Estimativa populacional e uso do hábitat do boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis) no litoral sul do Rio Grande do Norte

Four areas are known as of frequent usage by Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte state, northeast Brazil: Tabatinga, Pipa, Lagoa de Guaraíras and Baia Formosa. This extension of 40 km of shoreline is under increasing anthropogenic impacts due to continuous development of the coastal areas and vessel traffic. The objective of this study was to investigate aspects of population biology and habitat use of the population of Sotalia guianensis in the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte. It was applied the photo-identification technique and posterior methods of capture-recapture for population estimation (POPAN extension in MARK). The distribution, movement and site fidelity of the dolphins were analyzed trough the geographic information system (GIS) and group characteristics and behavior trough non-parametric statistics. Field work was conducted on board a 10m motor vessel from March 2008 to March 2009. Photo-identification effort was 329h with 113h of direct observation of the dolphins. The population estimatives for each area: Tabatinga: 75 (63-92); Pipa 105 (88-129); Lagoa de Guaraíras: 27 (18-54) e Baia Formosa: 112 (89-129) individuals. Total population estimative was: 223 (192 a 297). High site fidelity was detected for only part of the population (<15%) as low site fidelity and transients individuals were also detected (>20%). It was observed frequent movements between Tabatinga, Lagoa de Guaraíras and Pipa, but not Baía Formosa. This suggests a division in two communities along this shore extension: one in Pipa and other in Baía Formosa. Group size was small, most groups with up to 10 dolphins. The areas were use intensively, only in Lagoa de Guaraíras dolphins were not seen in all field trips. Lagoa de Guaraíras is an area used by small groups exclusively for foraging. In Tabatinga and Pipa dolphins concentrated close to the shore, in the inner sector of the area and the main activity is also foraging. Significant larger groups were seen in socializing behavior but there was no difference in group size between the inner and external sectors of the area. The presence of calves and juveniles were significant greater in the inner areas of Tabatinga and Pipa, confirming the hypothesis that these beaches are also used for parental care. In Baia Formosa dolphins concentrated in the outer sector and foraging was also predominant. Significant larger groups were seen in the outer sector, mainly engaged in mixed behaviors of travel/foraging, possibly in some kind of group foraging. Calves and juveniles were significant more present in the outer sector where group size was also larger. In general there was no difference in area usage and period of the day. Sotalia guianensis has characteristics that make the species vulnerable to human activities such as small population concentrated in patches of suitable habitats restrict to coastal areas. We hope that this study bring new information for the species and help for the adequate management of the area in order to assure the presence of the dolphins as well as its behavior pattern and gene flow betweencommunities.

Estudo sobre orçamento de atividade do Boto Cinza (Sotalia guianensis) no litoral sul do Rio Grande do Norte

A fundamental analysis on Behavioral Ecology is the construction of Activities Budget, which can be defined as the quantification of the time that each animal uses in activities that are important for its survival and reproduction. Initially developed for theoretical studies about Optimal Foraging, the construction of Activities Budgets has recently being used for analyses in Conservation Biology. However, the measurement of behavior through an adequate methodology that allows the comparison between different samples is a challenge for researchers in the area of Ethology. This problem is even bigger for the students of cetaceans behavior due to the difficulty of visualization of these animals. The present work deals with two aspects of the specialized literature on cetaceans: i) it explores possible variations of results in quantification of behavioral states decurrent of the application of different methods of data collection, and ii) it describes the activity budget of a population of Sotalia guianensis that inhabits coastal waters, south Rio Grande do Norte. The results showed that the use different methods of data collection result in significant differences, but of small scale, in the quantification of the behavioral frequency. The activity budget of Sotalia in the area here analyzed was similar to that described for other populations of this species inhabiting typically estuarine habitats. Tide and day-hour did not influence the dolphin s behavior, however, significant differences were found related to the position of the animals within the area. These results are discussed considering the dietary and behavioral flexibility of the species, contributing to the scientific knowledge and offering information that will be useful in comparative studies and for analyses on the determination of areas for species conservation

A água nossa de cada dia : percepção, uso e predisposições comportamentais de alunos do ensino médio de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Embora a escassez de água seja reconhecida como um dos principais problemas mundiais a ser enfrentado pela humanidade, padrões comportamentais ecologicamente insustentáveis ainda persistem. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar determinantes do comportamento pró-ambiental relativo à água, bem como os significados que lhe são atribuídos por alunos do ensino médio do Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica do Rio Grande do Norte, em Natal. Compuseram a amostra de conveniência 315 estudantes, 146 mulheres e 169 homens, que responderam a um questionário sobre uso e percepção da água, contendo também indicadores de pró-ambientalismo, cuidado ambiental, desenvolvimento sustentável, perspectiva temporal, externalidades e coletivismo, além de inquérito sócio-demográfico. Para os participantes, água é sinônimo de vida, muito embora a relação que mantém com ela parece dúbia e, muito mais funcional que ecológica; consideram-na um recurso finito, um patrimônio indispensável à vida, contudo não foi observada coerência entre as concepções manifestadas e os comportamentos auto-relatados de uso da água. Os resultados encontrados apontaram preditores importantes do comportamento pró-ambiental relativo à água: sexo do respondente, Escala Novo Paradigma Ecológico e deixar forma de contato para participar de campanhas futuras. Seja para aprofundamento teórico em novos estudos, seja para auxiliar na elaboração de programas de educação ambiental, que poderiam contribuir para inibir os efeitos de uma cultura de consumo e de uma visão utilitarista da água, ampliando esforços individuais e coletivos para a preservação de bens comuns, como a água. Palavras-chave: psicologia ambiental; sustentabilidade; água; comportamento próambiental. x xi Abstract Although water scarcity is recognized as one of the main world-wide problems to be faced by human kind, ecologically unsustainable patterns of behavior still persist. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze pro-environmental behavior related to water, as well as meanings associated to it by high school students of Federal Center of Technological Education of Rio Grande do Norte, in Natal. The convenience sample was composed by 315 students, 146 women and 169 men, who answered a questionnaire about use and perception of water, containing indicators of proenvironmentalism, environmental care, sustainable development, time perspective, externalities and collectivism, besides socio-demographic items. According to participants, water is synonymous of life, even though the relationship they present with it is ambiguous, much more functional than ecological; they consider it a finite resource, an indispensable life patrimony, however there was no coherence between such conceptions and the self-reported behaviors of water use. Results indicated three important predictors of pro-environmental behavior: sex of respondent, New Ecological Paradigm Scale and telephone/address left for eventual contact to participate in future environmental campaigns. They may be used in additional studies for theoretical development, or to assist in the planning of programs of environmental education, aimed at the inhibition of the effects of a culture of consumption and of an utilitarian perception of water, extending individual and collective efforts towards the preservation of common resources as water

Gestão pública em saúde mental: um estudo em CAPS com gerência pública e privada do Rio Grande Do Norte

Currently, several models of management services from the public administration are in operation in Brazil following a global trend. Besides the traditional public management operated in SUS, there are ongoing experiments of privately management in the public health services. Accordingly, we have developed an investigation into two Psychosocial Care Centers operating between these two forms of financial resources management: the first is the CAPS II - PAR situated in the municipality of Parnamirim whose form is private and the second is the CAPS II West Christmas is that the municipal government. We seek to know the workings of services, planning forms and criteria for use of financial resources, identify differences between departments on ways to run and see how technicians and users participate in the planning and management of these resources. Documentary Research was conducted by the municipal Christmas and the financial administration of the CAPS service in Parnamirim. Were conducted an interview with manager (mental health coordinator of Natal) and another interview with an employee of planning department in the Health Department of Natal, an interview with the coordinator and financial administrator of CAPS - PAR and two groups of discussion taped conversation with semi structured script interviews with six technicians in CAPS PAR and six professionals crowded in CAPS - West.Differences were observed in the management of resources funded from four blocks of discussion and analysis of results, where the privately-run service for the direct management and bureaucracy without being discussed and planned spending on staff, as well as through meetings with users, the use of the financial resources available in box; already in service with municipal public administration there is a hierarchy, this answering the coordination of mental health and the local health department that centralizes resources and defines their spending. There are meetings with patients and families, but the demands are limited as to what can be sued because of the manager s authorization. Such differentiation would be related to differences in the articulation of public management with the different types of possible management in public services, where from the implementation of new public administration in the Brazilian s State Management Reform initiated in the second half of the 1990s, benefit management services with private regime, with autonomy and direct transfer of resources

A presença da produção científica em psicologia na formação de psicólogos do Rio Grande do Norte

The present research aimed to analyze the presence of national scientific production in undergraduate studies in Psychology of Rio Grande do Norte. Therefore, the bibliographical references contained in education plan of subjects linked to the common center of the courses, which were taught in 2011 in three Psychology courses of the state, were focused. The analysis of the material was based on bibliographical and contextual aspects of the production, such as year, nationality, type of material, authorship (including the link of authors to PPGs), structuring axis of the subject in which it was mentioned, among others. The results showed that the national production is predominant in all courses, and they are, mostly, originated from PPGs of Psychology. Among these, the publications resulted from programs in Southwest, with emphasis to PUC-SP, are recent (mostly from 2000s) and they are predominantly composed by books (organizations and full texts). Regarding the distribution of Psychology PPGs production by the structuring axes, it is observed that it surpasses the foreign production only in axis C (procedures of scientific investigation and professional practice) and axis F (professional practices). Accordingly, it is concluded that Psychology production is found in graduation, sharing space with foreign publications and from other areas of knowledge. On the one hand, this is positive, by taking into account the importance of several foreign works and from other fields to build the knowledge in Psychology; on the other hand, it shows that the production from this area is inserted in graduation in a less significant way than its growth, which points out the existence of gaps in the development of some investigative domains from national Psychology

A Água nossa de cada dia: percepção, uso e predisposições comportamentais de alunos do ensino médio de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Although water scarcity is recognized as one of the main world-wide problems to be faced by human kind, ecologically unsustainable patterns of behavior still persist. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze pro-environmental behavior related to water, as well as meanings associated to it by high school students of Federal Center of Technological Education of Rio Grande do Norte, in Natal. The convenience sample was composed by 315 students, 146 women and 169 men, who answered a questionnaire about use and perception of water, containing indicators of proenvironmentalism, environmental care, sustainable development, time perspective, externalities and collectivism, besides socio-demographic items. According to participants, water is synonymous of life, even though the relationship they present with it is ambiguous, much more functional than ecological; they consider it a finite resource, an indispensable life patrimony, however there was no coherence between such conceptions and the self-reported behaviors of water use. Results indicated three important predictors of pro-environmental behavior: sex of respondent, New Ecological Paradigm Scale and telephone/address left for eventual contact to participate in future environmental campaigns. They may be used in additional studies for theoretical development, or to assist in the planning of programs of environmental education, aimed at the inhibition of the effects of a culture of consumption and of an utilitarian perception of water, extending individual and collective efforts towards the preservation of common resources as water

A percepção de suporte organizacional dos novos servidores da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

This work deals with organizational support perception-OSP. This is done considering staff global beliefs, value of their contributions, care and well being related of individuals in an organization. These issues has been have been present in many researches since the 80s. It is important to analyze this matter considering all the changes that occurred nationally and internationally in the academic environment, characterized as being diversified in academic and managerial level. This occurs especially in Brazil since Federal Universities and their agents have suffered impact and restructuring. The research has emphasized the technical-managerial as well as professor staff level at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte aiming to deal with their unsatisfaction upon social political support. Thus, there was participation of 259 staff that were admitted from 2003 to 2005 in many sectors and units of the university. These subjects were submitted to a social and demographical query through an application of a scale of organizational support perception-OSP. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was done considering factors (management style of higher command), material support, wages, work overload, social support at work and ascending levels). Results show that there a hierarchy of the analyzed factors, the factor social support at work as being the first one with 3,31%, the factor management style of the higher command in second with 3,30%, then followed by the factor social support at work with 2,92%, in a sequence the factor material support, factor overload with 2,49% in the fourth position, and in the fifth place, the factor ascending with an average of 2,33% and in last the factor wages with 2,20%. It is concluded that the factors related to the more positive attributions of the OSP (social support at work), in a sequence material support opposing from the most negative factors of the OSP (wages, overload, ascending) reveal a reality that points out that the OSP is very much related to the individualized actions of the members of the organization (leader-member-group) rather than on structure and institutionalized actions carried out at UFRN

Saúde mental em operadores de petróleo do Rio Grande do Norte

The importance of identifying the consequence of the hours worked on people in society has been well recognized within Organizational and Work Psychology. From this point of view, the present research had the objective of analysing the effects of work regimes on the mental health of petroleum operators of Petrobrás. The sample totaled 144 subjects, corresponding to 27% of the work population. The mental health of the participants was evaluated using the following instruments of measurement: QSG-12, Scale of self-esteem, Scale of Positive and Negative Affections and the Scale of Valuable Attributes of IMST, each representing an empirical factor used to indicate and measure the five dimensions of mental health. The subjects perceptions of their work regime and the rest of their conditions of work were evaluated using scales of descriptive attributes of IMST, by applying a semi-structured questionnaire and by use of interviews. A socio-demographic file was used to collect information related to the biographical and socio-occupational profile of the worker sample. The answers to the questionnaire were inserted into the data bank of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science), for statistical analysis, and the interviews were analised based on the technique of Contents Analysis recommended by Bardin (1995). The main results revealed that one third of the worker sample were tense; however, the mental health of the majority was preserved. Cluster Analysis applied to the group of seven factors which measured the five dimensions of mental health identified four profiles of psychological well-being shared between members of the sample. It was observed that the people working in the system of Continuous Shift Alternation (TIR) and in the system of Pre-advising tended to present balanced and satisfactory profiles, while the ones which worked in the Administrative Field tended to present anxious and oscillating profiles, and thus were more affected psychologically. These were also the ones that also perceived the more negative aspects of their laborious conditions (reduced chances of self-improvement, physically stressful and financial resources below expectations with which to supply family and personal necessities. In agreement with the ecological model formulated by Warr (1987), the present study concluded that the positive and negative effects on the psychological well-being tended to occur as a consequence of the perceptions the petrol operators developed to face their work conditions

Determinação da composição química do molusco Anadara notabilis encontrado em Galinhos no Rio Grande do Norte

Given the large existing biodiversity in the Brazilian coast, where many species are still little known, even under the nutritional aspect, and considering that bivalve molluscs are constituted by a natural resource of well accepted by the population, chose the bivalve Anadara notabilis, it was not found in the literature any nutritional or toxicological information about it and because its size is much larger than other species of mollusks commonly found in this region. Were studied moisture, ash, protein, macro and micro minerals, and metal ions of toxicological significance. All analytical determinations followed the standards of the Institute Adolfo Lutz. The protein determination was performed by the Kjeldahl method. All metal ions were determined by optical emission spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES) method described by USEPA 6010C. The results showed that Anadara notabilis can be introduced into food for human beings, in view of its mineral wealth. Noteworthy among the macronutrients phosphorus and magnesium showed that their values in mg / kg 918.7 and 586.7. With regard to micronutrients stand out with this iron 586.7 mg / kg and zinc with 12.31 mg / kg. Was not found high content of metal contaminants to this mollusc, which would prevent their use, only this chromium 0.7 mg / kg above the value established by Brazilian legislation. The results will certainly be very useful in future studies of nutrition and to build a table of chemical composition of Brazilian foods

Perfil de mortalidade de idosos no Rio Grande do Norte: estudo comparativo entre duas faixas etárias e fatores relacionados

Measures of mortality represent one of the most important indicators of health conditions. For comprising the larger rate of deaths, the study of mortality in the elderly population is regarded as essential to understand the health situation. In this sense, the present study aims to analyze the mortality profile of the population from 60 to 69 (young elders) and older than 80 years old (oldest old) in the Rio Grande do Norte state (Brazil) in the period 2001 to 2011, and to identify the association with contextual factors and variables about the quality of the Mortality Information System (SIM). For this purpose, Mortality Proportional (MP) was calculated for the state and Specific Mortality Rate by Age (CMId) , according to chapters of ICD- 10, to the municipalities of Rio Grande do Norte , through data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IGBE). In order to identify groups of municipalities with similar mortality profiles, Nonhierarchical Clustering K-means method was applied and the Factor Analysis by the Principal Components Analysis was resort to reduce contextual variables. The spatial distribution of these groups and the factors were visualized using the Spatial Analysis Areas technique. During the period investigated, 21,813 younger elders deaths were recorded , with a predominance of deaths from circulatory diseases (32.75%) and neoplasms (22.9 %) . Among the oldest old, 50,637 deaths were observed, which 35.26% occurred because of cardiovascular diseases and 17.27% of ill-defined causes. Clustering Analysis produced three clusters to the two age groups and Factor Analysis reduced the contextual variables into three factors, also the sum of the factor scores was considered. Among the younger elders, the groups are called misinformation profile, development profile and development paradox, which showed a statistically significant association with education and poverty and extreme poverty factors, factorial sum and the variable related to underreporting of deaths. Misinformation profile remained in the oldest old group, accompanied by the epidemiological transition profile and the epidemiological paradox, that were statistically associated with the development and health factor, as well as with the variables that indicate the SIM quality: proportion of blank fields about the schooling and underreporting. It proposed that the mortality profiles of the younger elders and oldest old differ on the importance of the basic causes and that are influenced by different contextual aspects , observing that 60 to 69 years group is more affected by such aspects. Health inequalities can be reduced by measures aimed to improve levels of education and poverty, especially in younger elders, and by optimizing the use of health services, which is more associated to the oldest old health situation. Furthermore, it is important to improve the quality of information for the two age groups

Avaliação da qualidade da atenção primária à saúde da criança no Rio Grande do Norte: visão das usuárias

The study aims to evaluate the quality of the work processes of the teams from the Family Health Strategy regarding the comprehensive health care for children, in the view of users in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. This is a cross-sectional observational evaluative research with quantitative approach. The primary data are part of the External Review from the Program of Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care (PMAQ) in 2012. 190 women were interviewed. The inclusion criteria was the presence in the clinic at the time of the survey, have attended the service in the last 12 months and be a mother or companion of a child up to two years old. A research protocol was developed in the dimensions of Growth and Development, Breastfeeding and nutrition, and health problems and its variables. The results revealed that mothers / companions who responded to the questionnaire 71% were aged between 18 and 35 years, 92.1% were literate, 96.3% had a monthly income and 62.6% received financial assistance from the government. As for the children, 39.4% were aged between 13 to 24 months. In promotion and prevention actions for children, 64.2% had consultation up to the 7th day of life, 91.1% underwent the screening test, 95.3% had a health handbook, 98.9% had a vaccine, 17.9% breastfed or breastfeed from 6 to 24 months. As for link and continuity of care, 86.8% of the children were accompanied by the same professional staff and 59.5% left with next consultation scheduled. In acute situations 42.4% of the children went to the health unit and 64% of these were attended. It is concluded that the actions involving prevention and health promotion of children in RN, are evaluated positively by the service users and meet the requirements of MS, as well as link and continuity of care. The weakness in access and reception of users is evident, indicating the need to adapt the service to the demand of health and planning actions to welcome all who seeks basic health unit-UBS

O Turismo como um tema de pesquisa: um diálogo epistemológico a partir das produções dos programas de pós-graduação stricto sensu da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, no período de 2007 a 2011

The study consists in an analysis of researches with tourism issues, in Master s and Doctoral level, investigating their epistemological trends, regarding the type of study that is being produced and the methods used. It is characterized as exploratory, documental and bibliographical, having undertaken a cross-sectional study which covers the period from 2007 to 2011. It analyzes the context of academically production in tourism, the nature of these researches, the methodological aspects adopted in these theses and dissertations, the philosophical inclinations and the coherence and contribution of the same. This research uses, the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) and the secretariats of the Academic Centers of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) as means to collect data. It employs the technique of sampling by judgment and undertakes the research in various Academic Centers in UFRN, using the method of content analysis. It shows that, from the 643 studies analyzed, 43 of them have themes related to tourism, which characterized this study sample. This study realizes that PPGA is the largest producer of researches on tourism issues, ahead of PPGTur, which ranks the third position, in this aspect. Also realizes that all surveys analyzed are crosssectional and the theme further investigated, with 21% of the sample, is related to the marketing aspects of tourism, with the theme Directors of Hotels and Restaurants (DHR) . This research demonstrates that all sample surveys make use of interviews, and these are, mostly, structured. Also realizes that most of these studies, with 21% of the sample, employ the method of content analysis. The references in Portuguese are surveyed about five times more than the ones in other languages. It estimates that more than half of the sample is characterized as positivist, associated with aspects of functionalism. A minority of 21% of these researches seeks to identify and recommend solutions to the tourism issues, or even represent part of them. This research concludes that the studies in tourism are mostly unifocal, being driven by issues related to the touristic trade. PPGTur produces a number still unrepresentative of studies. The theses and dissertations of the sample are limited and/or unable to analyze the changes of the phenomenon caused by the time. The studies from the sample present criteria and make use of other methods and techniques to associate with the interviews and content analysis to obtain more solid and reliable data and results. They use a low number of references in languages other than Portuguese. Most of these studies, characterized as positivist-functionalist, investigate the functioning, planning, coordination and expectations in organizations, leaving aside other issues, also relevant for tourism. The number of studies aimed at identifying solutions to the problems of tourism, or that even represents part of them, is not expressive

A utilização da informação contábil na atividade pecuária do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte: um enfoque nos demonstrativos gerados para tomada de decisão

This work deals with the cattle raising activity in Brasil, it´s importance for the stete of Rio Grande do Norte. A conceptual review is done regarding accounting information and considering it as an essencial input for economical and finantial decision making, related to the state cattle rainsing environment. It also aims to expose visions related to the role and the importance of Accounting as system that colects, treats and supplies managerial information. A brief historic of Accounting is done, emphasizing the Accounting Demonstration Structure and its use in the decision making process, as well as the contribution it has node for the cattle raising activity in Brazil. The research´s results show that accounting information is used partially in the finantial decision making process, and it is pointed out that the Inventory was the most relevant tool with 95,% of the cases, followed by the Income and Outlay reports with 85.0%,Production with 82,0% and Cost reports with 80,0%, the Demonstrative of the Cash Flow (DFC) with 82.5%, the Patrimonial Balance (PB) with 22.5%, and the Demonstrative of the Exercise Result (DER) with 20.0% of use. The research concludes that Accounting information is not throughly used in the economic and finantial decision making of the managers of cattle raising in the Rio Grande do Norte State, although, 95% of the sample consider then important. This may imply that there are diffilculties in measurement of the managerial decisions as well as the business whole

Avaliação econômica dos incentivos fiscais e financeiros: uma análise das empresas industriais têxteis localizadas no Rio Grande do Norte, no período de 1999 a 2003

This study has as main objective to verify the effect of the tax and financial incentives granted by the brazilian states, specially in the reduction of ICMS on the investment decision of the entities, which in the last years led to the companies to decide new projects in based on the region that presented the better infrastructure beyond lesser tributary expense. For in such was made an economic valuation of the companies with focus in the beneficiary s optics using an adaptation of the Discounted Cash Flow method to measure the impact of the tax incentives in the value of the companies, this study selected the textile industry segment located in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The results indicated that such incentives created addition in the value of the companies, however the inexistence of incentives would not be enough to a negative decision of investment in the Rio Grande do Norte. The smallest difference between the value with and without incentive observed was 8.9%, and the biggest 31.7%, and the average of value aggregation with the tax incentives represented 18.9%

Estudo teórico-bioclimático da potencialidade de desenvolvimento do Aedes aegypti no estado do Rio Grande do Norte

In the current climate of global public health there is the emergence of urban dengue, a disease regarded as acute infectious fever. The disease annually, has affected millions of people worldwide, mostly in the range of the intertropical globe. The disease's main vector in urban areas, the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Recent studies indicate that the distribution of the insect vector of dengue in the geographical area is directly tied to the behavior of environmental restrictions that area, especially among those, the air temperature and relative humidity. From that context, the work aims to estimate and spatializing, monthly, for each municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the potential of biophysical conditions conducive to the development of Aedes aegypti. Yet, made use of the following methodology: collection of epidemiological data and climatological, Normal climatological, descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and scatter), uniform distribution, estimation geostatistics and sufer program, version 8.0. The results flagged for a behavior very heterogeneous, both in space and in time, in the case of the potential of biophysical conditions conducive to the development of Aedes aegypti in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Still, he noted that there is a tendency for lifting the potential of development for the entire state, from the month of January, ending in the month of April mainly in central and western portions of the state. By contrast, there is the permanence of increased potential for development in the eastern portion of the state. The latter record maximum potential in the month of July, resulting probability of greater than 70% have been favorable conditions for the development of Aedes aegypti in that area. In the period between the months of August to December, it is small potential for development of Aedes aegypti in all parts of the state