Search

Objective: to analyze the institutionalization of community banks as promoters of financial inclusion considering their strategies undertaken by institutional pressures. Theoretical framework: theoretical framework delimited from organizational strategies in response to institutional pressures in the process of implementing changes by information and communication technologies (ICTs), in the tactics and strategies used in inclusive markets and in social modeling of technology. Methods: a case study was carried out with Banco Mumbuca, where the digital social currency is widely used, through content analysis on documents and semi-structured and structured interviews. Results: results point to theoretical contributions regarding the constituent multiplicity, two new typologies in the tactics used in inclusive markets, as well as the change of status of the content element becoming an element of context in the gradual development of technology. Conclusion: community banks face institutional pressures for various strategies identified in the theory, as well as expand the tactics used in inclusive markets and that the implementation of changes by ICTs has taken place gradually, with processes of change anchored in technology-in-practice.

Nearly half of the natural disasters in the world are due to hydro-geomorphological hazards. Therefore, rainfall forecast is a key parameter for the implementation of landslides and flash-floods early warning systems. In this work we developed a routine in R software that enables the validation of a 3-day rainfall forecast by comparison with the daily rainfall data recorded in 101 automatic meteorological stations available in mainland Portugal. The routine integrates the pre-processing of base data, the matching between the 3-day rainfall forecast and the daily rainfall registered in the automatic meteorological stations based on sequence of days, the estimation of the difference between the forecasted and the real rainfall values and the computation of error measures, such as the bias, the mean absolute error, the mean absolute percentage error and the root mean square error. The results from the error measures, estimated for the 101 automatic meteorological stations, are then exported to an excel file. The routine is implemented for mainland Portugal and tested using data from February 2015, however, the spatial and temporal data can be easily updated for other regions. • A routine to validate the rainfall forecast at the regional scale using R programming language is implemented. • The automated routine can be easily updated and adapted with different spatial and temporal scales.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread worldwide rapidly since its identification at the end of 2019. Globally, until April 2021, there have been more than 150 million confirmed cases of Covid-19, including over 3 million deaths. Therefore, a race was promptly started to produce an effective vaccine against the new virus. Botulinum toxin injection remains the leading non-surgical cosmetic procedure worldwide, with a high rate of efficacy and patient satisfaction. Aims: This study aims to analyze the association between the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and the immediate botulinum toxin response. Materials and Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, and multicenter study. Data were collected between April and June 2021, and a medical record review of 71 patients from 27 to 76 years old treated with botulinum toxin injection. Results and Conclusion: There were no meaningful changes in the immediate outcome of patients vaccinated for Covid-19 and botulinum toxin. However, it is vital to underline that follow-up and further studies are needed to define whether the Covid-19 vaccine can alter the duration of effect and efficiency of the botulinum toxin.

The Lisbon metropolitan area (LMA, central-west of Portugal) has been severely affected by different geohazards (flooding episodes, landslides, subsidence, and earthquakes) that have generated considerable damage to properties and infrastructures, in the order of millions of euros per year. This study is focused on the analysis of subsidence, as related to urban and industrial activity. Utilizing the A-DInSAR dataset and applying active deformation areas (ADA) processing at the regional scale has allowed us to perform a detailed analysis of subsidence phenomena in the LMA. The dataset consisted of 48 ascending and 61 descending SAR IW-SLC images acquired by the Sentinel-1 A satellite between January 2018 and April 2020. The line-of-sight (LOS), mean deformation velocity (VLOS) maps (mm year−1), and deformation time series (mm) were obtained via the Geohazard Exploitation Platform service of the European Space Agency. The maximum VLOS detected, with ascending and descending datasets, were −38.0 and −32.2 mm year−1, respectively. ADA processing over the LMA allowed for 592 ascending and 560 descending ADAs to be extracted and delimited. From the VLOS measured in both trajectories, a vertical velocity with a maximum value of −32.4 mm year−1 was estimated. The analyzed subsidence was associated to four ascending and three descending ADAs and characterized by maximum VLOS of −25.5 and −25.2 mm year−1. The maximum vertical velocity associated with urban subsidence was −32.4 mm year−1. This subsidence is mainly linked to the compaction of the alluvial and anthropic deposits in the areas where urban and industrial sectors are located. The results of this work have allowed to: (1) detect and assess, from a quantitative point of view, the subsidence phenomena in populated and industrial areas of LMA; (2) establish the relationships between the subsidence phenomena and geological and hydrological characteristics.

O presente artigo discute o papel da Missão das Nações Unidas na República Democrática do Congo (MONUC) no campo dos direitos humanos com relação à proteção de civis, ao monitoramento dos direitos humanos e construção de uma cultura de respeito a esses direitos no âmbito local e a própria conduta dos peacekeepers. O caso da República Democrática do Congo é paradigmático nos três sentidos. Em quase dez anos de funcionamento da MONUC, de 2000 até 2010, a ONU fracassou sob todos os aspectos acima. A prática de violações continua disseminada no território congolês; não se vislumbra qualquer traço de consolidação de uma cultura de direitos humanos no país; e a conduta dos ofi ciais da ONU em campo foi alvo de escândalos envolvendo denúncias de exploração e abuso sexual contra mulheres e crianças, justamente aqueles que deveriam protegê-las. O artigo levanta fatores internos e externos relacionados à situação de direitos humanos no Congo e faz algumas refl exões a respeito das falhas da MONUC, apontando questões a serem consideradas em futuras operações.

Na avaliação da suscetibilidade a movimentos de vertente, a cartografia produzida deverá integrar não só as áreas de iniciação do movimento, como também aquelas potencialmente atingidas pelo material mobilizado. Este objetivo é alcançado através da separação da análise da suscetibilidade em duas componentes distintas: (i) a primeira componente, que é também a mais explorada na literatura, corresponde à modelação das áreas de iniciação do movimento; (ii) a segunda componente refere-se à modelação das respetivas áreas de propagação, utilizando, como input, os mapas com a delimitação das potenciais áreas de rutura. Neste trabalho é feita a avaliação da suscetibilidade à ocorrência de fluxos de detritos na bacia hidrográfica do rio Zêzere (Serra da Estrela, Portugal). Para a identificação das potenciais áreas de rutura recorreu-se a um método estatístico bivariado (Valor Informativo) e a simulação das áreas afetadas pela passagem e deposição do material transportado foi sustentada por um algoritmo hidrológico simples (D-infinity downslope influence). A área abaixo da curva (AUC), determinada no âmbito da validação dos modelos de Valor Informativo, apresenta valores compreendidos entre 0,94 e 0,96, o que indica uma excelente capacidade preditiva. As variáveis preditivas com maior relevância na ocorrência de áreas de rutura de fluxos de detritos correspondem às áreas ardidas em 2005, declives superiores a 30°, espessura do solo inferior a 75 cm e perfil transversal côncavo. Na validação do modelo de propagação do material mobilizado, a partir das 36 áreas de rutura que constituem o inventário de movimentos, obteve-se uma taxa de verdadeiros positivos de 80,5%, o que reflete um bom desempenho do modelo.

INTRODUCTION: Sequential antibiotic therapy (SAT) is safe and economical. However, the unnecessary use of intravenous (IV) administration usually occurs. The objective of this work was to get to know the effectiveness of an intervention to implement the SAT in a teaching hospital in Brazil. METHODS: This was a prospective and interventional study, historically controlled, and was conducted in the Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a high complexity teaching hospital having 503 beds. In each of the periods, from 04/04/05 to 07/20/05 (pre-intervention) and from 09/24/07 to 12/20/07 (intervention), 117 patients were evaluated. After the pre-intervention period, guidelines were developed which were implemented during the intervention period along with educational measures and a reminder system added to the patients' prescription. RESULTS: In the pre-intervention and intervention periods, the IV antibiotics were used as treatment for a average time of 14.8 and 11.8 days, respectively. Ceftriaxone was the antibiotic most prescribed in both periods (23.4% and 21.6% respectively). Starting from the first prescription of antibiotics, the average length of hospitalization time was 21.8 and 17.5 days, respectively. The SAT occurred only in 4 and 5 courses of treatment, respectively, and 12.8% and 18.8% of the patients died in the respective periods. CONCLUSIONS: Under the presented conditions, the evaluated intervention strategy is ineffective in promoting the exchange of the antibiotic administration from IV to oral treatment (SAT).

INTRODUCTION: Sequential antibiotic therapy (SAT) is safe and economical. However, the unnecessary use of intravenous (IV) administration usually occurs. The objective of this work was to get to know the effectiveness of an intervention to implement the SAT in a teaching hospital in Brazil. METHODS: This was a prospective and interventional study, historically controlled, and was conducted in the Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a high complexity teaching hospital having 503 beds. In each of the periods, from 04/04/05 to 07/20/05 (pre-intervention) and from 09/24/07 to 12/20/07 (intervention), 117 patients were evaluated. After the pre-intervention period, guidelines were developed which were implemented during the intervention period along with educational measures and a reminder system added to the patients' prescription. RESULTS: In the pre-intervention and intervention periods, the IV antibiotics were used as treatment for a average time of 14.8 and 11.8 days, respectively. Ceftriaxone was the antibiotic most prescribed in both periods (23.4% and 21.6% respectively). Starting from the first prescription of antibiotics, the average length of hospitalization time was 21.8 and 17.5 days, respectively. The SAT occurred only in 4 and 5 courses of treatment, respectively, and 12.8% and 18.8% of the patients died in the respective periods. CONCLUSIONS: Under the presented conditions, the evaluated intervention strategy is ineffective in promoting the exchange of the antibiotic administration from IV to oral treatment (SAT).

En el Brasil, la evaluación de rasgos de personalidad en los conductores es obligatoria. Sin embargo, la investigación en el área no muestra resultados concluyentes de que ciertas características de la personalidad se asocian con una mayor incidencia de violaciones de tráfico y accidentes. Así, este estudio tiene como objetivo revisar los estudios empíricos internacionales que han evaluado la posible relación entre la participación en accidentes o violaciones de tráfico y características de la personalidad de los conductores con la finalidad de verificar si la imposición de este requisito tiene una base científica. Este artículo presenta una revisión de la literatura, no sistemática. Fue realizada una búsqueda de artículos en la base de datos Scopus, con los descriptores (personality) AND (traffic accidents OR automobile driving OR traffic violations), retirados del MeSH. Fue posible concluir que hay razones científicas por atrás de la necesidad de evaluación de rasgos de la personalidad, que pueden ser considerados factores predictivos distales de las tasas de accidentes y violaciones.

Averiguou-se a soroprevalência para HIV, sífilis, toxoplasmose, citomegalovirose e rubéola em gestantes de Sergipe, nordeste do Brasil, verificando-se a associação com idade e procedência. Selecionaram-se 9.550 gestantes (2.112 da capital e 7.438 do interior) testadas consecutivamente durante o primeiro atendimento pré-natal em 2007. Foram encontradas as seguintes frequências de soropositividade: sífilis (0,9%; IC95% 0,7%-1,6%), HIV (0,14%; IC95% 0,08%-0,2%), toxoplasmose (IgG 69,3%; IC95% 68,3%-70,2%; IgM 0,4%, IC95% 0,3%-0,6%), citomegalovirose (IgG 76,6%, IC95% 75,7%-77,5%; IgM 0,2%, IC95% 0,09%-0,3%) e rubéola (IgG 71,6%, IC95% 70,7%-72,6%; IgM 0,1%, IC95% 0,04%-0,2%). A soropositividade para toxoplasmose incrementou com a idade. A prevalência de anticorpos IgG para toxoplasmose, CMV e rubéola foi maior na capital, Aracaju, que nos demais municípios do Estado de Sergipe. Foi encontrada associação entre a idade e soropositividade para a toxoplasmose. Os achados revelam grande proporção de gestantes susceptíveis a toxoplasmose, rubéola e citomegalovirose, principalmente no interior do estado, com risco para seus filhos.The seroprevalence of antibodies for HIV, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirosis and rubella and its association with age and origin was investigated among pregnant women in Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. A total of 9,550 pregnant women (2,112 from the state capital and 7,438 from other municipalities) were enrolled in the study and consecutively tested during their first antenatal care visit in 2007. The following serum prevalences were found: syphilis (0.9%; 95% CI 0.7%-1.6%), HIV (0.14%; 95% CI 0.08%-0.2%), toxoplasmosis (IgG 69.3%; 95% CI 68.3%-70.2%; IgM 0.4%, 95% CI 0.3%-0.6%), cytomegalovirosis (IgG 76.6%, 95% CI 75.7%-77.5%; IgM 0.2%, 95% CI 0.09%-0.3%) and rubella (IgG 71.6%, 95% CI 70.7%-72.6%; IgM 0.1%, 95% CI 0.04%-0.2%). Toxoplasmosis seropositivity increased with age. The prevalences of IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella were higher in Aracaju (state capital) than in other municipalities in the State of Sergipe. The results showed that a large proportion of the pregnant women, particularly in municipalities other than the state capital, were susceptible to toxoplasmosis, rubella and cytomegalovirus, with a risk for their infants.

In this article, we describe a novel methodology to extract semantic characteristics from protein structures using linear algebra in order to compose structural signature vectors which may be used efficiently to compare and classify protein structures into fold families. These signatures are built from the pattern of hydrophobic intrachain interactions using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) techniques. Considering proteins as documents and contacts as terms, we have built a retrieval system which is able to find conserved contacts in samples of myoglobin fold family and to retrieve these proteins among proteins of varied folds with precision of up to 80%. The classifier is a web tool available at our laboratory website. Users can search for similar chains from a specific PDB, view and compare their contact maps and browse their structures using a JMol plug-in.