Análise de métodos para aplicação de ventilação natural em projetos de edificações em Natal-RN

Natural ventilation is an efficient bioclimatic strategy, one that provides thermal comfort, healthful and cooling to the edification. However, the disregard for quality environment, the uncertainties involved in the phenomenon and the popularization of artificial climate systems are held as an excuse for those who neglect the benefits of passive cooling. The unfamiliarity with the concept may be lessened if ventilation is observed in every step of the project, especially in the initial phase in which decisions bear a great impact in the construction process. The tools available in order to quantify the impact of projected decisions consist basically of the renovation rate calculations or computer simulations of fluids, commonly dubbed CFD, which stands for Computational Fluid Dynamics , both somewhat apart from the project s execution and unable to adapt for use in parametric studies. Thus, we chose to verify, through computer simulation, the representativeness of the results with a method of simplified air reconditioning rate calculation, as well as making it more compatible with the questions relevant to the first phases of the project s process. The case object consists of a model resulting from the recommendations of the Código de Obras de Natal/ RN, customized according to the NBR 15220. The study has shown the complexity in aggregating a CFD tool to the process and the need for a method capable of generating data at the compatible rate to the flow of ideas and are discarded during the project s development. At the end of our study, we discuss the necessary concessions for the realization of simulations, the applicability and the limitations of both the tools used and the method adopted, as well as the representativeness of the results obtained

Avaliação da cobertura e monitoramento do branqueamento de corais nos

Coral bleaching has been increasingly the focus of research around the world since the early 1980s, when it was verified to be increasing in frequency, intensity and amount of areas affected. The phenomenon has been recorded since 1993, associated with elevation of the sea surface temperature due to El Niños and water thermal anomalies, according to most reports around the world. On the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a mass coral bleaching event was recorded in the Environmental Protection Area of Coral Reefs (APARC) during March and April 2010, when the water temperature reached 34°C for several days. About 80% of the corals in Maracajaú reef-complex exhibited partial or total bleaching. The aims of this study were to verify representativeness of coral coverage and how the bleaching dynamic has developed among different species. Coral coverage was estimated according to Reef Check Brazil protocol associated with quadrant method, and bleaching was evaluated from biweekly visual surveys in 80 colonies of Favia gravida, Porites astreoides, Siderastrea stellata and Millepora alcicornis. At the same time temperature, pH, salinity and horizontal transparency, as well as mortality and disease occurrence were monitored. Analysis of variance and Multiple Regression from the perspective of time lag concept were used to evaluate the bleaching dynamics among species and the relationship between variation of means of bleaching and variations of abiotic parameters, respectively. Species showed significant differences among themselves as to variation of means of bleaching over time, but the dynamic of variation exhibited similar patterns

Programa alfabetização solidária: um estudo sobre a experiência no município de Lagoa de Pedras/RN (1997 - 2003)

The educational reform of the 90 s was tainted by the objectives of the fiscal adjustments, resulting in the redefinition of the state s role in the financing and offering of teaching services, and bringing about a shuffling of the responsibility between the public and private sectors to promote education to young people and adults. The 90 s also highlighted the proliferation of providers and the multiplication of Educational Programs for Youths and Adults (EJA), implemented through partnerships between governmental and nongovernmental agencies. During this period of time, the agenda of educational responsibilities concerning analphabetism was organized in a process of decentralized of the state, with the following political, social, and economic objectives: to reduce the public deficit, increasing public savings and the financial capacity of the state to concentrate resources in areas considered indispensable to direct intervention; to increase the efficiency of the social services moffered or funded by the state, giving citizens more at a lower cost, and spreading services to more remote areas, expanding access to reach those most in need; to increase the participation of citizens in public management, stimulating communitarian acts as well as developing efforts towards the effective coordination of public figures in the implementation of associated social services. Thus, Assistance Programs co-financed by the government try to deal with the problem of analphabetism. Within the sphere of the 90 s educational policy decentralization, we come to see how the agenda dedicated to the reduction of analphabetism was formed by the Solidarity Alphabetization Program (PAS). Between 1997 and 2003, the latter agenda s decentralizing proposal was integrated in the management partnership for the operationalization of tasks and resources faced with the execution of the formal objectives. In this study, we identify the dimensions of the implantation and progress of the tasks carried out by PAS, in the municipality of Lagoa de Pedras/RN. However, we consider these Programs to assist in the process without guaranteeing the reduction of the causes or substituting the responsibility of the system once the monetary resources for program maintenance provided by the partners is exhausted

Análise da atividade de trabalho profissional de gerentes de hotel à luz da abordagem da ergonomia

This Masters degree dissertation presents a research that aims at analyzing the activities regarding within a hotel managers work in Natal/RN - Brazil, This Masters degree dissertation presents the research that aims at analyzing the activities regarding the hotel managers work in Natal / RN - Brazil, performing diagnosis of their activities and relating the aspects that impact the quality and productivity of hotel services and managers occupational health. This research is characterized as a case study with a qualitative approach, taking the method of Ergonomic Work Analysis which is the analysis of the managers work activity as a reference to the focus; and combining the use of observational and interactional methods. Ergonomics and macroergonomics are used in this study not only to understand the physical, cognitive and organizational constraints of the manager s duties, but also to characterize the work organizational architecture and design of that hotel. High workload, accumulation of tasks and diversion of functions performed by managers were noticed, increasing thereby the physical and psychological suffering for them. It was found that the activity of managers is characterized by the ambivalence of power, limited autonomy, cooperation, interdependence between managers and the fear of incompetence. It was also noticed that managers devote more time to the day job (37%), another time to sleep (30%), while only 33% of the rest of the day are meant for activities like taking care of health, family, social life and study. Although there are few studies addressing the health and safety of hotel managers, this research revealed that 84% of the surveyed hotel managers complain of musculoskeletal pain which 50% are obese and are 100% sedentary. It was also observed that managers adopt unsuitable postures for carrying out the work activities that contribute to becoming injured or work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the near future. Ergonomic measures were recommended as an investment in the skills and the training of managers, encouraging cooperative work, appropriateness of workload, limiting overtime, preserving the enjoyment of breaks during work and weekly holidays, changing the layout of the work sector , usage of communication technology to prevent displacement, compensatory physical activities, furniture adaptation, among others

Aprendizado por Reforço com Valores deInfluência em Sistemas Multi-Agente

We propose a new paradigm for collective learning in multi-agent systems (MAS) as a solution to the problem in which several agents acting over the same environment must learn how to perform tasks, simultaneously, based on feedbacks given by each one of the other agents. We introduce the proposed paradigm in the form of a reinforcement learning algorithm, nominating it as reinforcement learning with influence values. While learning by rewards, each agent evaluates the relation between the current state and/or action executed at this state (actual believe) together with the reward obtained after all agents that are interacting perform their actions. The reward is a result of the interference of others. The agent considers the opinions of all its colleagues in order to attempt to change the values of its states and/or actions. The idea is that the system, as a whole, must reach an equilibrium, where all agents get satisfied with the obtained results. This means that the values of the state/actions pairs match the reward obtained by each agent. This dynamical way of setting the values for states and/or actions makes this new reinforcement learning paradigm the first to include, naturally, the fact that the presence of other agents in the environment turns it a dynamical model. As a direct result, we implicitly include the internal state, the actions and the rewards obtained by all the other agents in the internal state of each agent. This makes our proposal the first complete solution to the conceptual problem that rises when applying reinforcement learning in multi-agent systems, which is caused by the difference existent between the environment and agent models. With basis on the proposed model, we create the IVQ-learning algorithm that is exhaustive tested in repetitive games with two, three and four agents and in stochastic games that need cooperation and in games that need collaboration. This algorithm shows to be a good option for obtaining solutions that guarantee convergence to the Nash optimum equilibrium in cooperative problems. Experiments performed clear shows that the proposed paradigm is theoretical and experimentally superior to the traditional approaches. Yet, with the creation of this new paradigm the set of reinforcement learning applications in MAS grows up. That is, besides the possibility of applying the algorithm in traditional learning problems in MAS, as for example coordination of tasks in multi-robot systems, it is possible to apply reinforcement learning in problems that are essentially collaborative

Mapeamento robótico 2,5-D com representação em grade de ocupação-elevação

This work introduces a new method for environment mapping with three-dimensional information from visual information for robotic accurate navigation. Many approaches of 3D mapping using occupancy grid typically requires high computacional effort to both build and store the map. We introduce an 2.5-D occupancy-elevation grid mapping, which is a discrete mapping approach, where each cell stores the occupancy probability, the height of the terrain at current place in the environment and the variance of this height. This 2.5-dimensional representation allows that a mobile robot to know whether a place in the environment is occupied by an obstacle and the height of this obstacle, thus, it can decide if is possible to traverse the obstacle. Sensorial informations necessary to construct the map is provided by a stereo vision system, which has been modeled with a robust probabilistic approach, considering the noise present in the stereo processing. The resulting maps favors the execution of tasks like decision making in the autonomous navigation, exploration, localization and path planning. Experiments carried out with a real mobile robots demonstrates that this proposed approach yields useful maps for robot autonomous navigation

Inferência do ponto de orvalho em amostras de gás natural processado

This dissertation aims to assess the representativeness of the manual chilled mirror analyzer (model II Chanscope 13-1200-CN-2) used for the determination of condensed hydrocarbons of natural gas compared to the indirect methods, based on thermodynamic models equation of state. Additionally, it has been implemented in this study a model for calculating the dew point of natural gas. The proposed model is a modification of the equation of state of Peng-Robinson admits that the groups contribution as a strategy to calculate the binary interaction parameters kij (T) temperature dependence. Experimental data of the work of Brown et al. (2007) were used to compare the responses of the dew point of natural gas with thermodynamic models contained in the UniSim process simulator and the methodology implemented in this study. Then two natural gas compositions were studied, the first being a standard gas mixture gravimetrically synthesized and, second, a mixture of processed natural gas. These experimental data were also compared with the results presented by UniSim process simulator and the thermodynamic model implemented. However, data from the manual analysis results indicated significant differences in temperature, these differences were attributed to the formation of dew point of water, as we observed the appearance of moisture on the mirror surface cooling equipment

Contribuições do Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação Científica (PIBIC) para a formação do aluno de psicologia

The undergraduate courses in Psychology have been historically pointed as defective in aspects related to the critical education and the integration between theory and practice. Hence, the scientific education has been considered a possibility to overcome those lacks. Therefore, this study has investigated the undergraduate education process of Psychology students with PIBIC (Portuguese acronym for Undergraduate Scientific Research Scholarships Institutional Program) scholarships from CNPq (Portuguese acronym Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technological Development). The scholarship program has been a strategic tool for the undergraduate scientific research. Electronic questionnaires have been sent to all the PIBIC scholarship students of Psychology in Brazil (622; 104 have answered), containing questions about the program developed activities, tutoring and advising, PIBIC evaluation and other ones. The students scientific and academic production has also been investigated through their Lattes (CNPq s Platform in which researchers have their academic résumés). The major part of the participants (70%) has stated that the first motivation to be in the program had been their interest in the research or in the academic career. Furthermore, 60% of the scholarship students has worked as volunteers before receiving PIBIC scholarship. Among the students who have answered the research, 65,4% has reported they are tutored directly by their advisors, and 80% of them attends one or more than one advising meeting every fifteen days. It has been identified that the Psychology scholarship students do not participate in all the research activities and that the proximity with the advisor is related to the accomplishment of tasks which contributes with the student critical and reflexive education. Finally, less than 25% of the students has published scientific articles or book chapters during the scholarship, what XI demonstrates a possible exclusion of them in that phase of the process. In general, the scholarship students evaluate the program positively by revealing that it contributes with their professional and academic education. For those reasons, it is observed PIBIC s potential role for the undergraduate education in order to develop more critical psychologists able to propose innovations and contextualized practices. However, the results obtained in programs like the studied one denounce the disqualification of the provided undergraduate education for the major part of the university students, who do not have a PIBIC scholarship. As a result, it is emphasized that it there should be more investment for improving the quality of the undergraduate education itself and not only for programs which are available for few students

Um ambiente para especificação e execução AD-HOC de processos de negócio baseados em serviços Web

Recently the focus given to Web Services and Semantic Web technologies has provided the development of several research projects in different ways to addressing the Web services composition issue. Meanwhile, the challenge of creating an environment that provides the specification of an abstract business process and that it is automatically implemented by a composite service in a dynamic way is considered a currently open problem. WSDL and BPEL provided by industry support only manual service composition because they lack needed semantics so that Web services are discovered, selected and combined by software agents. Services ontology provided by Semantic Web enriches the syntactic descriptions of Web services to facilitate the automation of tasks, such as discovery and composition. This work presents an environment for specifying and ad-hoc executing Web services-based business processes, named WebFlowAH. The WebFlowAH employs common domain ontology to describe both Web services and business processes. It allows processes specification in terms of users goals or desires that are expressed based on the concepts of such common domain ontology. This approach allows processes to be specified in an abstract high level way, unburdening the user from the underline details needed to effectively run the process workflow

Uma ferramenta de análise automatizada de técnicas de seleção de testes de regressão baseada em mineração de repositórios de software

The main goal of Regression Test (RT) is to reuse the test suite of the latest version of a software in its current version, in order to maximize the value of the tests already developed and ensure that old features continue working after the new changes. Even with reuse, it is common that not all tests need to be executed again. Because of that, it is encouraged to use Regression Tests Selection (RTS) techniques, which aims to select from all tests, only those that reveal faults, this reduces costs and makes this an interesting practice for the testing teams. Several recent research works evaluate the quality of the selections performed by RTS techniques, identifying which one presents the best results, measured by metrics such as inclusion and precision. The RTS techniques should seek in the System Under Test (SUT) for tests that reveal faults. However, because this is a problem without a viable solution, they alternatively seek for tests that reveal changes, where faults may occur. Nevertheless, these changes may modify the execution flow of the algorithm itself, leading some tests no longer exercise the same stretch. In this context, this dissertation investigates whether changes performed in a SUT would affect the quality of the selection of tests performed by an RTS, if so, which features the changes present which cause errors, leading the RTS to include or exclude tests wrongly. For this purpose, a tool was developed using the Java language to automate the measurement of inclusion and precision averages achieved by a regression test selection technique for a particular feature of change. In order to validate this tool, an empirical study was conducted to evaluate the RTS technique Pythia, based on textual differencing, on a large web information system, analyzing the feature of types of tasks performed to evolve the SUT

Reflexões fenomenológicas sobre o sofrimento em relação ao trabalho

The literature review reveals that the field of Work Organizational Psychology, as well as the Mental Health of Work has been developing relevant research about the suffering and the world of work. This research intended to approach the unique experience of suffering in relation of the work, from the clinical view, taking the Heidegger’s phenomenological hermeneutics perspective as a reference. Inspired by the thought of the philosopher, sought to understand the suffering in their ontic and existential dimensions, in its limiting aspects; as the one who restricts the possibilities of relationship that man with others, putting in danger significances networks woven for him to deal with things and to live with others. The world of work has been envisioned as a space of possibilities for realization of the existence. Thus, the objective of this study is to understand how the suffering is experienced in relation to work, from the experience of professionals inserted in a judicial organization. The research, with the qualitative approach, used semi-structured individual interviews, whose narratives were analyzed from the heideggerian hermeneutic perspective. Three employees collaborated into this research. The narratives showed that the suffering is related with excess and diversity of tasks carried out by the same employee, associated with lack of acknowledgment of the work executed, and also with working relationship. In general way, the suffering revealed itself as helplessness, loneliness and lack of sense to the existence. We hope that this study enables the opening towards new horizons of understanding about the meanings and sense of work and their relationship networks, as well as contributes to the field of psychology in general

Vivências do pai/ acompanhante no processo da hospitalização do filho

The presence of the man with the hospitalized child is still insignificant and the relationships established in hospitals culminate in several situations that can to influence his experience. The study aimed to analyze the experiences of the parent / caregiver during the hospitalization of their child. In intention to develop the research, it was conducted an exploratory and descriptive qualitative research approach, developed with 11 fathers who accompanied sick childen at the Paediatric Hospital in metropolitan area of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. As inclusion criteria men should be aged 18 years; have favorable emotional conditions to answer the questions are be accompanying his child aged between one to five years old in clinical or surgical. Data collection occurred in March and April 2014, using an interview script. This step prior to the approval of the Health Department of state of Rio Grande do Norte, approved by Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Committee on Ethics in Research by Certificate of Presentation and Ethics Consideration No. 22821513.1.0000.5537. The data treatment occurred following the content analysis method in thematic modality proposed by Bardin. According to statements the following categories emerged: "The presence of the father in the hospitalization of a child" and "Responsibilities and parental attitudes the hospitalization of a child”, which were analyzed and discussed based on the literature on the family in the hospitalization of the child and considerations about the care of the child. It was founded that the respondents the experienced institutionalization son were inserted in a context of active participation of tasks and sharing responsibilities. Thus it was considered in the study the need of enforcing rights of the father as a family entity in practice of them child care instead of social and gender issues that are still strongly rooted in contemporary society. Given this, it is necessary that the nursing staff consider the various situations faced by man during infant hospitalization with the first fruits of this approach to the care of the son process minimizing the sequelae stemming from being away from the family nucleus

Implementação das diretrizes operacionais para a educação básica nas escolas do campo: embates e limitações do trabalho docente no Rio Grande do Norte

Considering the situation of neglect existing in Brazilian public education and, specially, in the process of rural schooling, this dissertation aims to analyze the process of implementation of the Operational Guidelines for Basic Education in Rural Schools (DOEBEC), regulatory framework of the national policy of rural education. On it, we analyze the conditions of teaching work in rural schools of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), in 2010. The sample of the survey has as reference the representativeness of the chosen universe in relation to the totality of rural schools belonging to the state of RN. To answer the goals of the research, we opted to present a critical analysis of the following points: 1) Implementation of the DOEBEC; 2) Conditions of teaching work and teaching training. The points or categories of research were chosen based in the determinations of the DOEBEC (Resolution CNE/CEB n. 01/2002). For the data collection in the referred schools, we opted for the realization of interviews with the teachers and managers of these teaching establishments, in 2010. It was also utilized, for the characterization of school attendance in rural schools of RN, in 2010, official statistical data available by the State Secretary of Education and Culture (SEEC/RN). The analysis of the statistical data and of the primary data collected in field research indicated that the conditions of teaching work are still an obstacle to the development of the educative work of the teacher in rural areas. According to interviews with the participants of the research, we realized that the DOEBEC, despite being sanctioned in 2002, were still dimly known and discussed by the interviewees of the referred schools in 2010. Thus, we propose that the implementation of the policy of rural education in RN, instituted by DOEBEC’s legal landmark, and reaffirmed by the Rio Grande do Norte’s Charter to Rural Education (Brazil, 2005), is rethought and reconsidered, in the sense of ensuring that the changes proposed in this legal text, inherent to the school functioning, to the conditions of teaching work, to the rural schools’ management, to the remuneration and valorization of teaching work, to the teaching training, to the conditions of school transport, among others, be turned into concrete actions to improve the quality of education offered in the rural schools of RN state.

Implementação das diretrizes operacionais para a educação básica nas escolas do campo: embates e limitações do trabalho docente no Rio Grande do Norte

Considering the situation of neglect existing in Brazilian public education and, specially, in the process of rural schooling, this dissertation aims to analyze the process of implementation of the Operational Guidelines for Basic Education in Rural Schools (DOEBEC), regulatory framework of the national policy of rural education. On it, we analyze the conditions of teaching work in rural schools of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), in 2010. The sample of the survey has as reference the representativeness of the chosen universe in relation to the totality of rural schools belonging to the state of RN. To answer the goals of the research, we opted to present a critical analysis of the following points: 1) Implementation of the DOEBEC; 2) Conditions of teaching work and teaching training. The points or categories of research were chosen based in the determinations of the DOEBEC (Resolution CNE/CEB n. 01/2002). For the data collection in the referred schools, we opted for the realization of interviews with the teachers and managers of these teaching establishments, in 2010. It was also utilized, for the characterization of school attendance in rural schools of RN, in 2010, official statistical data available by the State Secretary of Education and Culture (SEEC/RN). The analysis of the statistical data and of the primary data collected in field research indicated that the conditions of teaching work are still an obstacle to the development of the educative work of the teacher in rural areas. According to interviews with the participants of the research, we realized that the DOEBEC, despite being sanctioned in 2002, were still dimly known and discussed by the interviewees of the referred schools in 2010. Thus, we propose that the implementation of the policy of rural education in RN, instituted by DOEBEC’s legal landmark, and reaffirmed by the Rio Grande do Norte’s Charter to Rural Education (Brazil, 2005), is rethought and reconsidered, in the sense of ensuring that the changes proposed in this legal text, inherent to the school functioning, to the conditions of teaching work, to the rural schools’ management, to the remuneration and valorization of teaching work, to the teaching training, to the conditions of school transport, among others, be turned into concrete actions to improve the quality of education offered in the rural schools of RN state.

O direito penal do inimigo na atualidade: Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty – MLAT, em matéria penal, celebrado entre a República Federativa do Brasil e os Estados Unidos da América bem como seus reflexos na jurisdição brasileira

In view of the climate of instability and deep social inequalities, it has been evident in the Brazilian reality, a new way to punish systematic already developed and consolidated in other countries, in which, among other things, the criminality is anticipated only by danger that the individual sports. It appears, therefore, that the theory developed by Günter Jakobs, nominated Criminal Law of the Enemy, became subtly inserted in the Brazilian reality as well as in international relations signed. In this sense, the Brazilian State, in order to carry out the international legal cooperation in the criminal field, signed a mutual assistance agreement with the government of the United States of America. Forward the conclusion of Mutual legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), the signatory countries voiced a desire to cooperate in order to facilitate the implementation of tasks of the authorities responsible for law enforcement in both countries, comprising research, investigation, prosecution and prevention of crime, said internalized adjustment in the Brazilian legal system by means of Decree No. 3810 of 02 May 2001. Alongside these considerations, the present study aims to analyze the Criminal law of the Enemy today, seeking to find evidence of that theory in the MLAT, international legal cooperation instrument signed between the government of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the government of the United States of America. Moreover, it has the objective to describe its effects on the Brazilian jurisdiction, especially as concerns the relativity and the suppression of human rights. Once done the introit, analysis will be carried out in the first chapter, on the definition and main features of the theory of Criminal Enemy of the law, it is imperative to approach the humanistic aspect that preceded the theory as well as the dealings given to some controversial issues surrounding it, such as the anticipation of the enemy's punishment and the disproportionality of the penalties imposed. In the second chapter will present the conceptual assumptions, historical evolution and the positives aspects, as well as the barriers and the pursuit of effectiveness of international legal cooperation. In the chapter, bedroom effective analysis of specific modality of cooperation will be held, the Mutual legal Assistance Treaty - MLAT in criminal matters, signed between the Federative Republic of Brazil and the United States of America, in which the general aspects will be addressed and the MLAT reflections on the Brazilian jurisdiction, which includes analysis about the relativity or suppression of human rights, future trends and creating stricter laws, followed by the presentation of the seized conclusion on the subject, in which, among other approaches, will be voiced understanding about the unconstitutionality certain service requests that, from these, there is the bad use of the agreed instrument.