be only partially accurate as CNN was not completely supportive to the Israeli arguments during the coverage, but Al Jazeera did have preferential speech for the Palestinian cause.

La influencia del derecho universal a la libre autodeterminación de los pueblos en la construcción de las Relaciones Bilaterales entre Palestina e Israel (1993-2004)

Esta monografía se enfoca en el papel que ha tenido el derecho a la libre autodeterminación de los pueblos en la construcción de las relaciones bilaterales entre Palestina e Israel, en uno de los periodos tal vez más fructíferos de la historia de las dos naciones, comprendido entre 1993 y 2004. Por medio del análisis de ciertos eventos históricos y manifestaciones del derecho a la libre autodeterminación de los pueblos durante del periodo de estudio seleccionado, se busca explicar cómo éstos han repercutido en la relación de ambos pueblos. Este análisis hace uso del enfoque constructivista de Alexander Wendt como herramienta que permite una aproximación teórica que considera, que la construcción de relaciones entre los diferentes agentes del Sistema Internacional son las ideas y creencias compartidas y no únicamente las capacidades materiales.

El mundo árabe en la UNESCO.

Es continuación de la publicación: Boletín de la Comisión Española de la UNESCO

O papel da democracia na construção do Estado Palestino e na resolução do conflito Palestino-Israelense: a oclusão das particularidades

Pós-graduação em Relações Internacionais (UNESP - UNICAMP - PUC-SP) - FFC

"Water users must be efficient producers". Women's access to and use of land in Chókwè irrigation scheme, Mozambique

The irrigation scheme Eduardo Mondlane, situated in Chókwè District - in the Southern part of the Gaza province and within the Limpopo River Basin - is the largest in the country, covering approximately 30,000 hectares of land. Built by the Portuguese colonial administration in the 1950s to exploit the agricultural potential of the area through cash-cropping, after Independence it became one of Frelimo’s flagship projects aiming at the “socialization of the countryside” and at agricultural economic development through the creation of a state farm and of several cooperatives. The failure of Frelimo’s economic reforms, several infrastructural constraints and local farmers resistance to collective forms of production led to scheme to a state of severe degradation aggravated by the floods of the year 2000. A project of technical rehabilitation initiated after the floods is currently accompanied by a strong “efficiency” discourse from the managing institution that strongly opposes the use of irrigated land for subsistence agriculture, historically a major livelihood strategy for smallfarmers, particularly for women. In fact, the area has been characterized, since the end of the XIX century, by a stable pattern of male migration towards South African mines, that has resulted in an a steady increase of women-headed households (both de jure and de facto). The relationship between land reform, agricultural development, poverty alleviation and gender equality in Southern Africa is long debated in academic literature. Within this debate, the role of agricultural activities in irrigation schemes is particularly interesting considering that, in a drought-prone area, having access to water for irrigation means increased possibilities of improving food and livelihood security, and income levels. In the case of Chókwè, local governments institutions are endorsing the development of commercial agriculture through initiatives such as partnerships with international cooperation agencies or joint-ventures with private investors. While these business models can sometimes lead to positive outcomes in terms of poverty alleviation, it is important to recognize that decentralization and neoliberal reforms occur in the context of financial and political crisis of the State that lacks the resources to efficiently manage infrastructures such as irrigation systems. This kind of institutional and economic reforms risk accelerating processes of social and economic marginalisation, including landlessness, in particular for poor rural women that mainly use irrigated land for subsistence production. The study combines an analysis of the historical and geographical context with the study of relevant literature and original fieldwork. Fieldwork was conducted between February and June 2007 (where I mainly collected secondary data, maps and statistics and conducted preliminary visit to Chókwè) and from October 2007 to March 2008. Fieldwork methodology was qualitative and used semi-structured interviews with central and local Government officials, technical experts of the irrigation scheme, civil society organisations, international NGOs, rural extensionists, and water users from the irrigation scheme, in particular those women smallfarmers members of local farmers’ associations. Thanks to the collaboration with the Union of Farmers’ Associations of Chókwè, she has been able to participate to members’ meeting, to education and training activities addressed to women farmers members of the Union and to organize a group discussion. In Chókwè irrigation scheme, women account for the 32% of water users of the familiar sector (comprising plot-holders with less than 5 hectares of land) and for just 5% of the private sector. If one considers farmers’ associations of the familiar sector (a legacy of Frelimo’s cooperatives), women are 84% of total members. However, the security given to them by the land title that they have acquired through occupation is severely endangered by the use that they make of land, that is considered as “non efficient” by the irrigation scheme authority. Due to a reduced access to marketing possibilities and to inputs, training, information and credit women, in actual fact, risk to see their right to access land and water revoked because they are not able to sustain the increasing cost of the water fee. The myth of the “efficient producer” does not take into consideration the characteristics of inequality and gender discrimination of the neo-liberal market. Expecting small-farmers, and in particular women, to be able to compete in the globalized agricultural market seems unrealistic, and can perpetuate unequal gendered access to resources such as land and water.

Sustainable improvement of water networks : to achieve best decisions for rehabilitation plans using advanced GIS and statistical techniques

Many of developing countries are facing crisis in water management due to increasing of population, water scarcity, water contaminations and effects of world economic crisis. Water distribution systems in developing countries are facing many challenges of efficient repair and rehabilitation since the information of water network is very limited, which makes the rehabilitation assessment plans very difficult. Sufficient information with high technology in developed countries makes the assessment for rehabilitation easy. Developing countries have many difficulties to assess the water network causing system failure, deterioration of mains and bad water quality in the network due to pipe corrosion and deterioration. The limited information brought into focus the urgent need to develop economical assessment for rehabilitation of water distribution systems adapted to water utilities. Gaza Strip is subject to a first case study, suffering from severe shortage in the water supply and environmental problems and contamination of underground water resources. This research focuses on improvement of water supply network to reduce the water losses in water network based on limited database using techniques of ArcGIS and commercial water network software (WaterCAD). A new approach for rehabilitation water pipes has been presented in Gaza city case study. Integrated rehabilitation assessment model has been developed for rehabilitation water pipes including three components; hydraulic assessment model, Physical assessment model and Structural assessment model. WaterCAD model has been developed with integrated in ArcGIS to produce the hydraulic assessment model for water network. The model have been designed based on pipe condition assessment with 100 score points as a maximum points for pipe condition. As results from this model, we can indicate that 40% of water pipeline have score points less than 50 points and about 10% of total pipes length have less than 30 score points. By using this model, the rehabilitation plans for each region in Gaza city can be achieved based on available budget and condition of pipes. The second case study is Kuala Lumpur Case from semi-developed countries, which has been used to develop an approach to improve the water network under crucial conditions using, advanced statistical and GIS techniques. Kuala Lumpur (KL) has water losses about 40% and high failure rate, which make severe problem. This case can represent cases in South Asia countries. Kuala Lumpur faced big challenges to reduce the water losses in water network during last 5 years. One of these challenges is high deterioration of asbestos cement (AC) pipes. They need to replace more than 6500 km of AC pipes, which need a huge budget to be achieved. Asbestos cement is subject to deterioration due to various chemical processes that either leach out the cement material or penetrate the concrete to form products that weaken the cement matrix. This case presents an approach for geo-statistical model for modelling pipe failures in a water distribution network. Database of Syabas Company (Kuala Lumpur water company) has been used in developing the model. The statistical models have been calibrated, verified and used to predict failures for both networks and individual pipes. The mathematical formulation developed for failure frequency in Kuala Lumpur was based on different pipeline characteristics, reflecting several factors such as pipe diameter, length, pressure and failure history. Generalized linear model have been applied to predict pipe failures based on District Meter Zone (DMZ) and individual pipe levels. Based on Kuala Lumpur case study, several outputs and implications have been achieved. Correlations between spatial and temporal intervals of pipe failures also have been done using ArcGIS software. Water Pipe Assessment Model (WPAM) has been developed using the analysis of historical pipe failure in Kuala Lumpur which prioritizing the pipe rehabilitation candidates based on ranking system. Frankfurt Water Network in Germany is the third main case study. This case makes an overview for Survival analysis and neural network methods used in water network. Rehabilitation strategies of water pipes have been developed for Frankfurt water network in cooperation with Mainova (Frankfurt Water Company). This thesis also presents a methodology of technical condition assessment of plastic pipes based on simple analysis. This thesis aims to make contribution to improve the prediction of pipe failures in water networks using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Decision Support System (DSS). The output from the technical condition assessment model can be used to estimate future budget needs for rehabilitation and to define pipes with high priority for replacement based on poor condition. rn

Feminism, gender equity and sexual/reproductive health in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

Sexual/reproductive/health and rights are crucial public health concerns that have been specifically integrated into the Millennium Development Goals to be accomplished by 2015. These issues are related to several health outcomes, including HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence (GBV) among women. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region comprises Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), West Bank and Gaza (WBG), and Yemen. This region is primarily Arabic speaking (except for Israel and Iran), and primarily Muslim (except for Israel). Some traditional and cultural views and practices in this region engender gender inequalities, which manifest themselves in the economic, political and social spheres. HIV and gender-based violence in the region may be interlinked with gender inequalities which breed justification for partner violence and honour killings, and increase the chance that HIV will transform into an epidemic in the region if not addressed. A feminist framework, focused on economic, political and social empowerment for women would be useful to consider applying to sexual/reproductive health in the region.^

Fronteras difusas en el conflicto Israel-Palestina : La mirada del otro en la sociedad y el territorio

El conflicto que ha afecta a Palestina y en la cual se asentó el Estado de Israel presenta una serie de peculiaridades derivadas de dicha situación bélica, agravada en los últimos meses por la ofensiva en la Franja de Gaza. La convivencia de dos comunidades enfrentadas desde hace varias décadas ha resultado en una situación de violencia permanente, que se mantiene en forma explícita o latente. Nos proponemos realizar una reconstrucción somera de los orígenes del conflicto, destacando la subsistencia de un territorio dividido geográfica y simbólicamente entre ambas comunidades. En este aspecto, resulta indispensable profundizar en el concepto de frontera, destacando su carácter ambiguo y complejo en el caso en estudio, conocer también las resoluciones que ha emitido la ONU y las decisiones adoptadas, tanto por Israel, convertido en una potencia militar regional, como por la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), dividida hoy en dos gobiernos, que trata de obtener un territorio propio y un reconocimiento internacional a partir de métodos que incluyen la violencia generalizada o el reconocimiento por las Naciones Unidas como Estado observador no miembro. Este estado de violencia no sólo se manifiesta en el ámbito geográfico, sino también en le seno de la propia sociedad de ambos territorios -Israel y Territorios de la ANP-. Así, la perspectiva del trabajo se encaminará a identificar esa violencia como una práctica de la negación del otro, y como una forma de impedir todo tipo de negociación

Fronteras difusas en el conflicto Israel-Palestina : La mirada del otro en la sociedad y el territorio

El conflicto que ha afecta a Palestina y en la cual se asentó el Estado de Israel presenta una serie de peculiaridades derivadas de dicha situación bélica, agravada en los últimos meses por la ofensiva en la Franja de Gaza. La convivencia de dos comunidades enfrentadas desde hace varias décadas ha resultado en una situación de violencia permanente, que se mantiene en forma explícita o latente. Nos proponemos realizar una reconstrucción somera de los orígenes del conflicto, destacando la subsistencia de un territorio dividido geográfica y simbólicamente entre ambas comunidades. En este aspecto, resulta indispensable profundizar en el concepto de frontera, destacando su carácter ambiguo y complejo en el caso en estudio, conocer también las resoluciones que ha emitido la ONU y las decisiones adoptadas, tanto por Israel, convertido en una potencia militar regional, como por la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), dividida hoy en dos gobiernos, que trata de obtener un territorio propio y un reconocimiento internacional a partir de métodos que incluyen la violencia generalizada o el reconocimiento por las Naciones Unidas como Estado observador no miembro. Este estado de violencia no sólo se manifiesta en el ámbito geográfico, sino también en le seno de la propia sociedad de ambos territorios -Israel y Territorios de la ANP-. Así, la perspectiva del trabajo se encaminará a identificar esa violencia como una práctica de la negación del otro, y como una forma de impedir todo tipo de negociación

Fronteras difusas en el conflicto Israel-Palestina : La mirada del otro en la sociedad y el territorio

El conflicto que ha afecta a Palestina y en la cual se asentó el Estado de Israel presenta una serie de peculiaridades derivadas de dicha situación bélica, agravada en los últimos meses por la ofensiva en la Franja de Gaza. La convivencia de dos comunidades enfrentadas desde hace varias décadas ha resultado en una situación de violencia permanente, que se mantiene en forma explícita o latente. Nos proponemos realizar una reconstrucción somera de los orígenes del conflicto, destacando la subsistencia de un territorio dividido geográfica y simbólicamente entre ambas comunidades. En este aspecto, resulta indispensable profundizar en el concepto de frontera, destacando su carácter ambiguo y complejo en el caso en estudio, conocer también las resoluciones que ha emitido la ONU y las decisiones adoptadas, tanto por Israel, convertido en una potencia militar regional, como por la Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP), dividida hoy en dos gobiernos, que trata de obtener un territorio propio y un reconocimiento internacional a partir de métodos que incluyen la violencia generalizada o el reconocimiento por las Naciones Unidas como Estado observador no miembro. Este estado de violencia no sólo se manifiesta en el ámbito geográfico, sino también en le seno de la propia sociedad de ambos territorios -Israel y Territorios de la ANP-. Así, la perspectiva del trabajo se encaminará a identificar esa violencia como una práctica de la negación del otro, y como una forma de impedir todo tipo de negociación