Motivations of landowners to create Federal Private Natural Heritage Reserves in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Since the 1990s, the amount of private protected areas has increased worldwide, contributing to nature conservation and protecting biodiversity, landscapes and, in some cases, even cultural values associated with the use of natural resources. The motivations for landowners to convert their land into protected areas are still poorly studied, despite the importance of the conclusions of these studies to help in the development of public policies that promote the creation of new Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPN in Portuguese). In this study, we present the results of a research centered on the motivations of landowners in the state of Santa Catarina, south of Brazil, to create federal Private Natural Heritage Reserves (PNHRs) in their lands. Based on the official data of Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity – ICMBio – we identify 67 federal PNHRs. However, after the verification process, we concluded that only 65 of them were legally established. We visited 63 PNHRs and interviewed the owners or managers of all the legal reserves about their motivations to create the protected areas. The results indicated 16 reasons divided into six categories of motivations: conservationist, conservationist/economic, economic, psychosocial, protection of land ownership and imposition. Responses were more frequent for the conservationist (41) and psychosocial (18) motivations, meaning that the landowners decided to create the PNHRs to contribute to the conservation of the land and for their personal satisfaction in doing so. The protection of the lands against roads, small hydropower plants or people invasion were pointed by 15 respondents. The conservationist/economic, economic and impositions motivations were pointed, respectively, by 11, 6 and 4 PNHR owners. In the end, we discussed some legal and ethical issues related to the creation of PNHRs for purposes other than biodiversity conservation.Desde a década de 90, a quantidade de áreas privadas protegidas tem aumentado no mundo todo, contribuindo para a conservação da natureza e protegendo a biodiversidade, as paisagens e, em alguns casos, até mesmo valores culturais associados ao uso de recursos naturais. As motivações que levam os proprietários a converterem suas terras em áreas protegidas ainda são pouco estudadas, a despeito de quanto isso pode ajudar no desenvolvimento de políticas públicas que promovam a criação de novas RPPNs. Neste estudo, apresentamos os resultados de uma pesquisa centrada nas motivações dos proprietários para criar as Reservas Particulares do Patrimônio Natural (RPPNs) federais em suas terras no estado de Santa Catarina. Iniciando o trabalho a partir de dados oficiais do Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), consideramos a totalidade do universo amostral do estado, ou seja, 67 RPPNs federais. A verificação realizada mostrou, porém, que apenas 65 delas estavam legalmente estabelecidas. A maioria destas RPPNs (63) foi visitada, e os proprietários ou gestores de todas as 65 reservas legalmente constituídas foram entrevistados sobre as motivações que tiveram para criá-las. Os resultados apontaram 16 razões principais divididas em seis grupos de motivações: conservacionistas, conservacionistas/econômicas, econômicas, psicossociais, defensivas da propriedade e impostas. As respostas foram mais frequentes para motivações conservacionistas (41) e psicossociais (18), o que significa que os proprietários decidiram criar as RPPNs para contribuir com a conservação do patrimônio natural e também pela satisfação pessoal. A defesa da propriedade foi apontada por 15 proprietários como sendo a motivação para criar as reservas. Trata-se de uma defesa contra estradas, Pequenas Centrais Hidrelétricas ou invasão da área. As motivações conservacionistas/econômicas, econômicas e impostas foram apontadas, respectivamente, por 11, 6 e 4 proprietários de RPPNs. Ao final, alguns aspectos legais e éticos relacionados à criação de RPPNs para outros fins que não a conservação da biodiversidade são discutidos

Las excelencias de los hebreos (Amsterdam 1679)

This is a pedagogical edition of a selection of Las excelencias de los hebreos (Amsterdam 1679), in .pdf format with an English-language introduction and notes, with the original text in both the original Castilian and English translation. Las excelencias de los hebreos (Amsterdam 1679) is a treatise describing the positive characteristics (excelencias) of the Jewish people and a containing a refutation of common anti-Jewish calumnies (calunias) written by Isaac Cardoso (b. Fernando Cardoso, Trancoso, Portugal 1603 - d. Verona, Italy 1683). Excelencias is an apology or pro-Jewish treatise meant to educate its readers on Jewish history and practice, and to combat typical anti-Jewish ideas that were very widespread in Europe since the Middle Ages, and that persist to this day. In this excerpt, the tenth and last of the calumnies leveled at leveled at Jews that he addresses in the work, Cardoso refutes the blood libel often aimed at aimed at Jewish communities living in majority Christian societies from the Middle ages to the present day. This is the accusation that Jews murder Christian children and use their blood to make the unleavened bread that is eaten ritually on the holiday of Pesach, or Passover. As Cardoso explains in this text, these accusations are in contradiction to Jewish law, which forbids the consumption of blood of any sort, and condemns murder and human sacrifice in no uncertain terms. It is also worth pointing out that the accusation of drinking the blood and eating the flesh of a human sacrifice is structurally similar to the sacrament of communion, in which believing Catholics drink wine that according to the doctrine of transubstantiation has become the blood of Christ, and eat a wafer that according to the same doctrine has become his flesh. No such parallel is to be found, however, in Jewish ritual

Internacionalização de Redes de Franquias Brasileiras e o Ambiente Institucional: A Expansão da Chilli Beans Para o Kuwait

Objetivo: Buscou-se compreender como as redes de franquias brasileiras, em sua estratégia de internacionalização, lidam com os aspectos do ambiente institucional político e legal de um país do Oriente Médio, sabendo que as condições que impulsionam a difusão destas redes nem sempre atendem aos perfis mais desejados para expansão internacional, como a proximidade geográfica e cultural, além da existência de legislação que trata diretamente de franquias e da estabilidade política da região. Método: Utilizou-se da pesquisa qualitativa de natureza explicativa e do estudo de caso único, representado pela rede de franquia brasileira Chilli Beans com operações no Kuwait. Principais resultados: Identificou-se que mesmo com importantes distâncias institucionais, os aspectos legais são tratados de forma global, os aspectos políticos podem ser atenuados a partir da escolha estratégica do franqueado local e o principal fator de atração e continuidade está em aproveitar as oportunidades de mercado. Relevância/originalidade: Constatou-se que, apesar de uma rede de franquia operar em um país com grandes distantes institucionais, é possível reduzi-las por meio de estratégias de expansão, tais como, a escolha precisa do franqueado local, o modo de governança que preserve as características do país de destino, ou, até mesmo, um modelo de negócio que facilita transações entre fronteiras.  Contribuições teóricas: Enriquecer as teorias de internacionalização sob a ótica institucional, especificamente para as dimensões política e legal e, em particular, nas regiões com amplas distâncias institucionais, como o Kuwait em relação ao Brasil.  Contribuições gerenciais: Subsidiar o franqueador com alternativas estratégicas para a escolha do modo de entrada em países estrangeiros e evidenciar as oportunidades de mercados em ambientes institucionais distintos do brasileiro

Natural Coinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in a feral pigeon (Columba livia)

Background: Rock pigeon (Columba livia) is an exotic and invasive species of the Columbidae family found in several cities around the world, including Brazilian cities, and close to humans. This species is found in large populations often in public locations, where people may have contact. Several studies have demonstrated the isolation of human pathogens from these birds. However, there are scarce studies describing infections by Gram-negative bacteria to which pigeons are susceptible. Therefore, this report aimed to describe a case of natural coinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in a feral pigeon.Case: A sick feral pigeon was delivered at the Laboratory of Ornithological Studies, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. Due to poor prognosis, the individual was euthanized with ketamine via intravenous injection and submitted to necropsy, in which samples were collected for microbiological and histopathological procedure. The procedure was performed aseptically and samples were collected from intestine, liver, spleen, heart and lung. Bacterial isolation was performed with culture media selective for Gram negative bacteria and strains were identified biochemically. Histopathological examination was performed with conventional method and slides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. DNA from E. coli isolates was extracted with simples boiling method and submitted to uniplex conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to diagnose diarrheagenic pathotypes with specific primers for the following genes: aaiC, aatA, eaeA, stx1, stx2, eltB, estA and ipaH. Escherichia coli was isolated from the intestine, liver, spleen and lung, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was present in liver, spleen and lung. E. coli strains from liver and spleen were positive for the aaiC gene, which is a diagnostic gene for Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) pathotype. Necropsy revealed the presence of several caseous lesions around the head of the bird, cellulitis in the abdominal region, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, hemorrhagic intestine and pericarditis. Microscopical findings were most intense in liver and lung samples, presenting vascular and inflammatory alterations. Histopathological alterations indicated an acute presentation of the infections and several lesions in different organs, demonstrating the septicemic characteristic of the microorganisms involved in this case.Discussion: Both pathogens in this report were identified mostly in the same organs, which may indicate that there was an association in the pathogenesis. However, the entry routes of infection in this case may have been different, considering that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was not isolated from the intestine. The histopathological findings were not pathognomonic for either pathogen. However, some characteristic lesions were observed, such as cellulitis, which is commonly attributed to Escherichia coli. EAEC strains are human pathogens that cause acute and persistent diarrhea around the world. These microorganisms could be potentially transmitted to humans, as suggested by other studies with feral pigeons and enteric pathogens. However, the absence of reports of pigeon-transmitted diarrheagenic infections in humans may suggest that pigeons are only reservoirs of these pathogens. In addition, as this report demonstrates, these birds may also suffer from these infections. In conclusion, the free-living pigeon presented a natural occurring case of coinfection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli. Both are human opportunistic pathogens, and may have public health implication

Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (O:6,8) in Broiler Chickens

Background: The third largest poultry flock in Northeast Brazil is located in Ceará State. Some pathogens are commonly disseminated in broiler chicken flocks, such as the bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family. Among these, some strains of Escherichia coli are frequently associated with different pathological manifestations in domestic animals, while bacteria from the genus Salmonella are considered the most frequent enteric pathogens reported causing foodborne infections in humans. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli strains isolated from broiler chickens in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza city, Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: Samples were collected from July-2014 to March-2015 in ten broiler chicken farms located in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza city, Brazil, with birds in pre-slaughter age. From each farm, 100 individual cloacal swabs were randomly collected from broilers independent of clinical status. Distinct methodologies were used in order to provide optimal isolation conditions for both the bacterial species. For Escherichia coli, the methodology consisted in enrichment with BHI broth, plating in EMB agar and biochemical identification, after which some isolates were maintained in nutrient agar for antimicrobial resistance evaluation. For the isolation of Salmonella sp., a standard method was used with pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, selective plating and biochemical identification steps. Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) was performed with disk diffusion technique and the following antibiotics were tested: ampicillin, ceftiofur, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, polymyxin B, gentamycin, cloranfenicol, tetracycline, azithromycin and fosfomycin. According to the methodology used, 95.9% of samples were positive for Escherichia coli and the most frequent resistance was to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Salmonella sp. was isolated from 0.2% of the samples, which were identified as the serotype Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica O:6,8. Both isolates presented the same antimicrobial resistance profile, which were resistant to six, out of ten tested antibiotics (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol and ceftiofur).Discussion: The low prevalence of Salmonella observed in this study have also been reported by other studies performed in poultry farms in Ceará State, which suggests a good status for this pathogen in the local industry, however further efforts in order to eradicate this pathogen must be applied. The salmonella serotype detected in this study is rarely reported in the literature, especially from the poultry industry. In Brazil, the use of tetracyclines, quinolones and penicillins as feed additives or growth promoters is prohibited; however, a high resistance to drugs from these groups was detected. In addition, multidrug resistant E. coli isolates presented more elevated rates than other studies reported in the literature with antibiotics commonly used in the poultry industry and this may indicate an excessive use of these drugs in the production routine. These results should serve as a warning for surveillance programs to evaluate the incidence of these microorganisms as well as their antimicrobial resistance rates, which may be an important tool for control and prevention in meat poultry production