A dinâmica geográfica da construção de um território para moradias sociais: estudo testemunhal do empreendimento Vitória Brasil em Uberlândia (MG)

This work describes and analyzes the situation planned with the current, according to the housing development project style of social interest (Gleba 9), named Victory Brazil at Shopping Park II neighborhood, located in the southern sector of Uberlândia (MG), built with Program resources Minha Casa, Minha Vida (PMCMV). The specific objectives are: to present the housing policy of social interest directed to the Minha Casa, Minha Vida in the city of Uberlândia, from its history to its current information; trace the environmental characterization of the housing Vitoria Brazil through the development of thematic maps; identify the impacts generated by the housing projects of social interest; and show through interviews with 25 residents of Vitoria Brazil, the structural problems of the houses. Therefore, the research became quali-quantitative with descriptive approach and use of semi- structured interviews to collect data. In addition, the iconographic sources, ie photographs of the problems raised by the residents of the whole Victory Brazil and maps of the study area, enlarged the qualitative and dialogic nature of this study, as there is opportunity to contextualize specific way what was reported the residents interviewed. We understand that the city is intrinsically related to the design of agglomeration, characterized by the production of the possessor market capitalism a public administration system that is guided by the ideals of consumption and utilization of space, and its inhabitants are high class with the construction of equipment and adequate social services. One of the important biases to solving the problems of urbanization is by the intervention of the government through public policies through the master plan so that would allow prospects to enable the population of low-income housing in locations that offer housing and decent urbanization conditions.

Avaliação da soldagem GMAW mecanizada e automatizada para união de dutos utilizando fontes convencional e com controle de curto- circuito

Welding is one of the most employed process for joining steel pipes. Although, manual welding is still the most used one, mechanized version and even automatized one have increased its demand. Thus, this work deals with girth welding of API 5L X65 pipes with 8” of nominal diameter and 8.0 mm thickness, beveled with V-30º narrow gap. Torch is moved by a bug carrier (mechanized welding) and further the parameters are controlled as a function of angular position (automatized welding). Welding parameters are presented for filling the joint with two-passes (root and filling/capping passes). Parameters for the root pass were extracted from previous author´s work with weldments carried out in plates, but validated in this work for pipe welding. GMAW processes were assessed with short-circuit metal transfer in both conventional and derivative modes using different technologies (RMD, STT and CMT). After the parameter determination, mechanical testing was performed for welding qualification (uniaxial tension, face and root bending, nick break, Charpy V-notch impact, microhardness and macrograph). The initially obtained results for RMD and CMT were acceptable for all testing and, in a second moment, also for the STT. However, weld beads carried out by using the conventional process failed and revealed the existence of lack of fusion, which required further parametrization. Thus, a Parameter-Variation System for Girth Welding (SVP) was designed and built to allow varying the welding parameters as a function of angular position by using an inclinometer. The parameters were set for each of the three angular positions (flat, vertical downhill and overhead). By using such equipment and approach, the conventional process with parameter variation allowed reducing the welding time for joint accomplishment of the order of 38% for the root pass and 30% for the filling/capping pass.

Laser machining steel for moulds: a case study

Laser beam machining is a non-traditional subtractive manufacturing process, a form of machining, in which a laser is directed towards the work piece for machining. This process uses thermal energy to remove material from metallic or non-metallic surfaces. The laser is focused onto the surface to be worked and the thermal energy of the laser is transferred to the surface, heating and melting or vaporizing the material. Laser beam machining is best suited for brittle materials with low conductivity, but can be used on most materials. The role of the technical equipment in laser milling is to perform a controllable action of the laser radiation on the material to be treated. The laser is the main unit of the equipment and it is characteristics determine to great extent the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the technological treatments. In this work, I had to study the laser milling process parameter selection for process planning operations from start to finish. It was important to have an understanding about laser milling and laser processing parameters for different materials. As a result from the laser milling, the surface finish will have different surface properties such as, surface hardness, surface roughness, friction and tribology etc.. During the process, I gained knowledge about the historical and conceptual framework of laser milling, the different parameters of a laser milling and how the laser milling parameters influence the surface properties of the machined parts.

Exploring business models to provide a foundation for enhanced eye care services in high street optometric practice

High street optometric practices are for-profit businesses. They mostly provide sight testing and eye examination services and sell optical products, such as spectacles and contact lenses. The sight testing services are often sold at a vastly reduced price and profits are generated primarily through high margin spectacle sales, in a loss leading strategy. Published literature highlights weaknesses in this strategy as it forms a barrier to widening the scope of services provided within optometric practices. This includes specialist non-refraction based services, such as shared care. In addition this business strategy discourages investment in advanced diagnostic equipment and higher professional qualifications. The aim of this thesis was to develop a greater understanding of the traditional loss-leading strategy. The thesis also aimed to assess the plausibility of alternative business models to support the development of specialist non-refraction services within high street optometric practice. This research was based on a single independent optometric practice that specialises in advanced retinal imaging and offers a broad range of shared care services. Specialist non-refraction based services were found to be poor generators of spectacle sales likely due to patient needs and presenting concerns. Alternative business strategies to support these services included charging more realistic professional fees via cost-based pricing and monthly payment plans. These strategies enabled specialist services to be more self-sustainable with less reliance on cross-subsidy from spectacle sales. Furthermore, improving operational efficiency can increase stand-alone profits for specialist services.Practice managers may be reluctant to increase professional fees due to market pressures and confidence. However, this thesis found that patients were accepting of increased professional fees. Practice managers can implement alternative business models to enhance eye care provision in high street optometric practices. These alternative business models also improve revenues and profits generated via clinical services and improve patient loyalty.

Survey on demand side sensitivity to power quality in Ireland

Power systems require a reliable supply and good power quality. The impact of power supply interruptions is well acknowledged and well quantified. However, a system may perform reliably without any interruptions but may have poor power quality. Although poor power quality has cost implications for all actors in the electrical power systems, only some users are aware of its impact. Power system operators are much attuned to the impact of low power quality on their equipment and have the appropriate monitoring systems in place. However, over recent years certain industries have come increasingly vulnerable to negative cost implications of poor power quality arising from changes in their load characteristics and load sensitivities, and therefore increasingly implement power quality monitoring and mitigation solutions. This paper reviews several historical studies which investigate the cost implications of poor power quality on industry. These surveys are largely focused on outages, whilst the impact of poor power quality such as harmonics, short interruptions, voltage dips and swells, and transients is less well studied and understood. This paper examines the difficulties in quantifying the costs of poor power quality, and uses the chi-squared method to determine the consequences for industry of power quality phenomenon using a case study of over 40 manufacturing and data centres in Ireland.

La escuela con los pies en el aire. Hacer escuela, entre la desigualdad y la emancipación

El propósito de este trabajo de investigación es relevar la experiencia de una escuela pública del distrito de La Matanza, en el conurbano bonaerense. Esta institución enclavada en una zona popular, Villa Scasso, fue creada hace trece años y atiende a una población infantil y juvenil de educación especial. El motivo de la investigación no se centra en la especificidad de este campo educativo sino en el proceso de construcción de una propuesta pedagógica que tensiona las formas escolares, amplía las fronteras educativas y transforma el tiempo y el espacio escolar. La atención de la presente indagación está puesta en problematizar la relación de la educación con la desigualdad y la igualdad, con el objetivo de abrir nuevos interrogantes sobre el carácter de determinación que se le otorga a la pobreza, la marginalidad y la exclusión en el terreno educativo, en particular en su relación con las escuelas de sectores populares. Las infancias populares acceden a circuitos de escolarización diferenciados, pero su carácter reproductor y/o emancipador configura un discurso que no se clausura a priori. Esta tesis doctoral abre interrogantes sobre esta problemática y documenta una experiencia educativa que "hace escuela" de manera "especial"

La escuela con los pies en el aire. Hacer escuela, entre la desigualdad y la emancipación

El propósito de este trabajo de investigación es relevar la experiencia de una escuela pública del distrito de La Matanza, en el conurbano bonaerense. Esta institución enclavada en una zona popular, Villa Scasso, fue creada hace trece años y atiende a una población infantil y juvenil de educación especial. El motivo de la investigación no se centra en la especificidad de este campo educativo sino en el proceso de construcción de una propuesta pedagógica que tensiona las formas escolares, amplía las fronteras educativas y transforma el tiempo y el espacio escolar. La atención de la presente indagación está puesta en problematizar la relación de la educación con la desigualdad y la igualdad, con el objetivo de abrir nuevos interrogantes sobre el carácter de determinación que se le otorga a la pobreza, la marginalidad y la exclusión en el terreno educativo, en particular en su relación con las escuelas de sectores populares. Las infancias populares acceden a circuitos de escolarización diferenciados, pero su carácter reproductor y/o emancipador configura un discurso que no se clausura a priori. Esta tesis doctoral abre interrogantes sobre esta problemática y documenta una experiencia educativa que "hace escuela" de manera "especial"

La escuela con los pies en el aire. Hacer escuela, entre la desigualdad y la emancipación

El propósito de este trabajo de investigación es relevar la experiencia de una escuela pública del distrito de La Matanza, en el conurbano bonaerense. Esta institución enclavada en una zona popular, Villa Scasso, fue creada hace trece años y atiende a una población infantil y juvenil de educación especial. El motivo de la investigación no se centra en la especificidad de este campo educativo sino en el proceso de construcción de una propuesta pedagógica que tensiona las formas escolares, amplía las fronteras educativas y transforma el tiempo y el espacio escolar. La atención de la presente indagación está puesta en problematizar la relación de la educación con la desigualdad y la igualdad, con el objetivo de abrir nuevos interrogantes sobre el carácter de determinación que se le otorga a la pobreza, la marginalidad y la exclusión en el terreno educativo, en particular en su relación con las escuelas de sectores populares. Las infancias populares acceden a circuitos de escolarización diferenciados, pero su carácter reproductor y/o emancipador configura un discurso que no se clausura a priori. Esta tesis doctoral abre interrogantes sobre esta problemática y documenta una experiencia educativa que "hace escuela" de manera "especial"

Partner selection for reverse logistics centres in green supply chains: a fuzzy artificial immune optimization approach

The design of reverse logistics networks has now emerged as a major issue for manufacturers, not only in developed countries where legislation and societal pressures are strong, but also in developing countries where the adoption of reverse logistics practices may offer a competitive advantage. This paper presents a new model for partner selection for reverse logistic centres in green supply chains. The model offers three advantages. Firstly, it enables economic, environment, and social factors to be considered simultaneously. Secondly, by integrating fuzzy set theory and artificial immune optimization technology, it enables both quantitative and qualitative criteria to be considered simultaneously throughout the whole decision-making process. Thirdly, it extends the flat criteria structure for partner selection evaluation for reverse logistics centres to the more suitable hierarchy structure. The applicability of the model is demonstrated by means of an empirical application based on data from a Chinese electronic equipment and instruments manufacturing company.

Soil Stabilization with Lime, Iowa Highway Research Board Bulletin No. 25, 1961

This is the fifth publication in a series of compilations of the reports on research completed for the Iowa State Highway Commission. This research was done for the Iowa State Highway Research Board Project HR-1, "The Loess and Glacial Till Materials of Iowa; an Investigation of Their Physical and Chemical Properties and Techniques for Processing Them to Increase Their All-Weather Stability for Road Construction." The research, started in 1950, was done by the Iowa Engineering Experiment Station under its project 283-S. The project was supported by funds from the Iowa State Highway Commission. The principal objectives of the project may be summed up as follows: 1. To determine by means of both field and laboratory studies the areal and stratigraphic variation in the physical and chemical properties of the loess and glacial till materials of Iowa. 2. To develop new equipment and methods for evaluating physical and chemical properties of soil where needed. 3. To correlate fundamental soil properties with the performance of soils in the highway structure. 4. To develop a scientific approach to the problem of soil stabilization based on the relationships between the properties of the soils and those of the admixtures. 5. To determine the manner in which the loess and glacial till materials of Iowa can be processed for optimum performance as highway embankments, sub-grades, base courses, and surface courses.

Ultrassonic Analysis of UO2 Pellets

Ceramic materials have been widely used for various purposes in many different industries due to certain characteristics, such as high melting point and high resistance to corrosion. In the nuclear area, ceramics are of great importance due to the process of fabrication of fuel pellets for nuclear reactors. Generally, high accuracy destructive techniques are used to characterize nuclear materials for fuel fabrication. These techniques usually require costly equipment and facilities, as well as experienced personnel. This paper aims at presenting an analysis methodology for UO2 pellets using a non-destructive ultrasonic technique for porosity measurement. This technique differs from traditional ultrasonic techniques in the sense it uses ultrasonic pulses in frequency domain instead of time domain. Therefore, specific characteristics of the analyzed material are associated with the obtained frequency spectrum. In the present work, four fuel grade UO2 pellets were analyzed and the corresponding results evaluated.

Ultrasonic Spectral Analysis for Nuclear Fuel Characterization

Ceramic materials have been widely used for various purposes in many different industries due to certain characteristics, such as high melting point and high resistance to corrosion. Concerning the areas of applications, automobile, aeronautics, naval and even nuclear, the characteristics of these materials should be strictly controlled. In the nuclear area, ceramics are of great importance once they are the nuclear fuel pellets and must have, among other features, a well controlled porosity due to mechanical strength and thermal conductivity required by the application. Generally, the techniques used to characterize nuclear fuel are destructive and require costly equipment and facilities. This paper aims to present a nondestructive technique for ceramic characterization using ultrasound. This technique differs from other ultrasonic techniques because it uses ultrasonic pulse in frequency domain instead of time domain, associating the characteristics of the analyzed material with its frequency spectrum. In the present work, 40 Alumina (Al2O3) ceramic pellets with porosities ranging from 5% to 37%, in absolute terms measured by Archimedes technique, were tested. It can be observed that the frequency spectrum of each pellet varies according to its respective porosity and microstructure, allowing a fast and non-destructive association of the same characteristics with the same spectra pellets.

Ambulance Treatment Space Ergonomic Layout

This is the first time a multidisciplinary team has employed an iterative co-design method to determine the ergonomic layout of an emergency ambulance treatment space. This process allowed the research team to understand how treatment protocols were performed and developed analytical tools to reach an optimum configuration towards ambulance design standardisation. Fusari conducted participatory observations during 12-hour shifts with front-line ambulance clinicians, hospital staff and patients to understand the details of their working environments whilst on response to urgent and emergency calls. A simple yet accurate 1:1 mock-up of the existing ambulance was built for detailed analysis of these procedures through simulations. Paramedics were called in to participate in interviews and role-playing inside the model to recreate tasks, how they are performed, the equipment used and to understand the limitations of the current ambulance. The use of Link Analysis distilled 5 modes of use. In parallel, an exhaustive audit of all equipment and consumables used in ambulances was performed (logging and photography) to define space use. These developed 12 layout options for refinement and CAD modelling and presented back to paramedics. The preferred options and features were then developed into a full size test rig and appearance model. Two key studies informed the process. The 2005 National Patient Safety Agency funded study “Future Ambulances” outlined 9 design challenges for future standardisation of emergency vehicles and equipment. Secondly, the 2007 EPSRC funded “Smart Pods” project investigated a new system of mobile urgent and emergency medicine to treat patients in the community. A full-size mobile demonstrator unit featuring the evidence-based ergonomic layout was built for clinical tests through simulated emergency scenarios. Results from clinical trials clearly show that the new layout improves infection control, speeds up treatment, and makes it easier for ambulance crews to follow correct clinical protocols.

“Medical bag for General Practice” Just in Case: redesigning the doctor’s bag (2012)

This research addressed practice related problems from a medico-legal perspective and aims to provide a working tool that aids GPs to comply with best practice protocols. The resulting bag was developed in collaboration with General Practitioners, clinicians and members of the Medical Defense Union. Using proven methods developed within the Healthcare & Patient Safety Lab (e.g. DOME, Ambulance) to establish an evidence-based brief, this research used task, equipment and consumables analysis to determine minimum requirements and preferred layouts for task optimisation. The research established that clinicians require three distinct functions in their workspace: laying out, organisation and information retrieval. Feedback from clinicians indicates that this working tool allows them to access information and equipment wherever they may be and suggests an improvement from current practice. The research is now into a second year where the design of the bag will be refined and tested. Lifestyle and demographic changes such as the ageing population and increased prevalence of chronic diseases require more consistent standards of primary care, and care that is well coordinated and integrated (Imison, et al., 2011). Many guidelines exist relating to general practice and the doctor’s bag (NSLMC, 2008, RACGP, 2010, RCGP, 2008 and Hiramanek, 2004), however there is no standard in the UK that regulates the shape and materials of the bag or its contents. Doctors may use any sort of vessel to transport their equipment and consumables to a patient’s location. Furthermore, treating a patient in their own home, outside an ideal clinical environment, presents its own complications. A looks-like, works-like bag prototype and information system that will be used in clinical trials, the results of which will determine the manufacturing of a new, standardised bag for clinical treatment used by members of the Medical Defence Union.

Ticking Boxes: (re)constructing the wristwatch as a luxury object

Today the high-price mechanical wristwatch is recognized as a luxury object redolent with notions of adventure, sporting achievement, elevated social status, and technical precision. Through an examination of the segmentation of the current luxury wristwatch market and key moments in the historical development of the wristwatch, this article will explain why these connotations exist. In particular, the article will explain the role that the early development of the wristwatch as a piece of military technical equipment and the mechanical wristwatch’s revitalization as a luxury good in response to the development of commercial quartz timekeeping technology have played in reconstructing the wristwatch as an object type. By utilizing network theory and the analytical tool of complexity, and drawing on fieldwork undertaken in London and Switzerland amongst the manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers of high-value wristwatches, the article will explain how the wristwatch can simultaneously be seen as functional tool, fashion statement, status symbol, and anachronism. This insight into the true nature of the wristwatch as a multivalent and semiotically charged object will also be used to inform reflections on the likely impact of generally perceived current threats to the luxury watch industry: the rise in ethical material sourcing campaigns, the stubborn gender imbalance in watch sales, and the recent appearance of smart watches and similar digital devices.