Avaliação do conhecimento e de habilidades clínicas em saúde sexual e reprodutiva na graduação de medicina

No Brasil, a despeito das conquistas obtidas a partir da implantação do Sistema Único de Saúde e dos avanços legais e institucionais na atenção a diversos problemas relacionados ao gênero, a incorporação de temas relacionados aos direitos humanos, sexuais e reprodutivos no contexto da formação profissional em saúde permanece deficiente. Este trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar a inserção da temática saúde sexual e reprodutiva no currículo do curso de graduação em Medicina, por meio do emprego de avaliações de conteúdo cognitivo, procedimental e atitudinal. Trata-se de estudo de intervenção educacional envolvendo alunos do internato do curso de Medicina da UFRN. Foram utilizados os seguintes métodos avaliativos: prova escrita, exame clínico objetivo estruturado (OSCE) e Mini-CEX. Como variáveis explicativas foram consideradas o sexo, idade e participação prévia no componente curricular optativo Saúde Reprodutiva . A avaliação do processo constou da aplicação de questionários de satisfação e entrevistas acerca dos métodos avaliativos utilizados. Considerando os três métodos avaliativos empregados, 183 estudantes participaram do estudo, com média de idade de 24,5 ± 2,2 anos, sendo 52,5% do sexo masculino e 47,5% do sexo feminino. No contexto geral, observamos concordância entre os desempenhos dos estudantes nas avaliações de conteúdo cognitivo, procedimental e atitudinal. A participação dos estudantes no componente curricular eletivo Saúde Reprodutiva mostrou-se associada com melhor desempenho em algumas dimensões da avaliação cognitiva e na avaliação com o Mini-CEX, em relação às competências de anamnese, profissionalismo e qualidades humanísticas, relação médico paciente e desempenho global. A análise da fidedignidade entre os avaliadores na avaliação com o método OSCE mostrou-se adequada (alfa de Cronbach superior a 70%) em relação ao desempenho global e aos aspectos técnicos das competências avaliadas, observando-se baixa confiabilidade na avaliação da comunicação médico-paciente. O presente trabalho constitui-se numa experiência educacional inovadora e pioneira no âmbito da educação médica brasileira no que tange à inserção da temática de saúde sexual e reprodutiva na graduação, sugerindo-se um impacto positivo da iniciativa na formação do médico generalista na UFRN. A avaliação de conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes em saúde sexual e reprodutiva na graduação de Medicina mostrou-se factível, com alta concordância entre os diferentes métodos empregados. Os métodos OSCE e Mini-CEX podem ser aplicados ao contexto da saúde sexual e reprodutiva, possibilitando a avaliação de competências clínicas relevantes para a formação do médico generalista e que habitualmente não são contempladas nas avaliações rotineiramente realizadas na graduação

Aspectos epidemiológicos, cognitivo-comportamentais e neurofisiológicos do sonho lúcido

Lucid dreaming (LD) is a mental state in which the subject is aware of being dreaming while dreaming. The prevalence of LD among Europeans, North Americans and Asians is quite variable (between 26 and 92%) (Stepansky et al., 1998; Schredl & Erlacher, 2011; Yu, 2008); in Latin Americans it is yet to be investigated. Furthermore, the neural bases of LD remain controversial. Different studies have observed that LD presents power increases in the alpha frequency band (Tyson et al., 1984), in beta oscillations recorded from the parietal cortex (Holzinger et al., 2006) and in gamma rhythm recorded from the frontal cortex (Voss et al., 2009), in comparison with non-lucid dreaming. In this thesis we report epidemiological and neurophysiological investigations of LD. To investigate the epidemiology of LD (Study 1), we developed an online questionnaire about dreams that was answered by 3,427 volunteers. In this sample, 56% were women, 24% were men and 20% did not inform their gender (the median age was 25 years). A total of 76.5% of the subjects reported recalling dreams at least once a week, and about two-thirds of them reported dreaming always in the first person, i.e. when the dreamer observes the dream from within itself, not as another dream character. Dream reports typically depicted actions (93.3%), known people (92.9%), sounds/voices (78.5%), and colored images (76.3%). The oneiric content was related to plans for upcoming days (37.8%), and memories of the previous day (13.8%). Nightmares were characterized by general anxiety/fear (65.5%), feeling of being chased (48.5%), and non-painful unpleasant sensations (47.6%). With regard to LD, 77.2% of the subjects reported having experienced LD at least once in their lifetime (44.9% reported up to 10 episodes ever). LD frequency was weakly correlated with dream recall frequency (r = 0.20, p <0.001) and was higher in men (χ2=10.2, p=0.001). The control of LD was rare (29.7%) and inversely correlated with LD duration (r=-0.38, p <0.001), which is usually short: to 48.5% of the subjects, LD takes less than 1 minute. LD occurrence is mainly associated with having sleep without a fixed time to wake up (38.3%), which increases the chance of having REM sleep (REMS). LD is also associated with stress (30.1%), which increases REMS transitions into wakefulness. Overall, the data suggest that dreams and nightmares can be evolutionarily understood as a simulation of the common situations that happen in life, and that are related to our social, psychological and biological integrity. The results also indicate that LD is a relatively common experience (but not recurrent), often elusive and difficult to control, suggesting that LD is an incomplete stationary stage (or phase transition) between REMS and wake state. Moreover, despite the variability of LD prevalence among North Americans, Europeans and Asians, our data from Latin Americans strengthens the notion that LD is a general phenomenon of the human species. To further investigate the neural bases of LD (Study 2), we performed sleep recordings of 32 non-frequent lucid dreamers (sample 1) and 6 frequent lucid dreamers (sample 2). In sample 1, we applied two cognitive-behavioral techniques to induce LD: presleep LD suggestion (n=8) and light pulses applied during REMS (n=8); in a control group we made no attempt to influence dreaming (n=16). The results indicate that it is quite difficult but still possible to induce LD, since we could induce LD in a single subject, using the suggestion technique. EEG signals from this one subject exhibited alpha (7-14 Hz) bursts prior to LD. These bursts were brief (about 3s), without significant change in muscle tone, and independent of the presence of rapid eye movements. No such bursts were observed in the remaining 31 subjects. In addition, LD exhibited significantly higher occipital alpha and right temporo-parietal gamma (30-50 Hz) power, in comparison with non-lucid REMS. In sample 2, LD presented increased frontal high-gamma (50-100 Hz) power on average, in comparison with non-lucid REMS; however, this was not consistent across all subjects, being a clear phenomenon in just one subject. We also observed that four of these volunteers showed an increase in alpha rhythm power over the occipital region, immediately before or during LD. Altogether, our preliminary results suggest that LD presents neurophysiological characteristics that make it different from both waking and the typical REMS. To the extent that the right temporo-parietal and frontal regions are related to the formation of selfconsciousness and body internal image, we suggest that an increased activity in these regions during sleep may be the neurobiological mechanism underlying LD. The alpha rhythm bursts, as well as the alpha power increase over the occipital region, may represent micro-arousals, which facilitate the contact of the brain during sleep with the external environment, favoring the occurrence of LD. This also strengthens the notion that LD is an intermediary state between sleep and wakefulness

Ação pública na formação e transformação do destino turístico de Porto de Galinhas: um estudo dos referenciais no período de 1970 a 2010

The central interest of this thesis is to comprehend how the public action impels the formation and transformation of the tourist destinies. The research was based on the premise that the public actions are the result of the mediation process of state and non-state actors considered important in a section, which interact aiming for prevailing their interests and world visions above the others. The case of Porto de Galinhas beach, in Pernambuco, locus of the investigation of this thesis, allowed the analysis of a multiplicity of actors on the formation and implementation of local actions toward the development of the tourism between the years 1970 and 2010, as well as permitted the comprehension of the construction of the referential on the interventions made. This thesis, of a qualitative nature, has as theoretical support the cognitive approach of analysis of the public policies developed in France, and it has as main exponents the authors Bruno Jobert and Pierre Muller. This choice was made by the emphasis on the cognitive and normative factors of the politics, which aspects are not very explored in the studies of public policies in Brazil. As the source of the data collection, documental, bibliographic and field researches were utilized to the (re)constitution of the formation and transformation in the site concerned. The analysis techniques applied were the content and the documental analysis. To trace the public action referential, it started by the characterization of the touristic section frontiers and the creation of images by the main international body: the World Tourism Organization, of which analysis of the minutes of the meetings underscored guidelines to the member countries, including Brazil, which compounds the global-sectorial reference of the section. As from the analysis of the evolution of the tourism in the country, was identified that public policies in Brazil passed by transformations in their organization over the years, indicating changes in the referential that guided the interventions. These guidelines and transformations were identified in the construction of the tourist destination of Porto de Galinhas, of which data was systematized and presented in four historical periods, in which were discussed the values, the standard, the algorithms, the images and the important mediators. It has been revealed that the State worked in different roles in the decades analyzed in local tourism. From the 1990s, however, new actors were inserted in the formulation and implementation of policies developed, especially for local hotelkeepers. These, through their association, establishes a leadership relation in the local touristic section, thereby, they could set their hegemony and spread their own interest. The leadership acquired by a group of actors, in the case of Porto de Galinhas, does not mean that trade within the industry were neutralized, but that there is a cognitive framework that confronts the actors involved. In spite of the advances achieved by the work of the mediators in the last decades, that resulted in an amplification and diversification of the activity in the area, as well as the consolidation at the beach, as a tourist destiny of national standout, the position of the place is instable, concerned to the competitiveness, once that there is an situation of social and environmental unsustainability

Variação no conteúdo protéico e pigmentar em variantes cromáticas de Gracilaria domingensis nas populações naturais de Rio do Fogo-RN, BRASIL

The seaweed Gracilaria domingensis is a common species in the coast of Rio Grande do Norte. This species lives in the intertidal zone, where colour strains (red, green and brown) co-occur during the whole year. Seaweeds that live in this region are exposed to daily changes and to the rhythm of the tide. During the low tide they are exposed to dissection, hiper-or hipo-osmotic shock, high temperatures and high irradiance. The aim of this study was to analyze whether the pigment and protein content of the colour strains of G. domingensis is affected by some environmental parameters in a temporal scale. The seaweeds were collected during 10 months in the seashore of Rio do Fogo (RN). The total soluble proteins and the phycobiliprotein were extracted in phosphate buffer and the carotenoids were analyzed by a standardized method through HPLC-UV. The pigments analysis showed that phycoerithrin is the most abundant pigment in the three strains. This pigment was strongly correlated with nitrogen and the photosynthetically active radiation. Chlorophyll presented higher concentrations than carotenoids during the whole, but the ratio carotenoid/chlorophyll-a was modified by incident radiation. The most abundant carotenoid was ß-carotene and zeaxanthin, which had higher concentrations in the higher radiation months. The concentration increase of zeaxanthin in this period indicated a photoprotective response of the seaweed. The three strains presented a pigment profile that indicates different radiation tolerance profile. Our results pointed that the green strain is better adapted to high irradiance levels than the red and brown strains

Níveis de homocisteína e desempenho cognitivo em uma amostra populacional de idosos da cidade do Natal-RN

The imprecision of the frontier that separates those cognitive deficits inherent to the human physiological aging process from those which represent the early signs of nervous system degenerative pathologies ,very prevalent among the elderly, has brought attention to the need of studies aiming to establish clinical and/or laboratorial criteria to allow this differentiation. Elderly people living in poor and developing countries are frequently exposed to precarious socioeconomic conditions which facilitate the development of an array of pathologies which have metabolic and nutritional dysfunctions as the established or proposed etiological agents. The levels of certain micronutrients, such as the vitamins B12 and B9 (folic acid), and of some intermediary metabolites, such as homocysteine are being thought of as etiological factors and/or as biological markers of a group of alterations which affect the normal functioning of the nervous system with important reflexes upon cognitive performance. This study aims to investigate the influence of homocysteine, B12 vitamin and folic acid levels on the cognitive performance of the low income elderly population. This transversal study took place in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, and involved 205 dwelling elderly people, users of the Programa de Saúde da Família, a public healthcare program, maintained by the city s health authorities. A multidimensional questionnaire was used to assess the socio-demographic aspects and the overall health and nutrition conditions. The cognitive performance was measured by the use of the Portuguese version of the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE). The serum levels of homocysteine, B12 vitamin and folic acid were determined by chemiluminescence. The association between the socio-demographic and serum levels of Hcy, B12 vitamin and folic acid was determined by multiple linear regression. Serum levels higher than 13.5 μmol/l, indicative of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), were found on 25.4% of the sample, being more prevalent in men (p<0.05). Deficitary levels of folic acid (<5ng/mol) and of B12 vitamin (<193 pg/ml) were found on 3.9% and 10.2% of the sample respectively. A negative correlation was found between cognitive performance with both age and HHcy and a positive correlation was found between cognitive performance and schooling. The isolated HHcy R2 values were an explanation to only 4% of the variance of the MMSE scores. However, when associated with schooling and age, this model explains about 25% of this association

Impacto do déficit cognitivo na saúde e capacidade funcional da populção idosa do distrito oeste da cidade do Natal-RN

A incapacidade funcional e o déficit cognitivo são condições relacionadas com o processo de envelhecimento humano. O déficit cognitivo é considerado um importante fator preditor de prejuízos funcionais em populações idosas. Este estudo teve um caráter multidisciplinar na sua elaboração e execução, contando com profissionais de distintas áreas da saúde. Trata-se de um estudo transversal que analisou a associação do desempenho cognitivo na capacidade funcional de uma amostra populacional idosa residente em Natal-RN. Foram avaliados 213 idosos pelo Questionário Multidimensional BOAS e pelo Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM). Através de análise multivariada, mediante regressão linear, os resultados apontam a idade e o nível de escolaridade como fatores associados ao desempenho cognitivo nos idosos do estudo. O modelo explicativo final elaborado através de regressão logística apresentou o desempenho cognitivo como a única variável associada à incapacidade funcional para as atividades da vida diária, mesmo quando ajustado por variáveis sócio-demográficas. A identificação dos fatores, associados ao declínio do estado funcional dos idosos que vivem na comunidade, poderá reduzir o impacto dessas condições na capacidade funcional através da aplicação de medidas preventivas voltadas para este fim

Alterações nas concentrações das SRAT, conteúdo de GSH e atividade da CAT em pacientes com esquistossomose aguda

Schistosomiasis is an ancient disease caused by helminth Schistosoma mansoni and is a public health problem in Brazil. The granulomatous lesion, typical of the disease, associates itself with increase in the oxidative damage through the generation of free radicals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the occurrence of changes in parameters oxidant / antioxidant that are part of the human defense system, and observe whether they would cause oxidative stress in subjects with schistosomiasis. Moreover, correlating with some biochemical and hematological parameters. Two groups were selected for study, consisting of individuals of both sexes, aged between 16 and 30 years. A control group, formed by individuals without schistosomiasis (n = 30) and a test group, formed by individuals with schistosomiasis (n = 30). The evaluation of lipid peroxidation in plasma was performed by determination of malondialdehyde and antioxidant defense by the quantification of reduced glutathione and catalase activity. For the parameters that assess oxidative stress, the results showed a decrease in the content of reduced glutathione and no change in the activity of catalase, with an increase in the value of malondialdehyde. Therefore, the data found suggest the occurrence of oxidative stress in subjects with schistosomiasis. Of the parameters that assess hepatic function, only levels of aspartate aminotransferase have been high, while there was a decrease of bilirubine. There was a significant change in the lipid profile (p <0.5), however with regard to the renal function of patients, there was a decrease in creatinine. The assessment hematological, made through hemogram and the quantification of hemoglobin, shows increase of eosinophils individuals in the group test, which can be related to the presence of the parasite. The amendments suggest the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of this disease

A sistematização do conteúdo jogo nas aulas de educação física do ensino fundamental e médio

Since the enactment of LDBEN 9.9394/96, Physical Education began to be understood as a curricular component in school. Thus, we see the need for systematization of content. We observed that the physical education classes at the public schools in Natal/RN from the game content, teachers did not use the existing proposals for systematization. And it was on this reality that the study occurred, aiming to present and discuss a proposal to systematization the game content in physical education classes in elementary and secondary education. Accordingly, we departed of following question: What possibilities of systematization of the game content in school physical education classes?. The methodology used was the action research, which allowed us to structure the intervention plan for the game content, directed to a reflective didactic process. The dialogue with action research provided an opportunity to understand of the proposal of systematization, the knowledge of game content, the planning and process of teaching and learning in physical education lessons developed. We use the proposed systematization the book Educação Física Escolar e Organização Curricular , to direct and organize the lesson plans. As research technique, we use the participant observation, filming, photographic records and field diary, guiding us in the debates and discussions about the field of research. The applications of the lesson plans were carried out in three schools, all located in Natal / RN: Escola Municipal Professora Ivonete Maciel, Escola Municipal Professor Ulisses de Góis e Professor Escola Estadual Josino Macedo. The members of this study were students PIBID-EF-UFRN, teachers, supervisors and school. They made the bridge between research and action, theoretical foundation and pedagogical practice, university and school. The results were advanced for beyond the propositions submitted by the above-mentioned book. For the Elementary School 1, the proposed systematization broadened experiences and learning of knowledge of the game and of playful and body manifestations. Provided an opportunity to know and learn about game of make account, rules, popular games, cooperative games, among others. For Elementary Schools 2 and Middle education, systematized lessons allowed the practical, the incorporation of knowledge of the game and its features: such as rules, origin, meaning of the name, different denominations, among others. The students experienced and learned, popular games, pre-sport games, cooperative games, with recycled material, among others. The treatment from three dimensions of contents: procedural, conceptual and attitudinal, occurred parallel to approach the game content, and in conjunction with our interventions, not being done separately during practice, but an ongoing process during class. This new perspective of work the game, in a systematized way, with applying, description and discussion the activities, allowed elaborate a summary framework of thematizations for game content, by year of teaching

Validação de conteúdo do instrumento para consulta de enfermagem na visita domiciliar às pessoas com lesão medular: um enfoque no autocuidado

This study aimed to validate the contents of an Instrument for Nursing Consultation in the Home Visit of people with Spinal Cord Injury (INCEVDOP-LM), based on the Self-Care Deficit Theory. The methodological development study was conducted with spinal cord injured (SCI) people ascribed in the Family Health Units the city of Natal/RN/Brazil, and with the nurses of these institutions. The study was conducted from Januray 2012 to January 2013 in two phases: the first aimed to identify the need for self-care of persons with SCI, and the second to develop and validate the INCEVDOP-LM. The first phase consisted of a census study of people with SCI living in Natal/RN. In the second phase, a non-probabilistic convencience sample of subjects was selected to form two groups: First stage - Group 1 of the first stage was comprised by 73 adults with SCI diagnosed with paraplegia or tetraplegia, with cognitive function preserved and that were registered to some family health unit; Group 2 of the Second phase was composed of six experts that were nurses with doctoral formation, scientific experience in the area of technology development or assistance to persons with SCI, and with publications in periodicals Qualis A2. Data collection of the first phase was conducted through home visits of people with SCI that responded three instruments: Questionnaire I (comprised of demographic and socioeconomic variables), The Competency Rating Scale for Self-care (ASA) and the Barthel Index (an instrument for evaluation of functional capacity). The research for the second phase was conducted in two stages: I-construction of the INCEVDOP LM; II-validation of the INCEVDOP-LM. The instrument and an evaluation form were forwarded to the experts for the validation. The correlations between the responses were analyzed by the Kappa test, with accepting values of>0.75. The evaluation criteria were: organization, clarity, simplicity, readability, appropriateness of vocabulary, objectivity, accuracy, reliability and suitability and the positive responses with frequency values of≥90% were considered excellent. The chi-square test was used to investigate the differences between proportions. The study attended to the principles of Human Rights CNS Resolution 196/96. Results were reported by means of four articles derived from the study. The findings indicate that the items that showed disagreement among experts (k=0.02) were diagnoses, interventions and evaluation of the nursing features pertaining to the domains of Nutrition, Hygiene, Elimination, Physical, Social and Psychological, and of the Ability to perform work activities feature. Agreement among the experts were reported for the other items, with kappa ranging from 0.72 to 1. After removing items with disagreement, all criteria achieved excellent rates and no significant differences were observed between the proportions of responses of evaluation of experts (p>0.05). We conclude that the instrument shows validity to serve as a guide for nurses to conduct a systematic consultation during the home visit to people with spinal cord injury, with emphasis on self-care. The instrument must go through other levels of validation when applied in the clinical setting

Validação de conteúdo de instrumentos sobre conhecimento e habilidade em sondagem nasogástrica

Este estudo teve como objetivo construir e validar conteúdo de instrumentos avaliativos sobre conhecimento e habilidade de enfermagem no procedimento de sondagem nasogástrica. Trata-se de um estudo metodológico realizado na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) e na Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN). A amostra foi composta por 23 juízes, selecionados a partir dos critérios de inclusão: serem enfermeiros, docentes nas disciplinas de Semiologia e/ou Semiotécnica de Enfermagem, ter no mínimo um ano de experiência nestas disciplinas e ser das instituições selecionadas para o estudo. A pesquisa se desenvolveu em três etapas: (A) construção de dois instrumentos com base na revisão da literatura que resultou em um roteiro de observação da habilidade estruturado composto por 28 itens e um questionário sobre o conhecimento com 12 questões; (B) submissão dos instrumentos aos juízes, no período de junho a setembro de 2012, os quais deveriam julgar cada item como adequado , adequado com alterações ou inadequado , além de fazer uma avaliação geral de cada instrumento baseada em 10 critérios adaptados do referencial metodológico de Pasquali; e (C) validação com a verificação do nível de concordância entre os juízes, por meio da aplicação do Índice de Validade de Conteúdo (IVC) e do Índice Kappa. Utilizou-se o nível de consenso maior que 0,75 para o IVC e maior que 0,61 (bom) para o Índice Kappa. Estudo aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (CEP/HUOL), sob CAAE nº 0002.0.294.000-10. Após serem codificados e tabulados, os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva. Dos 23 juízes, 87% eram do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 36,5 anos, 73,9% atuavam na UFRN, 78,3% possuíam mestrado acadêmico e 69,6% atuavam exclusivamente na docência. A média de tempo de experiência na docência foi de 7,9 anos e nas disciplinas de Semiologia e/ou Semiotécnica de Enfermagem foi de 5,6 anos. No julgamento do roteiro de observação estruturado e do questionário sobre o conhecimento, nenhum item/questão considerou-se inadequado, uma vez que todos obtiveram nível de concordância dentro dos índices estabelecidos (IVC > a 0,75 e Kappa > 0,61). Em relação ao roteiro estruturado para avaliar habilidade, dos 28 itens presentes, 13 apresentaram índice de concordância perfeito (IVC=1,00; Kappa= 1,00) e outros 15 foram considerados adequados com alterações, principalmente no que diz respeito à sequência instrucional dos tópicos, clareza e vocabulário. No questionário sobre o conhecimento, dentre as 12 questões que o compunham, 03 apresentaram índice de concordância perfeito e as demais adequadas com alterações quanto aos critérios vocabulário, clareza, atualização e precisão. Em relação à avaliação geral dos instrumentos, o roteiro estruturado de habilidade obteve IVC de 0,95 e Kappa de 0,91 e o questionário do conhecimento, IVC de 0,97 e Kappa de 0,94. Os dois instrumentos mostraram-se válidos quanto ao seu conteúdo, e constituem ferramentas para fomentar a qualidade da assistência de enfermagem em relação ao conhecimento e à habilidade em sondagem nasogástrica

Seleção seqüencial de descritores por análise da semântica para recuperação de imagens baseada no conteúdo

With the rapid growth of databases of various types (text, multimedia, etc..), There exist a need to propose methods for ordering, access and retrieve data in a simple and fast way. The images databases, in addition to these needs, require a representation of the images so that the semantic content characteristics are considered. Accordingly, several proposals such as the textual annotations based retrieval has been made. In the annotations approach, the recovery is based on the comparison between the textual description that a user can make of images and descriptions of the images stored in database. Among its drawbacks, it is noted that the textual description is very dependent on the observer, in addition to the computational effort required to describe all the images in database. Another approach is the content based image retrieval - CBIR, where each image is represented by low-level features such as: color, shape, texture, etc. In this sense, the results in the area of CBIR has been very promising. However, the representation of the images semantic by low-level features is an open problem. New algorithms for the extraction of features as well as new methods of indexing have been proposed in the literature. However, these algorithms become increasingly complex. So, doing an analysis, it is natural to ask whether there is a relationship between semantics and low-level features extracted in an image? and if there is a relationship, which descriptors better represent the semantic? which leads us to a new question: how to use descriptors to represent the content of the images?. The work presented in this thesis, proposes a method to analyze the relationship between low-level descriptors and semantics in an attempt to answer the questions before. Still, it was observed that there are three possibilities of indexing images: Using composed characteristic vectors, using parallel and independent index structures (for each descriptor or set of them) and using characteristic vectors sorted in sequential order. Thus, the first two forms have been widely studied and applied in literature, but there were no records of the third way has even been explored. So this thesis also proposes to index using a sequential structure of descriptors and also the order of these descriptors should be based on the relationship that exists between each descriptor and semantics of the users. Finally, the proposed index in this thesis revealed better than the traditional approachs and yet, was showed experimentally that the order in this sequence is important and there is a direct relationship between this order and the relationship of low-level descriptors with the semantics of the users

Classificação Automática de Modulação Digital com uso de Correntropia para Ambientes de Rádio Cognitivo

Modern wireless systems employ adaptive techniques to provide high throughput while observing desired coverage, Quality of Service (QoS) and capacity. An alternative to further enhance data rate is to apply cognitive radio concepts, where a system is able to exploit unused spectrum on existing licensed bands by sensing the spectrum and opportunistically access unused portions. Techniques like Automatic Modulation Classification (AMC) could help or be vital for such scenarios. Usually, AMC implementations rely on some form of signal pre-processing, which may introduce a high computational cost or make assumptions about the received signal which may not hold (e.g. Gaussianity of noise). This work proposes a new method to perform AMC which uses a similarity measure from the Information Theoretic Learning (ITL) framework, known as correntropy coefficient. It is capable of extracting similarity measurements over a pair of random processes using higher order statistics, yielding in better similarity estimations than by using e.g. correlation coefficient. Experiments carried out by means of computer simulation show that the technique proposed in this paper presents a high rate success in classification of digital modulation, even in the presence of additive white gaussian noise (AWGN)

Caracterização do conteúdo de fossas e tanques sépticos na cidade de Natal

Only 32% of the population of Natal is attended by sewage, while the remaining population use pits and septic tanks. The characterization of the contents of septic tanks and pits contributes to the performance of such system and may guide the decision on treatment of these contents. The main of this research is to characterize the contents of interior residential pits and septic tanks in the greater Natal, with the following specific goals: to develop and manufacture a sampler capable of collecting a representative sample of the entire column (the surface scum, the clarified liquid and sludge bottom); to compare the contents of the tanks with the pits; to compare the contents of the septage from vacuum trucks; to relate the composition content with socioeconomic characteristics of households; to compare the content in both chambers of the septic tanks in series; to assess the situation of the content before and six months after the cleanness; and ultimately propose a pilot scale plant for treatment of septage. Once the sampler was developed, samples were collected within 14 septic tanks and 10 pits in many districts of Natal. Medians of the 24 systems were obtained: temperature, pH, conductivity, oil and grease, total solids, total suspended solids and sediments of 28.0 °C, 6.95; 882 mS/cm, 75.2 mg/L; 10,169 mg/L, 6,509 mg/L and 175 mL/L respectively; 111.0 mgN/L for ammonia, 130.5 mgN/ L for organic nitrogen, 0.2 mgN/L for nitrite, 0.4 mg/L for nitrate; 8935 mgO2/L for COD, 29.2 mgP/L for total phosphorus, thermotolerant coliforms from 9.95 E +06 CFU/100mL helminth eggs and 9.2 eggs/L with a maximum concentration of 688 eggs/L and minimum of 0 eggs/L. Medians of organic nitrogen and TKN were significantly different between groups of tanks and pits. The systems with cleanness gap from 11 and 20 years presented the higher concentrations for most variables. The effluent from the toilets and bathrooms participate more effectively in contributing fractions of solids, alkalinity, nitrogen, COD, total phosphorus, thermotolerant coliforms and helminth eggs. The systems used by socioeconomics class with income from R$ 3,700.00 to R$ 7,600.00, presented higher concentrations for COD, nitrogen, solids and helminth eggs. The first of the two chambers had always presented higher concentrations over the second compartment. The analysis of variance for most variables, showed that the values of septic tanks, pits and septage from vacuum trucks belong to the same group. In the samples taken after cleanness, the median of pH and temperature increased, while alkalinity, COD, organic nitrogen, total phosphorus, ammonia and helminth eggs decreased. The oils and greases and thermotolerant coliforms had slightly varied due to the continuous release of sewage into the systems that maintained their steady state concentrations.

O ensino por problemas nos livros de química: uma análise do conteúdo estrutura atômica

La enseñanza de problemas se ha investigado en la didáctica de las ciencias naturales como un medio importante para desarrollar el aprendizaje de los conocimientos científicos y la formación de competencias básicas. Dada la importancia de los libros de texto para la enseñanza de la ciencia, con el fin de verificar el enfoque de la enseñanza con problemas en los libros de química, se procedió a una investigación realizada en las obras aprobadas en PNLD 2012, basado en el método de Análisis de Contenido. Se analizó el contenido de la estructura atómica, como marco teórico la perspectiva de la enseñanza problémica, basada en el materialismo histórico y dialéctico. Metodológicamente la investigación presenta un carácter cualitativo. Los resultados del análisis de contenido corroboraron la cuestiones de estudio iniciales relacionadas con la explicación centrándose en los problemas, lo que permitió inferir la elaboración de una Unidad Didactica basada en los métodos problémicos para la enseñanza de los modelos atómicos por la exposición problémica, la conversación heurística y la busca parcial, como forma de aproximar los estudiantes a la naturaleza de las ciencias naturales y contribuir al desarrollo de actitudes positivas en el aprendizaje de la química

O padrão discursivo provérbio numa perspectiva cognitivo-experimental:expressões Idiomáticas em Grande Sertão: Veredas

Este estudio pretende dilucidar las motivaciones que llevan a los lectores del romance Grande Sertão: Veredas a la categorización de ciertas construcciones gramaticales que se encuentran en la obra como proverbiales. Para ello, recurren a la investigación de los procesos cognitivos implicados en la configuración del patrón discursivo proverbio, teniendo como soporte teórico a la Lingüística Cognitiva. En este empeño, nos ancoramos en las nociones de construcciones corporeizadas, simulación mental, frecuencia, patrón discursivo y en la expresión idiomática. Suponemos que los proverbios constituyen un patrón discursivo cristalizado a partir de la recurrencia de uso y, en virtud de eso, indagamos: ¿Qué mecanismos cognitivos son activados por los lectores en el proceso de categorización de las expresiones dichas proverbiales? Motivados por la situación problema presentada, formulamos algunos experimentos con la intención de aclarar las cuestiones investigadas y concluimos que los lectores recurren a constituciones construccionales subyacentes a los proverbios conocidos a través de las interacciones realizadas en su entorno sociocultural, para dar cuenta de la semántica de construcciones inéditas. En ese proceso, los esquemas y frames se activan a través de simulaciones mentales instanciadas por experiencias corporales y culturales, decisivas para la concretización de los procesos de las construcciones proverbiales