Proveniência sedimentar do grupo São Fidélis, terreno oriental da Faixa Ribeira com base em dados U-Pb

O Domínio Costeiro integra o Terreno Oriental, no segmento central da Faixa Ribeira e abriga rochas ortoderivadas com afinidade de arcos magmáticos (Complexo Rio Negro, ca. 790-605 Ma). Os ortognaisses deste complexo possuem clara assinatura para ambientes de zonas de subducção, encaixados em rochas metassedimentares de alto grau, integrantes do Grupo São Fidélis. O conjunto acima descrito é ainda intrudido por várias de rochas granitóides sin a tardi- colisionais, relacionadas às várias etapas de desenvolvimento da Orogenia Brasiliana neste setor do orógeno (ca. 605-480 Ma). Idades U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) em zircões detríticos de rochas quartzíticas do Grupo São Fidélis indicam um amplo espectro com modas significativas no Mesoproterozóico e Paleoproterozoico, além de zircões do Neoproterozóico e do Arqueano. Sinteticamente os resultados obtidos foram: a) Idades concordantes Arqueanas com ca. 2,85, 2,84 e 2,70 Ga; b) zircões Paleoproterozóicos (ca. 2,3 a 1,7 Ga), com máxima concentração em torno de ca. 2,2 Ga, representando a segunda maior moda; c) Idades Mesoproterozóicas (ca. 1,3 -1,1 Ga) com idades de espectro dominantes, com moda em ca. 1,5 Ga; d) Zircões Neoproterozóicos com idades de ca. 0,95-90 Ga e 0,86-0,61 Ga. Em vários grãos detríticos observou-se sobrecrescimento metamórfico em ca. 602-570 Ma. Dados U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) obtidos para zircões para Ortognaisse Rio Grande e o Biotita Ortognaisse, intrudidos na unidade basal do Grupo São Fidélis, apresentam idades em ca. 620 Ma e são equivalentes ao período pré-colisional de geração de rochas do arco magmático Rio Negro. Combinando estas idades com os núcleos de zircões detríticos mais jovens, com assinatura do Arco Rio Negro em ca. 613 Ma, pode-se definir o intervalo máximo de sedimentação da unidade superior do Grupo São Fidélis no Neoproterozóico. Cristais de monazitas selecionadas para análise U-Pb (ID-TIMS) apresentam relações com os principais episódios tectono-metamórficos da Faixa Ribeira. Dois cristais de uma amostra quartzítica e dois do ortognaisse Rio Grande alinham-se em uma discórdia que gerou idade de 603 Ma, referente ao metamorfismo progressivo descrito na literatura, durante a Orogenia Brasiliana. Enquanto a idade concordante obtida em 535 Ma, adquirida em uma amostra quartzítica, é correspontente ao último metamorfismo colisional da Faixa Ribeira.

Caracterização geotermobarométrica dos metabasitos de Cajamar (SP), Grupo São Roque, Cinturão Ribeira

Metamafic orthoderivate rocks, characterized by MORB signatures and paleoproterozoic ages occur in Cajamar region central east part of São Paulo State, Brazil. They are associated to philites, metasandstones and metalimestones of São Roque Group volcanosedimentary sequence, Southeastern portion of the Ribeira Belt. For the metamafic rocks the assemblage of metamorphic peak is represented by actinolitealbite- epidote-chlorite typical of regional metamorphism, greenschist facies. For a good characterization of P and T parameters of metamorphism microprobe analyses of main minerals were performed. Metamorphism did not destroy completely the primary mineralogy of original basalt and microgabbro, and augite crystals are registered in many samples, preserved together with metamorphic assemblage, and possibly indicate that the igneous temperatures of crystallization are between 900 and 1.100°C. Textures of mineral equilibrium for the peak paragenesis are not always present in the studied samples. It may be partially caused by the superposition of retrometamorphic events that is a consequence of regional shearing process. Where the equilibrium is reached, chiefly in the occurrences in the south of the area temperature and pressure determinations indicate values close to 487 ± 42°C and 8,2 ± 2.0 kbar, respectively. Other values for P and T lower than that of the peak were also obtained in central and north portion of the area and they are: 450 ± 68°C for T e 4.7 kbar for P and 315 ± 26°C for T and 3.0 kbar for P and may indicate that the mineral equilibrium was not reached in these samples or that they represent the retrometamorphic event. As a concluding remark considering the metamorphic P-T path now obtained one can say that the exhumation process in this area occurred by isothermal decompression.

Algebraic Techniques in Coding Theory: Entropy Vectors, Frames, and Constrained Coding

The study of codes, classically motivated by the need to communicate information reliably in the presence of error, has found new life in fields as diverse as network communication, distributed storage of data, and even has connections to the design of linear measurements used in compressive sensing. But in all contexts, a code typically involves exploiting the algebraic or geometric structure underlying an application. In this thesis, we examine several problems in coding theory, and try to gain some insight into the algebraic structure behind them.

The first is the study of the entropy region - the space of all possible vectors of joint entropies which can arise from a set of discrete random variables. Understanding this region is essentially the key to optimizing network codes for a given network. To this end, we employ a group-theoretic method of constructing random variables producing so-called "group-characterizable" entropy vectors, which are capable of approximating any point in the entropy region. We show how small groups can be used to produce entropy vectors which violate the Ingleton inequality, a fundamental bound on entropy vectors arising from the random variables involved in linear network codes. We discuss the suitability of these groups to design codes for networks which could potentially outperform linear coding.

The second topic we discuss is the design of frames with low coherence, closely related to finding spherical codes in which the codewords are unit vectors spaced out around the unit sphere so as to minimize the magnitudes of their mutual inner products. We show how to build frames by selecting a cleverly chosen set of representations of a finite group to produce a "group code" as described by Slepian decades ago. We go on to reinterpret our method as selecting a subset of rows of a group Fourier matrix, allowing us to study and bound our frames' coherences using character theory. We discuss the usefulness of our frames in sparse signal recovery using linear measurements.

The final problem we investigate is that of coding with constraints, most recently motivated by the demand for ways to encode large amounts of data using error-correcting codes so that any small loss can be recovered from a small set of surviving data. Most often, this involves using a systematic linear error-correcting code in which each parity symbol is constrained to be a function of some subset of the message symbols. We derive bounds on the minimum distance of such a code based on its constraints, and characterize when these bounds can be achieved using subcodes of Reed-Solomon codes.

Scheduling parallel dedicated machines under a single non-shared resource

The scheduling problem of minimizing the makespan for m parallel dedicated machines under single resource constraints is considered. For different variants of the problem the complexity status is established. Heuristic algorithms employing the so-called group technology approach are presented and their worst-case behavior is examined. Finally, a polynomial time approximation scheme is presented for the problem with fixed number of machines.

Effects of dietary lipid composition bioavailability and inulin-type fructans on mineral in growing rats

Objective: This study reports the effects of feeding with a combination of inulin-type fructans (ITF) and fish oil (FO) on mineral absorption and bioavailability as part of a semipurified diet offered to rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were fed a 15% lipid diet (soybean oil [SO] or a 1:0.3 fish:soybean oil mixture [FSO]) and diets containing the same sources of lipids supplemented with 10% ITF (Raftilose Synergy 1) ad libitum for 15 d. Feces and urine were collected for mineral analyses during the last 5 d of the test period. Fatty acid composition was determined in liver and cecal mucosa homogenates. Liver and bone mineral analyses were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Bone biomechanical analyses were evaluated by a 3-point bending test. Results: Compared with the controls, ITF-fed rats had enlarged ceca and a significant decrease in cecal content pH (P < 0.001). The apparent mineral absorption was improved in these rats, and this effect was enhanced by dietary combination with FO for all minerals except for magnesium. Addition of ITF to the diet resulted in higher bone mineral content (calcium and zinc) and bone strength, but increased bone mineral content was only statistically significant in FO-fed animals. A decrease in liver iron stores (P = 0.015) was observed in rats fed FO, considering that ITF consumption returned to levels comparable to the SO control group. Conclusion: These findings confirm the positive influence of ITF on mineral bioavailability, which was potentiated by addition of FO to the diet. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Serviços bancários: qualidade percebida por clientes de alta renda no mercado brasileiro

O objetivo central deste trabalho é investigar a qualidade percebida pelos clientes em relação a serviços bancários, bem como identificar as lacunas em relação às expectativas dos clientes. Para tanto, foi selecionado o público de alta renda já que, de acordo com a estratégia de alocação de recursos dos bancos atuantes hoje no território brasileiro, este é o segmento para quem são dirigidos os maiores esforços e melhores recursos destas instituições. As análises foram baseadas em um questionário desenvolvido com o objetivo de abranger as diferentes e diversas dimensões dos modelos teóricos de Grönroos (1984), Parasuraman (1988) e Brogowicz (1990) a fim de identificar quais seriam as principais necessidades de aporte de qualidade sob a ótica destes consumidores de serviços financeiros.

Metodologia, Sistema de Codificação e Ferramenta de software para Modelagem de Móveis Modulados

On this research we investigated how new technologies can help the process of design and manufacturing of furniture in such small manufacturers in Rio Grande do Norte state. Google SketchUp, a 3D software tool, was developed in such a way that its internal structures are opened and can be accessed using SketchUp s API for Ruby and programs written in Ruby language (plugins). Using the concepts of the so-called Group Technology and the flexibility that enables adding new functionalities to this software, it was created a Methodology for Modeling of Furniture, a Coding System and a plugin for Google s tool in order to implement the Methodology developed. As resulted, the following facilities are available: the user may create and reuse the library s models over-and-over; reports of the materials manufacturing process costs are provided and, finally, detailed drawings, getting a better integration between the furniture design and manufacturing process

Cavas históricas de ouro do Jaraguá: o que resta para se preservar?

The Historical Jaraguá Gold Caves are vestiges of excavations in weathered rock, dating back to the Brazilian colonial times, situated NW of Jaraguá peak, in the São Paulo municipality (SP). The areas were investigated to support historical preservation innitiatives. The excavations have lateral steep slopes and a narrow fat bottom zone, occupied by dense vegetation. The trace of the excavations is sinuous, trending N40-50W, in accordance to a transition zone of Neoproterozoic rocks: metapelites and metapsamites by the SW side and calc-silicate rocks and amphybolites at NE. The structural control results from three successive deformation phases. Urban expansion and road construction, during the last 30 years, have strongly impacted the areas: (I) Base of Quebra-Pé hill; (II) Jardim Britânia; (III) Morro Doce; (IV) Nova Anhangüera Park. A 5 th site was disfgured by earthworks. The Jardim Britânia area is partly discharacterized by earthflls; this however does not impede further protection actions. This framework allows to recommend authorities: (1) to permit immediate preservation of these areas; (2) to develop programs to build an integrated site for scientifc diffusion or an educational center for exhibition of rocks, ores and mineral samples; (3) to support the interest of some owners to preserve the area called Morro Doce, (4) to put forward a few proposals for educational use of the excavations, by production of feld guides on the historic sites. The alternatives will help keeping alive the memory of mining in the São Paulo State.

Adição experimental de novos materiais às argilas da região do polo cerâmico de Santa Gertrudes (SP)

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

Color vision loss in patients treated with chloroquine

Pacientes que fazem uso de cloroquina ou hidróxi-cloroquina, drogas que são freqüentemente administradas para o tratamento de artrite reumatóide, lúpus eritrematoso ou malária, podem sofrer alterações na visão de cores e na sensibilidade de contraste. O presente estudo avaliou a função visual destes pacientes em um estudo conjunto da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), em São Paulo, e da Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), em Belém. Trinta e dois pacientes usuários de cloroquina sem alterações no exame de fundo de olho foram avaliados em São Paulo (n=10, 38 a 71 anos, média=55,8 anos) e em Belém (n=22, 20 a 67 anos, média=40 anos). A dose acumulada de cloroquina prescrita foi de 45 a 430 g (média=213 g; dp=152 g) para o grupo de São Paulo, e de 36 a 540 g (média=174 g; dp=183 g) para o grupo de Belém. Os testes foram realizados monocularmente com o estado refracional corrigido. A discriminação de cor foi avaliada utilizando o Teste de Cor de Cambridge (CCT): o limiar de discriminação de cor foi mensurado primeiro nos eixos protano, deutano e tritano, e em seqüência, três elipses de MacAdam foram determinadas. A visão de cores dos pacientes também foi avaliada com testes de arranjo de cores: o teste de 100 matizes de Farnsworth-Munsell (FM100), o D15 de Farnsworth-Munsell, e o teste Lanthony Dessaturado (D15d). A sensibilidade de contraste foi também medida com grades senoidais preto-e-brancas em 22 pacientes. Os resultados foram comparados com controles sem patologias oftalmológicasou neuro-oftalomológicas. 24 pacientes apresentaram discromatopsia adquirida, com perdas seletivas (11 pessoas) ou difusas (13 pessoas). Embora as perdas estivessem presentes no FM100, não houve correlação entre o escore de erro do FM100 e a área elíptica medida pelo CCT. Além disso, três pacientes que tiveram escores normais no FM100 falharam para alcançar limiares normais no CCT. O teste de Lanthony foi menos sensível do que os outros dois testes, tal que falhou em indicar perda em cerca de metade dos pacientes afetados, e o D15 foi o teste menos sensível, deixando de indicar déficits em 9 de 10 pacientes. A sensibilidade de contraste esteve dentro dos valores normais para pacientes submetidos a este teste. A extensão das perdas na discriminação de cores foi positivamente correlacionada com a dose acumulada. O CCT é recomendado para o acompanhamento destes pacientes, pois forneceu dados quantitativos que podem ser diretamente interpretados no espaço cromático da CIE (Commission Internationelle d'Éclairage).

INSURANCE

We have been working with exterminators on the insurance problems for thirty-five or so years. Recently PCO’s have been doing much in the way of bird control. There does not seem to be anyone that we know of who does strictly bird control insurance, so our group always ties it in with our pest control. I feel that nothing touches everyone so regularly, with the exception of the federal government, as your insurance premiums. I would like to discuss with you the causes and results of accidents and how they can effect insurance premiums.

Competências digitais para o trabalho na sociedade conectada: estudo de caso em uma organização pública

O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar a inserção das competências digitais no modelo de gestão de competências de uma organização pública brasileira de abrangência nacional. Utilizou-se, para tanto, de um conjunto de técnicas de investigação. Inicialmente, realizou-se a análise documental do modelo de competência da organização pública, objetivando relacioná-lo ao quadro de competências digitais proposto no âmbito do projeto DigComp, desenvolvido pela European Community e que, neste trabalho, é tomado como referência teórica para a análise dos dados coletados. A análise de conteúdo nos moldes propostos por Bardin (1977) permitiu identificar se esse documento trazia vestígios das competências digitais do framework utilizado. Em seguida, por meio do aplicativo Google Forms, um questionário estruturado foi aplicado a 27 respondentes, lotados em uma gerência estadual da organização. Os dados coletados permitiram identificar a importância atribuída pelos respondentes às competências digitais do framework e foram mais intensamente explorados em um grupo focal conduzido junto a quatro empregados que exercem a função de liderança na mesma unidade. Os resultados apontam para uma percepção da importância das competências digitais pelos empregados e líderes, mesmo que sua presença não tenha sido identificada no modelo de gestão de competência da organização estudada. Por outro lado, apontam também para a dificuldade desses empregados e líderes na aplicação dessas competências nas tarefas cotidianas do trabalho.

Measurement of ocular component contributions to residual astigmatism in adult human eyes

The aim of this study was to determine whether an ophthalmophakometric technique could offer a feasible means of investigating ocular component contributions to residual astigmatism in human eyes. Current opinion was gathered on the prevalence, magnitude and source of residual astigmatism. It emerged that a comprehensive evaluation of the astigmatic contributions of the eye's internal ocular surfaces and their respective axial separations (effectivity) had not been carried out to date. An ophthalmophakometric technique was developed to measure astigmatism arising from the internal ocular components. Procedures included the measurement of refractive error (infra-red autorefractometry), anterior corneal surface power (computerised video keratography), axial distances (A-scan ultrasonography) and the powers of the posterior corneal surface in addition to both surfaces of the crystalline lens (multi-meridional still flash ophthalmophakometry). Computing schemes were developed to yield the required biometric data. These included (1) calculation of crystalline lens surface powers in the absence of Purkinje images arising from its anterior surface, (2) application of meridional analysis to derive spherocylindrical surface powers from notional powers calculated along four pre-selected meridians, (3) application of astigmatic decomposition and vergence analysis to calculate contributions to residual astigmatism of ocular components with obliquely related cylinder axes, (4) calculation of the effect of random experimental errors on the calculated ocular component data. A complete set of biometric measurements were taken from both eyes of 66 undergraduate students. Effectivity due to corneal thickness made the smallest cylinder power contribution (up to 0.25DC) to residual astigmatism followed by contributions of the anterior chamber depth (up to 0.50DC) and crystalline lens thickness (up to 1.00DC). In each case astigmatic contributions were predominantly direct. More astigmatism arose from the posterior corneal surface (up to 1.00DC) and both crystalline lens surfaces (up to 2.50DC). The astigmatic contributions of the posterior corneal and lens surfaces were found to be predominantly inverse whilst direct astigmatism arose from the anterior lens surface. Very similar results were found for right versus left eyes and males versus females. Repeatability was assessed on 20 individuals. The ophthalmophakometric method was found to be prone to considerable accumulated experimental errors. However, these errors are random in nature so that group averaged data were found to be reasonably repeatable. A further confirmatory study was carried out on 10 individuals which demonstrated that biometric measurements made with and without cycloplegia did not differ significantly.

Espionage against Poland in the Documents and Analyses of the Polish Special Services (1944 - 1989) - as Illustrated by the Intelligence Activities of the USA

The text analyses the intelligence activity against Poland in the period 1944-1989. The paper also contains a case study, i.e. an analysis of the American intelligence service activity held against Poland. While examining the research thesis, the author used the documents and analyses prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In order to best illustrate the point, the author presented a number of cases of persons who spied for the USA, which was possible thanks to the analysis of the training materials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs directed to the officers of the Security Service and the Citizens’ Militia. The text tackles the following issues: (1) to what extent did the character of the socio-political system influence the number of persons convicted for espionage against Poland in the period under examination?, (2) what was the level of interest of the foreign intelligence services in Poland before the year 1990?, (3) is it possible to indicate the specificity of the U.S. intelligence activity against Poland? 1) The analysis of data indicates that the period 1946-1956 witnessed a great number of convictions for espionage, which is often associated with the peculiar political situation in Poland of that time. Up to 1953, the countries of the Eastern bloc had reproduced the Stalin’s system, which only ceased due to the death of Stalin himself. Since then, the communist systems gradually transformed into the system of nomenklatura. Irrespective of these changes, Poland still witnessed a wave of repressions, which resulted from the threats continuously looming over the communist authorities – combating the anti-communist underground movement, fighting with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, the Polish government-in-exile, possible revisionism of borders, social discontent related to the socio-political reforms. Hence, a great number of convictions for espionage at that time could be ascribed to purely political sentences. Moreover, equally significant was the fact that the then judicial practice was preoccupied assessing negatively any contacts and relations with foreigners. This excessive number of convictions could ensue from other criminal-law provisions, which applied with respect to the crimes against the State, including espionage. What is also important is the fact that in the Stalin’s period the judiciary personnel acquired their skills and qualifications through intensive courses in law with the predominant spirit of the theory of evidence and law by Andrey Vyshinsky. Additionally, by the decree of 1944 the Penal Code of the Polish Armed Forces was introduced; the code envisaged the increase in the number of offences classified as penalised with death penalty, whereas the high treason was subject to the military jurisdiction (the civilians were prosecuted in military courts till 1955; the espionage, however, still stood under the military jurisdiction). In 1946, there was introduced the Decree on particularly dangerous crimes in the period of the State’s recovery, which was later called a Small Penal Code. 2) The interest that foreign intelligence services expressed in relation to Poland was similar to the one they had in all countries of Eastern and Central Europe. In the case of Poland, it should be noted that foreign intelligence services recruited Polish citizens who had previously stayed abroad and after WWII returned to their home country. The services also gathered information from Poles staying in immigrant camps (e.g. in FRG). The activity of the American intelligence service on the territory of FRG and West Berlin played a key role. The documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs pointed to the global range of this activity, e.g. through the recruitment of Polish sailors in the ports of the Netherlands, Japan, etc. In line with the development in the 1970s, espionage, which had so far concentrated on the defence and strategic sectors, became focused on science and technology of the People’s Republic of Poland. The acquisition of collaborators in academic circles was much easier, as PRL opened to academic exchange. Due to the system of visas, the process of candidate selection for intelligence services (e.g. the American) began in embassies. In the 1980s, the activity of the foreign intelligence services concentrated on the specific political situation in Poland, i.e. the growing significance of the “Solidarity” social movement. 3) The specificity of the American intelligence activity against Poland was related to the composition of the residency staff, which was the largest in comparison to other Western countries. The wide range of these activities can be proved by the quantitative data of convictions for espionage in the years 1944-1984 (however, one has to bear in mind the factors mentioned earlier in the text, which led to the misinterpretation of these data). Analysing the data and the documents prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one should treat them with caution, as, frequently, the Polish counter-intelligence service used to classify the ordinary diplomatic practice and any contacts with foreigners as espionage threats. It is clearly visible in the language of the training materials concerned with “secret service methods of the intelligence activity” as well as in the documents on operational activities of the Security Service in relation to foreigners. The level of interest the USA had in Poland was mirrored in the classification of diplomatic posts, according to which Warsaw occupied the second place (the so-called Group “B”) on the three-point scale. The CIA experienced spectacular defeats during their activity in Poland: supporting the Polish underground anti-communist organisation Freedom and Independence and the so-called Munich-Berg episode (both cases took place in the 1950s). The text focuses only on selected issues related to the espionage activities against Poland. Similarly, the analysis of the problem has been based on selected sources, which has limited the research scope - however, it was not the aim of the author to present the espionage activity against Poland in a comprehensive way. In order to assess the real threat posed by the espionage activity, one should analyse the case of persons convicted for espionage in the period 1944-1989, as the available quantitative data, mentioned in the text, cannot constitute an explicit benchmark for the scale of espionage activity. The inaccuracies in the interpretation of data and variables, which can affect the evaluation of this phenomenon, have been pointed out in the text.