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This paper discusses public spaces at night, analysing how urban lighting and its gradations of light and darkness affect experience. Urban lighting has been questioned in relation to sustainable and perceptual aspects of the night. Drawing on a methodology that explores the singularities of the nocturnal experience, this paper traces relationships between the practices of subjects and aspects of lighting identified in the Liberdade Square in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The findings suggest perspectives for designing public spaces at night, regarding the plurality of the experience, revealing deviations from the usual practices in Brazil regarding the lights of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to evaluate the hydrologic impacts of urban expansion in a peri-urban catchment that drains into a reservoir of the drinking water supply system of Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region in Brazil. Despite the metropolitan interest and efforts in protecting the catchment, a recent change in zoning ordinances allowed urban expansion in the area. To evaluate the potential hydrological impacts of this land use regulation change, scenarios of urban expansion were conceived and simulated in the model Dinamica EGO. The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was employed to assess potential hydrological impacts of land use change projections. Observed precipitation and water level data of the reservoir were used to calibrate and validate the hydrological model. Results confirm the impacts on several catchment hydrological processes following the progressive urban expansion in the area, particularly on volumes of infiltration, groundwater flow and runoff, increasing peak flows and flooding downstream the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the interplay of digital media and space in the creation of a low-skilled informational workforce in urban settings. Based on ethnographic research among cell phone SIM card street vendors in Belo Horizonte city in Brazil, I argue that these workers constitute a fraction of a precarious digital workforce fundamental for the reproduction of informational/communicational markets in the peripheries of digital capitalism. The emergence of these low-skilled informational workers does not rely solely on their technological abilities or the specific spatialities in which they perform simple informational labor. Instead, I argue that their emergence as digital workers arises from the intersection of space, labor and digital media. In particular, I show how the conformation of this precarious Brazilian cybertariat enables us to grasp the role that subordinated digitization plays in contemporary capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at three different Brazilian cities: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte to understand the different models of favela upgrade, the opportunities and the challenges that each model entails. The recent ‘left-turn’ on Latin American politics created several opportunities for architects to help improve the informal sector that comprises a significant portion of every major city in the continent. In Brazil, the Lula government invested billions in the infrastructure upgrade of the infamous favelas. This paper will argue that the two traditional contractual models, the construction bidding (by metrics and values) and the commission by ‘reputation’ (opaque political process of choice), are not sufficient. A third model based on popular participation was tested in the early 2000s but it was gradually marginalized as the country speeded up investment in preparation for the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With a population of 2.5 million people, the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is a world pioneer in tackling food consumption, distribution and production as components of an integrated urban policy for food security. The paper gives a description of the main programmes and features of this policy arguing that over 15 years the city and its Municipal Secretariat for Food Policy and Supply have built a particular alternative food system. Marked by the comprehensive scope of its programmes; its urban/rural focus; the flexibility of the initiatives and, above all, by its commitment to social justice and equitable access to food, Belo Horizonte has developed a distinct mode of governance for food security. The unique 'alterity' of this food system is set further apart from those being attempted in Europe and in North America because it is government-driven. The paper discusses its strengths and current challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) is often the victim of an excessive focus on data and standards. In this paper we use the hermeneutics of Gadamer and Habermas to understand the problem of how SDIs can succeed. We use Gadamer's concept of phronesis to show how being an application-driven project is a key to success, and draw on Habermas's ideas to show the importance of emancipatory knowledge in the implementation of SDIs. A case study on a geographic information system (GIS) project in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is presented. The project has been evolving for 15 years; it started with a focus on data and standards and generated a strong and active spatial data infrastructure for the city. The reasons for success were many; here we highlight the application-driven nature of the project, along with the combination of multiple disciplines and multiple levels of expertise in its design and implementation team. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large Brazilian cities present similar urban forms and development processes, despite the fact that some were implemented through different comprehensive plans, while still others were founded to serve a wide range of purposes. Apart from these differences, Brazilian cities have currently been experiencing considerable growth and territorial expansion. Planning processes have been put forward but have seldom been effectively implemented to form legal cities. This paper presents the characteristics of one Brazilian city, Belo Horizonte, which was designed 115 years ago to be the capital of the state of Minas Gerais and which is experiencing a similar process within its boundaries. However, the city’s spacialization and administrative body are similar to all other Brazilian cities, by comparing results from applied norms. This allows Belo Horizonte to be selected as a symbol of these urban policies and products. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Paedagogica Historica is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyzes the efficacy of the Fica Vivo homicide control programme in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Our data shows that the programme encountered significant success in reducing homicides, as a result of its innovative two-tiered structure in which community-oriented policing units operated in conjunction with state-administered social programmes led by civil servants at each of the programme sites. These efforts helped to build local capacity to respond to violence and work with state officials, helped the police engage with residents in efforts to control violence, and enabled residents to hold police to account for local crime control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Federal University of Minas Gerais (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG), located in the city of Belo Horizonte in Brazil, has been a committed partner of indigenous communities since 1996. This partnership began with the creation of spaces intended to elaborate and transform the traditional wisdom of these communities in favour of their village schools. In 2006, indigenous teachers from Minas Gerais joined the Intercultural Formation Course for Indigenous Teachers, creating a new teaching degree program at the College of Education/UFMG. This new course is a five-year course (2006-11) and will graduate around 150 indigenous teachers from eight different ethnic groups: Xacriaba, Maxacali, Pataxo, Krenak, Xucuru-Cariri, Caxixo, Arana and Pancararu. The teaching degree will be for the primary and secondary school levels. This paper presents some key components of this intercultural experiment, its background, the implementation process, the intercultural approach used, its organization, the knowledge to be acquired and anticipated challenges for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is experiencing an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity. To overcome these health problems, several strategies have been implemented, including incentives to reduce sugar intake and new packaging labeling. This has promoted an increase in the use of low or non-caloric sweeteners (LNCS). In this study, the use of LNCS in six Brazilian food groups (non-alcoholic beverages, dairy products, baked goods, confectionery, cereals, and condiments) was investigated through label declarations. Three supermarkets were visited in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Ten out of the 16 LNCS allowed by the Brazilian legislation were declared. Altogether, among the 441 products included, 17.7% contained at least one LNCS, with an average of 2.21 LNCS per sweetened product. Non-alcoholic beverages (37.2%) and dairy products (29.5%) had the highest LNCS occurrence. Combinations of two, three, four, and seven LNCS were found. Artificial sweeteners represented 87.8% of the declared LNCS, with a higher prevalence of acesulfame-K, followed by cyclamate, and sucralose, respectively. Meanwhile, 53.9% of 78 products containing LNCS also had added sugars, and 70.5% used nutritional claims about reduced sugars and/or calories. This scenario highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of LNCS in foods and beverages as front-of-package labeling is not fully implemented yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Latin American Business Review is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this work is to reflect on unequal schooling opportunities in Brazil, focusing on certain characteristics that mark, nowadays, the schooling trajectories of young people from middle- and high-income families. Our previous researches showed that an important part of these families are increasingly investing in international resources, seen as a vital tool for their kids’ success. This led to questions about the repercussion of this phenomenon in the strategies used by schools to fulfil parental demands. The research focuses on private schools in high-income neighbourhoods in Belo Horizonte. Interviews with school staff, an analysis on their website and other printed materials revealed that: (a) around half of the researched schools develop internationalisation initiatives such as: special programmes of foreign language learning; bilingual pedagogical projects; and trips abroad and (b) these initiatives could start in a precocious age (since kindergarten), especially foreign language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We investigated the relative frequencies of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma sp. in cervical samples. PCR analyses were performed in ectocervical and endocervical samples from 224 patients attending public health services in Belo Horizonte and Contagem, Minas Gerais Brazil. A high prevalence of colonisation of the cervix (6.3%% for C. trachomatis, 4.0%% for N. gonorrhoeae, 0.9%% for M. genitalium, 21.9%% for M. hominis, 38.4%% for Ureaplasma sp.) was demonstrated not only for pathogens classically associated to cervicitis ( C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae), but also for M. hominis and Ureaplasma sp. These findings may be useful to guide more adequate diagnosis to interrupt transmission and to avoid negative impacts on the female reproductive tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to identify gender issues in the academic performance of boys and girls during physics classes in a laboratory. The methodology adopted was the observation and interactions of pupils during eight classroom events. The interactions were recorded and events were informally discussed with the teacher. The school visited is a Federal mixed school, located in the city of Belo Horizonte, a large urban and industrialised area of Brazil. Boys and girls differed significantly in their interaction at school. Boys seemed determined to impose their will and to defend their masculine identity at any cost, even at the cost of academic failure. Girls seemed to seek the approval of the teacher, needed more affirmation and usually requested the teacher's attention from their desks. Boys' and girls' behaviour in the school expresses the different socialisation models given to them by society. It is suggested here that schools are social institutions in which values and attitudes that reinforce social division predominate. Schools validate ideas about 'boys' nature' (masculine identity) and 'girls' nature' (feminine identity), 'positioning' boys and girls in different social spaces. Schools and teachers must intervene in classrooms to guarantee a better academic involvement of boys and girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil in the last decade there has been an increase in the susceptibility of young women to HIV. This study explored the link between autonomy, or control over major domains of economic, social and sexual life, and susceptibility to HIV infection among poor young women living in an urban slum area of Brazil. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a random sample of 356 young women between 15 and 24 years old. The study found that indicators of autonomy that relate to sexuality, mobility and freedom from threat by partners were significantly correlated with practices linked to HIV prevention and with access to health services promoting prevention, especially among adolescents. Young women who talked to their partner about condom use before first intercourse and co-decided with them on condom use were more likely to use condoms. In contrast, those who had ever been victim of physical violence by a partner or whose partners restricted their mobility were less likely to use condoms. The study found that young women were more likely to have accessed health services for gynaecological examinations, family planning services and HIV testing if they had ever been pregnant. The findings indicate that structural gender inequalities translate into unequal relationships and reduced autonomy, increasing young women's susceptibility to HIV. A bias in HIV testing and reproductive health services towards pregnant women leaves many susceptible youth without early access. The study suggests the development of a reproductive health policy that ensures that young women access services before they get pregnant and that also reaches young males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]