O Trabalho dos Catadores da Associação Engenho do Lixo: Entre a Necessidade Econômica e o Discurso da Consciência Ambiental

O texto analisa a maneira singular como os discursos de “consciência ambiental” repercutem no cotidiano de trabalho de um grupo de catadores de material reciclável e suas implicações ideo-políticas, num contexto de alta vulnerabilidade social. Como a reciclagem é capaz de diminuir o volume de resíduos no meio-ambiente, passa a ser facilmente vinculada à noção de consciência ambiental e melhoria da qualidade de vida. No entanto, as condições de vida e de trabalho de quem atua no início desse processo, os catadores, contradizem essa ideia. Esta pesquisa investigou o contexto em que se forma essa representação, interpretando as motivações que garantem a vitalidade deste discurso e estabelecendo um contraponto com a dinâmica do trabalho de um grupo de catadores. Analisou-se, sobretudo, o significado que os catadores atribuem aos seus trabalhos e às questões ambientais. Para tal, além de pesquisa bibliográfica, utilizaram-se o método etnográfico inspirado em Clifford Gertz, combinado com observação participante e entrevistas. Articulando os conceitos de consciência e autonomia a partir de Paulo Freire e lançando um olhar crítico para a dicotomia inclusão-exclusão social, constatamos que a reciclagem, comumente vista como fator de disseminação de uma consciência ambiental (separar o lixo, reaproveitar), decorre mais de uma necessidade econômica do que de uma perspectiva de sustentabilidade. Nesse sentido, demonstrou-se que a situação de vulnerabilidade na qual se encontra os catadores é mais uma característica estruturante do sistema vigente do que uma “falha”, e que o discurso da “reciclagem” e da “consciência ambiental”, no contexto investigado, acabam por justificar ou legitimar práticas que deveriam combater

Time evolution of the classical and quantum mechanical versions of diffusive anharmonic oscillator: an example of Lie algebraic techniques

We present the general solutions for the classical and quantum dynamics of the anharmonic oscillator coupled to a purely diffusive environment. In both cases, these solutions are obtained by the application of the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff (BCH) formulas to expand the evolution operator in an ordered product of exponentials. Moreover, we obtain an expression for the Wigner function in the quantum version of the problem. We observe that the role played by diffusion is to reduce or to attenuate the the characteristic quantum effects yielded by the nonlinearity, as the appearance of coherent superpositions of quantum states (Schr\"{o}dinger cat states) and revivals.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

O diálogo entre a técnica de julgamento estendido e os precedentes judiciais na busca pela segurança jurídica e celeridade processual

O presente trabalho possui como objeto o estudo, utilizando pesquisas bibliográficas, da nova técnica de julgamento estendido prevista no artigo 942 do Código de Processo Civil de 2015 e sua relação com os precedentes judiais, a fim de promover a segurança e a celeridade processual. Logo após a introdução o trabalho apresenta noções gerais a respeito da técnica de julgamento estendido. Num segundo momento o foco se volta para os princípios da segurança jurídica e celeridade processual. Por fim, o último capítulo se presta a apontar as implicações da técnica de julgamento estendido na promoção da uniformização da jurisprudência e, consequentemente, da segurança jurídica e celeridade. Analisando, para tanto, como atuam os precedentes no Brasil

Coronary artery bypass surgery without cardioplegia: hospital results in 8515 patients†

OBJECTIVES: Cardioplegic myocardial protection is used in most cardiac surgical procedures. However, other alternatives have proved useful. We analysed the perioperative results in a large series of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass (CABG) using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and non-cardioplegic methods. METHODS: From January 1992 to October 2013, 8515 consecutive patients underwent isolated CABG with CPB without cardioplegia, under hypothermic ventricular fibrillation and/or an empty beating heart. The mean age was 61.9 ± 9.5 years, 12.4% were women, 26.3% diabetic, 64% hypertensive; and 9.6% had peripheral vascular disease, 7.8% cerebrovascular disease and 54.3% previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI). One-third of patients were in Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class III/IV. Three-vessel disease was present in 76.5% of the cases and 10.9% had moderate/severe left ventricle (LV) dysfunction (ejection fraction <40%). A multivariate analysis was made of risk factors associated to in-hospital mortality and three major morbidity complications [cerebrovascular accident, mediastinitis and acute kidney injury (AKI)], as well as for prolonged hospital stay. RESULTS: The mean CPB time was 58.2 ± 20.7 min. The mean number of grafts per patient was 2.7 ± 0.8 (arterial: 1.2 ± 0.5). The left internal thoracic artery (ITA) was used in 99.4% of patients and both ITAs in 23.1%. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.7% (61 patients), inotropic support was required in 6.6% and mechanical support in 0.8, and 2.0% were re-explored for bleeding and 1.3% for sternal complications (mediastinitis, 0.8%). AKI, the majority transient, occurred in 1595 patients (18.9%). The incidence rates of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were 2.6 and 2.5%, respectively, and atrial fibrillation/flutter occurred in 22.6% of cases. Age, LV dysfunction, non-elective surgery, previous cardiac surgery, peripheral vascular disease and CPB time were independent risk factors for mortality and major morbidity. The mean hospital stay was 7.2 ± 5.7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated CABG with CPB using non-cardioplegic methods proved very safe, with low mortality and morbidity. These methods are simple and expeditious and remain as very useful alternative techniques of myocardial preservation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evolutionary ecology in-silico:evolving foodwebs, migrating population and speciation

We have generalized our ``unified'' model of evolutionary ecology by taking into account the possible movements of the organisms from one ``patch'' to another within the same eco-system. We model the spatial extension of the eco-system (i.e., the geography) by a square lattice where each site corresponds to a distinct ``patch''. A self-organizing hierarchical food web describes the prey-predator relations in the eco-system. The same species at different patches have identical food habits but differ from each other in their reproductive characteristic features. By carrying out computer simulations up to $10^9$ time steps, we found that, depending on the values of the set of parameters, the distribution of the lifetimes of the species can be either exponential or a combination of power laws. Some of the other features of our ``unified'' model turn out to be robust against migration of the organisms.Comment: 12 pages of PS file, including LATEX text and 9 EPS figure

Socio-Economic Burden of Myocardial Infarction Among Cancer Patients

Cancer patients face a higher risk of future myocardial infarction (MI), even after completion of anticancer therapies. MI is a critical source of physical and financial stress in non-cancer patients, but its impacts associated with cancer patients also saddled with the worry (stress) of potential reoccurrence is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to quantify MI's stress and financial burden after surviving cancer and compare to those never diagnosed with cancer. Utilizing cross-sectional national survey data from 2013-2018 derived from publicly available U.S. datasets, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), and economic data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), we compared the socio-economic outcomes among those with MI by cancer-status. We adjusted for social, demographic, and clinical factors. Overall, 19,504 (10.2%) of the 189,836 NHIS survey responders reported having cancer for more than 1 year. There was an increased prevalence of MI among cancer survivors compared to non-cancer patients (8.8% vs. 3.2%, P0.05). There was no difference in annual residual family income by cancer status; however, 3 lowest deciles of residual income representing 21.1% cancer-survivor with MI had a residual income of <$9,000. Myocardial infarction continues to represent an immense source of financial and perceived stress. In conclusion, although cancer patients face a higher risk of subsequent MI, this does not appear to advance their reported stress significantly

An overview of the design, construction and performance of large area triple-GEM prototypes for future upgrades of the CMS forward muon system

GEM detectors are used in high energy physics experiments given their good spatial resolution, high rate capability and radiation hardness. An international collaboration is investigating the possibility of covering the 1.6 < vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.4 region of the CMS muon endcaps with large-area triple-GEM detectors. The CMS high-eta area is actually not fully instrumented, only Cathode Strip Chamber (CSC) are installed. The vacant area presents an opportunity for a detector technology able to to cope with the harsh radiation environment; these micropattern gas detectors are an appealing option to simultaneously enhance muon tracking and triggering capabilities in a future upgrade of the CMS detector. A general overview of this feasibility study is presented. Design and construction of small (10cm x 10cm) and full-size trapezoidal (1m x 0.5m) triple-GEM prototypes is described. Results from measurements with x-rays and from test beam campaigns at the CERN SPS is shown for the small and large prototypes. Preliminary simulation studies on the expected muon reconstruction and trigger performances of this proposed upgraded muon system are reported

Reliability of Rapid Diagnostic Tests in Diagnosing Pregnancy-Associated Malaria in North-Eastern Tanzania.

Accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment of pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) are key aspects in averting adverse pregnancy outcomes. Microscopy is the gold standard in malaria diagnosis, but it has limited detection and availability. When used appropriately, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) could be an ideal diagnostic complement to microscopy, due to their ease of use and adequate sensitivity in detecting even sub-microscopic infections. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is even more sensitive, but it is mainly used for research purposes. The accuracy and reliability of RDTs in diagnosing PAM was evaluated using microscopy and PCR. A cohort of pregnant women in north-eastern Tanzania was followed throughout pregnancy for detection of plasmodial infection using venous and placental blood samples evaluated by histidine rich protein 2 (HRP-2) and parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) based RDTs (Parascreen™) or HRP-2 only (Paracheck Pf® and ParaHIT®f), microscopy and nested Plasmodium species diagnostic PCR. From a cohort of 924 pregnant women who completed the follow up, complete RDT and microscopy data was available for 5,555 blood samples and of these 442 samples were analysed by PCR. Of the 5,555 blood samples, 49 ((proportion and 95% confidence interval) 0.9% [0.7 -1.1]) samples were positive by microscopy and 91 (1.6% [1.3-2.0]) by RDT. Forty-six (50.5% [40.5 - 60.6]) and 45 (49.5% [39.4 - 59.5]) of the RDT positive samples were positive and negative by microscopy, respectively, whereas nineteen (42.2% [29.0 - 56.7]) of the microscopy negative, but RDT positive, samples were positive by PCR. Three (0.05% [0.02 - 0.2]) samples were positive by microscopy but negative by RDT. 351 of the 5,461 samples negative by both RDT and microscopy were tested by PCR and found negative. There was no statistically significant difference between the performances of the different RDTs. Microscopy underestimated the real burden of malaria during pregnancy and RDTs performed better than microscopy in diagnosing PAM. In areas where intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy may be abandoned due to low and decreasing malaria risk and instead replaced with active case management, screening with RDT is likely to identify most infections in pregnant women and out-performs microscopy as a diagnostic tool