bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tradición grecolatina en la novela costarricense Los peor de Fernando Contreras Castro
Authors: Arroyo Carvajal Yordan
Published: April 2022

En este artículo se analizan seis intertextos grecolatinos presentes en la novela costarricense Los Peor (1995), de Fernando Contreras Castro, cuyo enfoque principal se da en la hipotextualidad del mito de Polifemo a partir de recepciones con La Odisea (VIII a. C., IX), de Homero y Las metamorfosis (VIII d. C), de Ovidio. Como referentes teórico-metodológicos se utilizan los Diccionarios de símbolos de Chevalier (1986) y Cirlot (1992); el libro Lo monstruoso y lo bello (1988), de Rafael Ángel Herra; y la teoría de la intertextualidad de Julia Kristeva (1978) desde un panorama sociocrítico, con el fin de englobar esta investigación dentro del marco referencial de estudios sobre tradición clásica (García, 2016). Por último, como conclusiones, se comprobó que los intertextos analizados representan un entorno costarricense en crisis y en transformación a partir de oleadas migratorias y espacios socioeconómicos regidos por el crecimiento de la urbe a finales del siglo XX.
Alimentos e imperio: La administración del hambre en comentarios reales de los Incas
Authors: Garcia Gustavo
Published: April 2022

Las referencias a los alimentos en la primera parte de Comentarios reales de los incas [1609] del Inca Garcilaso de la Vega son escasas y no muy específicas. Pero no por eso dejan de ser relevantes, ya que destacan su enorme importancia en una sociedad agraria por excelencia. Los incas, a través de la producción, distribución y consumo de alimentos, establecieron una sociedad expansiva que fue sometiendo y administrando la estrategia del hambre a otros grupos indígenas que vivían como “bestias”, para pacificarlos y darles preceptos morales siguiendo órdenes divinas (mito de la pareja solar). Los usos alimenticios en Comentarios reales son tan variados y complejos que, además de satisfacer necesidades biológicas, funcionan como artefactos religiosos, culturales, económicos y bélicos indispensables para la organización, funcionamiento y expansión del imperio incaico.
Sófocles y Plauto a escena. La productividad de la adaptación en el teatro argentino (Tucumán, 1982)
Authors: Risso Nieva José María
Published: April 2022

En Tucumán, provincia del noroeste de Argentina, hacia 1982 se registra –luego de un largo periodo de olvido– el estreno de dos adaptaciones del repertorio dramático grecolatino: Los gemelos de Plauto y Electra de Sófocles. Ambos espectáculos inscriben por primera vez, en forma directa, la escena local en la tradición clásica y, para esto, desarrollan un conjunto de estrategias de apropiación para asimilar el texto ajeno en el nuevo contexto. Estas experiencias consiguen, por un lado, actualizar en la memoria cultural provincial el legado de la Antigüedad y, por otro, estimular la productividad de la actividad teatral posterior alrededor del hipotexto clásico.
Jesús Urueta, una querella literaria (1893)
Authors: Pascual Gay Juan
Published: April 2022

El artículo pretende cartografiar la polémica entre el periódico El Demócrata y Jesús Urueta (1867-1920) en México a principios de 1893. Desatendida sistemáticamente por los historiadores y críticos, esta querella es simultánea a la del decadentismo y proporciona otros sentidos. Ambas inician cuando Tablada publica “Cuestión literaria. Decadentismo”, el 15 de enero de 1893, a la que responde Urueta con “Hostia. A José Juan Tablada”. En el caso de Urueta, la publicación de dos prosas poéticas en la primera quincena de febrero de ese año desató una campaña de descrédito a la que respondió firmando unos textos que eran de autores reconocidos. Dos días después desveló la treta. Urueta exhibe que la campaña en su contra y en contra del incipiente movimiento decadentismo obedecía exclusivamente a razones personales y no literarias. Tras la querella, los adversarios del grupo decadentista se reagruparon para desacreditar al movimiento mismo, evitando particularizar sus críticas en alguno de sus integrantes.
La inclusión de la enseñanza del diminutivo en español en programas universitarios en China
Authors: Hu Jingyuan
Published: April 2022

En los últimos años, el número de estudiantes de español de nacionalidad china ha aumentado vertiginosamente. Según la experiencia docente y los registros en el Corpus de Aprendices de Español (CAES), se observa que el diminutivo, aunque muy frecuente en el registro coloquial entre los hispanohablantes, raramente es utilizado en la expresión oral por parte de los alumnos chinos. Asimismo, numerosos estudiantes tienen dudas sobre su comprensión en diversas situaciones. Este trabajo tiene el objetivo de incluir la enseñanza del diminutivo dentro de los programas universitarios de las facultades de Filología Hispánica en China. Ya que este contenido queda marginado, tanto en la práctica docente como en los manuales de español que se utilizan en dicho país. Teniendo en cuenta la frecuencia elevada y la índole del diminutivo en la comunicación cotidiana, se pretende insertar dicha enseñanza en la asignatura “Comprensión audiovisual y Expresión oral”, con el fin de formar a los oyentes y los hablantes competentes de español, en cualquier contacto comunicativo con el diminutivo. De tal forma que los estudiantes sinohablantes puedan interactuar de manera natural con los nativos, a la vez que refuerzan su confianza y desarrollan la creatividad lingüística.
La escritura literaria de la ciudad en los diálogos escolares de México en 1554, de Francisco Cervantes de Salazar
Authors: Sanchis Amat Víctor Manuel
Published: April 2022

El artículo analiza la escritura literaria de la ciudad de México a través de los diálogos de México en 1554, de Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, primer catedrático de retórica de la Real y Pontificia Universidad de México. Los objetivos del trabajo pretenden recorrer los diferentes referentes que el cronista va construyendo en su paseo por la capital virreinal y su vinculación tanto con la tradición de las laudes civitatis, como con la escritura del tópico del locus amoenus que los humanistas rescataron durante el Renacimiento.
La soledad y la solidaridad de los artistas, según Kafka y Camus
Authors: Víquez Jiménez Alí
Published: April 2022

Este es un artículo de carácter comparativo. Se estudian principalmente tres relatos breves de Franz Kafka y uno de Albert Camus. En ellos, los autores escogieron como temas centrales el arte y la vida de los artistas. Las similitudes estéticas encontradas se exponen a lo largo del artículo; las conclusiones subrayan que existen diferencias en la ética.
Una estética del genio: arte, literatura y modernismo en Carlos Vaz Ferreira
Authors: Fielbaum Alejandro
Published: April 2022

Frente a la primacía de los criterios utilitarios del pensamiento positivista de fines del siglo XIX, a principios del siglo XX el pensador uruguayo Carlos Vaz Ferreira concibe la belleza mediante una economía del gasto que abre al sujeto a una nueva experiencia. En ese marco, la literatura se explica desde un uso creativo del lenguaje que, a través de palabras conocidas, ha de crear genialmente una realidad desconocida. Vaz Ferreira clama por una crítica abierta a esas invenciones, también cauta ante eventuales novedades que no lo son, como lo grafica su ambivalente posición ante el modernismo literario.
Las articulaciones del kitsch con la estética camp
Authors: Cuvardic García Dorde
Published: April 2022

El propósito principal de este artículo es realizar una síntesis de las principales discusiones teóricas que han surgido sobre la presencia de la experiencia Kitsch en la cultura de masas y su articulación con la estética camp. Primero, se interpretarán los presupuestos teóricos que han guiado las reflexiones sobre el Kitsch. Un segundo objetivo radica en apreciar similitudes y diferencias entre la estética Kitsch y el camp. Asimismo, el tercer objetivo de este artículo es discutir el grado de vigencia que pueda seguir teniendo el concepto de la estética camp, en la cultura de masas contemporánea.
The Axiological Portrait of Quality and its Standard (Based on Comparative Phraseography)
Authors: Mokienko Valery , Nikitina Tatiana
Published: April 2022

The paper presents the concept of a comparative topical dictionary of set similes, which allows to fully reflect the axiological parameters of phraseological material. The choice of the object of vocabulary description which is set similes (comparative phraseological units) is justified by their direct correlation with the category of evaluation and the individual value system. It is emphasized that in the act of phraseological nomination, axiologically oriented is the choice of the object of comparison that requires evaluation, and the image of comparison that refers the native speaker and the researcher to the sphere of origin of the turnover, to its history. These phraseological parameters have been thoroughly investigated on the material of various languages. However, bilingual dictionaries do not give a complete picture of the evaluative phraseological universals and the ethnocultural specifics of phraseological comparisons. A bilingual dictionary of a special type will help solve this problem, realizing the idea of parallel-contrastive representation of the material, which determines the relevance of our research presented in this article on the material of the Russian and Czech languages. The article deals with such theoretical issues of phraseology as the axiological potential of a comparative phraseological unit, the paradigmatics of the axiological space of comparative phraseology, axiological characteristics of the comparison standard, etc.

Referring to the dictionary entries formed within the framework of the concept, the feasibility of multi-directional linguoaxiological development of set similes in two sections of the comparative dictionary has been proved: from the general phraseological image to the meaning of phraseological units and their axiological orientation as well as from the meaning of a phraseological unit to methods of associative-figurative transmission of evaluative connotations.

In the first case, the phrase-forming potential of the figurative cores representing the model manifestations of the evaluated attributes is revealed, while ethnoculturally determined discrepancies of the axiological charge of the image are commented on. In the second case, the attribute itself is characterized from the standpoint of its practical significance for speakers of different linguistic cultures. A model of parallel-contrasting dictionary macro-entry structuring is presented: the filling of parametric zones, the features of metalanguage use, and the graphic ways of displaying types of figurative-axiological correspondences.
New record and range extension of Columbina minuta (Linnaeus, 1766) (Columbiformes, Columbidae) in Rondônia state, Brazil
Authors: Barbosa Raul Afonso Pommer , Oliveira Marcela , Fernanda Teodoro Reis Jéssica , da Silva Paula do Nascimento Welington , Luiz da Cruz Prestes André
Published: April 2022

Based on field surveys, we report new distribution data of Columbina minuta (Linnaeus, 1766), Plain-breasted Ground-dove, from Rondônia state, southwestern Amazonia, Brazil. A new record of C. minuta from Rondônia, extends the geographic distribution of this species by approximately 550 km north and 430 km east of the previously known distribution.
SPECTRAL ESTIMATION METHODS FOR A JOINT SYSTEM OF THE NON-NOISE-LIKE TARGETS DETECTION AND THE NOISE RADIATING SOURCES LOCALIZATION
Authors: Atamanskyi D. V. , Riabukha V. P. , Kartashov V. M. , Semeniaka A. V. , Procopenco L. V.
Published: April 2022

Context. For many radars, the autonomous systems of the non-noise-like aerial targets (AT) detection and the noise radiating sources (NRS) localization (direction-of-arrival estimation) may be replaced with a single detection-localization system, which carries out the common operations of the AT-detection and the NRS-localization only once. For such a system, groups of noneigenvalue and eigenvalue decomposition based “super-resolving” spectral estimation (SE) methods are considered to substantiate efficient one for the NRS-localization.

Objective. The comparative analysis efficiency of the SE-methods of different groups by a set of criteria and recommendations on their practical application.

Method. The methods’ efficiency is analyzed analytically, under simulation results and their comparison with new results presented in the open literature. In the simulation, a well-grounded and practically examined software-algorithmic basis of adaptive lattice filters for nonparametric SE-methods implementation is used.

The results. It is shown that the SE-methods of both groups have no restrictions on the antenna array configuration (flat, ring, etc.), including when used in non-equal spaced “sparse” antenna arrays with inter-element distances of more than half radar wavelength. A comparison is made on the resolution (determination of the NRS number) and the NRS-localization (direction-of-arrival estimation) efficiency by methods of different groups when using various antenna arrays. It is shown that the methods of the first group (non-eigenvalue based) in terms of the probability of correct resolution, are almost not inferior to the known and new methods of the second group (eigenvalue ones). Based on the set of criteria and practical application conditions for direction-of-arrival estimation of the noise radiating sources, it is recommended to use the Capon’s minimum variance method if there are limitations on the computational complexity of the method. In the absence of such restrictions, it is advisable to use the SE-bank of methods.

Conclusions. For the practical implementation of a joint system of the non-noise-like aerial target detection and the noise radiating sources localization, a structural-algorithmic basis of adaptive lattice filters is preferred. Using latter, along with the weight vector forming for the target detection, it is possible to implement not only the Capon’s method, but also a SE-bank of methods by combining the squares of absolute values of its original vectors’ components.
FASTER OPTIMIZATION-BASED META-LEARNING ADAPTATION PHASE
Authors: Khabarlak K. S.
Published: April 2022

Context. Neural networks require a large amount of annotated data to learn. Meta-learning algorithms propose a way to decrease number of training samples to only a few. One of the most prominent optimization-based meta-learning algorithms is MAML. However, its adaptation to new tasks is quite slow. The object of study is the process of meta-learning and adaptation phase as defined by the MAML algorithm.Objective. The goal of this work is creation of an approach, which should make it possible to: 1) increase the execution speed of MAML adaptation phase; 2) improve MAML accuracy in certain cases. The testing results will be shown on a publicly available few-shot learning dataset CIFAR-FS.Method. In this work an improvement to MAML meta-learning algorithm is proposed. Meta-learning procedure is defined in terms of tasks. In case of image classification problem, each task is to try to learn to classify images of new classes given only a few training examples. MAML defines 2 stages for the learning procedure: 1) adaptation to the new task; 2) meta-weights update. The whole training procedure requires Hessian computation, which makes the method computationally expensive. After being trained, the network will typically be used for adaptation to new tasks and the subsequent prediction on them. Thus, improving adaptation time is an important problem, which we focus on in this work. We introduce lambda pattern by which we restrict which weight we update in the network during the adaptation phase. This approach allows us to skip certain gradient computations. The pattern is selected given an allowed quality degradation threshold parameter. Among the pattern that fit the criteria, the fastest pattern is then selected. However, as it is discussed later, quality improvement is also possible is certain cases by a careful pattern selection.Results. The MAML algorithm with lambda pattern adaptation has been implemented, trained and tested on the open CIFAR-FS dataset. This makes our results easily reproducible.Conclusions. The experiments conducted have shown that via lambda adaptation pattern selection, it is possible to significantly improve the MAML method in the following areas: adaptation time has been decreased by a factor of 3 with minimal accuracy loss. Interestingly, accuracy for one-step adaptation has been substantially improved by using lambda patterns as well. Prospects for further research are to investigate a way of a more robust automatic pattern selection scheme.
NEUROMODELING OF OPERATIONAL PROCESSES
Authors: Subbotin S. A. , Pukhalska H. V. , Leoshchenko S. D. , Oliinyk A. O. , Gofman Ye. O.
Published: April 2022

Context. The problem of synthesis a neural network model of operational processes with the determination of the optimal topology, which is characterized by a high level of logical transparency and acceptable accuracy, is considered. The object of the study is the process of neural network modeling of operational processes using an indicator system to simplify the selection of the topology of neuromodels.

Objective of the work is to synthesis a neural network model of operational processes with a high level of logical transparency and acceptable accuracy based on the use of an indicator system.

Method. It is proposed to use a system of indicators to determine the topological features of ANN, which is the basis for modeling operational processes. The assessment of the level of complexity of the task obtained on the basis of information about the input data and the values of the criteria for assessing the specificity of the task allows to categorize the task to one of the types of complexity in order to determine the approach to the synthesis of a neuromodel. Complexity category OS allows, based on analytical data about the selection of input data, to obtain the exact number of neurons in the hidden layer for the synthesis of a neuromodel with a high level of logical transparency, which significantly expands their practical use and reduces the cost of subsequent operational processes.

Results. The obtained neuromodels of operational processes based on historical data. The use of the indicator system made it possible to significantly increase the level of logical transparency of the models, while maintaining high accuracy. Synthesized neuromodels reduce the resource intensity of operational processes by increasing the level of previous modeling.

Conclusions. The conducted experiments confirmed the operability of the proposed mathematical software and allow to recommend it for use in practice when modeling operational processes. The prospects for further research may consist in the use of more complex methods of feature selection to fix the group relationships of information features for the construction of more complex models
DECISION-MAKING AT EVOLUTIONARY SEARCH DURING LIMITED NUMBER OF FUZZY EXPERIMENTS WITH MULTIPLE CRITERIA
Authors: Irodov V. F. , Shaptala M. V. , Dudkin K. V. , Shaptala D. E. , Chirin D. A.
Published: April 2022

Context. The mechanism of decision-making during limited number of fuzzy experiments with multiple criteria are considered. The investigation object is process decision-making for project or control in complex systems with multiple criteria.
Objective. It is necessary to determine optimal (most preferred) parameters of the systems with multiple criteria. It is no the mathematical model of the system, there is limited number of fuzzy experiments only.
Method. experimental study of a process with several criteria (functions) depending on its parameters; the use of expert fuzzy evaluation to build a matrix of preferences for individual implementations; building a function of choosing preferred solutions based on a preference matrix by constructing a mathematical model of preference recognition, formulation and solving the problem of generalized mathematical programming as the final step in building the selection mechanism. The decision-making mechanism depends on the expert assessment procedure when comparing a limited set of results with each other, as well as on the statement of conditions when solving the problem of generalized mathematical programming. Comparison of a finite number of fuzzy experiments is convenient for expert evaluation. Presentation of the final choice as a result of solving the problem of generalized mathematical programming is convenient for using such a mechanism in automatic control systems already without human intervention. The proposed scheme of decision-making during limited number of fuzzy experiments has been applied to decision-making of project management for pellet burner.
Results. Experimental decision-making fuzzy results are presented in the presence of several criteria for a pellet burner of a tubular heater, which confirm the acceptability of the developed decision-making mechanism. It was proposed the new scheme for constructing a selection mechanism for decision-making in systems with several criteria where there is a sample of fuzzy experimental results.
Conclusions. The scheme of decision-making is includes the solving the generalized mathematical programming as the final step in building the selection mechanism. For the problem of generalized mathematical programming it may be applied the evolutionary search with choice function in form of preference or in form of lock.
TWO PAIRS OF DUAL QUEUEING SYSTEMS WITH CONVENTIONAL AND SHIFTED DISTRIBUTION LAWS
Authors: Tarasov V. N. , Bakhareva N. F.
Published: April 2022

Context. The relevance of studies of G/G/1 systems is associated with the fact that they are in demand for modeling data transmission systems for various purposes, as well as with the fact that for them there is no final solution in the general case. We consider the problem of deriving a solution for the average delay of requests in a queue in a closed form for ordinary systems with Erlang and exponential input distributions and for the same systems with distributions shifted to the right.
Objective. Obtaining a solution for the main characteristic of the system – the average delay of requests in a queue for two pairs of queuing systems with ordinary and shifted Erlang and exponential input distributions, as well as comparing the results for systems with normalized Erlang distributions.
Methods. To solve the problem posed, the method of spectral solution of the Lindley integral equation was used, which allows one to obtain a solution for the average delay for the systems under consideration in a closed form. For the practical application of the results obtained, the method of moments of the theory of probability was used.
Results. Spectral solutions of the Lindley integral equation for two pairs of systems are obtained, with the help of which calculation formulas are derived for the average delay of requests in the queue in a closed form. Comparison of the results obtained with the data for systems with normalized Erlang distributions confirms their identity.
Conclusions. The introduction of the time shift parameter into the distribution laws of the input flow and service time for the systems under consideration transforms them into systems with a delay with a shorter waiting time. This is because the time shift operation reduces the value of the variation coefficients of the intervals between the arrivals of claims and their service time, and as is known from the queuing theory, the average delay of requests is related to these variation coefficients by a quadratic dependence. If a system with Erlang and exponential input distributions works only for one fixed pair of values of the coefficients of variation of the intervals between arrivals and their service time, then the same system with shifted distributions allows operating with interval values of the coefficients of variations, which expands the scope of these systems. The situation is similar with shifted exponential distributions. In addition, the shifted exponential distribution contains two parameters and allows one to approximate arbitrary distribution laws using the first two moments. This approach makes it possible to calculate the average latency and higher-order moments for the specified systems in mathematical packets for a wide range of changes in traffic parameters. The method of spectral solution of the Lindley integral equation for the systems under consideration has made it possible to obtain a solution in closed form, and these obtained solutions are published for the first time.
Fuego! Amazonia?
Authors: Oliveira Amanda
Published: April 2022

Este livro, pensado no florescer da década de 2020, pretende possibilitar a reflexão de quem o ler, sobre as experiências que despertarmos enquanto sociedade humana com os recursos naturais que nos cercam, como o fogo e a Amazônia. O título carrega a palavra “fogo” em outro idioma, mas todas as poesias são em língua portuguesa, com veias de uma apropriação no solo nordestino do Brasil. No entanto, quantos idiomas podem existir nas comunidades habitantes da região que abriga, ainda, a biodiversidade do planeta Terra? Por fim, “Fuego! Amazônia!” busca cooperar com a consciência de que somos descendência do que disponibiliza o Reino mineral, o Reino vegetal, o Reino animal e a inteligência humana para a nossa existência e manutenção no planeta. Além disso, aqui indaga-se como o futuro da Amazônia, que mesmo com o uso indiscriminado do fogo e suas manifestações na matéria, com a ambição humana em ação, irá sobreviver… afinal, nós iremos sobreviver sem ela? Eis a questão!
ENSINO PROFISSIONALIZANTE, AGENDA 2030 E DESENVOLVIMENTO REGIONAL: UMA ANÁLISE DO MUNICÍPIO DE CANOINHAS-SC
Authors: BLAKA ROSIMARI DE FÁTIMA CUBAS , VARGAS LETÍCIA PALUDO , MARCHESAN JAIRO
Published: April 2022

RESUMO: Este artigo tem o objetivo analisar os dados relacionados ao acesso à Educação Profissional e Tecnológica (EPT) nos municípios da Associação dos Municípios do Planalto Norte Catarinense (Amplanorte) e, mais especificamente, no município de Canoinhas-SC, vinculando-os com os Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) propostos pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU). Metodologicamente, ampara-se na literatura, dados obtidos em fontes oficiais, tais como, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (INEP), Secretaria Estadual de Educação de Santa Catarina (SED) e Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Canoinhas-SC (SME). A pesquisa mostra avanços do Ensino Profissional e Tecnológico no referido município, mas, também, aponta para a necessidade de investimentos e a melhoria na atuação por parte dos agentes públicos ou privados. Por fim, aponta a importância da qualificação profissional para os jovens e adultos como uma das possibilidades de a inserção social por meio de novos postos de trabalho, obtenção de renda e, consequentemente, contribuição ao desenvolvimento regional.
THE PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR TRANSDISCIPLINARITY IN VOCATIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION (VTE)
Authors: PEREIRA MÁRIAM TRIERVEILER
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT: This article emerges from concerns about the trajectory and potential of Vocational and Technological Education (VTE) in Brazil at a crucial moment in human history, the Age of Complexity, in which we have rapid transformations in the production ways and severe environmental implications. Some studies show that, in a few decades, people will not have only one profession; there will be a constant creation and disappearance of several occupations. Thus, there are predictions that, by 2050, a new class of people will emerge: the “unemployable”. Furthermore, social and economic problems certainly will cause environmental problems, which are at the core of sustainability. Considering this new scenario, since 2000, there have been worldwide efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, initially with eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and, later, seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, the objective of this article is to analyze sustainability practices as a possible way to achieve transdisciplinarity in VTE. Therefore, we discussed the concepts and peculiarities of VTE, transdisciplinarity, and sustainability. In an accelerated moment of transformations motivated by the Covid-19 pandemic, it is urgent to change the VTE project to keep up with the rapid changes in technology and economic, social, political, and cultural relations. We must take advantage of this unique moment in human history to remodel VTE contents and methodologies.
Willingness to pay for water ecosystem services in a river basin of the in South America largest semi-arid region
Authors: Reis Josimar Vieira dos , Leitão Mario de Miranda Vilas Boas Ramos , Galvincio Josicleda Domiciano
Published: April 2022

Abstract This study presents the result on the Willingness To Pay (WTP) of Ecosystem Services (ES) regulating water a Brazilian watershed. The Brazilian semi-arid region is the largest semi-arid region in South America, this area is ranked as the most populated semi-arid region in the world. 393 questionnaires were applied using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). Of the respondents in the basin territory, over (77.9%) expressed a positive WTP for maintaining the (SE) of Water. The payment for the conservation of the (ES) water regulators was R$10.00/month, the quality of water purification seemed to be an important aspect in terms of the value assigned in the payment. On the other hand, the protest votes for non-payment, which were (22.1%), pointed to the payment of too many taxes. The (WTP) for water conservation was defined by environmental interest and the loss of the (SES) provided Caatinga.
Epidemiological analyses of cattle carcasses affected by cysticercosis and hydatidosis in the State of Rio Grande do Sul from 2014 to 2018
Authors: Cauaneque Arina Rebeca F. , Azevedo Daniela L. , Costa Eduardo F. , Borba Mauro R. , Corbellini Luís Gustavo
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT: Bovine cysticercosis and hydatidosis are frequently identified by inspectors in slaughterhouses from the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Slaughterhouse records can provide valuable information for animal-related diseases and public health surveillance. Analyzing these data can aid set priorities to regions or properties that need more attention. Slaughter condemnation data is collected daily and stored in the Agricultural Defense System (SDA) database of the State Veterinary Services. However, it needs to be turned into useful information in bovine cysticercosis and hydatidosis surveillance programs. This study aimed to discuss how the analysis of condemnation data in the context of epidemiology can be useful for a surveillance system of bovine cysticercosis and hydatidosis. For this purpose, slaughter data of 5,137,870 cattle from 480,000 animal movement permits (GTA) from 97,891 farms from 2014 to 2018 were obtained from the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (SEAPDR-RS). Differences in the occurrence rates of bovine cysticercosis and hydatidosis among mesoregions over time were assessed through generalized linear models. Cysticercosis was identified in 65,379 (1.27%) carcasses and hydatidosis in 323,395 (6.29%). The occurrence rates of both diseases varied distinctly over time between the regions (p<0.01). Next, a process was developed to identify priority farms to target a surveillance program based on the prevalence. Period prevalence for cysticercosis and hydatidosis was obtained for each farm. The epidemiological indicator was calculated for each farm, dividing the number of affected carcasses by the number of bovines sent to slaughter during the period. The mean prevalence was obtained, and the exact binomial test was applied to identify farms presenting prevalence above the mean. It was observed that 2.48% and 6.17% of the farms had prevalence above the population mean prevalence of cysticercosis and hydatidosis, respectively. The Western mesoregion had the highest percentage of farms with prevalence above the average for cysticercosis (6.9%), followed by the Southwest mesoregion (6.0%). For hydatidosis, the percentage frequency of farms with prevalence above the average was markedly higher in the mesoregions Southeast (32.8%) and Southwest (29.5%). The results showed that analysis of slaughterhouse condemnation data of SDA is useful to identify situations in which the occurrence of the diseases is significantly higher than the average to apply additional measures or epidemiological investigations. This information may be useful in plans of epidemiological surveillance programs for controlling bovine cysticercosis and hydatidosis by the State’s Official Veterinary Services.
Changes in personality traits in patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Lopes Kaoue Fonseca , Bahia Valéria Santoro , Natividade Jean Carlos , Bastos Rafael Valdece Sousa , Shiguti Wanderley Akira , Silva Kátia Estevão Rodrigues da , Souza Wânia Cristina de
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT. Changes in personality traits in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are extremely common throughout the course of the pathology, and these behavioral changes present themselves as challenges in clinical management and as a significant cause of caregivers’ burden. Objective: Using a personality inventory based on the five-factor model of personality, this study aimed to assesses the change in these factors by comparing the premorbid and current personality of individuals recently diagnosed with AD. Methods: A total of 30 AD patients were recruited, and their respective family members responded to the personality inventory at home through a hosted site. The patients were also divided into two groups according to the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR): mild dementia (CDR 1) and moderate dementia (CDR 2). Results: Among all patients, there was a significant increase in neuroticism factor levels and a significant decrease in the extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and socialization factors. When comparing the groups, only the extraversion factor showed a difference, with CDR 1 group accusing a higher change in scores. Higher scores in the factor neuroticism in the premorbid personality correlated with the current severity of the disease. Conclusions: This research draws the attention of family members and health professionals to changes in personality traits or behavior of relatives or patients, because it can reflect an underlying neurodegenerative process.
12-item version of Boston Naming Test: usefulness in the diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Graviotto Héctor Gastón , Sorbara Marcos German , Rodriguez Carlos Mario Turizo , Serrano Cecilia
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT. The 12-item version of the Boston Naming Test (BNT) was adapted to Argentina for the detection of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD), with scores similar to the original 60-item version (sensitivity and specificity of 85 and 94%, respectively) without demographic influence (age and educational level). To date, no publications on the use of abbreviated BNT in other degenerative pathologies with language impairment have been reported. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of 12-item BNT in primary progressive aphasia (PPA), the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (FTDbv), and AD. Methods: Notably, 47 patients with probable AD (NIA-AA 2011) — clinical dementia rating (CDR) 0.5–1, 55 with FTDbv, 17 with PPA, and 46 controls were evaluated and matched for age and education. Exclusion criteria were as follows: alcoholism, other previous neurological or psychiatric illnesses, and education <4 years. All were assessed with a full neuropsychological battery and a 12-item version of BNT. Results: Median scores of 12-item BNT were as follows: PPA: 3.87 (SD=2.99), AD: 6.13 (SD=3.03); FTDbv: 8.41 (SD=2.53); and controls: 10.22 (SD=1.82). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. Conclusions: The 12-item version of BNT can be useful, simple, and fast to identify and differentiate PPA, FTDbv, and AD from controls while retaining the discriminative ability of the original version.
Non-motor symptoms fluctuations in patients with Parkinson's disease at the Clinical Hospital of Salvador, Bahia
Authors: Barreto Karollyne Santos , Oliveira Filho Jamary , Reis Luana Dias , Ribeiro Tayane Guimarães , Kauark Roberta Borges Gomes
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT. Motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease (PD) are a frequent long-term complication. Knowledge is limited on the prevalence and incidence of non-motor symptoms (NMS) fluctuations, especially in Brazil. Objective: The objective of this study was to verify the frequency of NMS fluctuations and its relationship with other aspects of PD in patients followed at an outpatient movement disorders clinic. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which patients were evaluated for the presence of both types of fluctuations using the Wearing Off Questionnaire (WOQ-19). Results: A total of 37 patients (11 women and 26 men) were participated in this study, and the frequency of NMS fluctuations was 54.1% (90.9% in women and 38.5% in men). Anxiety was the most frequent non-motor fluctuation (35.1%). The highest percentage of NMS fluctuations (70%) was found in the group in which disease duration was more than 6 years. Most patients with motor fluctuations also had NMS fluctuations (66.7%). No patient presented with isolated NMS fluctuations. Conclusions: This study showed that, in the study population, approximately half of the patients had NMS fluctuations, with a higher frequency among women. A higher frequency was present in patients with earlier age of diagnosis, longer duration, and greater severity of disease. These findings point to the importance of recognizing the fluctuations of NMS in the study population, since these may not be spontaneously mentioned by the patient, who is remaining unnoticed, undiagnosed, and not treated by the neurologist, representing a significant aggravating factor in the patient's quality of life.
Long-term studies in cognitive training for older adults: a systematic review
Authors: Silva Thais Bento Lima da , Bratkauskas Jéssica Souza , Barbosa Maurício Einstoss de Castro , Silva Guilherme Alves da , Zumkeller Mariana Garcia , Moraes Luiz Carlos de , Lessa Patrícia Prata , Cardoso Neide Pereira , Ordonez Tiago Nascimento , Brucki Sonia Maria Dozzi
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT. Studies show that aging is accompanied by losses in cognitive functions and that interventions can increase performance and/or support the maintenance of cognitive skills in the elderly. Objective: The objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of long-term studies involving cognitive training (CT) in older adults without dementia and/or with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A systematic review of controlled studies was published in scientific journals from 2000 onward, with duration ≥6 months, CT intervention, cognitively normal (CN) or MCI participants aged ≥60 years, and assessments using cognitive and/or neuropsychological tests. Results: A total of 32 studies were reviewed, comprising 10 on study protocols, 14 in CN older adults (no MCI and/or dementia), and 8 in older adults with MCI or at risk for dementia. Conclusions: The studies reported improvements in cognitive performance for some motor abilities, among older participants of CT with or without booster sessions, including multimodal interventions or otherwise.
Lithium Intoxication as a cause of reversible dementia mimicking FDG PET features of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Mecê Alexandre Motta , Abreu Vitor Corsaletti , Lamas Gustavo Manginelli , Tacla Rafaella do Rosário , Minekawa Thais Benício , Ramos Celso Dario , Balthazar Marcio Luiz Figueiredo
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT. Rapidly progressive dementia (RPD) is a rare neurological disorder. Drug toxicity is among the differential diagnoses, including the use of lithium, in which an overdosage might cause cognitive dysfunction. Clinical suspicion, laboratory confirmation, and drug interruption are key points in the management of lithium intoxication. We described a 66-year-old female patient under treatment with lithium who developed an RPD associated with parkinsonian symptoms. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) showed an “Alzheimer-like” pattern, while cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for the disease were negative. There was a significant clinical and radiological improvement after lithium interruption. Lithium intoxication is a potentially reversible cause of RPD, as demonstrated in this case report. Drug discontinuation should be considered even in patients with normal levels of this metal, if cognitive impairment is detected. 18F-FDG PET/CT images may show an “Alzheimer-like” image pattern in acute intoxication and are useful for monitoring these patients.
Keine Benachteiligung von Menschen mit Behinderung in der Triage
Authors: Holtstraeter Reinhard
Published: April 2022

Im Rahmen der Coronavirus-Pandemie hat das Thema der begrenzten intensivmedizinischen Behandlungskapazitäten in den Krankenhäusern besondere Aufmerksamkeit erlangt. Das Risiko einer Triage in der Intensivmedizin war mehrfach Gegenstand der öffentlichen Diskussion. Mit der Verfassungsbeschwerde rügen Menschen mit Behinderungen, der Gesetzgeber schütze sie nicht wirksam vor Diskriminierung aufgrund ihrer Behinderung, sofern es im Verlauf der Coronavirus-Pandemie zu einer Triage kommen sollte. Die Beschwerde war mit einem Antrag auf Erlass einer einstweiligen Anordnung verbunden. Der Eilantrag wurde mit Beschluss der 3. Kammer des Ersten Senats vom 16. Juli 2020 zurückgewiesen. Es war zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht konkret absehbar, dass die Plätze für eine intensivmedizinische Behandlung in den Krankenhäusern nicht ausreichen würden, um notwendige Maßnahmen für alle Behandlungsbedürftigen zu ergreifen.
‘Medicine in Name Only’: Mistrust and COVID-19 Among the Crowded Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Sadaf Noor E , Mookherjee Nayanika , Khan Naveeda
Published: April 2022

This article is an anthropological examination of the health-seeking behaviours of Rohingya refugees living in crowded camps in Bangladesh, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. One international organisation providing medical care in the Kutupalong camp has found non-cooperation among the residents regarding the health facilities on offer to them. This ethnography highlights the Rohingya refugees’ active ‘mistrust’ (Carey 2017) of these medical services. We argue that these prevalent forms of mistrust provide a lens through which their individual life trajectories and politics can be understood in the context of the history of their systemic oppression by the Myanmar government. We reflect on the precarity and vulnerability of the Rohingya refugees, within which they identify mistrust as a source of resistance and protection. The mistrust of the Rohingya communities also highlights their attempts to communicate with a global public (Canetti 1960) and exhibits the ‘crowd politics’ (Chowdhury 2019) within a continued statelessness which is engendered by the Bangladeshi and Myanmar governments. This article makes an original contribution to the discussion of trust, mistrust, and rumour in society, identifying ‘the crowd’ as a site of resistance, and providing an account of the distinctive experience of the Rohingyas as refugees, and their health-seeking behaviour in the camp.
The Tyranny of Numbers: How e-Health Record Transparency Affects Patients’ Health Perceptions and Conversations with Physicians
Authors: Kristensen Benedikte Møller , Brodersen John , Joensson Alexandra Brandt Ryborg
Published: April 2022

All Danish adults have access to their electronic medical records on the e-health platform Sundhed.dk, which is intended as a means to empower patients. But what happens when patients see their paraclinical test results presented as numbers which are flagged as either ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’? Based on fieldwork in general practices and consultations, and on observations of individuals living with chronic illnesses, we investigated how patients and physicians interpret and interact with such numerical values, creating, as we argue through the words of Gregory Bateson, ‘epistemological errors’. We show how health record transparency blurs the patient’s senses and understanding and makes it harder for them to interpret their state of health and to trust the clinical judgement of health professionals. We argue that the immediate access to test results triggers a runaway process in which numerical values (be they normal or abnormal in comparison with a standard point of reference) transform into a threat to life itself. As such, our ethnography underlines the intricate contradiction between the trust placed in biomedical sciences and the uncertainty involved in testing, diagnosing, and treating. Patients’ access to all test results leads to a quest for certainty—one never fully obtainable, which thus instead mobilises new uncertainties.
​Disease X and Africa: How a Scientific Metaphor Entered Popular Imaginaries of the Online Public During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sams Kelley , Grant Catherine , Desclaux Alice , Sow Khoudia
Published: April 2022

In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the addition of Disease X, a hypothetical infectious threat, to its blueprint list of priority diseases. In the construction of discourse that circulated following this announcement, conceptions of Disease X intersected with representations of Africa. In our article, we share a broad strokes analysis of internet narratives about Disease X and Africa in the six months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (July–December 2019) and during its first six months (January–June 2020). Our analysis focuses on how the scientific concept of Disease X was applied by ‘non-experts’ to make meaning from risk, uncertainty, and response. These non-experts drew in parallel upon more general representations of power, fear, and danger. This research is particularly relevant at the time of writing, as online narratives about COVID-19 vaccination are shaping vaccine anxiety throughout the world by drawing upon similar conceptions of agency and inequality. Because Disease X in Africa still looms as a perceived future threat, considering the narratives presented in this paper can provide insight into how people create meaning when faced with a scientific concept, a global health crisis, and the idea that there are other crises yet to come.
The Innovation Imperative in Global Health: Gendered Futurity in the Sayana® Press
Authors: MacDonald Margaret Ellen , Foley Ellen E.
Published: April 2022

In this Position Piece, we explore the hegemony of innovation and the construction of gendered futures in global health through the Sayana® Press, a device that delivers a version of the contraceptive drug commonly known as Depo-Provera. The device has generated tremendous enthusiasm amongst global family planning advocates for its effectiveness and ease of use, including administration by community level providers and self-injection. Claims about its potential are compelling: advocates hope it will dramatically increase access to contraceptives, and thereby unlock the social and material emancipatory promise of family planning. We offer preliminary observations about Sayana Press as an ethnographic and discursive object and further the scholarly conversation on humanitarian design by considering the gendered dimensions of global health technologies. The advent of Sayana Press reflects several significant trends in global health including the intensification of the innovation imperative and the bypassing of investments in infrastructure—both bolstered by the recent rise of the ‘self-care agenda’. Further, we suggest that global health technologies are also techniques in the Foucauldian sense—scripting new subjectivities and bodily norms towards gendered futurities. Finally, we note the dual role of the state in sexual and reproductive health as both source and object of reproductive governance.