Environmental and sustainability aspects in public procurements: perceptions of the Brazilian public sector

In general, government procurement accounts for between 10% and 16% of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP), making it an important part of the economy. Therefore, government procurement policies should be discussed in terms of sustainable consumption and production patterns. However, imprecision and lack of clarity regarding environmental and sustainability aspects are often seen as obstacles to their advancement. In this study, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is used to evaluate the perceptions of public servants working in Brazilian government bidding and contracting departments on issues related to the inclusion of environmental and sustainability aspects in public procurement procedures. Five key factors were identified – “Perspective,” “Legal and Institutional Support,” “Market Relations,” “Acquisition Costs,” and “Public Servant Participation” – of which the latter factor emerged as the most relevant according to hierarchical evaluation. In this way, the participation of public servants in this debate, associated with professional training and improvement courses, is a fundamental condition for the success of the policies proposed

Sources and Methodologies for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Study in Brazil

This article uncovers relevant sources and methodologies to gather knowledge about micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in Brazil. To achieve its purpose, the text presents sources and methodologies. This type of study is relatively neglected concerning MSMEs. Until this moment, not much data has been reported about these companies’ categories, and even less in advanced research. Among the most significant data and methodology of addressing MSMEs in the country, the text highlights the surveys conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE), and the international annual research Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) a study on the entrepreneurial activity, which Brazil is part for more than 20 years. The Brazilian institutions, as well as consulting for those companies, collect key data that posteriorly become research sources. Also, when explaining how institutions chose and treated the data, they own specific methodologies regarding those businesses in Brazil. The paper also points out the importance of constant law monitoring, adjustment, and technology incentives. This article's contribution is to present a research methodology on MSME in Brazil with relevant data

Numerical study on the effect of Al2O3/water and TiO2/water nanofluids on forced convective heat transfer in a flat tube

In this work we investigate numerically the forced convective heat transfer of two nanofluids Al2O3/water and TiO2/water in a flat tube of a standard automobile radiator to quantitatively evaluate the enhanced heat transfer characteristics. The heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids under forced convection were investigated for different volumetric concentrations of nanoparticles between 0.25 and 10.0 %, and compared with the base fluid (water). The computational simulations were carried out with the Ansys Fluent software package.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde na prevenção, controle e tratamento das arboviroses Dengue, Zika e Chikungunya : uma sistematização qualitativa, Brasil 2019

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, 2020.Os cuidados populares aliados à ciência podem influenciar os determinantes de saúde. Nesse contexto, as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde (PICs) foram reconhecidas desde Alma-Ata em 1978 e, no Brasil, foi instituída em 2006 a Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares pelo Ministério da Saúde (PNPIC/MS). O Projeto ArboControl UnB/MS, realizou oficinas onde os entrevistados responderam sobre a utilização de plantas, rituais e crenças como auxiliares na prevenção e tratamento das arboviroses, incluindo-se as práticas integrativas da medicina tradicional ligadas à educação popular nas diversas comunidades. Com o objetivo de analisar as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde (PICs) associadas à prevenção, ao controle e ao tratamento das arboviroses dengue, zika e chikungunya em 16 municípios brasileiros no ano de 2017, desenvolveu-se o método a partir do Projeto ArboControl que consiste numa proposta de investigação do controle do vetor Aedes aegypti e das arboviroses dengue, zika e chikungunya. O recorte apresentado neste trabalho representa um estudo exploratório qualitativo descritivo orientado por análise de conteúdo, sob a coordenação do Laboratório de Educação, Comunicação e Informação em Saúde (Ecos/FS/UNB). Analisou-se o conteúdo de oficinas realizadas com a comunidade em 16 municípios brasileiros. Projeto aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa FS/UnB. Os resultados foram obtidos a partir da análise das oficinas, onde se considerou os trechos que emergiram nas questões e respostas relacionadas às PICs que apontaram para as especificidades socioculturais em relação à percepção e atitude, com destaque para a categoria: cuidado realizado pelo uso de plantas e práticas da medicina tradicional. Destacaram-se aquelas conhecidas popularmente, aplicadas como repelentes, para o preparo de banhos terapêuticos e na forma de chás. Com a função repelente, seja para o ambiente ou para aplicar na pele, a citronela e o cravo da índia diluídos em álcool, separadamente ou em combinações variadas surgiram como as plantas mais citadas. A cana brejeira como infusão para banho foi recomendada para o alívio da coceira causada pela chikungunya. As duas práticas de maior destaque foram a Auriculoterapia e a Massoterapia como auxiliares no alívio das dores causadas pela chikungunya. A título de conclusões, é possível destacar como partes integrantes do SUS, o uso de plantas medicinais no cuidado à saúde bastante difundido no Brasil, regulamentado pela Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos (PNPMF) e, as terapias orientadas pela Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares (PNPIC). A população as reconhece cada vez mais, porém é preciso haver orientação profissional e observar a regulamentação para garantir a segurança dos usuários sobre a prescrição e a melhor forma de utilização. Para a prevenção das arboviroses, ficou evidente o interesse pelo efeito repelente das plantas. A PNPIC garante a oferta e acesso, mas a população precisa ser melhor informada sobre as possibilidades de ampliação do autocuidado.Popular care combined with science can influence health determinants. In this context, Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (PICs) have been recognized since Alma Ata in 1978 and, in Brazil, the National Policy of Integrative and Complementary Practices was instituted in 2006 by the Ministry of Health (PNPIC/MS). The ArboControl UnB/MS Project, held workshops where the interviewees answered about the use of plants, rituals and beliefs as aids in the prevention and treatment of arboviruses, including the integrative practices of traditional medicine linked to popular education in different communities. In order to analyze the Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (PICs) associated with the prevention, control and treatment of dengue, zika and chikungunya arboviruses in 16 Brazilian municipalities in 2017, the method was developed from the ArboControl Project which consists of a proposal to investigate the control of the vector Aedes aegypti and arboviruses dengue, zika and chikungunya. The cut presented in this work represents a qualitative descriptive exploratory study guided by content analysis, under the coordination of the Laboratory of Education, Communication and Information in Health (Ecos/FS/UNB). The content of workshops held with the community in 16 Brazilian municipalities was analyzed. Project approved by the Research Ethics Committee FS/UnB. The results were obtained from the analysis of the workshops, where it was considered the excerpts that emerged in the questions and answers related to the PICs that pointed to the socio-cultural specificities in relation to the perception and attitude, with emphasis on the category: care performed by the use of plants and practices of traditional medicine. Noteworthy were those known popularly, applied as repellents, for the preparation of therapeutic baths and in the form of teas. With the repellent function, either for the environment or to apply on the skin, citronella and cloves diluted in alcohol, separately or in various combinations, have emerged as the most mentioned plants. Brown sugar cane as a bath infusion was recommended for the relief of itchiness caused by chikungunya. The two most prominent practices were Auriculotherapy and Massotherapy as aids in the relief of pain caused by chikungunya. As conclusions, it is possible to highlight as integral parts of SUS, the use of medicinal plants in health care, which is widespread in Brazil, regulated by the National Policy on Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines (PNPMF) and, the therapies guided by the National Policy on Practices Integrative and Complementary (PNPIC). The population recognizes them more and more, however, there is a need for professional guidance and compliance with the regulations to ensure the safety of users regarding the prescription and the best form of use. For the prevention of arboviruses, interest in the repellent effect of plants was evident. PNPIC guarantees the offer and access, but the population needs to be better informed about the possibilities for expanding self-care

Acolhimento na atenção básica segundo a percepção de profissionais da Região de Saúde Leste, Distrito Federal

Trabalho de conclusão de curso (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, 2016.Este trabalho pretende apresentar uma reflexão sobre o conceito e prática do acolhimento a partir da perspectiva do trabalhador da saúde no serviço da Atenção Básica e abordar as diversas concepções dos sentidos que esta prática desperta nas relações entre profissionais e usuários dos serviços de saúde. Foi realizado um estudo qualitativo por meio de entrevistas em profundidade, com trabalhadores de dois centros de saúde urbanos e duas equipes de saúde da família de regiões rurais no primeiro semestre de 2016. As equipes são compostas por maioria de profissionais do sexo feminino, com idades entre 31 e 57 anos. As suas percepções acerca do tema acolhimento se apresentam em várias dimensões e diferentes formas de pensar, entretanto convergem para o reconhecimento da necessidade de praticá-lo de modo orgânico e coordenado entre diversos profissionais de saúde das unidades básicas de saúde, tendo nos Agentes Comunitários, sujeitos estratégicos para coproduzirem um conjunto de ações e atividades capazes de promover o estado de bem estar dos indivíduos, famílias e comunidades, no tocante aos seus processos saúde-doença-cuidado. E, sobretudo, organizar os processos de trabalho que orientem os fluxos de referência e contrarreferência, contribuindo assim com as necessidades de integrar as ações e serviços de saúde em redes, resultando no ordenamento das demandas a atenção especializada

Evolution of ochratoxin A content from must to wine in Port wine microvinification

To study the evolution of ochratoxin A (OTA) content from must to wine during the making of Port Wine, grapes from the five most common varieties of Port Wine were harvested and combined in equal percentages in order to perform microvinifications. Three sets of assays were studied: a blank (A), where the most common Port Wine-making process was used; in the second (B), a solution of OTA was added to the initial must; in the third (C), the grapes were aspersed with an inoculating solution of OTA-producing fungi. Samples were collected, in duplicate, on four different occasions throughout the process. The influence of the addition of SO_2 to the must was also assessed in each set. The quantification of OTA was based on the standard reference method for wines (European Standard prEN 14133), which includes clean-up via immunoaffinity columns and HPLC with fluorescence detection. The limits of detection were 0.076 μg/l for wine and 0.114 μg/l for must. The method was validated by assessing the precision, accuracy and by obtaining an estimate of the global uncertainty. Overall, the levels of OTA observed during the vinifications dropped by up to 92%, and no grapes used in this work were contaminated naturally.The authors wish to thank the support of the INIAP—Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e das Pescas (Portugal), through the Program AGRO, Medida 8.1, and all the personnel and facilities at the Centro de Estudos Vitivinícolas do Douro (Peso da Régua, Portugal) and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (Porto, Portugal)

Energy aware knowledge extraction from Petri nets supporting decision-making in service-oriented automation

This paper introduces an approach to decision support systems in service-oriented automation control systems, which considers the knowledge extracted from the Petri nets models used to describe and execute the process behavior. Such solution optimizes the decision-making taking into account multi-criteria, namely productive parameters and also energy parameters. In fact, being manufacturing processes typically energy-intensive, this allows contributing for a clean and saving environment (i.e. a better and efficient use of energy). The preliminary experimental results, using a real laboratorial case study, demonstrate the applicability of the knowledge extracted from the Petri nets models to support real-time decision-making systems in service-oriented automation systems, considering some energy efficiency criteria