HyperSpectral Imaging based approach for monitoring of micro-plastics from marine environment

The possibility to develop a sensor based procedure in order to monitor plastic presence in the marine environment was explored in this work. More in detail, this study was addressed to detect and to recognize different types of microplastics coming from sampling in different sea areas adopting a new approach, based on HyperSpectral Imaging (HSI) sensors. Moreover, a morphological and morphometrical particle characterization was carried by digital image processing. Morphological and morphometrical parameters, combined with hyperspectral imaging information, give a full characterization of each investigated particle, concurring to explain all the transportation, alteration and degradation phenomena suffered by each different polymer particle. Obtained results can represent an important starting point to develop, implement and set up monitor strategies to characterize marine microplastics. Moreover, the procedure developed in this work is fast, not expensive and reliable, making its utilization very profitable

Observed and simulated trophic index (TRIX) values for the Adriatic Sea basin

Abstract. The main scope of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is to achieve good environmental status (GES) of the EU's marine waters by 2020, in order to protect the marine environment more effectively. The trophic index (TRIX) was developed by Vollenweider in 1998 for the coastal area of Emilia-Romagna (northern Adriatic Sea) and was used by the Italian legislation to characterize the trophic state of coastal waters. We compared the TRIX index calculated from in situ data ("in situ TRIX") with the corresponding index simulated with a coupled physics and biogeochemical numerical model ("model TRIX") implemented in the overall Adriatic Sea. The comparison between in situ and simulated data was carried out for a data time series on the Emilia-Romagna coastal strip. This study shows the compatibility of the model with the in situ TRIX and the importance of the length of the time series in order to get robust index estimates. The model TRIX is finally calculated for the whole Adriatic Sea, showing trophic index differences across the Adriatic coastal areas

Gait-Based Diplegia Classification Using LSMT Networks

Diplegia is a specific subcategory of the wide spectrum of motion disorders gathered under the name of cerebral palsy. Recent works proposed to use gait analysis for diplegia classification paving the way for automated analysis. A clinically established gait-based classification system divides diplegic patients into 4 main forms, each one associated with a peculiar walking pattern. In this work, we apply two different deep learning techniques, namely, multilayer perceptron and recurrent neural networks, to automatically classify children into the 4 clinical forms. For the analysis, we used a dataset comprising gait data of 174 patients collected by means of an optoelectronic system. The measurements describing walking patterns have been processed to extract 27 angular parameters and then used to train both kinds of neural networks. Classification results are comparable with those provided by experts in 3 out of 4 forms

Determining factors for neonatal mortality in a city in the Southern Region of Brazil

This is an ecological quantitative study to identify risk factors that determined neonatal death between the years of 2000 to 2009 in Londrina, Paraná, using data from Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Infant Death Investigation Forms. The variables maternal age, years of education, family income, occupation, marital status, type of delivery, and number of prenatal appointments were not associated to neonatal death. To the contrary, birth weight, gestational age, Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and place of birth were identified as statistically significant variables. More than 73.0% of newborns died within early neonatal period. The predominant basic cause of death was perinatal problems (77.7%), 72.6% of which were preventable, and the majority of which could be reduced with adequate control over pregnancy/birth. These results highlight the need for investments in prevention of premature delivery by improvement of health care in prenatal and birth periods, in an equanimous, accessible and comprehensive manner in all levels of maternal and child health care.Investigación cuantitativa de tipo ecológico objetivando identificar los factores de riesgo que determinaron el deceso neonatal en el municipio de Londrina-Paraná entre 2000 y 2009. Se verificó que la edad materna, escolaridad, renta familiar, ocupación, situación conyugal, tipo de parto y número de consultas prenatales no se asocian al fallecimiento. Mientras tanto, el peso al nacer, la edad gestacional, el índice de Apgar en los minutos 1 y 5 y el lugar del parto sí mostraron significatividad estadística. Más del 73,0% de los recién nacidos fallecieron en el período neonatal precoz. La causa predominante fue afección perinatal (77,7%), considerándose que 72,6% de las muertes fueron evitables, y la mayoría, reducible por control adecuado del embarazo y parto. Tales resultados refuerzan la necesidad de inversiones en prevención del parto prematuro con atención prenatal y al parto equitativo, accesible e integral entre los diferentes niveles de atención de la salud materno-infantil.Pesquisa quantitativa do tipo ecológico cujo objetivo foi identificar os fatores de risco que determinaram o óbito neonatal no município de Londrina, Paraná, entre 2000 e 2009. Verificou-se que idade materna, escolaridade, renda familiar, ocupação, situação conjugal, tipo de parto e número de consultas pré-natais não se associaram ao óbito neonatal. Entretanto, o peso ao nascer, a idade gestacional, o índice de Apgar no 1º e 5º minutos e local do parto mostraram-se estatisticamente significativos. Mais de 73,0% dos recém-nascidos evoluíram para óbito no período neonatal precoce. A causa básica predominante foi a afecção perinatal (77,7%), sendo que 72,6% das mortes foram consideradas evitáveis e a maioria, reduzível por controle adequado da gravidez e do parto. Tais resultados reforçam a necessidade de investimentos na prevenção do parto prematuro com assistência antenatal e ao parto equitativa, acessível e integral entre os diferentes níveis de atenção à saúde materno-infantil

New and Reconditioned Electrical and Electronic Equipment. How does change the environmental performance?

The scope of this study, carried out within the LIFE12 ENV/IT001058 - "WEEENmodels" project, was to compare the environmental performance of the life cycle of new electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the reused one through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Different set of replaced components have been evaluated in order to understand which determines the best solution. Finally, both attributional and consequential LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) modelling have been implemented. A representative product has been considered for each WEEE group, assuming that it generates the same environmental damage of the other products belonging to the same category. In particular, the following representative products have been selected: refrigerator (R1), washing machine (R2), cathode ray tube (CRT) (R3), laptop (R4) and fluorescent lamp (R5). In addition, in the use phase, lower performance of reconditioned EEE has been taken into account, e.g. higher energy consumptions. The lifespan of the reused product has been supposed to be equal to half-life time of an equivalent new product. This study evaluated different set of replaced components for each WEEE category in order to examine how the environmental performance can vary adopting different maintenance choices in the reconditioning step. In particular, Scenario A represents the set of replaced components, which damage more frequently; Scenario B is just an alternative set of replaced components. The environmental comparison between new and reused WEEE, adopting attributional LCI modelling, showed that Scenario B produces a damage decrease for all WEEE categories. Moving on the consequential LCI modelling, the environmental comparison highlighted for both scenarios a considerable damage reduction for the reused EEE respect the new one. In addition, Scenario B determined the best environmental performance. Furthermore, for the reused R1, R2, R3 the analysis of results carried out environmental credits. This is due to the avoided burdens associated to the manufacturing of the new EEE, since the system boundaries have been enlarged until to considering the avoided production of the new product. Attributional and consequential LCI modelling performed different LCIA results. Following the methodological guidance for the identification of the most adequate LCI modelling framework presented by Laurent et al., 2014, it would recommend to adopt consequential LCI modelling. But we suggest to LCA practitioner to focus also the attention on the request of who commissioned the project, which often in the waste field are local administrations. Generally, they wants a snapshot of the real effects that waste management policies provoke on human health and environment. For this reason, attributional LCI modelling would be the proper LCI modelling to achieve this scope. Considering this LCI modelling the Scenario B determines the best environmental performance

Анафорична обробка нульової форми займенника монолінгвами-носіями бразильського варіанта португальської: онлайн дослідження

The aim of this paper was to investigate anaphoric processing of the null pronoun in Brazilian Portuguese and determine whether the perception of morphological gender features has a disambiguating effect during the process of reading. This feature enables the anaphoric null pronoun to be interpreted as referring to either the subject or object. We assume the proposal put forth by Carminati (2005) regarding the resolution of the null subject pronoun, which is based on the investigation of the processing of full and null pronouns in Italian. The sample of the present study was composed of 32 speakers of university-level Brazilian Portuguese. The stimuli were temporal adverbial subordinate clauses with the manipulation of the gender feature in the participle as disambiguating information. The authors used the self-paced reading experimental paradigm with a control response. The results were in line with that predicted by the Feature Strength Hypothesis and Antecedent Position Hypothesis put forth by Carminati (2005).Мета статті - дослідити анафоричну обробку нульової форми займенника в бразильському варіанті португальської мови та визначити, чи сприйняття гендерних морфологічних ознак має ефект розбіжності під час читання. Ця особливість дає змогу інтерпретувати анафоричну нульову форму займенника як референцію на предмет або об'єкт. Автори покликаються на гіпотезу Carminati (2005) щодо змісту нульової форми займенника, яка грунтується на дослідженні когнітивного перероблення повної та нульової форм займенників в італійській мові. Вибірку склало 32 студенти університету - носії бразильського варіанта португальської. Стимулами слугували темпоральні адвербіальні підрядні речення, які змінювалися за ознакою роду дієприкметника, що знімало неоднозначність інформації. Автори використовували експериментальну платформу самоконтролю читання із контролем реакції. Результати дослідження узгоджуються з результатами, що передбачені гіпотезою прояву ознак (Feature Strength Hypothesis) та гіпотезою позиції антецедента (Antecedent Position Hypothesis) за термінами Carminati (2005)

“O Mistério do Estuprador”: Arte, Cultura Visual e Educação na produção de adolesce ntes

Primeiramente, é possível afirmar que este artigo está interessado na relação entre Artes, Cultura Visual eEducação. Assim sendo, ele parte de uma produção realizada a partir da proposta da disciplina de Artes,no interior de uma escola pública federal na cidade de Juiz de Fora. Realizado por adolescentes, o áudiovisualintitulado “O Mistério do Estuprador” nos possibilita estabelecer a articulação entre essas três áreasde conhecimento, entendendo-as como resultado de processos históricos e culturais, com implicação naconstrução dos sujeitos e dos objetos. Queremos partir de três questionamentos fundamentais - Como asimagens nos educam? Como as imagens refletem e produzem discursos e sujeitos? Como as imagens servemà Educação? - para pensar e fomentar discussões acerca da prática escolar, os desafios e potencialidades dasimagens, educação e os processos de subjetivação

Lotus Birth Associated With Idiopathic Neonatal Hepatitis

In the present case, the infant presented with a complication of LB. There was a close temporal relationship between LB and the onset of clinical symptoms. The baby had persistent jaundice associated with a severe increase in aspartate and alanine aminotransferases without evidence of cholestasis. Recovery occurred spontaneously after the first months of life. Hepatobiliary, hematological, metabolic, endocrine, and genetic disorders were ruled out

Preparation for reuse activity of waste electrical and electronic equipment: Environmental performance, cost externality and job creation

The European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment system introduced measures to encourage both the reduction of the amount of electronic waste and its separation to prepare for reuse. The aim of this study is compare the environmental performance, cost externality and job creation of the whole life cycle of new and reconditioned electrical and electronic equipment by adopting Life Cycle Assessment methodology. Five electrical and electronic equipment categories were investigated and the data collection was made on an Italian context. The refurbishing of breakdown electrical and electronic equipment was assessed by considering different sets of faulty components (Scenario A and B) and a total of 25 scenarios were studied. Moreover, both attributional and consequential life cycle inventory modelling framework were adopted to represent the investigated scenarios. The outcomes highlighted that the preparation for reuse process leads to obtaining a sustainable electronic device than the new one, depending on which set of components are replaced. Adopting Scenario B with the attributional model, the environmental damage of reconditioned electrical and electronic equipment decreases compared to the new one. Conversely, the consequential approach determines an environmental credit for all repaired electronic devices except for one category; in particular, Scenario A produced the largest environmental advantage. The analyses of external costs and social aspects confirm that the preparation for reuse activity allows to obtain a more sustainable product than a new one. For these two latter aspects, the results showed a turnaround passing from attributional model to consequential one. Noting the variability in results adopting both different life cycle inventory modelling framework and set of replaced components, the Life Cycle Assessment practitioner, that conducted the study, should help the decision-makers to determine which scenario is more sustainable accomplishing an adequate choice

Postnatal mortality in Brazilian territory: a literature review

This is a systematic review regarding postnatal mortality, covering the period between 2004 and 2009. The objective was to identify how the causes of death and the relationship with socioeconomic conditions are stated in the literature. Twenty-seven articles were selected, 74.4% of which were published in public health journals, with 66.7% having an ecological study design. Nearly all articles addressed cause groups and their components (66.7%), followed by the remaining third, which addressed the identification of the determinant factors of the deaths. The Southeast region produced over 37% of the studies. In most Brazilians cities and states, there was a reduction of deaths by more than 50% by the end of the 1900s. Among the cause of death groups, the diarrhea-pneumonia group was predominant, followed by congenital abnormalities. The basic life conditions according to socioeconomic indicators - housing, basic sanitation, education, and accessibility to health - were determinants for the highest postnatal death rates due to reducible causes.Revisión sistemática referida al período entre 2004 y 2009 acerca del tema mortalidad post-neonatal. Objetivó identificar cómo se expresan en la literatura las causas de muerte y la relación con las condiciones socioeconómicas. Se seleccionaron 27 artículos, 74,4% publicados en revistas del área de Salud Pública y 66,7% de diseño de tipo ecológico. Casi la totalidad versaba sobre grupos de causas y sus componentes (66,7%), seguidos por el tercio restante, atendiendo identificación de factores determinantes de decesos. La región Sudeste produjo más del 37% de los estudios. En la mayoría de los municipios y estados brasileños, la reducción superó el 50% a fines de los '90. Entre los grupos de causas de muerte, predominó el agrupamiento diarrea-neumonía, seguido de malformaciones congénitas. Las condiciones de vida según indicadores socioeconómicos, residencia, sanidad básica, educación y acceso a la salud, fueron determinantes para mayores índices de mortalidad post-neonatal por causas pasibles de reductibilidad.O presente trabalho trata-se de revisão sistemática, referente ao período de 2004 a 2009, sobre o tema mortalidade pós-neonatal. Teve o objetivo de identificar como se colocam na literatura, as causas da morte e a relação com as condições socioeconômicas. Foram selecionados 27 artigos, 74,4% publicados em periódicos da área da Saúde Pública e 66,7%, de desenho do tipo ecológico. Quase a totalidade versava sobre grupos de causas e seus componentes (66,7%), seguidos pelo terço restante, sobre a identificação dos fatores determinantes dos óbitos. A região Sudeste produziu mais de 37% dos estudos. Na maioria dos municípios e estados brasileiros, a redução superou 50% no final da década de 1990. Dentre os grupos de causas de óbitos, predominou o grupamento diarreia-pneumonia, seguido pelas malformações congênitas. As condições de vida segundo indicadores socioeconômicos - moradia, saneamento básico, educação e acesso à saúde - foram determinantes para os maiores índices de mortalidade pós-neonatal por causas passíveis de redução