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AbstractWe study the lasting repercussions of the 1918 influenza ('Spanish Flu') pandemic on health measures and literacy rates in São Paulo, Brazil, the most populous city in South America today, but significantly poorer a century ago. Leveraging temporal and spatial variation in district‐level estimates of influenza‐related deaths for the 1917–20 time period, combined with a unique database on demographic and literacy outcomes as well as a detailed set of socio‐economic, infrastructure, and regional determinants newly constructed from historical data, we find that the pandemic had significant impacts. In particular, infant mortality and stillbirths rose, sex ratios at birth fell, and there was a marked improvement in male literacy rates for those 15 years and above in 1920. Further analyses reveal that these impacts are most pronounced in districts with older populations, less literate districts, and districts where access to doctors was relatively limited. We find evidence that the male literacy effects persist in 1940. These results highlight that ramifications of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic were experienced for at least two decades after the event in a context where institutions were relatively weak and resources for mitigation were limited.

The National Institute of Public Policy for Alcohol and Other Drugs (INPAD) is based at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil, and was created to collect scientific evidence regarding epidemiology, develop new therapeutic approaches, study health economics and provide education to subsidize the proper measures to change the Brazilian scenario of alcohol and drug consumption. Policies directed towards the control of alcohol and drugs in Brazil are fragmented, poorly enforced and therefore ineffective. the unregulated market of alcohol in Brazil has contributed to the worsening health of the Brazilian population. Since 1994, INPAD has participated actively in academic debates and discussions about alcohol and drug policies and their effects on the political welfare of the country. Many scientific papers and books have been published on this subject, and the internet and other media have provided excellent opportunities for the dissemination of specialized information to the general population. ; Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, BR-04023061 São Paulo, Brazil ; Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, BR-04023061 São Paulo, Brazil ; Web of Science

I Introduction to Monetary Measurement -- 1 The Nature of Monetary Measurement -- 2. The Neutralized Money Stock: A Reconstruction -- 3 Ml* and M2*: Dynamic Monetary Indicators from a Simultaneous Equation Model -- II Optimality of the Monetary Indicator -- 4 On the Biasedness of Observable Monetary Indicators -- 5 Optimality in the Choice of an Unbiased Monetary Indicator -- III The Use of Monetary Indicators: Applications and Perspectives -- 6 Applications of the Optimal Monetary Indicator in Policy Analysis -- 7 A Perspective on Monetary Measurement -- Name Index.

Minas artisanal cheese is the best known and most consumed type of cheese in Brazil. Prepared with raw bovine milk and starter cultures, these cheeses face many opportunities for post-processing contamination during their transport to commercial establishments as well as in how they are stored, displayed, and maintained for cutting/slicing at retail establishments. It is a common practice for retailers to purchase entire cheeses from the producers, cut them into smaller pieces for retail sale, and store them at room temperature instead of properly refrigerating them. This study evaluated the microbiological safety parameters of samples of Minas artisanal cheeses collected at retail establishments in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, to more realistically assess consumer exposure to the most common pathogens. Samples were submitted for investigation of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and the counts of total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and coagulase-positive enterotoxigenic staphylococci using culture and real-time PCR methods. A worrisome number of samples failed to comply with the current Brazilian legislation for foods in retail environments and presented more than one non-compliance issue. Results highlighted that quality and safety management tools, such as good hygiene practices and HACCP, in retail environments deserve more attention to reduce the possible risks to consumer health.

Intro -- Contents -- Figures and Tables -- Acronyms -- Preface -- Introduction -- The Cost of Climate Policy -- 1 The Climate Change Threat: Why Reduce GHG Emissions? -- 2 The Challenges of Estimating Emission Reduction Costs -- 3 A Method for Estimating Policy Costs -- 4 National Estimates -- 5 Sectoral Estimates -- 6 Regional Estimates -- 7 Domestic Policy Options -- 8 The Next Steps: Addressing the Uncertainties of GHG Abatement Costs -- Notes -- Glossary -- Selected Bibliography -- Index.

Ensuring water security holds a crucial position in the strategic planning of nations worldwide. The guaranteed access to water resources and their rational utilization are deemed priorities in the development of strategies within this domain. In the specific context of Kazakhstan, effective water resource management stands out as a key factor in shaping a robust model of national security on a global scale. This research aims to identify the characteristics and features of Kazakhstan's water security policy by analyzing elements and components at both the national and regional levels. To achieve this, a systemic analysis method was employed to assess the water security situation and identify positions within regional and international organizations. The study delves into the key elements and structural components of Central Asia's water security policy, shedding light on the peculiarities of national strategies adopted by individual countries in the region. The paper provides an overview of both negative and positive aspects of Kazakhstan's activities in planning access to river resources, summarizing the main outcomes of such efforts. Additionally, the study analyzes the uniqueness and specificity involved in forming a security strategy to ensure rational access to river sources in Kazakhstan. The results of this research serve as a foundational basis for further scientific exploration. They can be utilized for the development and implementation of innovative tools and methods in security policy within the national strategies of water management.

The aim of the present study was to carry out an epidemiological survey on gastrointestinal infections by nematodes and coccidia in cattle herds in the semiarid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. A total of 832 cattle were sampled, of both sexes and different ages, on 21 farms in 21 municipalities in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. Fecal samples were collected individually to perform eggs per gram (EPG) and oocysts per gram (OoPG) counts in feces, and to perform fecal cultures. To assess factors associated with nematode and coccidia infections, epidemiological survey forms were applied to the farmers. The total frequency of infections by nematodes was 59.6% (496/832) and it was 36.9% (307/832) for coccidia. The levels of infection by nematodes and coccidia were most frequently low (EPG < 300; OoPG < 1,000), in 72.4% (359/496) and 75.2% (231/307), respectively. The most frequent nematode genera was Haemonchus spp. (78.8%). The risk factors for nematode infections in cattle were beef production trait (odds ratio = 2.99) and extensive rearing system (odds ratio = 3.8); the factors for coccidia were age ≤ 12 months (odds ratio = 2.9) and body score between 1 and 2 (odds ratio = 5.2). These results prove that there are high frequencies of gastrointestinal infections by nematodes and coccidia in cattle herds in the semiarid region of Paraíba, with predominantly low levels of infection. However, given the importance of subclinical infections, adjustments to sanitary management measures can contribute to reduction of parasite indices and better performance among the animals, thus generating greater profitability for farmers.

An important debate exists on whether soybean expansion in Brazil is responsible for putting more pressure on the Amazon forest or if it allows land use intensification through the recuperation of degraded pasture. In this paper, we estimate regional soybean supply own and cross price elasticity in order to better assess the possible impacts of agricultural trade liberalization in old and new soybean production basins. Applying a panel data estimation technique, we find large substitution supply elasticity between soybean and beef in Brazil Moreover, own price elasticity of soybean supply is much higher in Cerrados regions that in the South of the country. These results allow to discuss possible regional consequences of soybean trade liberalization on the Amazon forest. The current movements to promote sustainable and responsible soybean production in Brazil could certainly modify the future response of the sector to trade liberalization and its long term impacts.

SummaryThe first part of this paper establishes the outlines of social policy in the course of the nineteenth century using Great Britain, Germany and France as examples, with particular emphasis on the differences arising from the varying political cultures of these countries. In the second part the paper attempts to establish comparisons for a generalized framework, also covering developments into the twentieth century. 'Social policy' in this instance means all state measures to safeguard the physical and social existence of employed workers on the basis of a criterion of fairness which is derived from their citizenship, it is political in other words. Safety ar work is as much a part of this as protection during illness, old age or unemployment. This study as a whole sets out to achieve some standardizations which will be useful in the analysis of the history of social policy and may also be helpful in the discussion of current socio-political problems.

The article based on analyzing the efficiency of interactive technologies as a means to improve the quality of the educational process. As we know, today the use of interactive methods in the learning process is widely introduced. This requires the humanization, democratization, and liberalization of the learning process. In short, the center of the learning process should be the learner's personality and needs. The learning process needs to be focused on needs of learners. Personalized education serves as a driving force for the organization of student learning activities that fulfill their interests, needs, and wishes. Interactive methods aim to achieve high results in a short period of time, without exerting considerable and physical effort. Teaching theoretical knowledge to the learner, acquiring skills and competencies in specific activities, developing moral qualities, and controlling and evaluating the student's knowledge requires a great deal of skill and agility. The learner will be given the opportunity to engage in creative thinking through search, finding, and processing of textbooks, information resource centers, the Internet, various other sources, without the knowledge being readily available. It gives the teacher and the student a constant creative search, continuous development and self-improvement.

The organic markets from all around the world are changing fast. An example is the proliferation of standards and the entrance of new actors in the organic market, as the processors. In this paper, organic farmers, agro industries, retailers, consumers, and rural extension agents were consulted through qualitative research methods to better understand these changes and to assess the conventionalization-bifurcation process of organic markets in the Southern Region of Brazil. The relations and influences that exist between these actors were identified and analyzed. The theoretical approach used in this study comes from the Multilevel Perspective. This approach sustains that a novelty, like organic farming, can produce radical or incremental changes in a socio-technical regime, as the dominant agro-food regime, while connections between both are built. We observed that these relations and influences are of three main types: outsourcing and elongation of supply chains; restrictions in the commercialization of the farmer's production; and the consequences, adjustments and commercial conditions established through contracts with retail chains besides commercialization in alternative networks. Through these findings, we identified a bifurcation in the organic markets where some actors demonstrate practices similar to agrifood dominant regime. In this process, the regime is changing, but so are the alternative networks. It indicates that once again the alternative agriculture is capable of reaffirmation by some ways.