Global Trends of "Green" Economy Development as a Factor for Improvement of Economical and Social Prosperity

The article covers main reasons of emerging a new type of economy, the "green" economy. The aims and objectives of developing green economy were analyzed. The significance of an economy reform carried out on both national and global levels was evaluated. We analyzed both speed and level of the green economy development in the world and in the most developed countries of the world. An influence of institutional and investment factors on the process of greening economy was studied. The authors evaluated an influence of scientific and technical researches on transition of economy to its new model. An influence of leading countries, economical global leaders, on greening interstate and global economy was reviewed and analyzed. Possible perspectives of the global green economy development and consequences of greening process are given. The article determines factors that influence on the level of economic and social prosperity and welfare of society. The authors show negative consequences of the existing economic model that influence the society level of living, poverty, prosperity and welfare. It is proved by Japan experience that contributions into development of “green” economy sectors and R&D works promote greening food, influence welfare of society and life expectancy. A conclusion was made that transition to green economy will favorably influence health level of any nation and increase factors that promote development of social and economic prosperity and welfare of society in general

Entre tanques e lenços: domesticidade e trabalho feminino na propaganda de guerra estadunidense (1941-1943)

During the Second World War, The American Way of Life crossed the American continent as a weapon, through an unprecedented advertising offensive. A powerful arsenal of images, prepared by different agencies of the US Department of State, was aimed at recruiting women to participate in the war effort, whether in their homes, in the front or in the manufacture of weapons. Through attractive civic values, war propaganda included in its repertoire different discourse resources, that would integrate the broad imaginary of a new form of domesticity. This research investigates, in an historical perspective, the use of gender as a resource for propaganda purposes, through the articulation between political elements and everyday life. This resource, usually take for granted when we refer to authoritarian governments, also shows its usefulness for democratic States, even in order to preserve a lifestyle attributed to the “free world”. Crossing primary sources, such as the famous American magazine The Reader's Digest - in its American and Latin American versions - and various propaganda posters launched by the United States Government during the Second War, these papers examine the way of the Government's self-representations built a complex ideological framework in which state affairs were interwoven with gender issues.Transformado en arma de guerra por la Office of Cordinator of Interamerican Affaires, el estilo de vida americano- estadounidense llegó a los hogares de todo el continente durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, a través de una ofensiva publicitaria sin precedentes. Un poderoso arsenal de imágenes, elaborado por diferentes órganos del Departamento de Estado norteamericano, tenía por objetivo el reclutamiento de las mujeres para que participasen del esfuerzo de guerra, ya fuese en sus hogares, en el frente o en la fabricación de armas. Por medio de atractivos valores cívicos, la propaganda de guerra incluía en su repertorio diferentes recursos discursivos que, a partir de entonces, y hasta bien avanzada la posterior Guerra Fría, integrarían el amplio imaginario de una nueva forma de domesticidad. Este trabajo indaga, en perspectiva histórica y en soportes diversos, la utilización discursiva del género con fines de propaganda mediante la articulación entre elementos políticos y económicos y el cotidiano y la vida doméstica. Este recurso, cuya utilización usualmente damos por sentada cuando nos referimos a gobiernos autoritarios, muestra su utilidad también para gobiernos democráticos, aun cuando se pretenda como objetivo la preservación de un estilo de vida atribuido al “mundo libre”. A partir del cruce de fuentes primarias, como la afamada revista estadounidense The Reader’s Digest -en sus versiones en ingles, portugués y español- y de variados carteles de propaganda lanzados por gobierno de Estados Unidos durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, se desarrolla la idea de que las autorepresentaciones del gobierno americano acabaron formando un complejo entramado ideológico en el que se imbricaban los asuntos de estado con las cuestiones de género.Transformado em arma de guerra pela Office of Cordinator of Interamerican Affaires, o estilo de vida americano-estadunidense chegou aos lares de todo o continente durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, através de uma ofensiva publicitária sem precedentes. Um poderoso arsenal de imagens, elaborado por diferentes órgãos do Departamento de Estado norte-americano, tinha por objetivo o recrutamento das mulheres para que participassem do esforço de guerra, fosse nos seus lares, no fronte ou na fabricação de armamentos. Por meio de atrativos valores cívicos, a propaganda de guerra incluía no seu repertório diferentes recursos discursivos que, a partir daquele momento, e até muito avançada a posterior Guerra Fria, integrariam o amplo imaginário de uma nova forma de domesticidade”. Este trabalho indaga, em perspectiva histórica e em suportes diversos, a utilização discursiva do gênero com fins de propaganda mediante a articulação entre elementos políticos e econômicos e o cotidiano e a vida doméstica. Este recurso, cuja utilização usualmente damos por óbvia quando nos referimos a governos autoritários, mostra a sua utilidade também para governos democráticos, mesmo quando se pretenda a preservação de um estilo de vida atribuído ao “mundo livre”. A partir do cruzamento de fontes primárias, como a famosa revista estadunidense The Reader’s Digest -nas suas versões estadunidense e latino-americanas- e variados cartazes de propaganda lançados pelo governo dos Estados Unidos durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, se desenvolve a ideia de que as autorrepresentações do governo americano acabaram por formar um complexo enramado ideológico no qual tecem-se os problemas de estado com as questões de gênero

Domesticidade, medo e consumo: a Espanha franquista e o American Way of Life nas páginas de Seleções

Durante as décadas de 1950 e 1960, a sociedade espanhola recebeu um variado conjunto de artefatos culturais provenientes dos Estados Unidos, país do qual começava a se aproximar. Séries de televisão, produções cinematográficas e publicações periódicas informavam aos espanhóis e espanholas sobre os usos, costumes e avanços tecnológicos daquele país, do qual pouco conheciam. O estilo de vida estadunidense, denominado American Way of Life, era muito diferente da experiência da sociedade espanhola, governada pelo duro regime de Francisco Franco. Este trabalho indaga, em perspectiva transcultural e em suportes diversos, o impacto dessa informação na publicidade, na produção e no consumo, articulando elementos políticos e econômicos com a emergência de um novo fenômeno, a domesticidade

Automatic noninvasive measurement of systolic blood pressure using photoplethysmography

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Automatic measurement of arterial blood pressure is important, but the available commercial automatic blood pressure meters, mostly based on oscillometry, are of low accuracy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we present a cuff-based technique for automatic measurement of systolic blood pressure, based on photoplethysmographic signals measured simultaneously in fingers of both hands. After inflating the pressure cuff to a level above systolic blood pressure in a relatively slow rate, it is slowly deflated. The cuff pressure for which the photoplethysmographic signal reappeared during the deflation of the pressure-cuff was taken as the systolic blood pressure. The algorithm for the detection of the photoplethysmographic signal involves: (1) determination of the time-segments in which the photoplethysmographic signal distal to the cuff is expected to appear, utilizing the photoplethysmographic signal in the free hand, and (2) discrimination between random fluctuations and photoplethysmographic pattern. The detected pulses in the time-segments were identified as photoplethysmographic pulses if they met two criteria, based on the pulse waveform and on the correlation between the signal in each segment and the signal in the two neighboring segments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Comparison of the photoplethysmographic-based automatic technique to sphygmomanometry, the reference standard, shows that the standard deviation of their differences was 3.7 mmHg. For subjects with systolic blood pressure above 130 mmHg the standard deviation was even lower, 2.9 mmHg. These values are much lower than the 8 mmHg value imposed by AAMI standard for automatic blood pressure meters.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The photoplethysmographic-based technique for automatic measurement of systolic blood pressure, and the algorithm which was presented in this study, seems to be accurate.</p

El hogar de la victoria: la promesa del American Way of Life para América Latina (Estados Unidos-Brasil-Argentina, 1940-1945)

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em História, Florianópolis, 2015.O tema de esta tese é o impacto da ofensiva cultural estadunidense no Brasil e na Argentina, durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial. O estudo foi realizado em perspectiva transnacional, com uma abordagem cultural. Nos dois primeiros capítulos foi apresentada a revista estadunidense The Reader's Digest, cujas edições em castelhano e português foram um importante dispositivo de propaganda implementado pela diplomacia cultural norteamericana. Articulada pela Office of Cordinator of Interamerican Affaires (OCIAA) durante o governo do presidente Franklin Delano Roosevelt, tinha como objetivo garantir o êxito da sua política de Boa Vizinhança em América Latina e afastar a ameaça da propaganda nazifascista no sul do continente. Nesta primeira parte da pesquisa a revista foi examinada dentro do contexto da sua produção, o Panamericanismo. No terceiro capítulo foram indagadas as motivações do governo estadunidense para a implantação de esta ofensiva cultural. Foi escolhida uma amostra representativa das publicações financiadas pela embaixada alemã na Argentina, país que aparece na documentação como foco principal das preocupações de Washington. No quarto capítulo foi examinado o impacto desta ofensiva cultural e da chegada do modelo de vida estadunidense na esfera privada. As edições latino-americanas de The Reader's Digest, em castelhano e português, foram tratadas como um eixo discursivo transversal, nas que articulam-se os elementos unificadores do Panamericanismo. O cruzamento destas fontes culturais com documentos diplomáticos e confidenciais dos governos argentino, brasileiro e estadunidense possibilitou a constatação de um complexo enramado de interesses políticos, económicos, comerciais e culturais; com profundo impacto na esfera domêstica e na atribuição de papéis de género.Abstract : This thesis is about the impact of American cultural offensive in Brazil and Argentina, during World War II. The study was conducted in transnational perspective, with a cultural approach. In both First Chapters was introduced the north American magazine The Reader 's Digest, whose Spanish and Portuguese editions were a important tool implemented by the north American cultural diplomacy. Used by the Office of Coordinator of Inter-American Affaires (OCIAA) during the Government of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the magazine was intended to ensure the success of its Good Neighbor Policy in Latin America in order to keep away the Nazi fascist propaganda in the south of the continent. In the first two chapters of the research, the magazine was examined within the context of its production, the Pan Americanism. In the third chapter were investigated the motivations of the United States government for the implementation of this cultural offensive. It was chosen representative sample of publications financed by the German Embassy in Argentina and Brazil. In the fourth chapter was examined the impact of this cultural offensive and the arrival of the American Way of Life model in the domestic sphere. The Latin American editions of The Reader's Digest -in Portuguese and Spanish- were examined as a cross discursive tool, used to unifying elements of pan Americanism. These cultural sources were crossed with diplomatic and confidential documents of Argentina, and Brazil and United States. It allowed to finding Political, and Economic, and Trade and Cultural interests; with a strong impact on the domestic sphere and in the assignment of gender roles

Point-of-Purchase Alcohol Ads in One Low-Income Community in Central California: Occurrence and Women’s Perceptions

This study explores the occurrence of point-of-purchase (POP) alcohol ads in one low-income community Central California, identifies their target audience and themes, and obtains their perspective on how the ads influence women’s alcohol consumption. Methods included observation of POP alcohol ads in local supermarket and convenience stores that sell alcohol products, content analysis of a selection of these POP alcohol ads, and focus group discussions with young women who are mostly in their twenties from both Latina and non-Latina backgrounds. A total of 2,021 POP alcohol ads were observed in 164 retail establishments that sell alcohol. Of these ads, we took photos of 64 different ads for content analysis. Our content analysis indicated that most POP alcohol poster ads appealed both to men and women, with themes mainly related to sex and sports. Focus group interviews indicated that sex and sports-themed alcohol ads, coupled with the presence of peers and family members that drink alcohol, are influential in women’s decisions to drink. The influence of alcohol ads on norms regarding alcohol consumption warrant stronger anti-alcohol policies, such as the banning alcohol ads in places frequented by minors, and the implementation of anti-alcohol marketing campaigns with a health consequences focus

A critical review of public health interventions aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and/or increasing knowledge among pregnant women

Issues: It is well established that alcohol can cross the placenta to the fetus and can affect both physical and psychological development of the infant; however, many women continue to drink during pregnancy. It is therefore important to determine whether interventions can be successful in reducing alcohol consumption among pregnant women. Past reviews have investigated the effectiveness of clinical interventions in reducing alcohol consumption in pregnancy; however, the aim of the current review was to focus on the effectiveness of public health interventions. Approach: A critical literature review was conducted by searching several electronic databases using key words such as ‘pregnancy’,‘alcohol’,‘interventions’ and ‘public health’. Studies were included if they utilised a public health intervention and included alcohol consumption or levels of knowledge as an outcome measure. Key Findings: Seven studies were included in the review. Interventions included multimedia and educational interventions. Improvements in knowledge were reported in six studies, whereas one study found contradictory results. Four studies used alcohol consumption rates as an outcome measure, and although a reduction in consumption was reported, the results were non-significant. Implications: The effectiveness of public health interventions that aim to increase awareness and reduce alcohol consumption among pregnant women cannot be assessed because of the paucity of studies. Conclusions: The results of this critical review emphasise a lack of evidence and highlight the need for further evaluation research on this topic