Uma plataforma de integração de middleware para computação ubíqua

One of the current challenges of Ubiquitous Computing is the development of complex applications, those are more than simple alarms triggered by sensors or simple systems to configure the environment according to user preferences. Those applications are hard to develop since they are composed by services provided by different middleware and it is needed to know the peculiarities of each of them, mainly the communication and context models. This thesis presents OpenCOPI, a platform which integrates various services providers, including context provision middleware. It provides an unified ontology-based context model, as well as an environment that enable easy development of ubiquitous applications via the definition of semantic workflows that contains the abstract description of the application. Those semantic workflows are converted into concrete workflows, called execution plans. An execution plan consists of a workflow instance containing activities that are automated by a set of Web services. OpenCOPI supports the automatic Web service selection and composition, enabling the use of services provided by distinct middleware in an independent and transparent way. Moreover, this platform also supports execution adaptation in case of service failures, user mobility and degradation of services quality. The validation of OpenCOPI is performed through the development of case studies, specifically applications of the oil industry. In addition, this work evaluates the overhead introduced by OpenCOPI and compares it with the provided benefits, and the efficiency of OpenCOPI s selection and adaptation mechanism

Teoria e prática em catalogação de assunto: a sistematicidade do processo em contexto de bibliotecas universitárias pela perspectiva profissional

A natureza subjetiva da catalogação de assunto imprime certas peculiaridades nas ações dos profissionais que realizam a atividade em domínios específicos. Sendo assim, mostra-se necessária à realização de estudos que cerquem as ações dos catalogadores de assunto, ancoradas na realidade do contexto de bibliotecas universitárias, para a obtenção dos fatores influentes do saber e do fazer profissional. Portanto, analisa-se o conhecimento profissional acerca da sistematicidade do processo da catalogação de assunto em perspectiva sociocognitiva. Para tanto, aplica-se a técnica de Protocolo Verbal em Grupo com três catalogadores de assunto de distintas bibliotecas universitárias do estado de São Paulo, a fim de conhecer a realidade do processo da catalogação de assunto pela perspectiva profissional. Os resultados apontam a necessidade de instrumentos metodológicos que propiciem sustentabilidade prática à catalogação de assunto, em contexto de bibliotecas universitárias.

Políticas públicas e as transformações socioespaciais correlacionadas ao turismo no município de Caicó: uma análise do período 2000 a 2010

The study presents an approach on planning, sociospatial transformations and public touristic policies implemented between 2000 and 2010 in Caicó, encompassing people from the government, private sector and the population of the municipality and informal traders who use the leisure facilities and services arranged in place. As the main goal, the research intends to analyze the performance of public and private sectors correlated to the touristic activity in Caicó city and their reflections in the process changes sociospatial. The dissertation is structured in order to carry out an investigation into the role of public policies to the development of a location with touristic potential, in this case, the municipality of Caicó; to investigate public policies implemented in the touristic industry of Rio Grande do Norte, particularly the actions of PRODETUR-Nordeste focused on the development of the tourism in the countryside, affecting particularly the region of Seridó region and the municipality of Caicó, and, finally, to check the main changes sociospatial verified in Caicó between 2000 and 2010. Cultural issues and certain natural beauties can be seen as attractions that can attract tourist demand, taking into consideration the awakening increasingly more evident quest by the tourist for knowledge of the peculiarities of the region. Several authors have worked in this view, pointing to the cultural aspects of the region as elements that are able to boost the touristic activity. The questions raised in this study was based on a literature, based mainly on authors like Beni, Dias, Cruz, Azevedo and Morais. To obtain the necessary data in the analysis, the methodological procedures used in intensive direct observation, using interviews, applied together with the public representatives who are acting as leaders of the political actions related to tourism in the municipality and members of the private sector related to tourism services such as lodging establishments, food and travel agency and, finally, the local people and informal traders benefited directly or indirectly, with the touristic resources and structure. These research agents were investigated by means of structured forms such as support for analysis. Was detected in the survey that the leisure facilities and services installed in the last decade in the city of Caico has a priority the population of the municipality, is necessary to emphasize that the residents interviewed perceive the importance of these tools for tourist activity. It was also found that the public sector is the main responsible for the observed changes. Therefore, proved to be relevant to study the role public private sector partnerships and population influences, considering that this analysis may contribute to the work of researchers, public administrators and businessmen, may serve as a norteador for planning and development of tourism in the city of Caico

Efeitos da ligadura do ducto pancreático e da secção ductal com livre drenagem de secreções para o peritônio sobre as funções endócrina e exócrina do pâncreas: estudo clínico e laboratorial em coelhos

As ressecções pancreáticas seguidas de anastomoses acompanham-se de altas taxas de morbidade, que incluem: surtos de pancreatite e, principalmente, fístulas digestivas. Nos transplantes pancreáticos a drenagem da parte exócrina do enxerto para o intestino ou para a bexiga, além das peculiaridades técnicas, também não é isenta de diversas complicações. Visando evitar ou atenuar tais conseqüências e simplificar a técnica cirúrgica, têm sido usadas outras abordagens para o tratamento ductal do coto/enxerto pancreático, tais como: drenagem livre de secreções para o peritônio, com o ducto pancreático aberto, ligadura ductal e oclusão do ducto com polímeros sintéticos. OBJETIVO: O presente estudo visa avaliar clínica e laboratorialmente as funções endócrina e exócrina do pâncreas de coelhos com o ducto aberto e ligado. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas 150 operações, divididas em 3 grupos: N - manipulação/controle (n=50), A - grupo aberto (n=50), e L - ligado (n=50). Os momentos de observação foram pré-operatório, dia 0 (dia da operação) e pós-operatório (observação e sacrifício): 7 dias, 14 dias, 28 dias, 90 dias e 180 dias. Os parâmetros analisados foram: estado geral, atividade, controles do peso corporal, ingestão hídrica, ingestão alimentar e dosagens da amilase sangüínea, glicemia, glicose urinária e insulina plasmática. RESULTADOS: Todos os grupos tiveram evolução clínica similar, com bom estado geral, ganho ponderal progressivo e valores normais da ingestão hídrica e ingestão alimentar. Exceto uma significativa elevação da amilase sangüínea nas primeiras 24-48h para os 2 grupos com interferência ductal, não houve qualquer alteração dos níveis basais da glicemia, glicosúria e insulinemia entre os 3 grupos experimentais, em todos os momentos de observação. CONCLUSÃO: À exceção da amilase sangüínea, cujos níveis basais foram significativamente elevados no 1º e 2º dias de pós-operatório, as duas modalidades técnicas de abordagem da secreção exócrina do pâncreas, utilizadas em coelhos, não determinaram quaisquer alterações clínicas, bem como dos níveis basais de glicose sangüínea, glicose urinária e insulina plasmática, durante 6 meses de seguimento.

Ação de impugnação de mandato eletivo: análise constitucional e novas perspectivas

This study is developed in setting in which the Federal Constitution of 1988 completed 22 years of validity, as well as in general elections (national and state) in country. From this perspective, there are multiple reflections, especially on the constitutional mechanisms of popular sovereignty consolidation, the integrity and legitimacy of elections and democracy itself. It has appeared timely, therefore, to examine the development of ensured instrument of these precepts. Thus, it is approached as an object of research to Action of Impugnation to the Elective Mandate- AIEM, under Art.14, § 10 and § 11 of the Constitution of 1988, considering its constitutional and electoral reasons. It is then aimed to review the second AIEM conceptions of scale, systematic interpretation, preservation of constitutional rights and its effectiveness. Specifically, it is analyzed the Action as to the forms of power that relate to this. then it is examined the democracy principal aspects related to the issue. Without being followed, it is the democratic situation in which it is operated. They are also examined the political rights, especially regarding restraint applied to ineligibility and the possibility of integrating the effects of an impugnatory origin. Following, it has been discussed the formation of an early panorama, consisting of constitutional principles applied to electoral constituencies and eminently procedural principles and, according to which subsidizes the operations of such Action. After that, addressing the Election Law, including its concept, its sources, the Electoral Court and its peculiarities and functions. It is also considered the elective office as to its definition, characteristics and ways of accessing and extinguishing it. Afterwards, the Action of Impugnation is studied from its historical evolution of laws, legal, concept and goals. Expanding on the theme, it s highlighted about their chances of traditional appropriateness (economic power abuse, corruption and fraud) and modern (abuse of economic power intertwined with political) business, including the suggestion of suitability in case of abuse of unique political power. It was also identified the injurious potential demand affecting these illicit to enable the Action. Subsequently, other relevant aspects were explored, such as the legitimacy ad causam, competence, secrecy, procedure, recklessness, bad faith, the purpose of the merits and manageable resources. In the end, it is demonstrated an evolution of AIEM, however, still insufficient to reach full intentions that rise it. It is proposed therefore to re-read the action from news perspectives, based on constitutional and electoral precepts, as well as wider interpretation of the appropriateness of their assumptions of suitability and effects, according to a systematic interpretation, all aimed at the preservation of constitutional rights and their own effectiveness

Canine trypanosomiasis: etiology of infection and implications for public health

Canine trypanosomiasis, caused by protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma, is divided into two primary types: the American form (Chagas disease), due to Trypanosoma cruzi infection, and the African form (sleeping sickness or surra), provoked by Trypanosoma evansi. This disease was originally enzootic and affected only wild animals, including mammals and birds, which served as reservoirs. Later, it spread to domestic animals such as horses, cattle and dogs. The disease became a zoonosis when contact between rural inhabitants and natural Trypanosoma foci occurred, due to ecological imbalances and increasing migration. Dogs are significantly involved in this context, because they are the main domestic animals and participate in the transmission and maintenance cycles of these parasites. This article reports etiological, epidemiological and public health aspects of canine trypanosomiasis, and the most important peculiarities of this zoonosis in dogs.

Aplicação de softwares livres no Processamento de dados sísmicos de alta resolução

The increasing use of shallow seismic methods of high resolution, for investigations of geological problems, environmental or industrial, has impelled the development of techniques, flows and computational algorithms. The practice of applying techniques for processing this data, until recently it wasn t used and the interpretation of the data was made as they were acquired. In order to facilitate and contribute to the improvement of the practices adopted, was developed a free graphical application and open source, called OpenSeismic which is based on free software Seismic Un*x, widely used in the treatment of conventional seismic data used in the exploration of hydrocarbon reservoirs. The data used to validate the initiative were marine seismic data of high resolution, acquired by the laboratory of Geology and Marine Geophysics and Environmental Monitoring - GGEMMA, of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte UFRN, for the SISPLAT Project, located at the region of paleo-valley of the Rio Acu. These data were submitted to the processing flow developed by Gomes (2009), using the free software developed in this work, the OpenSeismic, as well other free software, the Seismic Un*x and the commercial software ProMAX, where despite its peculiarities has presented similar results

Patterns of alcohol use between genders: A cross-cultural evaluation

Introduction: Alcohol use by men and women is very much influenced by social habits and customs. Cultural peculiarities and biological differences between the sexes require more focused and standardized studies. The objective was to systematize information on patterns of alcohol use between the sexes.Method: A literary review (1972-2004) identified 96 publications (Lilacs, Scielo, Medline) and some related books.Results and conclusions: Men drank more and presented more problems (legal, family, social, clinical, traumas and mortality) associated with alcohol use; the consequences of alcohol use in developing countries with low death rates is even higher. Women can face more discrimination by using alcohol as well as worse health problems when they abuse drinking (liver, pancreas, and central and peripheral nervous system problems, psychiatric comorbidity, etc.); sexual abuse is more commonly associated with women than discussing the different responses to treatment. As for social roles/responsibilities exercised by women, there are indications that marriage, employment, and children have a good influence, discouraging alcohol use, while divorce, unemployment, and no children contribute to higher consumption. For both sexes, religion was a protective factor for alcohol use; acculturation was a strong influence in the pattern of alcohol use, and alcohol worsened the evolution of existing psychiatric disorders. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concentração de homocisteína em pacientes portadores de doença arterial periférica atendidos em um serviço público de saúde

Contexto: Estudos recentes indicam que a concentração elevada de homocisteína é um fator de risco importante e prevalente para doença vascular aterosclerótica coronariana, cerebral e periférica. Objetivo: Tendo em vista a escassez de informações relacionadas à hiper-homocisteinemia em doença arterial periférica (DAP) no Brasil e as peculiaridades de nossa população, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência de hiper-homocisteinemia em amostra dessa população em um ensaio clínico com indivíduos portadores e não portadores de DAP atendidos em um serviço público brasileiro. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo ensaio clínico caso-controle com 40 indivíduos portadores de DAP confirmada por Doppler ultrassom (grupo DAP) em comparação com 20 indivíduos voluntários sem DAP (grupo-controle). Resultados: A DAP predominante foi a isquemia crônica de membros (75%). As concentrações plasmáticas medianas de homocisteína de jejum foram significantemente maiores no grupo DAP do que no grupo-controle (16,7 versus 12,9 µmol/L, p = 0,001), tanto nos homens (18,9 versus 14,0 µmol/L, p = 0,005) quanto nas mulheres (13,9 versus 11,2 µmol/L, p = 0,025). Quanto à proporção de indivíduos com hiper-homocisteinemia, observou-se tendência a uma maior frequência no grupo DAP (60%) em relação ao grupo-controle (30%) (p = 0,054). Nos indivíduos com idade inferior a 60 anos foram encontrados valores medianos de homocisteína significantemente mais elevados no grupo DAP (p = 0,041). Conclusões: A hiper-homocisteinemia é um fator de risco importante e foi encontrada em 60% dos indivíduos portadores de DAP atendidos em um serviço público no Brasil.

Aspectos tomográficos da coluna cervical de equinos

Descreveu-se a anatomia da região cervical de equinos adultos, com base em imagens obtidas no exame de tomografia computadorizada helicoidal realizado em peças anatômicas de equinos adultos. A tomografia computadorizada foi o método de imagem diagnóstica de escolha e possibilita as reconstruções de imagens tridimensionais e em outros planos anatômicos, como sagital e coronal. Todas as imagens foram adquiridas e avaliadas em filtro e janela para tecido ósseo. Observaram-se diferenças anatômicas e as particularidades normais das vértebras, principalmente da região occipitoatlantoaxial, a qual apresenta maior incidência de alterações.

Automated Nuclear Analysis of Leishmania major Telomeric Clusters Reveals Changes in Their Organization during the Parasite's Life Cycle

Parasite virulence genes are usually associated with telomeres. The clustering of the telomeres, together with their particular spatial distribution in the nucleus of human parasites such as Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei, has been suggested to play a role in facilitating ectopic recombination and in the emergence of new antigenic variants. Leishmania parasites, as well as other trypanosomes, have unusual gene expression characteristics, such as polycistronic and constitutive transcription of protein-coding genes. Leishmania subtelomeric regions are even more unique because unlike these regions in other trypanosomes they are devoid of virulence genes. Given these peculiarities of Leishmania, we sought to investigate how telomeres are organized in the nucleus of Leishmania major parasites at both the human and insect stages of their life cycle. We developed a new automated and precise method for identifying telomere position in the three-dimensional space of the nucleus, and we found that the telomeres are organized in clusters present in similar numbers in both the human and insect stages. While the number of clusters remained the same, their distribution differed between the two stages. The telomeric clusters were found more concentrated near the center of the nucleus in the human stage than in the insect stage suggesting reorganization during the parasite's differentiation process between the two hosts. These data provide the first 3D analysis of Leishmania telomere organization. The possible biological implications of these findings are discussed.

Post-larval morphology, growth, and development of Uca cumulanta Crane, 1943 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) under laboratory conditions

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

Caracterização florística e fitossociológica do componente arbustivo-arbóreo de uma floresta paludosa no Município de Rio Claro (SP), Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Subsídios para a gênese da imprensa musical brasileira e para a história do Hino da Independência, de Dom Pedro I

Este artigo tem por objetivos rever, mediante análise bibliográfica e de fontes primárias, a história de um de nossos símbolos musicais pátrios, o Hino da Independência, de Dom Pedro I, bem como trazer novos subsídios para o estudo da gênese da imprensa musical brasileira. Tem, igualmente, por escopo divulgar peculiaridades de uma antiga e pouco conhecida partitura desse hino, já não mais presentes em modernas edições de tal composição.

Pesquisa educacional com base nas artes: pensando a educação dos professores como experiência estética

Neste artigo, o autor descreve dois estudos, realizados com professores, nos quais objetos de arte são usados como dispositivos deflagradores de reflexão compartilhada. Teoricamente fundamentado em uma nova modalidade de investigação qualitativa no campo da Educação - a Pesquisa Educacional com Base nas Artes (PEBA) -, ele discute particularidades do funcionamento e do papel dessa modalidade de pesquisa no desenvolvimento profissional docente, as diferentes naturezas dos dois objetos de arte utilizados (a fotografia e o espetáculo teatral) e aponta para duas principais vertentes dessa modalidade de pesquisa - a vertente de produção de significados, pela qual o educador de professores e os participantes da pesquisa compartilham e constroem significados ao entrarem em contato com um objeto de arte previamente pronto e confeccionado por um artista profissional; e a vertente representacional, pela qual os professores e educadores participantes constroem, individualmente ou de forma compartilhada, um determinado objeto de arte que reflita e expresse suas representações do mundo da docência. Por fim, o artigo sugere que a PEBA, além de estabelecer contextos reflexivos nos quais alunos e professores têm oportunidades de desvelar a experiência estética, instaura relações alternativas dos participantes com o conhecimento e com a prática pedagógica, evidenciando sua importância social e suas forças revitalizadoras.