Limiar e tolerância à dor em mulheres com fibromialgia: correlação com a capacidade funcional, qualidade do sono e força muscular

O estudo tem como objetivo principal comparar o limiar e a tolerância à dor em mulheres com fibromialgia e mulheres sem sintomas de dor, correlacionando com capacidade funcional, qualidade do sono e força de preensão manual. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de corte transversal realizado na Universidade Potiguar e na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, envolvendo uma equipe multidisciplinar com fisioterapeutas, médicos e educadores físicos. Setenta e duas mulheres foram divididas em dois grupos: grupo com fibromialgia (GF, n = 40) e grupo controle (GC, n = 32) sem sintomas de dor, pareadas por idade e índice de massa corporal. Questionários foram usados para medir capacidade funcional (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire FIQ) e qualidade do sono (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI). Limiar e tolerância à dor foram medidas por um algômetro de pressão e para determinar força foi usado um dinamômetro de preensão manual. Na análise estatística o teste T de Student foi usado para comparar grupos e o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman foi usado no GF para correlacionar limiar e tolerância à dor com as demais medidas. O GF mostrou piores resultados nas medianas comparado ao GC: limiar de dor 2 kg/cm2 versus 5,5 kg/cm2 (p <0,001), tolerância à dor 2,8 kg/cm2 versus 7,2 kg/cm2 (p <0,001) e força de preensão manual 14,5 kgf versus 25,2 kgf (p <0,001). Adicionalmente os dois questionários apresentaram resultados piores também no GF em relação ao GC, respectivamente: FIQ 65 versus 14,3 (p <0,001) e PSQI 13 versus 5 (p <0,001). No GF foi observada correlação negativa tanto entre o limiar de dor quanto a tolerância à dor com os escores do FIQ e do PSQI. No GF foram observadas correlações positivas tanto entre o limiar de dor (p <0,01) quanto a tolerância à dor (p <0,01) com força de preensão manual. É possível concluir que limiar de dor e tolerância à dor estão correlacionados com capacidade funcional, qualidade do sono e força de preensão manual em mulheres com fibromialgia

Aptidão física e psicológica relacionada à saúde de policiais militares da cidade de Natal

condições de saúde são questões que precisam ser investigadas na nossa sociedade. Diante da inexistência de estudos que abordem os aspectos psicológicos e físicos desses profissionais, tornou-se necessário e relevante esta investigação para a área de segurança pública num contexto multidisciplinar. O estudo objetivou verificar as características da aptidão física e psicológica relacionada à saúde de policiais militares do Batalhão de Atividades Policiais Especiais (BOPE), da Polícia Militar do Rio Grande do Norte. A amostra selecionada de forma aleatória foi composta de 64 militares de diferentes graduações, do sexo masculino com idade média de 26,2±2,6 anos. Foram utilizados como instrumentos de medida o Questionário de Saúde Geral de Goldberg para avaliar a saúde geral; uma balança digital da marca Techline®, e estadiômetro portátil da marca Sanny® para avaliar a massa corporal e a estatura; fita antropométrica metálica Sanny® para avaliar a perimetria (circunferência do braço contraído, circunferência da panturrilha); paquímetro Sanny® para avaliar os diâmetros ósseos (bi-epicondilar umeral e bi-epicodilar femural); adipômetro Harpender® para avaliar a espessura das dobras cutâneas; dinamômetro manual Jamar para avaliar a força de preensão manual; flexímetro Sanny®, fotocélulas CEFISE modelo Speed Test Fit e o YoYo Intermitent Recovery Test para avaliar o desempenho físico ( flexibilidade, agilidade, velocidade e endurance anaeróbica). Os participantes apresentaram valores elevados para risco de distúrbio ou mesmo a presença de distúrbio, no que se refere à saúde geral; o grupo estudado é classificado como mesoendomorfico, predominando características de endurance aeróbico e anaeróbico e força que foram relacionadas com os aspectos psicológicos. O perfil somatotípico meso-endomorfo parece interferir nos elevados riscos de distúrbios psicológicos advindos da atividade laboral exigida, apesar dos mesmos apresentarem um bom desempenho físico

Efeito da técnica de curtimento e do método utilizado para remoção da pele da tilápia-do-nilo sobre as características de resistência do couro

Um estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do método de remoção da pele do filé (com alicate e com máquina) e da técnica de curtimento (com ou sem sais de cromo, bioleather) sobre a resistência da pele de tilápia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus). Foram retiradas as peles de 40 tilápias (450 g), 20 com uso de alicates e 20 com auxílio de máquina. Após o curtimento e a retirada dos corpos-de-prova, as peles foram encaminhadas a um laboratório aclimatizado (23ºC e 50% de umidade relativa do ar) para realização dos testes de resistência em dinamômetro EMIC, com velocidade de afastamento entre cargas de 100 ± 20 mm/mm. O método de retirada da pele do filé não afetou os resultados dos testes de tração e rasgamento progressivo. A pele retirada com a máquina apresentou elongação superior (88,48%) à removida com alicate (71,09%). Peles curtidas com sais de cromo (25,54 N/mm; 12,18 N/mm²) foram mais resistentes que as curtidas sem sais de cromo (bioleather) (13,11 N/mm; 9,89 N/mm²). Peles curtidas por estas técnicas (com cromo e bioleather) podem ser utilizadas na confecção de vestuários, pois as médias dos testes de tração, alongamento e rasgamento progressivo foram superiores a 9,80 N/mm², 60% e 14,72 N/mm, respectivamente, valores mínimos recomendados para couros curtidos ao cromo.

Efficiency of a constructed wetland for wastewaters treatment

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Um ambiente computacional para modelagem simbólica de sistemas físicos lineares

Este trabalho propõe um ambiente computacional aplicado ao ensino de sistemas de controle, denominado de ModSym. O software implementa uma interface gráfica para a modelagem de sistemas físicos lineares e mostra, passo a passo, o processamento necessário à obtenção de modelos matemáticos para esses sistemas. Um sistema físico pode ser representado, no software, de três formas diferentes. O sistema pode ser representado por um diagrama gráfico a partir de elementos dos domínios elétrico, mecânico translacional, mecânico rotacional e hidráulico. Pode também ser representado a partir de grafos de ligação ou de diagramas de fluxo de sinal. Uma vez representado o sistema, o ModSym possibilita o cálculo de funções de transferência do sistema na forma simbólica, utilizando a regra de Mason. O software calcula também funções de transferência na forma numérica e funções de sensibilidade paramétrica. O trabalho propõe ainda um algoritmo para obter o diagrama de fluxo de sinal de um sistema físico baseado no seu grafo de ligação. Este algoritmo e a metodologia de análise de sistemas conhecida por Network Method permitiram a utilização da regra de Mason no cálculo de funções de transferência dos sistemas modelados no software

Análise tridimensional de esforços em elementos rompedores de semeadoras de plantio direto

As informações da avaliação de mecanismos de abertura de sulco de semeadoras de plantio direto auxiliam as empresas no dimensionamento de ferramentas rompedoras do solo, que buscam menor requerimento energético. Este trabalho foi realizado num solo classificado como Latossolo Vermelho com o objetivo de avaliar tridimensionalmente os esforços dos mecanismos de abertura de sulco de semeadoras adubadoras de plantio direto. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com cinco tratamentos, sendo cinco mecanismos de abertura de sulco (disco liso - DL, disco corrugado - DC, disco ondulado - DO, disco duplo - DD e haste sulcadora - H). Para mensurar os esforços dos mecanismos de abertura de sulco, foi utilizado um dinamômetro com sensibilidade nas direções horizontal, transversal e vertical e no momento fletor e torsor. A avaliação mostrou que a interação entre mecanismos de abertura de sulco e carga vertical não foi significativa, entretanto os fatores foram significativos quando analisados individualmente. O resultado individual dos mecanismos de abertura de sulco mostrou que o disco ondulado proporcionou maior área de mobilização do solo, a haste sulcadora apresentou o menor valor de força vertical e o disco duplo e a haste sulcadora obtiveram o menor esforço horizontal.

Esforços em ferramentas rompedoras de solo de semeadoras de plantio direto

The individual evaluation of mechanisms for opening furrows to drop the seeds in a no-tillage seeders cultivation assists the companies in the sizing of opening tools of the ground, that search for minor energy petition and for diminishing the ground area mobilized. Therefore this work had the aim of evaluate the efforts of five different mechanisms of opening of ridge of seeding of direct plantation varyng the vertical load. The experiment was installed in one ground classified as Dystroferric Red Nitosol. The used experimental delineation was of the one randomized blocks in a factorial project 5 x 4, constituted a the following factors: five mechanisms of furrow opening (even disk - DL, corrugated disk - DC, ondulated disk - DO, double disk - DD and furrow rod - F) and four vertical loads (750, 1500, 2250 and 3000 N). To measure the forces in the studied treatments a dynamometer with sensitivity in the directions was used horizontal, lateral and vertical direction. The evaluation showed that the interaction between mechanisms of opening of ridge and vertical load was not significant, however the factors were significant when analyzed individually. The connecting rod promoted mobilization of the ground with smaller draft of horizontal effort reaching depths of work. The work showed that the vertical load influenced the depth of work of the mechanisms of ridge opening. The mechanisms of ridge opening of record type need vertical force to penetrate into the ground.

Desempenho de um veículo flex em bancada dinamométrica de chassi

Flex-fuel vehicles are equipped with Otto Cycle internal combustion engines and have the capability of functioning with more than one type of fuel, mixed at the same tank and burned in the combustion chamber simultaneously. This sort of motorization is a world pattern due to the scarcity of petroleum, the trade of several types of fuels, technology advances and the restriction imposed to gas emissions to the atmosphere. In Brazil, the Flexfuel vehicles are a reality, specially the ones using fuel with 20 to 25% anhydrous alcohol mixed with gasoline and those that use natural gas or original liquid fuel (gasoline or hydrated ethanol). The Brazilian model Fiat Siena, the object of this present scientific investigation, is equipped with a unique electronic central capable of managing the liquid or gaseous fuels. The purpose of this research was to perform a comparative analysis in terms of performance (in terms of both potency and consumption) of a tetra-fuel vehicle - using a chassis dynamometer, operating with different fuels: common gasoline, premium gasoline, Podium gasoline, ethanol or natural gas. It became necessary to develop a bench of tests and trials procedures, as well as to know the functioning of the electronic management of the vehicle under analysis. The experiments were performed at the automotive laboratory in CTGAS-ER (Center of Gas Technologies and Renewable energies) at the light of Brazilian standard ABNT, NBR 7024: Light on-road vehicles - measurement of fuel consumption. The essay results on specific fuel consumption using common gasoline, premium gasoline and Podium gasoline have shown similar results, both for urban and road driving cycles

Utilização da lógica difusa no controle inteligente de sistemas eletro-hidráulicos

Electro-hydraulic servo-systems are widely employed in industrial applications such as robotic manipulators, active suspensions, precision machine tools and aerospace systems. They provide many advantages over electric motors, including high force to weight ratio, fast response time and compact size. However, precise control of electro-hydraulic systems, due to their inherent nonlinear characteristics, cannot be easily obtained with conventional linear controllers. Most flow control valves can also exhibit some hard nonlinearities such as deadzone due to valve spool overlap on the passage´s orifice of the fluid. This work describes the development of a nonlinear controller based on the feedback linearization method and including a fuzzy compensation scheme for an electro-hydraulic actuated system with unknown dead-band. Numerical results are presented in order to demonstrate the control system performance

Controle por modos deslizantes com compensação difusa aplicado a sistemas com descontinuidade

The development of non-linear controllers gained space in the theoretical ambit and of practical applications on the moment that the arising of digital computers enabled the implementation of these methodologies. In comparison with the linear controllers more utilized, the non -linear controllers present the advantage of not requiring the linearity of the system to determine the parameters of control, which permits a more efficient control especially when the system presents a high level of non-linearity. Another additional advantage is the reduction of costs, since to obtain the efficient control through linear controllers it is necessary the utilization of sensors and more refined actuators than when it is utilized a non-linear controller. Among the non-linear theories of control, the method of control by gliding ways is detached for being a method that presents more robustness, before uncertainties. It is already confirmed that the adoption of compensation on the region of residual error permits to improve better the performance of these controllers. So, in this work it is described the development of a non-linear controller that looks for an association of strategy of control by gliding ways, with the fuzzy compensation technique. Through the implementation of some strategies of fuzzy compensation, it was searched the one which provided the biggest efficiency before a system with high level of nonlinearities and uncertainties. The electrohydraulic actuator was utilized as an example of research, and the results appoint to two configurations of compensation that permit a bigger reduction of the residual error

Pressurização da calda de pulverização na viabilidade de microrganismos entomopatogênicos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desenvolvimento de protótipo de coletor automático destinado à coleta de amostras de água em corpos aquáticos para análise em laboratório

The aim of this approach is to describe the design and construction of a low-cost automated water sampler prototype. In recent years, there is an increasing need on the use of automated equipments for hydro climatic variables to be use in urban and rural environments. Such devices are always used to provide measured information which is of crucial importance on the development of water resources strategies at watershed scale. Actually, many research and water public institutions have been using these kinds of equipments. In most of the cases, automated equipments are expensive and need to be imported, generating a situation of technologic dependency. The prototype is based on an electronic system which controls a peristaltic pump functioning, five solenoid valves and an ultrasonic sensor connected to a datalloger. An interface with the user allows communication with a PC, when the equipment functioning parameters can be provided. The equipment has a hydraulic module composed by a 12V peristaltic pump connected to a distribution circuit composed by five solenoid valves, one of them being used to clean the circuit before each sampling procedure. Samples are collected by four 1.95 polyethylene bottles. The sampler body was made of acrylic material, with a cylindrical shape, and dimensions 0.72 m and 0.38 m height and diameter, respectively. The weight of the equipment without samples is approximately 15 kg, which infers to its portability. The prototype development total cost budget was approximately US$ 1,560.00. Laboratory tests aimed to evaluate the equipment performance and functioning demonstrated satisfactory results

Decaimento bacteriano em lagoas de estabilização no Nordeste brasileiro

Stabilization pond system consisting in more sewage treatment used in Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, representing about 90% of all systems. Fecal bacteria are removed mainly facultative ponds and in maturation ponds. Many factors influence bacterial decay, such as the levels of pH and DO, temperature, light intensity, HDT and nutrient availability. The bacterial decay rate (Kb) is calculated considering many variables, but the hydraulic regime is a significant influence for microorganisms removal, and the dispersed flow which best characterizes a stabilization pond. However, some authors developed equations for the Kb accordant plug flow and complete mixing. This research study aimed to evaluate the bacterial decay of fecal coliform and Enterococcus sp. in stabilization ponds designed to treat domestic sewage, full-scale, in RN. All systems have assessed pretreatment, a facultative pond (LF) followed by two maturation (LM1 and LM2). The parameters availed were: temperature, pH, DO, BOD5, COD, fecal coliform, Enterococcus sp., Chlorophyll a, total suspended solids, fixed and volatile. In general, there were not significant differences for pH, DO and temperature in the ponds, except for the new systems, since they have low flow and hydraulic loads. The removal of organic matter in the ponds was low, about 70%, and nearly all are overloaded organic and operational problems. The bacterial removals were low, with average 96% for LF for fecal coliform, and 98% for Enterococcus sp.; LM1 were in itself a removal for fecal coliform about 71%, and 81% for Enterococcus sp.; LM2 have efficiency of 69% for fecal coliform, and 68% for Enterococcus sp. The equation proposed by Von Sperling (1999), according to the dispersed flow regime, generated empirical values of Kb more approximate to calculated values of Kb. On average, the calculated Kb to coliforms in the LF was 0.31 d-1, and for both maturation ponds were 0.35 d-1. For Enterococcus sp. the average was 0.40 d-1 for LF, 0.55 d-1 for LM1, and 0.58 d-1 for LM2. These results also showed that the Kb obtained in full-scale systems are smaller than those found in pilot-scale ponds. Moreover, one can say that the equation proposed by Marais (1974), according to the complete-mix regime, overestimates Kb. Actual results of Kb indicated that fecal coliforms are more resistant to adverse conditions present in stabilization ponds than Enterococcus sp., therefore, an indicator of microbiological safety and efficiency. The factors significant interventions in the rate of bacterial decay were concentrations of COD, the organic loading and HDT. The few Kb relationship between pH, DO and temperature were not significant. Finally, we conclude that it s essential to correct operation and maintenance, for not performing these activities is one of the main factors contributing to low rates of bacterial decay.

Determinação do coeficiente de decaimento bacteriano em wetland - alagado construído

Wetlands systems are considered nowadays as a treatment method that uses simple, easy operation and low cost technology, which has been used in various parts of the world and also in Brazil. Used alone or as a complement to other types of treatment systems, once it effectively removes nutrients, pathogens and other pollutants in the water. Due to the high complexity found in wetlands, making it difficult to predict the response of the system to treat wastewater, one should consider as ideal to base the sizing of the wetland system over the necessary removal of this parameter instead of scaling it from empiricism. The study was conducted to determine the coefficient of bacterial decrease in the Wetland unit located at Ponta Negra Station Sewage Treatment, located in Natal, the coastal region of Rio Grande do Norte. The most representative model to determine the bacterial decrease in this system was the one from Chick for hydraulic piston system. Kb of 0.37 d-1 were found for the flow rate of 15m³/d, while for the system operating at maximum design flow, 30m³/d, the Kb of 0.98 d-1 was found

Simulação do sistema de esgotamento sanitário de Ponta Negra- Natal: mitigação dos riscos ambientais e estratégia de manutenção preditiva

The simulation of SES-Natal Ponta Negra: mitigation of environmental risks and predictive maintenance strategy was developed in the context of several operational irregularities in the pumping stations and sewage systems in the system Ponta Negra. Thus, the environmental risks and complaints against the company due to overflows of sewage into the public thoroughfare became common. This neighborhood has shown in recent years an increase of resident higher than the initial expectation of growth. In this sense presumed the large population growth and generation of sewers higher than expected, associated to the use of corrective maintenance and misuse of the system may be the main causes of operational failures occurring in the SES. This study aimed at analyzing the hydraulic behavior of SES Ponta Negrathrough numerical simulation of its operation associated to future scenarios of occupation. The SES Ponta Negra has a long lengthof collection networks and 6 pumping stations interconnected, being EE 1, 2, 4 coastal way, and beach Shopping interconnected EE3 to receives all sewers pumped from the rest pumping station and pumped to the sewage treatment station of neighborhood which consists of a facultative pond followed by three maturation ponds with disposal of treated effluent into infiltration ditches. Oncethey are connected with each other, the study was conducted considering the days and times of higher inflow for all lifts. Furthermore, with the aim of measuring the gatherer network failures were conducted data survey of on the networks. Thephysical and operational survey data was conducted between January/2011 and janeiro/2012. The simulation of the SES was developed with the aim ofdemonstrating its functioning, eithercurrently and in the coming years, based in population estimates and sewage flow. The collected data represents the current framework of the pumping stations of the SES Ponta Negra and served as input to the model developed in MS Excel ® spreadsheet which allowed simulating the behavior of SES in future scenarios. The results of this study show thatBeach Shopping Pumping Station is actually undersized and presents serious functioning problemsthatmay compromise the environmental quality of surrounding area. The other pumping stations of the system will reach itsmaximum capacity between 2013 and 2015, although the EE1 and EE3 demonstrateoperation capacity, even precariously, until 2017. Moreover, it was observed that the misuse of the network system, due to the input of both garbage and stormwater, are major factors of failures that occur in the SES. Finally, it was found that the corrective maintenance appliance, rather than predictive,has proven to beinefficient because of the serious failuresin the system, causing damage to the environment and health risks to users