Brazilian Border Research Articles

Multiple bluetongue virus serotypes causing death in Brazilian dwarf brocket deer (Mazama nana) in Brazil, 2015–2016

Bela Vista Biological Sanctuary (RBV) is a protected area of Itaipu Binacional, a hydroelectric power company located on the border of Brazil and Paraguay. A captive population of Brazilian dwarf brocket deer (Mazama nana, Cervidae, Artiodactyla) is maintained for conservation purposes. Despite the reproductive success of the animals, outbreaks of a fatal hemorrhagic disease have been registered over the years, compromising conservation efforts. In order to identify the etiological agents of these hemorrhagic diseases, 32 captive Brazilian dwarf brockets were sampled to investigate bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), and adenovirus hemorrhagic disease (AHD), in 2015. Only one deer (1/32; 3.12%) was seropositive for BTV. After this survey, five animals died in the early autumn of 2015 and 2016, again presenting clinical signs of hemorrhagic disease. Using RT-qPCR, RT-PCR and DNA sequencing, five BTV serotypes (3, 14, 18, 19, and 22) were identified in blood and tissues collected during necropsies. These BTV serotypes had not been previously described or isolated in Brazil, either in wild or domestic ruminants. Additionally, differential diagnosis was performed for EHD and AHD, but all samples were negative for both diseases. The multiple distinct BTV serotypes identified in these outbreaks resulted in a high lethality (100%) of Brazilian dwarf brockets and indicated that various BTV serotypes are circulating in the area.

Eight New Taxa of Hypolepis (Dennstaedtiaceae) from the Neotropics

Seven new species and one new variety of Hypolepis are presented, bringing the total recognized for the genus in the Neotropics to about 50 species (and a total of 60 taxa). The new taxa include H. barringtonii (endemic to Florida, U.S.A.), H. cubensis (endemic to Cuba), H. feeana (from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Antilles), H. zimmerae (from Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru), H. sunduei (endemic to Peru), H. forzzae (endemic to Amazonas, in the border of Brazil and Venezuela), H. miodelii (endemic to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and H. rigescens var. paranaensis (endemic to Paraná, Brazil). All new taxa are described, illustrated, and discussed. Treatments of H. flexuosa and H. stuebelii are provided because the description of H. zimmerae and H. feeana alters their circumscription, respectively. It is also suggested that H. repens does not occur in Florida, Cuba, nor Jamaica.

As condições espaço-temporais das fronteiras dos Estados

O artigo em questão analisa as fronteiras dos Estados a partir de distintas condições espaciais e temporais. A partir desta análise, foram construídas quatro tipologias chamadas de condições espaço-temporais da fronteira. Na abordagem do artigo, privilegia-se uma análise mais detida acerca da situação da fronteira brasileira, como estratégia de comunicação ao leitor. Ressalta-se, por meio deste texto, que as categorias propostas não se apresentam como etapas necessárias de um processo evolutivo irremediável. Além disso, a existência de categorias não implica na crença de que uma fronteira se enquadre plenamente em seus termos, abrindo a possibilidade para a existência de características de distintas tipologias em um mesmo espaço analisado.

Hepatitis A Virus, Hepatitis E Virus, and Rotavirus in Foods of Animal Origin Traded at the Borders of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

The aim of this study was to investigate hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E (HEV), and rotavirus (RV) in fresh and processed meat traded on the border of Brazil with Argentina and Uruguay. In total, 159 samples of raw and processed foods of animal origin were collected in Paso de los Libres, Argentina (n = 53 raw meat, n = 24 processed meat) and Rivera, Uruguay (n = 55 raw meat, n = 18 processed meat), or were seized by the Brazilian International Agricultural Surveillance System-VIGIAGRO (Brazil-Argentina border) (n = 8 raw meat, n = 1 bush meat). All samples were tested for the presence of HAV, HEV, and RV genomes. HAV genes were detected in 18.23% of samples and RV genes in 23.89%. No HEV-positive samples were detected. HAV was also detected in two of the VIGIAGRO samples. Processed meats from Argentina and Uruguay had a higher rate of HAV and RV than raw meat (P > 0.05). The median HAV in the Argentinian and Uruguayan samples was 6.9 × 104 and 3.5 × 103copies/g, respectively. The presence of RV viral genes in raw meats from Argentina was significant, and this was not observed in processed meats. The presence of HAV and RV genes in a significant portion of products from Argentina and Uruguay is a potential source of human infection. This also indicates precarious conditions of acquisition, processing, and manipulation, which could be improved by improved regulation of food across borders.

Yellow fever cases in French Guiana, evidence of an active circulation in the Guiana Shield, 2017 and 2018.

French Guiana (FG) is a French overseas region bordering Brazil and Suriname that is considered endemic for yellow fever (YF); vaccination is compulsory for residents and travellers. In August 2017 and 2018, two sporadic YF cases were notified 1 year apart, confirming that sylvatic YF virus circulation is active in the region. YF vaccination coverage should be closely monitored and improved in FG and neighbouring territories and clinicians should be aware of the risk.

Nova Pesquisa Sobre as Coleções de Richard Spruce na Amazônia: uma Colaboração Brasil - Reino Unido

<p>The Northwest Amazon comprises a large region of equatorial forest on the border of Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, which has been inhabited by indigenous peoples since the pre-colonial period. Today they occupy 80% of its area. Travellers such as Richard Spruce, who visited the region in the 1850s-1860s, described the vitality and dynamics of these populations, demonstrated by the size of their longhouses, their extensive inter-communal ceremonies, and their rich material culture. The biocultural objects and associated information collected by Richard Spruce constitute a unique point of reference for the useful plants, ethnobotany, anthropology and environmental history of the region. Housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the British Museum, both in London, this under-researched collection incorporates indigenous plant-based artefacts, samples of useful plant products, detailed archival notes on the use of plants by inhabitants of the Amazon, and accompanying herbarium voucher collections. This paper focusses on an ongoing research programme aimed at building capacity in Brazil to research, cataloguing and mobilising data from these biocultural collections, and developing these important resources for improved understanding of the useful and cultural properties of plants. It aims to build collaborative relationships, making biocultural collections and associated data freely accessible online, and above all to strengthen capacity of indigenous communities on the Rio Negro for autonomous research into material culture and plant use. We present the activities we have developed in the first two years of the programme. Workshops at Kew, Rio de Janeiro and São Gabriel da Cachoeira have enabled the Spruce collections to be fully digitised and artefacts made available through the Reflora portal (reflora.jbrj.gov. br). Training has been given in collection and study of biocultural objects, both to museum staff and representatives of indigenous communities, and a research agenda developed that focuses on better understanding of the shifting relationships between people and natural resources over the last 200 years. We discuss how a broad collaboration has led to constructive, culturally appropriate engagement with local communities, providing a portal into the world of scientific knowledge and helping to mobilise both scientific and indigenous knowledge in a mutually beneficial manner.</p>

POVOS TICUNA NA TRÍPLICE FRONTEIRA: DESAFIOS PARA O ESTADO E PARA O DIREITO

O trabalho em questão deu-se pela importância do tema para as discussões no Direito brasileiro. Tratar de indígenas entre fronteiras é sempre um problema quando se faz a leitura de um Estado, baseado nos ideais de modernidade, nos quais não se consegue incluir as diferenças e especificidades territoriais, culturais e sociais indígenas. Desta forma, através de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, pretende-se abordar a questão indígena na tríplice fronteira Brasil (Tabatinga), Peru (Santa Rosa) e Colômbia (Letícia), na região do Alto Rio Solimões para demonstrar a mobilidade dos Ticuna entre fronteiras. Outra abordagem dada é a necessidade da mudança estrutural do Estado e seus direitos para efetivação de direitos socioambientais, dentro dele, os direitos indígenas que são incompatíveis com a racionalidade individualista e universalista do Estado eurocêntrico. O objetivo do trabalho é demonstrar que o Estado e seu direito são insuficientes para lidar com a mobilidade Ticuna na região da tríplice fronteira, demonstrando que este fato ocorre independente das delimitações territoriais estabelecidas pelo Estado, e também, investigar como os três países têm lidado com a questão Ticuna em seus territórios.

High Genetic Diversity and No Population Structure of the New World Screwworm Fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae) on a Microgeographic Scale: Implications for Management Units.

The New World screwworm fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel, 1858) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is an important livestock pest endemic to the Americas that has been eradicated from North and continental Central America with a control program based on the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). The establishment of target management units is a strategic step in the implementation of new control programs, which can be achieved using genetic studies of natural populations. Previous studies of New World screwworm fly populations were conducted on the continental scale and identified four main groups: two in South America and two in the Caribbean. However, studies within these groups are needed to determine which smaller geographic areas can be treated as management units. Here, we analyze the genetic variability distribution and the population demographic signals of the New World screwworm fly in a 6,000 km2 area located along the border of Brazil and Uruguay. This area was the subject of the first control pilot program conducted in South America. We studied eight microsatellite loci and sequences from two mitochondrial DNA regions in individuals sampled at 20-25 livestock breeding farms. We observed no population structure and found high genetic variability on the geographical scale sampled for both molecular markers. Our microsatellite data suggest that these populations are not in equilibrium, and demographic analyses based on mitochondrial data indicate population expansion. These results suggest that this geographic scale is not adequate for future New World screwworm fly management in South America.

Nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial data of a US cannabis DNA database.

As Cannabis sativa (marijuana) is a controlled substance in many parts of the world, the ability to track biogeographical origin of cannabis could provide law enforcement with investigative leads regarding its trade and distribution. Population substructure and inbreeding may cause cannabis plants to become more genetically related. This genetic relatedness can be helpful for intelligence purposes. Analysis of autosomal, chloroplast, and mitochondrial DNA allows for not only prediction of biogeographical origin of a plant but also discrimination between individual plants. A previously validated, 13-autosomal STR multiplex was used to genotype 510 samples. Samples were analyzed from four different sites: 21 seizures at the US-Mexico border, Northeastern Brazil, hemp seeds purchased in the US, and the Araucania area of Chile. In addition, a previously reported multi-loci system was modified and optimized to genotype five chloroplast and two mitochondrial markers. For this purpose, two methods were designed: a homopolymeric STR pentaplex and a SNP triplex with one chloroplast (Cscp001) marker shared by both methods for quality control. For successful mitochondrial and chloroplast typing, a novel real-time PCR quantitation method was developed and validated to accurately estimate the quantity of the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) using a synthetic DNA standard. Moreover, a sequenced allelic ladder was also designed for accurate genotyping of the homopolymeric STR pentaplex. For autosomal typing, 356 unique profiles were generated from the 425 samples that yielded full STR profiles and 25 identical genotypes within seizures were observed. Phylogenetic analysis and case-to-case pairwise comparisons of 21 seizures at the US-Mexico border, using the Fixation Index (F ST ) as genetic distance, revealed the genetic association of nine seizures that formed a reference population. For mitochondrial and chloroplast typing, subsampling was performed, and 134 samples were genotyped. Complete haplotypes (STRs and SNPs) were observed for 127 samples. As expected, extensive haplotype sharing was observed; five distinguishable haplotypes were detected. In the reference population, the same haplotype was observed 39 times and two unique haplotypes were also detected. Haplotype sharing was observed between the US border seizures, Brazil, and Chile, while the hemp samples generated a distinct haplotype. Phylogenetic analysis of the four populations was performed, and results revealed that both autosomal and lineage markers could discern population substructure.

A survey of Senecio spp. affecting livestock in Uruguay and their associated pyrrolizidine alkaloid content

ABSTRACT: In Eastern Uruguay there has been a significant increase of seneciosis in grazing livestock with most affected localities related to counties neighboring the Brazilian border. A survey in 28 farms associated with poisoning outbreaks in grazing cattle in Eastern Uruguay was carried out. Fifty populations of Senecio plants were collected for alkaloid analysis and species identification. Four species were identified: S. oxyphyllus DC, S. madagascariensis Poir, S. brasiliensis (Spreng.) Less., and S. selloi DC. Alkaloids were identified by a combination of GC-MS and HPLC-MS analysis and included: retrorsine in S. oxyphyllus; retrorsine, usaramine, and senecivernine/senecionine in S. selloi; retrorsine, senecivernine/senecionine, integerrimine, and usaramine in S. madagascariensis; and integerrimine, retrorsine and senecionine in S. brasiliensis. Total mean alkaloid concentration was reported to be highest in S. brasiliensis (17.6mg/g) followed by S. oxyphyllus (6.2mg/g), S. selloi (1.8mg/g) and S. madagascariensis (0.6mg/g). Alkaloid concentrations were also reported to be higher in 2015 vs. 2016 probably due to a common environmental factor. The species S. oxyphyllus and S. madagascariensis were not previously recognized as toxic plants in Eastern Uruguay. Particularly, S. oxyphyllus was present in 82% of the farms surveyed and occurred in high density with relative high concentrations of pyrrolizidine alkaloids suggesting S. oxyphyllus may be the main species involved in the reported outbreaks of seneciosis.

Indígenas en ciudades “pares” en la Amazonia, entre la invisibilidad y la territorialidad urbana: Una mirada retrospectiva

Baseado numa revisão retrospectiva e focalizando um amplo diálogo com a antropologia, este artigo apresenta o processo de invisibilização e posterior revitalização étnica, sociocultural e política dos povos indígenas que têm habitado, e habitam, espaços urbanos tidos como cidades ou assentamentos “pares” em áreas fronteiriças e transfronteiriças da Amazônia. Examina especialmente o caso dos indígenas das cidades de Letícia e Tabatinga na tríplice fronteira do Brasil, Colômbia e Peru no contexto da dissolução dos estabelecimentos imperiais, a reconstituição desses assentamentos no século XX até hoje, com ênfase nos processos de recuperação étnica, da luta pelo reconhecimento dos direitos territoriais em espaço urbanos e fronteiriços, além da organização social e política expressa na constituição de cabildos indígenas urbanos.

Pesca e perfil socioeconômico dos pescadores artesanais da fronteira setentrional do Brasil: a comunidade pesqueira de Oiapoque, Amapá

A pesquisa ocorre na região transfronteiriça do Brasil com a Guiana Francesa, no estado do Amapá, onde os pescadores artesanais do município de Oiapoque estão tendo suas zonas de pesca invadida por atores diversos. A pesquisa descreve e analisa em 10 pontos: aspectos históricos, o papel da mulher, número de filhos e o futuro da pesca, idade e tempo de serviço, formação, migração, composição da renda, organização pesqueira e profissões desempenhadas. A metodologia foi quali-quantitativa (2013 a 2014), com observação direta, 177 questionários, entrevistas e mapeamento. Como resultados a importância do território para a comunidade, o papel da mulher na pesca, a baixa escolaridade e a variedade de ofícios desempenhados, a forma de organização dentro do trabalho que se estende para o social, a distribuição da renda conforme os atores e a consciência ambiental do grupo. As informações socioeconômicas geradas são relevantes, pois são as comunidades que sentem o impacto da globalização, com a diminuição, competição e falência do recurso pesqueiro.

Brazil's grand border strategy: challenges of a new critical thinking in a modern era

This paper aims to offer a critical perspective regarding Brazil's border policies and its military presence. For decades, the Brazilian Armed Forces emphasized the 'Security and Development' doctrine as the solution to solve the many issues of the remote areas of the Amazon. In the late 1980's, even with the end of the Military Regime, such practices continued to dominate the agenda of policymakers. Nowadays, Brazil's young democracy faces new challenges regarding its 'brown areas', as O'Donnell theorized them. Our main goal here is to stress the lack of a critical thinking in the process of transformation of the regional reality. We evaluated the situation according to recent data gathered during several field trips in the Amazon region. The absence of a government presence, often pointed out as a strategic weakness by the military authorities, neglect the presence of various actors (population, NGOs, for example) committed to security. We argue that it is essential for the military to cooperate more with civilians, instead of militarizing the borders, to guarantee a safe presence for the population, and not only the security of a territory.

Artigos sobre comunicação e mídia de fronteira no Brasil nos eventos nacionais da Intercom (2001-2015)

O artigo expõe levantamento de pesquisas sobre mídias e processos comunicacionais nas cidades de fronteira do Brasil com os países da América Latina. O trabalho envolveu consultas aos repositórios de anais dos eventos nacionais do Congresso Brasileiro de Ciências da Comunicação, promovido anualmente pela Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos Interdisciplinares da Comunicação (Intercom), a partir da 24ª edição, ocorrida em 2001, em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, na UFMS, até a 38ª, realizada em 2015. Os dados de interesse são os autores mais prolíficos sobre o tema, o suporte midiático ou processo comunicacional estudado, localização e se há ou não comparação entre meios fronteiriços. Destacam-se entre os resultados a prevalência de estudos sobre mídia nas fronteiras da Região Sul e predomínio de pesquisadoras na realização dos estudos.

Sistema presença e gestão intersetorial na educação: diálogo exploratório sobre o Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) em escolas localizadas na região de fronteira

This paper aims to describe the limits and potentialities of the “Bolsa Familia Program” - PBF, based on the Presence System, which is an intersectoral management resource for compliance conditionality monitoring in education. This descriptive and exploratory research uses the simple descriptive statistics for data exploration of the Presence System. It uses the PBF report technician as well, who is responsible for the program in the city of Ponta Pora, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, to construct the information under analysis. It has been observed that PBF is a powerful reducer of school dropout in the border region, but it is not enough to totally eliminate this problem and the school failure. It is suggested that investments policies development and agreement, programs and legislation aimed to meeting the specificities existing at the Brazilian dry border with Paraguay.

Epidemiological surveillance of land borders in North and South America: a case study.

ABSTRACTThis study aims to analyze the different binational/multinational activities, programs, and structures taking place on the borders of Brazil and the U.S. between 2013 and 2015. A descriptive exploratory study of two border epidemiological surveillance (BES) systems has been performed. Two approaches were used to collect data: i) technical visits to the facilities involved with border surveillance and application of a questionnaire survey; ii) application of an online questionnaire survey. It was identified that, for both surveillance systems, more than 55% of the technicians had realized that the BES and its activities have high priority. Eighty percent of North American and 71% of Brazilian border jurisdictions reported an exchange of information between countries. Less than half of the jurisdictions reported that the necessary tools to carry out information exchange were available. Operational attributes of completeness, feedback, reciprocity, and quality of information were identified as weak or of low quality in both systems. Statements, guidelines, and protocols to develop surveillance activities are available at the U.S.-Mexico border area. The continuous systematic development of surveillance systems at these borders will create more effective actions and responses.

Brasiguaio Identities: An outcome of the pursuit of land across the Brazilian and Paraguayan shared border region

The movement of people between places is far from being a new or isolated phenomenon and is happening more often than before. This is also the case for individuals who moved from Brazil and Paraguay. Based on the existing literature as well as on data gathered in the landless camp Antônio Irmão, also known locally as the ‘Brasiguaios landless camp’ in Itaquiraí in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, this article explains how their search for a piece of land in either Brazil and Paraguay influenced the formation of the Brasiguaios identities. First, I briefly approach the foundation of transnationalism scholarship, which guided my research. Next, I demonstrate how land policies in Brazil and Paraguay, aimed at developing their respective border regions, played a role in the migration of Brazilians to Paraguayan and then the return of a number of them to Brazil. Last, I share the narrative of individuals in the Brasiguaio landless camp in the pursuit of land in either country. At the core of my argument is that the Brasiguaio identities of this landless group result from their pursuit of land rather than from migration processes.

Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum and vivax infection in the neighborhood of Blondin, Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock District, French Guiana.

Optimized elimination strategies are needed to control transmission of malaria. As part of an elimination campaign, active detection of asymptomatic Plasmodium carriers by highly sensitive methods is deemed necessary. Asymptomatic carriage leads to complex scientific, ethical, and operational issues regarding individual or collective detection and treatment. To address this issue, a crosssectional study was carried out in French Guiana to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium carriage during an inter-epidemic season in the whole population of a neighborhood of Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock, along the Brazilian border. Fifty-eight participants out of 63 residents were screened. The median age was 23.3 years (range: 2 months-72 years), with a male/female sex-ratio of 0.56. The majority of the participants (74%, N = 43/58) reported a history of malaria, 12% (N = 7/58) during the past 12 months. All rapid diagnostic tests for malaria were negative. Among the 58 participants, malaria prevalence detected by nested-PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) was 3.6% (N = 2/56). Two asymptomatic carriers of Plasmodium were identified: one child with Plasmodium vivax and one adult with Plasmodium falciparum. These two carriers were treated and did not develop malaria within the eight months following the diagnosis. This study confirmed the presence of asymptomatic parasitaemias outside hyperendemic areas. However, the benefits of such an active detection and patient treatment to eliminate malaria in French Guiana need to be evaluated at a larger scale.

Estado, conflictos ambientales y violencia en la frontera Amazónica de Brasil, Colombia y Perú

The Amazonian border region of Brazil, Colombia and Peru has been place or stage to extraction, trade and transport of a wide variety of forest and aquatic resources, including those associated with activities considered illegal like drug or some types of mining. Aditionally the borders have also been converted in areas of conflict, violence and insecurity, and these, at the same time, are produced and exacerbated by state and institutional weakness of the three states, trying substitute it increasing the military presence, with little and contested results, on the one hand, by different public policies or the existence of rules and laws also different and incompatible. In a historical and current perspective, the article shows the relationship between the state, extractive economies of natural resources and conflict in the brazilian, colombian and peruvian amazon border, taking into account the limitations and possibilities of agreements recently signed between the government Colombian Juan Manuel Santos and FARC guerrillas.

Serologic evidence of HoBi-like virus circulation in Argentinean water buffalo.

HoBi-like pestiviruses (also known as bovine viral diarrhea virus 3) have been sporadically reported from naturally infected cattle in Brazil, Asia, and Europe. Although HoBi-like viruses seem to be endemic in Brazilian cattle and buffalo, they have not been studied in the other countries of South America to our knowledge. Herein we report serologic results of buffalo from 12 large farms in Argentina located near the Brazilian border. These buffalo were not vaccinated against pestiviruses. Our results indicate that HoBi-like virus may be circulating in the northeastern region of Argentina given that half of the analyzed animals showed high levels of neutralizing antibodies against the pestivirus. The HoBi-like seropositive animals were also checked for neutralizing antibodies against BVDV-1a, BVDV-1b, and BVDV-2, and in most cases these animals had low levels or no detectable antibodies against these other pestiviruses. Our study suggests a need for continued pestivirus surveillance in Argentinean cattle and buffalo.