Amphibia, Anura, Stereocyclops parkeri: distribution extension, new state record, geographic distribution map

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Blood transfusion and Jehovah’s Witnesses: Brazilian jurisprudence in the State and Federal Courts of Justice

Brazilian physicians and judges frequently have to decide whether to save the life of a Jehovah Witness patient that refuses blood transfusion or let the patient die when treatment refusal reflects their religious belief. The Penal Code condemns the physician who fails to use all the available means to save the patient. The Civil Code, contrarily, requires the professional to respect the patient’s autonomy regarding their decision over an intervention with potential risk of death. The Brazilian Constitution guarantees religious freedom and the inviolability of the right to life. This article reviews the Brazilian jurisprudence on the matter through recovery of all available decisions in the Federal and State Courts’ online database up to 2013. The results show that these superior courts consider that people are not allowed to let go of their own lives for religious reasons when in a state of “imminent death”. However, when the patient’s clinical state is qualified as “at risk of dying”, physicians are requested to respect their dissent.Médicos e magistrados brasileiros frequentemente têm que decidir se salvam a vida de um paciente Testemunha de Jeová que rejeita transfusão de sangue ou se permitem que o paciente morra quando da recusa do tratamento por sua crença religiosa. O Código Penal condena o médico que não usa de todos os meios disponíveis para salvar seu paciente, contrário ao Código Civil, que exige o respeito do profissional quanto à autonomia do paciente frente à sua decisão sobre uma intervenção com risco de morte. A Constituição Brasileira garante a liberdade religiosa e a inviolabilidade do direito à vida. Este trabalho analisa a jurisprudência brasileira sobre o assunto disponível nos bancos de dados online dos Tribunais Regionais Federais e Estaduais até o ano de 2013 e revela que esses tribunais superiores consideram que as pessoas não estão autorizadas a dispor de suas próprias vidas por motivos religiosos, quando em um estado de “morte iminente”. No entanto, quando o estado do paciente é qualificado como “em risco de morte”, os médicos devem respeitar sua discordância quanto ao tratamento

Selection of Trichoderma spp. strains for the control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybean

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, in vitro e in vivo, o potencial de isolados de Trichoderma spp.no controle de Sclerotinia sclerotiorum em soja (Glycine max) e identificar molecularmente as estirpes que mais se destacaram. O efeito de 120 isolados de Trichoderma spp. sobre a viabilidade de escleródios de S. sclerotiorum foi avaliado in vitro, por imersão em suspensão de conídios dos antagonistas e plaqueamento em meio de cultura. As estirpes que mais se destacaram foram avaliadas, in vivo, em casa de vegetação, no controle do patógeno em plantas e sementes de soja 'Pintado'. Dos 120 isolados testados in vitro, 22 inibiram em 100% a germinação de escleródios. Em casa de vegetação, cinco estirpes inibiram os efeitos prejudiciais do patógeno na germinação das sementes e duas estirpes proporcionaram aumento de até 67% na massa de matéria seca das plantas. As melhores estirpes foram identificadas como T. koningiopsis (3 estirpes), T. asperelloides (3), T. atroviride (2) e T. virens (1). Trichoderma spp. conseguem proteger plantas de soja 'Pintado' do efeito prejudicial de S. sclerotiorum ao mesmo tempo em que podem promover o crescimento da parte aérea em condições de casa de vegetação.The objective of this work was to evaluate, in vitro and in vivo, the potential of Trichoderma spp. strains to control Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybeans (Glycine max) and to perform the molecular identification of the best performing strains. The effect of 120 strains of Trichoderma spp. on the viability of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia was evaluated in vitro through immersion in suspension of conidia from the antagonists and plating in culture medium. The best performing strains were evaluated in vivo, in a greenhouse, for control of the pathogen inoculated on 'Pintado' soybean seeds and plants. Of the 120 strains tested in vitro, 22 strains of Trichoderma spp. caused 100% inhibition of sclerotia germination. In the greenhouse, five strains inhibited the negative effect of the pathogen on seed germination and two strains increased in up to 67% plant dry matter. The best performing strains were identified as T. koningiopsis (3 strains), T. asperelloides (3), T. atroviride (2), and T. virens (1). Trichoderma strains are able to protect soybean plants from the harmful effect of S. sclerotiorum and, at the same time, they can promote the growth of the aerial part in greenhouse conditions

Contribution of the vernacular architecture to the sustainability: A comparative study between the contemporary areas and the old quarter of a mediterranean city

The strongest point of vernacular architecture is the harmony between environment and buildings. Mediterranean vernacular architecture is harmonized with its local context, including culture and traditions. In addition, it respects environmental and climatic factors, construction materials, and morphology. In the past, people in Palestine built their houses according to their possibilities, needs, available materials, topography, and culture. Without any control from the government or any legal limitations or architects, it was people?s architecture, simple architecture. This paper discusses the differences between vernacular and contemporary residential buildings of the city of Nablus at the building scale. The research methodology adopts explanatory qualitative analysis and comparative synthesis methods for both the old and the new buildings of the city of Nablus and considers many parameters of residential buildings such as building materials, interior spaces, openings and vegetation, and the effect of sociocultural values on each. The outcomes of this research allow understanding how the new city residential buildings are far away from the sustainability principles and how the old city is close to it and how the architects and stakeholders could learn from the strategies of vernacular architecture.ERASMUS MUNDUS Peace II programinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vaginal cone use in passive and active phases in patients with stress urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate vaginal cone therapy in two phases, passive and active, in women with stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, São Paulo University, Brazil. Twenty-four women with a clinical and urodynamic diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence were treated with vaginal cones in a passive phase (without voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor) and an active phase (with voluntary contractions), each of which lasted three months. Clinical complaints, a functional evaluation of the pelvic floor, a pad test, and bladder neck mobility were analyzed before and after each phase. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients completed the treatment. The reduction in absolute risk with the pad test was 0.38 (p<0.034) at the end of the passive phase and 0.67 (p<0.0001) at the end of the active phase. The reduction in absolute risk with the pelvic floor evaluation was 0.62 (p<0.0001) at the end of the passive phase and 0.77 (p<0.0001) at the end of the active phase. The reduction in absolute risk of bladder neck mobility was 0.38 (p<0.0089) at the end of the passive phase and 0.52 (p<0.0005) at the end of the active phase. Complete reversal of symptomatology was observed in 12 (57.1%) patients, and satisfaction was expressed by 19 (90.4%). CONCLUSION: Using vaginal cones in the passive phase, as other researchers did, was effective. Inclusion of the active phase led to additional improvement in all of the study parameters evaluated in women with stress urinary incontinence. Randomized studies are needed, however, to confirm these results

Sustainability Indicators to Assess Infrastructure Projects: Sector Disclosure to Interlock with the Global Reporting Initiative

Infrastructure projects have great potential to impact the sustainability of cities due to typically being large-sized projects and having a high level of intervention. Thus, evaluating the sustainability of these projects through sustainability reports is highly relevant, mainly regarding their impacts on the environment, public health, and the local economy. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the most widespread and internationally accepted Sustainability report tool. However, the GRI does not have an infrastructure sector disclosure. This research addresses this gap by providing a sustainability assessment instrument for infrastructure projects that interlocks with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). An extensive and detailed literature review was conducted, identifying 97 potential indicators to measure the sustainability of infrastructure projects. These indicators were evaluated following a top-down approach, conducting a survey of professionals experienced in the relevant field using Lawshe's content validity ratio. The results showed that 42 indicators were validated as essential, with 21 of them, not specifically related to infrastructure projects, already covered by the standard disclosure of the GRI. This assessment enabled the proposal of a sector disclosure formed by 21 new indicators related to the environmental, economic, and social dimensions. This study closes a gap in the evaluation of the sustainability of infrastructure projects and contributes to the discussion about sustainability indicators in infrastructure projects