Iatrogenesis in Intensive Care Units: dramatization of Contemporary Bio/Ethical Problems

This qualitative investigation, based in Foucauldian analysis with approximations to the post-structuralism theoretical framework, explores iatrogenesis as one of the tensions in the nursing to do/to know which can be discursively articulated to bioethics and to technobiomedicine. The documentary sources and intensive interviews with nurses, permitted the activation of a reflection on the act of the nurse in a context permeated by the ever-present possibility of failure in both the procedure and in the conduct and, from this possibility, they should meet their obligation to correct this failure not so much or not only in knowledge, not so much or not only in law but in practice itself.Se trata de una investigación cualitativa, fundamentada en la perspectiva foucaultiana con aproximaciones en el referencial teórico post-estructuralista, explora las iatrogenias como una de las tensiones en el hacer/saber enfermería que pueden ser discursivamente articuladas a la bioética y a la tecnobiomedicina. Las fuentes documentales y de entrevistas con enfermeros intensivistas permitieron activar una reflexión sobre el actuar del enfermero en un contexto impregnado por la posibilidad siempre latente de fallar tanto en el procedimiento, como en la conducta y, a partir de esta posibilidad, estos profesionales encuentra que es su obligación corregir esta falla no tanto o no apenas en el conocimiento, no tanto o no apenas en la ley, pero más bien en la práctica de sí mismo.Esta é uma investigação qualitativa, balizada na analítica foucaultiana com aproximações ao referencial teórico pós-estruturalista, explora as iatrogenias como uma das tensões no fazer/saber enfermagem que podem ser discursivamente articuladas à bioética e à tecnobiomedicina. As fontes documentais e de entrevistas com enfermeiros(as) intensivistas permitiram ativar reflexão sobre o agir do(a) enfermeiro(a) em contexto permeado pela possibilidade, sempre latente, de falhar tanto no procedimento como na conduta, e, a partir dessa possibilidade, ele(a) encontra sua obrigação de corrigir essa falha não tanto ou não apenas no conhecimento, não tanto ou não apenas na lei, mas na prática de si mesmo

Classical skyrmions in SU(N)/SO(N) cosets

We construct the skyrmion solutions appearing in the coset spaces SU(N)/SO(N) for N > 2 and compute their classical mass. For N = 3, the third homotopy group pi_3(SU(3)/SO(3)) = Z_4 implies the existence of two distinct solutions: the skyrmion of winding number two has spherical symmetry and is found to be the lightest non-trivial field configuration; the skyrmion and antiskyrmion of winding number plus and minus one are slightly heavier and of toroidal shape. For N >= 4, there is only one skyrmion since the third homotopy group is Z_2. It is found to have spherical symmetry and is significantly lighter than the N = 3 solutions.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures; v2: discussion improve

Supersymmetric Monojets at the Large Hadron Collider

Supersymmetric monojets may be produced at the Large Hadron Collider by the process qg -> squark neutralino_1 -> q neutralino_1 neutralino_1, leading to a jet recoiling against missing transverse momentum. We discuss the feasibility and utility of the supersymmetric monojet signal. In particular, we examine the possible precision with which one can ascertain the neutralino_1-squark-quark coupling via the rate for monojet events. Such a coupling contains information on the composition of the neutralino_1 and helps bound dark matter direct detection cross-sections and the dark matter relic density of the neutralino_1. It also provides a check of the supersymmetric relation between gauge couplings and gaugino-quark-squark couplings.Comment: 46 pages, 10 figures. The appendix has been rewritten to correct an error that appears in all previous versions of the appendix. This error has no effect on the results in the main body of the pape

Bionomics of Culex quinquefasciatus within urban areas of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate density, parity rates, daily survival and longevity of natural populations of Culex quinquefasciatus in three neighborhoods with distinct socio-economic and infrastructure profiles. METHODS: Mosquito collections of the Culex quinquefasciatus species were performed weekly during two four month periods, from August to November 2008 (spring) and March to June 2009 (fall), in a favela (slum), a suburban area and a middle class area of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. Collections were performed with backpack aspirators, in 20 randomly selected houses in each area per week, during 15-20 minutes per house. Ovaries were removed from captured females and classified as initial, intermediary or final stage. Furthermore, females were dissected for determination of parity based on the condition of the tracheal system. Mosquito survival rate and longevity were estimated on a per month basis for each neighborhood. RESULTS: We collected a total of 2,062 Culex quinquefasciatus, but monthly vector density was not correlated with temperature and rainfall. We dissected the ovaries of 625 Culex quinquefasciatus, and overall, there was a higher proportion of nulliparous females during the dryer months, while gravid females were more frequent in rainy months. In the middle class neighborhood, the parity rate reached up to 93.75% with survivorship of 0.979. Lower parity and survival rates were obtained in the suburban area (as low as 36.4% parity and 0.711 daily survival). Up to 84.7% of Culex quinquefasciatus females could survive the eight day period needed to complete West Nile Virus incubation. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of Culex quinquefasciatus varied significantly between the neighborhoods. This suggests that vectorial capacity and disease transmission risk may vary greatly between different urban areas, which is potentially useful information for vector control programs

Bigger, Better, Faster, More at the LHC

Multijet plus missing energy searches provide universal coverage for theories that have new colored particles that decay into a dark matter candidate and jets. These signals appear at the LHC further out on the missing energy tail than two-to-two scattering indicates. The simplicity of the searches at the LHC contrasts sharply with the Tevatron where more elaborate searches are necessary to separate signal from background. The searches presented in this article effectively distinguish signal from background for any theory where the LSP is a daughter or granddaughter of the pair-produced colored parent particle without ever having to consider missing energies less than 400 GeV.Comment: 26 pages, 8 Figures. Minor textual changes, typos fixed and references adde

Cell walls of the dimorphic fungal pathogens Sporothrix schenckii and Sporothrix brasiliensis exhibit bilaminate structures and sloughing of extensive and intact layers

This work was supported by the Fundação Carlos Chagas de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), grants E-26/202.974/2015 and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), grants 229755/2013-5, Brazil. LMLB is a senior research fellow of CNPq and Faperj. NG acknowledged support from the Wellcome Trust (Trust (097377, 101873, 200208) and MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (MR/N006364/1). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Motivation and incentives of rural maternal and neonatal health care providers: a comparison of qualitative findings from Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania.

In Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania strong efforts are being made to improve the quality of maternal and neonatal health (MNH) care. However, progress is impeded by challenges, especially in the area of human resources. All three countries are striving not only to scale up the number of available health staff, but also to improve performance by raising skill levels and enhancing provider motivation. In-depth interviews were used to explore MNH provider views about motivation and incentives at primary care level in rural Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania. Interviews were held with 25 MNH providers, 8 facility and district managers, and 2 policy-makers in each country. Across the three countries some differences were found in the reasons why people became health workers. Commitment to remaining a health worker was generally high. The readiness to remain at a rural facility was far less, although in all settings there were some providers that were willing to stay. In Burkina Faso it appeared to be particularly difficult to recruit female MNH providers to rural areas. There were indications that MNH providers in all the settings sometimes failed to treat their patients well. This was shown to be interlinked with differences in how the term 'motivation' was understood, and in the views held about remuneration and the status of rural health work. Job satisfaction was shown to be quite high, and was particularly linked to community appreciation. With some important exceptions, there was a strong level of agreement regarding the financial and non-financial incentives that were suggested by these providers, but there were clear country preferences as to whether incentives should be for individuals or teams. Understandings of the terms and concepts pertaining to motivation differed between the three countries. The findings from Burkina Faso underline the importance of gender-sensitive health workforce planning. The training that all levels of MNH providers receive in professional ethics, and the way this is reinforced in practice require closer attention. The differences in the findings across the three settings underscore the importance of in-depth country-level research to tailor the development of incentives schemes