The phenomenological approach to investigate the teacher’s perception about the estuarine environment of Babitonga Bay, Santa Catarina, Brazil: contribution of the environmental education program of “Projeto Toninhas/Univille”

[Resumo] O estuário da Baía da Babitonga, litoral norte de Santa Catarina, Brasil, como em outras áreas litorâneas, vem sendo constantemente ameaçada pelas atividades humanas. A Baía da Babitonga abriga espécies ameaçadas, como a toninha (Pontoporia blainvillei), única espécie de golfinho ameaçado de extinção no Brasil, e um extenso manguezal, responsável pela grande produtividade da região (BRASIL, IBAMA, 1998). A percepção da comunidade escolar sobre a questão ambiental da baía e da espécie vem sendo estimulada pelo programa de Educação Ambiental (EA) do Projeto Toninhas/UNIVILLE que objetiva também dar visibilidade à espécie. Essa investigação almeja buscar a essência, a significação, que esta biodiversidade ambiental exerce na comunidade escolar da região, com metodologias qualitativas, por meio de uma abordagem fenomenológica que busca refletir e expressar as percepções dessa comunidade litorânea[Abstract] The estuary of Babitonga Bay, north coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil, as in other coastal areas, has been constantly threatened by human activities. The Babitonga Bay is home to endangered species such as the toninha (Pontoporia blainvillei), only dolphin species threatened with extinction in Brazil, and an extensive mangrove, responsible for the high productivity of the region (BRASIL, IBAMA, 1998). The school community perception about the environmental issue of the bay and the species has been stimulated by the Environmental Education Program of “Projeto Toninhas/UNIVILLE” which aims also give visibility to the species. The research aims to seek the essence, significance, that this environmental biodiversity has in the school community of the region with qualitative methodologies, through a phenomenological approach that seeks to reflect and express the perceptions of the seaside community

Sustained response to infliximab treatment in two cases of early rheumatoid arthritis that has been maintained after drug withdrawal

The authors report two cases of active seropositive rheumatoid arthritis who were treated in an early phase of the disease with infliximab plus methotrexate obtaining a clinical remission. The benefit was maintained after the discontinuation of the anti-TNF alpha inhibitor for adverse events, indicating that the early administration of the drug may be followed by a sustained remission

EMDR and CBT for Cancer Patients: Comparative Study of Effects on PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

This pilot study examined the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment compared with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in oncology patients in the follow-up phase of the disease. The secondary aim of this study was to assess whether EMDR treatment has a different impact on PTSD in the active treatment or during the followup stages of disease. Twenty-one patients in follow-up care were randomly assigned to EMDR or CBT groups, and 10 patients in the active treatment phase were assigned to EMDR group. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) were used to assess PTSD at pretreatment and 1 month posttreatment. Anxiety, depression, and psychophysiological symptoms were also evaluated. For cancer patients in the follow-up stage, the absence of PTSD after the treatment was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of receiving EMDR rather than CBT. EMDR was significantly more effective than CBT in reducing scores on the IES-R and the CAPS intrusive symptom subscale, whereas anxiety and depression improved equally in both treatment groups. Furthermore, EMDR showed the same efficacy both in the active cancer treatment and during the follow-up of the disease

Spectral Soil Analysis & Household Surveys: A Guidebook for Integration

This Guidebook is intended to be a reference for survey practitioners looking for guidance on integrating soil health testing in household and farm surveys. The role of soil in agrarian societies is unquestionable, yet the complex nature of soil makes it much more challenging to measure than agricultural inputs such as fertilizers or pesticides. Historically, household surveys either include subjective questions of farmer assessment or rely on national-level soil maps to control for land quality, if anything at all. Recent scientific advances in laboratory soil analysis—via spectral soil testing—have opened the door to more rapid, cost-effective objective measurement of soil health in household surveys. This Guidebook explores the nascent possibility of integrating plot-level soil testing in household surveys through a presentation of results comparing various soil assessment methods and a step-by-step guide for practical implementation. In partnership with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), the Living Standards Measurement Study of the World Bank’s Development Data Group set out to validate (1) the feasibility of implementing spectral soil analysis in household surveys, and (2) the value of subjective farmer assessments of soil quality compared with objective measures in order to determine the need for objective soil analysis, specifically in low-income, smallholder agricultural contexts. These objectives were met by implementing two methodological validation studies, one in Ethiopia and one in Uganda. In both studies, plot-level soil samples were collected following identical international best-practice field protocols and analyzed using wet chemistry and spectral analysis methods at ICRAF’s Soil-Plant Spectral Diagnostics Laboratory. Additionally, plot managers were administered a series of subjective questions that are often used to gauge soil health in national household surveys. These studies resulted in two uniquely rich datasets that allow for comparison of subjective indicators of soil quality against laboratory results. Both laboratory and subjective results can also be compared with publicly available geospatial data, as all plots were georeferenced

Interprofessional Communication Team for Caregivers of Patients Hospitalized in the COVID-19 Wards: Results From an Italian Experience

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency restrictions did not allow clinician family meetings and relatives' visits. In Molinette Hospital, a new communication model between healthcare providers and families of COVID-19 affected patients was developed by a team of physicians and psychologists. The study's aims were to investigate caregivers' distress and to analyse their satisfaction with the communications provided. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of patients of Molinette Hospital COVID wards. Between April and June 2020, all caregivers were contacted 2 weeks after the patient's discharge/death to assess their satisfaction with the communications received through an online survey. Results: A total of 155 caregivers completed the survey. Caregivers' distress level was found to be higher in women than men (p = 0.048) and in caregivers whose relative died compared to the caregivers whose relative was discharged (p < 0.001). More than 85% of caregivers defined communication “excellent”/“very good”; being male was associated with higher satisfaction levels than women (β = −0.165, p = 0.046). Besides daily communication, 63 caregivers (40.6%) received additional support from a psychologist of the team. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study presenting, in an emergency, a new model of communication provided by a team of physicians and psychologists, and analyzing satisfaction with it. This model was highly appreciated by caregivers and it limited the discomfort caused by the restrictions on relatives' visits. It would be interesting to further evaluate the possibility of extending a communication model that includes doctors and psychologists in routine clinical practice