The determinants of private sector and multilateral development agencies' participation in infrastructure projects

Much more investment will be needed in developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, specifically, the goal of reducing poverty. In this respect, private-sector investment is critical, bringing more funds, expertise, and efficiency to the development of projects in several essential areas, like energy, transport, water, and telecommunications. Complementarily, the involvement of Multilateral Development Agencies (MDA) plays an important "enabling" function, acting like a mechanism of risk reduction and enhancing credit. To address these unexplored topics, I perform an empirical analysis of the cross-country determinants of private sector and MDA participation in infrastructure Public Private Partnerships; for this analysis, I use data from developing countries, which was acquired from the World Bank's Private Participation in Infrastructure database. The results suggest the following: the participation of MDA is higher for less populous and poorer countries. Yet neither level of political risk of a country nor respect for human rights seems to play any role in explaining multilateral participation in projects. Concerning private-sector participation, proxies for the country's economic risk are more relevant. The private sector seems to prefer investing in projects located in richer and less populous countries. Also statistically relevant is the country's legal origin and whether the project has MDA participation.

A Six-year investigation on reproductive performance of hybrid rabbits: 1.: pregnancy rate and numerical productivity at weaning as affected by season

With the aim to clarify the effect of seasonal variation on reproductive performance of hybrid rabbits, a six-years investigation was carried out. Traits analysed were pregnancy rate of does and numerical productivity at weaning. The data set included: 33588 matings and subsequent pregnancy diagnosis; 245743 young rabbits at weaning. From the statistical analysis, pregnancy rate and numerical productivity at weaning appeared to be significantly (P<0.001) affected by seasonal variation. Furthermore a statistically significant (P<0.001) month influence was also found. Nevertheless a correlation between the two parameters needs to be performed to supplement our analysis

A Procedure for rabbit blood serial collection

Blood serial collection is required for many applied reproduction and nutrition trials with rabbits. The experimental design of these researches very often includes repeated samplings of large volumes of blood for metabolites and hormones analysis. Our proposed procedure has been tested in many surveys with success. It is based on a blood collection by aspiration, featuring a sterile butterfly cannula with a vacuum tube. By this procedure, the use of syringes is avoided. As a matter of fact when a syringe is used, excessive suction frequently causes the rabbit blood vessel collapse. Furthermore a rough handling of blood, such as excessive suction or the forcing of clotted blood from a syringe, will cause hemolysis: this can interfere with the serum or plasma fractions needed. Blood collection from ear vessels is a technique commonly used with rabbits. The central ear artery is recommended for collecting larger volumes of blood (over 5ml). 10ml of blood/kg body weight can be collected in this manner but the rabbit must be carefully restrained and hematomas must be prevented by direct pressure. Removal of more than 10% of blood volume may result in hypovolemic shock, a potentially fatal reaction. Materials. For local anesthesia EMLA Cream (Lidocaine 2.5% + Prilocaine 2.5%) is a topically applied local anesthetic that is very useful in removing sensation from the venipuncture site. Blood collection set: 1) Butterfly cannula (23 gauge needle for small blood samples and 21 gauge for large samples). 2) Vacutainer blood collection tube and vacutainer holder. 3) Luer adapter (which is designed to allow the attachment of the butterfly to holders using a single venipuncture). Procedure. a) Remove the rabbit from its cage. Proper technique in grabbing and carrying a rabbit is important to prevent vertebral fractures. Grab the rabbit's skin in the shoulder region and place its head underneath your arm. Support the rabbit's legs with the hand of the arm that the head is tucked under. Alternatively, grab the rabbit's skin with both hands (over both the shoulder and the rump region). b) Apply about one thumb size of anesthetic cream on the site selected for blood collection, and leave the cream in contact with skin for 5 minutes c) Check the ear artery if visible and if doesn't dilate, tapping it gently (or flicking it) may help. For vessels dilation the use of topical irritants such as xylene is not recommended. Xylene tends to cause leukocytosis and if it comes in contact with blood, will cause hemolysis. Adequate dilation of vessels can generally be achieved by use of a heat lamp, alcohol or gentle massaging of the ear. d) Only when the blood vessel is clearly visible, with the needle bevel up, parallel to, and alongside the artery, insert the needle quickly under the skin and then into the artery. The needle has to be pointed towards the base of the ear and the insertion into the skin and artery can be performed in one complete motion. e) If the blood vessel has been correctly entered, blood will flow into the tubing of the butterfly cannula. f) Push the vacutainer tube all the way into the holder; vacuum is broken, and blood flows freely being drawn from the artery into the tube. g) Once the blood sample has been taken, the needle must be carefully and quickly removed. When the desired amount is collected, gently hold gauze over needle entry point and remove the needle. h) Hemostasis should be achieved applying pressure to the injected area using thumb and a piece of cotton. Keep pressure on the area for 60-90 seconds, or until blood stops flowing. i) Observe the rabbit for at least another 30 seconds to insure that bleeding has stopped. l) Return rabbit to cage, and check again in 10-15 minutes

Protected Areas approach in the Brazilian EIA system: quality of Terms of Reference and Environmental Impact Statements of major projects in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest

Several initiatives emerged to deal with environmental problems, such as Protected Areas and Environmental Impact Assessment, spread worldwide. The coast of Paraná State, southern Brazil, is 82.6% covered by protected areas to conserve the remnants of the Atlantic Forest and its associated ecosystems, whereas port activities date back to the colonial period and remain important, demanding expansions. The present study evaluated the Protected Areas' approach given by environmental licensing processes of port and industrial projects surrounding the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex. To this end, two checklists assessed the Terms of Reference (TR) and the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) to classify them. EIS turned out to be of average quality, although they fulfilled about 70% of the Terms of Reference requirements. The point is that the TR are indeed poor

O processo de reativação da base operacional da Techint em Pontal do Paraná : análise do processo de licenciamento ambiental

Orientador : Eduardo Vedor de PaulaMonografia (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Curso de Especialização em Análise AmbientalInclui referências : p. 48-5

Report of Oslerus rostratus (Strongylida: Filaroididae) in cats from the Canary Islands, Spain

Metastrongylid species infecting wild and domestic cats worldwide are increasingly being reported. Between 2017 and 2019, a total of 202 faecal samples of domestic cats from the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) were analysed by microscopy and molecular techniques. Morphological analyses showed that 8.91% (18/202) of the faecal samples presented first stage larvae (L1) of metastrongylid species. Total DNA was isolated and tested by PCR targeting a 508 bp fragment of the ITS-2 gene. The nucleotide sequences obtained showed high homology (100%) with the species Oslerus rostratus. This work contributes to the knowledge of the wide distribution of O. rostratus worldwide, being Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), close to the African continent, the new geographic location for this metastrongylid species. Further molecular studies involving new geographic areas from the island of Tenerife, as well as neighbouring islands, are needed to provide relevant insight and better understand the epidemiology of O. rostratus and other metastrongylid species in wild and domestic cats from the Canary Islands

A abordagem da conservação da natureza na avaliação de impactos ambientais no litoral do Paraná

Orientador: Eduardo Vedor de PaulaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia. Defesa : Curitiba, 28/02/2018Inclui referências: p. 129-139Resumo: Desde que o debate sobre problemas ambientais começou a surgir, várias são as iniciativas para lidar com eles, algumas delas se espalharam por todo o mundo, caso do estabelecimento de Áreas Protegidas e da prática da Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental, cujas efetividades são alvo de pesquisas de diferentes campos do conhecimento. O litoral do Paraná, sul do Brasil, tem sua área recoberta em 82,6% por áreas protegidas (denominadas Unidades de Conservação) para conservar os remanescentes da Mata Atlântica e seus ecossistemas associados. Além disso, a mesma costa é recortada por baías, onde as atividades portuárias ocorrem desde o período colonial e são foco de expansões com a implementação de outros terminais portuários e indústrias, principalmente para atender a demanda do agronegócio e da indústria do petróleo. Uma vez que a região é tão importante para a conservação da natureza, a implantação desse tipo de empreendimento deve ser realizada considerando essa especificidade local. Desta forma, a Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental (AIA), que é um processo de avaliação dos prováveis impactos ambientais de um projeto ou desenvolvimento proposto, deve levar em consideração essas especificidades, tornando-os principais focos dos estudos. Portanto, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar se a prática de AIA na costa do Paraná foi realizada considerando as áreas protegidas e como isso vem acontecendo. As empresas escolhidas se instalarão em um município chamado Pontal do Paraná, que tem apenas uma indústria e cuja economia se baseia em serviços e turismo. Foram analisados quatro empreendimentos para verificar a forma como a temática foi considerada durante o processo de AIA. Para tanto, dois roteiros de perguntas foram desenvolvidos, um para o Termo de Referência (TR) e outro para a avaliação dos Estudos de Impacto Ambiental (EIA). Os TR foram considerados péssimos e ruins enquanto os EIA foram considerados ruins e regulares. Também foi possível detectar que, além de serem péssimos e ruins, os TR foram parcialmente cumpridos. A fim de alcançar uma prática mais efetiva, recomenda-se um modelo conceitual para a prática de AIA no litoral do Paraná, já que não há necessidade de repetir as mesmas informações em diversos estudos. Palavras-chave: Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental, Unidades de Conservação, Litoral do Paraná.Abstract: Since the debate on environmental problems began to emerge, several initiatives have been taken to deal with them, some have been spread all over the world, such as the establishment of Protected Areas and the practice of Environmental Impact Assessment, whose effectiveness is the subject of research from different fields of knowledge. The coast of Paraná, southern Brazil, is 82.6% covered by protected areas (denominated Conservation Units) to conserve the remnants of the Atlantic Forest and its associated ecosystems. In addition, there is a bay, where port activities occur since the colonial period and are focus of expansion with the implementation of other port terminals and industries, mainly to meet the demand of agribusiness and the oil industry. Since the region is so important for nature conservation, the implementation of this type of enterprise must be carried out considering this local specificity. In this way, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is a process of evaluating the probable environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, must take into account these specificities, making them the main focus of the studies. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether the practice of EIA in the coast of Paraná has been carried out considering the protected areas and how this has been happening. The companies selected are intended to be located in a municipality called Pontal do Paraná, economy is based on services and tourism and has just one industry. Four projects were analyzed to verify the way the theme was considered during the EIA process. To do so, two questionnaires were developed, one for the Reference Term (scooping phase) and another for the evaluation of Environmental Impact Studies. Reference Terms were considered lousy and bad while the Studies were considered "bad" and "regular". It was also possible to detect that, in addition to being bad, Reference Terms were partially fulfilled. In order to achieve a more effective practice a conceptual model for the EIA practice in the Coast of Paraná is recommended, since there is no necessity of repeating the same information in several studies. Keywords: Environmental Impact Assessment, Protected Areas, Paraná Coast

Como uma Pedra no Silêncio. Recordar Mário Dionísio no centenário do seu nascimento

Neste volume se reunem 36 artigos resultantes do Congresso Internacional "Mário Dionísio no centenário do seu nascimento. Como uma pedra no silêncio", que teve lugar na Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, Museu do Neo-Realismo e Casa da Achada - Centro Mário Dionísio, de 27 a 30 de Outubro de 2016. Repartidos em 4 secções ("Como os outros", "A palavra que falta", "A necessidade de ver claro" e "Nós e os outros"), os artigos procuram "reparar de alguma forma a injustiça feita ao professor, pensador, poeta, pintor, ao artista em tudo quanto empreendeu, e ao seu tão incompreendido, por ser tão singular, legado".Fundação Calouste Gulbenkianinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aptidão física de escolares com deficiência intetectual leve

Atualmente, visualizamos muitas escolas com um trabalho significativo e contributivo para o processo de inclusão, com esforços direcionados para o desenvolvimento integral dos alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais nas escolas regulares e a educação física tem um papel importante nesse processo. Objetivo: avaliar a aptidão física relacionada à saúde e ao desempenho esportivo dos escolares diagnosticados com deficiência Intelectual leve, de três escolas participantes do Programa Institucional de Bolsa de Iniciação à Docência – PIBID/UNICRUZ/Educação Física. Método: foram sujeitos do estudo 21 escolares, com idades entre 7 e 15 anos. O instrumento utilizado foi o Manual de testes e avaliação PROESP-BR (Projeto Esporte Brasil). Resultados: as variáveis que avaliaram a saúde dos educandos desencadearam maior preocupação, pois mostraram que a maioria dos alunos das três escolas está na zona de risco, principalmente no IMC (índice de massa corporal), estando eles acima do seu peso ideal, ou seja, com sobrepeso e até casos de obesidade. Outro resultado preocupante foram os índices de flexibilidade que mostram problemas de mobilidade corporal. As variáveis relacionadas ao desempenho esportivo desses alunos não foram tão alarmantes, mas estão aquém do esperado. Considerações finais: os resultados do estudo foram socializados e ofereceram indicadores para um planejamento de atividades, de acordo com as reais necessidades dos alunos, levando em conta que as oficinas de educação psicomotora do PIBID/UNICRUZ/ Educação Física devem apresentar significância para todos os seus participantes

Conceptualising the separation from an abusive partner as a multifactorial, non-linear, dynamic process: a parallel with Newton's laws of motion

The present study focused on the dynamics and factors underpinning domestic abuse (DA) survivors’ decisions to end the abusive relationship. The experiences and opinions of 12 female DA survivors and 18 support workers were examined through in-depth, one-to-one, semi-structured interviews. Hybrid thematic analysis was conducted to retrieve semantic themes and explore relationships among the themes identified and the differences in survivors’ and professionals’ narratives of the separation process. The findings highlighted that separation decisions derived from the joint action of two sets of factors, the “promoters” and the “accelerators.” Whilst the “promoters” are factors leading to the separation from the abuser over time, the “accelerators” bear a stronger and more direct connection with survivors’ decision to end the abusive relationship. Despite their differences, both these factors acted as propelling forces, leading survivors to actively pursue the separation from the perpetrator. To portray the dynamic links among these factors, we propose a conceptualisation drawn from Newton’s laws of motion. Our findings also highlighted important differences in the views of survivors and support workers, as the former conceived themselves as proactive in ending the abuse, whereas the latter described the leaving process as mainly led by authorities and services supporting survivors. This study has potential implications for research, policy and clinical practice, as it suggests that far from being a linear sequence of multiple stages, leaving an abusive relationship results from a complex interplay of factors that facilitate (“promoters”) or drastically accelerate (“accelerators”) the separation process. We argue that future research should aim at improving our current understanding of the subjective and situational factors that can act as “accelerators” or “promoters” for women’s leaving decisions. Moreover, clinicians and policymakers should invest in creating interventions that aid victims to recognise and leverage promoters and accelerators, thus increasing their readiness to end the abuse