3,815 research outputs found
Distribution of physical therapists working on public and private establishments in different levels of complexity of health care in Brazil
Improving operational management of wastewater systems: a case study
Wastewater treatment facilities collecting wastewater from longstanding sewer networks of five municipalities in the Ave River basin (located in NW Portugal) are especially vulnerable to water inflows since they have considerable extensions of sewers installed in stream and riverbeds. TRATAVE, the company responsible for operating the system, designed and implemented a monitoring network to measure discharges along the entire drainage network and treatment facilities in order to reduce those water inflows. Several flow measurement devices were installed at strategic locations within the sewer network and integrated with a SCADA system responsible for its operation. A decision support system (DSS) is being implemented using the Delft-FEWS platform, integrating monitoring data and models. Based on monitored data and model results, an estimation of infiltration volumes during wet periods is presented. Moreover, the capabilities of the DSS are illustrated in: (i) location of manholes losses along sewer networks during wet periods; (ii) identification and location of unknown connections to the sewer network using wastewater balances; and (iii) design of a PID controller for a pumping station using on-line tank water level measurement. Acquired knowledge resulting from the DSS greatly improved the utility performance both in terms of economic revenue and environmental protectionThe authors thank TRATAVE for the financial support in
the installation of measurement devices, the first author’s scholarship for PhD tuition fees, and in making available
the monitoring data used in this research
Inhibition of human neutrophil oxidative burst by pyrazolone derivatives
The risk of agranulocytosis associated with the use of pyrazolone drugs at therapeutical doses and for short periods of time has been considered
to be very low. However, little or no attention at all has been devoted to the possible hindrance of neutrophil burst and scavenging of neutrophilgenerated
reactive oxygen species (ROS) by these compounds. Such an effect could be beneficial in the case of overactivation of neutrophils but
could also be highly detrimental if the number of circulating neutrophils is already decreased. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate
the putative inhibitory effect of the pyrazolones dipyrone, aminopyrine, isopropylantipyrine, and antipyrine against human neutrophil burst and
their scavenging activity against O2
S!, H2O2, HOS, ROOS, and HOCl. The obtained results showed that dipyrone and aminopyrine prevent
phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced neutrophil burst with high efficiency, while isopropylantipyrine had little effect and antipyrine had no
effect at all. Dipyrone and aminopyrine were highly potent scavengers of HOS and HOCl, while, in accordance with the neutrophil burst results,
isopropylantipyrine had little effect and antipyrine had no effect at all against these two ROS. None of the studied pyrazolones was capable of
scavenging O2
S! or H2O2, while dipyrone was shown to be the most reactive against ROOS
Support for group-based inequality among members of low-status groups as an ingroup status-enhancement strategy
We discuss the idea that competition-based motives boost low-status group members’ support for group-based hierarchy and inequality. Specifically, the more low-status group members feel motivated to compete with a relevant high-status outgroup, based on the belief that existing status positions may be reversed, the more they will defend status differentials (i.e., high social dominance orientation; SDO). Using minimal groups (N = 113), we manipulated ingroup (low vs. high) status, and primed unstable status positions to all participants. As expected, we found that SDO positively mediates the relation between ingroup identification and collective action, when ingroup’s status is perceived to be low and status positions are perceived as highly unstable. We discuss the implications of considering situational and contextual factors to better understand individuals’ support for group-based hierarchies and inequality, and the advantages of considering ideological processes in predicting collective action.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Co-exposure of the organic nanomaterial fullerene C60 with benzo[a]pyrene in Danio rerio (zebrafish) hepatocytes: Evidence of toxicological interactions
Compounds from the nanotechnology industry, such as carbon-based nanomaterials, are strong candidates to contaminate aquatic environments because their production and disposal have exponentially grown in a few years. Previous evidence shows that fullerene C60, a carbon nanomaterial, can facilitate the intake of metals or PAHs both in vivo and in vitro, potentially amplifying the deleterious effects of these toxicants in organisms. The present work aimed to investigate the effects of fullerene C60 in a Danio rerio (zebrafish) hepatocyte cell lineage exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in terms of cell viability, oxidative stress parameters and BaP intracellular accumulation. Additionally, a computational docking was performed to investigate the interaction of the fullerene C60 molecule with the detoxificatory and antioxidant enzyme Ï€GST. Fullerene C60 provoked a significant (p 0.05) alter the enzyme activity when added to GST purified extracts from the zebrafish hepatocyte cells. These results show that fullerene C60 can increase the intake of BaP into the cells, decreasing cell viability and impairing the detoxificatory response by phase II enzymes, such as GST, and this latter effect should be occurring at the transcriptional level.Fil: Ribas Ferreira, Josencler L.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Lonné, MarÃa Noelia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientÃficas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: França, Thiago A.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Maximilla, Naiana R.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Lugokenski, Thiago H.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de QuÃmica; BrasilFil: Costa, PatrÃcia G.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Fillmann, Gilberto. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Soares, Félix A.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de QuÃmica; BrasilFil: de la Torre, Fernando Roman. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientÃficas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Luján. Departamento de Ciencias Básicas; ArgentinaFil: Monserrat, José MarÃa. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil. Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Nanomateriais de Carbono; Brasi
How are the portuguese coping with the mandatory confinement by COVID-19?: association between mental health and coping strategies
INTRODUCTION: The global COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on human behaviour and wellbeing. However, researchers have not yet considered how coping responses to stress related to COVID-19 could influence mental health. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the mental health status of Portuguese during the national lockdown; examine how study participants cope with stress during the national lockdown; and assess the association between coping and mental health status. METHODS: We cross sectionally analysed data from a convenience sample of 430 adults living in Portugal. Mental health was measured using the five-item Mental Health Inventory. Coping strategies were assessed using the Brief COPE. We examine the univariate associations between mental health status and coping responses. We performed a multiple hierarchical regression analysis controlling for sex and age, to test the predictive importance of coping responses on mental health status. RESULTS: Participants’ mental health was lower than the cut-off point for poor mental health (p<.001). The use of instrumental support, emotional support, self-blame, venting, denial, behavioral disengagement, and substance use were positively significantly associated with mental health, while active coping, positive reframing, acceptance, and humor were negatively significantly associated with mental health. The multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that sex and age accounted for 6% of the variance of mental health. Coping strategies accounted for an additional and statistically significant 30% of the variance of mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide support for the impact of the coping strategies on mental health. We encourage future research on the present topic
Spacetime dynamics of spinning particles - exact electromagnetic analogies
We compare the rigorous equations describing the motion of spinning test
particles in gravitational and electromagnetic fields, and show that if the
Mathisson-Pirani spin condition holds then exact gravito-electromagnetic
analogies emerge. These analogies provide a familiar formalism to treat
gravitational problems, as well as a means for comparing the two interactions.
Fundamental differences are manifest in the symmetries and time projections of
the electromagnetic and gravitational tidal tensors. The physical consequences
of the symmetries of the tidal tensors are explored comparing the following
analogous setups: magnetic dipoles in the field of non-spinning/spinning
charges, and gyroscopes in the Schwarzschild, Kerr, and Kerr-de Sitter
spacetimes. The implications of the time projections of the tidal tensors are
illustrated by the work done on the particle in various frames; in particular,
a reciprocity is found to exist: in a frame comoving with the particle, the
electromagnetic (but not the gravitational) field does work on it, causing a
variation of its proper mass; conversely, for "static observers," a stationary
gravitomagnetic (but not a magnetic) field does work on the particle, and the
associated potential energy is seen to embody the Hawking-Wald spin-spin
interaction energy. The issue of hidden momentum, and its counterintuitive
dynamical implications, is also analyzed. Finally, a number of issues regarding
the electromagnetic interaction and the physical meaning of Dixon's equations
are clarified.Comment: 32+11 pages, 5 figures. Edited and further improved version, with new
Section C.2 unveiling analogies for arbitrary spin conditions, and new Sec.
3.2.3 in the Supplement making connection to the post-Newtonian
approximation; former Sec. III.B.4 and Appendix C moved to the (reshuffled)
Supplement; references updated. The Supplement is provided in ancillary file.
Matches the final published versio
Social Dominance Orientation Boosts Collective Action Among Low-Status Groups
We propose that low-status group members' support for group-based hierarchy and inequality (i.e., social dominance orientation; SDO) may represent an ideological strategy to guarantee the legitimacy of future ingroup status-enhancement. Specifically, we argue that, under unstable social structure conditions, SDO serves as an ideological justification for collective action tendencies aimed at competing for a higher status. In such context, SDO should be positively related with actions aimed to favor the ingroup (i.e., collective actions) by increasing group members' motivation to engage in direct competition with a relevant higher-status outgroup. We conducted two studies under highly competitive and unstable social structure contexts using real life groups. In Study 1 (N = 77), we induced Low vs. High Ingroup (University) Status and in Study 2 (N = 220) we used competing sports groups. Overall, results showed that, among members of low-status groups, SDO consistently increased individuals' motivation to get involved in actions favoring the ingroup, by boosting their motivation to compete with the opposing high-status outgroup. We discuss the results in light of the social dominance and collective action framework.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Life table analysis of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) infesting sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) in São Paulo
An ecological life table for eggs and nymphs of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera:
Psyllidae) was constructed with data obtained from orange orchards (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) in 2 regions of the State of São Paulo, over 4 generations in the period from XI-2006
to V-2007, comprising spring, summer, and fall seasons. Young growing shoots with D. citri
eggs present were identifed, and live individuals were counted until adult emergence. No
predatory arthropods were observed in association with D. citri eggs and nymphs during
the study. The mean parasitism of fourth- and ffth-instar nymphs by Tamarixia radiata
Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was 2.3%. The durations of the egg–adult period
were similar among the 4 generations, ranging from 18.0 to 24.7 d (at mean temperatures
ranging from 21.6 to 26.0 °C) and followed the temperature requirement models obtained
in the laboratory for D. citri. However, survival from the egg to the adult stage for the same
period varied considerably from 1.7 to 21.4%; the highest mortalities were observed in the
egg and small nymphal (frst- to thirdinstar) stages, which were considered to be key phases
for population growth of the pest.Uma tabela de vida ecológica foi construÃda para ovos e ninfas de Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) com dados obtidos em pomares de laranja (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) em 2 regiões do estado de São Paulo, com 4 gerações, no perÃodo de novembro de 2006
a maio de 2007, compreendendo as estações de primavera, verão e outono. Ramos jovens
em crescimento com a presença de ovos de D. citri foram identificados e os indivÃduos vivos
foram contados até a emergência dos adultos. Nenhum predador foi observado associado a
ovos e ninfas de D. citri durante o estudo. A taxa média de parasitismo de ninfas de quarto
e quinto Ãnstares por Tamarixia radiata Waterson (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) foi de 2.3%.
A duração do perÃodo de ovo a adulto foi semelhante entre as quatro gerações, variando de
18.0 a 24.7 dias (com temperaturas médias de 21.6 a 26.0 °C) e seguiram os modelos de
exigencias térmicas obtidas em laboratório para D. citri. Todavia, a sobrevivencia de ovo
até o estágio adulto variou consideravelmente para o mesmo perÃodo, de 1.7 a 21.4%, sendo
que as maiores mortalidades foram observadas nos estágios de ovos e ninfas pequenas (de
primeiro a terceiro Ãnstares), as quais foram consideradas fases chaves para o crescimento
populacional desta praga.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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