Os pequenos municípios brasileiros: viabilidade, direitos sociais e desenvolvimento local

There are 5,570 municipalities in Brazil, of which 1,253 have less than 5,000 inhabitants. The Proposed Amendment to the Constitution no. 188/2019 proposes incorporating part of these municipalities into neighboring municipalities with more significant financial capacity; the municipality’s revenue is the second criterion provided for in this legislative instrument. Given this context, this study sought to show that municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants collect more than the municipalities of the group with a larger population per inhabitant. Even the administrative expenses of these small municipalities are not significantly higher. The social rights of citizens, which are provided for in the Federal Constitution, are more efficiently served in smaller municipalities if the per capita values are considered. For instance, in some of the budgetary functions (e.g., health), the differences in investment volumes are quite high. Additionally, small municipalities act as promoters of development by encouraging economic activities and do so with larger investments, once again using the citizen as a unit. Therefore, it is not appropriate to prejudge and condemn municipalities solely based on the number of inhabitants and the amounts they collect. The municipalities, first and foremost, are proponents and executors of public policies where financial profit cannot be constituted as an evaluation measure.En Brasil, hay 5.570 municipios de los cuales 1.253 tienen menos de 5.000 habitantes. El PEC 188/2019 propone la incorporación de parte de estos municipios por municipios vecinos con mayor capacidad financiera. Los ingresos propios del municipio son el segundo criterio previsto en el PEC. Esta obra muestra que, por habitante, los municipios con una población inferior a 5.000 habitantes recogen más que los municipios del grupo con una población mayor. Ni siquiera los gastos administrativos de estos pequeños municipios son significativamente mayores. Los derechos sociales de los ciudadanos, previstos en la Constitución Federal, son atendidos de manera más eficiente en los municipios más pequeños, si se consideran valores per cápita. En algunas de las funciones presupuestarias, como la salud, por ejemplo, las diferencias en los volúmenes de inversión son bastante altas. Los pequeños municipios también actúan como promotores del desarrollo fomentando las actividades económicas y lo hacen con mayores inversiones, utilizando una vez más al ciudadano como unidad. Por lo tanto, no es apropiado prejuzgar y condenar a los municipios basándose únicamente en el número de habitantes y las cantidades que recaudan. Los municipios, en primer lugar, son proponentes y ejecutores de políticas públicas donde el beneficio financiero no puede constituirse como una medida de evaluación.There are 5,570 municipalities in Brazil, of which 1,253 have less than 5,000 inhabitants. The Proposed Amendment to the Constitution no. 188/2019 proposes incorporating part of these municipalities into neighboring municipalities with more significant financial capacity; the municipality’s revenue is the second criterion provided for in this legislative instrument. Given this context, this study sought to show that municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants collect more than the municipalities of the group with a larger population per inhabitant. Even the administrative expenses of these small municipalities are not significantly higher. The social rights of citizens, which are provided for in the Federal Constitution, are more efficiently served in smaller municipalities if the per capita values are considered. For instance, in some of the budgetary functions (e.g., health), the differences in investment volumes are quite high. Additionally, small municipalities act as promoters of development by encouraging economic activities and do so with larger investments, once again using the citizen as a unit. Therefore, it is not appropriate to prejudge and condemn municipalities solely based on the number of inhabitants and the amounts they collect. The municipalities, first and foremost, are proponents and executors of public policies where financial profit cannot be constituted as an evaluation measure.Existem, no Brasil, 5.570 municípios dos quais 1.253 possuem menos que 5.000 habitantes. A PEC 188/2019 propõe a incorporação de parte destas localidades por municípios vizinhos e com maior capacidade financeira. A receita própria dos municípios é o segundo critério previsto na PEC. Este trabalho mostra que, por habitante, os municípios com população inferior a 5.000 habitantes arrecadam mais que os municípios do grupo com população maior. Mesmo as despesas administrativas destes municípios pequenos não são significativamente maiores. Os direitos sociais dos cidadãos, previstos na Constituição Federal, são atendidos de forma mais eficiente nos municípios menores, se considerados os valores per capita. Em algumas das funções orçamentárias, como a saúde por exemplo, as diferenças nos volumes de investimento são bastante elevadas. Os municípios pequenos também atuam como promotores do desenvolvimento ao incentivar as atividades econômicas e o fazem com investimentos maiores, mais uma vez usando o cidadão como unidade. Não é adequado, deste modo, prejulgar e condenar municípios baseados apenas do número de habitantes e nos valores que arrecadam. Os municípios, antes de tudo, são proponentes e executores de políticas públicas onde o lucro financeiro não pode se constituir em medida de avaliação

Adolescents' perceptions and user experiences with a virtual reality-based alcohol prevention tool in Germany: A focus group study

Background: Excessive alcohol consumption is a major public health problem, with substance use early in life contributing to higher levels of use later in life. Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology for alcohol prevention among adolescents that could solve the problem of insufficient outreach to the target group of young people. The co-created German Virtual LimitLab simulation is one of the few examples of VR-based alcohol prevention tools and consists of a virtual house party simulation. The aims of Virtual LimitLab are to increase the users' awareness of how social pressure can influence their own decision-making as well as to enable various actions and communication strategies in order to train competencies when dealing with alcohol. The present study thus aims to explore adolescents' content- and technique-specific perceptions of Virtual LimitLab in order to gain insights into user experiences and to test the prototype with the German target group. Methods: Four semi-structured focus groups with adolescents aged 15-18 years (n = 13) were conducted and analyzed using thematic analyses. A user experience questionnaire (UEQ-S) was applied in order to quantitatively assess adolescents' satisfaction with Virtual LimitLab. Results: Three main themes were identified (VR experience, content, and technical aspects). Participants positively assessed both the content and the technical aspects of Virtual LimitLab. This trend was also seen by the UEQ-S data, which yielded positive ratings for both pragmatic and hedonic quality. The broad variety of options in the simulation that allow the user to try new behaviors was perceived particularly positively. In general, Virtual LimitLab was regarded as an innovative tool that encourages adolescents to think critically about their personal alcohol consumption. Technical errors in the simulation and users' difficulties in identifying with the simulation were the main points of criticism. Conclusions: Feedback from adolescent users revealed positive and therefore promising results when using Virtual LimitLab as a gaming alcohol-prevention tool. Some technical aspects still need to be improved in order to further refine the prototype, and suggestions for expanding the content of the application have already been made

Iterative Mechanism of Macrodiolide Formation in the Anticancer Compound Conglobatin.

Conglobatin is an unusual C2-symmetrical macrodiolide from the bacterium Streptomyces conglobatus with promising antitumor activity. Insights into the genes and enzymes that govern both the assembly-line production of the conglobatin polyketide and its dimerization are essential to allow rational alterations to be made to the conglobatin structure. We have used a rapid, direct in vitro cloning method to obtain the entire cluster on a 41-kbp fragment, encoding a modular polyketide synthase assembly line. The cloned cluster directs conglobatin biosynthesis in a heterologous host strain. Using a model substrate to mimic the conglobatin monomer, we also show that the conglobatin cyclase/thioesterase acts iteratively, ligating two monomers head-to-tail then re-binding the dimer product and cyclizing it. Incubation of two different monomers with the cyclase produces hybrid dimers and trimers, providing the first evidence that conglobatin analogs may in future become accessible through engineering of the polyketide synthase.We gratefully acknowledge BBSRC (project grant BB/J007250/1 to P.F.L.), the European Commission (Marie Curie Fellowship to Y.Z.), and the University of Cambridge (Herchel Smith Research Fellowship to A.C.M.), and Ms. Asha Boodhun (Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge) for help in HR-MS analysis. L.C.D. acknowledges the support of Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, Proc. 2012/04616-3 and 2012/02230-0). P.F.L. is an International Research Awardee of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2015.05.01

Aprendizagem baseada em equipes e educação em saúde: relato de experiência

Introdução: Diante do rápido desenvolvimento técnico-científico e das mudanças socioeconômicas e políticas a Team Based Learning (TBL), apresenta-se como uma estratégia inovadora de aprendizagem integrada e contextualizada, centrada no aluno, que tem por base a investigação para a resolução de problemas, a partir dos conhecimentos previamente adquiridos.1-2 Objetivo: Relatar a experiência de acadêmicos do grupo PET-Saúde Interprofissionalidade no desenvolvimento de atividades de educação em saúde a partir do TBL. Metodologia: Relato de experiência acerca das atividades de educação em saúde do “Gravi Dia”, realizada em uma Estratégia de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde no município de Três Lagoas-MS. Buscou-se desenvolver uma roda de conversa junto às gestantes da comunidade e a equipe de saúde, informando e esclarecendo dúvidas em relação à gestação. Optou-se pelo método TBL de forma a proporcionar um ambiente motivador e cooperativo entre a equipe. Consideramos para sua implementação, as quatro etapas disponíveis na literatura: 1) preparação individual; 2) avaliação da garantia de preparo; 3) aplicação dos conceitos e 4) avaliação entre os pares.2 Resultados: Na primeira etapa, fase de preparo e desenvolvimento do material, todos da equipe estavam envolvidos. Essa etapa deve envolver mais do que a simples leitura de textos. Os alunos devem estar aptos a formular questões e demonstrar o entendimento das mesmas através da síntese das informações. Na segunda etapa, foram discutidas e esclarecidas dúvidas quanto ao assunto que seria abordado, permitindo um feedback imediato para cada aluno. Como cada curso tem os conhecimentos específicos de sua área a respeito da temática abordada, houve uma troca de experiência entre os acadêmicos. Foi perceptível a falta de envolvimento de alguns acadêmicos, os quais demonstraram falta de conhecimento sobre a temática. Esta dificuldade pode ser decorrente da falta de interesse ou preparo prévio do aluno, ou do fato de apresentarem diferenças no nível de conhecimento básico sobre o assunto. Já na etapa três, a partir das orientações e dicas de todos os participantes, a equipe pode aprimorar a atividade, avistando-se o cenário prático. Na quarta e última etapa, a avaliação entre os pares foi considerada uma fragilidade, pois não ocorreu, mas sim uma avaliação da ação e do desempenho do grupo como um todo.  Após a atividade observou-se que com uma melhor organização, motivação e dedicação foi possível atingir os resultados esperados. Percebe-se a importância de realizar posteriormente a avaliação entre os pares, como estratégia de incentivar as contribuições individuais e valorizar o trabalho em equipe.  Considerações Finais: Pretende-se utilizar o TBL nas próximas atividades, buscando não somente um maior conhecimento dos participantes, mas também um aprimoramento das habilidades de comunicação, solução de problemas e colaboração interprofissional. Palavras-chave: Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas. Educação em Saúde. Atenção Primária à Saúde. Educação Baseada em Competências

Influence of adsorbent/adsorbate interactions on the removal of cationic surfactants from water by graphene oxide

This work addresses the synthesis of graphene oxide, its structural characterization, and its application in the removal of cationic surfactants from water. The synthesized graphene oxide was characterized by Raman, infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and zeta potential. After the nanomaterial structural elucidation, optimization tests, studies of kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamics of adsorption were performed to study adsorbent/adsorbate interactions in the adsorption process of cationic surfactants on graphene oxide. Under optimized conditions, graphene oxide showed the highest removal potential for the pyridinium-containing surfactant (2083 mg/g), followed by the benzyl-containing surfactant (431 mg/g) and the tetrakyl surfactant (329 mg/g), suggesting that electrostatic, hydrophobic, and cation-pi interactions are common in the process, but pyridinium-pi and pi-pi interactions are stronger. In addition, the adsorbent, under optimized conditions, compared with other sorbents described in the literature, presented higher potential adsorption2316CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPsem informaçãosem informação2015/07033- 7; 2018/10887-6; 2019/ 07822-

Enhanced removal of basic dye using carbon nitride/graphene oxide nanocomposites as adsorbents: high performance, recycling, and mechanism

The presence of dyes in wastewater streams poses a great challenge for sustainability and brings the need to develop technologies to treat effluent streams. Here, we propose a mixture of high superficial area carbon-based nanomaterial strategy to improve the removal of basic blue 26 (BB26) by blending porous carbon nitride (CN) and graphene oxide (GO). We prepared CN and GO pristine materials, as well the nanocomposites with mass/ratio 30/70, 50/50, and 70/30, and applied them into BB26 uptake. Nanocomposite 50/50 CN/GO was found to be the better adsorbent, and the optimization of the adsorption revealed a fast equilibrium time of 30 min, after sonication for 2 min, nanocomposite 50/50, and BB26 dye loading of 0.1 g/L and 100 mg/L, respectively. The pH variation had great influence on BB26 uptake, and at ultrapure water pH, the dye removal capacity by the composite reached 917.78 mg/g. At pH 2, a remarkable removal efficiency of 3510.10 mg/g was obtained, probably due to electrostatic interactions among protonated amine groups of the dye and negatively charged CN/GO nanocomposite. The results obtained were best fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm. The adsorption process was thermodynamically spontaneous, and physisorption was the main mechanism, which is based on weak electrostatic and pi-pi interactions. The dye attached to the CN/GO nanocomposite could be removed by washing with ethyl alcohol, and the adsorbent was reused for five consecutive cycles with high BB26 uptake efficiency. The CN/GO nanocomposite ability to remove the BB26 dye was 21 times higher than those reported in the literature, indicating CN/GO composites as potential filtering materials to basic dyesCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPsem informaçãosem informação2019/07822-

Insertion of phenyl ethyleneglycol units on graphene oxide as stabilizers and its application for surfactant removal

The covalent functionalization of GO has been reported since it can provide specific anchoring centers to adsorption process. Many modifications on GO surface by grafting of arenediazonium salt are described in the literature, however, there are no reports about the insertion of TX-100 surfactant-like moieties. In this study a new GO derivative which has phenyl tetraethyleneglycol (PTEG) units attached as stabilizers was synthesized by grafting of arenediazonium salt. The PTEG moieties possess a structure similar to TX-100 and, consequently, can provide superior stability to GO in aqueous media. Furthermore, the presence of PTEG attached to GO can direct the micelle formation/adsorption on the nanomaterial surface by pi-stacking and hydrophobic interactions. GO-PTEG was characterized by SEM, TEM, TGA, XRD, Raman, FT-IR, CP/MAS C-13 NMR, XPS and Zeta potential, confirming the successful ethylene glycol insertion. The obtained zeta potential measures suggest that GO-PTEG suspension was more stable than those with pristine GO. The Synthesized GO-PTEG was applied to non-ionic (TX-100) and cationic (DTAB) surfactant removal from water. In order to optimize the adsorption process, the influence of following parameters was evaluated: time, temperature, sonication, pH, surfactant concentration and nanomaterial loading. The experimental kinetic data could be fitted with a pseudo-second order model and the adsorption process could be better described by Frumkin adsorption isotherms for both surfactants. The TX-100 and DTAB maximum removal capacities achieved by GO-PTEG were 1689 and 713 mg/g, respectively. These results were superior to those by GO and other materials, suggesting that the GO-modification improved the adsorption process72FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2015/07033-

LGBTQIA+ Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Tailoring and Portrayal in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Qualitative Interview Study and Thematic Analysis

Gender-sensitive interventions in alcohol-prevention that target adolescents often lead to binary tailoring for girls and boys. However, increased societal and legal recognition of sexual and gender minorities as well as research with this age group demand a broader understanding of gender. Therefore, the present study addresses the question of how interventions should be further developed to include sexual and gender diversity by exploring LGBTQIA+ adolescents’ perceptions of gender portrayal and gender-tailoring using Virtual LimitLab—a virtual-reality simulation for training refusal skills under peer pressure to consume alcohol. Qualitative interviews with 16 LGBTQIA+ adolescents were conducted after individual simulation testing. Using a thematic analysis with reflexive orientation, four themes were identified: Statements on relevance of gender, opinions on tailoring- and flirting options, and opinions on characters. Participants called for greater diversity representation among the characters, regarding gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as for representing, e.g., racialised peers. Moreover, participants suggested expanding the simulation’s flirting options by adding bisexual and aromantic/asexual options. Divergent views on the relevance of gender and wishes for tailoring options reflected the participant group’s heterogeneity. Based on these findings, future gender-sensitive interventions should conceptualise gender in a complex and multidimensional manner that intersects with further diversity categories

LGBTQIA+ Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Tailoring and Portrayal in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Qualitative Interview Study and Thematic Analysis

Gender-sensitive interventions in alcohol-prevention that target adolescents often lead to binary tailoring for girls and boys. However, increased societal and legal recognition of sexual and gender minorities as well as research with this age group demand a broader understanding of gender. Therefore, the present study addresses the question of how interventions should be further developed to include sexual and gender diversity by exploring LGBTQIA+ adolescents’ perceptions of gender portrayal and gender-tailoring using Virtual LimitLab—a virtual-reality simulation for training refusal skills under peer pressure to consume alcohol. Qualitative interviews with 16 LGBTQIA+ adolescents were conducted after individual simulation testing. Using a thematic analysis with reflexive orientation, four themes were identified: Statements on relevance of gender, opinions on tailoring- and flirting options, and opinions on characters. Participants called for greater diversity representation among the characters, regarding gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as for representing, e.g., racialised peers. Moreover, participants suggested expanding the simulation’s flirting options by adding bisexual and aromantic/asexual options. Divergent views on the relevance of gender and wishes for tailoring options reflected the participant group’s heterogeneity. Based on these findings, future gender-sensitive interventions should conceptualise gender in a complex and multidimensional manner that intersects with further diversity categories

Novel magnetic chitosan/quaternary ammonium salt graphene oxide composite applied to dye removal

This work deals with the preparation of a new graphene oxide derivative replaced with long-chain quaternary ammonium salt through grafting with arenediazonium salts in order to enhance its amphiphilic character and broad the adsorption spectra. Raman and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies and x-ray diffraction analyses confirmed the incorporation of the ammonium salt into the graphene oxide. After characterization, the new nanomaterial was used in the synthesis of magnetic composite with chitosan. The synthesized magnetic composite was characterized by several techniques, including magnetization curve, and then applied to basic brown 4 dye removal. The optimization of the dye adsorption process was performed by varying parameters such as pH, time, temperature, material loading and dye concentration, among others. Under optimized conditions, the magnetic composite reached high dye adsorption, confirmed by removal capacity of 650 mg/g, and 95% of dye removal. Nanocomposite reuse studies were also performed and in three consecutive adsorption cycles, showing 64% of dye uptake efficiency. The composite ability to remove the basic brown 4 dye is greater than for other materials reported in the literature, as carbon nanotubes and active carbon, among others. After dye adsorption, the magnetic composite was removed from the aqueous medium by magnet field application, showing to be a potential filter agent with easy removal after use84COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESSem informação2015/07033-7; 2018/10887-6; 2019/ 07822-