The value function of an asymptotic exit-time optimal control problem

We consider a class of exit--time control problems for nonlinear systems with a nonnegative vanishing Lagrangian. In general, the associated PDE may have multiple solutions, and known regularity and stability properties do not hold. In this paper we obtain such properties and a uniqueness result under some explicit sufficient conditions. We briefly investigate also the infinite horizon problem

Neonatal Infant Pain Scale: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation in Brazil

Context: The Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), initially developed in Canada, has been previously used but not adequately adapted and validated for use in Brazil. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation and clinical validation of the NIPS for use in the Brazilian population. Methods: The instrument was adapted based on the method outlined by Beaton et al., including the production and combination of translated versions, back-translation, committee review, and pilot testing. The psychometric properties of the adapted instrument, including its validity, reliability, and internal consistency, were tested in a clinical validation study. The sample comprised 60 at-term newborns who were evaluated by six nurses as they experienced vaccination. Psychometric properties were evaluated using Student's t-tests, prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted kappa scores, the Bland-Altman method, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Results: The Brazilian version of the NIPS (Escala de Dor no Recém-Nascido [NIPS-Brazil]) demonstrated excellent interobserver and intraobserver reliability. Total NIPS-Brazil scores yielded prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted kappa scores of 0.93, whereas the Bland-Altman method revealed interobserver and intraobserver reliability values of 95% and 90%, respectively. The NIPS-Brazil had adequate internal consistency, as evidenced by a Cronbach's alpha of 0.762. Conclusion: The NIPS was successfully adapted for use in Brazil and is now available for use in the assessment of acute pain in at-term newborns in Brazil

Prevention and non-pharmacological management of pain in newborns

Objective: to describe the main non-pharmacological interventions for pain relief in newborns available in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Method: an exploratory search of the MedLine, Lilacs and Scielo online databases was conducted to retrieve references of studies published from 2004 to 2013. Results: several non-pharmacological interventions were shown to be effective, to represent low risk for neonates and to have a low operational cost. The ones most often discussed in the literature were: oral administration of glucose/sucrose, non-nutritive sucking, breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, facilitated tucking and swaddling. Conclusion: healthcare teams should be familiar with these methods and use them more effectively in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit daily routines, so as to ensure that newborns receive qualified and more human care

UV/Tio2 photocatalytic reactor for real textile wastewaters treatment

Textile dye wastewaters are characterized by strong colour, salts and other additives, high pH, temperature, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biodegradable materials. Being aesthetically and environmentally unacceptable, these wastewaters need to be treated before their discharge. Anaerobic bioprocesses have been proposed as being environmentally friendly and relatively cheap; however, when applied to real effluent with a complex composition, they can fail. In this study, a photoreactor combining UV light and TiO2, immobilized in cellulosic fabric, was applied for the treatment of two industrial textile wastewaters. High colour and COD removal, and detoxification, were achieved for both wastewaters, at controlled pH of 5.5. Effluents showed very poor biodegradability due to their complex composition; thus, the proposed process is an efficient alternative

Climate-dependent CO2 emissions from lakes

Inland waters, just as the world's oceans, play an important role in the global carbon cycle. While lakes and reservoirs typically emit CO2, they also bury carbon in their sediment. The net CO2 emission is largely the result of the decomposition or preservation of terrestrially supplied carbon. What regulates the balance between CO2 emission and carbon burial is not known, but climate change and temperature have been hypothesized to influence both processes. We analyzed patterns in carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) in 83 shallow lakes over a large climatic gradient in South America and found a strong, positive correlation with temperature. The higher pCO2 in warmer lakes may be caused by a higher, temperature-dependent mineralization of organic carbon. This pattern suggests that cool lakes may start to emit more CO2 when they warm up because of climate ch

Prevention of nasal trauma due to CPAP in a preterm newborn: case report

The administration of continuous positive airway pressure through nasal CPAP has been used in the treatment of neonatal respiratory diseases as a means of providing ventilatory support to preterm infants, producing adequate gas exchange, decreasing the complications induced by invasive mechanical ventilation and reducing bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The nasal prong is the most common device used to connect to the airways with the purpose of providing mechanical ventilation. Nasal prongs are available in different sizes and made of lightweight and flexible material. Despite its advantages, this device can cause trauma to the nose causing nasal discomfort and disfigurement. We report the case of an extremely low birth weight preterm who used a system of nasal CPAP developed by the nurses of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the HCPA to protect the skin, mucosa, and nasal septum. Protection was successful

Avaliação preliminar da influência de barreira vegetal com sansão-do-campo (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth.) sobre a entomofauna em cultura de café (Coffea arabica) orgânico na região de Ivinhema, MS.

bitstream/item/68820/1/023-shimbori-avaliacao.pdfPublicado também no Cadernos de Agroecologia, v. 7, n. 2, 2012

Late-onset neonatal sepsis in preterm infants with birth weight under 1.500g

Objective: the research objective was to characterize preterm infants with birth weight under 1500 g, and to identify the incidence of late-onset neonatal sepsis among this population. Methods: a prospective cohort study with a sample of 30 preterm newborns that weighed under 1500 g and were hospitalized in the NICU of the university hospital. Data were collected from January to December 2013 using a structured instrument. Results: of the 30 neonates included in the study, 14 developed late-onset neonatal sepsis with a prevalence of coagulase-negative staphylococci. Conclusions: the incidence of late-onset neonatal sepsis indicates a vulnerability in preterm infants due to immunological immaturity. These results reveal that knowledge of the profi le of newborn infants admitted to the NICU and the risk factors to which they are exposed are central to the planning of nursing care for these patients. Future studies should address strategies for preventing nosocomial infection

Cultivares de mandioca de mesa cultivadas sob manejo de base agroecológica em Dourados, MS, Brasil.

bitstream/item/68855/1/038-cultivares-motta.pdfPublicado também no Cadernos de Agroecologia, v. 7, n.2, 2012