Diagnóstico ecotoxicológico dos efluentes lançados no complexo estuarino do Jundiaí/Potengi, Natal/RN

Untreated effluents that reach surface water affect the aquatic life and humans. This study aimed to evaluate the wastewater s toxicity (municipal, industrial and shrimp pond effluents) released in the Estuarine Complex of Jundiaí- Potengi, Natal/RN, through chronic quantitative e qualitative toxicity tests using the test organism Mysidopsis Juniae, CRUSTACEA, MYSIDACEA (Silva, 1979). For this, a new methodology for viewing chronic effects on organisms of M. juniae was used (only renewal), based on another existing methodology to another testorganism very similar to M. Juniae, the M. Bahia (daily renewal).Toxicity tests 7 days duration were used for detecting effects on the survival and fecundity in M. juniae. Lethal Concentration 50% (LC50%) was determined by the Trimmed Spearman-Karber; Inhibition Concentration 50% (IC50%) in fecundity was determined by Linear Interpolation. ANOVA (One Way) tests (p = 0.05) were used to determinate the No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) and Low Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC). Effluents flows were measured and the toxic load of the effluents was estimated. Multivariate analysis - Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Correspondence Analysis (CA) - identified the physic-chemical parameters better explain the patterns of toxicity found in survival and fecundity of M. juniae. We verified the feasibility of applying the only renewal system in chronic tests with M. Juniae. Most efluentes proved toxic on the survival and fecundity of M. Juniae, except for some shrimp pond effluents. The most toxic effluent was ETE Lagoa Aerada (LC50, 6.24%; IC50, 4.82%), ETE Quintas (LC50, 5.85%), Giselda Trigueiro Hospital (LC50, 2.05%), CLAN (LC50, 2.14%) and COTEMINAS (LC50, IC50 and 38.51%, 6.94%). The greatest toxic load was originated from ETE inefficient high flow effluents, textile effluents and CLAN. The organic load was related to the toxic effects of wastewater and hospital effluents in survival of M. Juniae, as well as heavy metals, total residual chlorine and phenols. In industrial effluents was found relationship between toxicity and organic load, phenols, oils and greases and benzene. The effects on fertility were related, in turn, with chlorine and heavy metals. Toxicity tests using other organisms of different trophic levels, as well as analysis of sediment toxicity are recommended to confirm the patterns found with M. Juniae. However, the results indicate the necessity for implementation and improvement of sewage treatment systems affluent to the Potengi s estuary

Comunidades zooplanctônicas como bioindicadoras da qualidade da água de quatro reservatórios da região semi-árida do Rio Grande do Norte

The response of zooplankton assemblages to variations in the water quality of four man-made lakes, caused by eutrophication and siltation, was investigated by means of canonical correspondence analysis. Monte Carlo simulations using the CCA eingenvalues as test statistics revealed that changes in zooplankton species composition along the environmental gradients of trophic state and abiogenic turbidity were highly significant. The species Brachionus calyciflorus, Thermocyclops sp. and Argyrodiaptomus sp. were good indicators of eutrophic conditions while the species Brachionus dolabratus, Keratella tropica and Hexarthra sp. were good indicators of high turbidity due to suspended sediments. The rotifer genus Brachionus was the most species-rich taxon, comprising five species which were associated with different environmental conditions. Therefore, we tested whether this genus alone could potentially be a better biological indicator of these environmental gradients than the entire zooplankton assemblages or any other random set of five species. The ordination results show that the five Brachionus species alone did not explain better the observed pattern of environmental variation than most random sets of five species. Therefore, this genus could not be selected as a target taxon for more intensive environmental monitoring as has been previously suggested by Attayde and Bozelli (1998). Overall, our results show that changes in the water quality of man-made lakes in a tropical semi-arid region have significant effects on the structure of zooplankton assemblages that can potentially affect the functioning of these ecosystems

Violência institucional no âmbito da saúde reprodutiva : a percepção de mulheres usuárias do SUS, na cidade de Natal/RN

Institutional violence ranges from the most widespread lack of access to the poor quality of services provided. It includes abuses committed by virtue of the unequal power between patients and professionals within institutions. The aim of this study was to analyze the perception of women with regard to this type of violence, in the services offered at a reproductive health facility belonging to the National Health System (SUS) in Natal, Brazil. Interdisciplinary perspective is important, in that it provides interaction and complementarity between various disciplines, favoring, in an integrated way, a thematic approach in research activities, teaching and extension, involving professionals, students and researchers in medicine, social services, psychology, nursing, anthropology and physical therapy. A quantitative/qualitative approach was used, involving a sample of 401 women, as part of a transversal observational study. In the qualitative stage, which consisted of participatory observation and semi-structured interviews, we used an intentional sample of 10 individuals. The data were analyzed using logistic regression techniques, correspondence analysis and categorical thematic content analysis, showing that the 2 questions that investigated directly the perception of institutional violence obtained affirmative response frequencies of 28.2% and 31.8%, respectively. In regard to data collected in a field diary related to participatory observation, the main complaints referred to the health providerpatient relation, translated into dissatisfaction with the interpersonal relationship and with the resolution of the specific demand that required care. From content analysis, we classified 4 categories: Access; Information; Health professionalpatient relation; and Respect/dignity. We identified 6 subcategories: Impossibility of choice; Repressed demand; Communication difficulty; Asymmetric interpersonal relations; Privacy/confidentiality; Disrespect. We concluded, therefore, that the data presented show that in the reproductive health care programs, there are indicators of institutional violence. However, it is difficult to approach this phenomenon, mainly because of the power relations involved in the patient-health care provider interaction, resulting from unawareness that determinate situations violate sexual and reproductive rights. This can be explained by sociostructural questions that reveal marked inequalities, ratified by issues related to violation of the rights of National Health System (SUS) patients

Abordagem dos aspectos psicológicos da mulher infértil :um estudo quali-quantitativo

Purpose: assess the frequency of stress and anxiety levels in infertile women, correlate these aspects with risk factors and qualitatively analyze feelings resultant from the inability to conceive, in order to obtain data for specific psychological guidance. Methods: the case-control study included a total of 302 women, 152 being infertile (case group: 30.3 ± 5.4 years), and 150 non-fertile (control group: 25.7 ± 7.9 years). The quantitative approach involved the application of Lipp s Stress Symptoms Inventory (LSSI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), whereas the qualitative approach consisted of a semi-structured interview. Response variables considered were: stress frequency and anxiety scores (State and Trait). Statistical analysis compared frequencies and medians between groups, by means of qui-squared and Mann-Whitney tests, respectively, and constructed logistical regression models to test associations between response variables and risk factors considered. Qualitative data were analyzed descriptively and categorized in order to perform correspondence analysis. The level of significance was 5%. Results: in the study sample, stress frequency was higher in the case group than in the control(61.8 and 36.0%, respectively), however, significant differences were not observed between groups in relation to stress phases and predominant symptomology type. With respect to anxiety, there were no significant differences between case and control groups as to median state scores [39.5 (35.0 46.0) and 41.0 (35.7 47.0 ); respectively) and anxiety trait scores [44.0 (34.0 51.0) and 42.0 (36.0 49.2); respectively). Risk factors significantly associated with greater risk for high anxiety scores in the case group were: primary infertility, unawareness of the causal factor, diagnostic phase investigation, religion, lack of children from other marriages and the fact that the woman was previously married. The qualitative approach demonstrated that infertility provokes emotional responses, such as sadness, anxiety, anger, fear and guilt. Conclusions: it can be concluded that infertile women are more vulnerable to stress; however, they are capable of adapting to stressful events without serious physical or psychological compromising

Avaliação do desempenho reprodutivo do Cavalo-Marinho Hippocampus reidi (GINSBURG 1933) do estuário do Rio Potengi (Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil) com vistas ao seu cultivo em bases sustentáveis

Os cavalos-marinhos têm cativado a imaginação e a curiosidade dos seres humanos por centenas de anos. No entanto, nos dias de hoje, esses animais correm um sério risco de extinção por fatores como a pesca desordenada para suprir os mercados de peixes ornamentais e da medicina tradicional chinesa e principalmente, a destruição do seu habitat. Nesse contexto, é crescente o número de estudos sobre a ecologia, a biologia (reprodutiva, especialmente) e o cultivo de várias espécies do gênero Hippocampus, inclusive para fins conservacionistas e de recomposição de estoques. Duas espécies de cavalos-marinhos são encontradas no Brasil: Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg 1933 e Hippocampus erectus Perry. No entanto, as informações sobre essas espécies estão basicamente restritas ao seu grau de ocorrência ou a sua área de ocupação. No presente estudo, foi avaliado o desempenho reprodutivo de Hippocampus reidi do estuário do rio Potengi (05° 47' 42'' S; 35° 12' 34'' W), em Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Para tanto, cavalos-marinhos grávidos (n = 38) foram coletados no referido estuário nos meses de setembro, outubro e novembro de 2008 e julho, agosto, setembro e outubro de 2009 e mantidos em laboratório até que liberassem os filhotes. O comprimento padrão (CPA), altura (ATA), volume da bolsa (VB) e peso úmido (PuA) dos adultos, bem como o comprimento padrão (CPF), altura (ATF), peso úmido (PuF) e peso seco (PsF) dos filhotes foram determinados. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que houve correlações significativas entre o CPA e a ATA (r²=0,171), CPA e PuA (r²=0,624), CPA e VB (r²=0,256), ATA e PuA (r²=0,788), PuA e VB (r²=0,211), CPF e ATF (r²=0,903) e CPF e PsF (r²=0,163). A análise de correspondência (AC) que associou as classes do comprimento padrão dos adultos (CPA) e o volume da bolsa de H. reidi ao número de filhotes mostrou que animais entre 19 cm e 21 cm e com volume de bolsa entre 3 mL e 4 mL foram os que liberaram o maior número de filhotes. Os resultados do presente estudo também indicam que o tamanho mínimo de captura recomendado pela CITES (10 cm de altura) para H. reidi deve ser revisto, uma vez que não foram encontrados animais menores que 13,5 cm que estivessem grávidos. Finalmente, o número médio de filhotes por desova obtido no presente estudo (n = 775 ± 398 filhotes) realçou o potencial reprodutivo de H. reidi e a necessidade de estudos adicionais com esta espécie

A diversidade de lagartos na Caatinga é mediada pelos térmitas?

Intending to explain the extraordinary lizard coexistence levels found in Australian deserts, Morton & James (1988) figured out a hypothesis which defends that the termite diversity would bring about lizard radiation. This study aims to verify the validation of that hypothesis in Caatinga lizard assemblages. This study also objectives verifying if the termite defense mechanisms influence their consuming levels by lizards and if this pattern differs between different lizard lineages. Termites were collected using a standardized sampling protocol of termites. Besides using haphazard sampling, we collect lizards with 108 pitfall traps in each area. Intending to check the linkage between the termite and lizard assemblages, the lizard stomach contents were analyzed and then a canonical correspondence analysis was performed. The presence of nonrandom patterns of diet overlap among the lizard species was also examined. Aiming to check if the defense mechanisms of termite influence their consuming pattern by lizards it was performed a laboratory experiment where termite with different defense mechanisms were offered to lizards of two different lineages. We verified that lizard assemblages do not consume termites according to termite abundance in ecosystems. Furthermore, mean niche overlap lizard species did not differ significantly from that expected by chance. We found that termite chemical defense mechanism does influence the termite s pattern consuming by lizards. These results do not corroborate premises which support Morton & James hypothesis (1988) and point out that lizard do not chose termites based on their abundance, but, trying to avoid consuming termites which exhibit chemical defense mechanisms. This defense mechanism, however, may not be the only explanation to patterns of termite s consuming by lizards.

Cultura organizacional e comprometimento dos funcionários do Soleil Suíte Hotel

This study examines the relationship of the types of organizational culture perceived in a business hotel with the nature of the link between individual and organization. This linkage between commitment and organizational culture has been little explored, both national and international, requiring more studies. Thus, the survey was conducted in Soleil Suite Hotel, located on the beach of Ponta Negra, city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. The independent variable of the proposed model was represented by the types of organizational culture, while the dependent variable was represented by the four dimensions of commitment. It was used in addition to the correspondence analysis, the arithmetic mean, the Pearson s correlation and the simple regression analysis. The results indicated the existence of relationship of the types of organizational culture with the kind of commitment shown by the officials, where the cultures of Group and Innovative, capable of generating an environment dedicated to the work as a team, the development and professional growth of the employees, as well as the creativity and individual freedom of each one to try new things, encourage the dominance of the dimensions Affective, Affiliative and Normative of the tie person-organization

Adoção de tecnologias móveis em empresas do Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco e Ceará

One of the best examples of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) evolutions is on the high capability of storing and processing data into smaller devices, creating a new business condition, the mobility . This mobility in a deeper analysis proposes a business remodeling in many different areas (business segmentations), through the Internet anywhere at any time, allowing managers and researchers to think again their actual models that work nowadays in companies and public institutions, modifying the way internal and external clients can be attended. This thesis analyzes issues on mobile business adoption, technological evolutions and the impacts caused by this new reality the access to information anywhere at any time . This research is exploratory and shows a compilation of similar papers and thesis describing how was conducted the survey within 50 companies in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco and Ceará. The statistics analysis showed the different level of mobile technology usage from simple voice communications to wide band data transmission. The analysis pointed that canonic correlation was the most effective type of analysis to describe the relations among all groups of variables showing which of them are relevant, or not, for mobile technology adoption

Diagnóstico ecotoxicológico dos efluentes lançados no complexo estuarino do Jundiaí/Potengi, Natal/RN

Untreated effluents that reach surface water affect the aquatic life and humans. This study aimed to evaluate the wastewater s toxicity (municipal, industrial and shrimp pond effluents) released in the Estuarine Complex of Jundiaí- Potengi, Natal/RN, through chronic quantitative e qualitative toxicity tests using the test organism Mysidopsis Juniae, CRUSTACEA, MYSIDACEA (Silva, 1979). For this, a new methodology for viewing chronic effects on organisms of M. juniae was used (only renewal), based on another existing methodology to another testorganism very similar to M. Juniae, the M. Bahia (daily renewal).Toxicity tests 7 days duration were used for detecting effects on the survival and fecundity in M. juniae. Lethal Concentration 50% (LC50%) was determined by the Trimmed Spearman-Karber; Inhibition Concentration 50% (IC50%) in fecundity was determined by Linear Interpolation. ANOVA (One Way) tests (p = 0.05) were used to determinate the No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) and Low Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC). Effluents flows were measured and the toxic load of the effluents was estimated. Multivariate analysis - Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Correspondence Analysis (CA) - identified the physic-chemical parameters better explain the patterns of toxicity found in survival and fecundity of M. juniae. We verified the feasibility of applying the only renewal system in chronic tests with M. Juniae. Most efluentes proved toxic on the survival and fecundity of M. Juniae, except for some shrimp pond effluents. The most toxic effluent was ETE Lagoa Aerada (LC50, 6.24%; IC50, 4.82%), ETE Quintas (LC50, 5.85%), Giselda Trigueiro Hospital (LC50, 2.05%), CLAN (LC50, 2.14%) and COTEMINAS (LC50, IC50 and 38.51%, 6.94%). The greatest toxic load was originated from ETE inefficient high flow effluents, textile effluents and CLAN. The organic load was related to the toxic effects of wastewater and hospital effluents in survival of M. Juniae, as well as heavy metals, total residual chlorine and phenols. In industrial effluents was found relationship between toxicity and organic load, phenols, oils and greases and benzene. The effects on fertility were related, in turn, with chlorine and heavy metals. Toxicity tests using other organisms of different trophic levels, as well as analysis of sediment toxicity are recommended to confirm the patterns found with M. Juniae. However, the results indicate the necessity for implementation and improvement of sewage treatment systems affluent to the Potengi s estuary

Comunidades zooplanctônicas como bioindicadoras da qualidade da água de quatro reservatórios da região semi-árida do Rio Grande do Norte

The response of zooplankton assemblages to variations in the water quality of four man-made lakes, caused by eutrophication and siltation, was investigated by means of canonical correspondence analysis. Monte Carlo simulations using the CCA eingenvalues as test statistics revealed that changes in zooplankton species composition along the environmental gradients of trophic state and abiogenic turbidity were highly significant. The species Brachionus calyciflorus, Thermocyclops sp. and Argyrodiaptomus sp. were good indicators of eutrophic conditions while the species Brachionus dolabratus, Keratella tropica and Hexarthra sp. were good indicators of high turbidity due to suspended sediments. The rotifer genus Brachionus was the most species-rich taxon, comprising five species which were associated with different environmental conditions. Therefore, we tested whether this genus alone could potentially be a better biological indicator of these environmental gradients than the entire zooplankton assemblages or any other random set of five species. The ordination results show that the five Brachionus species alone did not explain better the observed pattern of environmental variation than most random sets of five species. Therefore, this genus could not be selected as a target taxon for more intensive environmental monitoring as has been previously suggested by Attayde and Bozelli (1998). Overall, our results show that changes in the water quality of man-made lakes in a tropical semi-arid region have significant effects on the structure of zooplankton assemblages that can potentially affect the functioning of these ecosystems

Análise do comportamento de técnicas de correspondência binocular para imagens em alta definição

This work presents an analysis of the behavior of some algorithms usually available in stereo correspondence literature, with full HD images (1920x1080 pixels) to establish, within the precision dilemma versus runtime applications which these methods can be better used. The images are obtained by a system composed of a stereo camera coupled to a computer via a capture board. The OpenCV library is used for computer vision operations and processing images involved. The algorithms discussed are an overall method of search for matching blocks with the Sum of the Absolute Value of the difference (Sum of Absolute Differences - SAD), a global technique based on cutting energy graph cuts, and a so-called matching technique semi -global. The criteria for analysis are processing time, the consumption of heap memory and the mean absolute error of disparity maps generated.

Políticas públicas para agricultura familiar: uma avaliação sobre a correspondência do paa e do PRONAF nos territórios da cidadania do Rio Grande do Norte - 2008 a 2010.

Family farming has been considered as the new axis of rural development in the country, the focus of several public policies, especially the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture - PRONAF and Food Purchase Program - PAA. PRONAF was created with the aim of providing credit to farmers, while the PAA to support family farmers through the purchase of its production. In this context, the objective of this study is to analyze the correspondence of these two public policies for family farming, in the Territories of Citizenship of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, between the years 2008 to 2010. In the methodology, the analysis was performed by comparing the distributions of the two programs in the territories of citizenship status. There were also statistical tests of differences in proportions, and Spearman correlations, and estimated a logit regression model, in order to measure the probability of a farmer participating in the PAA is associated with one of the modes of PRONAF. The data used were obtained from the National and Supply - CONAB at the Institute of Technical Assistance and Rural Extension - EMATER, and the Ministry of Agrarian Development - MDA. Among the key findings was noted that policies were associated with a direct, but low in the districts of the Territories of Citizenship. And that, in the years 2008 and 2009, only in the territories of Mato Grande, Alto Oeste and Seridó, the actions of PAA and PRONAF had direct and significant correlations. It was found that in most of the territories, policies are performed randomly, ie that both have no correlation to each other. The estimates of the logit model showed that the chance of a family farmer, the PAA participant, receive credits PRONAF A, is higher in the territory of Mato Grande, and would have a chance to fall in PRONAF B in all areas surveyed. Moreover, farmers in the territories of the Assu-Mossoró, Sertão of Apodi, Seridó and Alto Oeste, participating in the PAA would be more likely to receive credits PRONAF C, reflecting thus the family farm more consolidated these territories