The market of cumaru nuts (Dipteryx odorata) in the State of Pará, Brazil

O presente artigo analisou o mercado de amêndoas de semente de cumaru (Dipteryx odorada (Aubl.) Willd.) no estado do Pará na safra de 2005. As informações secundárias foram obtidas através do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística IBGE e do sistema de informação Aliceweb, do Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior. As informações primárias da cadeia foram obtidas através de entrevistas com os agentes envolvidos na comercialização. Os resultados mostram que atualmente os principais países importadores são o Japão, França, Alemanha e China. Aproximadamente 2.700 famílias estão envolvidas no extrativismo de cumaru em todo os estado. As Margens Brutas foram, respectivamente, 20,0 e 15,0% (paras os dois grupos de atravessadores), 33,3 e 46,7%. Já a Markup foi de 75,0% para os atravessadores, 166,7% para as empresas exportadoras do interior e 233,3% para as empresas atacadistas em Belém. No total o Markup foi de 500,0%. O preço do quilo da amêndoa variou de R$3,00 para os extrativistas até R$ 18,00 para as empresas atacadistas. Também foi possível averiguar que os responsáveis pelo maior acréscimo de preço no produto são as empresas exportadoras, o que gera ganhos desproporcionais ao longo da cadeia.Palavras-chave: Cadeia produtiva; cumaru; extrativismo. AbstractThe market of cumaru nuts (Dipteryx odorata) in the State of Pará, Brazil. The study aimed to present the results of a market study of cumaru nuts in the State of Pará, for the 2005 harvest. The data used in the research were obtained at the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the exportation information system of the Ministry of Developing, Industry and Foreign Commerce (Aliceweb). The gross profit was R$3.00, R$ 2.25, and R$7.00/ kg. But the markup was 75.0$ 3.00 for the collectors to R$18.00/kg for the wholesale companies. It was observed that the major additions to the product price were imposed by the exporting companies, which generate unequal gains within the chain. There are approximately 2.700 families involved in cumaru nuts collection that are exported mainly to Japan, France, Germany and China.Keywords: Suplly chain; cumaru; extractvism.The study aimed to present the results of a market study of cumaru nuts in the State of Pará, for the 2005 harvest. The data used in the research were obtained at the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the exportation information system of the Ministry of Developing, Industry and Foreign Commerce (Aliceweb). The gross profit was R$ 3.00, R$2.25, and R$ 7.00/ kg. But the markup was 75.0% for the intermediary, 166.7% for the interior wholesale companies, and 233.3% for the wholesale companies from Belém, the State capital. The total markup from the beginning to the end of the market chain was approximately 500%. The price of the nut ranged from R$3.00 for the collectors to R$ 18.00/kg for the wholesale companies. It was observed that the major additions to the product price were imposed by the exporting companies, which generate unequal gains within the chain. There are approximately 2.700 families involved in cumaru nuts collection that are exported mainly to Japan, France, Germany and China

An original phylogenetic approach identified mitochondrial haplogroup T1a1 as inversely associated with breast cancer risk in BRCA2 mutation carriers

Introduction: Individuals carrying pathogenic mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a high lifetime risk of breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are involved in DNA double-strand break repair, DNA alterations that can be caused by exposure to reactive oxygen species, a main source of which are mitochondria. Mitochondrial genome variations affect electron transport chain efficiency and reactive oxygen species production. Individuals with different mitochondrial haplogroups differ in their metabolism and sensitivity to oxidative stress. Variability in mitochondrial genetic background can alter reactive oxygen species production, leading to cancer risk. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that mitochondrial haplogroups modify breast cancer risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Methods: We genotyped 22,214 (11,421 affected, 10,793 unaffected) mutation carriers belonging to the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 for 129 mitochondrial polymorphisms using the iCOGS array. Haplogroup inference and association detection were performed using a phylogenetic approach. ALTree was applied to explore the reference mitochondrial evolutionary tree and detect subclades enriched in affected or unaffected individuals. Results: We discovered that subclade T1a1 was depleted in affected BRCA2 mutation carriers compared with the rest of clade T (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34 to 0.88; P = 0.01). Compared with the most frequent haplogroup in the general population (that is, H and T clades), the T1a1 haplogroup has a HR of 0.62 (95% CI, 0.40 to 0.95; P = 0.03). We also identified three potential susceptibility loci, including G13708A/rs28359178, which has demonstrated an inverse association with familial breast cancer risk. Conclusions: This study illustrates how original approaches such as the phylogeny-based method we used can empower classical molecular epidemiological studies aimed at identifying association or risk modification effects.Peer reviewe

Transformação da educação médica: é possível formar um novo médico a partir de mudanças no método de ensino-aprendizagem?

As mudanças na formação dos profissionais médicos têm estado na pauta de discussão das escolas formadoras há algumas décadas. As principais tentativas concretizadas atêm-se, sobretudo, a mudanças metodológicas ou pedagógicas, com a reestruturação dos currículos a partir da inserção da aprendizagem baseada em problemas (ABP) como eixo estruturante. O modelo hegemônico é, ainda, a formação a partir de um currículo de formato tradicional, e a alternativa de mudança mais em voga passa, então, a ser a ABP. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar esse método e as avaliações de seus resultados, de forma a compor um panorama da sua efetividade na busca do médico crítico, reflexivo e com responsabilidade social. Foi realizada revisão da literatura com busca bibliográfica nas bases SciELO (Scientific Eletronic Library Online), Pubmed (www.nlm.nih.gov) e BVS (Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde), tendo como critério de seleção os artigos publicados sobre o assunto nos últimos 20 anos. Os resultados apontam insuficiência da mudança pedagógica isolada como resposta a uma formação médica capaz de aliar competências técnicas e ético-humanísticas