Analysis of floristic composition and structure as an aid to monitoring protected areas of dense rain forest in southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Inequalities in access to education and healthcare

The burden of disease is borne by those who suffer as patients but also by society at large, including health service providers. That burden is felt most severely in parts of the world where there is no infrastructure, or foreseeable prospects of any, to change the status quo without external support. Poverty, disease and inequality pervade all the activities of daily living in low-income regions and are inextricably linked. External interventions may not be the most appropriate way to impact on this positively in all circumstances, but targeted programmes to build social capital, within and by countries, are more likely to be sustainable. By these means, basic oral healthcare, underpinned by the primary healthcare approach, can be delivered to more equitably address needs and demands. Education is fundamental to building knowledge-based economies but is often lacking in such regions even at primary and secondary level. Provision of private education at tertiary level may also introduce its own inequities. Access to distance learning and community-based practice opens opportunities and is more likely to encourage graduates to work in similar areas. Recruitment of faculty from minority groups provides role models for students from similar backgrounds but all faculty staff must be involved in supporting and mentoring students from marginalized groups to ensure their retention. The developed world has to act responsibly in two crucial areas: first, not to exacerbate the shortage of skilled educators and healthcare workers in emerging economies by recruiting their staff; second, they must offer educational opportunities at an economic rate. Governments need to lead on developing initiatives to attract, support and retain a competent workforce.

Industrial Robotics Applied to Education

This work describes a ludic proposal for programming learning of industrial robots to be developed by groups of engineering students. Two projects are presented: Tic-tac-toe Opponent Robot and Environmentalist Robot. The first project use competitive search techniques of the Artificial Intelligence, computational vision, electronic and pneumatic concepts for ability decision making for a robotic agent on the tic-tae-toe game. The second project consists of a game that contains a questions and answers database about environmental themes. An algorithm selects the group of questions to be answered by the player, analyses the answers and sends the result to a industrial robot through serial port. According with the player performance, the robot makes congratulation movements and giving a gift to the winner player. Otherwise, the robot makes movements, disapproving the player performance.

A new tuning fork with different vibration frequencies as an aid to bronchopulmonary hygiene physiotherapy

Background: The main function of the mucociliary system is the removal of particles or substances that are potentially harmful to the respiratory tract. The tuning fork therapeutic for the purpose of bronchial hygiene has still not been described in the literature. The optimal vibration frequency to mobilize secretions is widely debated and varies between 3 and 25 Hz. It is expected that a tuning fork is able to generate vibrations in the thorax, facilitating bronchial hygiene. The aim of the present study is to develop tuning forks with different frequencies, for use in bronchopulmonary hygiene therapy. Methods: The first tuning fork was made with a fixed frequency of 25 Hz and it was recorded in the Brazilian institution of patent registration. This device generated a frequency of 25 Hz and had a weight of 521 g, with dimensions of 600 mm in total length. The device is characterized by a bottom end containing a transducer with a diameter of 62 mm and a thickness of 5/16 mm (8''), a rod removable 148 mm, fork length of 362 mm and an extension at the upper end of sinuous shape bilaterally.The tuning forks must be applied at an angle of 90° directly on the chest wall of the patient after pulmonary auscultation for location of secretions. The tuning fork is activated by squeezing the tips of the extensions together and releasing them in a sudden movement. Results: This study shows the result of the development of others three tuning forks of different dimensions to generate different frequencies. Each equipment reaches a fixed frequency preset of 12, 15 and 20 Hz measured by digital oscilloscope. Conclusions: The tuning fork models developed in this study generated different frequencies proposed by the scientific literature as effective in the mobilization of pulmonary secretions.

Iniciativa privada e educação pública: contribuições metodológicas para a análise de objetos de pesquisa difusos na área de política e gestão educacional

Provides elements for a reflection on methodological strategies in the face of objects of study that prove difficult to approach. Through a case study in education, seeks to show that difficulties in obtaining information and data have been overcome by using an analytical model developed. It is shown that its use allowed inferences broader and reveal hidden inconsistencies in discussions on public and private education. Intended to assist reflection on qualitative research methods for those who deal with such studies. Concludes that the current expectations of management efficiency and transfer of resources sufficient quantity and quality have not materialized with a private enterprise under public education, even if we have succeeded in building a positive image by the promoters of this action with the sectors of public opinion. Prevailing trade policy interests at the expense of the motivations declared the initiative of aid to education, and even can not be said that the initiative has resulted in a private redefined the public character of the systems affected, there is evidence that its implementation represents a unique chapter focused "education", compared to a scenario in which stand out historically mutual aid agreements of a politicaleconomic development between state and private enterprise.

Chemiluminescent determination of leukocyte alkaline phosphatase: An advantageous alternative to the cytochemical assay

The determination of leukocyte alkaline phosphatasd (LAP) is used as an aid to diagnose many diseases in the laboratory. For example, it can be used to distinguish chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) from other myeloproliferative disorders (particularly myelofibrosis and polycythemia) and leukemoid reactions (LR). Traditionally, this test is performed with the use of subjective cytochemical assays that assign a score to the level of LAP. Here we present a nonsubjective, quantitative, sensitive, and inexpensive chemiluminescent technique that determines LAP based on the commercial reagent Immulite (R) (AMPPD). To validate this methodology, intact leukocytes obtained from 32 healthy subjects, nine CML patients, and nine LR patients were submitted to the optimized protocol. By measuring the light emission elicited by four concentrations of neutrophils, we were able to estimate the activity of LAP per cell (the slope of the curve obtained by linear regression). A high linear correlation was found between the chemiluminescent result (slope) and the cytochemical score. The slope for healthy individuals ranged between 0.61 and 8.49 (10(-5) mV.s/cell), with a median of 2.04 (10(-5) mV.s/cell). These results were statistically different from those of CML patients (range = 0.07-1.75, median = 0.79) and LR patients (range = 3.84-47.24, median 9.58; P < 0.05).

Escolas Técnicas do SUS (ETSUS) no Brasil: regulação da integração ensino serviço e sustentabilidade administrativa

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Políticas públicas e a sustentabilidade da pesca marinha no Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

FUNDEF na municipalização do ensino em São Paulo: estudo de caso no município de Junqueirópolis

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

A negação da autonomia universitária na política educacional do governo federal (2003-2008) e do governo do estado de São Paulo (2007)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A leitura à primeira vista e o ensino de piano

Pós-graduação em Música - IA

O conceito de segurança da Organização do Tratado do Atlântico Norte (OTAN) e a intervenção dos Balcãs (1999)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A inclusão das diferenças e as diferenças na inclusão: impasses na inclusão de alunos com necessidades especiais

Pós-graduação em Psicologia - FCLAS

Tecnologias da informação e comunicação na gestão educacional: possibilidades e contribuições em uma escola técnica estadual

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)