Paraguay: a housing finance proposal for middle- to low-income groups

The construction and ownership of homes is fundamental to economic development, the generation of wealth and the formation of the middle class. Although a number of studies have been conducted and programmes implemented in recent decades, there remains a significant housing deficit in Paraguay and Latin America, indicating that such programmes have been unsuccessful. For families unable to document a steady income, the main obstacle to homeownership is often financing. This paper aims to demonstrate the economic and financial feasibility —provided there is sufficient political will and coordination between public and private entities— of a project to build 75,000 homes for 300,000 people (4.5% of the Paraguayan population) with middle to low incomes. The median household income in this segment, for which there is a significant shortage of decent housing, is US$ 396.50. A maximum of US$ 63.44 per month may be set aside for housing costs.

A concepção geossistêmica aplicada ao estudo da dinâmica da paisagem na bacia hidrográfica do rio Lourenço Velho, sul do estado de Minas Gerais - Brasil

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

Consórcio intermunicipal para gestão ambiental nos municípios de pequeno porte 1 e 2 do nordeste paraense: uma possibilidade para gestão ambiental?

Após a publicação da Lei Complementar Federal no. 140 (LC 140/2011), de 08/12/2011, que definiu as competências dos municípios na gestão de políticas públicas ambientais, surgiu a necessidade de propor ações pelo poder público municipal para sua implementação. Para assegurar a eficácia da referida lei, os municípios deveriam estruturar-se para licenciar e fiscalizar as atividades degradadoras, ou potencialmente degradadoras, em seus territórios. Os órgãos criados no âmbito das políticas municipais ambientais demandariam estruturação física e de pessoal que, por serem onerosas, se tornaram verdadeiros óbices à priorização do gestor para garantir as condições necessárias para a gestão ambiental municipal. Dessa forma, a cooperação entre os entes federados, por intermédio do instrumento de Consórcio Público se apresenta como uma alternativa estratégica para implementação da lei nos municípios de pequeno porte para encaminhamento das questões ambientais. Entende-se que um planejamento territorial regional facilitaria o encaminhamento para solicitação de recursos, bem como para a celebração de contratos e convênios que beneficiassem os municípios consorciados. O presente estudo analisa a Capacidade Institucional de gestão ambiental entre os municípios de Vigia de Nazaré, São Caetano de Odivelas, Santo Antônio do Tauá e Colares e propõe um protocolo de intenções para formalização de um consórcio público para gestão intermunicipal do meio ambiente. De acordo com o IBGE, referidos municípios são de pequeno porte classes 1 e 2, localizados na Região Nordeste do Estado do Pará. No decorrer da pesquisa, após as visitas aos municípios, constatou-se a falta de capacidade institucional para promover a gestão ambiental em seus próprios territórios pelos municípios, como carência de servidores, baixa capacitação, escassez de recursos financeiros, omissões legislativas, inoperância dos conselhos e dos fundos municipais, além de ausência de aparelhamento como viaturas e equipamentos de medição. Por outro lado foi detectado que já ocorreram reuniões entre os gestores municipais para buscar uma solução conjunta para os problemas da região, dada a proximidade territorial e as semelhanças dos seus recursos naturais. Neste passo, ao final se construiu uma proposta para implementação de um consórcio intermunicipal, mediante um termo de cooperação para gestão ambiental integral entre os municípios.

Proposal to utilize simplified Swensen protocol in diagnosis of isolated pulmonary nodule

Background: The problem of diagnosing whether a solitary pulmonary nodule is benign or malignant is even greater in developing countries due to a higher prevalence of infectious diseases. These infections generate a large number of patients who are generally asymptomatic and with a pulmonary nodule that cannot be accurately defined as having benign or malignant etiology.Purpose: To verify the percentages of benign versus malignant non-calcified nodules, the length of time after contrast agent injection is spiral computed tomography (CT) most sensitive and specific, and whether three postcontrast phases are necessary.Material and Methods: We studied 23 patients with solitary pulmonary nodules identified on chest radiographs or CT. Spiral scans were obtained with Swensen protocol, but at 3, 4, and 5 min after contrast injection onset. Nodules were classified as benign or malignant by histopathological examination or by an absence or presence of growth after 2 years of follow-up CT.Results: Of the 23 patients studied, 18 (78.2%) showed a final diagnosis of benign and five (21.7%) malignant nodules. Despite the small sample size, we obtained results similar to those of Swensen et al., with 80.0% sensitivity, 55.5% specificity, and 60.8% accuracy. Four minutes gave the greatest mean enhancement in both malignant and benign lesions.Conclusion: Small non-calcified benign nodules were much more frequent than malignant nodules. The best time for dynamic contrast-enhanced CT density analysis was 4 min postcontrast. As well as saving time and money, this simplified Swensen protocol with only precontrast and 4 min postcontrast phases also reduces patient exposure to ionizing radiation.

Why is it so difficult to identify a single indicator of water stress in plants? A proposal for a multivariate analysis to assess emergent properties

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

Envenomation by caterpillars (erucism): proposal for simple pain relief treatment

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

Information Search Behavior: Proposal of Study with Investors in the Stock Market

With the aim of analyzing the information search behavior of investors working in the stock market, this research sought to raise the aspects related to this behavior with focus on the cognitive and causal aspects which pervade the need for information of these investors. For that, the general pattern of informational behavior proposed by Wilson [10], and also the analysis of a report from an investor of the stock market area were used as basis for the analysis and reflection. The report of only one investor was used as basis for investigation, turning it impossible to extrapolate such result to a greater universe. The objective of this research was to investigate the need for information, the context and the intervenient variables which might interfere or not in the information search behavior of investors, in an attempt to get a deeper comprehension about the subject, as well as to propose the continuity of studies with basis on this study proposal.

Brands Analysis Using Informational Ergonomics Concepts: A Proposal

Currently, a lot of visual information present in all media is form vehemently, for example, in print media and interfaces used for publicity in conjunction with informational design. This visual information has great influence in the life of human beings, since the vision of these individuals is the most used sense. Studies on visual identity have not explored this issue in a satisfactory manner, favoring thus the subject of this small development projects in the area. It is noted the need for analyzes to enable implementation principles of project, making them accessible to the comprehension of most individuals. This study aimed to propose an evaluation of visual identities, which were analyzed by means of visual concepts of usability, design methodologies and Gestalt. We contacted design firms specialized in visual identity projects, places where interviews were conducted to collect the brands allowed for analysis. The results point to a frequent demand for the employment of visual usability principles, design methodologies and Gestalt design in visual identities.

A structure-based proposal for a comprehensive myotoxic mechanism of phospholipase A(2)-like proteins from viperid snake venoms

Envenomation via snakebites is an important public health problem in many tropical and subtropical countries that, in addition to mortality, can result in permanent sequelae as a consequence of local tissue damage, which represents a major challenge to antivenom therapy. Venom phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)s) and PLA(2)-like proteins play a leading role in the complex pathogenesis of skeletal muscle necrosis, nevertheless their precise mechanism of action is only partially understood. Recently, detailed structural information has been obtained for more than twenty different members of the PLA(2)-like myotoxin subfamily. In this review, we integrate the available structural, biochemical and functional data on these toxins and present a comprehensive hypothesis for their myotoxic mechanism. This process involves an allosteric transition and the participation of two independent interaction sites for docking and disruption of the target membrane, respectively, leading to a five-step mechanism of action. Furthermore, recent functional and structural studies of these toxins complexed with ligands reveal diverse neutralization mechanisms that can be classified into at least three different groups. Therefore, the data summarized here for the PLA(2)-like myotoxins could provide a useful molecular basis for the search for novel neutralizing strategies to improve the treatment of envenomation by viperid snakes. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chromosome evolution in fishes: a new challenging proposal from Neotropical species

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