ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the perceptions of healthcare workers in the intensive care unit about family visitation policies and to examine their impact on healthcare workers’ psychological distress. Methods: We disseminated an electronic survey to interdisciplinary healthcare workers via the Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira during Brazil's most severe peak of COVID-19 (March 2021). We assessed perceptions of and preferences for family visitation policies and measured healthcare worker distress, including burnout, depression, anxiety, irritability, and suicidal thoughts using validated scales. We conducted multivariable regressions to evaluate factors associated with healthcare worker distress, including family visitation policies and healthcare workers’ concerns. Results: We included responses from 903 healthcare workers: 67% physicians, 10% nurses, 10% respiratory therapists, and 13% other. Most healthcare workers reported that their hospitals allowed no family visitation (55%) or limited visitation (43%), and only 2% reported allowing unlimited visitation. Most believed that limiting visitation negatively impacted patient care (78%), and 46% preferred allowing more visitation (which was lower among nurses [44%] than among physicians [50%]; p < 0.01). Approximately half (49%) of healthcare workers reported that limited visitation contributed to their burnout, which was lower among nurses (43%) than among physicians (52%), p = 0.08. Overall, 62% of healthcare workers reported burnout, 24% reported symptoms of major depression, 37% reported symptoms of anxiety, 11% reported excessive alcohol/drug consumption, and 14% reported thoughts of hurting themselves. In the multivariable analysis, family visitation policies (limited visitation versus no visitation) and preferences about policies (more visitation versus same or less) were not associated with psychological distress. Instead, financial concerns and reporting poor communication with supervisors were most strongly associated with burnout, depression, and anxiety. Conclusion: Half of healthcare workers self-reported that limited family visitation contributed to their burnout, and most felt that it negatively impacted patient care. However, family visitation preferences were not associated with healthcare worker distress in the multivariable regressions. More physicians than nurses indicated a preference for more liberal visitation policies. Objective Methods Brazils Brazil s COVID19 COVID 19 COVID-1 March 2021. 2021 . 2021) burnout depression anxiety irritability scales Results 90 67 10 therapists 13 other 55% 55 (55% 43%, 43 43% , 2 78%, 78 78% (78%) 46 44% 44 [44% 50% 50 [50%] 0.01. 001 0.01 0 01 0.01) 49% 49 (49% (43% 52%, 52 52% (52%) 008 08 0.08 Overall 62 24 37 11 alcoholdrug alcohol drug consumption 14 themselves analysis less Instead Conclusion selfreported self However COVID1 1 COVID- 202 9 6 5 (55 4 7 (78% [44 [50% 00 0.0 (49 (43 (52% 3 20 (5 (78 [4 [50 0. (4 (52 ( (7 [ [5

RESUMO Objetivo: Explorar as percepções dos profissionais de saúde que trabalham na unidade de terapia intensiva quanto às políticas de visitação familiar e examinar sua influência no sofrimento psicológico desses profissionais de saúde. Métodos: Divulgamos um inquérito eletrônico para profissionais de saúde interdisciplinares por meio da Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira durante o pico mais grave da COVID-19 no Brasil (março de 2021). Avaliamos as percepções e as preferências das políticas de visitação familiar e medimos o sofrimento dos profissionais de saúde, incluindo esgotamento, depressão, ansiedade, irritabilidade e pensamentos suicidas, usando escalas validadas. Realizamos regressões multivariáveis para avaliar os fatores associados ao sofrimento dos profissionais de saúde, incluindo políticas de visitação familiar e preocupações dos profissionais de saúde. Resultados: Incluímos respostas de 903 profissionais de saúde: 67% médicos, 10% enfermeiros, 10% fisioterapeutas e 13% outros. A maioria (55%) dos profissionais de saúde relatou que seus hospitais não permitiam visitação familiar ou permitiam visitação restrita (43%); apenas 2% relataram permitir visitação sem restrições. A maioria (78%) acreditava que restringir a visitação afetava negativamente a assistência ao paciente, e 46% preferiam permitir mais visitação (menor nos enfermeiros [44%] do que nos médicos [50%]; p < 0,01). Aproximadamente metade (49%) dos profissionais de saúde relatou que a visitação restrita contribuiu para seu esgotamento, sendo menor nos enfermeiros (43%) do que nos médicos (52%), p = 0,08. No geral, 62% dos profissionais de saúde relataram esgotamento, 24% relataram sintomas de depressão maior, 37% relataram sintomas de ansiedade, 11% relataram consumo excessivo de álcool ou drogas e 14% relataram pensamentos de automutilação. Na análise multivariada, as políticas de visitação familiar (visitação restrita versus nenhuma visitação) e as preferências por políticas (mais visitação versus a mesma ou menos) não foram associadas ao sofrimento psicológico. Em vez disso, as preocupações financeiras e o relato de má comunicação com os supervisores estavam mais profundamente associados ao esgotamento, à depressão e à ansiedade. Conclusão: Metade dos profissionais de saúde relatou que as restrições à visitação familiar contribuíram para seu esgotamento, e a maioria sentiu que isso afetou negativamente a assistência ao paciente. Entretanto, as preferências de visitação familiar não foram associadas ao sofrimento do profissional de saúde nas regressões multivariáveis. Mais médicos do que enfermeiros indicaram preferir políticas de visitação mais flexíveis. Objetivo Métodos COVID19 COVID 19 COVID-1 março 2021. 2021 . 2021) esgotamento ansiedade suicidas validadas Resultados 90 67 10 13 outros 55% 55 (55% 43% 43 2 78% 78 (78% paciente 46 44% 44 [44% 50% 50 [50%] 0,01. 001 0,01 0 01 0,01) 49% 49 (49% (43% 52%, 52 52% , (52%) 008 08 0,08 geral 62 24 maior 37 11 14 automutilação multivariada menos disso Conclusão Entretanto flexíveis COVID1 1 COVID- 202 9 6 5 (55 4 7 (78 [44 [50% 00 0,0 (49 (43 (52% 3 20 (5 (7 [4 [50 0, (4 (52 ( [ [5

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance of post mortem laboratory analysis in identifying the causes of hemorrhagic fever and/or neuroinvasive disease in deaths by arbovirus infection. METHODS Retrospective cross-sectional study based on the differential analysis and final outcome obtained in patients whose samples underwent laboratory testing for arboviruses at the Pathology Center of the Adolfo Lutz Institute, in São Paulo, Brazil. RESULTS Of the 1355 adults clinically diagnosed with hemorrhagic fever and/or neuroinvasive disease, the most commonly attributed cause of death and the most common final outcome was dengue fever. Almost half of the samples tested negative on all laboratory tests conducted. CONCLUSION The failure to identify the causative agent in a great number of cases highlights a gap in the diagnosis of deaths of unknown etiology. Additional immunohistochemical and molecular assessments need to be added to the post-mortem protocol if all laboratory evaluations performed fail to identify a causative agent. While part of our findings may be due to technical issues related to sample fixation, better information availability when making the initial diagnosis is crucial. Including molecular approaches might lead to a significant advancement in diagnostic accuracy.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance of post mortem laboratory analysis in identifying the causes of hemorrhagic fever and/or neuroinvasive disease in deaths by arbovirus infection. METHODS Retrospective cross-sectional study based on the differential analysis and final outcome obtained in patients whose samples underwent laboratory testing for arboviruses at the Pathology Center of the Adolfo Lutz Institute, in São Paulo, Brazil. RESULTS Of the 1355 adults clinically diagnosed with hemorrhagic fever and/or neuroinvasive disease, the most commonly attributed cause of death and the most common final outcome was dengue fever. Almost half of the samples tested negative on all laboratory tests conducted. CONCLUSION The failure to identify the causative agent in a great number of cases highlights a gap in the diagnosis of deaths of unknown etiology. Additional immunohistochemical and molecular assessments need to be added to the post-mortem protocol if all laboratory evaluations performed fail to identify a causative agent. While part of our findings may be due to technical issues related to sample fixation, better information availability when making the initial diagnosis is crucial. Including molecular approaches might lead to a significant advancement in diagnostic accuracy.

RESUMEN La movilidad potencial de Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb y Zn en suelos gravemente afectados por el almacenamiento inadecuado de desechos industriales en el estado de Río de Janeiro, Brasil, se evaluó mediante la aplicación del procedimiento de lixiviación con características de toxicidad (TCLP, por sus siglas en inglés). Este procedimiento permitió la estimación de riesgos de toxicidad para Cd, Cr y Pb. En una zona de alta contaminación dentro del área de estudio, se observó el siguiente orden de concentraciones de metales: Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cd > Cr, con valores significativamente más altos que los observados para un sitio de control. Décadas de exposición del suelo a desechos implicaron resultados de TCLP para Pb por encima de 300 mg/L en esta zona, los cuales exceden el umbral regulatorio de TCLP en dos órdenes de magnitud, mientras que los valores de Cd (hasta 0.8 mg/L) y Cr (hasta 0.3 mg/L) estuvieron por debajo de los umbrales de TCLP respectivos. El análisis del perfil del suelo superficial (0-30 cm de profundidad) indica que la migración vertical de Pb se produce en la zona de alta contaminación. Las concentraciones de Pb obtenidas con el TCLP fueron hasta cuatro órdenes de magnitud más altas que el umbral de calidad del agua subterránea recomendado por las regulaciones brasileñas para este metal (0.01 mg/L), lo que sugiere que la dispersión descendente de grandes cargas de Pb antrópico es un problema importante.

ABSTRACT The potential mobility of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in soils severely impacted by inadequate storage of industrial wastes in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil) was evaluated by applying the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). This procedure allowed the estimation of toxicity risks for Cd, Cr and Pb. In a contamination hotspot within the study area, the following order of metal concentrations was observed: Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cd > Cr, with significantly higher values than observed for a control site. Decades of soil exposure to wastes implied TCLP results for Pb above 300 mg/L in this hotspot, which exceed the TCLP regulatory threshold in two orders of magnitude, while Cd (up to 0.8 mg/L) and Cr (up to 0.3 mg/L) results were below the respective TCLP thresholds. Surface soil profile analysis (0-30 cm depth) indicates that Pb vertical migration occurs in the hotspot. TCLP concentrations of Pb were up to four orders of magnitude higher than the groundwater quality threshold preconized by Brazilian regulations for this metal (0.01 mg/L), suggesting that downward dispersion of large loadings of anthropogenic Pb is a major concern.

BACKGROUND: Crush injury is a common presenting clinical problem in South African trauma patients, causing acute kidney injury (AKI). It has been theorised previously that the AKI was not due to an anaerobic phenomenon. A previous local study noted the presence of a mild hyperlactataemia among patients with crush syndrome, but the significance and causes of this was not fully explored. This study aimed to examine the incidence of hyperlactataemia in patients with crush syndrome presenting to a busy emergency department (ED) in rural South Africa. METHODS: The study was conducted at Edendale Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa from 1 June 2016 to 31 December 2017. All patients from the ED who had sustained a crush injury secondary to a mob assault were included in the study. Patients with GCS on arrival of < 13 or polytrauma were excluded from analysis. The primary outcome of interest was the presence of hyperlactataemia (> 2.0mmol/L) on presentation. The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria were used to diagnose and stage AKI as a secondary outcome. RESULTS: A total of 84 patients were eligible for analysis. Sixty-nine (82%) patients presented with hyperlactataemia. The median serum lactate was 4.9mmol/L (IQR 2.3-7.2mmol/L). Fifteen (18%) patients were diagnosed with AKI on presentation according to serum creatinine. Ten patients were diagnosed as Stage 1, three were Stage 2 and two Stage 3 AKI respectively. There was no difference in the incidence of AKI in patients with or without hyperlactataemia (p = 0.428). Time from injury to presentation was a median 365 minutes (IQR 180-750 minutes). Six (7%) patients were admitted to high care unit and nine (11%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). No patients died within 48 hours of admission. Two patients received renal replacement therapy during the first 48 hours of admission to hospital. CONCLUSION: Hyperlactataemia is a common feature of patients presenting to the ED following crush syndrome secondary to beatings received during interpersonal violence. The origin of this hyperlactataemia is currently unknown. Further research needs to be conducted into the origin of the hyperlactataemia and its clinical significance. In this cohort, the utilisation of RRT was low but the incidence of AKI was high and developed rapidly following the injury. The utilisation of RRT also needs to be further studied in larger patient populations in South Africa to make local clinical recommendations for use.

RESUMO Áreas contaminadas por metais podem configurar sério risco à saúde pública e ao meio ambiente. Na década de 1980 foi instalado um pátio de estocagem provisória de resíduos industriais perigosos (CENTRES), no município de Queimados, Rio de Janeiro, o que causou um grande impacto ambiental ao solo da região. A legislação brasileira para o diagnóstico de áreas contaminadas limita a extração de metais em solos aos métodos recomendados pela United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 3050 e 3051A. Entretanto, muitos pesquisadores utilizam o método com água-régia para a extração de metais em solo, mas são escassos estudos que comparem as concentrações de metais extraídos por água-régia e USEPA 3051A. Logo, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se o método de extração de metais em solos por água-régia é estatisticamente diferente do método USEPA 3051A. Os resultados obtidos revelaram que as concentrações de Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb e Zn utilizando ambas as extrações (água-régia e USEPA 3051A) foram estatisticamente semelhantes. Também foi possível identificar que as concentrações de Cu, Ni, Pb e Zn foram superiores ao valor de investigação industrial, o que caracteriza essa área como altamente contaminada e solo classe 4.

ABSTRACT Metal contaminated areas lead to environmental and public health risks. In the 1980s, dangerous industrial waste storage was initiated in the CENTRES area in the municipality of Queimados, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The inadequate management of these wastes has promoted a large environmental impact to this region’s soils. The Brazilian legislation for diagnostics of contaminated areas limits the extraction of metals on soils to USEPA 3050-B and USEPA 3051-A methods. However, many researchers use the aqua regia method for extracting metals in soil, but there are few studies comparing concentrations of metals extracted by aqua regia and USEPA 3051A. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate if the method of extracting metals in soils by aqua regia is statistically different from US EPA 3051A. The results showed that the Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations using both extractions were statistically similar. It was also observed that Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations were higher than the industrial investigation value which characterizes this area as highly contaminated and soil class 4.

Se evaluó la factibilidad de generar energía eléctrica a partir del uso de residuos del aserrío mediante la tecnología de gasificación en dos aserraderos ejidales, Rocheachi (RO) y Tatahuichi (TA), en el municipio de Guachochi, Chihuahua. El área se ubica en un clima semifrío, con medias anuales de temperatura y precipitación de 10,6 °C y 800 mm, respectivamente; la vegetación está constituida por bosque de pino y pino-encino; las especies maderables son principalmente Pinus arizonica y P. durangensis. Se caracterizó el flujo de residuos, su composición química y su valor energético. Se seleccionó la tecnología de gasificación de cama fija con flujo hacia abajo con costos y especificaciones de un proveedor chino. Se asumió una conversión bioenergética de 1,3 kgMS/kWh y un factor de planta de 80%; el uso total de la electricidad sería alumbrado público municipal al 80% del costo de la tarifa normal. Se evaluó la viabilidad financiera de sistemas con capacidades a (100, 200, 400 y 800) kW bajo tres escenarios: base, optimista y pesimista. Se valoró el efecto de ingresos adicionales por venta de bonos de carbono en el mercado voluntario a (4, 5 y 6) US$/tCO2. La tasa interna de retorno (TIR) se incrementó consistentemente con la capacidad del sistema; el sistema a 800kW tuvo la mejor perspectiva económica. Los resultados fueron negativos y positivos en todos los escenarios para las capacidades de 100 kW y 800 kW, respectivamente. Sin bonos de carbono, la rentabilidad privada solo resulta aceptable (13%) en el sistema a 800kW en un escenario optimista. El impacto de los bonos se reflejó en incrementos en la TIR de 1,1 a 1,6% en el sistema de 400 kW y de 2,3 a 2,9% en el de 800 kW. Bajo estas condiciones, los sistemas evaluados reunirían los requisitos de adicionalidad que demanda el mercado del carbono.

The feasibility of converting sawmill residues in electricity through gasification was evaluated in two ejido sawmills, Rocheachi and Tatahuichi, in the Guachochi municipality of Chihuahua State. The area has a semi cold climate, with temperature and precipitation annual means of 10,6 ºC and 800 mm, respectively; the tree cover is dominated by pine and pine-oak communities with Pinus arizonica and P. duranguensis being the main species used for logging. The residues flow was estimated and its chemical composition and heating value characterized. The selected technology was the fixed bed downdraft gasifier; the costs and specifications data were provided by a Chinese supplier. The main assumptions were: 1,3 kgDM/kwh, 80% plant factor, electricity output sold for street lighting at 80% of commercial price. The financial viability was evaluated through the configuration of (100, 200, 400 and 800) kw systems and three scenarios: base, optimistic and pessimistic. The effect of additional revenues from carbon credits sold at the voluntary market at 4, 5 and 6 US$/tCO2 was assessed. The internal rate of return (IRR) increased consistently with increasing the systems' capacity with the 800kw being the most economically attractive. Without carbon credits, the 100 kw system showed no positive values at any scenario whereas the 800 kw system was the only one with positive IRR in all the scenarios with a range of 3% to 13%; the additional revenues from carbon credits added 2,3 and 2,9% to the low and high scenarios, respectively. In the context of the study, the systems evaluated would satisfy the additionality criteria required by the carbon market.

Military forces from developing countries have become increasingly important as facilitators of their government's foreign policy, taking part in peacekeeping operations, military exercises and humanitarian relief missions. Deployment of these forces presents both challenges and opportunities for infectious disease surveillance and control. Troop movements may cause or extend epidemics by introducing novel agents to susceptible populations. Conversely, military units with disease surveillance and response capabilities can extend those capabilities to civilian populations not served by civilian public health programmes, such as those in remote or post-disaster settings. In Peru and Thailand, military health organizations in partnership with the military of the United States use their laboratory, epidemiological, communications and logistical resources to support civilian ministry of health efforts. As their role in international affairs expands, surveillance capabilities of militaries from developing countries should be enhanced, perhaps through partnerships with militaries from high-income countries. Military-to-military and military-to-civilian partnerships, with the support of national and international civilian health organizations, could also greatly strengthen global infectious disease surveillance, particularly in remote and post-disaster areas where military forces are present.

Las fuerzas militares de los países en desarrollo han cobrado una creciente importancia como facilitadores de la política exterior de sus gobiernos, participando en las operaciones de mantenimiento de la paz y en ejercicios militares y misiones de socorro humanitario. El despliegue de esas fuerzas plantea tanto retos como oportunidades para la vigilancia y el control de las enfermedades infecciosas. Los movimientos de tropas pueden causar o propagar epidemias al introducir agentes nuevos en poblaciones vulnerables. Y a la inversa, las unidades militares con capacidad de vigilancia de las enfermedades y de respuesta pueden hacer extensiva esa capacidad a las poblaciones civiles no atendidas por los programas civiles de salud pública, como las que viven en zonas remotas o han sufrido desastres. En el Perú y Tailandia, organizaciones sanitarias militares en colaboración con militares de los Estados Unidos de América utilizan sus recursos de laboratorio, epidemiología, comunicaciones y logística para secundar los esfuerzos realizados por personal civil del Ministerio de Salud. Conforme aumenta su implicación en los asuntos internacionales, debería mejorarse la capacidad de vigilancia de los militares de los países en desarrollo, tal vez mediante fórmulas de colaboración con militares de los países de ingresos altos. La colaboración militares-militares y militares-civiles, con el apoyo de organizaciones sanitarias civiles internacionales, también podría contribuir a potenciar considerablemente la vigilancia mundial de las enfermedades infecciosas, sobre todo en las zonas remotas y posdesastre donde se hayan desplegado fuerzas militares.

Les forces militaires des pays en développement participent de plus en plus à l'application de la politique étrangère de leur gouvernement, en prenant part aux opérations de maintien de la paix, aux exercices militaires et aux missions de secours humanitaire. Le déploiement de ces forces génère à la fois d'importants problèmes et des opportunités pour la surveillance des maladies infectieuses et pour la lutte contre ces maladies. Les mouvements de troupes peuvent être à l'origine de l'apparition ou de la propagation d'épidémies à travers l'introduction de nouveaux agents parmi des populations sensibles. A l'inverse, les unités militaires disposant de capacités pour surveiller les maladies et organiser une riposte peuvent transmettre ces capacités à des populations civiles ne bénéficiant pas de programmes de santé publique civils, comme dans les régions isolées ou venant d'être frappées par une catastrophe. Au Pérou et en Thaïlande, les organisations sanitaires militaires, en partenariat avec les forces militaires des Etats-Unis d'Amérique, soutiennent les efforts du Ministère de la santé civil en faisant bénéficier celui-ci de leurs ressources en matière de laboratoires, d'étude épidémiologique, de communications et de logistique. Compte tenu de leur rôle grandissant dans les affaires internationales, il faudrait que les capacités de surveillance des forces militaires des pays en développement soient renforcées, éventuellement par un partenariat avec le secteur militaire de pays à haut revenu. Avec l'aide d'organisations nationales et internationales civiles ayant une mission sanitaire, des partenariats de types militaire/militaire ou militaire/civil pourraient aussi conduire à un renforcement substantiel de la surveillance des maladies infectieuses dans le monde, notamment dans les régions isolées ou venant de subir une catastrophe, où des forces militaires sont présentes.

To provide a novel resource for analysis of the genome of Biomphalaria glabrata, members of the international Biomphalaria glabrata Genome Initiative (<A HREF="http://biology.unm.edu/biomphalaria-genome.html">biology.unm.edu/biomphalaria-genome.html</A>), working with the Arizona Genomics Institute (AGI) and supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), produced a high quality bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library. The BB02 strain B. glabrata, a field isolate (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil) that is susceptible to several strains of Schistosoma mansoni, was selfed for two generations to reduce haplotype diversity in the offspring. High molecular weight DNA was isolated from ovotestes of 40 snails, partially digested with HindIII, and ligated into pAGIBAC1 vector. The resulting B. glabrata BAC library (BG_BBa) consists of 61824 clones (136.3 kb average insert size) and provides 9.05 × coverage of the 931 Mb genome. Probing with single/low copy number genes from B. glabrata and fingerprinting of selected BAC clones indicated that the BAC library sufficiently represents the gene complement. BAC end sequence data (514 reads, 299860 nt) indicated that the genome of B. glabrata contains ~ 63% AT, and disclosed several novel genes, transposable elements, and groups of high frequency sequence elements. This BG_BBa BAC library, available from AGI at cost to the research community, gains in relevance because BB02 strain B. glabrata is targeted whole genome sequencing by NHGRI.

Em 1918, em um hospital militar da reserva situado na pequena cidade pomerânia de Pasewalk, o neuropsiquiatra Prof. Edmund Forster tratou de um cabo austríaco chamado Adolf Hitler, que apresentava uma neurose de guerra (cegueira histérica), utilizando-se de técnicas terapêuticas sugestivas. Logo após a ascensão de Hitler ao poder na Alemanha nazista, em 1933, o Prof. Forster reuniu-se com um grupo de escritores alemães exilados em Paris e secretamente passou a eles informações sobre o caso. O escritor Ernst Weiss, também médico, mais tarde utilizou tais informações para escrever seu romance A Testemunha Ocular, que, porém, só seria publicado em 1963. Em circunstâncias estranhas, o Prof. Forster cometeu suicídio após uma campanha difamatória sistemática articulada pelos nazistas em 1933. Weiss também cometeu suicídio em 1940, quando as tropas alemãs invadiram Paris. A Gestapo também assassinou diversas outras pessoas envolvidas no prontuário médico de Hitler.

In 1918, in a military reserve hospital located in the small pomeranian town of Pasewalk, the neuropsychiatrist Prof. Edmund Forster treated an Austrian caporal called Adolf Hitler, suffering from a war neurosis (hysterical blindness), by means of suggestive techniques. Soon after the Hitler's ascension to the power in the Nazi Germany, in 1933, Dr. Forster met with a group of exiled writers living in Paris and secretly gave them information about the case. The writer Ernst Weiss, also he a physician, latter used this information in order to produce his novel "The Eye Witness", which would be published only in 1963. In strange circumstances, Prof. Forster committed suicide after successive defamatory statements in 1933. Weiss also committed suicide in 1940, when German troops invaded Paris. The Gestapo murdered several other persons involved in the Hitler's medical chart.

Cet article estime le degré et la nature des imperfections sur les marchés du bois du Pacifique Sud Colombien. Les marchés sont décrits sous le paradigme de l'organisation industrielle (structure/conduite/dégagement). L'article inclut aussi un modèle économétrique qui estime le degré de l'imperfection. Les structures des marchés ont indiqué des hauts niveaux de concentration des vendeurs. Ces niveaux de concentration sont le résultat de la présence de barrières pour entrer dans le marché, associées à un manque d'accès à l'information et au capitale, aux défauts dans le système bancaire, l'intégration verticale des participants, la disponibilité de transport, et quelques restrictions institutionnelles. Les imperfections des marchés du bois créent des inégalités concernant la distribution de l'entrée, le chômage, et la pauvreté régionale. Comme une conséquence, la contribution de l'industrie du bois au progrès socio-économique est limitée et elle produit des impacts négatifs dans la conservation des écosystèmes forestiers.

Este artículo estima el grado y naturaleza de las imperfecciones en los mercados de madera del Pacifico Sur colombiano. Los mercados son descritos bajo el paradigma de la organización industrial (estructura/conducta/desempeño). El artículo también incluye un modelo econométrico que estima el grado de la imperfección. Las estructuras de los mercados indicaron altos niveles de concentración de los vendedores. Estos niveles de concentración son el resultado de la presencia de barreras para entrar en el mercado, las cuales son asociadas con falta de acceso a información y capital, deficiencias en el sistema bancario, integración vertical de los participantes, disponibilidad de transporte, y algunas restricciones institucionales. Las imperfecciones de los mercados de maderas crean desigualdades en la distribución del ingreso, desempleo, y pobreza regional. Como consecuencia la contribución de la industria maderera en el progreso socioeconómico es limitada y produce impactos negativos en la conservación de los ecosistemas forestales.

This paper estimates the degree and nature of imperfections in the timber markets for the South Pacific Region of Colombia. These markets are described under the structure/conduct/performance paradigm. An econometric analysis was undertaken to estimate the degree of the imperfection. Market structures indicate high levels of seller concentration. These are the result of barriers to entry associated with: knowledge and capital requirements; deficiencies in the banking system; vertical integration of participants; available transportation; and other institutional constraints. These imperfections create inequalities in the distribution of income, unemployment and regional poverty. As a consequence the timber industry's contribution to socioeconomic progress is limited and produces a negative impact on the conservation of forest ecosystems.