Construção das capacidades organizacionais de tecnologia da informação no contexto dos sistemas institucionais integrados de gestão da UFRN

The IT capability is a organizational ability to perform activities of this role more effectively and an important mechanism in creating value. Its building process (stages of creation and development) occurs through management initiatives for improvement in the performance of their activities, using human resources and IT assets complementary responsible for the evolution of their organizational routines. This research deals with the IT capabilities related to SIG (integrated institutional management systems), built and deployed in UFRN (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte) to realization and control of administrative, academic and human resources activities. Since 2009, through cooperative agreements with federal and educational institutions of direct administration, UFRN has supported the implementation of these systems, currently involving more than 30 institutions. The present study aims to understand how IT capabilities, relevant in the design, implementation and dissemination of SIG, were built over time. This is a single case study of qualitative and longitudinal nature, performed by capturing, coding and analysis from secondary data and from semi-structured interviews conducted primarily with members of Superintenência de Informática, organizational unit responsible for SIG systems in UFRN. As a result, the technical, of internal relationship and external cooperation capabilities were identified as relevant in the successful trajectory of SIG systems, which have evolved in different ways. The technical capacity, initiated in 2004, toured the stages of creation and development until it reached the stage of stability in 2013, due to technological limits. Regarding the internal relationship capability, begun in 2006, it toured the stages of creation and development, having extended its scope of activities in 2009, being in development since then. Unlike the standard life cycle observed in the literature, the external cooperation capability was initiated by an intensity of initiatives and developments in the routines in 2009, which were decreasing to cease in 2013 in order to stabilize the technological infrastructure already created for cooperative institutions. It was still identified the start of cooperation in 2009 as an important event selection, responsible for changing or creating trajectories of evolution in all three capacities. The most frequent improvements initiatives were of organizational nature and the internal planning activity has been transformed over the routines of the three capabilities. Important resources and complementary assets have been identified as important for the realization of initiatives, such as human resources technical knowledge to the technical capabilities and external cooperation, and business knowledge, for all of them, as well as IT assets: the iproject application for control of development processes, and the document repository wiki. All these resources and complementary assets grew along the capacities, demonstrating its strategic value to SINFO/UFRN

Atenção ao usuário em um centro de referência HIV/Aids: perspectiva de profissionais e usuários

We study the health care focused on care in an intercessor and dialogical relationship with the User, which involves the construction of therapeutic projects essential to the quality of the treatment of the user in health services, and it is necessary individual and collective actions. It is intended to acknowledge and analyze the perception of social subjects, users and professionals on the treatment given to a user of a Specialized Outpatient Service (Serviço Ambulatorial Especializado SAE) in STD/HIV/AIDS state reference in Natal, RN. The study is structured in a transdisciplinary vision of science and knowledge, theoretical and methodological principles that give meaning to the expression of the institutional features of care and health care reconnecting them to the social context. As a research strategy we seek the expressions of 56 subjects of social research, which agreed to participate in the sample, from a symbolic map of the attention, coupled with the techniques of observation and semi-structured interview. For the analysis of the results, five categories of analysis were established: the meaning of the service, care perception, process of communication and interaction, treatment perception and organization and evaluation of the service. It is argued that the attention and care are developed in a technical health care assistance to the disease, focusing on attention based on treatment, on diagnostic and drug therapy of antiretroviral drugs, reflecting the traditional biomedical paradigm of attention to the disease. This is also the mode of organization of practical actions in daily SAE: the therapy proves to be fragmented in several specialties, vertical and feeds the same model, generating tension and overload for professionals; showing impersonal care focused on structured and informative technology, unrelated to an interactive dialogic. From the speech of the subjects, the SAE is understood as the place of confrontation with the disease, but also enables greater elaboration of the illness by meeting their peers. Living with HIV and AIDS is living with concern, apprehension and fear, but mainly with the stigma, prejudice and exclusion, which require that the disease is kept in secret. There is a movement of forces and power, expressed in the knowledge-power of those who dominate the technical and administrative capabilities, devices that concentrate the maintenance of the medicalization of care, rapid consultations and with little attention, making it difficult to interact with and listen to, combined with structural failures, organizational and inadequate management of the service. We conclude that there are dimensions that are not considered in the internal dynamics of the care service multiple forms, characterized by care conflicting models, marked by individual interventions related to the disease. The subject is not considered together with his speech as technical discourse is imposed and care production based on material technology is observed

Age-related ultrasonography, cytology, and microbiologic exam of canine prostate

Obtiveram-se parâmetros fisiológicos que pudessem ser utilizados como referência para diagnóstico e prognóstico confiáveis de doença prostática em cães. Trinta e seis cães, sem sinais clínicos de doença prostática ou distúrbios reprodutivos, foram distribuídos em três grupos de acordo com a idade.Os animais foram submetidos à colheita manual de sêmen para exames microbiológicos, à ultrassonografia transabdominal, para avaliar as dimensões, a ecogenicidade e a ecotextura prostática, e à punção aspirativa com agulha fina, para análise citológica e microbiológica. A ultrassonografia revelou que a forma predominante da próstata foi globosa, com superfície de contorno regular. As dimensões variaram de acordo com a idade, sendo pequena em animais jovens e grande nos animais idosos. Houve correlação positiva entre as dimensões prostáticas e o peso corporal. Os exames microbiológicos detectaram microrganismos no plasma seminal de 11 cães e no tecido prostático aspirado de 10 animais, embora eles fossem saudáveis. A citologia não revelou nenhuma alteração inflamatória, proliferativa ou neoplásica nos cães jovens e de meia idade, mas, em três cães idosos foram encontrados sinais de hiperplasia/hipertrofia. Foi observada correlação positiva entre a idade e a área celular e correlação negativa entre a relação núcleo:citoplasma e a dimensão craniocaudal.

The dorsal raphe nucleus exerts opposed control on generalized anxiety and panic-related defensive responses in rats

It has been proposed that the ascending dorsal raphe (DR)-serotonergic (5-HT) pathway facilitates conditioned avoidance responses to potential or distal threat, while the DR-periventricular 5-HT pathway inhibits unconditioned flight reactions to proximal danger. Dysfunction on these pathways would be, respectively, related to generalized anxiety (GAD) and panic disorder (PD). To investigate this hypothesis, we microinjected into the rat DR the benzodiazepine inverse receptor agonist FG 7142, the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT or the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol. Animals were evaluated in the elevated T-maze (ETM) and light/dark transition test. These models generate defensive responses that have been related to GAD and PD. Experiments were also conducted in the ETM 14 days after the selective lesion of DR serotonergic neurons by 5,7-dihydroxytriptamine (DHT). In all cases, rats were pre-exposed to one of the open arms of the ETM 1 day before testing. The results showed that FG 7142 facilitated inhibitory avoidance, an anxiogenic effect, while impairing one-way escape, an anxiolytic effect. 8-OH-DPAT, muscimol, and 5,7-DHT-induced lesions acted in the opposite direction, impairing inhibitory avoidance while facilitating one-way escape from the open arm. In the light/dark transition, 8-OH-DPAT and muscimol increased the time spent in the lighted compartment, an anxiolytic effect. The data supports the view that distinct DR-5-HT pathways regulate neural mechanisms underlying GAD and PD. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

The reinstatement of amphetamine-induced place preference is long-lasting and related to decreased expression of AMPA receptors in the nucleus accumbens

A great deal of effort has been devoted to elucidating the psychopharmacology underlying addiction and relapse. Long-term neuroadaptations in glutamate transmission seem to be of great relevance for relapse to stimulant abuse. In this study, we investigated amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference during adolescence and the reinstatement of the conditioned behavior following a priming injection of the drug 1 day (adolescence), 30 days (early adulthood) and 60 days (adulthood) after the extinction test. The nucleus accumbens was dissected immediately after the reinstatement test to examine alterations in GluR1 and NR1 subunits of glutamatergic receptors. Our results showed that a priming injection of amphetamine was able to reinstate the CPP 1 and 30 days after extinction. However, it failed to reinstate the conditioned response after 60 days. GluR1 levels were decreased on days 1 and 30 but not on day 60 while NR1 levels were unaltered in the reinstatement test. Using a relapse model we found that reinstatement of amphetamine-induced conditioning place preference during adolescence is long lasting and persists through early adulthood. Decreased levels of GluR1 in the nucleus accumbens might be related to the reinstatement of amphetamine-induced conditioning place preference. (C) 2008 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasticidade induzida por treinamento locomotor na medula espinal intacta em ratos: correlatos morfológicos

The locomotion is one of the most important capabilities developed by the animals, whose improvement is dependent on several neural centers, including the spinal cord. This activity promotes a lot of spinal modifications that enable it to adapt and improve their connections. This study aimed to observe the morphological changes occurring in the spinal cord after locomotor training in intact rats. For that we used male Wistar rats, which were submitted to locomotor training in wheel activity in protocols 1, 3 and 7 days (30min/day), and the results were compared to a control group not subjected to exercise. Coronal sections of 40 μm of the lumbosacral spinal cord were subjected to immunohistochemical techniques anti-Egr1, anti-NMDA and anti-SP, to characterize the spinal plasticity related to these substances. Egr1-immunoreactive cells were increased in all laminas, essentially in those more intensely activated by locomotion, laminas IV-X levels L4-S3. All observed sections expressed NMDA-immunoreactivity. Analysis of SP in the spinal dorsal horn resulted no significant variations of this neuropeptide related to locomotion. The results suggest that locomotor training provides synaptic plasticity similar to LTP in all laminas of the lumbosacral spinal cord, in different intensities. However, the SP appears do not participate of this process in the spinal dorsal horn. This work will contribute for consolidating and characterization of synaptic plasticity in the spinal cord

Low-intensity Treadmill Exercise-related Changes in the Rat Stellate Ganglion Neurons

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

A computational tool to assist the analysis of the transformer behavior related to lightning

This paper proposes the application of computational intelligence techniques to assist complex problems concerning lightning in transformers. In order to estimate the currents related to lightning in a transformer, a neural tool is presented. ATP has generated the training vectors. The input variables used in Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were the wave front time, the wave tail time, the voltage variation rate and the output variable is the maximum current in the secondary of the transformer. These parameters can define the behavior and severity of lightning. Based on these concepts and from the results obtained, it can be verified that the overvoltages at the secondary of transformer are also affected by the discharge waveform in a similar way to the primary side. By using the tool developed, the high voltage process in the distribution transformers can be mapped and estimated with more precision aiding the transformer project process, minimizing empirics and evaluation errors, and contributing to minimize the failure rate of transformers. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategy of specification of management areas: rice grain yield as related to soil fertility

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Utilização de indicadores financeiros e não-financeiros na gestão de hotéis no Rio Grande do Norte: um estudo sob a ótica do Balanced Scorecard

This study presents the results of a research on the use of financial and non-financial performance indicators used by medium and large hotels. The research was conducted in Rio Grande do Norte, a Brazilian State. The objective is to identify the usage of performance measures by these companies. Hotel industry is one of the most important sectors in the Rio Grande do Norte economy. The research takes the Balanced Scorecard as a conceptual framework, since it represents an original contribution to the literature of managerial accounting, for rethinking old issues, pointing out themes that were forgotten or badly interpreted, to discuss the requirements imposed by the economy environment, dominated by competitive companies, and increasing the understanding of the relationship between strategy and operation. The objective of the research is to investigate if the hotel managers make use of a managerial information system or not, when evaluating the performance of their business unit. The research reveals the usage of performance evaluation using a large variety of measures. Among them is worth mention: the usage of accounting profit altogether with the EVA/MVA, the process cycle time, total quality management, process transformation, strategic mission, vision, strategic measures, measures related to feedback, risk, costs, productivity, incomes, customers retention, customer satisfaction and profitability, measures using time as a component, quality of the process, cost of the processes, employees capabilities, information systems, motivation, empowerment and alignment. The research leads to the conclusion that the usage of the deriving concepts of Balanced Scorecard can improve the performance measurement systems used by hotels

Decreased fertility in poor responder women is not related to oocyte morphological status

Introduction: In women showing impaired fertility, a decreased response to ovarian stimulation is a major problem, limiting the number of oocytes to be used for assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Despite the several definitions of poor response, it is still a matter of debate whether young poor responder patients also show a decrease in oocyte quality. The objective in this study was to investigate whether poor ovarian response to the superstimulation protocol is accompanied by impaired oocyte quality.Material and methods: This study included 313 patients younger than 35 years old, undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Patients with four or fewer MII oocytes (poor-responder group, PR, n = 57) were age-matched with normoresponder patients (NR, n = 256).Results: A higher rate of oocyte retrieval and a trend towards an increase in MII oocyte rate were observed in the NR group when compared to the PR group (71.6 +/- 1.1% and 74.1 +/- 1.0% vs. 56.3 +/- 2.9% and 66.5 +/- 3.7%; p < 0.0001 and p = 0.056, respectively). A trend toward increased implantation rates was observed in the NR group when compared to the PR group (44 and 24.5 +/- 2.0% vs. 28.8 and 16.4 +/- 3.9%; p = 0.0305 and p = 0.0651, respectively).Conclusions: Low response to ovarian stimulation is apparently not related to impaired oocyte quality. However, embryos produced from poor responder oocytes show impaired capacity to implant and to carry a pregnancy to term.

Dietary components may prevent mutation-related diseases in humans

Since it is not always possible to reduce human exposure to mutagens, attempts have been directed to identify potential antimutagens and anticarcinogens for use in protecting the population against environmental disease. The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with information about the antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic potentials of some dietary constituents and foods widely consumed in Brazil, and to reinforce diet as a key factor in determining genomic stability and preventing human diseases. In this report, we have summarized data that show interactive effects between some dietary components and specific chemical mutagens or carcinogens using in vitro and in vivo short- or medium-term assays. The summary indicates that certain dietary compounds may be useful agents for disease prevention. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicogenomic activity of gemcitabine in two TP53-mutated bladder cancer cell lines: special focus on cell cycle-related genes

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

Steatosis of indeterminate cause in a pediatric group: is it a primary mitochondrial hepatopathy?

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: em crianças, a esteatose hepática pode se relacionar a erros inatos do metabolismo (EIMs) ou à doença hepática gordurosa não-alcoólica (DHGNA). O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar e caracterizar esteatose de causa indeterminada por meio de análises morfológica e morfométrica em tecido hepático. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal nos Departamentos de Patologia da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (FCM-Unicamp) e Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu da Universidade Estadual Paulista (FMB-Unesp). MÉTODOS: Foram utilizadas 18 biópsias hepáticas consecutivas obtidas de 16 pacientes com idade variando de 3 meses a 12 anos e 9 meses, inseridas num banco de dados no período do estudo, que foram analisadas por microscopia óptica e eletrônica. Na microscopia eletrônica, foi realizada determinação da densidade mitocondrial e da área superficial média das mitocôndrias nos hepatócitos. Dez pacientes com idade variando de 1 a 14 anos foram usados como grupo controle. RESULTADOS: Foi detectada esteatose pura, não acompanhada por fibrose ou outra alteração histológica. Foi verificado que, na predominância de esteatose microvesicular, houve aumento significativo da área mitocondrial média. CONCLUSÃO: A esteatose microvesicular pode estar relacionada à hepatopatia mitocondrial primária, principalmente devido à redução na β-oxidação ou parcial estagnação da fosforilação oxidativa. Por essas razões, esta forma de esteatose (que não pode ser chamada de pura) possivelmente represente uma fase inicial no amplo espectro da DHGNA. Chamamos a atenção para casos de esteatose no grupo pediátrico com predomínio da forma microvesicular, uma vez que pode haver associação com desordens mitocondriais.

Fraction of work-related accidents attributable to occupational noise in the city of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

Background: Noise is the most common agent of occupational exposure. It may induce both auditory and extraauditory dysfunction and increase the risk of work accidents. The purpose of this study was to estimate the fraction of accidents attributable to noise occupational exposure in a mid-size city located in southeastern Brazil. Materials and Methods: In this population case-control study, which included 108 cases and 324 controls, the incidence rate ratio of work accidents controlled for several covariables was obtained by classifying occupational noise exposure into three levels, as well as determining the prevalence in each level. Results: Based on these data, the attributable fraction was estimated as 0.6391 (95 CI = 0.2341-0.3676), i.e., 63 of the work accidents that took place in the study site were statistically associated with occupational noise exposure. Discussion: The causes of this association as well as its implications in the prevention of work accidents are discussed.