Повышение ресурсоэффективности процесса приготовления высокооктановых бензинов методом математического моделирования

В работе рассмотрен способ повышения ресурсоэффективности процесса производства высокооктановых бензинов разработкой и применением прогностической математической модели изомеризации прямогонных бензиновых фракций. Проведена оценка внедрения технологии каталитической изомеризации С7 фракции в структуры действующих нефтеперерабатывающих предприятий.The method of increasing the resource efficiency of the process of production of high-octane gasoline by developing and using the predictive mathematical model of isomerization of straight-flow gasoline fractions is considered. The estimation of the introduction of the technology of catalytic isomerization of the C7 fraction into the structures of existing refineries is carried out

Impact of community tracer teams on treatment outcomes among tuberculosis patients in South Africa

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) indicators in South Africa currently remain well below global targets. In 2008, the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) implemented a community mobilization program in all nine provinces to trace TB patients that had missed a treatment or clinic visit. Implementation sites were selected by TB program managers and teams liaised with health facilities to identify patients for tracing activities. The objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of the TB Tracer Project on treatment outcomes among TB patients. METHODS: The study population included all smear positive TB patients registered in the Electronic TB Registry from Quarter 1 2007-Quarter 1 2009 in South Africa. Subdistricts were used as the unit of analysis, with each designated as either tracer (standard TB program plus tracer project) or non-tracer (standard TB program only). Mixed linear regression models were utilized to calculate the percent quarterly change in treatment outcomes and to compare changes in treatment outcomes from Quarter 1 2007 to Quarter 1 2009 between tracer and non-tracer subdistricts. RESULTS: For all provinces combined, the percent quarterly change decreased significantly for default treatment outcomes among tracer subdistricts (−0.031%; p < 0.001) and increased significantly for successful treatment outcomes among tracer subdistricts (0.003%; p = 0.03). A significant decrease in the proportion of patient default was observed for all provinces combined over the time period comparing tracer and non-tracer subdistricts (p = 0.02). Examination in stratified models revealed the results were not consistent across all provinces; significant differences were observed between tracer and non-tracer subdistricts over time in five of nine provinces for treatment default. CONCLUSIONS: Community mobilization of teams to trace TB patients that missed a clinic appointment or treatment dose may be an effective strategy to mitigate default rates and improve treatment outcomes. Additional information is necessary to identify best practices and elucidate discrepancies across provinces; these findings will help guide the NTP in optimizing the adoption of tracing activities for TB control

A Semi-Distributed Electric Demand-Side Management System with PV Generation for Self-Consumption Enhancement

This paper presents the operation of an Electrical Demand-Side Management (EDSM) system in a real solar house. The use of EDSM is one of the most important action lines to improve the grid electrical efficiency. The combination between the EDSM and the PV generation performs a new control level in the local electric behavior and allows new energy possibilities. The solar house used as test-bed for the EDSM system owns a PV generator, a lead-acid battery storage system and a grid connection. The electrical appliances are controllable from an embedded computer. The EDSM is implemented by a control system which schedules the tasks commanded by the user. By using the control system, we define the house energy policy and improve the energy behavior with regard to a selected energy criterion, self-consumption. The EDSM system favors self-consumption with regard to a standard user behavior and reduces the energy load from the grid

Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: An Updated Research Agenda.

There are numerous challenges in delivering appropriate treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and the evidence base to guide those practices remains limited. We present the third updated Research Agenda for the programmatic management of drug-resistant TB (PMDT), assembled through a literature review and survey

A educação ambiental na formação dos licenciados em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG

Nesta pesquisa, buscamos conhecer e compreender como a Educação Ambiental perpassou a formação dos Licenciados em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, formados entre os anos de 2007 e 2012. Essa delimitação temporal representa a última modificação no currículo do curso, sendo este vigente até o momento da elaboração deste relatório de dissertação. Para tanto utilizamos como base teórica o Materialismo Dialético, Materialismo Histórico e por vezes a Economia Política, sendo esses os referenciais da teoria marxista de análise dos fenômenos materiais sociais. A análise das informações foi realizada com o aporte teórico de Laurence Bardin, pela Análise de Conteúdo, principalmente no que tange a organização das informações para a realização da análise. Elencamos três objetivos para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foram eles: (1) Compreender as contradições desenvolvidas no curso que impõe empecilhos à presença da Educação Ambiental na formação dos professores pesquisados; (2) Descrever as contradições existentes no currículo do curso que dificultam que os saberes da área biológica sirvam como fundamento à compreensão de Educação Ambiental; (3) Compreender os impasses entre a proposta pedagógica do curso e os conhecimentos organizados enquanto currículo para a formação dos licenciados em Ciências Biológicas. Os resultados obtidos com as informações da pesquisa apontam para a ausência da Educação Ambiental na formação dos professores pesquisados, mas que os mesmos desenvolveram, por intermédio de experiências extracurriculares, suas compreensões sobre Educação Ambiental. Ainda como resultado da pesquisa, podemos afirmar que não há uma conexão entre as disciplinas da área biológica e as disciplinas do núcleo comum das licenciaturas, sendo este um aspecto que impede que os saberes da biologia sirvam como aporte a compreensão de Educação Ambiental durante a formação desses professores. Sendo outro resultado importante, o curso de licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas de inúmeras formas propicia uma formação ampla e completa ao profissional biólogo, sendo a constituição do professor deixada em segundo plano. Concluímos com este estudo, que não é possível a formação de um professor agente da transformação social, como pretendida no projeto do curso, se a Universidade como um todo e mais especificamente a gestão do curso de Licenciatura Ciências Biológicas não levarem em consideração que a Educação Ambiental é uma questão da vida, sendo dessa forma necessário que este estudo esteja ligado ao estudo do ambiente e da sociedade como totalidade em movimento, na formação dos professores.In this research, we seek to know and understand how Environmental Education pervaded the training of licensees in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG formed between the years 2007 and 2012. This temporal boundary is the last modification to the course curriculum, which is valid until the time of writing this dissertation report. For this we use as theoretical basis Dialectical Materialism, Historical Materialism and sometimes Political Economy, these being the reference of the Marxist theory of analysis of material social phenomena. Information analysis was performed with the theoretical contribution of Laurence Bardin, The Content Analysis, especially regarding the organization of information for conducting the analysis. We list three objectives for the development of research, they were: (1) Understanding the contradictions developed in the course imposing obstacles to the presence of Environmental Education in the training of teachers surveyed, (2) Describe the existing contradictions in the course curriculum that hinder the knowledge of biological sciences serve as the foundation for the understanding of Environmental Education, (3) understanding the impasse between the pedagogical course proposal and knowledge as organized curriculum for the training of licensees in Biological Sciences. The results obtained from the survey information point to the lack of Environmental Education in the training of teachers studied, but that they have developed through extracurricular experiences, their understanding of Environmental Education. Even as a search result, we can state that there is a connection between the disciplines of biological sciences and disciplines of the common core of undergraduate education, this is one aspect that prevents knowledge of biology serve as a contribution to understanding of Environmental Education during training these teachers. As another important result, the undergraduate program in Biological Sciences in many ways provides a broad and thorough training to the professional biologist, with the constitution of the teacher left in the background. We conclude from this study, it is not possible to form a teacher agent of social transformation, as required in the course project, if the University as a whole and more specifically the management of the course Biological Sciences does not take into account that Environmental Education is a matter of life and is thus necessary that this study is on the study of the environment and society as a whole moving in teacher training

Educação ambiental como complexo orientador da práxis humana: uma análise a partir de György Lukács.

A presente tese de doutoramento defende que a Educação Ambiental produz conhecimentos necessários à orientação de alternativas nos processos de pores socioteleológicos. Embasa-se, para tal, em conceitos lukacsianos de que os conhecimentos são produzidos pela humanidade a partir de processos que ele nomeia como espelhamentos da realidade. Como questão orientadora da pesquisa, desenvolveu-se a seguinte pergunta: Que tipo de produção de conhecimento é necessária à Educação Ambiental para que se desenvolva na direção de orientar alternativas nos processos de pores socioteleológicos? O caminho percorrido para sustentação da tese deu-se por meio de quatro objetivos: i- Conhecer os tipos de espelhamento a partir do seu viés ontológico; ii- Acessar os conhecimentos desenvolvidos no âmbito da Educação Ambiental; iii- Identificar, na reprodução social, como os conhecimentos produzidos pela Educação Ambiental apresentam potencialidade para orientar alternativas; iv- Partindo da compreensão da atuação da Educação Ambiental no processo de reprodução da sociedade, identificar os tipos e as características de uma produção de conhecimento que oriente, da melhor forma possível, as alternativas na práxis humana. No desenvolvimento da pesquisa, tomou-se, como postura metodológica, a ontologia materialista, desenvolvendo-se uma análise de cunho bibliográfico. Como resultado, foi possível destacar que a Educação Ambiental desenvolve-se pelo tripé Reprodução Social - Educação Ambiental - Vida cotidiana; o que equivale afirmar que a Educação Ambiental, pela sua própria ontologia, exige uma produção de conhecimento entremeada por todos os tipos de espelhamentos, como forma de reconectar-se à vida cotidiana e, como consequência, melhor orientar alternativas nos pores socioteleológicos. Foi possível identificar ainda que a Educação Ambiental, como um complexo da reprodução social, produz conhecimentos que orientam o agir humano e está determinada a desenvolver-se em paralaxe, ou seja, para que a Educação Ambiental desenvolva conhecimentos que orientem a práxis humana de forma fecunda, é necessário que se realize a partir do lugar socio-histórico dos indivíduos e retorne a eles, com conteúdo e forma para colaborar na resolução/superação dos problemas que atravessam a vida cotidiana de qualquer coletividade.This doctoral thesis argues that Environmental Education produces necessary knowledge to guide alternatives in the processes of socio-teleological pores. It is based on Lukacsian concepts which the knowledge is produced by humanity from the processes that are called as mirroring of reality. As a research guiding question, the following one was developed: What kind of knowledge production is necessary to Environmental Education develops itself in the direction of orienting alternatives in the processes of socio-teleological pores? The path taken to support the thesis was achieved in four goals: i- Knowing the kinds of reflection from its ontological bias; ii- Accessing the knowledge developed in the scope of Environmental Education; iii- Identifying, in social reproduction, how the knowledge produced by Environmental Education has the potential to guide alternatives; iv) Starting from the understanding of the performance of Environmental Education in the process of reproduction of society to identify, the types and characteristics of a production of knowledge that guide, in the best possible way, the alternatives in human praxis. In the development of the research, the materialist ontology was taken as a methodological approach, and a bibliographic analysis was developed. As a result, it was possible to emphasize that Environmental Education is developed by the tripod: Social Reproduction - Environmental Education - Daily life; which is equivalent to affirm that Environmental Education, by its own ontology, requires a production of knowledge interspersed by all kinds of mirroring, as a way of reconnecting to everyday life and, consequently, orientate to better alternatives in socio-teleological pores. It was also possible to identify that Environmental Education as a complex of social reproduction produces knowledge that guides human action and is determined to develop in parallax. In the other words, for Environmental Education to develop knowledge that guides human praxis in a fertile way, it is necessary to develop from the sociohistorical place of individuals and return to them, with content and form to collaborate in solving/overcoming problems that cross the daily life of any collectivity.La presente tesis de doctorado defiende que la Educación Ambiental produce conocimientos necesarios para la orientación de alternativas en los procesos de pores socioteleológicos. Se basa, para ello, en conceptos lukácsianos de que los conocimientos son producidos por la humanidad a partir de procesos que nombra como reflejos de la realidad. Como cuestión orientadora de la investigación, se desarrolló la siguiente pregunta: ¿Qué tipo de producción de conocimiento le es necesario a la Educación Ambiental para que se desarrolle en la dirección de orientar alternativas en los procesos de pores socioteleológicos? El camino recorrido para sustento de la tesis se dio por medio de cuatro objetivos: i- Conocer los tipos de reflejo a partir de su sesgo ontológico; * Acceder a los conocimientos desarrollados en el ámbito de la Educación Ambiental; ii) Identificar, en la reproducción social, como los conocimientos producidos por la Educación Ambiental presentan potencialidad para orientar alternativas; iv) Partiendo de la comprensión de la actuación de la Educación Ambiental en el proceso de reproducción de la sociedad, identificar los tipos y características de una producción de conocimiento que oriente, de la mejor forma posible, las alternativas en la praxis humana. En el desarrollo de la investigación se tomó como postura metodológica la ontología materialista, desarrollándose un análisis de cuño bibliográfico. Como resultado fue posible destacar que la Educación Ambiental se desarrolla por el trípode Reproducción Social - Educación Ambiental - Vida cotidiana; lo que equivale a afirmar que la Educación Ambiental, por su propia ontología, exige una producción de conocimiento entremezclada por todos los tipos de reflejos, como forma de reconectarse a la vida cotidiana y, por consiguiente, un mejor orientar de alternativas en los pores socioteleológicos. Fue posible identificar, además, que la Educación Ambiental como un complejo de la reproducción social, produce conocimientos que orientan el actuar humano y está determinada a desarrollarse en paralaje. Es decir, para que la Educación Ambiental desarrolle conocimientos que orienten la praxis humana de forma fecunda, es necesario que se desarrolle a partir del lugar socio-histórico de los individuos y regrese a ellos, con contenido y forma para colaborar en la resolución / superación de los problemas que atraviesan la vida cotidiana de cualquier colectividad

Kognitive Funktionen nach selektiver Amygdalohippocampektomie bei therapierefraktärer Temporallappenepilepsie und methodische Herausforderungen in der neuropsychologischen Diagnostik

Die vorliegende kumulative Dissertation befasst sich mit den Auswirkungen epilepsiechirurgischer Eingriffe bei Temporallappenepilepsien auf kognitive Funktionen. Die erste Arbeit (Vogt et al., 2014) untersucht die Auswirkungen der selektiven Amygdalohippocampektomie bei Patienten mit der seltenen Diagnose einer bilateralen Hippocampussklerose. Diese Patienten stellen eine Risikogruppe dar, da hier sowohl geringere Chancen auf Anfallsfreiheit als auch eine hohe Wahrscheinlichkeit für schwere postoperative Gedächtnisdefizite bestehen. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass eine operative Therapie bezüglich der Anfallsfreiheit erfolgreich ist, jedoch ein hohes Risiko für postoperative Gedächtniseinbußen besteht. In der zweiten Arbeit (Vogt et al., 2018) werden verschiedene Techniken der selektiven Temporallappenresektion beleuchtet. Patienten mit unilateraler Hippocampussklerose wurden randomisiert mittels eines transsylvischen vs. subtemporalen Zuganges operiert. Bei vergleichbarem Erfolg hinsichtlich der postoperativen Anfallsfreiheit war der subtemporale Zugang mit höheren Verlusten im Verbalgedächtnis und der semantischen Wortflüssigkeit assoziiert. Die Arbeiten werden diskutiert vor dem Hintergrund einer diskrepanten Studienlage, mitbedingt durch eine heterogene Methodologie und die Verwendung nicht sensitiver Testverfahren. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden Ergebnisse einer Studie vorgestellt (Vogt et al., 2017), in der die Pluralität der neuropsychologischen Testverfahren beschrieben wird, die europaweit verwendet werden. Diese Arbeit entstammt einem von der Europäischen Kommission geförderten Projektes, bei dem mittels einer Umfrage 25 Referenzzentren für epilepsiechirurgische Diagnostik befragt wurden. Kernergebnis dieser Arbeit ist die Feststellung, dass bei einer hohen Heterogenität verwendeter Testverfahren in den seltensten Fällen die Auswahl der Tests mit Evidenzen aus der Literatur hinsichtlich ihrer Eignung für die prächirurgische Epilepsiediagnostik belegt werden können

The other side of surveillance: Monitoring, application, and integration of tuberculosis data to guide and evaluate programme activities in South Africa

Background. The importance of using surveillance data to monitor and evaluate programme activities has been emphasised in international policies for tuberculosis (TB) control.Objectives. A survey was conducted to assess the use of TB surveillance data to monitor and guide TB programme activities in South Africa (SA).Methods. As part of an evaluation of the SA national TB surveillance system, semi-structured interviews were conducted among TB staff at health facilities and offices in three provinces. At each site, all persons involved with TB care, management and surveillance were invited to participate.Results. At least one person (range 1 - 4) was interviewed at 47/54 health facilities (87.0%), 11/13 subdistrict and district TB offices (84.6%), 2/3 provincial TB offices (66.7%), and at the national level (1/1, 100.0%). Of 119 TB staff, 64.7% recognised the purpose of TB surveillance as guiding programme planning, implementation and evaluation. However, only 16.0% reported using data to measure disease burden, 8.4% to monitor trends, and 9.2% to inform resource allocation. The majority reported using TB management tools provided by the national programme, but 44.5% also described using additional tools. Personnel mentioned the need for dedicated surveillance staff, training on recording and reporting, improved computer access, and methods to apply information from surveillance data to the programme.Conclusions. The majority of TB staff understood the purpose of surveillance but did not routinely use data to guide programme planning, implementation and evaluation. Training and supporting TB staff to utilise surveillance data will help improve the TB surveillance system

The Usefulness of Intraoperative Cerebral C-Arm CT Angiogram for Implantation of Intracranial Depth Electrodes in Stereotactic Electroencephalography Procedure

Background: Stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG) is an invasive diagnostic tool for localizing the epileptic zone in patients with medically refractory focal epilepsy. Despite technical and imaging advances in guiding the electrode placement, vascular injury is still one of its most serious complications. Object: To investigate the usefulness of intraoperative cerebral C-arm CT angiogram (CCTA) in avoiding intracranial hemorrhagic complications during SEEG electrode implantation. Methods: Trajectory data from 12 patients who underwent SEEG electrode implantation were studied in detail. This included an analysis of the implantation of 146 SEEG electrodes, which were guided by intraoperative CCTA, as well as the standard planning based on preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI. In addition, a prospective analysis of SEEG hemorrhagic complications using the studied methodology was performed in a total of 87 patients receiving 1,310 electrodes. Results: There was no complication related to the CCTA itself. Intraoperative CCTA entailed modification of the original trajectory based on the preoperative MRI in 27 of 146 electrode implantations (18.5%). In 10 of them, a severe vascular complication was adverted by intraoperative CCTA. The safety of this new approach was also confirmed by the analysis of postinterventional CT, which revealed a symptomatic hematoma caused by 1 single electrode out of the 1,310 implanted. Conclusions: This study showed that intraoperative CCTA in addition to preoperative MRI is useful in guiding a safer SEEG electrode implantation. The combination of both imaging modalities essentially minimizes the risk of serious hemorrhagic complications