The insecurity of Vale’s dams in Minas Gerais, Brazil: applying activity theory to disaster analysis

The objective of this article is to point out hypotheses of contradictions historically incubated in Vale’s activity systems and that may have led to Brazil’s biggest environmental disaster, the B I dam break in Brumadinho, and the interdiction of many other dams owned by Vale in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a case analysis from secondary data available in interviews, documents, and texts published in different media between 2011 and 2021. We try to demonstrate, from the Historical-Cultural Theory of Activity, the contradictions verified in and between Vale’s activity systems, since the company distributed large dividends to its shareholders, remunerated its directors as never before, reduced costs in relation to incomes, and brutally reduced internal debt, but keeping insufficient investments in dam management, culminating with the break of B I in 2019 and with 29 dams interdicted in March 2021. Financialization has become central to the company’s operations. This study points to a methodological path of the interdisciplinary dialogue to help clarify how strategic managerial decisions, especially those of financial management, could influence the production, maintenance, and safety management of tailings dams.O objetivo deste artigo é apontar hipóteses de contradições que estariam incubadas historicamente nos sistemas de atividades da Vale, e que podem ter levado ao maior desastre ambiental do Brasil: o rompimento da barragem B I em Brumadinho, bem como à interdição de muitas outras barragens da empresa no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Trata-se de uma análise de caso a partir de dados secundários disponíveis em entrevistas, documentos e textos publicados em diferentes mídias entre 2011 e 2021. Procuramos demonstrar, a partir da Teoria Histórico-Cultural da Atividade, as contradições verificadas em e entre sistemas de atividades da Vale, pois a empresa distribuiu dividendos vultosos aos seus acionistas, remunerou como nunca seus diretores, reduziu os custos em relação às receitas e diminuiu brutalmente a dívida interna, mas manteve investimentos insuficientes na gestão das barragens, culminando no rompimento da B I em 2019 e em 29 barragens interditadas em março de 2021. A financeirização tornou-se central para as operações da empresa. Este estudo aponta para um caminho metodológico do diálogo interdisciplinar que ajuda a esclarecer como as decisões gerenciais estratégicas, especialmente aquelas da gestão financeira, poderiam influenciar a gestão de produção, de manutenção e de segurança das barragens de rejeitos

Shorter delay to treatment by integrated diagnostic services and NGO-provided support among breast cancer patients in two Brazilian referral centres

Background: The diagnosis of breast cancer requires a complicated series of diagnostic exams. The present study addressed the delay of patients who used publicly and privately financed diagnostic services. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) donated diagnostic mammograms and biopsies.Design and Methods: Data from 304 patients were obtained from two Brazilian referral centres. In one referral centre (FAP), diagnostic mammography, clinic-histopathological exam and immunohistochemistry were outsourced, whereas in the other centre (HNL), these services were integrated. Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis and non-parametric tests were used to compare variables and time intervals.Results: If diagnostic mammography was financed privately and covered by private health insurance, the likelihood of a delay of >90 days between the first medical visit and the initiation of treatment decreased 2.15-fold (95%CI: 1.06- 4.36; p=0.033) and 4.44-fold (95%CI: 1.58-12.46; p=0.004), respectively. If the clinic-histopathological exam was outsourced (FAP) and publicly or privately financed, the median time between diagnostic mammography and the diagnostic result was 53 and 65 days in the integrated (HNL) and outsourced public system, compared to 29 days in the outsourced private system (p<0.050). The median time between the first medical visit and the diagnostic results of patients who were supported by NGOs, who financed their diagnostic services privately, and who used exclusively public diagnostic services was, respectively, 28.0, 48.5 and 77.5 days (p<0.050).Conclusion: Patients who used privately financed health services had shorter delays. Compared to outsourcing, the integration of the publicly financed clinic- histopathological exam diminished the delay. The support of patients by NGOs accelerated patient flow

Leaf geometric morphometrics among populations of Dalbergia ecastaphyllum (L.) Taub.

Leaves are plant structures that express important traits of the environment where they live. Leaf description has allowed identification of plant species as well as investigation of abiotic factors effects on their development, such as gases, light, temperature, and herbivory. This study described populations of Dalbergia ecastaphyllum through leaf geometric morphometrics in Brazil. We evaluated 200 leaves from four populations. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the first four principal components were responsible for 97.81% of variation. The non-parametric multivariate analysis of variance (NPMANOVA) indicated significant difference between samples (p = 0.0001). The Mentel test showed no correlation between geographical distances and shape. The canonical variate analysis (CVA) indicated that the first two variables were responsible for 96.77 % of total variation, while the cross-validation test showed an average of 83.33%. D. ecastaphyllum leaves are elliptical and ovate

Microenxertia ex vitro para eliminação do vírus CABMV em maracujá-azedo

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different culture media, used over grafting spot, in ex vitro micrografting, in order to eliminate the Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV) in sour passion fruit plants (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg.). Cauline apexes, originated from infected plants, were micrografted in seedlings obtained by the germination of seeds in commercial sterilized substrate. Experiments were conducted with the micrografting performed on the hypocotyl and epicotyl using five culture media, which differed on their concentration of phytoregulators applied on the grafting spot. The average rate of micrografting showing expanded leaf was 27.22 and 32.22%, when micrografting was performed on hypocotyl and epicotyl, respectively. In the micrografting performed on the hypocotyl, there was no effect of the culture media applied. In the micrografting performed on epicotyl, the MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L-1 3-indolbutiric acid (IBA) and 1 mg L-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) resulted in 53.3% of micrografting showing expanded leaf, a number superior to the other treatments, and in a larger development of shoots. The indexing performed by the indirect ELISA test, within 80 to 100 days after micrografting, showed that 93% of the plants tested presented no detectable virus.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar diferentes meios de cultura, utilizados sobre o ponto da enxertia, na microenxertia ex vitro para a eliminação do Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), em plantas de maracujá-azedo (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg.). Ápices caulinares, provenientes de plantas infectadas, foram microenxertados em plântulas obtidas pela germinação de sementes em substrato comercial esterilizado. Foram conduzidos experimentos com a microenxertia realizada no hipocótilo e no epicótilo, e foram utilizados cinco meios de cultura, que diferiam na concentração de fitorreguladores, aplicados no local da enxertia. O índice médio de microenxertos com folha expandida foi de 27,22 e 32,22%, quando a microenxertia foi realizada no hipocótilo e no epicótilo, respectivamente. Na microenxertia realizada no hipocótilo, não houve efeito da aplicação de meios de cultura. Na microenxertia realizada no epicótilo, o meio MS acrescido de 0,1 mg L-1 de AIB e 1 mg L-1 de BAP proporcionou 53,3% de microenxertos com folha expandida, número superior aos demais tratamentos e maior desenvolvimento das brotações. A indexação realizada pelo teste ELISA indireto, 80 a 100 dias após a microenxertia, mostrou que 93% das plantas testadas não apresentavam vírus detectável

High-concentration carbamide peroxide can reduce the sensitivity caused by in-office tooth bleaching: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial

Objectives: A single-blinded, randomized, parallel clinical trial evaluated the use of 37% carbamide peroxide (CP) on bleaching effectiveness and tooth sensitivity reported by patients undergoing in-office tooth bleaching, in comparison with the results of using 35% hydrogen peroxide. Material and Methods:Forty patients were allocated to receive two sessions of in-office tooth bleaching using either 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP) or 37% CP. Each patient’s sensitivity level was evaluated during and up to 24 h after bleaching. The effectiveness of the bleaching procedures was evaluated with a spectrophotometer one week after each session and 30 days after the last session. The impact of tooth bleaching on the patients’ perceptions regarding smile changes, in addition to the bleaching procedures and their results, were also recorded. Absolute and relative sensitivity risks were calculated. Data on sensitivity level were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney or T-test, and data from the color evaluation were subjected to 2-way repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The use of CP reduced the risk and level of tooth sensitivity to values close to zero, whereas the difference between the bleaching agents disappeared after 24 h. An increased bleaching effect was observed for HP, mainly due to an improved reduction of redness and yellowness. Participants perceived improved tooth bleaching for HP and reduced sensitivity for CP, but no differences regarding the comfort of the techniques were noted. Conclusions: In our study, 37% CP resulted in reduced tooth sensitivity but decreased the tooth bleaching effectiveness. However, both bleaching agents resulted in high levels of patient satisfaction

Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antioxidant Activities of Byrsonima duckeana

Background. Byrsonima is a promising neotropical genus, rich in flavonoids and triterpenes, with several proven pharmacological properties. Nevertheless, Byrsonima duckeana W. R. Anderson is an Amazonian species almost not studied. Objective. To assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities of Byrsonima duckeana leaves. Materials and Methods. We analyzed an ethanol extract and its fractions for polyphenol content and UHPLC-MS/MS, phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, TBARS antioxidant tests, formalin-induced pain, carrageenan-induced peritonitis, acetic acid-induced abdominal writhings, and hot plate assays. Results. All the samples showed high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity in the phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, and TBARS tests. We identified ethyl gallate, quinic acid, gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, quercetrin, and quercetin in the samples. B. duckeana was able to reduce leukocyte migration in the carrageenan-induced peritonitis by 43% and the licking time in the formalin test by 57%. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, the chloroform (FCL) and ethyl acetate (FEA) fractions were the most active samples. FEA was selected for the hot plate test, where all the dosages tested (5, 50, and 200 mg·kg−1) showed significant analgesic activity. Conclusion. B. duckeana has interesting analgesic and antioxidant activities, due to its high phenolic content, especially phenolic acids

Down- and up-conversion photoluminescence of carbon-dots from brewing industry waste : application in live cell-imaging experiments

Simple synthetic procedures have been applied to obtain luminescent carbon quantum dots, also referred as C-dots, from an abundant carbon source, that is, from the brewing industry waste. The synthetic procedures have been conducted aiming to investigate the effects of the oxidation stage on the properties of the nanomaterial. C-dots down- and up-conversion properties, as well as their potential for cellular imaging experiments in live (and adhered) cells, are disclosed herein

SAÚDE MENTAL: INTERVENÇÕES MULTIDISCIPLINAR NO TRATAMENTO E DIAGNÓSTICO.

Multidisciplinary disciplines in mental health treatment and diagnosis represent a comprehensive and collaborative approach to dealing with psychological and emotional issues. This model involves the synergy of professionals from different areas, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, occupational therapists and nurses, working together to diagnose and treat mental disorders. The main advantage of this approach is the ability to offer a broad, holistic view of an individual's mental health challenges. A multidisciplinary team is capable of carrying out more comprehensive assessments, taking into account not only symptoms, but also the social, emotional and physical aspects that can influence a person's mental health. By combining specialties, the team can create personalized treatment plans, combining different therapies and approaches to meet patients' individual needs. This collaboration allows the application of varied methods, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication disciplines, occupational therapy and counseling. Furthermore, this approach is not limited to treatment; it also seeks prevention and education, evolves to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illnesses and promote awareness. Communication and cooperation between professionals is essential, ensuring that everyone is aligned and updated on the patient's progress. This integration facilitates continuous adjustments to treatment, adapting it according to evolving needs. In summary, multidisciplinary interventions in mental health represent a collaborative and comprehensive approach that detects the complexity of mental disorders, promoting more complete and personalized care, evolving towards the patient's recovery and overall well-being.  As disciplinas multidisciplinares no tratamento e diagnóstico de saúde mental representam uma abordagem abrangente e colaborativa para lidar com questões psicológicas e emocionais. Esse modelo envolve a sinergia de profissionais de diversas áreas, como psicólogos, psiquiatras, assistentes sociais, terapeutas ocupacionais e enfermeiros, trabalhando juntos para diagnosticar e tratar distúrbios mentais. A principal vantagem dessa abordagem é a capacidade de oferecer uma visão ampla e holística dos desafios de saúde mental de um indivíduo. Uma equipe multidisciplinar é capaz de realizar avaliações mais abrangentes, levando em consideração não apenas os sintomas, mas também os aspectos sociais, emocionais e físicos que podem influenciar a saúde mental de uma pessoa. Ao unir especialidades, a equipe pode elaborar planos de tratamento personalizados, combinando diversas terapias e abordagens para atender às necessidades individuais dos pacientes. Essa colaboração permite a aplicação de métodos variados, como terapia cognitivo-comportamental, disciplinas medicamentosas, terapia ocupacional e aconselhamento. Além disso, essa abordagem não se limita ao tratamento; também busca a prevenção e educação, evolui para reduzir o estigma em torno das doenças mentais e promover a conscientização. A comunicação e a cooperação entre os profissionais são essenciais, garantindo que todos estejam alinhados e atualizados sobre o progresso do paciente. Essa integração facilita ajustes contínuos no tratamento, adaptando-o de acordo com as necessidades em evolução. Em resumo, as intervenções multidisciplinares em saúde mental representam uma abordagem colaborativa e abrangente que detecta a complexidade dos distúrbios mentais, promovendo um cuidado mais completo e personalizado, evoluindo para a recuperação e o bem-estar global do paciente