Comment on ``Casimir force in compact non-commutative extra dimensions and radius stabilization''

We call attention to a series of mistakes in a paper by S. Nam [JHEP 10 (2000) 044, hep-th/0008083].Comment: 6 pages, LaTeX, uses JHEP.cl

Factors associated with the prescription of vaginal pessaries for pelvic organ prolapse

OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with the prescription of vaginal pessaries (VPs) as a conservative treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed during two annual urogynecology and general obstetrics and gynecology meetings in 2017 (Sa˜o Paulo, SP, Brazil). A 19-item deidentified questionnaire regarding experiences and practices in prescribing VPs for POP patients was distributed among gynecologists. Our primary outcome was the frequency of prescribing VPs as a conservative treatment for POP. The reasons for prescribing or not prescribing VPs were also investigated. Univariate and multivariate analyses with crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were performed for variables associated with the prescription of pessaries. RESULTS: Three hundred forty completed surveys were analyzed. Half of the respondents (53.53%) were between 30-49 years old; most of them were female (73.53%), were from the Southeast Region (64.12%), were trained in obstetrics and gynecology (80.24%) or urogynecology (61.18%) and worked in private offices (63.42%). More than one-third (36.48%) attended four or more POP cases/week, and 97.65% (n=332) had heard or knew about VPs for POP; however, only 47.06% (n=160) prescribed or offered this treatment to patients. According to the multivariate analysis, physicians aged 18-35 years (OR=1.97[1.00-3.91]; p=0.04), those who participated in a previous urogynecology fellowship (OR=2.34[1.34-4.09]; po0.01), those with relatively high volumes of POP cases (4 or +) (OR=2.23[1.21-4.47]; p=0.01) and those with PhD degrees (OR=2.75[1.01-7.54]; p=0.05) prescribed more pessaries. CONCLUSIONS: Most gynecologists did not prescribe VPs. Younger physician age, participation in a previous urogynecology fellowship, a PhD degree, and a relatively high volume of POP cases were associated with increased VP prescription rates

Casimir effect for the scalar field under Robin boundary conditions: A functional integral approach

In this work we show how to define the action of a scalar field in a such a way that Robin boundary condition is implemented dynamically, i.e., as a consequence of the stationary action principle. We discuss the quantization of that system via functional integration. Using this formalism, we derive an expression for the Casimir energy of a massless scalar field under Robin boundary conditions on a pair of parallel plates, characterized by constants $c_1$ and $c_2$. Some special cases are discussed; in particular, we show that for some values of $c_1$ and $c_2$ the Casimir energy as a function of the distance between the plates presents a minimum. We also discuss the renormalization at one-loop order of the two-point Green function in the $\lambda\phi^4$ theory submitted to Robin boundary condition on a plate.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures. Version 2: contains a new section on the renormalization of the two-point Green function in the presence of a flat boundary. Accepted for publication in J. Phys.

Family Health Strategy and More Doctors Program in Rural Area of Porto Velho, Brazil: A Qualitative Analysis under the Nurse’s Perspective

The Family Health Strategy (FHS) together with the implementation of the More Doctors Program (MDP) has an effective contribution to the strengthening of Primary Health Care (PHC) and the consolidation of the Unified Health System (SUS), which has intended to meet the health needs of the population in need of care less complex. Thus, this study aims to analyze the Family Health Strategy and the Program More Doctors implanted in the Rural Municipality of Porto Velho, Rondônia, from the perspective of nurses. This is a qualitative research, descriptive exploratory performed in the field, based on the assessment the perspective of nurses working in the FHS, which are favored by the MDP. The data collection was carried out through a questionnaire,Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCA Tool), in its version validated in Brazil entitled PCA Tool- Brazil (BRAZIL, 2010). This instrument is widely used by national research that evaluates the quality of primary care. For the construction of the database was used Microsoft Word software. For qualitative data, the collection was carried out through interviews recorded by a script containing open questions. The response were discussed based on the content analysis technique proposed by Bardin (2011). The results achieved indicate that the MDM enabled the structuring of teams that were incomplete in the rural area of the town, however presents numerous challenges in the organization of the work process and the understanding of program objectives

Transcription profiling in papillary thyroid carcinoma reveals potential diagnostic markers and drug targets

Financial support FAPESP and CAPES

Potential health impact of ultrafine particles under clean and polluted urban atmospheric conditions: a model-based study

The main goal of this study was to improve the knowledge of ultrafine particle number distributions in large urban areas and also to call the attention to the importance of these particles on assessing health risks. Measurements of aerosol size distributions were performed during 2 weeks, with distinct pollutant concentrations (polluted and clean periods), on the rooftop of a building located in downtown of the megacity of São Paulo, Brazil. CO, NO2, PM10, SO2, and O3 concentrations and meteorological variables were also used. Aerosol size distribution measurements showed that geometric mean diameters of the size spectra in the polluted period are on average considerably larger than those in the clean one. Besides the fact that total number of ultrafine particles did not show significant differences, during the polluted period, geometric mean diameter was larger than during the clean one. The results of a mathematical model of particle deposition on human respiratory tract indicated a more significant effect of smaller particles fraction of the spectra, which predominate under clean atmospheric conditions. The results also indicated that urban environmental conditions usually considered good for air quality, under the criteria of low mass concentration, do not properly serve as air quality standard to very small particles. In the size range of ultrafine particles, this traditional clean atmospheric condition can offer a strong risk to pulmonary hazards, since the cleansing of the atmosphere creates good conditions to increase the concentration of nucleation mode particles