Arab-American Lives In New York City: the Value Of Creative Non-Fiction Journalism To The Social Sciences

Through three journalistic portraits of Arab Americans living in New York City today, this thesis adds to the academic work of documenting the post-9/11 Arab-American experience via creative non-fiction storytelling. The three portraits of different generation Arab Americans each touch upon major themes covered in the post-9/11 social science research on this population, themes that are discussed in the literature review of this thesis. Furthermore, the thesis argues that the choice of creative non-fiction storytelling contributes to the already existing research in the area by making otherwise specialized material readable and accessible for a non-academic audience. Additionally, this thesis addresses the most significant differences, i.e., method, execution, and final product, in journalistic interviews and interviews conducted for social sciences

O ensino de sociologia em duas realidades escolares distintas: o colégio aplicação da UFSC e a Escola de Educação Básica Simão José Hess.

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Curso de Ciências Sociais.Este trabalho busca analisar as características estruturantes do ensino de Sociologia em duas realidades escolares distintas: Colégio de Aplicação da UFSC e Escola de Educação Básica Simão Hess, da rede pública estadual de Santa Catarina. A ideia é analisar porque duas escolas consideradas de caráter público e localizadas no mesmo bairro da Trindade, em Florianópolis, convivem com especificidades tão diferentes quanto a condições materiais e pedagógicas do ensino de Sociologia. A investigação se baseou em primeira instância em uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o ensino de sociologia, suas condições históricas e sociais no Brasil. Em um segundo momento nas observações e na regência em sala de aula, assim como o questionário aplicado aos alunos, com a finalidade de conhecer aspectos socioeconômicos, assim como culturais, de seu perfil. O trabalho também se baseou em entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os professores de Sociologia e diretor, para investigar sua formação acadêmica, condições de trabalho, vínculo contratual etc. E por último, foi realizada uma pesquisa documental, especialmente voltada para conhecer o Projeto Político Pedagógico das escolas.This paper seeks to analyze the structural characteristics of the teaching of sociology in two different school realities: College Application UFSC and Basic School Simão Hess, the public state of Santa Catarina. The idea is to analyze why two schools considered public and located in the same neighborhood character of the Trinity, in Florianópolis, with specificities coexist as different as materials and pedagogical conditions of teaching of Sociology. The research was based in the first instance on a literature review on teaching sociology, historical and social conditions in Brazil. In a second step in conducting the observations and in the classroom, as well as the questionnaire given to students in order to meet socio-economic aspects, as well as cultural, profile and semistructured interviews with teachers of Sociology and Director, to investigate his academic training, working conditions, type of employment etc. And lastly, documentary research, especially focused to meet the Education Policy Project of the schools was held

An aeroponic culture system for the study of root herbivory on Arabidopsis thaliana

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Plant defense against herbivory has been studied primarily in aerial tissues. However, complex defense mechanisms have evolved in all parts of the plant to combat herbivore attack and these mechanisms are likely to differ in the aerial and subterranean environment. Research investigating defense responses belowground has been hindered by experimental difficulties associated with the accessibility and quality of root tissue and the lack of bioassays using model plants with altered defense profiles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed an aeroponic culture system based on a calcined clay substrate that allows insect herbivores to feed on plant roots while providing easy recovery of the root tissue. The culture method was validated by a root-herbivore system developed for <it>Arabidopsis thaliana </it>and the herbivore <it>Bradysia </it>spp. (fungus gnat)<it>. Arabidopsis </it>root mass obtained from aeroponically grown plants was comparable to that from other culture systems, and the plants were morphologically normal. <it>Bradysia </it>larvae caused considerable root damage resulting in reduced root biomass and water absorption. After feeding on the aeroponically grown root tissue, the larvae pupated and emerged as adults. Root damage of mature plants cultivated in aeroponic substrate was compared to that of <it>Arabidopsis </it>seedlings grown in potting mix. Seedlings were notably more susceptible to <it>Bradysia </it>feeding than mature plants and showed decreased overall growth and survival rates.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A root-herbivore system consisting of <it>Arabidopsis thaliana </it>and larvae of the opportunistic herbivore <it>Bradysia </it>spp. has been established that mimics herbivory in the rhizosphere. <it>Bradysia </it>infestation of <it>Arabidopsis </it>grown in this culture system significantly affects plant performance. The culture method will allow simple profiling and <it>in vivo </it>functional analysis of root defenses such as chemical defense metabolites that are released in response to belowground insect attack.</p

O exame de urina no diagnóstico das doenças glomerulares: o papel do dismorfismo eritrocitário

TCC(graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Farmácia.As doenças renais são classificadas como doenças glomerulares, tubulares, intersticiais ou vasculares. Os principais sinais das doenças glomerulares são a proteinúria e a hematúria, e são identificados através do exame de urina. Desde 1979 diversos autores sugerem que quando a hematúria é de origem glomerular, algumas hemácias podem apresentar alterações morfológicas e estas são classificadas como hemácias dismórficas. A presença de hemácias dismórficas e de acantócitos (hemácias em formato de rosca com protrusões citoplasmáticas vesiculares) na urina é um indicativo de patologias glomerulares. Porém, não existe um consenso na literatura sobre o valor de referência para dismorfismo eritrocitário e acantócitos para determinar a origem da hematúria. Esta revisão narrativa da literatura teve como objetivo analisar o papel do dismorfismo eritrocitário no diagnóstico das doenças glomerulares. Foram incluídos doze artigos nas línguas inglesa e portuguesa publicados nos últimos vinte anos. A maioria dos artigos incluídos utilizaram a microscopia de contraste de fase como metodologia para identificar eritrócitos dismórficos no sedimento urinário. Entretanto, também foram empregadas a automação e a microscopia de campo claro, realizada em amostras de urina a fresco ou coradas. Os pontos de corte ideais, ou seja, a porcentagem de hemácias dismórficas para diagnóstico de hematúria glomerular, empregados pelos estudos variaram de >6,7% a >80%. Para esses valores, a sensibilidade e a especificidade variaram conforme a metodologia utilizada, de 20,4% a 100% e de 30% a 100%, respectivamente, indicando que a porcentagem de hemácias dismórficas costuma ser mais específica do que sensível. Para acantócitos o ponto de corte variou de ≥1% a ≥7%, cuja sensibilidade e especificidade variaram de 46% a 100% e de 82% a 100%, respectivamente. Nesta revisão, não foi encontrado um valor de referência específico para dismorfismo eritrocitário. Os trabalhos concluíram que o dismorfismo eritrocitário e a presença de acantócitos têm capacidade de diferenciar hematúria glomerular de não glomerular. Estes parâmetros devem ser correlacionados com outros resultados do exame de urina, visto que a presença de cilindros hemáticos e proteinúria também são relevantes nessas doenças. Os autores continuam recomendando a utilização do dismorfismo eritrocitário para auxílio no processo diagnóstico das glomerulopatias mesmo não havendo uma padronização dos valores de referência. Para implementar esta análise na rotina laboratorial, deve ser considerada a metodologia que será empregada (microscopia de campo claro, microscopia de contraste de fase ou automação), para então determinar o valor de referência a ser utilizado.Kidney diseases are classified as glomerular, tubular, interstitial or vascular diseases. The main signs of glomerular diseases are proteinuria and hematuria, and are identified through urine examination. Since 1979, several authors have suggested that when hematuria is of glomerular origin, some red blood cells may show morphological changes and these are classified as dysmorphic red blood cells. The presence of dysmorphic red blood cells and acanthocytes (donut-shaped red blood cells with vesicular cytoplasmic protrusions) in the urine is indicative of glomerular pathologies. However, there is no consensus in the literature on the reference value for erythrocyte dysmorphism and acanthocytes to determine the origin of hematuria. This narrative review of the literature aimed to analyze the role of erythrocyte dysmorphism in the diagnosis of glomerular diseases. Twelve articles in English and Portuguese published in the last twenty years were included. Most of the articles included used phase contrast microscopy as a methodology to identify dysmorphic erythrocytes in the urine sediment. However, automation and bright field microscopy, performed on fresh or stained urine samples, were also employed. The ideal cutoff points, that is, a percentage of dysmorphic red blood cells for the diagnosis of glomerular hematuria, used by studies are ranging from >6.7% to >80%. For these values, sensitivity and specificity varied according to the methodology used, from 20.4% to 100% and from 30% to 100%, respectively, indicating that the percentage of dysmorphic red blood cells is usually more specific than sensitive. For acanthocytes, the cutoff points varied from ≥1% to ≥7%, whose sensitivity and specificity varied from 46% to 100% and from 82% to 100%, respectively. In this review, no specific reference value for erythrocyte dysmorphism was found. The studies concluded that erythrocyte dysmorphism and the presence of acanthocytes are able to differentiate glomerular and non-glomerular hematuria. These parameters must be correlated with other results of the urinalysis, since the presence of erythrocyte casts and proteinuria are also relevant for these diseases. The authors continue to recommend the use of erythrocyte dysmorphism to assist the diagnostic process of glomerulopathies even though there is no standardization of reference values. To implement this analysis in the laboratory routine, the methodology that will be used (bright field microscopy, phase contrast microscopy or automation) must be considered, and then determine the reference value to be used

Risikoprämien am europäischen Staatsanleihenmarkt: Neue empirische Erkenntnisse und Überlegungen aus der Sicht der Lebensversicherungsbranche

We study yield spreads between government bonds in the European Monetary Union. This segment of the global fixed income market is of particular importance for insurance companies in Europe. Our empirical research strategy is inspired by Gunay (2020) who has analyzed the relationship between credit and liquidity risk in the United States using Granger causality tests. More specifically, we employ the procedure developed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995) to test for Granger causality among yield spreads in five different member countries of the European Monetary Union (namely Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Ireland) relative to Germany. We examine interest rate data from bonds with three different maturities (5, 10 and 30 years). Given the importance of long-term bonds as asset class for European life insurers and pension funds, the empirical results from the often ignored market for government bonds with a maturity of 30 years should be of interest. With regard to long-term sovereign debt, there is no evidence for Granger causality among the time series examined here. Consequently, the risk premia required by investors to hold government bonds of one specific member country of the EMU do not help to forecast the risk premia that have to be paid by other countries. Given the structure of their liabilities, this empirical finding should be of high relevance for portfolio and risk managers in the European life insurance industry and in pension funds. With regard to the yield spreads to be observed in the market for 10-year government bonds, there seems to be no clear picture. Focusing on fixed income securities with a maturity of 5 years, there is one very interesting empirical finding. The test results reported here seem to imply that there is unidirectional Granger causality running from the yield spreads in all other four countries to Austria. Given that Austria is a comparably small country which is assumed to be in a fiscally stable position, this result could be interpreted as evidence for credit risk premia as being helpful to forecast liquidity risk premia in the market for medium-term government bonds issued by member states of the European Monetary Union.Diese Studie untersucht Zinsdifferenzen am Markt von Staatsanleihen der Mitgliedsländer der Europäischen Währungsunion. Dieses Segment des globalen Rentenmarktes hat eine besondere Bedeutung für europäische Versicherungsunternehmen. Unsere empirische Studie ist von Gunay (2000) inspiriert, der den Zusammenhang zwischen Kredit- und Liquiditätsrisiko in den Vereinigten Staaten mittels Grangerkausalitätstests untersucht. Genauer gesagt findet hier der Ansatz von Toda und Yamamoto (1995) Anwendung. Untersucht werden die Zinsdifferenzen von fünf Ländern (Österreich, Belgien, Frankreich, Italien und Irland) zu Deutschland. Dabei wird auf drei Laufzeiten (5, 10 und 30 Jahre) geblickt. Der häufig in empirischen Studien ignorierte Markt für Staatsanleihen mit einer Restlaufzeit von 30 Jahren dürfte aufgrund der Struktur der Verbindlichkeiten von besonderem Interesse für Lebensversicherer und Pensionsfonds sein. In diesem Segment des europäischen Staatsanleihemarktes konnten wir keine Hinweise auf Grangerkausalität zwischen den Zinsdifferenzen finden. Die von den hier betrachteten Ländern für ihre Schulden zu zahlenden Risikoprämien helfen somit nicht, die Risikoprämien in den jeweils anderen untersuchten Nationen vorherzusagen. Dieses Ergebnis sollte von hoher Bedeutung für Kapitalanleger und Risikomanager bei europäischen Lebensversicherungen und Pensionsfonds sein. Im Laufzeitsegment 10 Jahre ergibt sich kein klares Bild. Bei den Zinsdifferenzen der Papiere mit einer Laufzeit von 5 Jahren zeigt sich dagegen klar, dass die Risikoprämien in allen anderen Ländern helfen, die Zinsdifferenz von Österreich zu Deutschland vorherzusagen. Da Österreich eher ein kleines Land mit relativ soliden Staatsfinanzen ist, mag dieses Ergebnis ein Hinweis darauf sein, dass das Kreditrisiko in diesem Segment des europäischen Rentenmarktes zur Prognose des Liquiditätsrisikos verwendet werden kann

Potential of subdermal solar energy harvesting for medical device applications based on worldwide meteorological data.

SIGNIFICANCE Active implants require batteries as power supply. Their lifetime is limited and may require a second surgical intervention for replacement. Intracorporal energy harvesting techniques generate power within the body and supply the implant. Solar cells below the skin can be used to harvest energy from light. AIM To investigate the potential of subdermal solar energy harvesting. APPROACH We evaluated global radiation data for defined time slots and calculated the output power of a subdermal solar module based on skin and solar cell characteristics. We assumed solar exposure profiles based on daily habits for an implanted solar cell. The output power was calculated for skin types VI and I/II. RESULTS We show that the yearly mean power in most locations on Earth is sufficient to power modern cardiac pacemakers if 10 min midday solar irradiation is assumed. All skin types are suitable for solar harvesting. Moreover, we provide a software tool to predict patient-specific output power. CONCLUSIONS Subdermal solar energy harvesting is a viable alternative to primary batteries. The comparison to a human case study showed a good agreement of the results. The developed code is available open source to enable researchers to investigate further applications of subdermal solar harvesting

Experiência inicial com prótese valvar de duplo folheto modelo TRI.

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Clínica Cirúrgica, Curso de Medicina, Florianópolis, 199

O quotidiano e o ritmo de vida de pessoas com lesão medular e suas famílias: potências e limites na adesão à reabilitação para a promoção da saúde

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Florianópolis, 2015.O estudo teve como objetivo compreender o quotidiano e o ritmo de viver das pessoas com lesão medular e suas famílias, com suas potências e seus limites para a adesão à reabilitação, colaborando para a Promoção da Saúde. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, interpretativo, realizado em um Centro Especializado de Reabilitação, no Sul do Brasil, referência no atendimento de pessoas com deficiência física e intelectual. Foram participantes deste estudo 12 pessoas com lesão medular e 09 familiares, totalizando 21 participantes. Os dados foram coletados entre os meses de dezembro de 2013 e março de 2014, a partir de 21 entrevistas individuais e 02 coletivas, adotando-se, para estas, a estratégia de oficinas. As entrevistas foram realizadas a partir de um roteiro semiestruturado distinto para cada grupo de participantes da pesquisa. As oficinas foram realizadas em um encontro com as pessoas com lesão medular e outro encontro com suas famílias. Para o agrupamento e organização dos dados, utilizou-se o software Atlas.ti. A análise dos dados envolveu: análise preliminar, ordenação, ligações-chave, codificação e categorização, guiada pelo olhar da Sociologia Compreensiva e do Quotidiano. Esta pesquisa resultou em quatro manuscritos: um relacionado à revisão da literatura e três referentes à interpretação dos dados empíricos. No primeiro, o cuidado de Enfermagem no quotidiano da reabilitação de pessoas com lesão medular, buscou-se identificar e analisar o conhecimento produzido nas publicações de pesquisas em Enfermagem sobre o cuidado de Enfermagem de reabilitação às pessoas com lesão medular, no período de 2003 a 2013. No segundo manuscrito, o quotidiano e o ritmo de vida da pessoa com lesão medular e sua família, descreve-se o quotidiano dessas pessoas, caracterizado pelo antes e o depois da lesão medular, suas dificuldades na aceitação e adaptação ao novo ritmo de vida, marcado pela dor, alteração do sono, dor, limitação, dependência, distúrbio da autoimagem, alteração da resposta sexual. A família também se desestrutura pelo desgaste físico (dependência/sobrecarga), emocional (desconhecimento, desordem emocional e sexual) e socioeconômica (afastamento do trabalho e lazer). No terceiro manuscrito, limites na adesão à reabilitação no quotidiano de pessoas com lesão medular e suas famílias: implicações para a promoção da saúde, discute-se o descuidado dos profissionais da saúde nos três níveis de atenção à saúde, envolvendo: falta de orientação, desconhecimento das políticas de saúde, falta de encaminhamento aos Centros Especializados de Reabilitação e o despreparo dos profissionais no cuidado às pessoas com lesão medular e suas famílias, além da falta de acessibilidade, o auto preconceito e o preconceito social. No quarto manuscrito, potências na adesão à reabilitação de pessoas com lesão medular e suas famílias, analisam-se os aspectos que contribuem para a adesão à reabilitação, como: o acolhimento, traduzido pela dedicação no cuidado, o carinho, o respeito e a alegria no cuidar que mobiliza as pessoas pelas suas potencialidades; a família, que se aproxima pelo cuidado e pelo diálogo; a própria reabilitação, que é meio de retorno à vida e o credo religioso que os fortalece na caminhada. Consideramos que a reabilitação é, além de uma especialidade, um modelo de cuidado que contribui para o enriquecimento de outras práticas de cuidado. Ressalta-se a necessidade da integração entre profissionais de saúde, entre Instituições de saúde e a qualificação dos profissionais da saúde. Faz-se necessária uma análise individual de cada determinante que envolve a temática para que possamos, efetivamente, minimizar as barreiras atitudinais e arquitetônicas que influenciam negativamente na adesão à reabilitação das pessoas com lesão medular e suas famílias. A construção deste conhecimento em Tese indica que compreender o quotidiano e o ritmo de vida das pessoas com lesão medular e de suas famílias, com suas potências e limites, possibilita um cuidado para melhor adesão à reabilitação, colaborando para a Promoção da Saúde.Abstract : The study had as objective understand the everyday life and the pace of life of people with spinal cord injuries and their families, with their powers and their limits for the accession to the rehabilitation, collaborating for the Promotion of Health.It is a qualitative study, interpretative, made in a Specialized Center for Rehabilitation, in the South of Brazil, reference in the care of people with physical disabilities and intellectual. The participants in this study were 12 persons with spinal cord injury and 09 families, totaling 21 participants. The data were collected between the months of December 2013 and March 2014, from 21 individual interviews and 02 collective, adopting, for these, the strategy workshops.The interviews were conducted from a different semistructured script for each group of participants. The workshops were carried out in a meeting with people with spinal cord injury and another meeting with their families. For the grouping and organization of the data, we used the software Atlas.ti. The analysis of the data involved: preliminary analysis, sorting, key links, coding and categorization, guided by the gaze of Comprehensive Sociology and Everyday Life.This research resulted in four manuscripts: one related to the review of the literature and three relating to the interpretation of empirical data. In the first, the Nursing care on a daily basis of the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury, we attempted to identify and analyze the knowledge produced in the publications of Nursing research on the Nursing care of rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, in the period of 2003 to 2013.The second manuscript, everyday life and the pace of life of the person with spinal cord injury and their families, describes the daily life of these people, characterized by before and after spinal cord injury, their difficulties in acceptance and adaptation to the new pace of life, marked by pain, sleep disorders, pain, limitation, dependence, disorder of self-image, change of sexual response.The family is also destructured by physical wear (dependence/overload), emotional (ignorance, emotional confusion and sexual) and socioeconomic status (being away from work and leisure). In the third manuscript, limits on membership in the rehabilitation on the daily lives of people with spinal cord injuries and their families: implications for the promotion of health, discusses the careless of health professionals in the three levels of health care, involving:lack of guidance, ignorance about health politcs, lack of guidin to Specialized Centers of Rehabilitation and the low knowledge of professionals in the care for people with spinal cord injuries and their families, in addition to the lack of accessibility, the self prejudice and social injury.In the fourth manuscript, potentials on membership in the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries and their families, ii is analyzed the aspects that contribute to the membership of the rehabilitation, such as: the reception, translated by dedication in caring, affection, respect and joy in caring for that mobilizes the people by their potentials; the family, who approachesfor the care and by the dialog; the own rehabilitation, which is a way of return to life and the religious belief that strengthens the walk. We believe that the rehabilitation is, in addition to a skill, a model of care that contributes to the enrichment of other care practices. This emphasizes the need for integration between health professionals, between health care institutions and the qualification of health professionals.It is necessary an individual analysis of each determinant that involves the topic so that we can effectively minimize the attitudinal and architectonical barriers that influence negatively on accession to the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries and their families.The construction of this knowledge in Theory indicates that understand the everyday life and the pace of life of people with spinal cord injuries and their families, with their potencials and limits, enables a care for better adherence to rehabilitation, collaborating for the Promotion of Health.<br

Endogenous Work Hours and Practice Patterns of Canadian Physicians.

Using an extensive survey of Canadian physicians, this paper studies how physician practice patterns are shaped by demographic characteristics, physician specialty, and government policy. We model the simultaneous determination of group size, primary source of professional income (fee-for- service or salaried position), weekly hours of direct patient care, and total weekly hours of work. Coefficient estimates are precisely identified and are consistent with a life cycle model of self-employed professionals. Hours of work peak after about twenty years of practice and the probability of having a solo practice rises steadily with experience. With all else constant in the model, physicians who work under fee-for-service see patients 11 more hours each week than physicians who are primarily salaried, and yet fee-for-service physicians work only one or two hours more per week in total. Physicians in Quebec, the province with the strictest limits to physician billing in 1990, work significantly fewer hours than physicians in any of the other provinces and are more likely to work for a salary in large groups.PHYSICIANS;MEDICAL CARE