The Covid-19 pandemic has the entire world in agony, and Brazil is one of the countries being hit the hardest. This article analyzes a pandemic-related decision made by the Brazilian Ministry of Health in August 2020, when it rejected Pfizer’s proposal to acquire 70 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The question we ask is this: of the Brazilians aged 80 or older who died of Covid-19 in Brazil in March 2021, how many would still be alive if the Ministry of Health had acquired the 70 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in August 2020?

O mundo sofre com a pandemia da Covid-19. O Brasil é um dos países cuja população está sendo mais fortemente atingida. Este Artigo analisa uma decisão tomada pelo Ministério da Saúde do Brasil durante a pandemia da Covid-19, que, em agosto de 2020, recusou a proposta da farmacêutica Pfizer para aquisição de 70 milhões de doses da vacina Pfizer/BioNTech. Questiona-se: entre as pessoas com 80 anos ou mais de idade que faleceram de Covid-19 no Brasil, no mês de março de 2021, quantas delas poderiam estar vivas, caso o Ministério da Saúde do Brasil tivesse adquirido, em agosto de 2020, as 70 milhões de doses da vacina Pfizer/BioNTech?

Resumo Este artigo é uma pesquisa que visa a demonstrar a relevância do debate epistemológico para compreender as bases teóricas, vertentes e tipos de metodologia de análise que balizam o campo das políticas públicas, com base em revisão de literatura de autores clássicos como Putnam, Arretche, Farah, Secchi e Howlett. O estudo demonstra que a distinção entre fato e valor é importante para compreender a diferença entre a análise teórico-descritiva e a análise aplicada-prescritiva de políticas públicas, assim como a polêmica entre as vertentes positivistas e pós-positivistas que marcou a virada argumentativa a partir de 1990. Conclui-se que a compreensão das questões epistemológicas é de grande relevância para fundamentar metodologias de análise.

Abstract This article aims to demonstrate the relevance of the epistemological debate to understand the theoretical bases, the strands and the types of analysis methodology that target the field of public policies. This is a theoretical-explanatory research, based on a literature review of classical authors, such as Putnam, Arretche, Farah, Secchi and Howlett. The study demonstrates that the epistemological distinction between fact and value is an important key to understand on the one hand, the difference between the theoretical-descriptive analysis and the applied-prescriptive analysis of public policies, and on the other, the controversy between the positivist and post positivist strands, which marked the argumentative turn starting in 1990. It was concluded that the understanding of the epistemological issues is of great relevance to the rationale behind the analysis methodologies.

Resumen Este artículo es una investigación que tiene como objetivo demostrar la relevancia del debate epistemológico para comprender las bases teóricas, las vertientes y tipos de metodología de análisis que guían el campo de las Políticas Públicas, basándose para ello en la revisión de la literatura de autores clásicos, como Putnam, Arretche, Farah, Secchi y Howlett. Se demuestra que la distinción entre hecho y valor es importante para comprender la diferencia entre el análisis teórico-descriptivo y el análisis aplicado-prescriptivo de políticas públicas. Del mismo modo es significativa la controversia entre las vertientes positivistas y pospositivistas que marcó un punto de inflexión a partir de 1990. Se concluye que la comprensión de las cuestiones epistemológicas es de gran relevancia para fundamentar las metodologías de análisis.

Résumé L’objectif de cet article est de demontrer l’importance du débat épistémologique pour comprendre quelles sont les bases théoriques, les différents courants et les types de méthodologie d’analyse qui servent de répère au domaine des politiques publiques. Après avoir passé en revue les travaux classiques sur le sujet des auteurs tels que Putnam, Arretche, Farah, Secchi et Howlett, ce travail démontre que la distinction entre fait et valeur est importante pour comprendre non seulement la différence entre l’analyse théorique descriptive et l’analyse appliquée prescriptive des politiques publiques, mais aussi la controverse entre les courants positivistes et post-positivistes à l’origine du tournant argumentatif initié en 1990. La conclusion montre que la compréhension des questions épistémologiques est d’une grande pertinence pour étayer les méthodologies d’analyse.

Notas para uma tradução do poeta romeno George Bacóvia. A palavra e o silêncio. O regime das cores e seus intervalos. A polifonia da leitura. A dissolução da orquestra simbolista e os desafios da tradução.

Notes for a translation of the Romanian poet George Bacóvia. The word and the silence. The array of colors and their intervals. The polyphony of reading. The dissolution of the symbolist orchestra and the challenges of translation.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment on oxidative stress parameters and the quality of life of elderly patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. METHODS: In total, 30 obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients and 27 subjects without obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were included in this study. Both groups underwent quality of life and oxidative stress evaluations at baseline and after six months. Polysomnography was performed in both groups at baseline and a second time in the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome group after six months of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment. All of the variables were compared between the control and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome groups in this prospective case-control study. RESULTS: The baseline concentrations of the antioxidant enzyme catalase were higher in the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome group than the control group. After Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome group exhibited a reduction in the level of oxidative stress, as indicated by a decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation measured by the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration [pre: 2.7 nmol malondialdehyde/mL (95% 1.6-3.7) vs. post: 1.3 nmol MDA/mL (0.7-1.9), p<0.01]. Additionally, improvements were observed in two domains covered by the SF-36 questionnaire: functional capacity [pre: 77.4 (69.2-85.5) vs. post: 83.4 (76.9-89.9), p = 0.002] and pain [pre: 65.4 (52.8-78.1) vs. post: 77.8 (67.2-88.3), p = 0.004]. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure to treat obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in elderly patients reduced oxidative stress and improved the quality of life.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a frequência de hipervascularização pela visualização de vasos no interior ou ao redor de metástases ósseas de carcinoma de células renais. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados, retrospectivamente, exames de ressonância magnética de 13 pacientes com diagnóstico de carcinoma de células renais, com 15 lesões ósseas metastáticas, que não haviam sido submetidos a nenhum tratamento. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados sinais de hipervascularização em 12 das 15 lesões (80%), sendo 6 na coluna lombar, 3 na bacia, 1 na coluna torácica, 1 na ulna e 1 na tíbia. CONCLUSÃO: A alta frequência de hipervascularização em metástases ósseas de carcinoma de células renais encontrada neste trabalho pode sugerir a etiologia renal, tornando-se muito útil na apresentação clínica usual de lesão óssea única com neoplasia primária desconhecida.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of hypervascularization by visualizing vascular structures inside or around bone metastases from renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging studies of 13 untreated patients with diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma and 15 metastatic bone lesions were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: Signs of hypervascularization were found in 12 of the 15 bone lesions (80%), 6 of them localized in the lumbar spine, 3 in the hip, 3 in the thoracic spine, 1 in the ulna and 1 in the tibia. CONCLUSION: The high frequency of hypervascularization of bone metastases from renal cell carcinoma found in the present study may suggest that the renal etiology is a useful parameter in the evaluation of a usual clinical presentation of a single bone lesion with unknown primary neoplasm.

OBJETIVO: As fístulas vesicovaginais e ureterovaginais são complicações incomuns, secundárias a doenças ou a cirurgias pélvicas. O sucesso terapêutico dessas fístulas depende de adequada avaliação pré-operatória para o diagnóstico e visualização do seu trajeto. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de demonstrar o potencial da urorressonância no diagnóstico das fístulas urogenitais e na visualização dos seus trajetos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram analisados, retrospectivamente, os prontuários médicos e as imagens radiológicas e de urorressonância magnética de sete pacientes do sexo feminino com diagnóstico de fístula urogenital. Para a urorressonância foram realizadas seqüências 3D-HASTE com saturação de gordura. RESULTADOS: Seis pacientes apresentavam fístula vesicovaginal e uma paciente tinha diagnóstico de fístula ureterovaginal à direita. Com a utilização da urorressonância magnética, foi possível demonstrar o trajeto da fístula em seis das sete pacientes (85,7%), sem a necessidade de cateterização vesical ou da injeção de contraste. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo demonstra o potencial e a aplicabilidade da urorressonância na avaliação dessas fístulas.

OBJECTIVE: Vesicovaginal and ureterovaginal fistulas are unusual complications secondary to pelvic surgery or pelvic diseases. The therapeutic success in these cases depends on an appropriate preoperative evaluation for diagnosis and visualization of the fistulous tract. The present study is aimed at demonstrating the potential of magnetic resonance urography for the diagnosis of vesicovaginal and ureterovaginal fistulas as well as for defining the fistulous tracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven female patients clinically diagnosed with vesicovaginal or ureterovaginal fistulas had their medical records, radiological and magnetic resonance images retrospectively reviewed. Magnetic resonance urography included 3D-HASTE sequences with fat saturation. RESULTS: Six patients presented vesicovaginal fistulas and, in one patient, a right-sided ureterovaginal fistula was diagnosed. Magnetic resonance urography allowed the demonstration of the fistulous tract in six (85.7%) of the seven patients evaluated in the present study, without the need of bladder catheterization or contrast injection. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates both the potential and applicability of magnetic resonance urography in the evaluation of these types of fistulas.

Este trabajo constituye un ensayo cuyos objetivos son, en primer lugar, presentar el marco teórico y metodológico de una investigación en proceso de elaboración sobre los métodos de enseñanza en la universidad, en general, y aquellos seguidos en los cursos de educación, en particular y, en segundo lugar, presentar de forma pormenorizada, las características y un breve balance de una experiencia de trabaj o inspirada por el marco teórico sugerido. La experiencia hace parte de un proyecto de investigación de largo alcance, y busca ser una reflexión sobre las posibilidades didácticas y pedagógicas de una metodologia de trabajo docente (en el interior del salón de clase) inspirada en una visión interdisciplinar y transdisciplinar, aplicada por la autora en un curso de un semestre dirigido a estudiantes de postgrado. Este ensayo discute el papel de la universidad y los desafíos abiertos para la producción de conocimiento científico en el presente contexto de transformación y cambio en los paradigmas y revisa los conceptos de interdisciplinariedad y transdisciplinariedad, y sus posibilidades para el quehacer científico, explicitando la forma como estos orientaron las prácticas docentes llevadas a cabo en esta investigación. Se presentan algunas impresiones emitidas por los alumnos participantes de esta experiencia con el objetivo de apuntar la dirección probable que puede ser alcanzada con esta propuesta de trabajo

This paper is an essay aimed to firstly present the theoretical and methodological framework of a research at the elaboration process about university teaching methods in general, and those followed in education courses in particular; and secondly, to present in detail the characteristics and a brief balance of a work experience inspired by the suggested theoretical framework. The experience is part of a broad scope research project and pretends to be a reflection about the didactic and pedagogical possibilities of a teaching work methodology (inside the classroom) inspired by a transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary vision applied by the author in a semester course addressed to postgraduate students. This essay discusses the role of university and the open challenges to produce scientific knowledge in the present context of transformation and changing of paradigms; and it reviews the insterdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity concepts and its possibilities for the scientific tasks, explaining the way how they oriented teaching practices performed in this research. Some impressions stated by participating students are presented aimed to give a probable direction that could be reached with this work proposal