Assessment and statistics of Brazilian hydroelectric power plants: Dam areas versus installed and firm power

The Brazilian relief, predominantly composed by small mountains and plateaus, contributed to formation of rivers with high amount of falls. With exception to North-eastern Brazil, the climate of this country are rainy, which contributes to maintain water flows high. These elements are essential to a high hydroelectric potential, contributing to the choice of hydroelectric power plants as the main technology of electricity generation in Brazil. Though this is a renewable source, whose utilized resource is free, dams must to be established which generates a high environmental and social impact. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact caused by these dams through the use of environmental indexes. These indexes are ratio formed by installed power with dam area of a hydro power plant, and ratio formed by firm power with this dam area. In this study, the greatest media values were found in South, Southeast, and Northeast regions respectively, and the smallest media values were found in North and Mid-West regions, respectively. The greatest encountered media indexes were also found in dams established in the 1950s. In the last six decades, the smallest indexes were registered by darns established in the 1980s. These indexes could be utilized as important instruments for environmental impact assessments, and could enable a dam to be established that depletes an ecosystem as less as possible.

Produtos naturais como candidatos a fármacos úteis no tratamento do mal de Alzheimer

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative pathology with severe economic and social impact. There is currently no cure, although cholinesterase inhibitors provide effective temporary relief of symptoms in some patients. Nowadays drug research and development are based on the cholinergic hypothesis that supports the cognition improvement by regulation of the synthesis and release of acetylcholine in the brain. There are only four commercial medicines approved for treatment of AD and natural products have played an important role in the research for new acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

Dornase alfa improves the health-related quality of life among Brazilian patients with cystic fibrosis - A one-year prospective study

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measurements provide valuable information about the psychological and social impact of treatment on patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). This study evaluated the HRQOL of Brazilian patients with CF and assessed the changes in HRQOL domains over 1 year after dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) introduction. Patients and Methods: One hundred fifty-six stable patients with CF and 89 caregivers answered the Portuguese-validated version of the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) at baseline (T 0), and at 3 (T 1), 6 (T 2), 9 (T 3), and 12 (T 4) months of follow-up. Eighteen patientswere excluded because they did not fulfill the inclusion criteria. The patients were analyzed in two groups: those aged 6-11 years and those aged 14 years and older. ANOVA for observed repeated results and the last observation carried forward (LOCF) method for missing data were used for the statistical analysis. Results: After 1 year of follow-up, there was significant improvement in respiratory symptoms (T 4-T 0=8.1; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=[2.1;14.0]; effect size (ES)=0.35; P<0.001), Emotional Functioning (T 4-T 0=5.6; 95% CI=[1.1;10.1]; ES=0.31; P<0.05), Social Functioning (T 4-T 0=6.0; 95% CI=[1.3;11.7]; ES=0.31; P<0.05), Body Image (T 4-T 0=11.9; 95% CI=[4.1;19.7]; ES=0.42; P<0.05), and Treatment Burden (T 4-T 0=5.3; 95% CI=[0.3;10.3]; ES=0.24; P<0.05) domains in the younger group. A significant improvement in Role Functioning (T 4-T 0=6.1; 95% CI=[1.1;11.1]; ES=0.40; P<0.05), Body Image (T 4-T 0=12.6; 95% CI=[3.5;21.7]; ES=0.46; P<0.05), and Weight (T 4-T 0=11.7; 95% CI=[1.8;21.6]; ES=0.40; P<0.05) was obtained in the older group. The caregivers' CFQ-R showed improvements in the Digestive Symptoms (T 4-T 0=5.5; 95% CI=[1.5;9.4]; ES=0.30; P<0.05), Respiratory Symptoms (T 4-T 0=7.6; 95% CI=[3.9;11.4]; ES=0.48; P<0.05), and Weight (T 4-T 0=10.1; 95% CI=[1.6;18.6]; ES=0.26; P<0.05) domains. Conclusion: The introduction of dornase alfa improved the HRQL of the patients with CF during the first year of treatment. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Impactos sociais da mineração do folhelho pirobetuminoso sobre a comunidade rural Dois Irmãos, desapropriada para fins de utilidade pública

The aim of this paper is to present the effects of social impacts of Petrobras/Six mining of oil shales over the rural community Dois Irmãos, located at Sao Mateus do Sul city, Paraná state. For making mining areas, PETROBRAS/SIX needs to expropriate areas of its interest. In 2010, for the implementation of the mine Dois Irmão, the last one, 90 families were evicted and they directly suffered the impacts of mining. Of these, 62 families were interviewed in order to investigate the main effects suffered with the expropriation. These results showed that the community had difficulties in upgrading its way of life in new places, experiencing how different types of problems were triggered from the loss of the lands.

Atividade física e doença de Parkinson: mudança de comportamento, auto-eficácia e barreiras percebidas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Suicídio revolucionário: a luta armada e a herança da quimérica revolução em etapas

Pós-graduação em Ciências Sociais - FFC

Comunicação midiática nas (arqui)dioceses do Brasil: possibilidades para ser igreja virtual

Pós-graduação em Comunicação - FAAC

Gêneros do discurso e ensino de língua portuguesa: a leitura da proposta curricular de São Paulo por uma professora de língua portuguesa

Pós-graduação em Educação - IBRC

Representações de estudantes do curso de Pedagogia e de professores da rede pública sobre alunos dos anos iniciais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O conceito de conscientização nos parâmetros curriculares nacionais

Pós-graduação em Educação Escolar - FCLAR

A construção da representação docente e a função do professor de educação infantil: elementos para reflexão

Pós-graduação em Educação Escolar - FCLAR

Uso de um objeto de aprendizagem no ensino de ciências tomando-se como referência a teoria sócio-construtivista de Vygotsky

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

As representações sociais da adolescência e do adolescente por profissionais de projeto socioambiental

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Representações sociais da violência e da indisciplina escolar na imprensa brasileira

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Indisciplina no ensino médio e técnico: representações sociais de professores

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)