A política de habitação rural e o desenvolvimento da agricultura familiar.

Este artigo analisa a contribuição do Programa Nacional de Habitação Rural (PNHR) para o desenvolvimento de territórios predominantemente rurais. A partir do estudo de sua implementação na região Oeste Catarinense, ponder sobre os avanços e as restrições desta política social. Para as análises realizadas procedeu-se a uma revisão de literatura, à busca de documentação sobre a política e sua implementação na região estudada, bem como a entrevistas com lideranças e agricultores demandantes e beneficiados por uma casa nova ou reforma. Verificou-se que o PNHR cria uma oportunidade para as famílias rurais descapitalizadas construírem ou reformarem sua casa, apesar de ser ainda restrita a sua abrangência para o conjunto dessas famílias. A reformulação do programa, reduzindo exigências financeiras e para operação dos créditos, pode oportunizar que maior número de famílias dele se beneficie, com impacto social positivo no desenvolvimento regional

Um olhar sobre a ação re-territorializadora do manejo de castanhais nativos no Acre.

O sistema de produção da castanha-da-amazônia (Bertholletia excelsa) apresenta importante valor para a manutenção dos meios de vida de comunidades extrativistas no Acre. Este sistema produtivo tem sua herança nos povos originários, mas sua exploração econômica está associada às mudanças de uso do espaço-floresta amazônica a partir de um novo ciclo de extrativismo o qual ocorreu após a decadência do ciclo da borracha. Sob a perspectiva de análise de ?territórios construídos? o presente artigo buscou analisar o processo de territorialização a partir de fatores e componentes associados ao setor produtivo da castanha-da-amazônia no contexto acreano. O trabalho fornece informações sobre conceitos de território e territorialidade e aborda um histórico da dinâmica da atividade produtiva vinculada a castanha-da-amazônia, incluindo o papel dos agentes sociais no processo estudado. Por seu grande valor de uso, este setor produtivo passou por muitas mudanças na última década, motivadas por uma sequência de políticas públicas empreendidas pelo estado e pela estruturação de uma cooperativa central de produtores. O estudo demonstra a existência de uma ação territorializadora resultante do sistema produtivo da castanha-da-amazônia no Acre, principalmente pelas características particulares encontradas em: i) espaço-lugar considerado aqui como a base natural ou florestas com ocorrência de castanhais nativos especificamente em uma determinada parte do estado e ii) pelo espaço-território construído a partir das relações socias estabelecidas ao longo do tempo para que a atividade extrativista se consolidasse em um setor econômico-produtivo. The production system of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) presents important value for the maintenance of the livelihoods of extractive communities in Acre. This productive system has its inheritance in the original peoples, but its economic exploitation is associated with the changes of use of the Amazonian forest space in a new cycle of extractivism which occurred after the decay of the rubber cycle. From the perspective of "constructed territories", the present article sought to analyze the territorialization process based on factors and components associated with the productive sector of the Brazil nuts in the Acrean context. The paper provides information on the concepts of territory and territoriality and discusses the history of the productive activity dynamics linked to Brazil nuts, including the role of social agents in the process studied. Due to its great value in use, this productive sector underwent many changes in the last decade, motivated by a sequence of public policies undertaken by the state and by the structuring of a central cooperative of producers. The study demonstrates the existence of a territorializing action resulting from the Brazil nut production system in Acre, mainly due to the particular characteristics found in: i) space-place considered here as the natural base or forests with native Brazil nut tree that occur specifically in a certain part of the state and ii) by the space-territory constructed from the social relations established over time so that the extractive activity was consolidated in an economic-productive sector

The five-point Likert scale for dyspnea can properly assess the degree of pulmonary congestion and predict adverse events in heart failure outpatients

OBJECTIVES: Proper assessment of dyspnea is important in patients with heart failure. Our aim was to evaluate the use of the 5-point Likert scale for dyspnea to assess the degree of pulmonary congestion and to determine the prognostic value of this scale for predicting adverse events in heart failure outpatients. METHODS: We undertook a prospective study of outpatients with moderate to severe heart failure. The 5-point Likert scale was applied during regular outpatient visits, along with clinical assessments. Lung ultrasound with ≥15 B-lines and an amino-terminal portion of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level >;1000 pg/mL were used as a reference for pulmonary congestion. The patients were then assessed every 30 days during follow-up to identify adverse clinical outcomes. RESULTS: We included 58 patients (65.5% male, age 43.5±11 years) with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 27±6%. In total, 29.3% of these patients had heart failure with ischemic etiology. Additionally, pulmonary congestion, as diagnosed by lung ultrasound, was present in 58% of patients. A higher degree of dyspnea (3 or 4 points on the 5-point Likert scale) was significantly correlated with a higher number of B-lines (p = 0.016). Patients stratified into Likert = 3-4 were at increased risk of admission compared with those in class 1-2 after adjusting for age, left ventricular ejection fraction, New York Heart Association functional class and levels of NT-proBNP >;1000 pg/mL (HR = 4.9, 95% CI 1.33-18.64, p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: In our series, higher baseline scores on the 5-point Likert scale were related to pulmonary congestion and were independently associated with adverse events during follow-up. This simple clinical tool can help to identify patients who are more likely to decompensate and whose treatment should be intensified

Effective dimensions and percolation in hierarchically structured scale-free networks

We introduce appropriate definitions of dimensions in order to characterize the fractal properties of complex networks. We compute these dimensions in a hierarchically structured network of particular interest. In spite of the nontrivial character of this network that displays scale-free connectivity among other features, it turns out to be approximately one-dimensional. The dimensional characterization is in agreement with the results on statistics of site percolation and other dynamical processes implemented on such a network.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Sustainability indicators of the Brazil nut tree management.

Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl) management, is a traditional activity that plays a key role in the economy of forestbased Amazon communities and in the conservation of forests. Nevertheless, some threats and critical points related to sustainability indicate to the need for establishment of monitoring procedures that can assist in the management of this natural resource. The overall aim of the research was to evaluate the MESMIS method as a tool to support the participatory definition of sustainability indicators to monitor Brazil nut management, and the viability of Brazil nut harvest over time. For that, we carried out a case study in the Porvir Community, RESEX Chico Mendes, Acre State (Brazil), aiming to integrate the perceptions of Brazil nut harvesters, researchers, managers, and technicians to define the indicators. The result was the generation of 18 strategic indicators to assess sustainability in the environmental, technical-economic and social dimensions. Assessment parameters, representing conditions that must be achieved for system sustainability, were collectively defined for each indicator. The main critical values attributed in the evaluation of the indicators are related to Brazil nut commercialization to intermediaries and oscillation in the annual fruit production. The use of the MESMIS method was considered appropriate to the studied context and can be recommended to similar non-timber forest product management systems. O manejo da castanheira-da-amazônia (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) é uma atividade tradicional, chave para a economia de milhares de famílias extrativistas da Amazônia e para a conservação das florestas. Algumas ameaças e pontos críticos relacionados à sustentabilidade da atividade apontam para a necessidade de se estabelecerem procedimentos de monitoramento que possam auxiliar na gestão desse recurso natural. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o método Marco para a Avaliação de sistemas de Manejo de Recursos Naturais Incorporando Indicadores de Sustentabilidade (MESMIS) como ferramenta de apoio à definição participativa de indicadores para a avaliação da sustentabilidade do manejo de castanhais nativos e da viabilidade do extrativismo da castanha ao longo do tempo. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo de caso na Comunidade Porvir, Reserva Extrativista Chico Mendes, Acre, onde se buscou integrar as percepções de extrativistas, pesquisadores, gestores e técnicos sobre o assunto. O resultado foi a geração de 18 indicadores estratégicos para a avaliação da sustentabilidade nas dimensões ambiental, técnico-econômica e social, definindo-se coletivamente parâmetros de avaliação para cada indicador. Os principais valores críticos atribuídos na avaliação do estudo de caso foram relacionados à questão da comercialização da castanha para atravessadores e à oscilação na produção anual de frutos. O emprego do método MESMIS foi considerado adequado ao contexto estudado, de modo que pode ser recomendado e adaptado ao manejo de outros produtos florestais não madeireiros.Published Sept 10, 2021

Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for the Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis

Background: Ankle osteoarthritis is debilitating and usually affects relatively young people, often as a result of previous ankle traumas, frequently occurring in sports. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for ankle osteoarthritis have shown no evidence of benefit over the course of 26 weeks. Previous studies on PRP for knee osteoarthritis showed that clinically significant improvements with PRP occurred between 6 to 12 months in the absence of initial benefit. No studies have evaluated the effect of PRP from 6 to 12 months in ankle osteoarthritis. Purpose: To assess the efficacy of PRP injections in ankle osteoarthritis over the course of 52 weeks. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: In this 52-week follow-up trial, 100 patients with ankle osteoarthritis were randomized to a PRP group or placebo (saline) group. Patients received 2 intra-articular talocrural injections: at inclusion and after 6 weeks. Patient-reported outcome measures were used to assess pain, function, quality of life, and indirect costs over 52 weeks. Results: Two patients (2%) were lost to follow-up. The adjusted between-group difference for the patient-reported American Orthopaedic Foot &amp; Ankle Society score over 52 weeks was −2 points (95% CI, −5 to 2; P =.31) in favor of the placebo group. No significant between-group differences were observed for any of the secondary outcome measures. Conclusion: For patients with ankle osteoarthritis, PRP injections did not improve ankle symptoms and function over 52 weeks compared with placebo injections. Registration: NTR7261 (Netherlands Trial Register).</p

Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology with Gravitational Waves

Gravitational wave detectors are already operating at interesting sensitivity levels, and they have an upgrade path that should result in secure detections by 2014. We review the physics of gravitational waves, how they interact with detectors (bars and interferometers), and how these detectors operate. We study the most likely sources of gravitational waves and review the data analysis methods that are used to extract their signals from detector noise. Then we consider the consequences of gravitational wave detections and observations for physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.Comment: 137 pages, 16 figures, Published version <http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2009-2