Medidas de parâmetros morfológicos e funcionais do Coração em brasileiros: um subestudo do primeiro registro multicêntricos latino-americano em ressonância magnética cardiáca

There is no data about cardiac measurements em Brazilians obtained by CMR. This a muldisciplinary study with the objective of obtaining measurements of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) diastolic diameter (Dd), systolic diameter (Ds), diastolic volume (Dv), systolic volume (Sv), ejection fraction (EF) and myocardial mass in Brazilians. One hundred and seven (54 men and 53 women, mean age of 43.4 ± 13.1 years) asymptomatic individuals without heart disease were submitted to cardiac magnetic resonance (cMR) studies using steady state free precession technique. The means and standard deviations of the parameters of the LV and RV were respectively: LVDD = 4,8 ± 0,5 cm; LVSD = 3,0±0,6 cm; LVDV = 128,4±29,6 ml; LVSV = 45,2±16,6 ml; LVEF = 65,5±6,3%; LV mass = 95,2±30,8.1 g; RVDD = 3,9±1,3 cm; RVSD = 2,5±0,5 cm; RVDV = 126,5±30,7 ml; RVSV = 53.6±18,4 ml; RVEF = 58.3±8,0.0% and RV mass = 26,1±6,1 g. The masses and volumes were significantly higher in men, except for the LVSV. The RV EF was significantly higher in women. There was inverse correlation between RV systolic volume and with age, being more significant in men. This study describes for the first time benchmarks for cardiac measurements obtained by CMR among asymptomatic Brazilians individuals without heart disease and demonstrated differences according to sex and age

Medidas antropométricas e avaliação do perfil lipídico de indivíduos obesos e com sobrepeso residentes no Estado do RN

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing numerous medical conditions, besides is associated with shortened life span. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthropometric measurements and lipid profile in adult overweight and obese subjects residents in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The methodology was the analysis of certain biochemical parameters in serum of individuals and a physical evaluation that consisted of measurements of blood pressure and anthropometric data. In addition, the volunteers of the research answered a questionnaire about personal, social and clinical data. 1741 samples were collected, of which 432 (24,8%) were obese. Of these, 280 were selected to participate in the study, including 118 (42,1%) men and 162 (57,9%) women. Of the remaining 1309 individuals, 731 (55,8%) were overweight. Among them, 179 (24.5%) were analyzed in this study, with 56,4% female. Of the remaining 578 normal individuals, 143 were selected as controls in the research. Amid the obese, overweight and eutrophic, there were respectively 10% vs 5% vs 5,6% of diabetics, 92,1% vs 85,5% vs 68,7% of dyslipidemics and 38,6% vs 22,3% vs 15,6% of hypertensive patients. The degree of obesity presented by the participants was varied, with the majority (72,8%) fall into grade I obese, 22,9% (64) in grade II and only 4,3% (12) in grade III. Mean anthropometric participants showed statistically significant differences between groups eutrophic, overweight and obese on the BMI, WC, WHR and %BF and between sexes in CC, WHR and %BF. As the mean serum biochemical parameters to evaluate the lipid profile showed significant differences between groups eutrophic, overweight and obese, unless the exception of HDL among overweight and obese. The significance level was 5% (p <0.05)

A aplicação do acordo sobre subsídios e medidas compensatórias pelo estado brasileiro

The Multilateral Trading System has evolved and presented new international mandatory rules to States. Along with the World Trade Organization constitutive treaty, Brazil has incorporated the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) in the national legal system. That treaty limits de scope of subsidies concession by governments since this practice can constitute a mechanism of commercial disloyalty, affecting national industrial development in the importing country. At the same time, the multilateral agreement grants defense legitimate instruments to States, among them the possibility of domestically and unilaterally imposing countervailing measures to subsidized products that enter the national territory. Since the issue concerns both international and domestic level in complementary grounds, this research, besides investigating the treaty related obligation, aims at studying the national legal fundaments to ASCM s application by the Brazilian State. Therefore, the essential point resides in the State s conduction of its international trading and also in its available and constitutionally established mechanisms of economic intervention. State s regulating power reveals itself as a fundamental prerogative to succeed in the internalization of international agreement s requirements in the domestic legal system, which represents a basic prerequisite to the implementation of countervailing measures. Once the whole normative outlines are apprehended, this study shall scan the administrative process of trading defense main elements, along with the means of controlling public administration acts. The action taken by the public organs that directly intervene in foreign trade shall be analyzed as well, so as to enable reasoning if the unilateral application of countervailing duties by the Brazilian State is happening on legitimacy grounds

Dignidade da pessoa humana e medidas sócio-educativas do Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente

The main goal of this work is to verify the presence of the principle of human dignity, determined by the Constitution of 1988, when Socio Educational Acts from the Statute of Children and adolescent were put in practice, focusing on the treatment designated to the youth whose acts were against the law in the city of Natal, as well as the difficulties to match the legal texts and its reality. It is common knowledge that the law for children and adolescent was based in the principle of human dignity, for its institutes say so. But would the Law match the practice of Socio Educational Acts? Or this law would be an example of good intentions that never left the paper and became reality? First there is an approach on the human dignity principle, with its definition and limitation, according to a theory about the theme. Afterwards it is made a connection between human rights and the principle of human dignity considering historical and social features, for the law is also a reflect of these transformations, we try to show the different laws the country had until today, concerning the children inflicted by poverty and those whose acts were against the law, since the rodas dos expostos, the phase of irregular situation, in which the children were arrested simply because they were beggars, until present time. The theory aspects are shown beside a field research made with the adolescent and staff from CEDUC/Natal, producing a critical view about the subject and showing some solutions for the problems found. At last, it is made a critical analyses of the problems detected on the field research, and, in some cases, a suggestion is given to change the reality

Respostas funcionais de diferentes tamanhos de Tilápia do Nilo; Oreochromis niloticus; predando zooplâncton

The Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, is an important omnivorous fish in the reservoirs of the semi-arid region of Brazil. Throughout its growth tilapia s feeding behavior changes from a visual predator of zooplankton to a filter-feeder, collecting suspended particulate matter, including planktonic organisms, through pumping. This feature results in different impacts of tilapia on plankton community as the fish grows. Aiming to quantify the functional response of different sizes of Nile tilapia on zooplankton experiments in microcosms scale in the laboratory and in mesocosm scale in the field were carried out. The data were fitted to four different models of functional response. The best fits were obtained for nonlinear models in laboratory experiments. While the experiments in mesocosms were the best settings for responses of type I (juvenile and adult tilapia) and type III (fry). The Manly's alpha index was used to evaluate the feeding selectivity of tilapia on the three main groups of the zooplankton in the experiments in mesocosms. The results show that: (i) rotifers were the preferred prey of fingerlings,(ii) copepods were rejected by fry and juvenile tilapia and (iii) adult fish fed non-selectively on copepods, cladocerans and rotifers. The functional response models obtained in this research can be applied to population models and help in modeling the dynamics of interactions between Nile tilapia and the planktonic communities in the reservoirs of the semi-arid

Desenvolvimento e validação de protótipo das medidas de desenvolvimento humano

To mesure the human performance is a challenge, mainly due to the multidimensional factor movement. Instruments, mostly only assess one dimension of it. Objective: To develop a prototype capable of measuring the skills of human performance and check its validity using method comparison approach. Methods: The study was divided into two stages. The first Prototype was developed and tested simultaneously with an instrument to study the Rectilinear Uniform Motion and Uniformly Miscellaneous. In the second phase the sample consisted of Paralympic basketball athletes (n=09) and karate athletes (n=31) and all agreed to the terms of participation in the research. The evaluation of performance measures was performed with the prototype, the results obtained were compared with the data calculated by a statistical package is used as a reference. Results: All variables calculated by the prototype showed no significant differences when compared with the results calculated by the reference instrument and statistical package. Conclusion: The prototype has been developed and the results obtained in laboratory and field indicate that the prototype can be used for measuring human performance measures, with immediate results without the need for a conventional computer return, provided they fulfill the criteria described

Gestão dos resíduos sólidos das contruções prediais na cidade do Natal-RN

The present work has the objective of presenting an investigation about the quantification, classification and destination of the waste of construction and demolition (RCD) in the city of Natal - RN, focusing the aspects of the environmental impacts and the strategic importance of the environmental administration in the earnings of productivity of the companies. Of the environmental point of view the research intends to identify and to quantify the monthly and annual production of RCD in the city, as well as to know the places of deposition of those residues. To reach the objectives of the study, an exploratory and descriptive research was accomplished, using a questionnaire with closed subjects and an open one, applied in 25 entrepreneurs of the branch of the building site, being 21 builders and 4 entrepreneurs of collection companies and removal dumps. As form of analysis of the data, the descriptive analysis was used and of crossing. The production engineering considers important the insert of best production practices and administration of the product in the companies, with views to the increase of your competitiveness, productivity earnings and improvement of the environmental aspects with views to the consumer's satisfaction, in that case the buyer of immobile. The principal results of the investigation demonstrate that there was not great variability of answers with relationship to the interviewees opinion in what he refers to the environmental practices. In your majority the building site interviewees entrepreneurs evidenced the absence of the public power, particularly the city hall of Natal, in the control, fiscalization and creation of mechanisms for a correct destination of RCD, as well as for your reuse and recycle. On the other hand also it was evident that the recycle or the reuse of RCD on the part of the companies is a rare practice and a lot of times inexistent, although the entrepreneurs' of the building site section great majority recognizes that would have won of productivity with the correct and intensive use of such measures

Avaliação da importância dos sistemas de gestão da qualidade nas universidades federais

This thesis aims at analyzing from the perspective of the manager the importance of the use of quality management tools and concepts in Federal Universities. It was motivated by the following research problem: do Federal University managers consider it to be relevant the quality management in their institution? Therefore, we sought to gather evidence for a satisfactory approach that addresses the complexity of the topic researched: quality, higher education and quality management systems. We chose to adopt an applied study, the exploratory-descriptive research as to the objective and the quantitative and qualitative research as to the approach to the problem. The object of study is composed by the Planning Provosts of Federal Universities listed in the University Ranking Sheet - (RUF) in 2013. We chose to restrict the sample listing only the provosts of the 20 best-placed universities in the ranking of the Federal Universities. The research instrument was composed of 26 questions, of which 6 questions were designed to identify the profile of the manager, 16 questions of perception (manifested variables) on the importance of quality management in the University, where the managers assigned values (answers) to the affirmatives (that address the main topic of this thesis) based on a Likert scale of 5 points, and 4 open and optional questions, in order to identify general management practices used. It was used for statistical analysis (data analysis) descriptive and factorial statistics. The responses collected through the questionnaire portray the managers´ perception regarding the importance of quality management in their institutions. Sixteen variables were addressed, the results of factor analysis of importance were "Important" and "Very Important", where the variable (V2) was "Important" and all others "Very important." With this information, it is possible to prioritize some areas that deserve immediate action. As it was observed that some variables are "Very important" for the vast majority of managers, others did not show the same result as example (V2, V10, V11). It is concluded that the manager´s perception of quality management in his or her institution is relevant, but the same importance is not given to quality programs implemented in other segments of the economy, and that, despite the advancements offered by SINAES, the model does not evaluate the institution in a global way. Thus, with the results, it is expected to contribute to the advancement of the subject, trying to arouse interest from the managers of Federal Universities in the subject, emphasizing the importance of quality management systems as a necessary tool to raise the institutional quality

Algoritmos inteligentes para auto-correção, auto-verificação e auto-validação de medidas em sensores

This work presents a set of intelligent algorithms with the purpose of correcting calibration errors in sensors and reducting the periodicity of their calibrations. Such algorithms were designed using Artificial Neural Networks due to its great capacity of learning, adaptation and function approximation. Two approaches willbe shown, the firstone uses Multilayer Perceptron Networks to approximate the many shapes of the calibration curve of a sensor which discalibrates in different time points. This approach requires the knowledge of the sensor s functioning time, but this information is not always available. To overcome this need, another approach using Recurrent Neural Networks was proposed. The Recurrent Neural Networks have a great capacity of learning the dynamics of a system to which it was trained, so they can learn the dynamics of a sensor s discalibration. Knowingthe sensor s functioning time or its discalibration dynamics, it is possible to determine how much a sensor is discalibrated and correct its measured value, providing then, a more exact measurement. The algorithms proposed in this work can be implemented in a Foundation Fieldbus industrial network environment, which has a good capacity of device programming through its function blocks, making it possible to have them applied to the measurement process

Avaliação tribológica dos polímeros NBR, PTFE e PTFE gravitado em contato com aço AISI 52100

Low cost seals are made of NBR, Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, a family of unsaturated copolymers that is higher resistant to oils the more content of nitrile have in its composition, although lower its flexibility. In Petroleum Engineering, NBR seal wear can cause fluid leakage and environmental damages, promoting an increasing demand for academic knowledge about polymeric materials candidate to seals submitted to sliding contacts to metal surfaces. This investigation aimed to evaluate tribological responses of a commercial NBR, hardness 73 ± 5 Sh A, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), hardness 60 ± 4 HRE and PTFE with graphite, 68 ± 6 HRE. The testings were performed on a sliding tribometer conceived to explore the tribological performance of stationary polymer plane coupons submitted to rotational cylinder contact surface of steel AISI 52100, 20 ± 1 HRC Hardness, under dry and lubricated (oil SAE 15W40) conditions. After screening testings, the normal load, relative velocity and sliding distance were 3.15 N, 0.8 m/s and 3.2 km, respectively. The temperatures were collected over distances of 3.0±0.5 mm and 750±50 mm far from the contact to evaluate the heating in this referential zone due to contact sliding friction by two thermocouples K type. The polymers were characterized through Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The wear mechanisms of the polymer surfaces were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and EDS (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy). NBR referred to the higher values of heating, suggesting higher sliding friction. PTFE and PTFE with graphite showed lower heating, attributed to the delamination mechanism

Mecanismos de desgaste, história térmica e ciclo de vida de componentes de um motor de combustão interna de aeromodelo

We developed an assay methodology that considered the temperature variation and the scanning electron microscopy as a method to quantify and characterize respectively the consumption evolution in three 46 LA machines, with internal combustion and two-stroke engines, 7.64 cm3 cylinder capacity, 23.0 millimeters diameter and 18.4 millimeters course, RPM service from 2.000 to 16.000 rpm, 1.2 HP power, and 272 grams weight. The investigated engines components were: (1) head of the engine (Al-Si alloy), (2) piston (Al-Si alloy) and (3) piston pin (AISI 52100 steel). The assays were carried out on a desktop; engines 1 and 2 were assayed with no load, whereas in two assays of engine 3 we added a fan with wind speed that varied from 8.10 m/s to 11.92 m/s, in order to identify and compare the engine dynamic behavior as related to the engines assayed with no load. The temperatures of the engine s surface and surroundings were measured by two type K thermopairs connected to the assay device and registered in a microcomputer with data recording and parameters control and monitoring software, throughout the assays. The consumed surface of the components was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microanalysis-EDS. The study was complemented with shape deformation and mass measurement assays. The temperature variation was associated with the oxides morphology and the consumption mechanisms were discussed based on the relation between the thermal mechanical effects and the responses of the materials characterization

Estudo dos parâmetros de extração de fenol de efluentes aquosos por um tensoativo não iônico

Environmental sustainability has become one of the topics of greatest interest in industry, mainly due to effluent generation. Phenols are found in many industries effluents, these industries might be refineries, coal processing, pharmaceutical, plastics, paints and paper and pulp industries. Because phenolic compounds are toxic to humans and aquatic organisms, Federal Resolution CONAMA No. 430 of 13.05.2011 limits the maximum content of phenols, in 0.5 mg.L-1, for release in freshwater bodies. In the effluents treatment, the liquid-liquid extraction process is the most economical for the phenol recovery, because consumes little energy, but in most cases implements an organic solvent, and the use of it can cause some environmental problems due to the high toxicity of this compound. Because of this, exists a need for new methodologies, which aims to replace these solvents for biodegradable ones. Some literature studies demonstrate the feasibility of phenolic compounds removing from aqueous effluents, by biodegradable solvents. In this extraction kind called "Cloud Point Extraction" is used a nonionic surfactant as extracting agent of phenolic compounds. In order to optimize the phenol extraction process, this paper studies the mathematical modeling and optimization of extraction parameters and investigates the effect of the independent variables in the process. A 32 full factorial design has been done with operating temperature and surfactant concentration as independent variables and, parameters extraction: Volumetric fraction of coacervate phase, surfactant and residual concentration of phenol in dilute phase after separation phase and phenol extraction efficiency, as dependent variables. To achieve the objectives presented before, the work was carried out in five steps: (i) selection of some literature data, (ii) use of Box-Behnken model to find out mathematical models that describes the process of phenol extraction, (iii) Data analysis were performed using STATISTICA 7.0 and the analysis of variance was used to assess the model significance and prediction (iv) models optimization using the response surface method (v) Mathematical models validation using additional measures, from samples different from the ones used to construct the model. The results showed that the mathematical models found are able to calculate the effect of the surfactant concentration and the operating temperature in each extraction parameter studied, respecting the boundaries used. The models optimization allowed the achievement of consistent and applicable results in a simple and quick way leading to high efficiency in process operation.

O Ensino de medidas e grandezas através de uma abordagem investigatória

This work relates our experience in an investigative practice in the classroom, carried out in State School Jorge Fernandes , located in Natal - RN, having as objective to validate the applying of a education module about Measures and Largenesses in Primary Teaching. We used the constructivist approach; using to Richard s Skemp (1980) theory in order to explicit the students learning according to their comprehension levels. Initially, we carry out an exploratory research to check the participant s previous knowledge. Then, we developed an intervention to validate an education module, structured from needs pointed out from results of the initial research, analyzing the students advances through the final evaluation, displaying growth stages of group front to the knowledge about the matter approached. Finally, we presented our reflections about our experience; putting forward suggestions of the teachers activities, aiming at contributing to the improvement of their practices in classroom during the approach of subject for us investigated

Geometrias não-eucludianas como anomalias: implicações para o ensino de geometria e medidas

This present research the aim to show to the reader the Geometry non-Euclidean while anomaly indicating the pedagogical implications and then propose a sequence of activities, divided into three blocks which show the relationship of Euclidean geometry with non-Euclidean, taking the Euclidean with respect to analysis of the anomaly in non-Euclidean. PPGECNM is tied to the line of research of History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science in the Teaching of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Treat so on Euclid of Alexandria, his most famous work The Elements and moreover, emphasize the Fifth Postulate of Euclid, particularly the difficulties (which lasted several centuries) that mathematicians have to understand him. Until the eighteenth century, three mathematicians: Lobachevsky (1793 - 1856), Bolyai (1775 - 1856) and Gauss (1777-1855) was convinced that this axiom was correct and that there was another geometry (anomalous) as consistent as the Euclid, but that did not adapt into their parameters. It is attributed to the emergence of these three non-Euclidean geometry. For the course methodology we started with some bibliographical definitions about anomalies, after we ve featured so that our definition are better understood by the readers and then only deal geometries non-Euclidean (Hyperbolic Geometry, Spherical Geometry and Taxicab Geometry) confronting them with the Euclidean to analyze the anomalies existing in non-Euclidean geometries and observe its importance to the teaching. After this characterization follows the empirical part of the proposal which consisted the application of three blocks of activities in search of pedagogical implications of anomaly. The first on parallel lines, the second on study of triangles and the third on the shortest distance between two points. These blocks offer a work with basic elements of geometry from a historical and investigative study of geometries non-Euclidean while anomaly so the concept is understood along with it s properties without necessarily be linked to the image of the geometric elements and thus expanding or adapting to other references. For example, the block applied on the second day of activities that provides extend the result of the sum of the internal angles of any triangle, to realize that is not always 180° (only when Euclid is a reference that this conclusion can be drawn)

Representações de professores de língua inglesa de Natal-RN: um estudo sistêmico-funcional

Teaching and learning representations have been more and more investigated in the Brazilian applied linguistics field, as it allows the understanding of the teachers representations and how they conceive the learning process. This practice facilitates the planning of actions to improve the educational system. This study aims at identifying, interpreting and discussing some representations related to the identity and professional view of English as a foreign language teachers in different school contexts of Natal-RN. The theoretical and methodological foundation for this research is Halliday s Systemic- Functional Linguistics (1994; HALLIDAY; MATHIESSEN, 2004; EGGINS, 1994, among others). Our goal was to reveal the teachers representations embedded in their language, mainly through the ideational metafunction, as language is the tool we use to express ourselves about the external world (events, qualities, things, etc) and the internal world (thoughts, beliefs, feelings, etc). The research corpus is made of 21 teacher narratives, generated from a questionnaire sent to the teachers, who were divided in two groups: Group 1 (public schools teachers) and Group 2 (private schools and English course teachers). Most of the participants seemed to be satisfied with their professional choice. Many of them see the job as a challenge and an opportunity to transmit knowledge. All of them affirmed that the English teacher is a professional, for different reasons; however, the low professional appreciation was a recurrent aspect among the studied narratives. When asked about where they work, the private school teachers seemed to be more satisfied with the teaching-learning process than the ones from the public schools. We believe that the data analyzed in this study is important to show how some English teachers from Natal-RN see their profession. The results might be used in continuing education courses as food-for-thought in group discussions, as it is extremely important to emphasize and stimulate this practice