Interfaces das mudanças hospitalaresna ótica da enfermeira-gerente

O atual contexto de transformação e instabilidade social e econômica implica profundas reestruturações nos hospitais. Tendo em vista as mudanças observadas nessas organizações e a ocupação de cargos gerenciais por enfermeiras, este estudo de natureza qualitativa buscou: caracterizar as principais mudanças em hospitais privados de médio e grande porte de Belo Horizonte; identificar os determinantes internos e externos à organização que influenciam os modelos de gestão; e conhecer os principais fatores que interferem no cotidiano das gerentes. Foram estudados 19 hospitais e entrevistadas 29 enfermeiras em cargos gerenciais. Os resultados indicam mudanças estruturais, estratégicas, culturais, tecnológicas, humanas e políticas. Os modos de gestão foram influenciados pela dinâmica organizacional, pela formação profissional das gerentes e pelas especificidades da função gerencial. O Sistema Único de Saúde foi apontado como o principal fator externo que interfere na organização. O cotidiano das gerentes foi influenciado por fatores organizacionais e fatores profissionais.

O urbano em questão na antropologia: interfaces com a sociologia

O artigo aborda temas em torno da dimensão urbana na antropologia, explorando diálogos de fronteira entre tal disciplina e a sociologia em três momentos específicos: o primeiro sobre as décadas iniciais da Escola de Chicago, época de definição de uma pauta de pesquisas etnográficas sobre a cidade e a cultura urbana, com investigações pioneiras sobre a segregação socioespacial, com ênfase no conceito de gueto; no segundo, analisam-se interfaces entre a antropologia e a sociologia urbanas em São Paulo, nas décadas de 1970 e 1980, em torno do tema da periferia, com a produção de pesquisas marcadas pela polarização entre os conceitos de cultura e ideologia; finalmente, enfocam-se desafios contemporâneos à antropologia urbana, buscando-se retomar tópicos de um diálogo disciplinar que ocorre apenas implicitamente, bem como reaver o tema da periferia, tendo em vista fenômenos recentes que implicam tomá-la simultaneamente como espacialidade, processo e conjunto polifônico de representações nativas.

Possíveis interfaces entre TDAH e epilepsia

OBJETIVO: Identificar na literatura elementos para explicar uma possível associação entre o transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH) e a epilepsia e orientar quanto ao manejo clínico dos pacientes que compartilham esses transtornos. MÉTODOS: Realizou-se revisão da literatura dos últimos 10 anos nas bases de dados MedLine e Lilacs com a combinação dos descritores "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder", "ADHD" e "epilepsy". RESULTADOS: Sintomas de TDAH são frequentes em síndromes epilépticas idiopáticas. Vários fatores podem contribuir para a coexistência desses transtornos: 1) possibilidade de uma mesma propensão genética; 2) participação dos neurotransmissores noradrenalina e dopamina no TDAH e na modulação da excitabilidade neuronal; 3) anormalidades estruturais do cérebro evidenciadas em epilépticos portadores de TDAH; 4) influência dos efeitos crônicos das crises e das descargas epileptiformes interictais sob a atenção; 5) efeitos adversos das drogas antiepilépticas sob a cognição. CONCLUSÕES: As evidências atuais apontam que crises epilépticas e TDAH podem apresentar bases neurobiológicas comuns. Estudos que avaliam disfunções nas vias de sinalização das catecolaminas cerebrais e o papel das descargas epileptiformes interictais na geração dos sintomas são fundamentais na investigação desses mecanismos. Drogas psicoestimulantes são seguras e eficazes para o tratamento do TDAH na maioria dos portadores de epilepsia.

Identification of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatographic Analysis of Mycolic Acids and Conventional Biochemical Method: Four Years of Experience

Mycolic acids analysis by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) has been employed by several laboratories worldwide as a method for fast identification of mycobacteria. This method was introduced in Brazil by our laboratory in 1992 as a routine identification technique. Up to the present, 861 strains isolated were identified by mycolic acids TLC and by standard biochemical tests; 61% out of these strains came as clinical samples, 4% isolated from frogs and 35% as environmental samples. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains identified by classical methods were confirmed by their mycolic acids contents (I, III and IV). The method allowed earlier differentiation of M. avium complex - MAC (mycolic acids I, IV and VI) from M. simiae (acids I, II and IV), both with similar biochemical properties. The method also permitted to distinguish M. fortuitum (acids I and V) from M. chelonae (acids I and II) , and to detect mixed mycobacterial infections cases as M. tuberculosis with MAC and M. fortuitum with MAC. Concluding, four years experience shows that mycolic acids TLC is an easy, reliable, fast and inexpensive method, an important tool to put together conventional mycobacteria identification methods.

Attributes of irrigated rice and soil solution as affected by salinity levels of the water layer

In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, flooded rice fields using Patos Lagoon as the source of water for irrigation are subject to be damaged by salinity, since this source is bound to the sea on its southern end. The sensitivity of rice is variable during plant development, being higher in the seedling and reproductive periods. However, there is not enough information about the behavior of plants under salt stress during the course of its development, especially in the vegetative stage. This study evaluated the effect of different levels of salinity of irrigation water on the salinity of soil solution over time and on some plant attributes, during the vegetative stage of rice. The study was conducted in a greenhouse, where seeds of the variety IRGA 424 were sown in pots and irrigated with water with electrical conductivity (ECi) levels of: 0.3, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 dS m-1; from the tillering initiation (V4) until the panicle initiation (PI). The evaluations made were the electrical conductiviy of soil solution (ECe), the dry biomass of plants and stems, tillering, height and the transpiration of plants. The ECe increased with the ECi over time, and was determined by water transpiration flux in pots. The ECe values at the end of the experiment were high and, in most cases, higher than the critical values for flooded rice. The growth attributes of rice were negatively affected from ECi of 2.0 dS m-1 and ECe of 4.0 dS m-1.

Influence of litter layer removal on the soil thermal regime of a pine forest in a mediterranean climate

The removal of the litter layer in Portuguese pine forests would reduce fire hazard, but on the other hand this practice would influence the thermal regime of the soil, hence affecting soil biological activity, litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics. Temperature profiles of a sandy soil (Haplic Podzol) under a pine forest were measured with thermocouples at depths to 16 cm, with and without litter layer. The litter layer acted as a thermal insulator, reducing the amplitude of the periodic temperature variation in the mineral soil underneath and increasing damping depths, particularly at low soil water contents. At the mineral soil surface the reduction of amplitudes was about 2.5 ºC in the annual cycle and 5 to 6.7 ºC in the daily cycle, depending on the soil water content. When soil was both cold and wet, mean daily soil temperatures were higher (about 1 - 1.5 ºC) under the litter layer. Improved soil thermal conditions under the litter layer recommend its retention as a forest management practice to follow in general.

Rill erosion on an oxisol influenced by a thin compacted layer

The presence of compacted layers in soils can induce subprocesses (e.g., discontinuity of water flow) and induces soil erosion and rill development. This study assesses how rill erosion in Oxisols is affected by a plow pan. The study shows that changes in hydraulic properties occur when the topsoil is eroded because the compacted layer lies close below the surface. The hydraulic properties that induce sediment transport and rill formation (i.e., hydraulic thresholds at which these processes occur) are not the same. Because of the resistance of the compacted layer, the hydraulic conditions leading to rill incision on the soil surface differed from the conditions inducing rill deepening. The Reynolds number was the best hydraulic predictor for both processes. The formed rills were shallow and could easily be removed by tillage between crops. However, during rill development, large amounts of soil and contaminants could also be transferred.

Organic Matter Fractions and Quality of the Surface Layer of a Constructed and Vegetated Soil After Coal Mining. I - Humic Substances and Chemical Characterization

After open coal mining, soils are “constructed”, which usually contain low levels and quality of organic matter (OM). Therefore, the use of plant species for revegetation and reclamation of degraded areas is essential. This study evaluated the distribution of carbon (C) in the chemical fractions as well as the chemical characteristics and humification degree of OM in a soil constructed after coal mining under cultivation of perennial grasses. The experiment was established in 2003 with the following treatments: Hemarthria altissima (T1), Paspalum notatum (T2), Cynodon dactilon (T3), Urochloa brizantha (T4), bare constructed soil (T5), and natural soil (T6). In 2009, soil samples were collected from the 0.00-0.03 m layer and the total organic carbon stock (TOC) and C stock in the chemical fractions: acid extract (CHCl), fulvic acid (CFA), humic acid (CHA), and humin (CHU) were determined. The humic acid (HA) fraction was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and the laser-induced fluorescence index (ILIF) of OM was also calculated. After six years, differences were only observed in the CHA stocks, which were highest in T1 (0.89 Mg ha-1) and T4 (1.06 Mg ha-1). The infrared spectra of HA in T1, T2 and T4 were similar to T6, with greater contribution of aliphatic organic compounds than in the other treatments. In this way, ILIF decreased in the sequence T5>T3>T4>T1>T2>T6, indicating higher OM humification in T3 and T5 and more labile OM in the other treatments. Consequently, the potential of OM quality recovery in the constructed soil was greatest in treatments T1 and T4.

Organic Matter Fractions and Quality of the Surface Layer of a Constructed and Vegetated Soil After Coal Mining. II - Physical Compartments and Carbon Management Index

Soils constructed after mining often have low carbon (C) stocks and low quality of organic matter (OM). Cover crops are decisive for the recovery process of these stocks, improving the quality of constructed soils. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of cover crops on total organic C (TOC) stocks, C distribution in physical fractions of OM and the C management index (CMI) of a soil constructed after coal mining. The experiment was initiated in 2003 with six treatments: Hemarthria altissima (T1), Paspalum notatum (T2), Cynodon dactylon (T3), Urochloa brizantha (T4), bare constructed soil (T5), and natural soil (T6). Soil samples were collected in 2009 from the 0.00-0.03 m layer, and the TOC and C stocks in the physical particle size fractions (carbon in the coarse fraction - CCF, and mineral-associated carbon - MAC) and density fractions (free light fraction - FLF; occluded light fraction - OLF, and heavy fraction - HF) of OM were determined. The CMI components: carbon pool index (CPI), lability (L) and lability index (LI) were estimated by both fractionation methods. No differences were observed between TOC, CCF and MAC stocks. The lowest C stocks in FLF and OLF fractions were presented by T2, 0.86 and 0.61 Mg ha-1, respectively. The values of TOC stock, C stock in physical fractions and CMI were intermediate, greater than T5 and lower than T6 in all treatments, indicating the partial recovery of soil quality. As a result of the better adaptation of the species Hemarthria and Brizantha, resulting in greater accumulation of labile organic material, the CPI, L, LI and CMI values were higher in these treatments, suggesting a greater potential of these species for recovery of constructed soils.

Interfaces entre a ciência da informação e a ciência cognitiva

Estudo panorâmico sobre aspectos da ciência da informação (CI) e da ciência cognitiva (CC), apontando recentes contribuições em quatro de suas possíveis interseções: categorização, indexação, recuperação da informação (RI) e interação homem-computador.

Aplicações de QCM, EIS e SPR na investigação de superfícies e interfaces para o desenvolvimento de (bio)sensores

The use of the quartz crystal microbalance process, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and surface plasmon resonance for characterizing thin films and monitoring interfaces is presented. The theorical aspects of QCM, EIS and SPR are introduced and the main application areas are outlined. Future prospects of the combined applications of QCM, EIS and SPR methods in the studies of interfacial processes at surfaces are also discussed.

Interfaces e organização da pesquisa no Brasil: da Química à Nanotecnologia

Nanotechnology can be viewed as a powerful tool, capable of shaping the chemistry of atoms and molecules, converting them into exciting nanosized and nanostructured materials, devices and machines. However, in pursuing this task, an exceptional ability is required to deal with complex inter- and multidisciplinary approaches, as imposed by the nanoscale. A new research organization framework, capable of promoting cooperative interactions in many complementary areas, including the industries, is demanded. In this sense, an interesting example are the nanotechnology networks and millenium institutes recently created in Brazil. The highlights and weakness of such cooperative research networks are discussed, in addition to relevant nanotechnology themes focusing on the special needs and resources from the developing nations.