Temporal Processing and Dichotic Listening in bilingual and non-bilingual descendants

The aim of this study was to analyze the auditory behavior in Pitch(PPS) and Duration(DPS)Pattern Sequence tests and in the Dichotic Listening (Dichotic Digits Test/DDT) of familiar and unfamiliar words (Staggered Spondaic Words/SSW) in Japanese descendants that speak Japanese and Japanese descendants that do not speak Japanese, and to compare these findings with a group of non-Japanese descendants who have no contact with the Japanese language. METHOD: 60 High School graduates aged 17 to 40 years were evaluated. Subjects were divided into three groups: GJJ, Japanese descendants that speak Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese; GJP, Japanese descendants that speak Portuguese and do not speak Japanese; GBP non-oriental descendants that speak Brazilian Portuguese. All subjects filled in a questionnaire about their languages and musical abilities. Their ability in pattern-recognition tests was assessed by the PPS and DPS tests, their ability to recognize familiar words was tested by DDT and their ability to recognize unfamiliar words was tested by SSW. Results. GJJ and GJP showed higher performances than the group of Brazilians (GBP) in the PPS. RESULTS: show a statistically significant difference among the groups with a higher mean for the SSW results in GJJ compred to GJP and GBP. CONCLUSION:The results of SSW test seem to be influenced by bilingualism.A exposição de um indivíduo a duas línguas diferentes poderia trazer benefícios ao desenvolvimento auditivo. OBJETIVO: Analisar o comportamento auditivo em testes de reconhecimento de padrões temporais (Teste de Padrão de Freqüência e de Duração) e de escuta dicótica de dissílabos familiares (Teste Dicótico de Dígitos) e não-familiares (Teste Dicótico de Dissílabos Alternados/ SSW em português) em descendentes de japoneses, que moram no Brasil, falantes ou não da língua japonesa, comparando-os ao desempenho de brasileiros não-descendentes de orientais e que não possuem contato com o idioma japonês. MÉTODO: 60 sujeitos, com idade entre 17 e 40 anos, escolaridade superior ao terceiro ano do Ensino Médio, reunidos em três grupos: GJJ, descendentes de japoneses falantes do português Brasileiro e do Japonês; GJP, descendentes de japoneses falantes do português e não-falantes do Japonês; GBP, não-descendentes de orientais falantes do português. Foram submetidos a um questionário e aos testes de processamento temporal quanto à freqüência (TPF) e duração (TPD), teste dicótico de dígitos (TDD) e SSW. RESULTADOS: GJJ e GJP apresentaram melhor desempenho no TPF em relação ao TPD e tiveram no TPF média de acertos maior do que o grupo GBP. O grupo GJJ, no teste SSW apresentou média de acertos significantemente superior ao GJP e ao GBP. CONCLUSÃO: A experienciação auditiva fornecida pelo bilingüismo (idioma japonês e português brasileiro) facilitou o desempenho no SSW.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) EPM Departamento de FonoaudiologiaUNIFESP-EPMUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de FonoaudiologiaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Nivel de ruido en una unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatal

OBJECTIVE: Determine noise levels in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and identify the sources of these noises. METHODS: Quantitative, descriptive and exploratory study, carried out in São Paulo. Data was collected in April and May of 2005. A dosimeter was used to record a total of 96 hours of measurements. Nine hours of observation were also conducted to identify sources of noise. RESULTS: Leq noise levels ranged from of 61.3 to 66.6 dBA and were higher on the weekends. Peak values ranged from 90.8 to 123.4 dBC and the highest values were recorded at night. The sources of the noise were: beeping noises from ventilators and heart rate monitors, conversations between health professional and others. CONCLUSION: The deleterious effects of high levels of noise on newborns and health professionals show the need for interventions in routines and professionals and families' conduct.OBJETIVO: Verificar el nivel de ruido de la Unidad de cuidados Intensivos Neonatal (UCIN) e identificar sus fuentes. MÉTODOS: Fue conducido en una Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatal de São Paulo. Se trata de un estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo y exploratorio. La recolección de datos ocurrió de abril a mayo del 2005, utilizando un dosímetro para 96 horas de registro del nivel de presión sonora y 9 horas de observación, para identificar las fuentes del ruido. RESULTADOS: Se registró Leq entre 61.3 a 66,6 dBA, siendo mayor en los días del final de semana. Los valores de los picos variaron de 90,8 a 123,4 dBC, siendo más elevados en el período nocturno. Las principales fuentes fueron: alarma de los ventiladores, de los oxímetros, conversación entre profesionales y padres y otros. CONCLUSIÓN: Considerando los efectos deletérios del nivel elevado de ruído sobre neonatos y el equipo de salud, los resultados demuestran la necesidad de intervenciones en algunas rutinas y en la conducta de los profesionales y familiares.OBJETIVO: Verificar o nível de ruído da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal e identificar suas fontes. MÉTODOS: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo e exploratório, conduzido em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal de São Paulo. A coleta de dados ocorreu de abril a maio de 2005, utilizando um dosímetro para 96 horas de registro do nível de pressão sonora e 9 horas de observação, para identificar as fontes de ruído. RESULTADOS: Registrou-se Leq entre 61,3 a 66,6 dBA, sendo maior nos dias do final de semana. Os valores dos picos variaram de 90,8 a 123,4 dBC, sendo mais elevados no período noturno. As principais fontes foram: alarme dos ventiladores, dos oxímetros, conversa entre profissionais e pais e outros. CONCLUSÃO: Considerando os efeitos deletérios do nível elevado de ruído sobre neonatos e equipe de saúde, os resultados demonstram a necessidade de intervenções em algumas rotinas e na conduta dos profissionais e familiares.Universidade São MarcosUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de OtorrinolaringologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de OtorrinolaringologiaSciEL

Dependence of wear and mechanical behavior of nitrocarburized/CrN/DLC layer on film thickness

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are amorphous metastable carbon form that provide interesting mechanical and tribological properties. The role of film thickness influence upon wear and mechanical properties is of interest and not yet fully reported. In this study, two samples of previously plasma nitrocarburized, quenched and tempered H13 steel were duplex treated. First, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chromium nitride (CrN) layer was applied, followed by a top final diamond-like carbon layer applied by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). To evaluate thicknesses influence on mechanical and wear properties of coatings, samples were treated using two different thicknesses of both layers. In this study, the thickest CrN and DLC case presented higher hardness and better tribological properties, however, its failure occurs in brittle fashion.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Maternal anxiety during the process of hearing impairment diagnosis: contributions from psychological intervention

The goal of this paper was to evaluate the level of anxiety of mothers of hearing impaired children through the application of the Sate-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), before and after audiological diagnosis procedures, counseling and psychological orientation were carried out by an interdisciplinary team. The participants were 164 mothers of children under six years old. During the psychological sessions we observed that the group helped the mothers, through sharing of experience among people that have experienced the same problems. The results indicated that the levels of Trait Anxiety and State Anxiety were reduced in a statistically significantly manner on the second application on the STAI. The highest levels of reduction were noticed among married mothers, aged 21 to 30 years, from low-medium social-economical level, incomplete elementary education, with children aged three to four years, with bilateral severe hearing loss.O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o grau de ansiedade de mães de crianças com deficiência auditiva por meio da aplicação do Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado (IDATE), antes e após os procedimentos de diagnóstico audiológico, aconselhamento e orientação psicológica realizados por uma equipe interdisciplinar. Participaram 164 mães de crianças menores de seis anos de idade. Durante os atendimentos da psicologia foi observado que o grupo proporcionou a troca de experiências e auxiliou as mães que vivenciavam os mesmos problemas. Os resultados indicaram que os níveis de Ansiedade Traço e Ansiedade Estado se apresentaram reduzidos com significância estatística na segunda aplicação do IDATE. Os maiores índices de redução foram constatados para as mães casadas, de 21 a 30 anos de idade, da classe socioeconômica baixa superior, com ensino fundamental incompleto e filhos de três e quatro anos de idade, com perda auditiva profunda bilateral.Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias CraniofaciaisUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Universidade Federal de São CarlosUSP HRACUNIFESPSciEL

Craniofacial characteristics of Caucasian and Afro-Caucasian Brazilian subjects with normal occlusion

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the skeletal, dental and soft tissue characteristics of Caucasian and Afro-Caucasian Brazilian subjects with normal occlusion and to evaluate sexual dimorphism within the groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample comprised lateral cephalograms of untreated normal occlusion subjects, divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 40 Caucasian subjects (20 of each sex), with a mean age of 13.02 years; group 2 included 40 Afro-Caucasian subjects (20 of each sex), with a mean age of 13.02 years. Groups 1 and 2 and males and females within each group were compared with t tests. RESULTS: Afro-Caucasian subjects presented greater maxillary protrusion, smaller upper anterior face height and lower posterior face height, larger upper posterior face height, greater maxillary and mandibular dentoalveolar protrusion as well as soft tissue protrusion than Caucasian subjects. The Afro-Caucasian female subjects had less mandibular protrusion and smaller total posterior facial height and upper posterior facial height than males. CONCLUSIONS: Brazilian Afro-Caucasian subjects have greater dentoalveolar and soft tissue protrusion than Brazilian Caucasian subjects, with slight sexual dimorphism in some variables

Oropharyngeal dysphagia in the myotonic dystrophy: phonoaudiological evaluation and nasofibrolaryngoscopical analysis

We herein present twenty myotonic dystrophy of Steinert patients with the main objective to evaluate and classify the oropharyngeal swallowing by the phonoaudiological clinical and nasofibrolaryngoscopical analysis. The age of the patients varied from 12 to 53 years, being 13 male and 7 female. The mean data: (1) statistically significant relation between the phonoaudiological clinical evaluation and nasofibrolaryngoscopical one; (2) stomatognatical system disorders present in 100%; (3) swallowing disorders present in 95%, when clinically evaluated, and in 70% when evaluated by the nasofibrolaryngoscopy; (4) higher difficulty to swallow consistent feed; (5) stomatognatical muscles very altered, pharyngeal phase disorders, cough after swallowing, antecedents of pneumonia and complaints of chewing/swallowing presented statistically significant correlation with severity of the sickness. The analysis were able to evaluate statical and functionally the involved structures in the swallowing, having got to take part of the rotine of attendance to the patients with myotonic dystrophy of Steinert.Apresentamos vinte pacientes com distrofia miotônica de Steinert, avaliados entre 1995 e 1999, pela análise fonoaudiológica e nasofibrolaringoscópica, com o objetivo de analisar e classificar as alterações da deglutição orofaríngea e funções do sistema estomatognático e considerar os fatores preditivos. A idade dos pacientes variou de 12 a 53 anos; 13 eram do sexo masculino e 7 do feminino. Os principais achados foram: (1) há relação estatisticamente significante entre avaliação fonoaudiológica e nasofibrolaringoscópica; (2) foram observadas alterações do sistema estomatognático, em 100% dos casos; (3) foram registradas alterações de deglutição em 95% dos pacientes, à avaliação fonoaudiológica, e em 70%, à nasofibrolaringoscopia; (4) os pacientes têm maior dificuldade para deglutir alimentos consistentes; (5) os músculos estomatognáticos muito alterados, desordem da fase faringeal, tosse após deglutição, antecedentes de pneumonia e queixas de mastigação/ deglutição apresentaram correlação estatisticamente significante com maior gravidade da doença. Foram avaliadas, estática e funcionalmente, estruturas envolvidas na dinâmica da deglutição. Esta avaliação deve constar da rotina do atendimento aos pacientes com distrofia miotônica de Steinert.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de Neurologia e NeurocirurgiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de OtorrinolaringologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de Neurologia e NeurocirurgiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de OtorrinolaringologiaSciEL

Discrete event simulation and lean production: quantification of waste in a pharmaceutical industry

Nowadays it is imperative that companies seek constant improvements in their operational performance so as not to become obsolete in relation to the new cutting edge trends of smart manufacturing or industry 4.0. In this context, it is noteworthy that manufacturing must occur in the presence of variability and uncertainty, and manufacturing systems must be complex, efficient and lean. Therefore, a conduct aimed at interventions focused on reducing waste in manufacturing and service operations are essential actions. A tool that can help in this purpose is the discrete event simulation (DES). In this context, the objective of this research is to apply DES and quantify the financial waste arising from non-value-adding activities. The object of study was a production line of a pharmaceutical industry and as a research method an approach was used combining modeling and simulation (quantitative) and case study (qualitative) methods. The software chosen was Flexsim®, a powerful simulation and process analysis tool that helps professionals in decision making. Finally, the results obtained through this research show the great financial waste in the analyzed assembly line. This impactful result on losses in the operation serves as a warning so that intervention measures are planned and executed to eliminate or mitigate the consequences of this waste

Análise retrospectiva dos resultados dos tratamentos ortodônticos e sua relação com a estabilidade pós-contenção

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to retrospectively evaluate Class I malocclusion cases treated with extraction of the four first premolars, aiming to establish the relationship between the quality of orthodontic treatment outcomes and the long-term occlusal stability. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample comprised 94 patients of both genders, presenting Class I malocclusion, treated with extractions of the four first premolars and Edgewise mechanics. All the patients selected were whites, being 50 males and 44 females. The mean pretreatment age was 13.46 years (s.d. 1.8). The mean treatment time was 2.09 years (s.d. 0.58), the mean retention time was 1.63 years (s.d. 0.73) and the mean time of postretention evaluation was 5.31 years (s.d. 1.61). The dental casts were measured at pretreatment (T1), posttreatment (T2) and postretention (T3), by the PAR index and by the Little irregularity index, and the correction due to treatment (T1-2) and the change at the postretention period (T3-2) were calculated. The descriptive statistics was performed and the Pearson correlation coefficient was applied for the PAR and the Little indices in the total sample, among the times evaluated. RESULTS: The mean PAR reduction due to treatment was 78.54%, and 66.6%, at the postretention stage related to pretreatment stage. Significant correlations were found for the PAR index at the times evaluated, except between T1 and T2 and between T1-2 and T3. In other words, the higher the treatment correction (T1-2), the lower the posttreatment PAR index (PAR T2) will be, and the higher will be the PAR change at the postretention period (PAR T3-2). Also, the higher the posttreatment PAR score (PAR T2), the higher will be the postretention PAR score (PAR T3). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the quality of orthodontic treatment outcomes is not related to the long-term occlusal stability.OBJETIVO: O presente estudo objetivou analisar retrospectivamente casos com má oclusão de Classe I tratados com extrações dos quatro primeiros pré-molares, visando estabelecer a relação da qualidade dos resultados dos tratamentos ortodônticos e a estabilidade em longo prazo. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: A amostra consistiu de 94 pacientes de ambos os gêneros, apresentando má oclusão de Classe I, tratados com extrações dos quatro primeiros pré-molares e mecânica Edgewise. Todos os pacientes selecionados eram leucodermas, sendo 50 do gênero masculino e 44 do feminino. A idade inicial média foi de 13.46 anos (d.p. 1.8). O tempo de tratamento médio foi 2.09 anos (d.p. 0.58), o tempo médio de contenção foi 1.63 anos (d.p. 0.73) e o tempo médio de avaliação pós-contenção, 5.31 anos (d.p.1.61). Foram medidos, nos modelos de estudo, o índice PAR e o índice de irregularidade de Little, nas fases pré (T1), pós-tratamento (T2) e pós-contenção (T3), e calculou-se a quantidade de correção com o tratamento (T1-2) e de alteração no período pós-contenção (T3-2). Realizou-se a estatística descritiva e o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson foi aplicado entre os índices estudados e os tempos avaliados. RESULTADOS: A média de redução do índice PAR da amostra total com o tratamento foi de 78.54%, e na fase pós-contenção, de 66.6%, com relação ao inicial. Houve correlação significante para o índice PAR nos tempos estudados, exceto entre T1 e T2 e entre T1-2 e T3. Ou seja, quanto maior a correção do tratamento (T1-2), menor será o índice PAR final (PAR T2), e maior a alteração no período pós-contenção (PAR T3-2). E quanto maior o índice PAR pós-tratamento (PAR T2), maior o índice PAR pós-contenção (PAR T3). CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que a qualidade dos resultados dos tratamentos ortodônticos não está relacionada à estabilidade oclusal em longo prazo

A comparison of skeletal, dentoalveolar and soft tissue characteristics in white and black Brazilian subjects

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare skeletal, dentoalveolar and soft tissue characteristics in white and black Brazilian subjects presenting normal occlusions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample comprised the lateral cephalograms of 106 untreated Brazilian subjects with normal occlusion, divided into two groups: Group 1- 50 white subjects (25 of each gender), at a mean age of 13.17 years (standard deviation 1.07); and Group 2- 56 black subjects (28 of each gender), at a mean age of 13.24 years (standard deviation 0.56). Variables studied were obtained from several cephalometric analyses. Independent t tests were used for intergroup comparison and to determine sexual dimorphism. RESULTS: black subjects presented a more protruded maxilla and mandible, a smaller chin prominence and a greater maxillomandibular discrepancy than white subjects. Blacks presented a more horizontal craniofacial growth pattern than whites. Maxillary and mandibular incisors presented more protruded and proclined in black subjects. The nasolabial angle was larger in whites. Upper and lower lips were more protruded in blacks than in whites. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found a bimaxillary skeletal, dentoalveolar and soft tissue protrusion in black Brazilian subjects compared to white Brazilian subjects, both groups with normal occlusion. Upper and lower lips showed to be more protruded in blacks, but lip thickness was similar in both groups