Validade e reprodutibilidade do Wii Balance Board para avaliação do equilíbrio vertical estático: um novo método de avaliação.

The Wii Balance Board (WBB) began to be investigated as a low-cost alternative for assessing static balance in vertical posture. However, studies employed methodological procedures that did not eliminate result variability between the tests and equipment used. Objective: Determine the validity and reproducibility of the WBB as an instrument for assessing static balance in the vertical position, using simultaneous data analysis and superimposed equipment. Methods: This is an accuracy study of 29 healthy young individuals of both sexes aged 18 to 30 years. Subjects were assessed 24h apart (test-retest), using unipodal and bipodal support tests, with eyes closed and open. To that end the WBB was placed on top of a force platform (FP) and data (postural sway) were collected simultaneously on both devices. Validity and reproducibility were analyzed using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Finally, Bland-Altman analysis was applied to assess agreement. Results: The sample was composed of 23 women and 6 men, with mean age of 24.2±6.3 years, 60.7±6.3 kg and 1.64±4.2 m. The validity of the WBB compared to the FP was excellent for all 4 tasks proposed (ICC = 0.93 0.98). The reproducibility analyzed by test-retest was excellent for the bipodal support tasks (ICC = 0.93-0.98) and only moderate for the unipodal support tests (ICC = 0.46 0.70). Graphic analysis exhibited good agreement between the devices, since most of the measures were within the limits of agreement. Conclusion: this study proved the validity and reproducibility of the Wii Balance Board as an instrument for assessing static balance in vertical posture, using simultaneous analysis with superimposed equipment. Thus, the WBB has been increasingly used by physical therapists and other health professionals in their clinical practice, as both a rehabilitation and assessment tool

Indicadores do nível relativo do mar e evolução costeira durante o holoceno tardio no litoral oeste do Ceará, NE do Brasil

In the coastal region of Ceará, between the municipalities of Acaraú and Itapipoca, thirteen sites were identified containing indicators of relative sea level, six of these being dated by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon. Ages obtained supports that were formed prograding beaches in the study area. In the eastern portion, beaches in coastal plain deposits occur while a system lagoon/barrier paleomangrove occurs in the western portion of the study area. In both cases the coastal deposits prograde from east to west. Higher sea levels were identified between the current: (a) 3.110-2.830 cal. yr. BP; (b) 1.830 yr. BP (OSL) - 1.490 cal. yr. BP; (c) between 1.240-1.060 cal. yr. BP; (d) 845-715 yr. BP (OSL). Since then the sea level suffered by lowering the current level. Variations in sea level are interpreted as responses to changes in the pattern of marine circulation and do not exclude possible tectonic disturbances in the basin of the continental margin. The indicators of relative sea level west coast of Ceará present differently from other curves constructed in the coastal northeast, suggesting that local factors mentioned above contributed to sea level fluctuations.

Posicionamento estratégico de destinos: uma análise através da percepção dos operadores de Turismo da cidade de São Paulo sobre o destino Natal, Brasil

El turismo constituye una actividad propulsora de mejorías económicas y sociales en incontables lugares alrededor del mundo, y la ciudad de Natal se posiciona como uno de los principales destinos turísticos del Nordeste brasileño. De ese modo, el objetivo del presente estudio consistió en analizar el posicionamiento estratégico del destino Natal por medio de la percepción de los operadores de turismo de la ciudad de São Paulo, principal mercado emisor de turistas del país. El estudio de carácter descriptivo-exploratorio utilizó un abordaje cualitativo y tuvo, como universo de investigación, operadoras de turismo de la capital paulista que comercializan el destino Natal. En la colecta de datos, se utilizaron la investigación bibliográfica y el estudio de campo, siendo este último efetivado por medio de un guión de entrevista semiestruturado. Ya la técnica utilizada para el análisis de los datos fue el análisis de contenido, iniciada mediante selección del material recolectado y concluida con el proceso de categorización. Cuanto a los resultados del estudio, se percibió que el paulistano que viaja al destino Natal tiene un perfil demográfico que sugiere a la práctica del turismo sustentable, está a la busca del turismo de sol y playa, y valora las bellezas naturales del lugar. Los operadores de turismo entrevistados evaluaron, positivamente, la ciudad de Natal, y destacaron los siguientes atributos del destino: playas, bellezas naturales, hostelería, receptividad de los autóctonas, gastronomía, de entre otros. Además, los respondentes demostraron tener un fuerte encariño al destino. En lo que se refiere a los aspectos negativos, prevaleció la observancia de la ineficacia de los gobiernos locales, donde el deterioro de la malla aérea y la incipiente promoción del destino fueron apuntados como los dos principales gargalos. Al analizar la competencia, se identificó que Fortaleza, Porto de Galinhas y Maceió son los tres principales concurrentes de Natal, siendo el destino pernambucano lo que presenta mejor evaluación. Por fin, se observó que no existe una diferenciación relevante en el destino Natal.

Análise textual-interativa das Cartas dos Sertões do Seridó: em busca de efeitos estético-estilísticos

This work takes as its object of study a specific set of texts, designated letters about Sertões do Seridó (interstate region in the Brazilian northeastern), written by Paulo Bezerra, whose main approach is the backcountry universe. For its unique character, mainly because of a strong poetic appeal, we infer that these letters can also contain natural phenomena related to discourse-compositional structure, which may be responsible for creating specific effects, particularly aesthetical. In order to discuss and develop the issue, we set the theoretical assumptions of Textual-Interactive Perspective whose base is the concept of language as interaction, such as verbal activity impregnated with the space-time social and historical context in which the interlocutors are related, we chose the analytical category discursive topic and analyse introduction, sequencing and change of topic mechanisms. The goal is to determine the functionality of these mechanisms, noting how correlate the structural and interactional aspects are, and how this movement can be used to explain some of the aesthetic and stylistic effects of these letters. The result shows that it is used different topic organizational patterns according to the nature of the central topic. These different mechanisms express an aesthetic intention and feature a style. This result gives rise to more general conclusions about the texts: their discursive-compositional structure is related to the creation of aesthetics and stylistics effects.