The slippery slope : explaining the increase in extreme poverty in urban Brazil, 1976-96

Despite tremendous macroeconomic instability in Brazil, the country's distributions of urban income in 1976 and 1996 appear, at first glance, deceptively similar. Mean household income per capita was stagnant, with minute accumulated growth (4.3 percent) over the two decades. The Gini coefficient hovered just above 0.59 in both years, and the incidence of poverty (relative to a poverty line of R$60 a month in 1996 prices) remained effectively unchanged over the period, at 22 percent. Behind this apparent stability, however, a powerful combination of labor market, demographic, and educational dynamics was at work, one effect of which was to generate a substantial increase in extreme urban poverty. Using a decomposition methodology based on micro-simulation, which endogenizes labor incomes, individual occupational choices, and decisions about education, the authors show that the distribution of income was being affected by: 1) Three factors that tended to increase poverty-a decline in average returns to education and experience, a negative"growth"effect, and unfortunate changes in the structure of occupations and participation in the labor force. 2) Two factors that tended to reduce poverty-improved educational endowments across the board, and a progressive reduction in dependency ratios. The net effect was small and negative for measured inequality overall, and negligible for the incidence of poverty (relative to"high"poverty lines). But the net effect was to substantially increase extreme poverty-suggesting the creation of a group of urban households excluded from any labor market and trapped in indigence. Above the 15th percentile, urban Brazilians have"stayed put"only by climbing hard up a slippery slope. Counteracting failing returns in both self-employment and the labor market required substantially reduced fertility rates and an average of two extra years of schooling (which still left them undereducated for that income level).Economic Theory&Research,Health Economics&Finance,Environmental Economics&Policies,Public Health Promotion,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Inequality,Health Economics&Finance,Environmental Economics&Policies,Governance Indicators,Poverty Assessment

Synthesis of Highly Stable 1,3-Diaryl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidenes and Their Applications in Ruthenium-Catalyzed Olefin Metathesis

The formal cycloaddition between 1,3-diaza-2-azoniaallene salts and alkynes or alkyne equivalents provides an efficient synthesis of 1,3-diaryl-1H-1,2,3-triazolium salts, the direct precursors of 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidenes. These N,N-diarylated mesoionic carbenes (MICs) exhibit enhanced stability in comparison to their alkylated counterparts. Experimental and computational results confirm that these MICs act as strongly electron-donating ligands. Their increased stability allows for the preparation of ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts that are efficient in both ring-opening and ring-closing reactions

Congenital absence of the pedicles and the neural arch of L2

Congenital pedicle abnormalities are rare. Unilateral aplastic and hypoplastic lumbar pedicles have been reported, but these were usually discovered incidentally and did not need surgical treatment. We present a case of absence of both pedicles and the neural arch of L2, with associated kyphoscoliosis with neurological involvement, that needed a two-stage corrective surgery. An L1-L4 fusion was achieved with relief of the symptom

Conflicts and solutions related to marine turtle conservation initiatives in the Caribbean basin: identifying new challenges

Conflicts among and between local, national, regional and international stakeholders involved in marine turtle conservation are increasing. Often, they arise because of different socio-economic backgrounds of the people or groups involved. Here, we identified and assessed the conservation-based conflicts occurring in 24 of the 39 Caribbean countries, including their frequency, level of severity, number of stakeholders' groups involved, the degree to which they hinder conservation goals, and potential solutions. Using a cross-sectional social survey, we evaluated the presence and details of conservation conflicts provided by 72 respondents. The respondents included conservation-based project leaders, researchers, people involved in policy-based decision-making, conservation volunteers (community-based conservation groups), and species experts with experience working on marine turtle conservation programs in the Caribbean. The respondents identified 136 conflicts, and we grouped them into 16 different categories. The most commonly mentioned causes of conflicts were: 1) the ‘lack of enforcement by local authorities to support conservation-based legislation or programs’ (18%); 2) ‘legal consumption of turtles by one sector of community clashing the conservation aspirations of other sectors of community (14%); and 3) ’variable enforcement of legislation to limit/prohibit use across range states of the species (10%). From our data it is also apparent that illicit activities in the region are also likely to impact the future success of conservation or monitoring based projects and programs. Overall, an exhaustive review was carried out, and the potential solutions were gathered. Due to the level of severity (physical violence) that some conflicts have reached, achieving solutions will be challenging without mediation, mutual cooperation around shared values, and adaptive management arrangements. Achieving this will require combinations of bottom up and top down collaborative governance approaches

Ganglión migratorio tibio-peroneo proximal como causa de parálisis del ciático poplíteo externo

Se present a el caso de un ganglion de la articulación tibio-peronea proximal que se extendió a la musculatura peronea, el nervio peroneo profundo, ligamento lateral externo y menisco externo y ocasionó paresia del ciático poplíteo externo. Tuvo evolución recidivante por lo cual fue intervenido en 4 oportunidades; en la última se realizó una transposición tendinos a por parálisis del nervio peroneo profundo. El paciente evolucionó satisfactoriamente con recuperación de la función y desaparición del dolor. El caso presenta interés ya que ofrece una problemática en cuanto a su origen, presentación clínica, evolución con compromiso neurológico y dificultad en el tratamiento quirúrgico resolutivo.A synovia l cyst attache d t o th e proxima l tibiofibula r join t is described . Th e cyst spreade d int o th e peronea l muscl e group , th e dee p peronea l nerve , th e fibula r collatera l ligamen t an d latera l meniscu s producin g a peronea l nerv e paresis. T h e cyst recurre d an d th e patien t underwen t surger y i n 4 times; i n th e last on e a tendinou s transpositio n wa s performe d t o resolv e a dee p peronea l nerv e paralysis. T h e patien t ha d a goo d evolutio n eit h functio n recover y an d absces e o f pain . Th e cas e illustrate s th e origin , clinica l aspects, evolutio n wit h neuropath y an d difficult sur - gica l resectio n o f this entity

Land quality monitoring systems that integrate local and technical knowledge facilitate adaptation to global change in agricultural landscapes.

IHDP Open Meeting 2009

Radial shortening for the treatment of Kienböck's disease

Twelve patients with Kienbock's disease were treated by radial shortening. Eight patients were in stage II and four in stage III. After an average of 5 years, relief of pain was satisfactory in 10 patients; 8 were in stage II before operation and 2 in stage III. Two patients were dissatisfied because they had persistent pain; both were in stage III before surgery. The range of motion improved moderately. Nonunion at the site of radial osteotomy did not occur. Radiographs at follow up showed consolidation and healing of the lunate in 2 patients, nonprogression of the disease in 9 and increase of the carpal collapse in 1. The procedure helps to prevent further collapse of the lunate especially in stage II and in some patients in stage III