O algodão sem veneno do assentamento queimadas, na Paraíba: agentes sociais, alinhamento em rede, produção e comercialização

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Polissacarídeos sulfatados da Alga Marrom Dictyopteris justii como agentes antioxidantes e inibidores da formação de cristais de oxalato de cálcio

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Efeitos biológicos in vitro de agentes físicos utilizados em fisioterapia

The uses of radiobiocomplexes labeled with technetium-99m contributed to health science advances. Stannous chloride (SnCl2) has been used as a reducing agent for the labeling process. Cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of the SnCl2 have been described in several studies and with this experimental models alterations in molecular and cellular level can be evaluated. In the last years the physicals therapists acquired new devices which emits electromagnetic radiation such us Extremely Low Frequency Pulsated Electromagnetic Fields (E.L.F. P.E.M.F.), radiofrequency, Intense Pulsed Light (I.P.L.) and others which emits sonic waves such us Biorresonance. Scientific evidence of the effects and dosage is important to protect public health and to reach exposition levels that result in significant biological effects. The aim of this project is to verify the effects of these physical agents in plasmid DNA and E. coli AB1157 cultures in presence or absence of SnCl2 and the effects in blood constituents labeled with technetium-99m. Wistar rats blood was exposed to the cited sources and the labelling of blood constituents with 99mTc was carried through. Cultures of E. coli AB1157 and plasmidial samples DNA had been also exposed the physical agents. The results suggest that these agents are capable of altering neither the survival of E. coli cells or plasmid DNA electrophoresis mobility. The multidiscipline character was clearly in this study due the interaction between Nuclear Medicine department of the UERJ and the Laboratory of Physical Agents of the Maimonides University in Argentina until the union between the teacher (biomedical and physiotherapist) and student (physiotherapist), besides collaborators of the area of Physics and Biology, promoting new ideas and perspectives and also adding the knowledge of different areas and origins

Análise da presença de agentes mutagênicos nas águas do Rio Pitimbú/RN

The Pitimbu River is located at the oriental portion of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, including three importants cities named Macaíba, Parnamirim e Natal. Although its high importance as a water source, which supplys great part of the South Zone of the Natal city, this river receives a large quantity of domestic and industrial waste water without treatment. The Pitimbu River headhas its river-head located in the city of Macaiba, goes through Parnamirim, then it flowing into at the Jiqui Lake in Natal. The aim of this study was to evaluate, qualitatively and quantitatively, the environmental quality of the Pitimbu River by genotoxicity bio-assays, which are important tools for genetics toxicological evaluation. In this work, five samples sites, distributed along the river, were used to collect water samples. Another point site, located near Jiqui lake, was used to collect drinkable water, which was treated by CAERN, the water treatment entreprise of Rio Grande do Norte. The following assays where used to evaluate the quality of these samples: Allium cepa assay; Comet assay; Micronuclei (MN) assay; and Ames test. For the Allium cepa assay, sixteen specimes where used for each water sample from the sample sites. In this assay both microscopic, like cytogenetic damage, and macroscopic aspects, as morphological variation were evaluated. Red blood cells from periferical blood of the Crenicichla menezesi native specie were used not only for the MN assay, but also for the Comet assay. These fishes were collected at different points on the Pitimbu River and the negative control was developed using fishes of the same species that were bring to the laboratory and maintained for 100 days in the optimal experimental conditions. For the Ames test, TA100, YG1042, TA98 and YG1041 strains were used in the directed method without metabolic activation. The results found by the Allium cepa assay showed that two water sample sites induced increase of mitotic index (IM). Additionally, compared to the control, all the water samples increased the chromossomal aberrations frequency and/or micronucleus. Among the sample sites, two also showed an abnormal growth rate in its root and two samples induced morphological alteration. With the MN test in red blood cells, a high frequence of MN was observed in tree sample. By comparing all the results obtained on the water sample points and with the negative control, a significant variation on the MN frequency was observed. Positive results were also observed for the same sample to water test by the Comet assay. These results allow concluding that the proposed specie Crenicichla menezesi has a good profile as a bio-indicator for the evaluation of environmental water quality and the MN and comet test can be usuful for in situ evaluation. By the Ames test, it was possible to detect the mutagenic activity on the waters from the Pitimbu River in different levels of mutagenicity. This result suggests that this river has several substances that induced changes directly to the DNA. The mechanisms involved to this phenomenon could be by both processes, by changing of the reading frame and by nucleotide substitution. These data set indicate the presence of mutagenic agents, which can represent in risk to biot and human beens

O concreto e o simbólico no cotidiano da educação em saúde: práticas, representações e processo identitário dos agentes comunitários de saúde de João Pessoa PB

The present study is about an etnographic research based on the Theory of Social Representation and its complementary approach, the Theory of Central Core based on the bourdiesianos concepts of field and habitus , concerning that these concepts, articulated to the constructed social representation, may contribute to the study of social identities. Its aim is to acknowledge which identity references community health agents (CHA), agents from Community Health Agent Program (CHAP) and Family Health Program (FHP) from João Pessoa PB and which social representation is constructed by them towards health education. The study had the participation of 119 CHAs, from which 90,3 % were female and 9,7% were male. Since the identity is also built by the representation of others towards the group, 63 professionals of the FHP group (16 nurses, 16 nursing assistents, 12 doctors, 9 dentists, 6 dentistry office assistents, 4 coordinators, 1 psicologist and 1 receptionist) and 1 nurse from CHAP took part of the study, oficial documents from the Health Ministry were analyzed, verbal information from its representatives were also taken into consideration, as well as reports from the many benefitiaries of the CHA, CHAP and FHP. For data collecting, we used the combination of (a) Direct Observation and Participant Observation of the functioning micro-areas of the CHA at the Family Health Units, and the Union of the Agents; (b) Free-Association of words and expressions to stimulate the CHA , Health Education and Health ; (c) Questionnaire; (d) Interviews. The interviews were submitted to a thematic analysis of its topic. The free-association was analyzed taking in consideration the vèrgesiana proposal (a combination of the frequency and average order of evocation) which treatment enabled the identification of the central and peripheral systems of social representation towards health education and the community health agent. A test of central refutation, associated to the analysis of the indicated evocations as the most important, provided empirical evidence of social representation towards health education as orientation , prevention and hygiene , as well as the identity of CHA as supervisor , friend , help , important , and the link between the community and the Family Health Staff. Other professionals from CHAP, FHP and the Health Ministry share all of these representational contents, especially the concepts of friend and link , also shared by the community. A habitus towards the community health agents was identified, as a representation based on trust and friendship, which gives the professional a great importance towards the daily inconsistencies faced by the community

Campo educacional e representação social da formação docente :o olhar dos agentes

Teaching formation has been the target of many changes, having been forged according to numerous formats and models through different times and spaces, composing thus, different codes and curricular proposals for different levels of qualification. We've tried in this work to pinpoint the main discussions which take place in the area of the teaching formation, based in the views of modern writers. We ve also tried, through the Social Representations Theory, to reveal and learn how the agents directly involved in this process realize and react, that is, the teachers who cope with the beginning stages of the Fundamental Teaching in the public school system in Natal/RN, taking into account that, in many cases, such formation demands the rethinking of the very formation policies. We've also adopted the concepts of field and educational field introduced by the praxiology of Pierre Bourdieu. It s been considered a fundamental theoretical reference which enables the understanding of social phenomena, both in macro and micro viewpoints. Thus, we do not neglect the whole, and particularly, the nuances of each context or specific situation. In the methodological track we ve used for data gathering the Free Word Association Test, and the Semi-Structured Interview, and also secondary sources for the characterization of the research spectre. Data treatment and analysis were performed with the help of the following software: SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences and EVOC; and the method of Content Category Analysis. The combination of the concepts and techniques mentioned above was necessary to cope with the qualitative and quantitative aspects, in our attempt to offer a wider range of contributions and outcome validations, which have shown, among other less explicit elements, the existence of a social representation of the teaching formation such as: knowledge theoretical and practical; a necessity imposed by the symbolical conflicts of the social field; capacitation and compromisse. We acknowledge the relevance of the thoughts discussed here, though aware that this is just one of the possible approaches to the theme

Ações dos agentes comunitários de saúde diante do usuário da estratégia saúde da família com estados depressivos no Município de Abaiara-CE-BR

Brazilian health public assistance is going through two Reforms, Sanitary and Psychiatric, and through these the assistance is guaranteed in the three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Thus, mental health assistance should be offered since preventive cares until the ones that demand larger technological apparatus. Programs like Health Community Agent's Program (HCAP) and Family Health Strategy (FHS), besides increasing the services coverage, have been making possible the system reorientation in the meaning of integrality, universalization and equity. Thus, united intervention of mental health team and FHS can offer several benefits to the population, providing assistance and follow-up to patients with mental disorder. It was aimed to assess health community agents facing the user of Family Health Strategy in depressive state. This quanti-qualitative study took place in the municipal district of Abaiara-CE. Semi-structured interview was applied with health community agents and Beck Depression Inventory with the users registered in Family Health Strategy. It was verified that among the 64 users interviewed, 12.5% didn't present symptoms of depression, 10.9% presented symptoms of light depression, 14.1% symptoms of moderate depression and 62.5% symptoms of serious depression. For the 22 health community agents interviewed, they all reported the existence of people with symptoms of depression in their personal micro-areas, being difficult to work with them, once the FHS team is not qualified to work with mental health problems. It was verified that the Municipal district doesn't have specialized professionals, making difficult the routing and treatment. Based on these results, it was concluded that in spite of the articulation of mental health with FHS is necessary and benefactor to the population, it still doesn't exist, worsening the situation, mainly in small Municipal districts, once they don't have mental health services. Thus, the population is exposed and without follow-up, which allows the identification of installed diseases and with gravity, like depression, because there are no prevention and control activities. It is recommended, due the extreme need, the elaboration and implantation of a mental health program in these municipal districts, articulated with FHS

Uma arquitetura baseada em agentes para configuração dinâmica de aplicações inteligentes em ambiente foundation fieldbus

The industrial automation is directly linked to the development of information tecnology. Better hardware solutions, as well as improvements in software development methodologies make possible the rapid growth of the productive process control. In this thesis, we propose an architecture that will allow the joining of two technologies in hardware (industrial network) and software field (multiagent systems). The objective of this proposal is to join those technologies in a multiagent architecture to allow control strategies implementations in to field devices. With this, we intend develop an agents architecture to detect and solve problems which may occur in the industrial network environment. Our work ally machine learning with industrial context, become proposed multiagent architecture adaptable to unfamiliar or unexpected production environment. We used neural networks and presented an allocation strategies of these networks in industrial network field devices. With this we intend to improve decision support at plant level and allow operations human intervention independent

Agentes Inteligentes com Foco de Atenção Afetivo em Simulações Baseadas em Agentes

Simulations based on cognitively rich agents can become a very intensive computing task, especially when the simulated environment represents a complex system. This situation becomes worse when time constraints are present. This kind of simulations would benefit from a mechanism that improves the way agents perceive and react to changes in these types of environments. In other worlds, an approach to improve the efficiency (performance and accuracy) in the decision process of autonomous agents in a simulation would be useful. In complex environments, and full of variables, it is possible that not every information available to the agent is necessary for its decision-making process, depending indeed, on the task being performed. Then, the agent would need to filter the coming perceptions in the same as we do with our attentions focus. By using a focus of attention, only the information that really matters to the agent running context are perceived (cognitively processed), which can improve the decision making process. The architecture proposed herein presents a structure for cognitive agents divided into two parts: 1) the main part contains the reasoning / planning process, knowledge and affective state of the agent, and 2) a set of behaviors that are triggered by planning in order to achieve the agent s goals. Each of these behaviors has a runtime dynamically adjustable focus of attention, adjusted according to the variation of the agent s affective state. The focus of each behavior is divided into a qualitative focus, which is responsible for the quality of the perceived data, and a quantitative focus, which is responsible for the quantity of the perceived data. Thus, the behavior will be able to filter the information sent by the agent sensors, and build a list of perceived elements containing only the information necessary to the agent, according to the context of the behavior that is currently running. Based on the human attention focus, the agent is also dotted of a affective state. The agent s affective state is based on theories of human emotion, mood and personality. This model serves as a basis for the mechanism of continuous adjustment of the agent s attention focus, both the qualitative and the quantative focus. With this mechanism, the agent can adjust its focus of attention during the execution of the behavior, in order to become more efficient in the face of environmental changes. The proposed architecture can be used in a very flexibly way. The focus of attention can work in a fixed way (neither the qualitative focus nor the quantitaive focus one changes), as well as using different combinations for the qualitative and quantitative foci variation. The architecture was built on a platform for BDI agents, but its design allows it to be used in any other type of agents, since the implementation is made only in the perception level layer of the agent. In order to evaluate the contribution proposed in this work, an extensive series of experiments were conducted on an agent-based simulation over a fire-growing scenario. In the simulations, the agents using the architecture proposed in this work are compared with similar agents (with the same reasoning model), but able to process all the information sent by the environment. Intuitively, it is expected that the omniscient agent would be more efficient, since they can handle all the possible option before taking a decision. However, the experiments showed that attention-focus based agents can be as efficient as the omniscient ones, with the advantage of being able to solve the same problems in a significantly reduced time. Thus, the experiments indicate the efficiency of the proposed architecture

Utilização de microemulsões como agentes modificadores de superfícies para remoção de íons metálicos

The heavy metals are used in many industrial processes and when discharged to the environment can cause harmful effects to human, plants and animals. The adsorption technology has been used as an effective methodology to remove metallic ions. The search for new adsorbents motivated the development of this research, accomplished with the purpose of removing Cr (III) from aqueous solutions. Diatomite, chitosan, Filtrol 24TM and active carbon were used as adsorbents. To modify the adsorbent surface was used a bicontinuous microemulsion composed by water (25%), kerosene (25%), saponified coconut oil (10%) and as co-surfactant isoamyl or butyl alcohols (40%). With the objective of developing the best operational conditions the research started with the surfactant synthesis and after that the pseudo-ternary diagrams were plotted. It was decided to use the system composed with isoamyl alcohol as co-surfactant due its smallest solubility in water. The methodology to impregnate the microemulsion on the adsorbents was developed and to prepare each sample was used 10 g of adsorbent and 20 mL of microemulsion. The effect of drying time and temperature was evaluated and the best results were obtained with T = 65 ºC and t = 48 h. After evaluating the efficiency of the tested adsorbents it was decided to use chitosan and diatomite. The influence of the agitation speed, granule size, heavy metal synthetic solution concentration, pH, contact time between adsorbent and metal solution, presence or not of NaCl and others metallic ions in the solution (copper and nickel) were evaluated. The adsorption isotherms were obtained and Freundlich and Langmuir models were tested. The last one correlated better the data. With the purpose to evaluate if using a surfactant solution would supply similar results, the adsorbent surface was modified with this solution. It was verified that the adsorbent impregnated with a microemulsion was more effective than the one with a surfactant solution, showing that the organic phase (kerosene) was important in the heavy metal removal process. It was studied the desorption process and verified that the concentrated minerals acids removed the chromium from the adsorbent surface better than others tested solutions. The treatment showed to be effective, being obtained an increase of approximately 10% in the chitosan s adsorption capacity (132 mg of Cr3+ / g adsorbent), that was already quite efficient, and for diatomite, that was not capable to remove the metal without the microemulsion treatment, it was obtained a capacity of 10 mg of Cr3+ / g adsorbent, checking the applied treatment effectiveness

Bairro Planalto, Natal-RN: agentes, usos e conflitos

This research has the goal to analyze the urban setting of the Planalto neighborhood, in Natal /RN, seeking to unravel the processes, agents and contradictions associated with the production of the space. The choice of neighborhood is justified by the observation that changes in its urban setting have been growing in speedy way. We highlight the performance of the housing market, in partnership with the state, and the construction of condominiums and buildings closed by the housing program Minha Casa, Minha Vida. This has favored the reproduction of a new " urban reality in the neighborhood, setting an urban standard that differs from the original morphology, seen as peripheral within the urban dynamics of the city. The research is a qualitative study, through documents, interviews with stakeholders, and photographic documentation. In this perspective , we seek to understand the current phase (2000s) the production of space in the neighborhood process through the development of the housing market , as an extension of the urban development in central zone of Natal/RN, analyzing the performance of agents and their producers the "new " uses redefining the "old ". Thus, it can be seen that there is in the neighborhood, urban reality in a pluralistic constitution, from the existence of different social classes inhabiting the same space. On this way, the city is produced from the appropriation of space by different social classes, although due to the economic condition of each of them

A percepção da fiscalização dos contratos de mão de obra terceirizada pelos agentes envolvidos nesse processo no âmbito da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte: uma análise sob o modelo do principal-agente

Outsourcing has emerged as one of the new ways of guiding the work. For its advantages and be consistent with the paradigms of managerial reform, outsourcing also started to be used in the Public Administration. However, taking into account the particularities of the latter, some issues are relevant when outsourcing concluded with the State. Gains notoriety, for example, the step of monitoring these contracts, to the extent that, from this activity, we can avoid the negative effects of outsourcing like the fact that the state will pay for labor and wage liens that are obligation of the company providing the services. This study aims to understand the perception that this process is under the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, from the point of view of different stakeholders, also explaining the motivations that these agents have to perform the supervisory process. As a theoretical basis was used the Agency Theory, which reinforces the supervisory activities as a necessary means to minimize moral hazard and adverse selection, seeking to understand not only the different motivations tax contracts to properly perform their duties, but also analyze other phenomena arising from this contractual relationship. To achieve the proposed objectives, were taken a literature review and a presentation of how to organize the management and oversight of contracts in UFRN. The methodological procedures included questionnaires and interviews with those involved in the process. After analyzing the results obtained in the survey instruments , and also based on the laws, regulations and instructions governing the procurement process within the UFRN, it was concluded that the process of overseeing the outsourcing of labor contracts in UFRN is not fully institutionalized, some points should be strengthened in order to have the consolidation of this process, highlighting the need for training of UFRN servers that act as tax, the knowledge that the contractual penalties are applied effectively, the need that there is a supervisor of tax of contractors and also the realization of the rotation system of outsourced employees

Os agentes funerários e a morte: o cuidado presente diante da vida ausente

The present time is marked by the art of escape from death, which has become synonymous with failure, its exposure has become intolerable and the care of the dead body were assigned to third parties who market this practice through services and products that shape the market undertaker. In this context, in which death is an object of study, has arisen funeral officers, as professionals dealing with a dead body, with the pain of relatives and their reactions, often being the first to have contact with the death scene. As professionals in the health area, the morticians also deal with death. The first attempt to prevent the arrival of death, funeral officers already has begun their work routine from there. Death and its surrounding part of their profession. What about those professionals whose work demands as a feared and denied by society? This study aims to understand the intents, meanings and implications for the mortician to deal with death in their daily work in order to focus renewed attention to the care of these professionals. To this end, it was carried out a qualitative research grounded in the theoretical framework of Gadamerian hermeneutics for production and interpretation of narratives. It was used two methodological strategies for data collection: in-depth interview with script and workshop with the use of "scenes". Research participants were nine morticians funeral of two funeral agencies of the city of Natal. It was possible to detect the presence of the social imaginary of interdiction on the theme of death from living with feelings of his presence daily, from the need of respondents to naturalize their contacts with death, a requirement of their office to deal with the difficulties of manipulating body fluids and odors, sometimes in a state of decomposition; allied to wishes to achieve the goal of delivering to family-customers a "embellished" body for the final farewell. Being a mortician, in addition to not being a professional motivation, involves facing difficulties related to heavy routine work, low salaries, unprofitable work materials and equipments, besides having to deal with the social gaze that devalues the profession. In turn, they also deal with the pain coming especially from contact with family members, either when they are targets of these feelings of anger, whether they identify with the pain of the bereaved ones. On the other hand, when the recognition and gratitude of the families occur, they find meaning and beauty in their profession of caring for the dead body. The present study by giving voice to morticians has become possible to understand better their profession, the pain that surrounds and care needs of these workers. Finally, it has argued that the mortician may be recognized as a care professional for the way exercising caution with the dead body and their families.

Sistema de agentes poligínicos para esteganálise de imagens digitais

In this work, we propose a multi agent system for digital image steganalysis, based on the poliginic bees model. Such approach aims to solve the problem of automatic steganalysis for digital media, with a case study on digital images. The system architecture was designed not only to detect if a file is suspicious of covering a hidden message, as well to extract the hidden message or information regarding it. Several experiments were performed whose results confirm a substantial enhancement (from 67% to 82% success rate) by using the multi-agent approach, fact not observed in traditional systems. An ongoing application using the technique is the detection of anomalies in digital data produced by sensors that capture brain emissions in little animals. The detection of such anomalies can be used to prove theories and evidences of imagery completion during sleep provided by the brain in visual cortex areas

Um framework de agentes de recomendação para sistemas Web

The World Wide Web has been consolidated over the last years as a standard platform to provide software systems in the Internet. Nowadays, a great variety of user applications are available on the Web, varying from corporate applications to the banking domain, or from electronic commerce to the governmental domain. Given the quantity of information available and the quantity of users dealing with their services, many Web systems have sought to present recommendations of use as part of their functionalities, in order to let the users to have a better usage of the services available, based on their profile, history navigation and system use. In this context, this dissertation proposes the development of an agent-based framework that offers recommendations for users of Web systems. It involves the conception, design and implementation of an object-oriented framework. The framework agents can be plugged or unplugged in a non-invasive way in existing Web applications using aspect-oriented techniques. The framework is evaluated through its instantiation to three different Web systems