Brazilian Community Research Articles

(Re)creative violence

ABSTRACT This contribution builds on my current research in exploring alternative ways of understanding the phenomenon of violence, traditionally conceived of as either a destructive force or a system of injustice. By exploring my personal position navigating between the borders of different versions of Europe (the Swedish border and the walls of gated communities in Brazil) the contribution explains how, in the modern colonial world, violence adopts a (re)creative or (re)creational aspect, fundamentally tying it to a whole economy of playfulness and pleasure. This economy is neither destructive nor necessarily unjust, in the sense that it complicates the liberal duality of inclusion/exclusion, structuring the pursuance of the easy life (a mode of living that maximises convenience) in different levels of (post)colonial racialised ‘enclaves’. The reflection ends with an invitation to take the concept of (re)creative violence seriously and to rethink the specific role of death and insecurity in the making of the international order.

Raw sewage treatment by a single-stage vertical flow constructed wetland: a case study in Brazil

Abstract This paper evaluates the performance of raw domestic sewage treatment by a single-stage vertical-flow constructed wetland (VFCW) installed in Northeastern Brazil, where sanitation coverage is low. Biological and physicochemical parameters were monitored for 1 year to evaluate the system's performance. The impact of factors such as operational cycle and filter media on VFCW pollutant removal efficiencies was investigated. The means of removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and ammonia were 74.2, 87.9, and 82.1%, respectively. A statistically significant influence (p < 0.05) of substrate material on COD and ammonia removal efficiency was found. Ceramic construction waste media achieved the best performances compared with the traditionally used material and concrete construction waste. Operational cycles of 3.5/7 and 7/14 days of the feeding/resting period did not present a statistically significant influence (p < 0.05) on pollutant removal efficiencies. The single-stage VFCW pilot plant achieved a better global treatment performance than other VFCW reported in the literature; however, it showed a limitation in removing TS. The reduced installation costs, in addition to operation and maintenance simplicity, indicate a potential for single-stage VFCW applicability in the sewage treatment of housing units and small communities in Brazil and possibly in other developing countries in tropical areas.

Genotypic and Epidemiologic Profiles of Giardia duodenalis in Four Brazilian Biogeographic Regions

Human infections with gut protozoan parasites are neglected and not targeted by specific control initiatives, leading to a knowledge gap concerning their regional diversity and epidemiology. The present study aims to explore Giardia duodenalis genetic diversity and assess the epidemiologic scenario of subclinical infections in different Brazilian biogeographic regions. Cross-sectional surveys (n = 1334 subjects) were conducted in four municipalities in order to obtain fecal samples and socioenvironmental data. Microscopy of non-diarrheal feces and nucleotide sequencing of a β-giardin gene fragment were performed. From a total of 51 samples that could be sequenced, 27 (52.9%) β-giardin sequences were characterized as assemblage A and 24 (47.1%) as assemblage B. In the Amazon, assemblage B was the most frequently detected, predominantly BIII, and with two novel sub-assemblages. Assemblage A predominated in the extra-Amazon region, with five novel sub-assemblages. Prevalence reached 17.8% (64/360) in the Amazon, 8.8% (48/544) in the Atlantic Forest, 7.4% (22/299) in Cerrado and 2.3% (3/131) in the Semiarid. People living in poverty and extreme poverty presented significantly higher positivity rates. In conclusion, subclinical giardiasis is endemic in Brazilian communities in different biogeographic regions, presenting high genetic diversity and a heterogeneous genotypic distribution.

Some Accelerationist Reflections from a Brazilian Philosophical Community

Este artigo é fruto de uma apresentação elaborada e realizada para o evento I Encontro de Pós-Graduação em Filosofia da UnB, que tinha como tema Estudos filosóficos no Brasil: contribuições para construção de uma identidade coletiva. A pergunta que move este artigo é se a discussão em torno do aceleracionismo contribuiu de alguma forma para a uma identidade coletiva.Assim, apresenta-se aqui um panorama em torno da corrente de pensamento aceleracionista a partir de pensadoras(es) da comunidade filosófica brasileira e de modo a refletir a existência e construção de uma identidade coletiva e a questão cosmopolítica.

Social innovation in a local community in Brazil

ABSTRACT This study investigates the characteristics of social innovation in the community of São Vicente, which benefits from the Community Development and Integration Program, situated in the micro-region of Serra da Meruoca in the Brazilian state of Ceará. To accomplish this, we have conducted a field study along the lines of the technical model used by Tardif and Harrisson (2005), adopting a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews and direct observations as well as a field diary along with documental analysis. The results make it possible to explore the five analysis categories present in the theoretical model used: (i) transformations; (ii) innovative character; (iii) innovation; (iv) actors and (v) processes. The analyses corroborate the nature of social innovation associated with the development of this community. On the other hand, the processes need to be more professional and formalized, and also should reduce their financial dependence on public bodies.

Directions and Results of Activities of the Polish Embassy in Rio de Janeiro in Strengthening the Position of Poland and the Polish Community in Brazil in the 1920s – Selected Manifestations

The paper aims to present the challenges in the form of practical directions and results of activities undertaken by diplomats serving at the Polish Embassy in Rio de Janeiro as an institution representing the Second Polish Republic’s interests in the largest country in South America. The article analyses selected archival materials collected in the Archive of the Józef Piłsudski Institute of America and available literature. The documents used are in Polish. Some documents were translated from Portuguese. It was shown that the Polish Embassy in Rio de Janeiro contributed to the strengthening of diplomatic relations between Poland and Brazil in the 1920s. The results of the institution’s activities included consolidating the foundations of economic cooperation between the two countries, including the support of the Brazilian Polish community. Moreover, activities in the field of press inspiration in the host country were carried out.

An emigrant economist in the tropics: Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen on Brazilian inflation and development

AbstractNicholas Georgescu-Roegen was a ‘travelling economist’ in a double sense: after emigrating from Romania in the late 1940s, he became involved with the economic problems of the developing world through his engagement in Vanderbilt University’s Graduate Program in Economic Development. One of his missions brought him multiple times to Brazil between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, leading to an article on the complicated dynamics between inflation and economic growth in developing countries – his sole incursion into the field of monetary economics. In this paper, we will set Georgescu-Roegen’s contribution against the background of the lively debates about inflation taking place in Brazil during the 1960s. Relatedly, we will show how he anticipated important aspects of later arguments about the perverse distributive effects of inflation. Finally, we will discuss why Georgescu-Roegen’s arguments had only limited influence, despite his prestige and connections within the Brazilian community of economists.

Feminist by Design and Designed by Diverse Feminists: Reflections on a Community Network Project in Brazil

The field of feminist infrastructures has shown that technologies are not neutral and, in fact, embody patriarchal and colonial assumptions. The emerging literature and practices of this field show that feminist infrastructures are not limited to the status-quo—there will always be escapes and hacks. By carrying out a two-year action-research project on community networks and feminist infrastructure in a traditionally black Brazilian community (the quilombos), we realised that social interactions with autonomous infrastructure and networks are intersected by discussions, conflicts and negotiations. Similarly, so is the process of researching.<br/> What are the challenges when translating feminist intentions to building infrastructure and digital networks while doing participatory research? This article explores what feminist by design means in our experience. Our main sources of information are the field notes and partial reports from our action-research project, the literature reviewed in this process, and semi-structured interviews conducted with community members. Rather than arriving at final answers, we intend to reflect on what we learned from our project. We hope to open our own experience to others and promote knowledge exchange around feminist practices, ethics, technologies and research.

Quality of primary health care for quilombolas' Afro-descendant in Brazil: A cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of primary health care services through self-reports by caregivers of children and adolescents living in quilombola communities in Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study in accordance with the STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology). Exposure variables included sociodemographic characteristics; and outcome variable was the quality of primary health care offered to quilombola children and adolescents. A total of 68 individuals participated in the survey. Quilombolas have a low income, a lower level of education, do not work, and receive government benefits. Our results showed that the quality of primary health care, measured by the experience of caregivers of quilombola children and adolescents, generally presents satisfactory values. The quality of primary health care has generally satisfactory values. However, as these results differ from most studies, more research should be conducted.

Are the functional diversity terms functional? The hindrances of functional diversity understanding in the Brazilian scientific community

AbstractInterest in functional diversity has grown in recent years, indicating that knowledge on ecosystem functions gain importance. However, the incongruent use of terms may lead to misunderstandings and incomparable results. We aimed to review terms used in functional diversity among the Brazilian scientific community to identify if there is a lack of consensus in the terminology used. We applied online surveys to assess how these terms have been used by the Brazilian academics and searched for their definitions in the scientific literature. The definition of “ecological function” by Brazilian academics is like that of the niche, but we only found two articles defining such a term in the literature. Thus, it seems that “ecosystem function” is a more commonly used term outside of Brazil. The definition of “guilds” coincided with that used in the literature, although we still observed a lack of consensus in the latter. For “traits,” “functional group,” and “functional diversity” concepts, we found some discrepancy between the literature and questionnaires. These inconsistencies can be related to the use of different organizational levels for the definition of traits and to the practice of replacing species with functional groups in standard taxonomic diversity metrics, considering them as measurements of functional diversity. The adoption of cohesive terminology is crucial to ensure the comparability of scientific results in the scientific literature. However, finding a consensus in ecology represents a hard task; therefore, we encourage that, at least, researchers make clear which key concepts they adopted in their research to avoid misunderstandings.

Production, characterization and shelf-life evaluation of Caryocar brasiliense pulp flour

Caryocar brasiliense is a fruit highly appreciated by Brazilian Cerrado communities in its fresh form; however, it has limited scientific studies in relation to its nutritional and technological resource. Due to its short post-harvest life, conservation techniques such as drying are necessary to reduce the degradation of the product. Based on this, the objective of this work was to produce and characterize the pequi pulp flour and to analyze the stability of flour stored in different packaging systems and times. Pequi fruits was subjected to hygiene and drying of the pulp performed at temperatures of 60, 70 and 80 °C for 6 h. The shelf-life study was carried out in vacuum and non-vacuum laminated plastic packaging for ninety days, with samples being subjected to proximal and microbiological analysis. Pequi pulp flour presented moisture according to the legislation and high nutritional potential due to its lipid content. In addition, there was an expressive content of α-carotene, source of magnesium and high contents of copper and insoluble fibers. Storage using vacuum guaranteed better maintenance of colorimetric parameters such as color difference and hue. In microbiological terms, consumption of pequi flour in both packages is safe up to 60 days of storage.

Efficacy of oral fluralaner (Bravecto) against Tunga penetrans in dogs: A negative control, randomized field study in an endemic community in Brazil.

The sand flea Tunga penetrans is one of the zoonotic agents of tungiasis, a parasitic skin disease of humans and animals. The dog is one of its main reservoirs. This negatively controlled, randomized, double-masked clinical trial evaluated the therapeutic and residual efficacy of fluralaner for treatment of dogs naturally infested with T. penetrans. Sixty-two dogs from an endemically affected community in Brazil were randomly assigned to either receive oral fluralaner (Bravecto chewable tablets) at a dose of 25 to 56 mg fluralaner/kg body weight, or no treatment (31 dogs per group). Dogs were clinically examined using a severity score for acute canine tungiasis (SCADT), parasitological examinations as defined by the Fortaleza classification, and pictures of lesions on days 0 (inclusion and treatment), 7 ± 2, 14 ± 2, 21 ± 2, 28 ± 2, 60 ± 7, 90 ± 7, 120 ± 7 and 150 ± 7. The percentage of parasite-free dogs after treatment was >90% between days 14 and 90 post-treatment with 100% efficacy on study days 21, 28 and 60. Sand flea counts on fluralaner treated dogs were significantly lower (p<0.025) than control dogs on all counts from day 7 to 120. The number of live sand fleas on treated dogs was reduced by > 90% on day 7, > 95% on days 14 and 90, and 100% from day 21 to 60, and with a significant difference between groups from day 7 to 120. From day 7 to day 120, mean SCADT scores were significantly reduced in treated dogs with a mean of 0.10 compared to 1.54 on day 120 in untreated dogs. Therefore, a single oral fluralaner administration is effective for treating and achieving long lasting (> 12 weeks) prevention for tungiasis in dogs.

The Impact of the Covid‐19 Global Health Pandemic in Early Childhood Education Within Four Countries

The recent Covid‐19 global health pandemic has negatively affected the political and economic development of communities around the world. This article shares the lessons from our multi‐country project Safe, Inclusive Participative Pedagogy: Improving Early Childhood Education in Fragile Contexts (UKRI GCRF) on how children in communities in Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa, and Scotland have experienced the effects of the pandemic. This article benefits from having co‐authors from various countries, bringing their own located knowledge to considerations of children’s rights and early childhood education in the wake of the pandemic. The authors discuss different perspectives on children’s human rights within historical, social, and cultural contexts and, by doing so, will discuss how the global pandemic has placed a spotlight on the previous inequalities within early years education and how the disparity of those with capital (economic and social) have led to an even greater disproportion of children needing health and educational support.

Psychometric Properties of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 faceted Brief Form in a Brazilian Community Sample

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to verify the psychometric qualities of the PID-5-FBF in a community sample of Brazilian adults. The internal consistency of the facets and the internal structure of the dimensions were checked. In addition, we verified the correlations between the PID-5-FBF facets and domains with a five-factor model measure. MethodsThe sample of this study consists of the 774 Brazilian adults aged 18 to 73 years (mean 28.9±11.58) who answered the PID-5-FBF and BFI-2S. ResultsThe alpha values were adequate. The internal structure was similar to the PID-5 original form. All the factors and dimensions of the PID-5-FBF have a negative association with agreeableness, while, on the other hand, all correlations with neuroticism were positive. Neuroticism was the factor with the highest correlation with the PID-5-FBF, and openness was the one with the lowest number of correlations. ConclusionsThis research contributes to adding evidence of validity to the PID-5-FBF in the Brazilian community sample. Our results are important because it is the first study with the PID-FBF in a Brazilian sample.

A qualitative study to explore health literacy skills in older people from a disadvantaged community in Brazil.

We aim to describe older peoples' experiences of accessing, understanding, communicating and appraising health information in the context of primary care in a disadvantaged community in North-East Brazil. A qualitative interview study was conducted with 42 older people at two primary healthcare units in the city of Arapiraca, Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were guided by a qualitative health literacy instrument, translated and adapted for use in Brazil. Of the 42 participants, 30 were women and the majority (n = 32) were 60-69 years of age. Qualitative analysis identified that participants had difficulties accessing, understanding and communicating health information, often in the context of chronic disease. Few participants demonstrated an understanding about their specific health concerns, and most had difficulty explaining and interpreting health conditions more generally. Most participants indicated that they did not actively seek health information and this was compounded by physicians who were reported to provide limited information about diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. More than half of the participants reported that they did not understand medical terms included in health information, but most reported that they took no action to clarify understanding. In conclusion, we observed that conventional health literacy skills are very poor in this population of older Brazilians living in a disadvantaged community, with many resigned to not receiving health information or relying on sources other than health professionals. The findings from this study speak to the need for health literacy interventions targeting older adults in Brazil. A two-tiered approach which seeks to reduce the demands and complexities placed upon patients within the healthcare system but also targets interventions toward building the skills and capacities of individuals is likely to be most effective.

Street Clinics and the Healthcare of Vulnerable Homeless Communities in Brazil: A Qualitative Study.

(1) Background: homeless people are characterized by serious social vulnerability and difficulty in accessing health services worldwide. In Brazil, this population is supported by the Street Clinic teams who are challenged to establish intersectoral networks to expand access and promote unique and humanized care from the perspective of harm reduction. The study aimed to analyze the practices of professionals working at the Street Clinic in a city in the interior of São Paulo, Brazil, to tackle the vulnerabilities of the homeless population and expand access to the health care network. (2) Methods: a qualitative study was conducted with a social approach in which we interviewed eight workers from the Street Clinic. Data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis tool. (3) Results: three nuclei of meaning were built: stigma and prejudice as the main barriers to accessing services, harm reduction as a humanized care practice and valuing autonomy, and Street Clinic as a gateway to the health system and main interlocutor with other services. (4) Conclusions: the articulation with network services is marked by contradictory relationships, of conflict and trust, signaling the need for greater investment in educational qualifications and working conditions for professionals at all levels of care to expand access to health care.

Vaccine effectiveness of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 against COVID-19 in a socially vulnerable community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a test-negative design study

ObjectivesTo estimate vaccine effectiveness after the first and second dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 against symptomatic COVID-19 and infection in a socially vulnerable community in Brazil when Gamma and Delta were the predominant variants circulating. MethodsWe conducted a test-negative study in the community Complexo da Maré, the largest group of slums (n = 16) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from January 17, 2021 to November 27, 2021. We selected RT-qPCR positive and negative tests from a broad community testing program. The primary outcome was symptomatic COVID-19 (positive RT-qPCR test with at least one symptom) and the secondary outcome was infection (any positive RT-qPCR test). Vaccine effectiveness was estimated as 1 – OR, which was obtained from adjusted logistic regression models. ResultsWe included 10 077 RT-qPCR tests (6,394, 64% from symptomatic and 3,683, 36% from asymptomatic individuals). The mean age was 40 (SD: 14) years, and the median time between vaccination and RT-qPCR testing among vaccinated was 41 (25–75 percentile: 21–62) days for the first dose and 36 (25–75 percentile: 17–59) days for the second dose. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 was 31.6% (95% CI, 12.0–46.8) 21 days after the first dose and 65.1% (95% CI, 40.9–79.4) 14 days after the second dose. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection was 31.0% (95% CI, 12.7–45.5) 21 days after the first dose and 59.0% (95% CI, 33.1–74.8) 14 days after the second dose. DiscussionChAdOx1 nCoV-19 was effective in reducing symptomatic COVID-19 in a socially vulnerable community in Brazil when Gamma and Delta were the predominant variants circulating.

Dairy Cattle Euthanasia-Focus Groups Exploring the Perspectives of Brazilians Working in the Dairy Cattle Industry.

Simple SummaryEuthanasia is the practice of ending the life of an animal that has no possibility of improvement and aims at minimizing suffering and mitigating poor animal welfare. Concerns regarding animal welfare are an international priority given that euthanasia standard requirements have the potential to impact the global trade of animal products. To ensure positive dairy cattle welfare by minimizing suffering via euthanasia, we must first understand how euthanasia is viewed within the Brazilian dairy community and identify barriers that prevent timely euthanasia from occurring. Therefore, we aimed to explore perspectives and attitudes about euthanasia specific to the Brazilian dairy industry using focus groups. Upon analysis of the discussions, three main themes were revealed: Euthanasia Training and Farm and Human Components. Several subthemes are discussed. The lack of nationally recognized euthanasia guidelines for dairy cattle paired with ineffective and inaccessible euthanasia tools makes it difficult for dairy veterinarians to implement humane protocols for on-farm euthanasia. In addition, logistical factors, particularly, the financial cost of euthanasia and the human–animal bond, play a role in the failure to perform euthanasia when warranted. Future studies should focus on the development of science-based standards and producer training to improve the consistency of on-farm euthanasia in Brazilian dairy operations.The objective of this study was to explore perspectives and attitudes about euthanasia specific to the Brazilian dairy cattle industry. Twenty-five Brazilian citizens (13 veterinarians, 4 animal scientists, 3 professors, 3 researchers, 1 dairy owner, and 1 caretaker) participated in one of three focus groups conducted and recorded online (10, 8, and 7 participants per group). Questions regarding euthanasia were posed by a moderator, and the focus group discussions were then transcribed verbatim for analysis. After the initial data analysis, themes were evaluated and collapsed into three major categories: Euthanasia Training and Farm and Human Components. A complex interconnection between the three main themes and multiple subthemes specific to dairy cattle euthanasia was also revealed. The lack of nationally recognized euthanasia guidelines for dairy cattle paired with ineffective and inaccessible euthanasia tools makes it difficult for dairy veterinarians to implement humane protocols for on-farm euthanasia. In addition, logistical factors, particularly, the financial cost of euthanasia and the human–animal bond, play a role in the failure to perform euthanasia when warranted. Future studies should focus on the development of science-based standards and producer training to improve the consistency of on-farm euthanasia in Brazilian dairy operations.

Quilombos in Brazil and the Americas: Black Resistance in Historical Perspective

This article provides a historical overview of the struggles and organizational processes of rural black, or Afro-rural, communities in Brazil and the Americas, variably known in local nomenclatures as quilombos, mocambos, palenques, cumbes, cimarrones, and maroons. The objective is to clarify who these communities are and how they were formed in Brazil and the Americas. The study is based on research with rural black community leaders, their accounts, and their experience. It shows that processes of resistance to slavery and oppression induced the formation of Afro-rural communities, leading to their recognition in national constitutions.

Perception of community pharmacists about the work process of drug dispensing: a cross-sectional survey study

BackgroundDrug dispensing aims to promote rational medicine use. However, in many countries, the work processes are still not well defined. In this sense, the perception of pharmacists about dispensing practices presents an overview of how the service is being performed in the country and its main challenges. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the self-reported work process of Brazilian community pharmacists in relation to drug dispensing, challenges, and strategies for carrying out the service.MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and July 2021, with community pharmacists from all regions of Brazil. Pharmacists were invited to answer a validated, self-administered questionnaire, implemented through Google Forms, containing 33 questions related to the steps of drug dispensing (questions and counseling) and the main challenges and strategies to perform the service. The data were exported to Microsoft Office Excel and SPSS®. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between responses and demographic information, with a significance level of less than 5% (p < 0.05). This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (number: 4.295.171).ResultsA total of 625 community pharmacists responded to the survey. Most pharmacists reported always or frequently performing 17 (54%) of the 31 steps described in the instrument. The steps that pharmacists reported performing more frequently were forming the medication name (n = 569, 91.04%), verifying the completeness and adequacy of the prescription according to current legislation (n = 567, 90.72%) and providing counseling on dosage (n = 549, 87.84%). Documentation was the main step in which pharmacists reported never or rarely performing (n = 424, 67.84%). The results showed that there was a significant influence of the variables of public education institution, age, and postgraduate education on the frequency of dispensing steps (F(3, 621) = 14.884, p < 0.001; R2ajdusted = 0,063).ConclusionThis study showed that most pharmacists reported always or frequently asking most of the questions and performing counseling contained in the instrument during drug dispensing. These results can contribute to an understanding of current dispensing practices and generate insights for developing strategies to qualify the service.