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Internationally, there is a large body of scientific evidence concerning the benefits of integrating health and social care to ensure that frail older people living in the community receive the assistance they need to maintain independence. In the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, located in the state of Minas Gerais, an integrated care intervention has been developed: the Programa Maior Cuidado - Older Adult Care Programme (PMC). This programme represents a pioneering example in Brazil of the provision of carers for highly vulnerable older people, through integrated action between public health and social service agencies. This paper draws on the first phase of a mixed method evaluation of PMC, including data from documentary sources, focus groups, empirical observation and expert workshops, to examine the processes that led to the establishment of programme. The origins of the PMC are discussed and its operational processes, with a particular emphasis on integrated activities and the roles of different actors. The paper situates PMC within comparable international experiences of integrated provision for older people and considers how it has been affected by unique context and challenging of a middle-income country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Botanical substances such as essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated insecticidal properties and are a valid option for vector control. However, free EOs are unreliable as mosquito larvicides due their easy degradation by environmental exposure to ultraviolet light and higher temperatures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a mosquito larvicide based on orange oil in a yeast-based delivery system against Aedes aegypti strains with different resistance status towards chemical neurotoxic insecticides. This larvicide preparation was physicochemically characterized in a previous report. Methods: Larvae of four Ae. aegypti strains from different regions of Brazil and different resistance profiles for deltamethrin (pyrethroid) and temephos (organophosphate) were tested against yeast-encapsulated orange oil (YEOO) in laboratory conditions for measurement of LC50 and LC90 values. The same assays were performed with the Belo Horizonte strain under environmental conditions (natural light and temperature). The resistance profiles of these strains were compared to the Rockefeller reference strain in all conditions. Results: YEOO was found to be a highly active larvicide (LC50 < 50 mg/L) against all Ae. aegypti strains tested in both laboratory conditions (LC50 = 8.1–24.7 mg/L) and environmental conditions with natural light and temperature fluctuation (LC50 = 20.0–49.9 mg/L). Moreover, all strains were considered susceptible (RR < 5) to YEOO, considering resistance ratios calculated based on the Rockefeller strain. The resistance ratios were only higher than 2.5 for LC90–95 of Belo Horizonte in the laboratory, probably due the higher heterogeneity associated with older egg papers (> 5 months). Conclusion: YEOO demonstrates high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti strains with resistant phenotypes for deltamethrin (PY) and temephos (OP). This larvicidal activity suggests the potential for the development of YEOO as an alternative intervention to synthetic insecticides in integrated vector management programs, for populations with resistance to commonly used insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is an infectious disease whose main agent is the protozoan Sarcocystis neurona. The parasite affects the central nervous system of horses and can cause neurological alterations like ataxia, paresis, muscle atrophy and changes in mental status. With wide distribution in the national territory, it is important that this disease is part of the differential diagnosis in animals of equine species, since equines with this disease can present from discrete signs, such as a slight decrease in performance, to serious neurological signs. That is why the veterinarian must understand its characteristics and effective diagnostic methods for its identification. A five-year-old Brazilian Sport Horse mare was attended in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, with a history of atrophy in the lumbar region and rump. Also, the presence of opossums on the farm where the animal lived was reported. In neurological examination, grade 2 motor incoordination was detected. The SAG ELISA test was performed, and a positive result was obtained. All findings and the positive test result corroborate the diagnosis of EPM, which led to the recommended treatment, and visible clinical improvement. The aim of this paper is to report a clinical case of EPM in a mare in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, taking into account the importance of knowledge of the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both global climate change and urbanization trends will demand adaptation measures in cities. Large agglomerations and impacts on landscape and natural environments due to city growth will require guided densification schemes in urban areas, particularly in developing countries. Human biometeorological indices such as the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) could guide this process, as they provide a clear account of expected effects on thermal sensation from a given change in outdoor settings. However, an earlier step should optimally include an adequacy test of suggested comfort and thermal stress ranges with calibration procedures based on surveys with the target population. This paper compares obtained thermal comfort ranges for three different locations in Brazil: Belo Horizonte, 20° S, Aw climate type; Curitiba, 25.5° S, Cfb subtropical climate, both locations in elevation (above 900 m a.s.l.); and Pelotas, at sea level, latitude 32° S, with a Cfa climate type. In each city, a set of outdoor comfort field campaigns has been carried out according to similar procedures, covering a wide range of climatic conditions over different seasons of the year. Obtained results indicate a variation of neutral temperatures up to 3 °C (UTCI units) as a possible latitude and local climate effect between the southern locations relative to the northernmost location. Low UTCI values were found in the two subtropical locations for the lower threshold of the thermal comfort band as compared with the original threshold. A possible explanation for that is a longer exposure to cold conditions as buildings are seldom provided with heating systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Botanical substances such as essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated insecticidal properties and are a valid option for vector control. However, free EOs are unreliable as mosquito larvicides due their easy degradation by environmental exposure to ultraviolet light and higher temperatures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a mosquito larvicide based on orange oil in a yeast-based delivery system against Aedes aegypti strains with different resistance status towards chemical neurotoxic insecticides. This larvicide preparation was physicochemically characterized in a previous report. Methods: Larvae of four Ae. aegypti strains from different regions of Brazil and different resistance profiles for deltamethrin (pyrethroid) and temephos (organophosphate) were tested against yeast-encapsulated orange oil (YEOO) in laboratory conditions for measurement of LC50 and LC90 values. The same assays were performed with the Belo Horizonte strain under environmental conditions (natural light and temperature). The resistance profiles of these strains were compared to the Rockefeller reference strain in all conditions. Results: YEOO was found to be a highly active larvicide (LC50 < 50 mg/L) against all Ae. aegypti strains tested in both laboratory conditions (LC50 = 8.1–24.7 mg/L) and environmental conditions with natural light and temperature fluctuation (LC50 = 20.0–49.9 mg/L). Moreover, all strains were considered susceptible (RR < 5) to YEOO, considering resistance ratios calculated based on the Rockefeller strain. The resistance ratios were only higher than 2.5 for LC90–95 of Belo Horizonte in the laboratory, probably due the higher heterogeneity associated with older egg papers (> 5 months). Conclusion: YEOO demonstrates high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti strains with resistant phenotypes for deltamethrin (PY) and temephos (OP). This larvicidal activity suggests the potential for the development of YEOO as an alternative intervention to synthetic insecticides in integrated vector management programs, for populations with resistance to commonly used insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the historical narratives of women publishers in Brazil are scarce or non-existent, our goal in this work is to record, as completely as possible, the editorial history and the work of women publishers in the country, especially in the 20th and 21st centuries, beginning with two case studies. In this paper, we present a set of relevant characters both to understand Brazilian publishing practices and to sketch the history of the occupation of public spaces by contemporary women. More in particular, we present two examples of publishing houses directed by women who work in the contemporary Brazilian literary scene: the publishers of Chão da Feira (Belo Horizonte/Lisbon/São Paulo) and Relicário (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary results of a survey of about five hundred subway users of Belo Horizonte (MG), particularly in the boarding platform of the Central Station. One of the reasons offered by museologist Pierre-Yves Catel and by the staff who took part in the assembly and organization of the Museum of Arts and Crafts (Museu de Artes e Ofícios -MAO), for the occupation of the building of the Central Station and its reinterpretation, which turned it into a museum institution - dedicated to the history/memory of work and the workers -was that, at that place, it would be possible to find "a potential audience of one million visitors a year coming by underground". In this sense, the research seeks to understand, especially, the relationship that is established, at present, between the subway user and the Museum. However, before disclosing the data of this investigation, it was necessary to analyze some aspects concerning the history of MAO and also some aspects of the long-term exhibition presented to the audience since the inauguration of the mentioned institution, in 2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal solid waste issue has acquired a growing importance into urban management discussions, particularly in metropolitan areas. Although metropolitan regions were created for integrating public functions of common interest, it appears that the structures, in general, are limited to planning activities. In this context, the democratization process occurred in Brazil during 1980's led to the strengthening of inter-municipal arrangements of voluntary cooperation, acquiring great expressiveness in metropolitan areas, responsible for 60% of waste generated in Brazil. However, despite the consortia emergence as an alternative management of metropolitan territory, its process of setting up and operation is not free of challenges and dilemmas. This paper starts with the hypothesis that inter-municipal consortia in metropolitan areas have high strength asymmetry and weak regional identity among municipalities, conditions that tend to create barriers to its concretization. In this context, this research aims to develop a comparative study of inter-municipal arrangements for solid waste management in the metropolitan areas of Curitiba (pr), Belo Horizonte (bh) and Salvador (ba), by identifying influence degree of regional identity and strength asymmetry in these arrangements. The multiple case study reveals an inverse proportionality relationship between regional identity and strength asymmetry among the municipalities, deeply influenced by political interinstitutional arrangement and the metropolitan area in which they are is inserted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary society coexists with social, political and economic conditions that give rise to the desire for peace, tolerance and justice. The school is an essential institution in social organization, because it works with young people for a considerable period of time of its formation and construction of their identity. In this process, the political Pedagogical Project (PPP) has a key role because it generates an intentional action and proposes a direction from a commitment collectively constructed and articulated with the interests of education statewide and nationally. This paper presents the results of a qualitative research conducted in schools of the state of Belo Horizonte - MG. Political Pedagogical Project offers information to help schools achieve their goals and also to face challenges and to plan their future as young citizens trainers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to report a brief history of control actions for Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) from2006 to 2010 in the Sanitary District (DS) of Venda Nova, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, focusing on the use of information systems and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. The analyses showed that the use of an automated database allied with geoprocessing tools may favor control measures of VL, especially with regard to the evaluation of control actions carried out. Descriptive analyses of control measures allowed to evaluating that the information system and GIS tools promoted greater efficiency in making decisions and planning activities. These analyses also pointed to the necessity of new approaches to the control of VL in large urban centers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the everyday public space around that lies around housing between private areas and the public space designated for community and leisure activities. Such space constitutes a blind spot in urban regulations and daily activities and can provide a focal point for deliberate intervention by those who experience it on a daily basis. In order to discuss the views of city dwellers regarding production of this kind of space, two situations involving spaces that could potentially be used in urban neighborhoods of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) are analysed. The possibility of a collective creation of everyday public space is discussed, based on the different degrees of resident engagement. This kind of collective work does not depend on the bureaucratic structure of local government but rather occurs according to the negotiation and direct action of the individuals and groups involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at discussing which rationality types may orient contemporary artistic practice. This objective emerged from a research made in Grupo Galpão, a twenty-eight years old theatre group from Belo Horizonte. As we entered into the research locus, by documental analysis, non participant observation and interviews, the rationality issue became a prominent theme to be discussed considering contemporary art production. By means of discourse analysis elements, we could identify in artists' discursive practices meanings about art-making, sometimes related to instrumental rationality and to surviving in the market of cultural goods; and sometimes, on the other hand, were related to substantive rationality and to practices oriented by ethical or esthetical ideals. By the end, despite of economic pressures from the cultural industry context, we understand that authentic art is intrinsically a transcendent practice and keeps moments of freedom and assertion of out-of-the-ordinary life values [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the as a sphere of dialogue between Police and community and, consequently, a new organization of traditionally hierarchical structures through the insertion of the citizen into the management of public policies. The matter of popular participation in public policies emerged as a focus of analysis in Brazilian social sciences, especially after the resignation of city councils, seeking to approximate public policy managers and citizens. In the specific case of public security, the motivation for the engagement of citizens in public policies acquires a more incisive connotation due to the growth of violent crime levels in the country. The present article offers a case study of the Council of Public Security in Brumadinho, a city in the Metropolitan Area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. This case presents relevant elements for the understading of the complex interaction between social and public actors as well as their implications for the construction of public policies. In this way, it is possible to simultaneously discuss the challenges of popular participation and the new arrangement of the public structures, traditionally responsible for managing public security policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to discuss the obstacles and problems which have been encountered during the implementation process of Law 11340/2006, the Maria da Penha Law. The reflections presented are based on empirical data obtained during the research on “Access to Justice for Women in Situations of Violence. Comparative Study on Women’s Police Stations in Latin America (Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Nicaragua)”. The survey was conducted between 2007 and 2009 in Belo Horizonte, and had as its core research 15 in-depth interviews with women who experienced violence in marital relations and who sought the women police station to register the incident. From the set of results, we selected some data as well as some thoughts that help to illustrate the daily life of law enforcement in that municipality. This text has reviewed aspects concerning the role of the police, the judiciary and the network of specialist services in assisting women who are victims violence. The goal is to provide elements for the debate about the application of Maria da Penha Law and contribute to its full implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a procedure to evaluate sustainable mobility in urban areas. A set of indicators according to three dimensions of sustainability, i.e., environment, economics, and social aspects, are proposed to evaluate mobility in urban areas. The sustainable mobility evaluation is based on an Index calculated through a weighted multi-criteria combination procedure. A group of specialists in Brazil was involved in the development of the Index by defining the weights for the criteria. An application of the methodology in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the State of Minas Gerais, with 2.24 million inhabitants, is presented to validate the methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]