A Teologia da Libertação Desafiada pelo Pluralismo Religioso e o Paradigma Ecológico

Resumo: a Teologia da Libertação (TdL) surgiu na América Latina no contexto de opressão e miséria e da abertura propiciada pelo Concílio Vaticano II. Esse mesmo Concílio criou também as condições do surgimento da Teologia do Pluralismo Religioso (TdPR). A teologia, particularmente a TdL, é desafiada pela â??globalização dos problemasâ? e pela consciência pluralista a se abrir ao Pluralismo Religioso. Há diversos problemas para essa articulação, mas a partir do início dos anos 1990, a reflexão sobre a inculturação e, especialmente, sobre o paradigma ecológico produz mudança significativa na teologia: leva a TdL a se articular com a TdPR. Este artigo discute essas questões e apresenta um exemplo dessa articulação: o pensamento teológico de Leonardo Boff. Palavras-chave: Teologia da Libertação. Teologia do Pluralismo Religioso. Diálogo inter-religioso. Inculturação. Paradigmaecológico. Leonardo Boff

Dimensionless analysis of the flow of spherical particles in two-phase flow in straight tubes

In the aseptic processing of particulate fluid foods, the residence time distribution of particles and the fluid-to-particle heat transfer are intimately related to the linear and rotational velocities of the particles. The development of models correlating these velocities with fluid and particle characteristics and with operating conditions is therefore very useful, as it provides a fast method to estimate fluid-to-particle heat transfer coefficients without measuring the actual particle velocities. The models can further be used to estimate the average residence time of the particles. Data for modelling particle linear and rotational velocities were obtained by videotaping the flow, along the wall, of individual spherical particles in transparent 2-m long straight tubes. Linear and rotational velocities were correlated with generalized Reynolds, Archimedes and Froude numbers, to the particle-to-fluid density simplex and to the particle/tube diameter ratio. The models obtained had correlation coefficients of 0.89 and 0.86 for the particle linear and rotational velocities, respectively

Dimensionless analysis of fluid-to-particle heat transfer coefficients

Average fluid-to-particle heat transfer coefficients were experimentally determined for spherical aluminium particles heated in car☐ymethylcellulose solutions. Two situations were considered: a still panicle immersed in a moving fluid, and a particle rotating in an otherwise stagnant fluid. Fluid flow rate, rotating particle velocity, particle diameter and fluid rheological properties were varied, covering a large range of the generalized Reynolds (0 to 801) and Prandtl (69 to 5358) numbers. Average heat transfer coefficients ranged between 56 and 2612 W/m2K. The results were compared with values predicted by published dimensionless correlations, showing that correlations based on a Fro¨szling-type equation were more adequate. It was found that the contribution due to natural convection should be considered for proper correlation of the results at low Reynolds numbers. The results also show the importance of the fluid velocity profile

Children with pertussis inform the investigation of other pertussis cases among contacts

BACKGROUND: The number of reported pertussis has increased in the last two decades. However, many cases of pertussis may be underreported or not diagnosed. The World Health Organization estimates that pertussis causes 200,000-400,000 deaths each year, most deaths are in infants and in developing countries. Infants with pertussis can indicate an undetected source cases in the community. METHODS: At a University Hospital in Brazil individuals that had frequent contacts with a child with confirmed pertussis (the index case) and had recent history of cough were enrolled into the study. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from every contact that had cough within the last 21 days. Cases confirmation followed the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention-Atlanta, USA. RESULTS: Pertussis diagnosis was confirmed in 51 children, (considered the index cases). Among the index cases, 72.5% (37/51) were under 6 months of age; culture for Bordetella pertussis was positive in 78.4% (40/51). Pertussis was confirmed in 39% (107/276) of the contacts of 51 index cases. Among these contacts identified as a pertussis case, 40.2% (43/107) were between 6 months and 111/2 years of age and 59.8% (64/107) were older than 111/2 years of age. Pertussis was confirmed by culture in 11.2% (12/107) of them and by epidemiologic linkage in 88.8% (95/107). Each index case allowed identifying two new cases of pertussis. CONCLUSION: Public health authorities should consider implementing early recognition of pertussis index cases and searching for pertussis cases among the contacts. Treatment of the cases and prophylaxis of the contacts is fundamental to control outbreaks in the community

Plastic neural network with transmission delays promotes equivalence between function and structure

Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the financial support from São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, Brazil) (Grants Nos. 2016/23398-8, 2017/13502-5, 2018/03211-6, 2020/04624-2, 2022/05153-9, 2022/13761-9), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Fundação Araucária and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) .Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Is surgical debridement necessary in the diabetic foot treated with photodynamic therapy?

Background: Diabetic patients are susceptible to developing foot ulcerswith serious complications such as osteomyelitis and amputations. Treatment approaches are still empirical and the benefit of usual procedures such as surgical debridement has not been properly evaluated. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive and highly efficient method for the treatment of the diabetic foot, being able to eradicate the infection and to stimulate healing, decreasing considerably the amputation risk. In the day-to-day practice of our service, we have been faced with the question whether debridement is necessary before PDT. In here, we designed a study to answer that question. Methods: Patients were divided in two groups: In one of the groups (n = 17), debridement was performed before PDT and in the other (n = 40) only PDT treatment was performed. PDT sessions were performed once a week in all patients until healing was achieved, as indicated by visual inspection as well as by radiographic and laboratory exams. At the start of the study, the two groups had no statistical differences concerning their clinical features: average age, gender, insulin use, diabetes mellitus onset time and previous amputations. Results: PDT was effective in the treatment of 100% of the patients showing no relapses after one year of follow up. The group submitted to PDT without previous debridement had a statistically significant (p = 0.036, Mann-Whitney) shorter cure time (29 days, similar to 27%). Conclusion: Our data indicates that debridement is not necessary in the treatment of diabetic foot in patients that have enough peripheral arterial perfusion. In addition, we reproduced previous studies confirming that PDT is an efficient, safe, simple and affordable treatment method for the diabetic foot.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloCNPqHosp Anchieta, Fac Med ABC, Sao Bernardo Do Campo, BrazilFac Med ABC, Dept Bioquim, Santo Andre, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Dept Bioquim, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med, Sao Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 12/50680-5FAPESP: 13/07937-8Web of Scienc

Inference of topology and the nature of synapses, and the flow of information in neuronal networks

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CAPES, DFG-IRTG 1740/2, Fundacao Araucaria, Newton Fund, CNPq (154705/2016-0, 311467/2014-8), FAPESP (2011/19296-1, 2015/07311-7, 2016/16148-5, 2016/23398-8, 2015/50122-0), EPSRC-EP/I032606.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Synaptic Plasticity and Spike Synchronisation in Neuronal Networks

This work was possible by partial financial support from the following Brazilian government agencies: CNPq (154705/2016-0, 311467/2014-8), CAPES, Fundacao Araucaria, and Sao Paulo Research Foundation (processes FAPESP 2011/19296-1, 2015/07311-7, 2016/16148-5, 2016/23398-8, 2015/50122-0). Research supported by grant 2015/50122-0 Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and DFG-IRTG 1740/2.Peer reviewedPostprin