How Does Land Title Affect Access to Credit? Empirical Evidence from an Emerging Economy

This paper studies the effects property rights on credit access using a unique data set based on a Brazilian land-titling program affecting 85,000 families. The causal role of land title is isolated by comparing two communities in Osasco, where some residential units are allocated titles and others not. Survey data is collected from residents before and after the title granting. In order to estimate land title impact, we have undertaken the Difference-in- Differences methodology. Some of our results suggest that land title increases the access to credit for about 60%. Additionally, land title impact by gender and credit type is presented and also positive.Property Rights, Land Title, Credit, Difference-in-Difference, and Differencein- Differences Matching Estimator

Some Notes on How Land Title Affects Child Labor

Secure property rights are considered a key determinant of economic development. However, evaluation of the causal effects of land titling is a difficult task. Since 2004, a program called “Papel Passado” has issued titles to more than over 85,000 families and has the goal to reach 750,000. This paper examines the direct impact of securing a property title on child labor force participation. This study uses a comparison between two close and similar communities in the City of Osasco case. The key point of this case is that some units participate in the program and others do not. Estimates, generated using difference-in-difference econometric technique suggest that titling results in a substantial decrease in child labor force participation for the families that received the title compared with the others. This findings are relevant for future policy tools for dealing with informality and how it affects economic growth.Investment Property Rights, Land Titling, Child Labor ForceJournal:Economia

Colección Ictiológica de la Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia

La ictiofauna de la cuenca del río Magdalena, la mejor muestreada de Colombia, todavía presenta información escasa para algunas subcuencas. Tal es el caso de las subcuencas que drenan el nororiente colombiano, donde se están descubriendo nuevas especies y haciendo los primeros inventarios de muchos cuerpos de agua. En este artículo se describen los datos de la principal colección de peces del nororiente colombiano, la Colección Ictiológica de la Universidad Industrial de Santander, en Bucaramanga. Los primeros registros de la colección datan de diciembre de 2002 y a la fecha las colectas continúan activas. La mayoría de los ejemplares han sido recolectados en el sistema de la cuenca del Magdalena y en el departamento de Santander. También incluye ejemplares recolectados en los departamentos de Arauca, Atlántico, Bolívar, La Guajira, Meta, Norte de Santander y Valle del Cauca. La mayoría de los especímenes se fijaron en formol y preservaron en alcohol al 70 %. Actualmente la colección cuenta con 1665 registros, pertenecientes a 9 órdenes, 33 familias, 74 géneros y 100 especies. Los órdenes mejor representados son Characiformes (38,4 % de los registros), Perciformes (31,4 %) y Siluriformes (18,6 %). Entre los especímenes se cuenta con los holotipos de Astyanacinus yariguies y Gephyrocharax torresi y con paratipos de estas dos especies y de Trichomycterus uisae

Colección Ictiológica de la Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia

The ichthyofauna of the Magdalena River Basin is the best sampled of Colombia and yet, there is scant information about the fish of some of its drainages. That is the case for the drainages of Colombia’s North-East, where new species are being found during the first inventories of many freshwater sites. In this paper, we describe the database of the main freshwater fish collection of North-Eastern Colombia, the Ichthyological Collection of the Universidad Industrial de Santander in Bucaramanga. The collection started in December of 2002 and still active. Most of the specimens were collected in the Magdalena river basin system in the department of Santander. There are also specimens collected from the departments of Arauca, Atlántico, Bolívar, La Guajira, Meta, Norte de Santander and Valle del Cauca. Most of the specimens were fixed in formalin and preserved in 70% alcohol. There are currently 1665 records, corresponding to 9 orders, 33 families, 74 genera, and 100 species. The most frequent orders were Characiformes (38.4% of the records), Perciformes (31.4%), and Siluriformes (18.6%). Among the specimens in collection are the holotype and paratypes of Astyanacinus yariguies andGephyrocharax torresi , and paratypes of Trichomycterus uisae.La ictiofauna de la cuenca del río Magdalena, la mejor muestreada de Colombia, todavía presenta informaciónescasa para algunas subcuencas. Tal es el caso de las subcuencas que drenan el nororiente colombiano, dondese están descubriendo nuevas especies y haciendo los primeros inventarios de muchos cuerpos de agua. Eneste artículo se describen los datos de la principal colección de peces del nororiente colombiano, la ColecciónIctiológica de la Universidad Industrial de Santander, en Bucaramanga. Los primeros registros de la coleccióndatan de diciembre de 2002 y a la fecha las colectas continúan activas. La mayoría de los ejemplares han sidorecolectados en el sistema de la cuenca del Magdalena y en el departamento de Santander. También incluyeejemplares recolectados en los departamentos de Arauca, Atlántico, Bolívar, La Guajira, Meta, Norte deSantander y Valle del Cauca. La mayoría de los especímenes se fijaron en formol y preservaron en alcohol al 70%. Actualmente la colección cuenta con 1665 registros, pertenecientes a 9 órdenes, 33 familias, 74 géneros y100 especies. Los órdenes mejor representados son Characiformes (38,4 % de los registros), Perciformes (31,4%) y Siluriformes (18,6 %). Entre los especímenes se cuenta con los holotipos de Astyanacinus yariguies yGephyrocharax torresi y con paratipos de estas dos especies y de Trichomycterus uisae

How land title affects the income of brazilian labor force?

A obtenção dos direitos de propriedade é considerada um determinante para o desenvolvimento econômico. Entretanto, a avaliação dos efeitos do título de propriedade é uma tarefa difícil. O Governo Brasileiro, por meio do programa intitulado “Papel Passado”, vem concedendo escrituras desde 2004 para mais de 85.000 famílias e ainda objetiva alcançar a marca de 750.000 famílias beneficiadas. Este artigo examina o impacto direto da obtenção do título de propriedade sobre o aumento de horas de trabalho e renda. A fim de isolar o papel causal do título concedido, o estudo utiliza uma comparação entre duas comunidades vizinhas na cidade de Osasco. O ponto chave, entretanto, é que uma das comunidades, Jardim Canaã, foi beneficiada pelo programa em 2007 e a outra, Jardim DR, devido a restrição orçamentária do governo, só fará parte do programa em 2011, e por este motivo tornou-se o grupo de controle. As estimações, geradas a partir da técnica econométrica Difference-in-Difference, sugerem o aumento das horas de trabalho e renda para as famílias que obtiveram os títulos, comparativamente aos indivíduos do grupo de controle. Tais observações podem prestar um relevante subsídio em relação a futuras políticas públicas com abordagem sobre informalidade, afetando assim o crescimento econômico.Secure property rights are considered a key determinant of economic development. However, the evaluation of the causal effects of land titling is a difficult task. The Brazilian government through a program called “Papel Passado” has issued titles, since 2004, to over 85,000 families and has the goal to reach 750,000. This paper examines the direct impact of securing a property title on the supply of work hours and income. In order to isolate the causal role of ownership security, this study uses a comparison between two close and very similar communities in the City of Osasco. The key point of this case is that some units get the program and others do not. One of them, Jardim Canaã, was fortunate to receive the titles in 2007, the other, Jardim DR, given fiscal constraints, only will be part of the program schedule in 2011, and for that reason became the control group. The estimates, generated using Difference-in-Difference econometric technique, suggest that titling results in a increase of adult labor suply and income for the families that received the title compared to the others. Such remarks can provide a relevant subsidize regarding future public tools to approach informality and affect economic growth

Influence of migration on the thought process of individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis

OBJECTIVE To assess the influence of migration on the psychopathological presentation of individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS This study is part of the Subclinical Symptoms and Prodromal Psychosis (SSAPP) project, a cohort study in São Paulo, Brazil, designed to follow individuals at UHR. After screening with the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ) and a clinical interview, the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) was administered, a neuropsychological assessment was performed, sociodemographic and migration data were obtained. We then analyzed UHR individuals who had migration data to see if migration had any effect on their cognition and psychopathology. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables, and Student's t test or analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for nonparametric and parametric distributions, respectively. RESULTS The sample was composed of 42 at-risk subjects, of whom 5 had a migration history in the past two generations. Those with migration history showed significantly more formal thought disturbances (p = 0.012) and sleeping problems (p = 0.033) compared to those without. CONCLUSIONS Our data reinforce migration as a risk factor for psychosis in developing countries as well, and highlights the importance of studying the specific effect of this factor in UHR psychopathology

Racionalidade terapêutica: elementos médico-sanitários nas demandas judiciais de medicamentos

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the main medical, scientific and health-related procedural elements upon which decisions are made in individual lawsuits demanding medicines that are considered essential to the Court of Justice. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study based on 27 cases ruled on by the Court of Appeals in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, in 2006. The original proceedings were solicited from the Central Archive of the Court of Justice of the State of Rio de Janeiro and were photographed and analyzed in full. RESULTS: Prescriptions and medical certificates were present in 100% of the lawsuits. All prescriptions lacked conformity to legislation. No expert medical reports were added, and only 7.4% of the lawsuits presented complementary examinations. In spite of the scarcity of medical information present in the records, all of the demands were granted. CONCLUSIONS: The admission of judicial demands devoid of clinical and diagnostic substantiation results in managerial and health-related constraints on the health system. Besides creating havoc in standard pharmaceutical services, badly justified medicine demands may compromise rational drug use.OBJETIVO: Caracterizar los principales elementos procesales, medico-científicos y sanitarios que respaldan las decisiones de las demandas judiciales individuales por medicamentos consideradas esenciales. MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo con base en 27 acciones juzgadas en 2ª instancia en el estado de Rio de Janeiro, Sureste de Brasil, en 2006. Los procesos originales fueron solicitados al Archivo Central del Tribunal de Justicia del Estado de Rio de Janeiro, fotografiados y analizados de forma íntegra. RESULTADOS: Todas las acciones incluyeron prescripción y atestados médicos. Las prescripciones estaban en desacuerdo con la legislación. No hubo pericia médica en ninguna de las acciones y en 7,4% constaban exámenes complementarios. A pesar de la escasa información médica contenida en los autos, todos los pedidos fueron deferidos. CONCLUSIONES: El acogimiento de demandas judiciales carentes de subsidios clínicos y diagnósticos trae complicaciones de tipo gerencial y sanitaria al sistema de salud, ya que comprometen la asistencia farmacéutica regular y fomentan el uso irracional de medicamentos.OBJETIVO: Caracterizar os principais elementos processuais, médico-científicos e sanitários que respaldam as decisões das demandas judiciais individuais por medicamentos consideradas essenciais. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo retrospectivo com base em 27 ações julgadas em 2ª instância no Estado do Rio de Janeiro em 2006. Os processos originais foram solicitados ao Arquivo Central do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, fotografados e analisados na íntegra. RESULTADOS: Todas as ações incluíram prescrição e atestado médicos. As prescrições estavam em desacordo com a legislação. Não houve perícia médica em nenhuma das ações e em 7,4% constavam exames complementares. Apesar da escassa informação médica contida nos autos, todos os pedidos foram deferidos. CONCLUSÕES: O acolhimento de demandas judiciais carentes de subsídios clínicos e diagnósticos traz embaraços de ordem gerencial e sanitária ao sistema de saúde, pois comprometem a assistência farmacêutica regular e fomentam o uso irracional de medicamentos

Reply to: New Meta- and Mega-analyses of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Schizophrenia: Do They Really Increase Our Knowledge About the Nature of the Disease Process?

This work was supported by National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Grant No. U54EB020403 (to the ENIGMA consortium)

An environmental assessment of the Tramandaí River Estuary, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

A finalidade deste trabalho foi desenvolver um diagnóstico ambiental dos atores sociais e da fauna de vertebrados do estuário do rio Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Esse diagnóstico foi elaborado a partir de (1) entrevistas com atores sociais e monitoramen-to das atividades antrópicas, (2) inventariamento da ictiofauna, avifauna e mastofauna e (3) monitoramento da população de botos-de-Lahille (Tursiops gephyreus). Os atores sociais identificados incluem, em sua maioria, residentes dos municípios que compõem o estuário (Imbé e Tramandaí) e da região metropolitana de Porto Alegre, capital do Estado. Diferentes formas de uso foram registradas, sendo as atividades de lazer e a pesca amadora e profissio-nal as mais frequentes. Foram registradas sete espécies da fauna brasileira ameaçadas de extinção: duas de peixes (Genidens barbus e Pogonias courbina), três de aves (Sterna hirundinacea, Thalasseus acuflavidus e Thalasseus maximus) e duas de mamíferos (Tursiops gephyreus e Ctenomys flamarioni). No estuário do rio Tramandaí, a ocupação humana desordenada resulta em uma série de impactos ambientais, tais como poluição, in-trodução de espécies invasoras, perda de habitat, ameaça à existência de espécies e de práti-cas culturais. Nesse sentido, propõe-se como prioridades de conservação: a pesca cooperati-va entre botos e pescadores artesanais, a tainha (Mugil liza) e as aves migratórias. O diálogo entre tomadores de decisão, cientistas e atores sociais do estuário do rio Tramandaí é funda-mental para a definição de políticas públicas para a conservação da biodiversidade da região.This study aimed to produce an environmental assessment of stakeholders and vertebrates from the Tramandaí River estuary, Rio Grande do Sul, south Brazil. The assessment was based on (1) semi-structured interviews carried out with local stakeholders and monitoring of anthropogenic activities, (2) fish, bird, and mammal inven-tories, and (3) monitoring of the dolphin (Tursiops gephyreus) population inhabiting the estuary. Local stakeholders included residents in the two cities surrounding the estuary (Imbé and Tramandaí) and in cities of the Metropolitan Region of the state's capital, Porto Alegre. Different human uses of the estuary were recorded, the amateur and professional artisanal fisheries being the most frequent. Seven vertebrate species threatened with extinc-tion were recorded: two fishes (Genidens barbus and Pogonias courbina), three birds (Sterna hirundinacea, Thalasseus acuflavidus, and Thalasseus maximus), and two mam-mals (Tursiops gephyreus and Ctenomys flamarioni). Unregulated land occupation in Tra-mandaí River estuary results in pollution, introduction of invasive species, and loss of habi-tat, thus threatening species and cultural practices. Therefore, we propose the following as priorities for conservation: the cooperative fishing between fishers and dolphins, the mullet (Mugil liza), and migratory birds. We stress the need for dialogue between decision makers, scientists, and local stakeholders to develop effective public policies for the conservation biodiversity in the region

Safeguarding human–wildlife cooperation

Human–wildlife cooperation occurs when humans and free-living wild animals actively coordinate their behavior to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. These interactions provide important benefits to both the human and wildlife communities involved, have wider impacts on the local ecosystem, and represent a unique intersection of human and animal cultures. The remaining active forms are human–honeyguide and human–dolphin cooperation, but these are at risk of joining several inactive forms (including human–wolf and human–orca cooperation). Human–wildlife cooperation faces a unique set of conservation challenges, as it requires multiple components—a motivated human and wildlife partner, a suitable environment, and compatible interspecies knowledge—which face threats from ecological and cultural changes. To safeguard human–wildlife cooperation, we recommend: (i) establishing ethically sound conservation strategies together with the participating human communities; (ii) conserving opportunities for human and wildlife participation; (iii) protecting suitable environments; (iv) facilitating cultural transmission of traditional knowledge; (v) accessibly archiving Indigenous and scientific knowledge; and (vi) conducting long-term empirical studies to better understand these interactions and identify threats. Tailored safeguarding plans are therefore necessary to protect these diverse and irreplaceable interactions. Broadly, our review highlights that efforts to conserve biological and cultural diversity should carefully consider interactions between human and animal cultures. Please see AfricanHoneyguides.com/abstract-translations for Kiswahili and Portuguese translations of the abstract