Estudo da freqüência fundamental da voz de idosas portadoras de diferentes graus de perda auditiva

A deficiência auditiva, dentre outros, é um dos distúrbios mais referidos pela população idosa. Sabe-se que o sistema de feedback auditivo é primordial para o monitoramento dos parâmetros vocais, como a freqüência fundamenta. OBJETIVO: Correlacionar a audição e os valores de F0 (freqüência fundamental) da voz de idosas portadores de diferentes graus de sensibilidade auditiva. FORMA DO ESTUDO: Transversal descritivo. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Amostra de 30 idosas, idades média de 76,23, portadoras de audição normal ou perda auditiva neurossensorial descendente simétrica. Foram submetidas a anamnese, avaliação auditiva (audiometria tonal limiar, IPRF e imitanciometria) e avaliação vocal. Os resultados de ambas as avaliações foram correlacionados. RESULTADOS: A F0 da produção vocal de idosas com perda leve (144,44) foi significantemente menor que para perda moderada (160,3), moderadamente severa (188,23) e severa (201,27), tanto utilizando a classificação de grau da perda auditiva para freqüências baixas como altas. CONCLUSÃO: Quanto mais elevado o grau da perda auditiva, maior o valor de freqüência fundamental encontrado.

Accessing movies based on emotional impact

Emotions play a central role in our daily lives, influencing the way we think and act, our health and sense of well-being, and films are by excellence the form of art that exploits our affective, perceptual and intellectual activity, holding the potential for a significant impact. Video is becoming a dominant and pervasive medium, and online video a growing entertainment activity on the web and iTV, mainly due to technological developments and the trends for media convergence. In addition, the improvement of new techniques for gathering emotional information about videos, both through content analysis or user implicit feedback through user physiological signals complemented in manual labeling from users, is revealing new ways for exploring emotional information in videos, films or TV series, and brings out new perspectives to enrich and personalize video access. In this work, we reflect on the power that emotions have in our lives, on the emotional impact of movies, and on how to address this emotional dimension in the way we classify and access movies, by exploring and evaluating the design of iFelt in its different ways to classify, access, browse and visualize movies based on their emotional impac

Application of Gage R&R methodology for improving the training and evaluation of automatic optical inspection machine operators

The current level of demand by customers in the electronics industry requires the production of parts with an extremely high level of reliability and quality to ensure complete confidence on the end customer. Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) machines have an important role in the monitoring and detection of errors during the manufacturing process for printed circuit boards. These machines present images of products with probable assembly mistakes to an operator and him decide whether the product has a real defect or if in turn this was an automated false detection. Operator training is an important aspect for obtaining a lower rate of evaluation failure by the operator and consequently a lower rate of actual defects that slip through to the following processes. The Gage R&R methodology for attributes is part of a Six Sigma strategy to examine the repeatability and reproducibility of an evaluation system, thus giving important feedback on the suitability of each operator in classifying defects. This methodology was already applied in several industry sectors and services at different processes, with excellent results in the evaluation of subjective parameters. An application for training operators of AOI machines was developed, in order to be able to check their fitness and improve future evaluation performance. This application will provide a better understanding of the specific training needs for each operator, and also to accompany the evolution of the training program for new components which in turn present additional new difficulties for the operator evaluation. The use of this application will contribute to reduce the number of defects misclassified by the operators that are passed on to the following steps in the productive process. This defect reduction will also contribute to the continuous improvement of the operator evaluation performance, which is seen as a quality management goal.

O processo de criação das telenovelas

Gestores das indústrias criativas têm de lidar com a imprevisibilidade e a incerteza em relação à demanda. Essa característica não impede que empresas desse setor procurem se engajar na busca de um conhecimento sobre seus consumidores e, a partir dele, articular o desenvolvimento de novos produtos. O presente trabalho procura investigar como a Rede Globo utiliza as informações que provêm dos telespectadores na elaboração das suas telenovelas. Trata-se de um estudo de caso, que lança seu foco sobre os tipos de informação e os meios pelos quais a empresa obtém feedback de seus consumidores; e sobre a estrutura e dinâmica organizacional que permite o uso dessas informações no desenvolvimento de suas novelas. Os resultados apontam para uma aderência ao modelo improvisacional proposto por Kamoche e Cunha (2001), onde uma estrutura mínima permite coesão e favorece a flexibilidade para incluir modificações a partir da reação da audiência.

Antecedentes da satisfação no setor público: um estudo de caso na prefeitura de Santa Maria (RS)

Nos últimos 50 anos, os estudos da satisfação no setor público têm sido objeto de análise de diferentes autores, em diversas partes do mundo, mostrando ser um tema contemporâneo e dinâmico. Com base em uma apreciação das principais publicações nessa área, o presente artigo investigou os antecedentes da satisfação dos funcionários públicos. Na parte teórica/metodológica, avaliaram-se sete construtos (rotinas, especificidade do trabalho, desenvolvimento de recursos humanos, feedback, conflito nas metas organizacionais, restrições processuais e especificidades das metas organizacionais), através da técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais. Foi realizada uma pesquisa descritiva baseada em estudo de caso, sendo aplicados 258 questionários aos funcionários públicos da prefeitura de Santa Maria. O artigo fornece um modelo aplicado com os sete fatores e 11 hipóteses que antecedem a satisfação, encontradas em diversas literaturas da área. Com base nos achados empíricos verifica-se que a satisfação sofre interferência direta de algumas características do trabalho, como: rotinas, especificidades e recursos humanos. E, por consequência, essas características do trabalho recebem influência direta do contexto do trabalho.

A System Dynamics-Based Simulation Experiment for Testing Mental Model and Performance Effects of Using the Balanced Scorecard

This study develops a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the balanced scorecard approach by means of a system dynamics and feedback learning perspective. Presumably, the balanced scorecard leads to a better understanding of context, allowing managers to externalize and improve their mental models. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of the balanced scorecard approach on mental models and performance. A test based on a simulation experiment that uses a system dynamics model is performed. The experiment included three types of parameters: financial indicators; balanced scorecard indicators; and balanced scorecard indicators with the aid of a strategy map review. Two out of the three hypotheses were confirmed. It was concluded that a strategy map review positively influences mental model similarity, and mental model similarity positively influences performance.

A system dynamics-based simulation

This study develops a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the balanced scorecard approach by means of a system dynamics and feedback learning perspective. Presumably, the balanced scorecard leads to a better understanding of context, allowing managers to externalize and improve their mental models. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of the balanced scorecard approach on mental models and performance. A test based on a simulation experiment that uses a system dynamics model is performed. The experiment included three types of parameters: financial indicators; balanced scorecard indicators; and balanced scorecard indicators with the aid of a strategy map review. Two out of the three hypotheses were confirmed. It was concluded that a strategy map review positively influences mental model similarity, and mental model similarity positively influences performance.

Strategy Lab Experiences: Bathtub Dynamics

As the world changes ever faster, managers increasingly recognize the complexity and turbulence of the business systems in which they are embedded. The management problems are dynamic, while the dynamic complexity comes frequently from few variables with circle and delays interrelations that introduce nonlinearities.The present paper describes a research conducted in Portugal with two different groups - one, academic; the other, professional - where we explored the subjects’ understanding of some basic systems thinking concepts such as stock-flow relationship, feedback processes and time delays.

As influências na motivação para o trabalho em ambientes com metas e recompensas: um estudo no setor público

Este estudo investigou as influências na motivação para o trabalho apoiando-se nas teorias de Latham e Locke (2002), Porter e Lawler III (1968), Vroom (1964) e Wright (2001, 2007). Foi realizado um survey com 333 funcionários públicos de seis órgãos estaduais e um municipal na cidade de Belo Horizonte (MG), que possuíam políticas de metas e recompensas. A motivação dos funcionários se mostrou influenciada de forma direta e significativa pela valência da missão institucional, pela instrumentalidade ligada às recompensas e pela autoeficácia no alcance das metas. A especificidade e o feedback em relação às metas influenciaram a motivação de forma significativa e indireta. A importância das metas, a valência das recompensas extrínsecas, a expectativa, a equidade, a participação na definição das metas, a dificuldade das metas, a avaliação geral dos sistemas de metas e a avaliação geral dos sistemas de recompensas não exerceram influências diretas na motivação. Os funcionários de faixa etária mais elevada apresentaram maiores médias de motivação. Já os funcionários ocupantes de cargo de chefia e os que recebiam algum tipo de recompensa extra (além do salário fixo) apresentaram índices mais elevados em fatores relacionados à motivação.

Bolsa de objectos digitais

O presente trabalho propõe a concepção e implementação de um sistema de recuperação de informação de diversos Objectos Digitais (objecto originalmente criado no meio informático, como por exemplo um documento, um vídeo…) com recurso a anotações/metadados descritivos do objecto (dados que descrevem outros dados). Para fomentar o processo de preenchimento dos metadados é proposto um mecanismo de créditos para estimular o preenchimento cooperativo entre utilizadores e autores de Objectos Digitais (OD), com base na metáfora da bolsa de valores. Deste processo de anotações resulta incerteza, ou seja, o mesmo objecto pode ser descrito de forma diferente por utilizadores distintos. Este sistema propõe uma forma de lidar com esta incerteza, recorrendo ao conceito de base de dados probabilística que não é mais que associar a cada termo armazenado, um valor (peso do termo) entre 0 e 1, a que demos o nome de peso do termo. Deste modo, foi também proposto um modelo de cálculo do peso dos termos descritivos dos OD baseado no feedback fornecido pelos utilizadores. Recorrendo ao peso dos termos, foi ainda possível determinar a relevância de um OD quando confrontado com uma pergunta dando assim a possibilidade a um utilizador, recuperar/pesquisar OD de qualquer tipo, ordenados por um valor de relevância. Para além da concepção e correspondente implementação do BOD, este trabalho discute ainda diferentes cenários de aplicação do sistema, ilustrando consequentemente a sua versatilidade e flexibilidade

Statistical motion learning for improved transform domain Wyner-Ziv video coding

Wyner - Ziv (WZ) video coding is a particular case of distributed video coding (DVC), the recent video coding paradigm based on the Slepian - Wolf and Wyner - Ziv theorems which exploits the source temporal correlation at the decoder and not at the encoder as in predictive video coding. Although some progress has been made in the last years, WZ video coding is still far from the compression performance of predictive video coding, especially for high and complex motion contents. The WZ video codec adopted in this study is based on a transform domain WZ video coding architecture with feedback channel-driven rate control, whose modules have been improved with some recent coding tools. This study proposes a novel motion learning approach to successively improve the rate-distortion (RD) performance of the WZ video codec as the decoding proceeds, making use of the already decoded transform bands to improve the decoding process for the remaining transform bands. The results obtained reveal gains up to 2.3 dB in the RD curves against the performance for the same codec without the proposed motion learning approach for high motion sequences and long group of pictures (GOP) sizes.

Evaluation of exposure index (IgM) in orthopaedic radiography

The exposure index (lgM) obtained from a radiographic image may be a useful feedback indicator to the radiographer about the appropriate exposure level in routine clinical practice. This study aims to evaluate lgM in orthopaedic radiography performed in the standard clinical environment. We analysed the lgM of 267 exposures performed with an AGFA CR system. The mean value of lgM in our sample is 2.14. A significant difference (P=0.000<0.05) from 1.96 lgM reference is shown. Data show that 72% of exposures are above the 1.96 lgM and 42% are above the limit of 2.26. Median values of lgM are above 1.96 and below 2.26 for Speed class (SC) 200 (2.16) and SC400 (2.13). The interquartile range is lower in SC400 than in SC200. Data seem to indicate that lgM values are above the manufacturer’s reference of 1.96. Departmental exposure charts should be optimised to reduce the dose given to patients.

Measuring and Controlling the Chaotic Motion of Profits

The study of economic systems has generated deep interest in exploring the complexity of chaotic motions in economy. Due to important developments in nonlinear dynamics, the last two decades have witnessed strong revival of interest in nonlinear endogenous business chaotic models. The inability to predict the behavior of dynamical systems in the presence of chaos suggests the application of chaos control methods, when we are more interested in obtaining regular behavior. In the present article, we study a specific economic model from the literature. More precisely, a system of three ordinary differential equations gather the variables of profits, reinvestments and financial flow of borrowings in the structure of a firm. Firstly, using results of symbolic dynamics, we characterize the topological entropy and the parameter space ordering of kneading sequences, associated with one-dimensional maps that reproduce significant aspects of the model dynamics. The analysis of the variation of this numerical invariant, in some realistic system parameter region, allows us to quantify and to distinguish different chaotic regimes. Finally, we show that complicated behavior arising from the chaotic firm model can be controlled without changing its original properties and the dynamics can be turned into the desired attracting time periodic motion (a stable steady state or into a regular cycle). The orbit stabilization is illustrated by the application of a feedback control technique initially developed by Romeiras et al. [1992]. This work provides another illustration of how our understanding of economic models can be enhanced by the theoretical and numerical investigation of nonlinear dynamical systems modeled by ordinary differential equations.

Utilization of Interactive Internet in High Education

The present work reports on the practical cooperation between two Universities from Hungary and Portugal. Students from Portugal are remotely accessing an experimental facility, which is physically in Hungary. The cooperation among these Higher Education establishments allowed the development and testing of a Remote Laboratory at the BME. This paper reports on the characteristics and initial testing of the Thermocouples Rise Time Measurement System and provides information on development and students' feedback.

Pricing intraday dynamics across EUAS and CERS markets

The relative contribution of European Union Allowances (EUAs) and Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) to the price discovery of their common true value has been empirically studied using daily data with inconclusive results. In this paper, we study the short-run and long-run price dynamics between EUAs and CERs future contracts using intraday data. We report a bidirectional feedback causality relationship both in the short-run and in the long-run, with the EUA's market being the leader.