Avaliação eletromiográfica de músculos inspiratórios em hemiparéticos / Eliete Moreira Colaço

The objective was measured by surface electromyography (EMGs), the activity of inspiratory muscles during incremental test in subjects with hemiparesis and show its correlation with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Were included in the study 32 individuals hemiparetics and 14 healthy as control group. We performed an evaluation of lung function and anthropometric data. The EMGs were performed during the incremental test with Threshold ® (15, 30, 45 and 60% of MIP) and during maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). The electromyographic findings were calculated by the signal amplitude (RMS). All data were initially analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov, the anthropometric characteristics of both groups were tested with the Levene and then intra-subject analysis (hemiparetic hemithorax and healthy hemithorax) and inter-group analysis (experimental group and control group) by paired and non-paired Student t tests and Pearson correlation. In intra-subject comparison was observed less activation (p <0.01) of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, scalene and diaphragm paretic side in both sexes - for the Threshold ® incremental test (15, 30, 45 and 60% of the MIP) and during maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). In inter-group comparison, there was reduced activity in the diaphragm and the scalene, in hemiparetics males and females, respectivelly, during the same test. Our results demonstrate the existence of reduced electromyographic activity of inspiratory muscles in hemiparetics, including changes between different genders and suggests the need of further studies to assess the effects of specific training of inspiratory muscles.

Modelos de sobrevivência com fração de cura e erro de medida nas covariáveis

In this work, we study the survival cure rate model proposed by Yakovlev et al. (1993), based on a competing risks structure concurring to cause the event of interest, and the approach proposed by Chen et al. (1999), where covariates are introduced to model the risk amount. We focus the measurement error covariates topics, considering the use of corrected score method in order to obtain consistent estimators. A simulation study is done to evaluate the behavior of the estimators obtained by this method for finite samples. The simulation aims to identify not only the impact on the regression coefficients of the covariates measured with error (Mizoi et al. 2007) but also on the coefficients of covariates measured without error. We also verify the adequacy of the piecewise exponential distribution to the cure rate model with measurement error. At the end, model applications involving real data are made

Modelos de sobrevivência com fração de cura e omissão nas covariáveis

In this work we study the survival cure rate model proposed by Yakovlev (1993) that are considered in a competing risk setting. Covariates are introduced for modeling the cure rate and we allow some covariates to have missing values. We consider only the cases by which the missing covariates are categorical and implement the EM algorithm via the method of weights for maximum likelihood estimation. We present a Monte Carlo simulation experiment to compare the properties of the estimators based on this method with those estimators under the complete case scenario. We also evaluate, in this experiment, the impact in the parameter estimates when we increase the proportion of immune and censored individuals among the not immune one. We demonstrate the proposed methodology with a real data set involving the time until the graduation for the undergraduate course of Statistics of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Estimação em modelos de tempo de falha acelerado para dados de sobrevivência correlacionados

We presented in this work two methods of estimation for accelerated failure time models with random e_ects to process grouped survival data. The _rst method, which is implemented in software SAS, by NLMIXED procedure, uses an adapted Gauss-Hermite quadrature to determine marginalized likelihood. The second method, implemented in the free software R, is based on the method of penalized likelihood to estimate the parameters of the model. In the _rst case we describe the main theoretical aspects and, in the second, we briey presented the approach adopted with a simulation study to investigate the performance of the method. We realized implement the models using actual data on the time of operation of oil wells from the Potiguar Basin (RN / CE).

Sinalização cromática da condição reprodutiva de fêmeas de segui comum (Callithrix jacchus)

As social animals, primates use different sensory modalities (acoustic, chemical, tactile and visual) to convey information about social and sexual status to conspecifics. Among these modalities, visual signals are widely used, especially color signals, since primates are the mammalian group that displays the greatest variety of colors in their skin and fur. Studies with Old World primate species suggest that hormonal variations are related to variations in the colors of individual faces and genitals. Therefore, chromatic cues can be used by conspecifics to identify the reproductive condition of an individual. To date, studies with the same approach are unknown for New World species. However, behavioral and physiological studies suggest that different New World primate species seem to perceive reproductive conditions such as the timing of female conception and gestation. Thus, in this study, our aim was to: i) identify whether there are chromatic cues on the skin of female common marmosets, (Callithrix jacchus) that indicate their reproductive condition; ii) define whether this chromatic variation can be perceived by all visual phenotypes known in this species; iii) identify if these chromatic cues can be perceived under different light intensity levels (dim, intermediate and high). For this, we selected 13 female common marmosets in four distinct reproductive conditions: pregnant female preceding parturition, postpartum mothers, noncycling and cycling females. The coloration of the skin in genital and thigh areas in females was measured using a spectrophotometer. Using mathematical models of visual perception, we calculated the values of quantum catch for each photoreceptor type known in this species, the visual opponency channels and color contrast between those body spots. Our results indicate the occurance of chromatic variations in the genital area during the weeks that precede and follow parturition, forming a U-pattern of variation perceptible to males and females in natural conditions of low and high luminosity. Furthermore, we observed distinct color patterns in the genital skin of pregnant and cycling females that indicate their reproductive conditions. Finally, we present evidence of color contrast in noncycling females that is higher than that of pregnant ones. This study suggests that there is a chromatic xii variation in the genital skin of females that can be perceived by conspecifics and that may be related to hormonal changes typical of pregnancy and the ovarian cycle

Desenvolvimento formal de aplicações para smartcards

Smart card applications represent a growing market. Usually this kind of application manipulate and store critical information that requires some level of security, such as financial or confidential information. The quality and trustworthiness of smart card software can be improved through a rigorous development process that embraces formal techniques of software engineering. In this work we propose the BSmart method, a specialization of the B formal method dedicated to the development of smart card Java Card applications. The method describes how a Java Card application can be generated from a B refinement process of its formal abstract specification. The development is supported by a set of tools, which automates the generation of some required refinements and the translation to Java Card client (host) and server (applet) applications. With respect to verification, the method development process was formalized and verified in the B method, using the Atelier B tool [Cle12a]. We emphasize that the Java Card application is translated from the last stage of refinement, named implementation. This translation process was specified in ASF+SDF [BKV08], describing the grammar of both languages (SDF) and the code transformations through rewrite rules (ASF). This specification was an important support during the translator development and contributes to the tool documentation. We also emphasize the KitSmart library [Dut06, San12], an essential component of BSmart, containing models of all 93 classes/interfaces of Java Card API 2:2:2, of Java/Java Card data types and machines that can be useful for the specifier, but are not part of the standard Java Card library. In other to validate the method, its tool support and the KitSmart, we developed an electronic passport application following the BSmart method. We believe that the results reached in this work contribute to Java Card development, allowing the generation of complete (client and server components), and less subject to errors, Java Card applications.

Estendendo CRefine para o suporte de táticas de refinamento

The use of increasingly complex software applications is demanding greater investment in the development of such systems to ensure applications with better quality. Therefore, new techniques are being used in Software Engineering, thus making the development process more effective. Among these new approaches, we highlight Formal Methods, which use formal languages that are strongly based on mathematics and have a well-defined semantics and syntax. One of these languages is Circus, which can be used to model concurrent systems. It was developed from the union of concepts from two other specification languages: Z, which specifies systems with complex data, and CSP, which is normally used to model concurrent systems. Circus has an associated refinement calculus, which can be used to develop software in a precise and stepwise fashion. Each step is justified by the application of a refinement law (possibly with the discharge of proof obligations). Sometimes, the same laws can be applied in the same manner in different developments or even in different parts of a single development. A strategy to optimize this calculus is to formalise these application as a refinement tactic, which can then be used as a single transformation rule. CRefine was developed to support the Circus refinement calculus. However, before the work presented here, it did not provide support for refinement tactics. The aim of this work is to provide tool support for refinement tactics. For that, we develop a new module in CRefine, which automates the process of defining and applying refinement tactics that are formalised in the tactic language ArcAngelC. Finally, we validate the extension by applying the new module in a case study, which used the refinement tactics in a refinement strategy for verification of SPARK Ada implementations of control systems. In this work, we apply our module in the first two phases of this strategy

Testes em modelos weibull na forma estendida de Marshall-Olkin

In survival analysis, the response is usually the time until the occurrence of an event of interest, called failure time. The main characteristic of survival data is the presence of censoring which is a partial observation of response. Associated with this information, some models occupy an important position by properly fit several practical situations, among which we can mention the Weibull model. Marshall-Olkin extended form distributions other a basic generalization that enables greater exibility in adjusting lifetime data. This paper presents a simulation study that compares the gradient test and the likelihood ratio test using the Marshall-Olkin extended form Weibull distribution. As a result, there is only a small advantage for the likelihood ratio test

Monitoramento da qualidade das ásguas de chuvas conforme a atuação dos sistemas sinóticos na cidade de Natal/RN

Acid rain is a major assault on the environment, a consequence of burning fossil fuels and industrial pollutants the basis of sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere. The objective of this research was to monitor and analyze changes in water quality of rain in the city of Natal, seeking to investigate the influence of quality on a local, regional and global, in addition to possible effects of this quality in the local landscape. Data collection was performed from December 2005 to December 2007. We used techniques of nefanálise in identifying systems sinóticos, field research in the search for possible effects of acid rain on the landscape, and collect and analyze data of precipitation and its degree of acidity. Used descriptive statistics (standard deviation and coefficient of variation) used to monitor the behavior of chemical precipitation, and monitoring of errors in measurements of pH, level of confidence, Normalized distribution of Gauss, confidence intervals, analysis of variance ANOVA were also used. Main results presented as a variation of pH between 5,021 and 6,836, with an average standard deviation of 5,958 and 0,402, showing that the average may represent the sample. Thus, we can infer that, according to the CONAMA Resolution 357 (the index for fresh water acidity should be between 6.0 and 9.0), the precipitation of Natal / RN is slightly acidic. It appears that the intertropical convergence zone figures showed the most acidic among the systems analyzed sinóticos, taking its average value of pH of 5,617, which means an acid value now, with a standard deviation of 0,235 and the coefficient of variation of 4,183% which shows that the average may represent the sample. Already in field research and found several places that suffer strongly the action of acid rain. However, the results are original and need further investigation, including the use of new methodologies

Características físico-químicas, sensoriais e perfil de ácidos graxos do leite de cabras saanen alimentadas com cactáceas

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of the supply of five types of native and exotic cacti Brazilian semiarid northeast on the sensory characteristics of milk of Saanen goats. Five multiparous goats were used with nine weeks of lactation, average live weight of 50 kg ± 4 kg., confined and distributed in a Latin square design 5 x 5 with five experimental diets and five periods. Each period lasted 17 days, with 10 days of adaptation to the diets of the animals and seven days for the data collection. The treatments were defined based on dry matter consisted of: 47.33 to 50.12% of a cactus (“Xiquexique”, “Mandacaru”, “Facheiro” or two species of forage cactus “Miúda” or “Orelha de Elefante Mexicana”) more 18.78 to 19.79% hay of plant “Sabiá” and 31.10 to 32.89% of concentrate. There was not effect of the experimental diets in the physical and chemical composition of milk for fat, total solids and salts, which showed mean values of 3.24%; 11.30% and 0.66%, respectively. However the protein, lactose, nonfat dry extract and freezing point were affected by diets. In the profile of fatty acids was higher concentration of fatty short and medium chain fatty acids, however, there were not changes between treatments, except for the butyric acid (C4:0), with mean values of 4.24% (“Orelha de Elefante Mexicana”) to 6.05% (“Facheiro”). The diets also did not provide sensory changes in milk for the parameters: odor, flavor, aftertaste and overall assessment. The use of the five cactus in the diet of dairy goats do not influence the sensory characteristics and lipid profile of milk. The physical and chemical composition of milk was showed within the minimum requirements of current legislation, except for nonfat dry extract and freezing point.

O paradoxo da superdifusão de uma caminhada aleatória com memória exponencial

The random walk models with temporal correlation (i.e. memory) are of interest in the study of anomalous diffusion phenomena. The random walk and its generalizations are of prominent place in the characterization of various physical, chemical and biological phenomena. The temporal correlation is an essential feature in anomalous diffusion models. These temporal long-range correlation models can be called non-Markovian models, otherwise, the short-range time correlation counterparts are Markovian ones. Within this context, we reviewed the existing models with temporal correlation, i.e. entire memory, the elephant walk model, or partial memory, alzheimer walk model and walk model with a gaussian memory with profile. It is noticed that these models shows superdiffusion with a Hurst exponent H > 1/2. We study in this work a superdiffusive random walk model with exponentially decaying memory. This seems to be a self-contradictory statement, since it is well known that random walks with exponentially decaying temporal correlations can be approximated arbitrarily well by Markov processes and that central limit theorems prohibit superdiffusion for Markovian walks with finite variance of step sizes. The solution to the apparent paradox is that the model is genuinely non-Markovian, due to a time-dependent decay constant associated with the exponential behavior. In the end, we discuss ideas for future investigations.

Residência multiprofissional, desafios e compromissos na reorientação da formação para o SUS: um estudo na atenção primária

The Health Multiprofessional Residency Program of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (PRMS/UFRN) adopts as guiding keystones the learning process of in-service teaching, the interdisciplinary multiprofessional work and the compliance with the principles and guidelines of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Although PRMS/UFRN have been idealized with a focus on hospital care, the training process in the insertion of residents in the Primary Health Care (PHC) has an important role because they need to experience all levels of care, taking into account that the educational process through work proposed by the Residence is based on the comprehensiveness of health care. In light of the foregoing, the present research has sought to elucidate the insertion of these residents in PHC services, through a qualitative approach of case study, where data collection was held in two different moments: firstly, a questionnaire was accomplished, through an semi-structured script, with the residents of PRMS/UFRN, Natal Campus; subsequently, the focus group technique was accomplished with a group of nine residents, and data were analyzed from the categorical thematic content analysis. From the process of empirical categorization, categories and subcategories were raised, among which, the positive aspects and potentialities of insertion of residents in PHC. We detected the articulation of actions for promoting, preventing and recovering health; training in comprehensiveness of health care, multiprofessional activities and activities aimed at doing the integration among teaching-service-community. Regarding the difficulties found in this experience, we dealt with the organization and planning of rotation activities, the preceptorship, the process of work found in the Basic Health Units (BHU), in addition to factors external to educational practice, such as the issue of safety within these communities. Accordingly, with this situational diagnosis, we became able to realize that residents have identified the importance of this rotation for their vocational training, since these are inserted in post-graduate programs in hospital care. As an immediate product of this study, we will present a report that will provide a space for discussion and assessment of this rotation by the coordination bodies of PRMS/UFRN, in order to seek organizational and pedagogical adaptations, besides the proposition of qualification courses for the actors involved with this process, aiming the implementation of improvements in the rotation of PHC toward the qualified training of professionals for SUS.

Resumo de dissertações e teses: a estrutura composicional à luz da Análise Textual dos Discursos

This doctoral dissertationproposes the description, interpretation and analysis of the compositional structure of thesis and dissertation abstracts, with regard to the linguistic mechanisms that evidence text zones of different typological sequences, such as those of the text plan. Along these lines, the research problem was developed from the notion of compositional structure (sequences and text plans), as one of the levels or plans of text analysis, according to the theoretical framework proposed by Jean-Michel Adam (2011a). The main objective of this study was to recognize how the compositional structure, of thesis and dissertation abstracts, is achieved, with respect to text units and the global organization of this text category. The hypothesis posed in this research posits that specific informational text composition categories of abstracts are necessary to process the representation of the original text and the way in which it makes its meaning. Subsequently, this study is based on the theoretical and methodological framework of Text Linguistics (TL) and, above all, Textual Discourse Analysis (TDA), as we endeavor to understand the organizational structure of abstracts from both a linguistic and textual perspective. This structure involves the text plan of abstracts, with respect to their communicative purpose, i.e, the sharing of scientific information in its standard textual form. Thus, the development of this study, from a theoretical and methodological perspective, is based on the theoretical and descriptive premises from TDA (ADAM, 2011a, 2012; PASSEGGI et al., 2010), and also from TL (BEAUGRANDE; DRESSLER, (2012 [1981]); COSERIU; LAMAS (2010); MARCUSCHI, 2009 [1983]; FÁVERO; KOCH, 1994;KOCH, 2006; BENTES, 2004; BENTES; LEITE, 2010), within the field of text studies. The methodology of this study relies on empirical, documental research, which is qualitative, and adopts a descriptive and interpretive approach. From the empirical perspective, our objective is to understand the problems pertaining to the textual composition of abstracts, aiming to elucidate them in light of the theoretical and methodological framework previously mentioned. The corpus of the analysis is comprised of seven abstracts designated for systematic data collection. These texts, written between 2004 and 2011,were selected from Master’s theses and Doctoral dissertations in their electronic version, from the graduate program at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. A thorough review of the literature reveals a clear fluctuation in the terminology of the concept, ‘abstract’. The results of the analysis revealed that the abstracts, which comprise the corpus of analysis in this study, in general, present typological heterogeneity, while the text plan remains fixed. Finally, the new knowledge gained in this research contributes both to the understanding of the compositional structure of abstracts as well as their production.

Geração de padrão de marcha adaptável para uma órtese ativa de membros inferiores

Atualmente com o crescente aumento de dispositivos robóticos destinados para aplicação na área de mobilidade de pessoas que sofreram algum tipo de lesão medular, se faz necessário desenvolver novas ferramentas para tornar tais equipamentos mais adaptáveis, seguros e autônomos. Para que as órteses robóticas que auxiliam na locomoção de pessoas paraplégicas possam desempenhar sua função, estas devem ser capazes de reproduzir os movimentos perdidos com o máximo de fidelidade e segurança em ambientes que eventualmente possam conter obstáculos de diferentes tipos como buracos, escadas e calçadas. As órteses robóticas para membros inferiores têm a capacidade de caminhar, subir e descer degraus, todavia, esses movimentos, na maioria das vezes, não se adaptam ao ambiente, sendo assim, para uma órtese robótica que foi projetada para subir um degrau com uma determinada altura ao se deparar com um degrau maior provavelmente não conseguirá realizar essa tarefa com a mesma segurança. Para solucionar esse e outros problemas, esse trabalho apresenta um Sistema de Auxílio à Locomoção (SAL) dotado de um planejador de passos e um gerador de referências angulares com características antropomórficas para a órtese robótica Ortholeg. O SAL utiliza dados antropométricos do usuário para gerar um padrão de marcha personalizado, dessa forma, a órtese em questão é capaz de adaptar o tamanho do passo para não colidir com obstáculos presentes no ambiente e transpor buracos com diversos tamanhos, subir e descer escadas e calçadas com diferentes valores de altura e comprimento. Para desenvolver o sistema de auxílio à locomoção foram adaptadas técnicas de planejamento de caminho, usadas a princípio em robôs bípedes. São apresentados vários experimentos que mostram a órtese Ortholeg realizando alguns movimentos com características antropomórficas para diferentes distâncias de caminhada e três tipos de obstáculos: degrau, buraco e calçada. A autonomia adquirida com a utilização do sistema de planejamento apresentado facilita a utilização de órteses robóticas como também garante uma maior segurança ao usuário.

"Quem sou eu?": uma (re)construção do sujeito por meio da narrativa autobiográfica - proposta didática com um olhar nas interações em sala de aula

As we are aware, the classroom is emerging as a continuous build learning experiences and environment, however, for students also it functions as a place also to be due to socializing with friends. However, not always these elements complement each other, so as harmoniously as we are aware that there are many difficulties, both in the act of learning as in interpersonal relations between them. From this, we understand that it is for the school to seek ways to contemplate such issues so that they feel inserted both with regard to this learning as well as being able to interact with themselves and with others, in a participatory manner, to live well socially. Thus, we find ourselves facing a similar situation with a 9th grade class where the students had certain limitations to have a good relationship with one another, causing thus problems in learning. On the other hand, this difficulty as affectively interact with each other, also, was increased by the difficulty that some students had to speak for themselves and to show their feelings and emotions, getting even more difficult this interaction at school. Thus, we found ourselves obliged to act immediately and need to bring about change in this picture. So it came out the idea of the application of an intervening action which started taking shapefrom a pedagogical project that we developed in other classes in previous years, this time adapted to the situation experienced by the group. The project, framed in the qualitative research and characterized from the action research approach took shape, and elected as its main objective to seek possible alternatives to develop the communicative competence of students, which is why we invest in exercise oral communication (speaking and listening) in order to promote the use of language, the interpersonal involvement facilitating thus their participation both in the classroom and in social life. To fulfill this goal, we set out to develop a didactic book whose support materialized through the autobiographical narrative (molded in writing production) and worked along a structured instructional sequence in three distinctstages that dialogued with each other. Therefore, we base our study from the socio-historical conception and dialogue proposed by Bakhtin in line with the sociodiscursivo interactionism of Bronckart and resort to other scholars as Dolz and Schneuwly, Marcuschi among others. The development of all stages of the project not only has had an immediate effect on what we proposed ourselves as also yielded us very gratifying moments reinforcing to us that the classroom environment goes far beyond the fact ministering content. And that work with orality, with views on affective interaction of these students resulted in a project, so to speak, exciting.