Information Quality in the public sector: the case of the Santa Catarina state Directorate for the Management and Development of Government Workers

In the world of organizations, computerized systems have become indispensable as tools to support management. With regard to public service, people management requires the use of these systems to meet the expectations of its users and its customers — both the government workers themselves, and the population — through functionalities that meet the demands of the decision, strategic, tactical, and operational levels. This paper focuses on research of the Information Quality (IQ) involved in the routines and processes of the Integrated Human Resources Management System, Sistema Integrado de Gestão de Recursos Humanos (SIGRH); managed by the Santa Catarina Department of State Administration, Secretaria de Estado da Administração de Santa Catarina (SEA); or more specifically, by the Directorate for the Management and Development of Government Workers, Diretoria de Gestão e Desenvolvimento de Pessoas (DGDP). The objective of the research was to verify the current state of IQ through its dimensions and categories, the identification of items with low quality levels, and the correlation between the dimensions. The research method used was the application of the House of Quality (HoQ) tool, adapted to the specifics of the organization selected by the authors. Finally, it is through the consequent analysis of the results obtained that it was possible to suggest actions of improvement to be taken by managers

Detection of Unfocused Raindrops on a Windscreen using Low Level Image Processing

International audienceIn a scene, rain produces a complex set of visual effects. Obviously, such effects may infer failures in outdoor vision-based systems which could have important side-effects in terms of security applications. For the sake of these applications, rain detection would be useful to adjust their reliability. In this paper, we introduce the problem (almost unprecedented) of unfocused raindrops. Then, we present a first approach to detect these unfocused raindrops on a transparent screen using a spatio-temporal approach to achieve detection in real-time. We successfully tested our algorithm for Intelligent Transport System (ITS) using an on-board camera and thus, detected the raindrops on the windscreen. Our algorithm differs from the others in that we do not need the focus to be set on the windscreen. Therefore, it means that our algorithm may run on the same camera sensor as the other vision-based algorithms

Parasitismo intestinal e fatores socioambientais de indígenas Mbyá-Guarani, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Disturbing data reveal the prevalence of intestinal parasites and their relationship with socio-environmental factors among Mbyá-Guarani Indians. The prevalence was determined by spontaneous sedimentation in water, centrifugation-floatation, and Kato-Katz. A socioeconomic questionnaire was submitted to each family. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 88.7%, and 45.5% were polyparasitized. There was 90.5% prevalence of enteric parasites in children (1-12- year-old), and 85% among 13-65-year-old individuals, indicating that both age groups are extensively parasitized. The parasite load was low to moderate for geohelminths and 75% of the families did not have latrine, thus the practice of defecation occurred outdoors. These findings suggest that the multiple intestinal parasitism in the Mbyá-Guarani community is high to the point of being the rule, and that it relates essentially to the traditional lifestyle and health habits. It is urgently necessary to implement the association of anti-parasitic treatment with sanitation improvement. This should be done simultaneously with health education activities for this population.Dados preocupantes demonstram a prevalência de parasitos intestinais e sua relação com fatores socioambientais entre indígenas Mbyá-Guarani. A prevalência foi determinada pelas técnicas de sedimentação espontânea em água, centrífugo-flutuação e Kato-Katz. Para cada família, um questionário socioeconômico foi aplicado. A prevalência geral de parasitos intestinais foi de 88,7% e 45,5% estavam poliparasitados. A prevalência em crianças (1-12 anos) foi 90,5% e em indivíduos entre 13-65 anos foi 85%, indicando que ambas as faixas etárias são amplamente parasitadas. A carga parasitária foi baixa a moderada para geohelmintos e 75% das famílias não possuem banheiro, sendo a prática da defecação feita ao ar livre. Estes achados sugerem que o poliparasitismo intestinal na comunidade Mbyá-Guarani é altíssimo, a ponto de ser a regra, e que se refere essencialmente ao estilo de vida tradicional e hábitos de saúde. Há a necessidade de aplicar urgentemente a associação de tratamento antiparasitário às melhorias sanitárias. Isto deve ser feito simultaneamente com atividades de educação em saúde para esta população

Alzheimer’s disease : characteristics and guidelines in dentistry

A demência é classificada como uma desordem mental de caráter neurodegenerativo que atinge o Sistema Nervoso Central. A doença de Alzheimer é a forma de demência mais prevalente que acomete pessoas idosas e é definida como a perda progressiva e persistente de múltiplas áreas das funções intelectuais. Promove gradual deteriorização da memória, aprendizado, orientação, estabilidade emocional e capacidade de comunicação. Além disso, pensamentos abstratos (paranóias e alucinações) e o declínio dos cuidados pessoais, como tomar banho e a realização da higiene bucal são comuns, interferindo na vida social e diária do indivíduo. De acordo com a evolução, a doença de Alzheimer é dividida em três fases distintas: inicial, intermediária e final. Este estudo objetiva abordar as características e sugerir orientações ao atendimento odontológico nas fases representativas da evolução desse quadro demencial. O cirurgião-dentista deve ter conhecimento dos diferentes estágios desta doença e suas características para direcionar a atenção em saúde bucal de forma individualizada a seus pacientes. A participação dos cuidadores, familiares, além da equipe de saúde é fundamental e também necessária para a manutenção da saúde bucal desses idosos. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTDementia is classified as a mental disorder of a neurodegenerative nature that affects the Central Nervous System. Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia that affects elderly people and it is defined as a progressive and persistent loss of multiple areas of intellectual functions. It gradually promotes deterioration in memory, learning, orientation, emotional stability and ability to communicate. Moreover, abstract thinking (paranoia and hallucinations) and the decline of personal care such as bathing and performing oral hygiene are common, interfering in the individual’s social and daily life. According to its development, Alzheimer’s disease is divided into three distinct stages: initial, intermediate and terminal stage. The aim of this study was to approach the characteristics and suggest guidelines for dental attendance in the representative stages in the development of this dementia condition. The dentist should be aware of the different stages of this disease and its characteristics to provide patients with individual oral health attention. The participation of caregivers, family, and the health team is fundamental and it is also necessary to maintain oral health of these elderly patients

An evolutionary approach for optimal allocation of conduits in electrical installation projects

  Lia Toledo Moreira Mota Indelmatec Engenharia Rua Joaquim de Almeida Petta, 374 Jardim Guarani  Campinas – SP – Brasil CEP 13100-180 Tel. : (19) 3252-3121 E-mail: [email protected]     Alexandre Assis Mota Centro de Ciências Exatas, Ambientais e de Tecnologias Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas Rodovia D. Pedro I, km 136, Parque das Universidades Campinas – SP – Brasil CEP 13086-900 Tel.: (19) 3756-7370 E-mail: [email protected]   Recebido em 07/01/08 Aceito em 14/12/08   Os projetos de sistemas prediais elétricos compreendem diversas etapas: análise inicial, previsão da carga, divisão em circuitos, determinação e localização de pontos de luz e força, alocação de eletrodutos, dimensionamento de condutores e da proteção, etc. Ao lado da segurança, prioritária em qualquer instalação, o custo total constitui fator determinante para o sucesso de um projeto. Nesse contexto, gastos com condutores e eletrodutos são, em geral, significativos em instalações residenciais e comerciais de pequeno e médio portes. Assim, a redução de gastos com esses elementos impacta diretamente na redução dos custos totais da instalação. Nesse sentido, este trabalho teve por objetivo o desenvolvimento e a implementação de técnicas que permitem alocar, de forma subótima ou ótima, os eletrodutos dentro do projeto de uma instalação elétrica, visando à minimização dos custos relacionados a eles. A alocação dos eletrodutos foi feita a partir da implementação de um algoritmo evolutivo que, a partir de uma configuração inicial da disposição dos eletrodutos (denominada de “população inicial”), evolui para uma solução da sua localização, determinando a situação que proporciona a menor quantidade de gastos com eles. A partir da aplicação dessa metodologia, foram realizadas simulações em projetos de instalações reais que forneceram resultados bastante satisfatórios.An electrical installation project has several stages: initial analysis, load forecasting, specification of the circuits, lighting project, conduits allocation and protection devices dimensioning, among others. The success of the project is directly related to security, that corresponds to the priority aspect in any installation, and cost. In this context, the cost associated to conduits are very significant, specially in small-size and medium-size residential and commercial installations. Consequently, reduction on the cost related to these elements yield reduction on the total cost of the electrical installation. Hence, this work had the objective of developing techniques to allocate the conduits in an electrical installation project, aiming the minimization of cost. The optimal allocation of conduits is determined using an evolutionary algorithm that, starting from na initial population, evolves to sub-optimal and optimal feasible solutions. The method was tested through different simulations, yielding satisfactory results

Use of kaolin as a summer stress alleviating product in olive orchards under rainfed conditions

In a changing world, where is expected the temperatures rising and the reduction in precipitation in some semi-arid areas of the globe, the search for new agronomic practices that help crops to maintain and/or increase yields and quality is a continuous challenge. Kaolin (KL) exogenous application has been considered a short-term solution to alleviate the adverse effects of summer stress. The formed particle film increases the reflection of excess radiation reducing the risk of leaf damage from heat load accumulation and solar injury. Olive trees (Olea europaea L.) cultivated under rainfed conditions were sprayed with KL (5%) during two consecutive years in the beginning of the summer season. In general, relatively to the control group, KL-sprayed plants showed an enhancement in leaf water status, stomatal conductance and photosynthetic capacity and a reduction in leaf sclerophylly. In the severest period analyzed, at the end of the second-year summer, KL has lost the effectiveness of keeping gas exchange above the control measurements. However, in both years, allowed a faster restauration of the physiological functions in early autumn and contributed to higher crop yield. Overall, the results of the present investigation revealed that KL were effective in preventing the adverse effects of summer stress on crop performance and yield.Doctoral fellowship under the Doctoral Program “Agricultural Production Chains – from fork to farm” (PD/00122/2012) provided by the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology to C. Brito (PD/BD/52543/2014). Institution CITAB, for its financial support through the European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI– Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Program, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958 and National Funds by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UID/AGR/04033/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A ATUAÇÃO TRANSNACIONAL E METANACIONAL DOS NOVOS MOVIMENTOS SOCIAIS EM REDE

Este artigo traz em suas laudas as argumentações e discussões teóricas pertinentes e atualizadas acerca da atuação transnacional e metanacional dos novos movimentos sociais que atuam em rede, com enfoque para a descrição e aplicação do termo metanacional, que perfaz em si a secundarização das fronteiras por meio da atuação dinâmica e diferenciada das organizações em espaços desvinculados de territórios específicos. A pesquisa deu-se por meio da pesquisa exploratória em dados secundários e as análises e considerações deram-se por meio da indução

Weather year-to-year variations determine the influence of kaolin and salicylic acid in olive fruits and oil phenolic composition

Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) growing area is threatened by the current and predicted adverse environmental conditions, affecting negatively the quality of the olive products, largely known for its benefits in human diet. Thus, agronomic strategies may be implemented to offset those negative effects. During two consecutive years young olive trees under rainfed conditions were sprayed in the beginning of the summer season with 100 M salicylic acid (SA), a stress signaling phytohormone, or with kaolin 5% (KL), a heat and irradiance reflecting clay. The distinct weather conditions during the fruit development stage, with higher rainfall close to the harvest and the early frost events, in the first year, and the warmer and drier summer, in the second year, contributed to the increase in phenolic compounds in fruits and in olive oil from the first to the second year. Both KL and SA increased crop yield, while, in general, phenolics concentrations of both olives and oil were increased and decreased by the applied products in the first and second year, respectively. This dissimilar response was modulated by the distinct weather conditions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the applied products in attenuating the frost-promoted degradation of phenolic compounds in the first year and in mitigating the extreme adverse conditions felt in the summer of the second year. The phenolic composition was also distinctly affected, since total phenols, ortho-diphenols and flavonoids exhibited different trends. It is hard to conclude a specific influence of the applied products on olives and oil phenolic composition, since the weather year-to-year variations determine different plant responses.Doctoral fellowship under the Doctoral Program “Agricultural Production Chains – from fork to farm” (PD/00122/2012) provided by the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology to C. Brito (PD/BD/ 52543/2014). Institution CITAB, for its financial support through the European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI– Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Program, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958 and National Funds by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UID/AGR/04033/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Kaolin and salicylic acid foliar application modulate yield, quality and phytochemical composition of olive pulp and oil from rainfed trees

Olive orchards, rainfed managed, are threatened by the current and predicted adverse environmental conditions, which change the yield and quality of olive products, largely known for its benefits to human health. To mitigate these problems, it is highly recommended to perform some adjustments in agronomic practices, such as the use of foliar sprays that cloud help the trees to cope with climate change. During two consecutive years, olive trees were pre-harvest sprayed with kaolin (KL) and salicylic acid (SA) to attenuate the adverse effects of summer stress. Olive yield was increased by 97% and 72% with KL and SA, respectively. Phenolics and antioxidant capacity of both olives and olive oil increased and decreased in the first and second year, respectively, in a closely association with the prevailing climatic conditions. The foliar sprays did not significantly affect the oil quality indices, free acidity, peroxide value and K232 coefficient and decreased the K270 coefficient. This study strongly suggests that the applied products might be effective in mitigating the adverse environmental conditions, without substantial changes in fruit and olive oil quality.Doctoral fellowship under the Doctoral Program “Agricultural Production Chains – from fork to farm” (PD/00122/2012) provided by the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology to C. Brito (PD/BD/ 52543/2014). Institution CITAB, for its financial support through the European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI– Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Program, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958 and National Funds by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UID/AGR/04033/2013. INTERACT project - "Integrative Research in Environment, Agro-Chains and Technology", no. NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-000017, in its lines of research entitled ISAC, co-financied by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (North Regional Operational Program 2014/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Salicylic acid improves the tolerance of olive trees against the Mediterranean adverse summer conditions

The projected climate changes in the Mediterranean region, that include low rainfall, excessive heat load and high daily irradiance, are of utmost relevance for rainfed olive orchards, since are expected negative consequences on physiology, growth, productivity and quality. In this sense, agronomic strategies may be implemented to offset those negative effects. Rainfed young olive trees (Olea europaea L.) cv. Cobrançosa were sprayed with 100 M salicylic acid (SA), a signaling phytohormone with diverse regulatory roles in abiotic stresses responses. The results demonstrate that SA influenced positively the leaf water status, stomatal conductance and photosynthetic capacity of rainfed trees. The protective action of SA is associated with the induction of some stress tolerance indicators, as the increase in soluble proteins and ascorbate concentrations, and the improvement of plant nutritional status. This more comfortable conditions during the summer period allowed a faster restauration of the physiological functions in the early autumn. Finally, the sprayed plants exhibited higher yields than the control ones. In summary, SA seems to be an efficient strategy to improve olive tree tolerance against the adverse summer conditions of Mediterranean region.Doctoral fellowship under the Doctoral Program “Agricultural Production Chains – from fork to farm” (PD/00122/2012) provided by the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology to C. Brito (PD/BD/52543/2014). Institution CITAB, for its financial support through the European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI– Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Program, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958 and National Funds by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UID/AGR/04033/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio