A multidisciplinary approach for the physic-chemical characterization of peloids to new perspectives in the development for "hydrothermal Developing Countries" using partecipatory methodology

The Osservatorio Termale Permanente (OTP) operated from 1996 to 2014 in the Italian and international therapeutic thermalism field. The main aim of OTP was the development of a multidisciplinary approach for the characterization of the quality of peloids for cutaneous application and their maturation process using different qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques opening at the Integrated Analytical Approach in the field of therapeutic thermalism. The main innovation introduced by OTP were rheology and surface tensiometry applications on peloids. The introduction of surface tensiometry included the skin as a fundamental element for the development of mud therapy protocols based on the bioadhesive properties of peloids. The interfacial investigations between peloids and skin led to the characterization of the exchange activity occurring during pelotherapy on the cutaneous surface in a non-invasive and fast way. On these bases, our work linked each other the multidisciplinarity approach to the study of hydrothermal resources performed by OTP with the concept of the participative methodology commonly applied to the development of projects in the field of development cooperation. This combined approach led us to develop a scientific proposal for the development of therapeutic thermalism in countries not yet improved in this field and characterized by the presence of hydrothermal resources. Keywords: peloid, surface tensiometry, Rossi factor, rheology, Rheological Termal Mud, skin, integrated analytical approach, participative methodology, therapeutical thermal proposal, hydrothermal development countrie

Ruolo del polimorfismo HindlIII nella regolazione della pressione arteriosa e nell'invecchiamento

Human essential hypertension is a major risk factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases and a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in modern societies. Determining of blood pressure (BP) is multifactorial, involving an interplay of genetic and environmental contributions. Preliminary data from AKEA study show that centenarian men had diastolic blood pressure 5mm Hg lower than centenarian women (P0,05), and 18 mmHg lower than sexagenarians of the same sex (P0,0001). The most peculiar characteristic of the AKEA centenarians was a female/male ratio of 2 to 1, lower than the ratio reported by previous study (generally more than 5:1). Althought BP is a multifactorial trait, likely under the control of a variety of genes, these results in Sardinian centanarians suggest, as a working hypothesis, that sex-linked loci may play a role in the control of blood pressure at advanced age. Extensive data from rodent models indicate a significative association between the Y chromosome and BP. The HindIII centromeric alphoid polymorphism has been reported to be associated with BP in three independent human population, although the results are discordant. Our objective was to test this relationship in a population of elderly Sardinians. Isolation, genetic drift, low immigration rate and higher endogamy resulted in a peculiar genetic structure of Sardinians, who are markedly different from other Caucasian populations. Our data don’t support the hypothesis that the HindIII polymorphismis a marker of cardiovascular risk in this cohort. The location of Y chromosome genetic variants that affect blood pressure are not known but may be found by the use of linkage studies of the PARs and analysis of BP variation in men with Y chromosome deletions

A proteção jurídica do trade dress e a concorrência desleal no Brasil

Orientador: Marcos WachowiczMonografia (graduação) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Jurídicas, Curso de Graduação em DireitoResumo: A alta competitividade existente no mercado econômico faz com que alguns agentes se utilizem de atos abusivos com a finalidade de conquistar maior número de consumidores e de dominar o cenário. Os atos que representam um comportamento fora dos padrões de lealdade e boa-fé esperados para a conquista de clientela caracterizam as condutas concorrenciais desleais. Tais atos podem causar confusão, induzir o consumidor ao erro em relação à determinado produto ou serviço, gerar descrédito do concorrente ou, de maneira geral, desviar a clientela alheia. A concorrência desleal não raro é praticada por meio de sinais distintivos, que atualmente apresentam importante papel nas atividades empresariais. O trade dress, que diz respeito, em suma, ao conjunto visual total de determinado produto ou serviço, é uma dessas fundamentais formas de distinção. Ocorre que, diferentemente de outros institutos, o conjunto-imagem não é previsto expressamente na legislação brasileira e não é protegido por meio de registro. A ausência de previsão no direito positivo faz com que sejam analisadas a conceituação a respeito do tema, bem como da maneira como se realiza a tutela jurídica do trade dress no Brasil, por meio da repressão à concorrência desleal

A regulação das águas no semi-árido baiano

Este trabalho discute as formas de articulação entre os instrumentos de comando e controle (C&C) e instrumentos econômicos (I&E) no âmbito da política de recursos hídricos implementada por instituições financeiras bilaterais, como o Banco Mundial, nas bacias hidrográficas do Salitre e do Itapicuru no semi-árido brasileiro. Este trabalho explicita, ainda, as motivações da escolha do semi-árido baiano para a implementação de uma política das águas por parte do Banco Mundial, sua estratégia de intervenção para esta região e os modos de reestruturação das esferas pública e privada decorrentes de sua implementação. O texto discute a hipótese de que a política implementada subordina os instrumentos de comando e controle aos instrumentos econômicos, atribuindo ao mercado o principal papel de regulação das águas. Este novo padrão de gestão coloca como principal desafio o risco de agravamento das condições sócio-ambientais em uma região que se caracteriza pela extrema escassez de recursos hídricos, grandes índices de pobreza e baixa capacidade de organização social. Adicionalmente, a incorporação dos usuários no processo de gestão em um contexto de baixo nível de organização social, particularmente dos segmentos sociais que defendem interesses coletivos e difusos, poderá resultar na privatização da espera pública, desvirtuando, assim, os princípios que associam descentralização e democratização

Crise Democrática no Século XXI e Desafios da Pesquisa em Administração Pública

Public administration research is constantly challenged to reflect on the complex relations between administration and democracy. The national and international reemergence of far right political forces, which use democratic ground rules as tools against classic liberal democracy, poses additional theoretical and epistemological challenges to the field. Which knowledge production challenges and perspectives appear in the field of administration, especially regarding the articulation between management models and democracy, considering society projects and development models? Such a debate requires mobilizing critical knowledge, redesigning study subjects, reframing participation, deepening the interdisciplinary character of research, and clarifying the political dimensions of the relationship between res publica and democracyA pesquisa no campo da administração pública encontra-se permanentemente desafiada a refletir sobre a complexa relação que envolve a administração e democracia. O retorno ao cenário nacional e internacional de forças políticas situadas no campo da extrema direita, que recorrem às regras do jogo democrático como ferramentas contra a clássica democracia liberal, coloca desafios teórico-epistemológicos adicionais ao campo. Quais os desafios e perspectivas da produção do saber no campo da administração, particularmente no que diz respeito à articulação entre modelos de gestão e democracia, considerando projetos de sociedade e modelos de desenvolvimento?  Esse debate requer a mobilização de conhecimento crítico, o redesenho de objetos de estudo, do significado da participação, o aprofundamento do caráter interdisciplinar da pesquisa, além de explicitar a dimensão política da relação entre res publica e democracia

CONFLITO E REGULAÇÃO DAS ÁGUAS NO BRASIL – a experiência do Salitre

Neste texto, discute-se a dimensão política dos conflitos socioambientais que envolvem as águas no Brasil, no atual contexto da Lei das Águas (Lei Federal No 9.433/97), considerando, especificamente, como tais conflitos se configuram na bacia do Rio Salitre, localizada ao Norte do estado da Bahia, historicamente caracterizada pela escassez. A metodologia utilizada consistiu em análise bibliográfica, discussão de dados secundários e de pesquisa direta com sujeitos sociais e representantes de organizações que atuam na referida região. A principal conclusão do estudo é que, no Brasil, os conflitos em torno das águas geralmente são caracterizados a partir de uma perspectiva pretensamente técnica, pela relação entre demanda e oferta por água, bem de sua regulação, de caráter explicitamente político, ou seja, que remete a formas de apropriação e a relações de poder que privilegiam interesses dos grandes usuários, sendo a bacia do Salitre considerada como típica.CONFLICT AND REGULATION OF WATER IN BRAZIL – THE SALITRE CASEThis paper discusses the political dimension of socio-environmental conflicts involving waters in Brazil, under the context of the current Lei das Águas (Federal Law No. 9.433/97), considering, specifically, how such conflicts are configured in the Salitre River basin, located in the northern part of the state of Bahia, historically characterized by the scarcity of water. The methodology used consisted of a bibliographical analysis, a discussion of secondary data and a direct research with social subjects and representatives of organizations operating in said region. The main conclusion of the study is that, in Brazil, the conflicts around water are usually characterized from a supposedly technical perspective, by the relation between water demand and supply, as well as its regulation, of an explicitly political character, that is to say, which refers to forms of appropriation and power relations that privilege the interests of the big users, the Salitre basin being regarded as typical.Keywords: Waters. Conflict. Socioenvironmental Regulation. Salitre.CONFLIT ET REGULATION DES EAUX AU BRESIL - L’EXPERIENCE DE LA RIVIERE SALITREDans cet article, nous présentons la dimension politique des conflits environnementaux liés à l’eau au Brésil, dans le contexte actuel de la Loi sur les Eaux (Loi Fédérale N° 9.433 / 97), en considérant tout spécifiquement la manière dont ces conflits sont configurés dans le bassin de la rivière Salitre, situé dans le nord de l’État de Bahia, historiquement caractérisé par la pénurie. La méthodologie utilisée consiste en une analyse bibliographique, une discussion des données secondaires et une recherche directe auprès des sujets sociaux et des représentants d’organisations qui travaillent dans cette région. La conclusion principale est qu’au Brésil les conflits concernant l’eau sont en général caractérisés dans une perspective prétendument technique, en fonction de la relation entre l’offre et la demande en eau et sa réglementation, explicitement à caractère politique, c’est-à-dire qui se réfère à des formes d’appropriation et à des relations de pouvoir qui privilégient les intérêts des grands utilisateurs. Le bassin de la rivière Salitre est considéré comme un exemple typique.Mots-clés: Eaux. Conflit. Socio-environnemental. Règlement. Rivière Salitre

Extracellular Vesicles, Apoptotic Bodies and Mitochondria: Stem Cell Bioproducts for Organ Regeneration

Purpose of Review In the current work, we will present the characterization of the main different stem cell-derived vesicular bio-products with potential application in organ regeneration. Recent Findings The therapeutic effects of stem cell therapy in organ repair, specifically those utilizing mesenchymal stromal cells, are largely dependent on the cells' release of different bio-products. Among these bio-products, extracellular vesicles (EVs) appear to play a major role due to their ability to carry and deliver bioactive material for modulation of cellular pathways in recipient cells. Concurrently, mitochondria transfer emerged as a new mechanism of cell communication, in which the bioenergetics of a damaged cell are restored. Finally, apoptotic bodies released by dying apoptotic stem cells contribute to stimulation of the tissue's stem cells and modulation of the immune response. Summary Exploitation of isolated extracellular vesicles, mitochondria and apoptotic bodies in preclinical models of organ damage shows promising results. Here, we describe the results of the pre-clinical applications of stem cell vesicular products, as well as the first clinical trials approaching artificial administration of extracellular vesicles and mitochondria in human subjects and their possible benefits and limitations. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, grant agreement No 813839, Innovative Training Network RenalToolBox and 765274, Innovative Training Network iPlacenta

Metallo‐beta‐lactamases among imipenem‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a brazilian university hospital

INTRODUCTION: Imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulting from metallo-β-lactamases has been reported to be an important cause of nosocomial infection and is a critical therapeutic problem worldwide, especially in the case of bacteremia. OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of metallo-β-lactamases among imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and to compare methods of phenotypic and molecular detection. METHODS: During 2006, 69 imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa samples were isolated from blood and tested for metallo-β-lactamase production using both phenotypic methods. Minimal Inhibitory Concentratrions (MIC) (μg/mL) was determined with commercial microdilution panels. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed among metallo-β-lactamase producers. RESULTS: Of all the blood isolates, 34.5% were found to be imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Positive phenotypic tests for metallo-β-lactamases ranged from 28%-77%, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were positive in 30% (of note, 81% of those samples were blaSPM-1 and 19% were blaVIM-2). Ethylenediamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) combinations for the detected enzymes had low kappa values; thus, care should be taken when use it as a phenotypic indicator of MBL. Despite a very resistant antibiogram, four isolates demonstrated the worrisome finding of a colistin MIC in the resistant range. PFGE showed a clonal pattern. CONCLUSION: Metallo-β-lactamases among imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa were detected in 30.4% of imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. This number might have been higher if other genes were included. SPM-1 was the predominant enzyme found. Phenotypic tests with low kappa values could be misleading when testing for metallo-β-lactamases. Polymerase Chain Reaction detection remains the gold standard