Challenges In Brazil Research Articles

Characterization of reports of Congenital Syphilis in Pernambuco from 2018 to 2019

Syphilis is a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STIs) caused by the bacterium Treponema Pallidum, which can be controlled through effective public health actions and measures, due to effective and low-cost treatment. The congenital form of syphilis is a serious outcome, since most newborns have physical, sensory or developmental sequelae, when they do not result in fetal and perinatal loss. This is a public health problem that remains an important challenge in Brazil. To characterize the prevalence of congenital syphilis in the state of Pernambuco between 2018 and 2019. This is a descriptive, observational, quantitative study, using secondary data from the Database of the Unified Health System - DATASUS/Ministry of Health. Tabbed by TABNET. Through the database of the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN), notifications for congenital syphilis in the state of Pernambuco were evaluated from 2018 to 2019. The results showed that there were 2,731 reported cases of Congenital Syphilis in the state of Pernambuco from 2018 to 2019. Where the age group with the highest number of infected children are those with less than 07 days, corresponding to 96.48%, already in relation to the age group of the mother, the most affected is between 20 and 29 years. Even with a considerable number of 79.75% of pregnant women who underwent prenatal care, most partners did not have treatment, with a percentage of 38.92%. With the high number of confirmed cases of congenital syphilis, it is necessary to create strategies to reduce these numbers, it is necessary to reflect on the deficiencies in the quality of prenatal care services. It is known that vertical transmission of the disease is prevent Table, provided that the pregnant woman is diagnosed and treated appropriately.

General considerations about the general data protection law and its main challenges in Brazil

If, on the one hand, the concern with data protection represents an advance in Brazil, on the other hand, it is considered that the ignorance of technology, as well as, the infrastructure resources still limited in Brazil are presented as a major obstacle in this relationship, and tends to create a line of judicialization that can and should be discussed. Thus, this study has as a guide question: What are the main challenges in Brazil in the implementation of a Data Protection Law? Its main objective was to bring subsidies for reflection in order to serve as a basis for deeper and more interdisciplinary discussions on the subject. Seeking then, to bring a brief overview of the obstacles that are still being little discussed.

Opportunities of the Nagoya Protocol to nurture the use of native species in Brazil

In June 2021, Brazil has become the 130th member of the Nagoya Protocol (NP). This brings both challenges and opportunities. Despite being a megadiverse country with approximately 50 thousand documented flora species, its biodiversity remains virtually untapped due to insufficient mapping and research programs, inefficient governmental support and lack of cooperation with emerging biodiversity markets. Here, we explore opportunities and challenges for Brazil as a new member of the NP. We present ways forward for Brazil to shift from an unprocessed native species resource provider to a developer of new products based on the genetic resources from the wide range of its native species. We stress the need for finding a balance between material and immaterial values of biodiversity. In addition, we call for investments to develop knowledge (taxonomy, conservation, sustainable use), alternative market niches, infrastructure, skills, regulatory frameworks and efficient operational structures. As science and technology continue to develop novel modes for the use of biodiversity, it is important to monitor those developments to ensure that benefits are returned and reinvested in the wellbeing of traditional communities where the biodiversity knowledge originated. To achieve this goal, the country must develop its National Benefit Sharing Fund aimed at supporting the roots of biodiversity knowledge.

Statistical Analysis Models for "Conservation Opportunities and Challenges in Brazil's Roadless and Railroad-Less Areas"

Statistical Analysis Models for "Conservation Opportunities and Challenges in Brazil's Roadless and Railroad-Less Areas"

RA92A recombinant protein as immunogen to protect cattle against tick challenge in Brazil and Uganda

In this study, the recombinant gut protein rRa92A produced in Pichia pastoris yeast cells was used to immunize cattle in two experiments, one in Brazil and the other in Uganda. In both experiments, the animals were intramuscularly (IM) injected with 200 µg of recombinant protein in Brazil on days 0, 30 and 51 and in Uganda on days 0, 30. Blood samples for sera separation were collected from different days in both experiments. These samples were analyzed by ELISAs. In Brazil, ticks collected from the animals during the experimental period were analyzed for biological parameters. At Uganda, blood was collected to assess blood parameters, clinical signs were recorded and adult tick (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus) counts were performed. All animals of the vaccinated groups were shown to produce antibodies, and it was not possible to detect an effect on Rhipicephalus microplus. All the clinical parameters were considered within the normal ranges for both the experimental and control groups in Uganda. Antibody absorbance was elevated after each immunization and remained high until the end of the experiments, remaining low in the control animals. The results of stall test carried out in Brazil using R. microplus tick showed efficacy of 21.95%. The rRa92A immunization trial experiments in Uganda showing a decrease of 55.2% in the number of engorged adult ticks, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Assessment of the immunogenicity of Ra92A produced in the P. pastoris expression system in bovines is reported for the first time, and the protein acted as a concealed antigen.

Capacity building primary care responses to domestic violence in Brazil: designing a training model

Abstract Background Violence against women (VAW) is a public health challenge in Brazil. The country ranks 6th globally for femicide, with a high prevalence of domestic violence, amplified by the pandemic. Primary healthcare (PHC) workers can play a significant role caring for survivors, but their training on how to identify and respond to survivors is a major gap. This study aimed to investigate frontline PHC workers' needs and concerns in the care of VAW survivors, aiming to co-design a participatory model of capacity building to be implemented in the Brazilian PHC. Methods This study is based on participatory action-research (PAR) through participant observation and in-depth interviews with an interdisciplinary team of 13 PHC workers from Paranaguá, South of Brazil. Data were collected between Aug/2020-Jan/2021, transcribed, coded and synthetized through thematic analysis. Results Major needs and concerns were: 1) unanimous need of capacity building for all PHC workers and managers; 2) training ideally should be face-to-face, and more than one day, based in practical cases (not just in theory); 3) clarifying the role of the cross-sectoral network and referral options; 4) contents needs to address confidentiality, qualified listening, empathy and respect, with practical guidance on how to approach survivors. Other issues included: integrating VAW approaches with violence against children and adolescents; ensuring PHC units have a private room to care for survivors; and electing a key professional in each unit, with more specialized knowledge, to support survivors and staff. Conclusions This PAR revealed key issues to collaboratively design a capacity building model for PHC in Brazil, tailored to local needs. The next step will be applying for funding to implement a pilot training. Key messages Frontline PHC workers routinely attend cases of VAW, therefore their insights are essential to design capacity building to care for survivors in PHC settings. Training healthcare workers to care for survivors of violence needs to address local concerns, targeting knowledge, skills and competences.

Persistence of vaccine immunity against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus for determination of vaccine protocol in dogs: impacts and challenges in Brazil

Vaccine protocols were established for dogs and cats, considering the circulating period of maternal antibodies from the puppies, the type of antigen used to make the vaccines and the vaccine immunity duration. This study aimed to approach the duration of vaccine immunity against the canine parvovirus (CPV-2) and the canine distemper virus (CDV), as determining factor to choose the adequate vaccine protocol, besides to stand out the main implications found in Brazil that difficult the application of these current protocols, as the technical challenges to use them. For that, this article described some information about the types of current vaccines, the immunity duration against the CPV-2 and CDV, as well the respective vaccine protocols that were applied. The searches were done in the database of PubMed, SciELO, Google Scholar, Capes Journals and academic books, by the following keywords: vaccination guidelines; humoral immune response; vaccination strategy; distemper; parvovirus infection; and duration of vaccine immunity. Considering the facts, it is understood that the annual revaccination against the CPV-2 and CDV for dogs must be individually assessed, because the vaccine immunity has an average duration of three years, that is, the best alternative for the animal would be the application of routine serological tests, aiming to assess if the antibodies titration remains protective. Another alternative is the use of divalent or trivalent vaccines.

Critical Examination Using Business Intelligence on the Gender Gap in Information Technology in Brazil

In the early 1990s, cyberfeminism emerged as an area of knowledge to discuss the connection between gender and technology. According to UNESCO, women are underrepresented in the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and less than a third of women worldwide work in scientific research and development. However, this number has grown and this reality is constantly changing. In this context, using business intelligence techniques, this study analyzes data from the computer and information and communication technology market to characterize the impact of the performance of women in these areas. It is expected to show that this performance in the highlighted fields is still a challenge in Brazil. Based on this hypothesis, results indicates that public policies must be focused on the base, i.e., to encourage young women to work in STEM areas. This study could encourage policymakers to find solutions to the challenges presented in this research.

Biopharmaceutical supply Chain challenges in developing countries: an exploratory analysis

ABSTRACT Biological medicines have grown in importance for treating some chronic diseases better than regular chemical medication. However, they demand specialised services in the biopharmaceutical supply chain (BSC) compared to conventional drugs. This paper aims to understand the BSC’s main challenges in Brazil and the critical factors for its development. We conducted exploratory qualitative research, interviewing ten senior professionals. Findings showed that the main logistics challenges are the end-to-end temperature control in the supply chain and a collaborative relationship within the supply network. This research also highlights some social, political, and economic challenges faced by developing countries like Brazil. Those findings contribute to extending the literature on BSC and help managers understand and prepare for the new challenges of the BSC, especially in emerging economies. Future qualitative studies can deeply investigate each of the aspects raised in this exploratory research, especially regarding the impact of political, economic, social, and environmental elements on the BSC.

Using heterogeneous data to identify signatures of dengue outbreaks at fine spatio-temporal scales across Brazil.

Dengue virus remains a significant public health challenge in Brazil, and seasonal preparation efforts are hindered by variable intra- and interseasonal dynamics. Here, we present a framework for characterizing weekly dengue activity at the Brazilian mesoregion level from 2010–2016 as time series properties that are relevant to forecasting efforts, focusing on outbreak shape, seasonal timing, and pairwise correlations in magnitude and onset. In addition, we use a combination of 18 satellite remote sensing imagery, weather, clinical, mobility, and census data streams and regression methods to identify a parsimonious set of covariates that explain each time series property. The models explained 54% of the variation in outbreak shape, 38% of seasonal onset, 34% of pairwise correlation in outbreak timing, and 11% of pairwise correlation in outbreak magnitude. Regions that have experienced longer periods of drought sensitivity, as captured by the “normalized burn ratio,” experienced less intense outbreaks, while regions with regular fluctuations in relative humidity had less regular seasonal outbreaks. Both the pairwise correlations in outbreak timing and outbreak trend between mesoresgions were best predicted by distance. Our analysis also revealed the presence of distinct geographic clusters where dengue properties tend to be spatially correlated. Forecasting models aimed at predicting the dynamics of dengue activity need to identify the most salient variables capable of contributing to accurate predictions. Our findings show that successful models may need to leverage distinct variables in different locations and be catered to a specific task, such as predicting outbreak magnitude or timing characteristics, to be useful. This advocates in favor of “adaptive models” rather than “one-size-fits-all” models. The results of this study can be applied to improving spatial hierarchical or target-focused forecasting models of dengue activity across Brazil.

National COVID-19 vaccination plan: using artificial spatial intelligence to overcome challenges in Brazil.

This article explores the use of spatial artificial intelligence to estimate the resources needed to implement Brazil's COVID-19 immu nization campaign. Using secondary data, we conducted a cross-sectional ecological study adop ting a time-series design. The unit of analysis was Brazil's primary care centers (PCCs). A four-step analysis was performed to estimate the popula tion in PCC catchment areas using artificial in telligence algorithms and satellite imagery. We also assessed internet access in each PCC and con ducted a space-time cluster analysis of trends in cases of SARS linked to COVID-19 at municipal level. Around 18% of Brazil's elderly population live more than 4 kilometer from a vaccination point. A total of 4,790 municipalities showed an upward trend in SARS cases. The number of PCCs located more than 5 kilometer from cell towers was largest in the North and Northeast regions. Innovative stra tegies are needed to address the challenges posed by the implementation of the country's National COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. The use of spatial artificial intelligence-based methodologies can help improve the country's COVID-19 response.

Changes in consumer behavior in the BRICS countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of trust and anxiety

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created a new reality. Each country has implemented different measures to contain the pandemic, which has had many consequences for society and businesses. The purpose of this paper is to improve understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer behavior in the BRICS countries and discuss the role of consumer trust and anxiety. A systematic literature review with a bibliometric analysis was carried out to identify research directions and reveal the role of trust and anxiety in consumer behavior. Differences in consumer responses to the COVID-19 pandemic challenges in Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa were identified based on an analysis of an international database of online surveys. An empirical study of Russian consumers was conducted in the spring of 2020. Cluster and factor analyses were applied to reveal different consumer strategies of coping with the crisis. The study revealed differences in consumer trust and the level of anxiety in the BRICS countries. In the empirical study of Russian consumers, anxiety was identified as one of the factors in changing consumer behavior in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Covid-19, the anti-vaccine movement and immunization challenges in Brazil

AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic suddenly and significantly increased hospitalizations for pneumonia with systemic inflammatory disease. Since its appearance, COVID-19 has affected more than 200 countries, with more than 90 million cases and almost 2 million deaths. So far, there is no quality evidence regarding the specific pharmacological therapy for COVID-19; most treatments usually involve off-label use of existing drugs and have unproven efficacy. The global effort converges on the development of a vaccine; however, the greatest challenge is to achieve collective immunization in the face of increasing vaccination hesitancy.METHODS: This study investigated the impact of vaccine hesitancy movements on the goal of COVID-19 immunization in Brazil. An integrative bibliographic review was performed with an electronic search on PubMed and SciELO that yielded 13.535 articles. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied which included 29 interventional and descriptive studies.RESULTS: The results of the 29 studies revealed that the most frequent reasons for hesitation is skepticism about the true interests of the industry and politicians, the lack of trust in research, and inaccurate information on social media.CONCLUSION: The main factors that lead the population not to believe in vaccines were the real interests of industry and politicians, lack of confidence in research, and the amount of false information that circulates massively on social media and because of that it is possible that Brazil will face some challenges in achieving collective immunity due to the anti-vaccine movement.

Vulnerabilities of Brazil's domestic pharmaceutical and biotech industry in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

During a pandemic, economic, technological, and health systems' vulnerability become even more evident. A key challenge in Brazil is to control the trade deficit and difficulty in access to medicines and health products, even their development. Brazil's heavy external dependency on health inputs and products is one of the negative factors in confronting the global health emergency caused by SARS-CoV-2. The article aimed to discuss the vulnerabilities of the domestic chemical and biotechnological subsystem in the face of the current pandemic, with a focus on the pharmaceutical and biotech industry and the linkage between the fields of health and political economics. A qualitative study was performed with a literature review and analysis of secondary data as the methodological procedures. The results revealed low investment in public health, low innovation capacity, the pharmaceutical industry's profile, external dependency, currency exchange policy, patents, and other factors, demonstrating the major vulnerability in innovation and technology in the domestic pharmaceutical and biotech industry and the essential nature of linkage between various fields, especially health and the economy, for the incorporation of a systemic vision that creates the conditions to reduce vulnerabilities in the response to the pandemic and promote a development project for the country.

Part A: Advances in tools and techniques for estimating biogas production and treatment in anaerobic-based STPs Technical Note 1 - Topics of interest

The management of biogas in sewage treatment plants (STPs) with anaerobic reactors is still a challenge in Brazil. Problems related to odor, corrosion, occupational risks, energy losses, and even to greenhouse effect, are still a reality. The problems related to the energetic use of biogas from UASB reactors are mainly associated with the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) and humidity, as well as fugitive biogas emissions, which make it difficult to accurately estimate biogas production. In this sense, this Technical Note (TN) aims at addressing the main aspects related to biogas production estimate and biogas treatment in STPs with UASB reactors. This contribution derives from the experience of experts and professionals of the academic and water utility sectors, as well as from the specialized literature. The topics of interest are summarized in this TN, the first of this collection, “Valoration and management of gaseous by-products of sewage treatment. Part A: Advances in tools and techniques for estimating biogas production and treatment in anaerobic-based STPs”, being individually detailed in the following Technical Notes that integrate the collection.

Chagas Disease - Past and Future

After 111 years of its discovery, Chagas disease remains a major public health challenge in Brazil and in other Latin American countries, reason why it continues to be a relevant topic in discussion panels worldwide. The disease was first described in 1909 by Carlos Justiniano Ribeiro das Chagas after his observations during an expedition to eradicate malaria in the rural areas of the state of Minas Gerais, in the city of Lassance. Carlos Chagas’ magnificent life journey makes him a [...]

After all, who has to be studied: The coronavirus, Brazilians, or their administrators?

This article discusses one of the great governmental challenges of the last centuries—universalization of access to potable water and sanitation services (WSS)—in view of the geographical difficulties for the provision of services in certain regions, and differences in ability to pay for water and sanitation services. It is necessary to reinforce the various links between social and environmental conditions. A review of the literature finds that countries work differently on the approach to universal access to water and sanitation services (Marques, 2010), addressing the problem according to their laws with variable results in how these services are defined. In order to achieve the desired universalization of water and sanitation services in Brazil, in addition to the investment of significant amounts of money, coordinated administration is necessary to leverage these investments. In addition to this challenging scenario, the present moment is worrying! At the beginning of the 21st century, a new pandemic is causing deaths at an alarming rate. Most countries around the world are combating the new coronavirus that has disrupted economies, caused panic, and raised hypotheses about political hegemonies. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID‐19) to be a Public Health Emergency of International Importance—the highest alert level of the Organization, as provided for in the International Health Regulations. This study discusses the alignment of these dual challenges in Brazil and what can be done toward improved water and sanitation in this difficult context.

Primary healthcare expansion and mortality in Brazil's urban poor: A cohort analysis of 1.2 million adults.

BackgroundExpanding delivery of primary healthcare to urban poor populations is a priority in many low- and middle-income countries. This remains a key challenge in Brazil despite expansion of the country’s internationally recognized Family Health Strategy (FHS) over the past two decades. This study evaluates the impact of an ambitious program to rapidly expand FHS coverage in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, since 2008.Methods and findingsA cohort of 1,241,351 low-income adults (observed January 2010–December 2016; total person-years 6,498,607) with linked FHS utilization and mortality records was analyzed using flexible parametric survival models. Time-to-death from all-causes and selected causes were estimated for FHS users and nonusers. Models employed inverse probability treatment weighting and regression adjustment (IPTW-RA).The cohort was 61% female (751,895) and had a mean age of 36 years (standard deviation 16.4). Only 18,721 individuals (1.5%) had higher education, whereas 102,899 (8%) had no formal education. Two thirds of individuals (827,250; 67%) were in receipt of conditional cash transfers (Bolsa Família). A total of 34,091 deaths were analyzed, of which 8,765 (26%) were due to cardiovascular disease; 5,777 (17%) were due to neoplasms; 5,683 (17%) were due to external causes; 3,152 (9%) were due to respiratory diseases; and 3,115 (9%) were due to infectious and parasitic diseases. One third of the cohort (467,155; 37.6%) used FHS services. In IPTW-RA survival analysis, an average FHS user had a 44% lower hazard of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.56, 95% CI 0.54–0.59, p < 0.001) and a 5-year risk reduction of 8.3 per 1,000 (95% CI 7.8–8.9, p < 0.001) compared with a non-FHS user. There were greater reductions in the risk of death for FHS users who were black (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.46–0.54, p < 0.001) or pardo (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.54–0.60, p < 0.001) compared with white (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.56–0.63, p < 0.001); had lower educational attainment (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.46–0.55, p < 0.001) for those with no education compared to no significant association for those with higher education (p = 0.758); or were in receipt of conditional cash transfers (Bolsa Família) (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.49–0.54, p < 0.001) compared with nonrecipients (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.60–0.67, p < 0.001).Key limitations in this study are potential unobserved confounding through selection into the program and linkage errors, although analytical approaches have minimized the potential for bias.ConclusionsFHS utilization in urban poor populations in Brazil was associated with a lower risk of death, with greater reductions among more deprived race/ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Increased investment in primary healthcare is likely to improve health and reduce health inequalities in urban poor populations globally.

Historical aspects and current challenges of Physical Education policies: a survey of Brazilian programs and actions

The Physical Education (PE) policies in Brazil have been poorly explored and discussed. Health, education, and sports are areas of knowledge sustained by PE. However, it has not been addressed together, as the PE field purpose. The aim was to present an overview of the main historical aspects of PE policies, by systematizing their technical and operational aspects and unveil the challenges in Brazil. The research did a data extraction, which characterized as a policy analysis in the process of organizational and operational information. Additionally, a bibliography review was applied to support the discussion. The actual public programs in Brazil are established since 1995 to 2017, and most of them prioritize a specific stratum of the population to develop actions and usually cover the national territory. Actions linked to moments and not temporal construction. Finally, Brazil has a large in the evaluation and monitoring of policies around PE. For future application an alternative is the unification of political sectors to favor environments and practices to meet the current demands of society, promoting a continuing and multidisciplinary professional training and link actions beyond the public sector.

Criação de respiradores mecânicos em tempos de COVID-19 no Brasil: uma revisão narrativa

A pandemia da COVID-19 tem se apresentado como desafio para o Brasil, ao registrar mais de 134 mil óbitos em sete meses e mais de 4,4 milhões de infectados. Pesquisadores de várias instituições de ensino e empresas se empenharam para desenvolver respiradores mecânicos alternativos devido ao seu alto custo e demanda. Este estudo objetiva analisar iniciativas da comunidade científica no desenvolvimento de respiradores mecânicos no Brasil. É uma revisão narrativa subdivida em duas etapas: 1) identificação dos modelos de respiradores mecânicos desenvolvidos durante a pandemia e 2) realização de um fórum de discussão com profissionais de diversas áreas acadêmicas do Nordeste, onde foram destacados temas sobre o impacto da COVID-19 no Brasil, necessidade e diagnóstico para utilização de respiradores mecânicos e critérios de autenticidade científica. Acredita-se que os projetos de respiradores mecânicos são relevantes não apenas para o momento vigente, mas também para o pós-pandemia.