Interbasin Water Transfers: The Brazilian Experience and International Case Comparisons

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)This paper critically examines Brazil's transbasin diversion experiences and two select, large-scale transbasin projects outside of Brazil. Rather than simply compare Brazil's experiences with international cases, the authors explore the historical context of the projects, focusing on the water resources and environmental regulatory and institutional frameworks in place during the initial proposals and how they influenced the projects' development and completion rates. Huge investments, the lengthy time span between the date of the initial project proposals and the start of construction, the need to garner public and political support, and more recently, the need to fulfill national and regional environmental laws are major factors underlying heated public debates about the proposed projects. After a broad discussion about the subject, the authors examine a recently approved large-scale Brazilian project, the Sao Francisco river transbasin diversion. This river diversion project is considered crucial to the economic development of Brazil's semi-arid northeastern region. Despite the fact that this government-funded project was debated for several decades among the various stakeholders, it was approved under Brazil's newly formed water resources regulatory and environmental framework, which enabled improvements in various key technical aspects of the project, and greater involvement of various key social players.25819151934Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [2008/58508-1

Brazilian cachaca: "Single shot" typification of fresh alembic and industrial samples via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry fingerprinting

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Copper pot stills (alembics) and industrial stainless steel columns are the most common distillation devices used in Brazil to produce sugarcane spirit (cachaca). The use of both apparatus originates two distinctive products, the so-called (a) alembic (the most valuable) and (b) industrial cachacas, respectively, with subtle but characteristic chemical compositions and sensorial properties. Herein, we demonstrate that the use of direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in the negative mode, ESI(-)-MS, is able to provide fast "single shot" fingerprinting discrimination between these two types of spirits. Representative samples of both spirits show ESI(-)-MS with regular sets of diagnostic ions of m/z 279, 255, 199, 171, 143 (alembic) and of m/z 377, 341 (industrial). Principal component analysis (PCA) of the ESI(-)-MS data consistently split the 34 alembic and the 14 industrial samples into two well-defined groups. Sugar addition to the alembic samples was also easily detected. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.115310641068Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Redes de atenção às urgências e emergências: pré-avaliação das Unidades de Pronto Atendimento (UPAs) em uma região metropolitana do Brasil Urgent and emergency care networks: a pre-evaluation of the First Aid Units (UPAs) in a metropolitan region of Brazil

OBJETIVOS: um estudo avaliativo, exploratório das UPAs na região metropolitana do Recife, no ano de 2011. MÉTODOS: considerou-se a descrição da intervenção, o delineamento do modelo lógico, o envolvimento dos interessados e a construção de perguntas avaliativas. Realizou-se abordagem de três fases interativas, utilizando, para sua operacionalização, a análise documental, entrevistas e Conferência de Consenso. O modelo lógico elaborado subsidiou a construção de matriz com critérios e indicadores, que foi submetida a um comitê de informantes-chave para obtenção do consenso. RESULTADOS: a matriz de critérios e indicadores resultante do consenso é composta de três níveis de análise (assistência à saúde, integração interistitucional e gestão) com 41 critérios e 74 indicadores avaliativos. Com base no modelo lógico, na Conferência de Consenso, na matriz de critérios/indicadores e nas considerações sistematizadas dos inte-ressados, foram elaboradas 14 perguntas avaliativas. CONCLUSÕES: as UPAs encontram-se adequadas à rea-lização de avaliações, pois se verificou que os elementos identificados no modelo lógico são condizentes com as condições que a intervenção possui para alcançar suas metas e objetivos.<br>OBJECTIVES: an exploratory evaluative study of the UPAs in a metropolitan region of Brazil in 2011. METHODS: the intervention was described, the logical model outlined, along with the involvement of stakeholders, and evaluation questions drawn up. The three interactive phases approach was carried out using document analysis, interviews and consensus conferencing. The logical model was based on building up a matrix of criteria and indicators that was submitted to a committee of key informants with a view to obtaining consensus. RESULTS: the matrix of criteria and indicators resulting from the consensus comprises three levels of analysis (health care, inter-institutional interaction and management) with 41 criteria and 74 evaluation indicators. Based on the logical model, the consensus conference, the matrix of criteria and indicators and the systematized considerations of interested parties, fourteen evaluation questions were drawn up. CONCLUSIONS: the UPAs are capable of carrying out evaluations, since it was found that the elements identified in the logical model are conducive to the conditions that the intervention requires in order to meet its aims and objectives