O Papel Da Estatística Na Formação Do Engenheiro De Produção

This text results from a doctoral research aimed to investigate how the statistical training in the course of Production Engineering (PE) of a Federal Institution of Education in Vitória, Espírito Santo is carried out. The theoretical framework focused on the Philosophy of Science, in Critical Education, and in Statistics Education theorists. Data was built using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. We attempted to meet the Engineer's needs, weaknesses, and misconceptions about statistical knowledge. From Content Analysis, subcategories were established and they showed the need to articulate Statistics with other curriculum components since the beginning of the course. The statistical knowledge developed at graduation is fragmented.30561300131

Caracterização morfobiológica, morfométrica e ultraestrutural de isolados silvestres de Trypanosoma cruzi do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Triatoma vitticeps is a triatomine with geographic distribution restrict to Brazil, which exhibits high prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi natural infection. Of special epidemiologic concern, this species often invades households in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological and ultrastructural parameters on three T. cruzi isolates obtained from wild T. vitticeps specimens. The growth and cell differentiation of the parasite was evaluated through epimastigote and trypomastigote forms obtained in the growth curves for three distinct isolates. The maximum growth showed differences at the 20th day of the curve. Our in vitro results show a heterogeneity, regarding these features for samples cultivated under the same conditions. Morphometric analyzes based on the shape of epimastigotes and trypomastigotes corroborated such differentiation. These results highlight the need of better understanding the meaning of this diversity under an eco-epidemiological perspective.Fil: Da Silva, C. Santos. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Brasil. Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Carbajal de la Fuente, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Almeida, C.E.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Gonçalves, T.C.M.. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Dos Santos Mallet, J. Reis. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Brasi

Short-range interactions in a two-electron system: energy levels and magnetic properties

The problem of two electrons in a square billiard interacting via a finite-range repulsive Yukawa potential and subjected to a constant magnetic field is considered. We compute the energy spectrum for both singlet and triplet states, and for all symmetry classes, as a function of the strength and range of the interaction and of the magnetic field. We show that the short-range nature of the potential suppresses the formation of ``Wigner molecule'' states for the ground state, even in the strong interaction limit. The magnetic susceptibility $\chi(B)$ shows low-temperature paramagnetic peaks due to exchange induced singlet-triplet oscillations. The position, number and intensity of these peaks depend on the range and strength of the interaction. The contribution of the interaction to the susceptibility displays paramagnetic and diamagnetic phases as a function of $T$.Comment: 12 pages,6 figures; to appear in Phys. Rev.

Kullback-Leibler and Renormalized Entropy: Applications to EEGs of Epilepsy Patients

Recently, renormalized entropy was proposed as a novel measure of relative entropy (P. Saparin et al., Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 4, 1907 (1994)) and applied to several physiological time sequences, including EEGs of patients with epilepsy. We show here that this measure is just a modified Kullback-Leibler (K-L) relative entropy, and it gives similar numerical results to the standard K-L entropy. The latter better distinguishes frequency contents of e.g. seizure and background EEGs than renormalized entropy. We thus propose that renormalized entropy might not be as useful as claimed by its proponents. In passing we also make some critical remarks about the implementation of these methods.Comment: 15 pages, 4 Postscript figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E, 199

Software engineering processes for self-adaptive systems

In this paper, we discuss how for self-adaptive systems some activities that traditionally occur at development-time are moved to run-time. Responsibilities for these activities shift from software engineers to the system itself, causing the traditional boundary between development-time and run-time to blur. As a consequence, we argue how the traditional software engineering process needs to be reconceptualized to distinguish both development-time and run-time activities, and to support designers in taking decisions on how to properly engineer such systems. Furthermore, we identify a number of challenges related to this required reconceptualization, and we propose initial ideas based on process modeling. We use the Software and Systems Process Engineering Meta-Model (SPEM) to specify which activities are meant to be performed off-line and on-line, and also the dependencies between them. The proposed models should capture information about the costs and benefits of shifting activities to run-time, since such models should support software engineers in their decisions when they are engineering self-adaptive systems

Beyond the target area: an integrative view of tDCS-induced motor cortex modulation in patients and athletes

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique used to modulate neural tissue. Neuromodulation apparently improves cognitive functions in several neurologic diseases treatment and sports performance. In this study, we present a comprehensive, integrative review of tDCS for motor rehabilitation and motor learning in healthy individuals, athletes and multiple neurologic and neuropsychiatric conditions. We also report on neuromodulation mechanisms, main applications, current knowledge including areas such as language, embodied cognition, functional and social aspects, and future directions. We present the use and perspectives of new developments in tDCS technology, namely high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) which promises to overcome one of the main tDCS limitation (i.e., low focality) and its application for neurological disease, pain relief, and motor learning/rehabilitation. Finally, we provided information regarding the Transcutaneous Spinal Direct Current Stimulation (tsDCS) in clinical applications, Cerebellar tDCS (ctDCS) and its influence on motor learning, and TMS combined with electroencephalography (EEG) as a tool to evaluate tDCS effects on brain function

Soil biochemistry and microbial activity in vineyards under conventional and organic management at Northeast Brazil.

The São Francisco Submedium Valley is located at the Brazilian semiarid region and is an important center for irrigated fruit growing. This region is responsible for 97% of the national exportation of table grapes, including seedless grapes. Based on the fact that orgThe São Francisco Submedium Valley is located at the Brazilian semiarid region and is an important center for irrigated fruit growing. This region is responsible for 97% of the national exportation of table grapes, including seedless grapes. Based on the fact that organic fertilization can improve soil quality, we compared the effects of conventional and organic soil management on microbial activity and mycorrhization of seedless grape crops. We measured glomerospores number, most probable number (MPN) of propagules, richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species, AMF root colonization, EE-BRSP production, carbon microbial biomass (C-MB), microbial respiration, fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity (FDA) and metabolic coefficient (qCO2). The organic management led to an increase in all variables with the exception of EE-BRSP and qCO2. Mycorrhizal colonization increased from 4.7% in conventional crops to 15.9% in organic crops. Spore number ranged from 4.1 to 12.4 per 50 g-1 soil in both management systems. The most probable number of AMF propagules increased from 79 cm-3 soil in the conventional system to 110 cm-3 soil in the organic system. Microbial carbon, CO2 emission, and FDA activity were increased by 100 to 200% in the organic crop. Thirteen species of AMF were identified, the majority in the organic cultivation system. Acaulospora excavata, Entrophospora infrequens, Glomus sp.3 and Scutellospora sp. were found only in the organically managed crop. S. gregaria was found only in the conventional crop. Organically managed vineyards increased mycorrhization and general soil microbial activity

Recent advances in neutrinoless double beta decay search

Even after the discovery of neutrino flavour oscillations, based on data from atmospheric, solar, reactor, and accelerator experiments, many characteristics of the neutrino remain unknown. Only the neutrino square-mass differences and the mixing angle values have been estimated, while the value of each mass eigenstate still hasn't. Its nature (massive Majorana or Dirac particle) is still escaping. Neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu$-DBD) experimental discovery could be the ultimate answer to some delicate questions of elementary particle and nuclear physics. The Majorana description of neutrinos allows the $0\nu$-DBD process, and consequently either a mass value could be measured or the existence of physics beyond the standard should be confirmed without any doubt. As expected, the $0\nu$-DBD measurement is a very difficult field of application for experimentalists. In this paper, after a short summary of the latest results in neutrino physics, the experimental status, the R&D projects, and perspectives in $0\nu$-DBD sector are reviewed.Comment: 36 pages, 7 figures, To be publish in Czech Journal of Physic