Activity In Brazil Research Articles

Living with COPD and its psychological effects on participating in community-based physical activity in Brazil: a qualitative study. Findings from the Breathe Well group

Physical activity (PA) improves dyspnoea, psychological wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) for people with COPD reducing their risk of exacerbation. However, engagement in PA is low especially amongst those with anxiety and depression, and PA programmes are limited in countries with limited resources such as Brazil. We explored perceptions of 21 people with COPD about the impact of their disease on taking part in community-based PA programmes in Sao Paulo, Brazil through semi-structured telephone interviews from October 2020 to April 2021. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using the Framework method. Five themes were identified: Knowledge about COPD and its management; Self-perception of life with COPD; Knowledge and experiences of depression and anxiety; Opinions on PA and repercussions of COVID-19. PA was considered to be important in bringing physical and mental health benefits but there were barriers in accessibility of formal PR programmes and therefore local community PA programmes were considered to be important. People with mental health conditions tended to view PA more negatively. COVID-19 had reduced PA opportunities, access to COPD treatment and social interaction, and was associated with more exacerbations and emotional suffering. In general, this study showed an urgent need to improve knowledge about COPD and its risk factors and management among both patients, the public and primary healthcare professionals. We provide important content for the formulation of public policies for the implementation of specific activity programmes for people with COPD in community spaces using local resources and intersectoral partnerships.

Food insecurity, subjective well-being and the use of social networking services in Brazil between 2014 and 2018

The great Brazilian recession was the most marked drop in economic activity in Brazil between the end of the Second World War and the Covid-19 pandemics. This economic crisis may have long lasting and non-anticipated negative consequences on Food Insecurity (FI) and on Subjective Well-Being (SWB). In addition, SWB is increasing linked to the use of Social Networking Services (SNS). The paper used data from World Value Survey (WVS) and logistic and ordered logistic models to empirically test a few hypotheses. The empirical results showed that: FI is negatively correlated with life satisfaction, but not with happiness; FI is unrelated to SNS use as still few people use them and the population groups that suffer from FI insecurity poorly overlap with the one that use SNS daily; SWB had positive relationships with SNS when the use was not very widespread; Associations between SWB and SNS use became negative as SNS use became more widespread.

Energy assessment and heat integration of biofuel production from bio-oil produced through fast pyrolysis of sugarcane straw, and its upgrading via hydrotreatment

Sugarcane processing is one of the most important economic activities in Brazil, producing ethanol and sugar for domestic and international markets. Utilising the lignocellulosic residues of this industry, specifically bagasse and straw, would increase the second-generation biofuel production without increasing the sugarcane planted area. Among the processes available, the fast pyrolysis is a thermochemical conversion process that produces mainly bio-oil, a liquid with several advantages over solid biomass, regarding transportation, pumping, storage, and handling. Moreover, the bio-oil can be upgraded to obtain biofuels of higher added-value. Among feasible upgrading technologies, the hydrotreatment is one of the most promising methods for eliminating the reactive functionalities of the bio-oil by removing oxygen or cracking large molecules in the presence of hydrogen; however, this comes at the expense of a significant hydrogen consumption. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the biofuel production through the fast pyrolysis of sugarcane straw, followed by the upgrading of the produced bio-oil via hydrotreatment. The evaluation is carried out by way of energy and mass balances of the processes, performed using the software Aspen Plus. Furthermore, the possibilities of integrating the bio-oil production and upgrading into the conventional ethanol and sugar production process will also be assessed through heat integration, applying the Pinch analysis. Results showed the potential for renewable gasoline and diesel production with yields of 0.086 kg/kg of dry straw and 0.08 kg/kg of dry straw, respectively. Additionally, integrating the pyrolysis process, including the bio-oil upgrading, into the ethanol production process can achieve a liquid fuel production (ethanol, gasoline and diesel) of 2289.8 MJ/t cane, which represents an increase of 29 %, while the surplus electricity increases in 5.3 %, when compared to the conventional ethanol production plant.

Sustainability and health promotion actions in Brazil

This study explores sustainable programs or actions implemented within the work environments of students enrolled in a Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion in Brazil. Seventy participants, primarily healthcare professionals, were tasked with identifying the sustainable actions during the Health Promotion and Sustainability course. Responses were analyzed using the IraMuTeQ V. 0.7 alpha 2 program. Of these participants, 15 individuals did not identify any actions, while 55 highlighted various initiatives. Key strategies included waste management, health education, promotion of physical exercise, optimization of food resources, composting, and conscientious water usage. These actions not only offer potential cost savings but also contribute to a more responsible utilization of natural resources and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.

Embodying global gender norms: A decolonial and diasporic reading of domestic workers' activism in Brazil

The article offers a decolonial and diasporic reading of global gender norms as sites of power where nested hierarchies – of gender, race, class, among others – are constantly being contested, refused, and negotiated by and within bodies that resist. It departs from a Latin American/Ladin Amefrican perspective, which assumes an alternative genealogy of human rights that begins with the embodied experience and struggles of people, instead of assuming the existence of an international normative framework. It looks particularly at the struggle of domestic workers for labor rights in Brazil as a case of embodied human rights activism. By evidencing their agency in the formulation of global and local norms, the article claims that domestic workers' struggles were central not only for negotiating, disrupting and (re)creating spaces of power and agenda-setting, but also for confronting the structures of coloniality that sustain the modern matrix of power.

Reliability-Based Seismic Safety Assessment of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília

Recent destructive earthquakes in Turkey (2023) with devastating effects have reawakened the discussion about seismic activity in Brazil and the vulnerability of the Brazilian buildings. Despite the lower magnitudes, national records should not be disregarded, as earthquakes with a magnitude below five may still cause loss of life and property damage. The assessment of existing RC buildings allows us to understand the performance of a structure during an earthquake and the adoption of mitigating measures. This paper preliminarily investigates the seismic vulnerability of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Brasilia, which was recognized as a World Heritage Site by ONU in 1987. The Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) procedure has been adopted for qualitative vulnerability assessment through the guidelines of the Japan Building Disaster Prevention Association at the procedure updated in accordance with the Brazilian reality. This research examined the structure under horizontal acceleration defined by national seismic code, and various scenarios are assumed as time aging, structural irregularities, and the level of importance of the structure. In this study, the Monte Carlo simulation is carried out to evaluate the level of safety. A performed analysis has shown that the examined building possesses the seismic capacity required against the expected earthquake motions. Even with reliability analysis, the structure achieves an acceptable level of safety. The results highlight the importance of a probabilistic approach to make reliable decisions on the conservation and rehabilitation of architectural heritage buildings.

Associations between COVID-19 and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity in Brazil.

Glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PDd) was suggested as a risk factor for severe disease in patients with COVID-19. We evaluated clinical outcomes and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity during and after illness in patients with COVID-19. This prospective cohort study included adult participants (≥18 years old) who had clinical and/or radiological COVID-19 findings or positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results. Epidemiological and clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. Glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase activity was measured using SD Biosensor STANDARD G6PD® equipment on admission and 1 year after discharge. Samples were genotyped for the three most common single nucleotide polymorphisms for G6PDd in the Brazilian Amazon. Seven hundred fifty-three patients were included, of whom 123 (16.3%) were G6PD deficient. There was no difference between groups regarding the risks of hospitalization (P = 0.740) or invasive mechanical ventilation (P = 0.31), but the risk of death was greater in patients with normal G6PD levels (P = 0.022). Only 29 of 116 participants (25%) carried the African G6PDd genotype. Of 30 participants tested as G6PD deficient during disease, only 11 (36.7%) results agreed 1 year after discharge. In conclusion, this study does not demonstrate an association of G6PDd with severity of COVID-19. Limitations of the test for detecting enzyme levels during COVID-19 illness were demonstrated by genotyping and retesting after the disease period. Care must be taken when screening for G6PDd in patients with acute COVID-19.

A sustainability assessment modeling-based external account of the impacts of mining activities in Brazil

A sustainability assessment modeling-based external account of the impacts of mining activities in Brazil

Power Electronic Activities in Brazil: The Beginning [South American Power Electronics]

Power Electronic Activities in Brazil: The Beginning [South American Power Electronics]

Quali-quantitative water behaviour in an intensive swine production catchment in the Atlantic Forest biome, Southern Brazil.

Agriculture is an essential economic activity in Brazil. However, it is also the main source of water quality degradation. Monitoring catchments with agricultural land use is a way to generate information on a scale to identify causes and sources of water quality degradation. This work used monitoring data derived from hydrology and the quality of surface and underground water in an intensive agricultural catchment in the Atlantic Forest biome. The Fortaleza River catchment is located in the western part of Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil and has 62 km2 of drainage area. Hydrological and water quality monitoring was conducted for 7years at two fluviometric stations, three lysimeters, one meteorological station, and one piezometer. Data on precipitation, temperature, water flow, surface runoff, drainage, and water quality were used. Statistical analyses were also developed. Precipitation between 2013 and 2019 presented a homogeneous distribution in monthly and annual data, with January and July the months with the highest and lowest values, respectively. Statistical difference in the average and Q95 flows was found in upstream and downstream fluviometric sections. In terms of quality, statistical differences were identified for ammonium, nitrate, and potassium concentrations, which had higher concentrations in lysimeter runoff, indicating direct influence of agricultural activity on water quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that (i) surface water presented a positive relationship in Component 1 for the magnesium-calcium, sulphate-chloride, and acetate-bromide groups and a negative relationship for phosphate-nitrate; (ii) in lysimeters, the positive relationship occurred for Component 2 for the phosphate-chloride and sulphate-nitrate groups and was negative for ammonium-lithium and calcium-potassium-magnesium; and (iii) in piezometer, positive relationships were found for chloride-sodium and phosphate-nitrite pairs, while negative relationships were found for calcium-magnesium.

A BACIA POTIGUAR NA HISTÓRIA DA EXPLORAÇÃO DE PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO E A VENDA, PELA PETROBRÁS, DO POLO FAZENDA BELÉM, ARACATI-CE, PARA A EMPRESA 3R PETROLEUM

There were years of interruption of oil extraction activity by the state-owned Petrobrás in the Fazenda Belém onshore oil field. After the purchase by the company 3R Petroleum, the equipment started moving again and aroused euphoria among passers-by on the BR-304. In this work, some setbacks will be presented throughout the history of oil activity in Brazil and what led to the sale of Polo Fazenda Belém to the private sector.

Nuo akmens iki sėklos: objektai ir kontratminties aktyvizmas Brazilijoje antikolonijinio demonumentalizavimo sąlygomis

This article reflects upon objects and actions of counter-memory activism in Brazil in the wake of anticolonial demonumentalizations. Initially, it focuses on statues symbolizing colonial and traumatic pasts, notably the Borba Gato statue in São Paulo, dedicated to a colonial explorer. The monument was set ablaze in July 2021, sparking widespread debate. The discussion deepens with the commemoration of Marielle Franco, a councilwoman and human rights advocate who was murdered in 2018. The interplay between memory initiatives and political activism is examined, with tributes analyzed as collective authorship by black and feminist movements. Ethnographic data from Rio de Janeiro and digital environments inform this analysis. Events related to monuments and other objects are viewed as political rituals in the struggle against forgetting. Statues, street signs, graffiti, posters, and other forms of counter-memory supports are identified as focal points for understanding the relationship between objects, artistic-political practices, and public life.

Near-term forward rate spread and commodity index relationship with real economic activity in Brazil

This study investigates the relationship between Brazilian economic cycles and two key indicators: the international S&P GSCI commodity index and the near-term forward spread derived from the Brazilian interest rate term structure. We find that the forward spread serves as a robust leading indicator of economic downturns in Brazil, offering recession forecasts up to four quarters in advance. This underscores a link between yield curve steepness and recession likelihood in Brazil. However, we uncover distinct cyclical behaviors in Brazil's term structure that diverge from patterns in the United States. Furthermore, our research reveals the significant influence of commodity price fluctuations on Brazil's economic performance, underscoring a strong correlation between commodity markets and economic outcomes. Examining term structure and commodity prices together provides novel insights into monitoring emerging market cycles. These indicators can assist policymakers and improve early warning systems, especially in developing economies like Brazil.

Productive interdependence of tourist activities in Brazil

This paper examines the production linkages of Tourism Characteristic Activities in the Brazilian economy and breaks down the output variation of these activities into technological change and final demand effects. To do so, we use the hypothetical extraction and structural decomposition methods based on the Brazilian input-output matrices of 2010 and 2015. The main results show that the absence of tourist activities would cause a 0.83% reduction in the total output in Brazilian economy, and the impacts caused by the absence of the purchasing and selling structures of these activities were relatively low, which can be partially explained by the fact that tourist activities are oriented towards final demand. Furthermore, variations in the output of tourist activities are predominantly explained by the behavior of final demand, with a reduced impact of technical progress. Household consumption and exports are the ones that contributed the most to the variations in output.

Compatibility of wild rootstocks in the production of cherry tomato seedlings

Growing tomato crops is a highly significant activity in Brazil; however, several factors limit tomato productivity, mainly soil-borne diseases which, without proper control, can compromise the entire crop production. The proper use of grafting techniques emerges as an alternative to overcome barriers that limit tomato production in regions with unfavorable growth conditions. The use of rootstocks resistant to root diseases is seen as a viable option for tomato production. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the compatibility and efficiency of rootstocks for cherry tomatoes. A randomized block design was used, with five treatments and four replications; each plot consisted of 36 grafted seedlings. The treatments consisted of rootstocks of Eggplant, Jurubeba, Jilo, and Tomato (Intacto; Feltrin Sementes®), and a Control (cherry tomato without grafting). All rootstocks were compatible with cherry tomatoes. Moreover, seedlings grafted onto Jurubeba rootstocks presented results closest to the Control (cherry tomatoes). Seedlings grafted onto Jurubeba and Eggplant rootstocks presented the best results regarding vegetative development and total dry matter accumulation. Jurubeba and Eggplant rootstocks are viable alternatives for grafting cherry tomato seedlings. All utilized rootstocks can be further investigated for their resistance to root diseases affecting tomato crops.

Viruses in Brazilian stingless bees

Stingless bees are important pollinators in tropical and subtropical areas. The breeding of native stingless bee species from the Meliponini tribe to obtain honey, pollen, and geopropolis (meliponiculture) is a promising activity in Brazil with economic, social, and environmental impacts. Stingless bees can share food sources with Apis mellifera and other insects that can be vectors of pathogens. Here, we investigated seven stingless bee species from Brazil (Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides, Melipona scutellaris, Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Partamona helleri, Scaptotrigona xanthotricha, Tetragonisca angustula, and Trigona spinipes) screening for seven of the most common pathogenic viruses (ABPV, IAPV, BQCV, CBPV, SBV, KBV, and DWV) in A. mellifera in summer and winter seasons. All seven stingless bee species studied were positive for ABPV and IAPV (only in M. quadrifasciata anthidioides and T. spinipes), while ABPV was found in samples from summer and winter, IAPV was only found in winter. This is the first study detecting viruses in seven native stingless bee species in Brazil and because of the novelty of this area in Brazil, it is necessary to monitor native stingless bee colonies to investigate the impact of those viruses at a colony and individual level to avoid losses and impact to the native bees.

Use of biofertilizers in cocoa (Theobroma cacao): a review

The intensive use of agrochemicals in recent years has led to serious environmental complications. These products are responsible for around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to degrading the soil. Currently, biofertilizers appear as substitutes for chemical fertilizers. Biofertilizers are organic compounds that, when applied, provide almost all the nutrients necessary for crop growth. The use of organic materials as a basis to produce biofertilizers is an ecologically correct approach in the integrated management and use of waste, as they are cheap and renewable sources of nutrients for sustainable use. Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) plays an important role in socioeconomic activities in Brazil, and to ensure the success of commercial cocoa farming ventures, it is essential to use quality seedlings during their production, one of the main factors is fertilization, which is directly related to obtaining well-nourished and good-looking seedlings. In this sense, the objective of this review is to summarize the beneficial impact of biofertilizers on cocoa farming.

MEDICAL PROPAGANDA

Objectives: This study evaluates, firstly, the distinction between the terms advertising and propaganda and its application to medical activity, justifying the choice of the term "propaganda" in the title of this article. In a second moment, the research approaches the normative framework that allows the Federal and Regional Medical Councils to regulate the limits and restitions to advertisement by doctor and to adopt the appropriate measures and sanctions in case of violation of legal and ethical norms in doctor-patient relations. Afterwards, the normative and deontological diplomas, their respective permissions and prohibitions of conduct of the medical professional when advertising on social networks are analyzed. Finally, the practices of use of social networks by doctors are outlined in accordance with medical ethics and the law, reaching the conclusion that it is fully possible for doctors to advertise on social media, provided that the legal and deontological parameters of the profession are followed. Methods: This article analyzes the possibility of medical professionals to use advertising tools in social networks, through bibliographic research of texts contained in works on Medical Law and legal analysis about the legal and deontological norms that govern medical activity in Brazil. The Boolean indicators used for research of the titles were "and" and "or", from the following descriptors: "Propaganda", "Advertising" and "Social Networking" and " Physician-Patient Relations", all extracted from DeSC.

Food and nutrition surveillance actions in Brazil and Portugal: a comparative documentary analysis

Food and nutrition surveillance is fundamental to the formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of public policies on food and nutrition. The comparative analysis of the evolution of food and nutrition surveillance actions between countries makes it possible to learn about advances, challenges and innovations for the planning of interventions. This study aimed to describe and compare food and nutrition surveillance actions in Brazil and Portugal, countries with different geographical dimensions and socio-economic profiles, but with the common characteristic of having a universal healthcare system. We manually searched for documents describing food and nutrition surveillance actions and for potential data sources on the institutional websites of the Brazilian and Portuguese governments. The recommendations of the READ approach were used (59 documents were identified for Brazil and 29 for Portugal). In Brazil, food and nutrition surveillance actions are included in health policies and in the constraints of conditional cash transfer programs. The Brazilian Households Budget Surveys and health surveys are used simultaneously with the Brazilian National Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN). In Portugal, food and nutrition surveillance actions are part of health policies, via the National Program and the Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of Healthy Eating. Among the data sources identified are the Portuguese Food Balance Sheet and household budget, health and food surveys, as well as initiatives to monitor the nutritional status of children and adolescents. In both countries, strategies need to be improved in terms of the regularity of data recording, the harmonization of food consumption indicators and the dissemination of information.

Application of the AHP-Gaussian method to support the prioritization of workers' health actions in Brazil, based on data from DATASUS

Application of the AHP-Gaussian method to support the prioritization of workers' health actions in Brazil, based on data from DATASUS