Relation between workplace accidents and the levels of carboxyhemoglobin in motorcycle taxi drivers

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the relation between workplace accidents and the levels of carboxyhemoglobin found in motorcycle taxi drivers. METHOD: correlational, quantitative study involving 111 workers and data obtained in July 2012 through a questionnaire to characterize the participants and blood collection to measure carboxyhemoglobin levels. RESULT: 28.8% had suffered workplace accidents; 27.6% had fractured the lower limbs and significant symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure were verified in smokers. The carboxyhemoglobin levels were higher among smokers and victims of workplace accidents. CONCLUSION: motorcycle taxi drivers had increased levels of carboxyhemoglobin, possibly due to the exposure to carbon monoxide; these levels are also increased among smokers and victims of workplace accidents. The study provides advances in the knowledge about occupational health and environmental science, and also shows that carboxyhemoglobin can be an indicator of exposure to environmental pollutants for those working outdoors, which can be related to workplace accidents

As classes médias podem dinamizar o crescimento do PIB nas economias emergentes?

Observa-se uma tendência de aumento das classes médias, qualquer que seja o critério de inclusão adotado. Com uma definição ampla de classes médias, aumenta sua heterogeneidade e o grupo vulnerável tende a perder sua importância. Inversamente, a escolha de uma definição estreita de classes médias limita seu caráter "saco de gatos". Alguns veem nessa expansão das classes médias uma oportunidade de redinamizar o crescimento. Outros consideram que a expansão das classes médias decorre do crescimento e que um círculo virtuoso poderia existir entre crescimento e classes médias. No quadro de uma globalização controlada, essas duas teses estão erradas: uma redistribuição da renda em favor das categorias mais pobres pode dinamizar o cresciment

STRATEGIES FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN RECESSIONS: PRO OR COUNTER-CYCLICAL?

Recessions are recurring events in which most firms suffer severe impacts while others are less affected or may even prosper. Strategic management has made little progress in understanding such performance differences. In a scenario of decreased demand, intensified competition, and higher uncertainty, most firms try to survive by pro-cyclically cutting costs and investments. But firms could take advantage of undervalued resources in the market to counter-cyclically invest in new business opportunities to overtake competitors. We survey Brazilian firms in various industries about the 2008-2009 recession and analyze data using PLS-SEM. We find that while most firms pro-cyclically reduce costs and investments in recessions, a counter-cyclical strategy of investing in opportunities created by changes in the market enables superior performance. Most successful are firms with a propensity to recognize opportunities, an entrepreneurial orientation to invest, and the flexibility to efficiently implement investments

A "nova classe média": repercussões psicossociais em famílias brasileiras

O presente artigo, em uma abordagem ensaística, tem como objetivo analisar efeitos psicossociais na constituição de modos de subjetivação e em famílias a partir da emergência daquilo que vem sendo nomeado de a "nova classe média brasileira". Para isto, primeiramente foi feita revisão bibliográfica de como a sociologia, economia e antropologia vem conceituando e caracterizando esta nova classe social, considerando que não há estudos acerca desse tema na Psicologia. A partir do diálogo com fontes midiáticas, buscou-se pensar como vem sendo operada a construção de um "estilo de vida" marcado pela tentativa de planejamento do futuro, consumo e meritocracia. Tais características mostram-se importantes formas de aproximação com a classe média tradicional. Por fim, buscou-se entender como famílias vêm vivenciando tais mudanças em seu cotidiano, organização e relações.</p

Trabalho doméstico e desproteção previdenciária no Brasil: questões em análise

This article analyzes domestic labor in Brazil, considering gender, the sexual division of labor and social security, which are influenced by the social transformations of the late 20th century. To do so, a dialog was established with various theoreticians including: Boschetti, Hirata, Kergoat, Nogueira and Saffioti.A historical review of the sexual division of labor in capitalist society is conducted, utilizing the concept of gender and examining inequality between men and women in the work force. Then, looking at social security in Brazil, the  implications of counter reforms to the system for female labor and particularly for domestic work are analyzed, identifying the real lack of social protection suffered by the entire working class