A review of efficiency measures for REITs and their specific application for Malaysian Islamic REITs

Purpose This paper aims to present a conceptual model on the efficiency of Islamic Real Estate Trusts (I-REITs) available in Malaysia. The key difference between the Islamic and their conventional investment vehicle part is mainly its own Shariah framework. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews and synthesises the relevant literature on the performance analysis and efficiency measurements of Real Estate Investment Trusts. The paper then develops and proposes a conceptual model to measure the efficiency of Malaysian Islamic REITs. Findings The paper identifies and examines the appropriate methods and instruments to measure the efficiency in relation to the risk and profitability of Islamic REITs. The efficiency measure is important for the fund managers in order to maximise the shareholders’ return in an investment of property portfolio as well as proposing the best way to allocate resources efficiently. Research limitation/implications This is a preliminary review of current work that identifies the issues that will be addressed in future empirical research. The authors will be undertaking this future empirical research in measuring the efficiency of Malaysian REITs particularly the Islamic REITs using the non-parametric approach of Data Envelopment Analysis. Originality/value To date, there has been very limited research on the efficiency measurement of Islamic REITs. The current analysis of REIT has been focused on traditional non-Islamic funds. This paper will review and discuss the current literature on efficiency measurement to determine the most appropriate approaches and methodologies for future application in performance analysis of efficiency measure for Malaysian Islamic REITs.

Medicines information sources and services for consumers : A special focus on the Internet and people with depression

The range of consumer health and medicines information sources has diversified along with the increased use of the Internet. This has led to a drive to develop medicines information services and to better incorporate the Internet and e-mail into routine practice in health care and in community pharmacies. To support the development of such services more information is needed about the use of online information by consumers, particularly of those who may be the most likely to use and to benefit from the new sources and modes of medicines communication. This study explored the role and utilization of the Internet-based medicines information and information services in the context of a wider network of information sources accessible to the public in Finland. The overall aim was to gather information to develop better and more accessible sources of information for consumers and services to better meet the needs of consumers. Special focus was on the needs and information behavior among people with depression and using antidepressant medicines. This study applied both qualitative and quantitative methods. Consumer medicines information needs and sources were identified by analyzing the utilization of the University Pharmacy operated national drug information call center (Study I) and surveying Finnish adults (n=2348) use of the different medicines information sources (Study II). The utilization of the Internet as a source of antidepressant information among people with depression was explored by focus group discussions among people with depression and with current or past use of the antidepressant(s) (n=29, Studies III & IV). Pharmacy response to the needs of consumers in term of providing e-mail counseling was assessed by conducting a virtual pseudo customer study among the Finnish community pharmacies (n=161, Study V). Physicians and pharmacists were the primary sources of medicines information. People with mental disorders were more frequent users of telephone- and Internet-based medicines information sources and patient information leaflets than people without mental disorders. These sources were used to complement rather than replace information provided face-to-face by health professionals. People with depression used the Internet to seek facts about antidepressants, to share experiences with peers, and for the curiosity. They described that the access to online drug information was empowering. Some people reported lacking the skills necessary to assess the quality of online information. E-mail medication counseling services provided by community pharmacies were rare and varied in quality. Study results suggest that rather than discouraging the use of the Internet, health professionals should direct patients to use accurate and reliable sources of online medicines information. Health care providers, including community pharmacies should also seek to develop new ways of communicating information about medicines with consumers. This study determined that people with depression and using antidepressants need services enabling interactive communication not only with health care professionals, but also with peers. Further research should be focused on developing medicines information service facilitating communication among different patient and consumer groups.

Australia’s first Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot – who did pharmacists jab with a needle again? QPIP2

Introduction. The successful rollout of the Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot (QPIP1) led to expansion of the pilot into Phase 2 (QPIP2), which saw pharmacists being permitted to vaccinate adults for not only influenza, but also measles and pertussis in community pharmacies. The extremely positive results from QPIP1 paved the way for expanding the scope of pharmacists across Australia. Aims. The aim was to continue to investigate the benefits of trained pharmacists administering vaccinations in a community pharmacy setting. Methods. Participant demographics and previous influenza vaccination experiences were recorded using GuildCare software. Participants also completed a ‘post-vaccination satisfaction survey’ after receiving their vaccination. Results. To date, 22,467 influenza vaccines, 1441 pertussis and 22 measles vaccinations have been administered by pharmacists. Females accounted for 57% of the participants, with the majority of the participants aged between 46-65 years of age (51.2%). It was interesting to note that 18.9% of the participants were eligible to receive a free vaccination from the National Immunisation Program, but still opted to be vaccinated by a pharmacist in a community pharmacy setting. Participants reported a positive experience with the pharmacist vaccination service; reporting they were happy to receive vaccinations from a pharmacy in the future, and being happy to recommend the service to others. Discussion. The overwhelmingly positive uptake of this pharmacist vaccination service is demonstrated by a 100% increase in the number of influenza vaccines administered as part of QPIP1, and the ongoing positive feedback from patients. These findings will continue to pave the way for expanding the scope of practice for pharmacists across the country.

National Council of Jewish Women, New York Section records, undated, 1895-2004.

These records document New York Section’s early history to the present, representing a significant portion of its work in community programming and advocacy, as well as its supporting administrative, fundraising, membership, and public relations activities. As a section of the National Council, its records also include a substantial amount of material regarding the National Organization’s programs, events, publications, and reports, dating from 1896 through 1999.

Pyhä Teresa ja keskiajan mystiikan teoriat

In my dissertation I have studied St Teresa (1515-1582) in the light of medieval mystical theories. I have two main levels in my research: historical and theological. On the historical level I study St Teresa s personal history in the context of her family and the Spanish society. On the theological level I study both St Teresa s mysticism and her religious experience in the light of medieval mysticism. St Teresa wrote a book called Life , which is her narrative autobiography and story about her mystical spiritual formation. She reflected herself through biblical texts interpreting them in the course of the biblical hermeneutics like allegory, typology, tropology and anagogy. In addition to that she read others life stories from her period of time, but reflected herself only slightly through the sociological point of view. She used irony as a means to gain acceptance to her authority and motive to write. Her position has been described as a double bind because of writing at the request of educated men and to the non-educated women as she herself was uneducated. She used irony as a means to achieve valuation to women, to gain negative attributes connected to them and to gain authority to teach them mystical spirituality, the Bible and prayer. In this ironic tendency she was a feminist writer. In order to understand medieval mysticism I have written in the first chapter a review of the main trends in medieval mysticism in connection with the classical emotional theories. Two medieval mystical theories show an important role in St Teresa s mysticism. One is love mysticism and the other is the three partite way of mysticism (purification, illumination and union). The classic-philosophical emotional theories play a role in both patterns. The theory of love mysticism St Teresa interpreted in the traditional way stressing the spiritual meaning of love in connexion with God and neighbors. Love is an emotion, which is bound with other emotions, but all objects of love don t strengthen spiritual love. In the three partite way of mysticism purification means to find biblical values in life and to practice meditative self-knowledge theologically interpreted. In illumination human understanding has to be illuminated by God and united to mystical knowledge from God. St Teresa considered illumination a way to learn things. Illumination has also psychological aspects like recognition of many trials and pains, which come from life on earth. Theologically interpreted in illumination one should die to oneself, let oneself be transformed and renewed by God. I have also written a review of the modern philosophical discussion on personal identity where memory and mental experiences are important creators of personal identity. St Teresa bound medieval mystical teaching together with her personal religious experience. Her personal identity is by its character based on her narrative life story where mental experiences play important role. Previous researchers have labelled St Teresa as an ecstatic person whose experiences produced ecstatic phenomena to the mysticism. These phenomena combined with visions have in one respect made of her a person who has brought physical and visionary tendencies to theology. In spite of that she also represents a modern tendency trying to give words to experiences, which at first seem to be exceptional and extreme and which are easily interpreted as one-sided either physical or sexual or unsaid. In other respect I have stressed the personality of St Teresa that was represented as both strong and weak. The strong personality for her is demonstrated by religious faith and in its practice. The weak personality was for her a natural personal identity. St Teresa saw a unifying aspect in almost all. Firstly, her mysticism was aimed towards union with God and secondly, the unifying aspects and common rules in human relations in community life were central. Union with God is based on the fact that in a soul God is living in its centre, where God is present in the Trinitarian way. The picture of God in ourselves is a mirror but to get to know God better is to recognize his/her presence in us. When the soul recognizes itself as a dwelling place of God, it knows itself as God knows him/herself. There is equality between God and the soul. To be a Christian means to participate in God in his Trinitarian being. The participation to God is a process of divinization that puts a person into transformation, change and renewal. The unitive aspect concludes also knowledge of opposites between experience of community and solitude as well as community and separateness. As a founder of monasteries St Teresa practiced theology of poverty. She renewed the monastic life founding a rule called discalced that stressed ascetic tendencies. Supporters of her work were after the difficulties in the beginning both society and churchly leaders. She wrote about the monasteries including in her description at times seriousness at times humor and irony. Her stories are said to be picaresque histories that contain stories of ordinary laymen and many unexpected occasions. She exercised a kind of Bakhtinian dialogue in her letters. St Teresa stressed the virtues like sacrifice, determination and courage in the monastic life. Most of what she taught of virtues is based on biblical spirituality but there are also psychological tendencies in her writings. The theological pedagogical advice is mixed with psychology, but she herself made no distinction between different aspects in her teaching. To understand St Teresa and her mysticism is to recognize that she mixes her personal religious experience and mysticism, which widens mysticism to religious experience in a new way, although this corresponds also the very definition of mysticism. St Teresa concentrated on mental-spiritual experiences and the aim of her mystical teaching was to produce a human mind well cured like a garden that has God as its gardener.

Meadow plant growth and competition under elevated ozone and carbon dioxide

The main aim of my thesis project was to assess the impact of elevated ozone (O3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) on the growth, competition and community of meadow plants in northern Europe. The thesis project consisted of three separate O3 and CO2 exposure experiments that were conducted as open-top-chamber (OTC) studies at Jokioinen, SW Finland, and a smaller-scale experiment with different availabilities of resources in greenhouses in Helsinki. The OTC experiments included a competition experiment with two- and three-wise interactions, a mesocosm-scale meadow community with a large number of species, and a pot experiment that assessed intraspecific differences of Centaurea jacea ecotypes. The studied lowland hay meadow proved to be an O3-sensitive biotope, as the O3 concentrations used (40-50 ppb) were moderate, and yet, six out of nine species (Campanula rotundifolia, Centaurea jacea, Fragaria vesca, Ranunculus acris, Trifolium medium, Vicia cracca) showed either significant reductions in biomass or reproductive development, visible O3 injury or any two as a response to elevated O3. The plant species and ecotypes exhibited large intra- and interspecific variation in their response to O3, but O3 and CO2 concentrations did not cause changes in their interspecific competition or in community composition. However, the largest O3-induced growth reductions were seen in the least abundant species (C. rotundifolia and F. vesca), which may indicate O3-induced suppression of weak competitors. The overall effects of CO2 were relatively small and mainly restricted to individual species and several measured variables. Based on the present studies, most of the deleterious effects of tropospheric O3 are not diminished by a moderate increase in CO2 under low N availability, and variation exists between different species and variables. The present study indicates that the growth of several herb species decreases with increasing atmospheric O3 concentrations, and that these changes may pose a threat to the biodiversity of meadows. Ozone-induced reductions in the total community biomass production and N pool are likely to have important consequences for the nutrient cycling of the ecosystem.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) conceptual model to promote mental health for adolescents with ASD

Despite an increased risk of mental health problems in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there is limited research on effective prevention approaches for this population. Funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, a theoretically and empirically supported school-based preventative model has been developed to alter the negative trajectory and promote wellbeing and positive mental health in adolescents with ASD. This conceptual paper provides the rationale, theoretical, empirical and methodological framework of a multilayered intervention targeting the school, parents, and adolescents on the spectrum. Two important interrelated protective factors have been identified in community adolescent samples, namely the sense of belonging (connectedness) to school, and the capacity for self and affect regulation in the face of stress (i.e., resilience). We describe how a confluence of theories from social psychology, developmental psychology and family systems theory, along with empirical evidence (including emerging neurobiological evidence) supports the interrelationships between these protective factors and many indices of wellbeing. However, the characteristics of ASD (including social and communication difficulties, and frequently difficulties with changes and transitions, and diminished optimism and self-esteem) impair access to these vital protective factors. The paper describes how evidenced-based interventions at the school level for promoting inclusive schools (using the Index for Inclusion), and interventions for adolescents and parents to promote resilience and belonging (using the Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP)), are adapted and integrated for adolescents with ASD. This multisite proof of concept study will confirm whether this multilevel school-based intervention is promising, feasible and sustainable.

Epidemiology, treatment and outcome of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and endocarditis

Staphylococcus aureus is the second most common bloodstream isolate both in community- and hospital-acquired bacteremias. The clinical course of S. aureus bacteremia (SAB) is determined by its complications, particularly by the development of deep infections and thromboembolic events. Despite the progress of antimicrobial therapy, SAB is still associated with high mortality. However, injection drug users (IDUs) tend to have fewer complications and better prognosis than nonaddicts, especially in endocarditis. The present study was undertaken to investigate epidemiology, treatment and outcome of S. aureus bacteremia and endocarditis in Finland. In particular, differences in bacterial strains and their virulence factors, and host immune responses were compared between IDUs and nonaddicts. In Finland, 5045 SAB cases during 1995-2001 were included using the National Infectious Disease Register maintained by National Public Health Institute. The annual incidence of SAB increased, especially in elderly. While the increase in incidence may partly be explained by better reporting, it most likely reflects a growing population at risk, affected by such factors as age and/or severe comorbidity. Nosocomial infections accounted for 51% of cases, with no change in their proportion during the study period. The 28-day mortality was 17% and remained unchanged over time. A total of 381 patients with SAB were randomized to receive either standard antibiotic treatment or levofloxacin added to standard treatment. Levofloxacin combination therapy did not decrease the mortality, lower the incidence of deep infections, nor did it speed up the recovery during 3 months follow-up. However, patients with a deep infection appeared to benefit from combination therapy with rifampicin, as suggested also by experimental data. Deep infections were found in 84% of SAB patients within one week after randomization, and they appeared to be more common than previously reported. Endocarditis was observed in 74 of 430 patients (17%) with SAB, of whom 20 were IDUs and 54 nonaddicts. Right-sided involvement was diagnosed in 60% of addicts whereas 93% of nonaddicts had left-sided endocarditis. Unexpectedly, IDUs showed extracardiac deep infections, thromboembolic events and severe sepsis with the same frequency as nonaddicts. The prognosis of endocarditis was better among addicts due to their younger age and lack of underlying diseases in agreement with earlier reports. In total, all 44 IDUs with SAB were included and 20 of them had endocarditis. An equal number of nonaddicts with SAB were chosen as group matched controls. Serological tests were not helpful in identifying patients with a deep infection. No individual S. aureus strain dominated in endocarditis among addicts. Characterization of the virulence factors of bacterial strains did not reveal any significant differences in IDUs and nonaddicts.

Efficacy of family mediation and the role of family violence: Study protocol

Background Family law reforms in Australia require separated parents in dispute to attempt mandatory family dispute resolution (FDR) in community-based family services before court attendance. However, there are concerns about such services when clients present with a history of high conflict and family violence. This study protocol describes a longitudinal study of couples presenting for family mediation services. The study aims to describe the profile of family mediation clients, including type of family violence, and determine the impact of violence profiles on FDR processes and outcomes, such as the type and durability of shared parenting arrangements and clients’ satisfaction with mediated agreements. Methods A mixed method, naturalistic longitudinal design is used. The sampling frame is clients presenting at nine family mediation centres across metropolitan, outer suburban, and regional/rural sites in Victoria, Australia. Data are collected at pre-test, completion of mediation, and six months later. Self-administered surveys are administered at the three time points, and a telephone interview at the final post-test. The key study variable is family violence. Key outcome measures are changes in the type and level of acrimony and violent behaviours, the relationship between violence and mediated agreements, the durability of agreements over six months, and client satisfaction with mediation. Discussion Family violence is a major risk to the physical and mental health of women and children. This study will inform debates about the role of family violence and how to manage it in the family mediation context. It will also inform decision-making about mediation practices by better understanding how mediation impacts on parenting agreements, and the implications for children, especially in the context of family violence.

Koneellisen annosjakelupalvelun aloittaminen - lääkehoidon tarkistus ja sen vaikutus potilaan lääkehoitoon

Farmaseuttisilla palveluilla tarkoitetaan apteekkien palveluita, joissa hyödynnetään apteekin farmaseuttisen henkilökunnan tietoja ja taitoja. Farmaseuttiset palvelut voidaan jakaa farmaseuttisiin perus- ja erityispalveluihin. Farmaseuttiset peruspalvelut kattavat apteekkien lakisääteiset tehtävät, kun taas farmaseuttisilla erityispalveluilla pyritään ottamaan aktiivisempi rooli asiakkaan terveyden edistämisessä. Koneellinen annosjakelupalvelu on farmaseuttinen erityispalvelu. Koneellisessa annosjakelupalvelussa lääkkeet jaetaan kerta-annospusseihin annostusajankohdan mukaan. Kun uusi asiakas aloittaa koneellinen annosjakelupalvelun, tarkistetaan asiakkaan lääkitys yhteensopimattomien ja turhien lääkkeiden osalta. Palvelun aloitushetkellä huomioidaan myös lääkevalmisteiden sopivuus koneelliseen annosjakeluun sekä tarkistetaan valmisteiden annosteluajankohdat. Koneellisessa annosjakelupalvelussa asiakkaan lääkehoidosta muodostetaan lääkityskortti, josta kokonaislääkehoito on helppo tarkistaa. Erikoistyön tavoitteena oli selvittää millainen lääkehoidon arviointi tai tarkistus koneellisen annosjakelupalvelun aloittamisen yhteydessä tehdään ja miten palvelun aloittavien asiakkaiden kokonaislääkehoitotieto saadaan selvitettyä. Lisäksi selvitettiin millaisia muutoksia lääkehoitoihin tehdään palvelun aloittamisen yhteydessä, mitkä ovat muutosten syyt sekä millainen on asiakkaan kokonaislääkehoito. Kyselylomake lähetettiin kaikkiin apteekkeihin, jotka tilasivat koneellista annosjakelua sopimusvalmistuksena Espoonlahden apteekilta syyskuussa 2010. Tutkimus suoritettiin semistrukturoidulla kirjallisella kyselyllä, joka sisälsi sekä avoimia kysymyksiä että monivalintakysymyksiä. Kyselyyn saatiin 147 vastausta ja vastausprosentiksi muodostui 45. Vastauksia kyselyyn saatiin koko Mannersuomen alueelta ja kaikkien kokoluokkien apteekeilta. Koneellisen annosjakelupalvelun aloittavat henkilöt ovat pääasiassa iäkkäitä, jotka ovat kotihoidon piirissä, asuvat hoitokodissa tai palveluasumisen yksikössä. Asiakkaiden lääkitystietojen keräämisessä hyödynnetään lääkityskorttia, mutta lääkityskortin tietoja päivitetään myös muista lähteistä. Asiakkaiden lääkityksille tehdään useimmiten lääkehoidon tarkistus moniammatillisena yhteistyönä. Lääkehoidolle tehdyt muutokset johtuvat pääasiassa lääkevaihdosta, annosjakelukoneen lääkevalikoimasta tai puolittamisen välttämisestä. Lääkehoidoissa on vain vähän yhteisvaikutuksia, jotka johtavat lääkevalmisteen käytön lopettamiseen. Lääkehoidon tarkistuksella ei ollut suurta vaikutusta asiakkaiden käyttämien lääkevalmisteiden määrään. Palvelun aloittamisen jälkeen asiakkaalla on käytössään keskimäärin 11 lääkevalmistetta, joista seitsemää jaellaan koneellisesti. Lääkeaineryhmistä eniten käytettyjä ovat hermostoon vaikuttavat sekä sydän- ja verisuonisairauksien lääkkeet, joita kumpaakin on käytössä keskimäärin kolme jokaisella uudella koneellisen annosjakelupalvelun asiakkaalla sekä palvelun aloittamista ennen että sen jälkeen.

Vain hätapua? : Taloudellinen avustaminen diakoniatyön professionaalisen itseymmärryksen ilmentäjänä

Financial Help Alone? Financial help as an exponent of professional diaconal work One essential form of helping people in the Evangelical Lutheran Church s diaconal work is providing economic aid. It can be seen as work which is in accordance with the spirit of the Church Order (4:3). One of the tasks of diaconal work, determined by the Church Order, is to help those whose distress is the greatest and who have no other source of help. This financial support has become a permanent and essential working method, which has also created tension of various kinds. Financial support has been criticized, especially when the support has been used to fill a gap in the social services provided by the government. It has been argued that diaconal work has been forced to take on responsibility for tasks that belong to the welfare state. The tensions involved in the financial support of diaconal work do not only concern the patching up and supplementing of the deficiencies in the welfare state s services but also the question of diaconal workers self-understanding of financial support and how it relates to their professionalism. In this thesis, I examine the experiences and visions diaconal workers have concerning financial support in their work with clients. The viewpoint of my work is the diaconal workers own experiences and interpretations of the meaning of financial support in customer service. In the articles of my thesis, I examined the meanings that diaconal workers gave to financial support in the aspects of work motivation, empowerment, expertise and tensions. The research material of my articles consists of three different data, which are theme interviews from diaconal workers, a survey from diaconal workers of Espoo and a diaconal barometer of 2009. I have analysed the theme interviews and the survey using qualitative content analysis. The results of my articles showed that diaconal workers motivation in tasks concerning economic aid was sustained by the nature and spiritual aspects of support activities. Work that supported empowerment through financial assistance meant influencing the client s personal life, community and local ties and structural circumstances of the surrounding society. Diaconal workers expertise in financial support work can be characterised as horizontal, which means that the expertise was built on acknowledging the client s dignity, the uniqueness of the client s life situation and listening to the client s own voice. Diaconal workers were also experts in community and area-based work. The tensions in financial support work are linked to its unofficial and undefined role in the field of social welfare and the inability of other aiding parties to respond to their duties. The results of my thesis on the experiences and visions of financial support reveal that it is multilateral and multidimensional. Diaconal workers used financial support to help the clients, taking into account their individual, communal, social and spiritual context. The professionalism of this financial support is reflectively related to the client s need of help and the spontaneity and unexpectedness of the situation. Support work was deeply bound to diaconal workers experiences of spirituality as the basic value in their work, the foundation of their idea of humanity and their method of helping others. In different tasks of financial support diaconal workers balanced between traditional, individual client work based on caritas and working methods which are based on supporting the individual s empowerment and active citizenship, as in postmodern social work. Diaconal workers experiences of financial support illustrated the transition or turning point in the professionalism of diaconal work, which involves finding one s own, stronger and clearer professional identity than earlier with respect to other helpers in society. Creating a unique identity is part of the empowerment process of diaconal work, in which it must define its professional role by itself. In postmodern pluralism and the fragmented context of diaconal activities, the question arose as to whether the spiritual traditions and traditional values of diaconal work support the modifications and adaptations needed in new, unpredictable situations. Diaconal work is said to be fast to react, able to predict changes and adapt to those changes. To preserve its sensitive reactive ability, also in the complex postmodern world, it must retain its own views and orientations. Otherwise, the distinctive values and traditions of diaconal work might sustain static diaconal work, employee-centeredness and a smug attitude when defining beneficiaries and needs, which highlights the paternalism of diaconal work. Such paternalism may complicate the progress of working methods which are based on empowerment and citizenship.

Comunidades de anfíbios anuros em duas fitofisionomias do Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro, estado de Santa Catarina

O estado de Santa Catarina possuía sua área inteiramente coberta por Mata Atlântica, um dos biomas mais ameaçados mundialmente. Mesmo com o crescente aumento de informações sobre os anfíbios no estado, ainda existe muitas lacunas de informações para este grupo e o desconhecimento é alto mesmo no interior das Unidades de Conservação. O Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro é a maior unidade de conservação de proteção integral de Santa Catarina e ainda assim possui inúmeras ameaças e pressões antrópicas. Os objetivos deste estudo foram estudar os anfíbios anuros em duas fitofisionomias, restinga e floresta ombrófila densa submontana, do Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro, verificar as diferenças dos parâmetros da comunidade entre três mesohábitats na restinga, compreender em que extensão algumas variáveis estruturais do hábitat afetam a riqueza e abundância dos anuros na restinga e na floresta ombrófila densa submontana, conhecer os anuros de folhiço na área de floresta e, adicionalmente, verificar o atual conhecimento sobre os anuros de folhiço no mundo. Os anuros no parque foram amostrados por meio dos métodos de procura ativa em transecções, armadilhas de queda com cerca guia e parcelas no chão da floresta durante três anos consecutivos com amostragens trimestrais, de julho de 2007 a abril de 2010. As variáves estruturais foram medidas nos locais amostrados enquanto que os dados climáticos foram obtidos da estação meteorológica mais próxima da área de estudo. A revisão sobre os anuros de folhiço no mundo foi realizada por uma busca na base de dados ISI Web if Science entre os anos de 1945 e 2008. Foram registradas 39 espécies de anuros no Parque, sendo 15 espécies para a restinga, 31 espécies na floresta. No folhiço do chão da floresta, a comunidade foi composta por 13 espécies de anuros. No total, 66% dos anuros registrados aqui, foram endêmicos da Mata Atlântica, 17% possuíram distribuição restrita à Santa Catarina e quatro espécies foram consideradas como vulneráveis na lista de espécies ameaçadas de extinção de Santa Catarina. Na restinga, a área aberta e a mata de restinga foram as mais dissimilares com relação à composição e abundância de anuros e também para as variáveis estruturais do hábitat. Na floresta ombrófila densa, a cobertura de dossel e o número de corpos dágua foram as variáveis mais importantes para a riqueza e abundância das espécies de anuros. Também para os anuros de folhiço do parque, a cobertura de dossel foi importante, conjuntamente com a umidade do ar e a profundidade de folhiço. O atual conhecimento sobre os anuros de folhiço no mundo se concentra nas regiões tropicais, sendo que o Brasil possui o maior número de estudos. Algumas tendências para as comunidades de anuros de folhiço puderam ser identificadas, mas estudos adicionais são necessários para que mais inferências possam ser feitas. O presente estudo contribuiu para preencher parte das lacunas de conhecimento existentes para a biodiversidade dos anuros do estado de Santa Catarina e em especial para o Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro.

Riscos no trabalho do Agente Comunitário de Saúde na perspectiva da saúde do trabalhador

Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar e discutir condições e riscos no trabalho dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde que atuam em uma Área Programática da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. O referencial teórico foi o da saúde do trabalhador, e as normativas relativas à formação do ACS e de seu processo de profissionalização. O estudo foi realizado em equipes que atuam em duas comunidades, por meio de um estudo de observação sistemática, não-participante, utilizando um roteiro prévio com conteúdo de riscos ocupacionais. Os dados foram coletados a partir do acompanhamento de 23 ACS que realizaram 74 visitas domiciliares nos meses de março a junho de 2008, e organizados sob a forma de um diário de campo descritivo. A organização e análise basearam-se na abordagem qualitativa da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados são apresentados e discutidos segundo a seguinte organização: i) atividades realizadas pelos ACS; ii) comparação entre atividades prescritas e atividades reais e iii) principais riscos identificados e suas possíveis repercussões na saúde do ACS. Nas considerações finais, são discutidas as implicações para o SUS e para a enfermagem, que tem supervisionado os ACS, e a importância de se aprofundar, por meio de estudos posteriores, as situações e condições de trabalho desenvolvido na Atenção Básica.

Tem farmacêutico na farmácia: as percepções dos farmacêuticos sobre seu trabalho nas farmácias comunitárias do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

A farmácia comunitária ocupa um importante espaço no cenário da saúde pública brasileira, como local de dispensação de medicamentos e de contínua promoção do consumo de medicamentos para a população. Nesses estabelecimentos, o usuário busca através do consumo de produtos, prescritos ou não, o restabelecimento da sua saúde. O farmacêutico é o profissional de saúde com formação específica sobre medicamentos e que, pelo imperativo da legislação sanitária, é colocado como responsável técnico, nesse lócus. Qual sua motivação para ingressar nessa carreira? Como é a sua práxis e qual a realidade percebida por ele nesse cotidiano? Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar a concepção que os farmacêuticos responsáveis técnicos, atuantes em farmácias comunitárias do estado do Rio de Janeiro, têm sobre a sua prática profissional e como essa visão pode estar relacionada à implementação de práticas focadas no paciente, tais como a Atenção Farmacêutica. Foram realizadas 15 entrevistas semi-estruturadas com farmacêuticos responsáveis técnicos de farmácias do estado do Rio de Janeiro, representando a seguinte tipologia: farmácias de rede estadual, de rede local e familiar. A categorização do discurso dos farmacêuticos mostrou, pelo menos, quatro convergências: a deficiência no processo de formação acadêmica, a prática farmacêutica migrando para o paciente, as contínuas dificuldades da população quanto ao uso de medicamentos e o conhecimento superficial do conceito de Atenção Farmacêutica. Pensa-se que a realidade encontrada possa não ser muito diferente da de grande número de farmácias comunitárias do próprio estado do Rio de Janeiro, sendo necessário fazer reflexões sobre esse tema, para nos conduzir a um momento de discussão sobre quais elementos poderão vir a garantir, que a práxis farmacêutica se insira com complementaridade nos serviços de saúde.

Distribuição espacial do pico e ultraplâncton na plataforma continental e talude entre Cabo Frio (RJ) e Ubatuba (SP) e sua relação com a hidrodinâmica local: inverno de 2010

O picoplâncton (0,2 - 2,0 m) e ultraplâncton (> 2,0 - 5,0 m) despertam interesse por utilizarem ativamente a matéria orgânica dissolvida, estabelecendo a alça microbiana. Responsáveis por 50-80% da produção primária em águas oligotróficas, essas frações apresentam elevadas eficiência luminosa e razão superfície/volume que as permitem alcançar alto desenvolvimento mesmo sob baixas luminosidade e disponibilidade de nutrientes. Buscando relacionar a distribuição espacial e composição da comunidade pico e ultraplanctônica aos controles bottom-up na plataforma continental e talude ao largo dos Estados do Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo (22S a 26S), foram coletadas amostras de água em 39 estações oceanográficas e utilizadas as imagens dos sensores MODIS Terra e Aqua, bem como dados de hidrografia, para a descrição dos fenômenos oceanográficos de mesoescala. A abundância total de ambas as frações de tamanho, assim como a dominância do picoplâncton, reduziu em função do distanciamento da costa. Os organismos autotróficos foram em média (102 cél.mL-1 a 104 cél.mL-1 ) majoritariamente uma ordem de grandeza inferiores aos heterotróficos (103 cél.mL-1 a 105 cél.mL-1). A Água Central do Atlântico Sul (ACAS) e as plumas das baías de Guanabara e Sepetiba (RJ) permaneceram na plataforma interna favorecendo o aumento na concentração dos macronutrientes e refletindo na mudança da estrutura da comunidade através do aumento da contribuição de autótrofos no centro da plataforma, principalmente do ultraplâncton à superfície (cerca de 21%) e na profundidade do máximo de clorofila (44%). O transporte de águas costeiras carreadas por uma corrente de origem sul gerou o vórtice de plataforma identificado nas imagens de satélite para a região da plataforma interna de Ubatuba (SP), onde concentrações mais elevadas de amônio (0,28 M) e fosfato (9,64 M) a partir dos 50 m sustentaram maior densidade do ultra autótrofo (2,89 x 103 cél.mL-1) que superou a densidade de heterótrofos (2,50 x 103 cél.mL-1) no máximo de clorofila. Os resultados destacaram um forte gradiente nerítico-oceânico na distribuição dos organismos. Sugerem ainda a predominância do metabolismo heterotrófico na maior parte das águas oligotróficas da plataforma e talude entre o Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, bem como a presença de caráter autotrófico naquelas regiões influenciadas por feições de mesoescala, como plumas estuarinas e vórtices de plataforma.