Considerações históricas sobre o infinito e alguns de seus paradoxos

This research aims to elucidate some of the historical aspects of the idea of infinity during the creation of calculus and set theory. It also seeks to raise discussions about the nature of infinity: current infinite and potential infinite. For this, we conducted a survey with a qualitative approach in the form of exploratory study. This study was based on books of Mathematics' History and other scientific works such as articles, theses and dissertations on the subject. This work will bring the view of some philosophers and thinkers about the infinite, such as: Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Galilei, Augustine, Cantor. The research will be presented according to chronological order. The objective of the research is to understand the infinite from ancient Greece with the paradoxes of Zeno, during the time which the conflict between the conceptions atomistic and continuity were dominant, and in this context that Zeno launches its paradoxes which contradict much a concept as another, until the theory Cantor set, bringing some paradoxes related to this theory, namely paradox of Russell and Hilbert's paradox. The study also presents these paradoxes mentioned under the mathematical point of view and the light of calculus and set theory

Il pensiero politico internazionale di Montesquieu: tra la geopolitica e le relazioni internazionali

La tesi ha mostrato come il pensiero politico di Montesquieu possa costituire un utile riferimento teorico per affrontare il problema della ricontestualizzazione dello studio delle relazioni internazionali. La prima parte del lavoro evidenzia alcuni aspetti del metodo di ricerca e del pensiero politico di Montesquieu. Nel primo capitolo, è stato identificato un metodo di ricerca ed un approccio sociologico nello studio della politica, che rappresenta un precedente rispetto alla fondazione di una scienza politica che si propone di identificare nessi causali tra i fenomeni politici. In particolare, si deve riconoscere a Montesquieu il merito di aver introdotto un tipo di analisi della politica che consideri l’interazione di più fattori tra loro. La complessità del reale può essere spiegata soltanto identificando i rapporti che si formano tra gli elementi della realtà. Quindi è possibile porre dei principi in grado di produrre un ordine conoscibile ed interpretabile di tutti questi elementi. Nel secondo capitolo è stata presentata un’analisi delle tipologie delle forme di governo e del concetto di libertà politica. Questo capitolo ha evidenziato solo alcuni aspetti del pensiero politico di Montesquieu utili alla comprensione del pensiero politico internazionale. In particolare, è stata analizzata la struttura e il ressort di ogni forma di governo sottolineando gli aspetti di corruzione e i relativi processi di mutamento. La seconda parte del lavoro ha affrontato l’analisi di un pensiero politico internazionale ed ha evidenziato la rilevanza di una riflessione geopolitica. Nel terzo capitolo abbiamo mostrato l’emersione di una riflessione su alcuni argomenti di relazioni internazionali, quali il problema della guerra e della pace, il diritto internazionale e l’interdipendenza economica, legandoli alle forme di governo. Quindi sono stati identificati ed analizzati tre modelli di sistema internazionale sottolineando in particolare il nesso con il concetto di società internazionale. Tra questi modelli di sistema internazionale, quello che presenta le caratteristiche più singolari, è certamente il sistema della federazione di repubbliche. Infine, nell’ultimo capitolo, abbiamo evidenziato l’importanza della rappresentazione spaziale del mondo di Montesquieu e l’uso di categorie concettuali e metodi di analisi della geopolitica. In particolare, è stata rilevata l’importanza dell’aspetto dimensionale per la comprensione delle dinamiche di ascesa e declino delle forme di Stato e delle forme di governo. Si è mostrato come non sia possibile ascrivere il pensiero di Montesquieu nella categoria del determinismo geografico o climatico. Al contrario, abbiamo evidenziato come tale pensiero possa essere considerato un precedente di una corrente di pensiero della geopolitica francese definita “possibilismo”. Secondo questa teoria i fattori ambientali, più che esercitare un’azione diretta sul comportamento dell’uomo, agiscono selezionando il campo delle scelte possibili.

Uno sguardo riflesso dal cinema al teatro Mise en abyme e sottotitolaggio nel cortometraggio Mouettes

L’un des buts de ce mémoire est de définir le concept de « mise en abyme » appliqué au court-métrage Mouettes, réalisé en 2013 par le cinéaste belge Zeno Graton. Un autre but est celui de présenter une version sous-titrée en langue italienne de ce même court-métrage tout en explorant le monde de la traduction audiovisuelle et notamment du sous-titrage. Ce mémoire est divisé en trois chapitres. Le premier chapitre porte principalement sur la mise en abyme, sur les différents types de mise en abyme, à savoir pictural, littéraire et filmique, sur les études réalisées et les théories conçues à propos de ce procédé, à partir d’André Gide jusqu’à Lucien Dällenbach en passant par Jean Ricardou. Ce chapitre se penche également sur les différences entre la mise en abyme filmique et d’autres modes de réflexivité cinématographique, pour ensuite se concentrer sur le court-métrage Mouettes, décrire le procédé de la mise en abyme hétérogène utilisée dans Mouettes et présenter les thèmes abordés dans le court-métrage. Parmi les thèmes exposés, l’un des plus évocateurs est celui de la figure de l’acteur qui ne sait plus distinguer, parfois, ses passions et ses sentiments réels de ceux ressentis dans le rôle du personnage qu’il doit jouer. Ensuite, le deuxième chapitre est consacré aux différents procédés utilisés dans la traduction audiovisuelle, du doublage, au voice-over au respeaking, en analysant surtout la technique du sous-titrage, la théorie et les problèmes liés. Enfin, le dernier chapitre propose mon travail de sous-titrage à travers un tableau avec le time code, le texte de départ transcrit, la traduction et, si nécessaire, l’adaptation. Dans le troisième chapitre, il y a également un commentaire sur les difficultés rencontrées pendant le travail de sous-titrage, dans la traduction ainsi que dans l’utilisation du logiciel Jubler.

Censimento, raccolta e analisi delle serie di altezze di precipitazione mensili nelle stazioni storiche del territorio romagnolo

Estrapolazione dati riguardanti le altezze di precipitazione dagli Annali Idrografici, relativi a 34 stazioni pluviometriche della Romagna. Elaborazione ed analisi di istogrammi che rappresentano le altezze di precipitazione annuale delle stazioni, dal 1924 al 2014, con l’aggiunta di grafici inerenti il totale delle precipitazioni mensili, con relativa linea di media. Utilizzo del test di Mann-kendall attraverso il quale si è tracciata la linea di tendenza, per ogni singola stazione, con calcolo successivo della pendenza di Sen e del p-value. Valutazione stazioni con p-value molto piccoli (Brisighella, Predappio, Strada San Zeno, San Benedetto in Alpe), attraverso i totali stagionali, e successivo istogramma, utile per verificare l'effettiva coerenza tra il trend annuale e quello stagionale. Considerazioni finali sui trend significativi.

Studio geologico-geofisico Marino del Golfo di Corigliano (Costa Calabra Orientale)

In questo lavoro di tesi sono stati utilizzati profili sismici a riflessione a varie scale, acquisiti nel Golfo di Corigliano (Margine Ionico della Calabria) con lo scopo di studiare la deformazione tettonica e l’organizzazione dei depositi superficiali (tardo Pleistocenici) di quest’area di transizione tra il fronte di collisione Appenninico e il retroarco della subduzione Calabra. Lo studio della Dorsale dell’Amendolara si è dimostrato essere un elemento chiave per la comprensione geologica di questo settore crostale, considerato relativamente stabile ma sede di una significativa sismicità. L’analisi dei profili sismici ha rivelato la presenza di un fronte tettonico attivo (Faglia dell’Amendolara) che corre lungo il fianco occidentale dell’omonima Dorsale e che, secondo numerose evidenze geologico-strutturali, sembrerebbe caratterizzato attualmente da una cinematica trascorrente sinistra. L’attuale regime si è probabilmente sovraimposto ai fronti compressivi Neogenico-Quaternari, legati alla convergenza Appenninica. Queste evidenze fanno ipotizzare che la genesi della depressione confinata tra la costa calabrese e la Dorsale dell’Amendolara, coincidente con il Bacino di Sibari-Corigliano, sia stata causata da flessura della litosfera in seguito all’avanzamento delle coltri compressive da NNE. I dati a disposizione mostrano che la depressione del Bacino di Sibari-Corigliano, si trova attualmente in una situazione di riempimento “passivo” da parte dei depositi provenienti dal Fiume Crati e da fenomeni di instabilità gravitativa, probabilmente innescati da terremoti localizzati soprattutto lungo il fianco occidentale della Dorsale dell’Amendolara.

Effect of volume loading with 1 liter intravenous infusions of 0.9% saline, 4% succinylated gelatine (Gelofusine) and 6% hydroxyethyl starch (Voluven) on blood volume and endocrine responses: a randomized, three-way crossover study in healthy volunteers

To study the changes in blood volume and hormones controlling sodium and water homeostasis after infusions of 0.9% saline, Gelofusine (4% succinylated gelatin in 0.7% saline, weight-average molecular weight 30 kD), and Voluven (6% hydroxyethyl starch in 0.9% saline, weight-average molecular weight 130 kD) in healthy volunteers.

Perioperative metabolic changes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Perioperative metabolic changes in cardiac surgical patients are not only induced by tissue injury and extracorporeal circulation per se: the systemic inflammatory response to surgical trauma and extracorporeal circulation, perioperative hypothermia, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses, and drugs and blood products used to maintain cardiovascular function and anesthesia contribute to varying degrees. The pathophysiologic changes include increased oxygen consumption and energy expenditure; increased secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone, cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, insulin, and growth hormone; and decreased total tri-iodothyronine levels. Easily measurable metabolic consequences of these changes include hyperglycemia, hyperlactatemia, increased aspartate, glutamate and free fatty acid concentrations, hypokalemia, increased production of inflammatory cytokines, and increased consumption of complement and adhesion molecules. Nutritional risk before elective cardiac surgery-defined as preoperative unintended pathologic weight loss/low amount of food intake in the preceding week or low body mass index-is related to adverse postoperative outcome. Improvements in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and perioperative management have been designed to minimize the stressful stimulus to catabolism, thereby slowing the wasting process to the point where much less nutrition is required to meet metabolic requirements. Early nutrition in cardiac surgery is safe and well tolerated.

Video-based quantification of body movement during social interaction indicates the severity of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia

In schizophrenia, nonverbal behavior, including body movement, is of theoretical and clinical importance. Although reduced nonverbal expressiveness is a major component of the negative symptoms encountered in schizophrenia, few studies have objectively assessed body movement during social interaction. In the present study, 378 brief, videotaped role-play scenes involving 27 stabilized outpatients diagnosed with paranoid-type schizophrenia were analyzed using Motion Energy Analysis (MEA). This method enables the objective measuring of body movement in conjunction with ordinary video recordings. Correlations between movement parameters (percentage of time in movement, movement speed) and symptom ratings from independent PANSS interviews were calculated. Movement parameters proved to be highly reliable. In keeping with predictions, reduced movement and movement speed correlated with negative symptoms. Accordingly, in patients who exhibited noticeable movement for less than 20% of the observation time, prominent negative symptoms were highly probable. As a control measure, the percentage of movement exhibited by the patients during role-play scenes was compared to that of their normal interactants. Patients with negative symptoms differed from normal interactants by showing significantly reduced head and body movement. Two specific positive symptoms were possibly related to movement parameters: suspiciousness tended to correlate with reduced head movement, and the expression of unusual thought content tended to relate to increased movement. Overall, a close and theoretically meaningful association between the objective movement parameters and the symptom profiles was found. MEA appears to be an objective, reliable and valid method for quantifying nonverbal behavior, an aspect which may furnish new insights into the processes related to reduced expressiveness in schizophrenia.

Glucocorticoid treatment, immobility, and constipation are associated with nutritional risk

Purpose The hypothesis of this clinical study was to determine whether glucocorticoid use and immobility were associated with in-hospital nutritional risk. Methods One hundred and one patients consecutively admitted to the medical wards were enrolled. Current medical conditions, symptoms, medical history, eating and drinking habits, diagnosis, laboratory findings, medications, and anthropometrics were recorded. The Nutrition Risk Score 2002 (NRS-2002) was used as a screening instrument to identify nutritional risk. Results The results confirmed that glucocorticoid use and immobility are independently associated with nutritional risk determined by the NRS-2002. Constipation could be determined as an additional cofactor independently associated with nutritional risk. Conclusions Glucocorticoid treatment, immobility, and constipation are associated with nutritional risk in a mixed hospitalized population. The presence of long-time glucocorticoid use, immobility, or constipation should alert the clinician to check for nutritional status, which is an important factor in mortality and morbidity.

Prevalence of vitamin B12 depletion and deficiency in Liechtenstein

OBJECTIVE: Data about vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency in the general population are scarce. The present study was performed to determine the prevalence of B12 deficiency in the general population of the Principality of Liechtenstein, as well as to identify sub-populations potentially at high risk. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Ambulatory setting, population of the Principality of Liechtenstein. SUBJECTS: Seven thousand four hundred and twenty-four patients seeking medical attention whose serum samples were referred for routine work-up in an ambulatory setting were consecutively enrolled. Serum total B12 was determined in all patients in this cohort. In addition, for a subgroup of 1328 patients, serum holotranscobalamin was also measured. Prevalence of B12 deficiency was calculated. Further, multivariate logistical regression models were applied to identify covariates independently associated with B12 deficiency and depletion. RESULTS: Nearly 8 % of the general population was suffering from either B12 depletion or deficiency. The ratio between B12 depletion and deficiency was 2:1 for all age ranges. Pathological changes were detected predominantly in older people. Female gender was a significant predictor of B12 depletion. In the cohort, nearly 40 % exhibited either depletion or deficiency of B12. CONCLUSIONS: B12 depletion and deficiency are common in Liechtenstein, a Central European country. The measurement of biochemical markers represents a cost-efficient and valid assessment of the B12 state. When a deficiency of B12 is diagnosed at an early stage, many cases can be treated or prevented, with beneficial effects on individual outcomes and subsequent potential reductions in health-care costs.

Charakteristika schwer essgestörter Patientinnen in einer universitären Einrichtung und therapeutische Richtlinien

Patientinnen und Patienten mit einer schweren Essstörung (Anorexie, Bulimie, weitere) finden einerseits selten Eingang in systematische Studien, sind andererseits aber häufig auf ein stationäres Behandlungssetting in einem tertiären Zentrum angewiesen. Die kürzlich veröffentlichte S3-Leitlinie zur Behandlung von Essstörungen erlaubt eine klarere Einschätzung der Hospitalisationsbedürftigkeit schwer Essgestörter als bisher. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden 26 Patientinnen und Patienten mit einer schweren Essstörung, die konsekutiv auf einer spezialisierten psychosomatisch/internistischen universitären Einrichtung hospitalisiert wurden, retrospektiv hinsichtlich ihrer biologischen, psychologischen und sozialen Merkmale charakterisiert und in Bezug zur S3-Leitlinie gestellt. Die biopsychosozialen Charakteristika der untersuchten Population zeigen, dass die Hospitalisierung schwer Essgestörter im tertiärmedizinischen Setting mit einem multiprofessionellen Behandlungsteam evidenzbasiert erfolgt.

A rare cause of fatal right heart failure

Microscopic pulmonary tumor embolism (MPTE) is an uncommon cause of dyspnea in patients with cancer and one of the most difficult to diagnose. MPTE is a syndrome that is pathologically characterized by the occlusion of small pulmonary arteries and arterioles by aggregates of tumor cells. Because the clinical picture resembles that of thromboembolic disease, it is rarely recognized before death. The most common clinical symptom is subacute progressive dyspnea over weeks to months. We recently observed a case of MPTE of exceptional interest as the patient was under aggressive anticoagulant treatment and developed fulminant pulmonary hypertension with fatal right heart failure.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 is involved in sodium and water homeostasis in humans

In previous studies with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) we have observed that this peptide modulates fluid intake and increases renal sodium excretion in healthy volunteers and in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. The effect of GLP-1 on thirst, water intake and on osmoregulation has, however, not been examined in detail in humans.