Avaliação subjetiva do conforto térmico laboral de uma empresa angolana

Orientação: Luís Manuel Monteiro AlvesO conforto térmico é uma resposta subjetiva em que uma pessoa expressa satisfação com o ambiente térmico como resultado das trocas de calor do corpo e o meio. São diversos os fatores que contribuem para a sensação de conforto em um ambiente de trabalho. Como por exemplo: fatores ambientais, fatores fisiológicos, fatores subjetivos e a arquitetura. O nosso estudo aborda o intervalo dedicado aos ambientes térmicos moderados. A metodologia utilizada foi a adaptativa e designada por quantitativa, pesquisa realizada em situações reais do cotidiano, com pessoas a desempenhar as suas atividades em locais de trabalho onde as pessoas expressavam suas sensações e preferências térmicas de acordo com escalas favoráveis. Para identificar o conforto térmico laboral sentido pelos trabalhadores em seu ambiente de trabalho realizou-se por meio de inquéritos uma avaliação subjetiva da aclimatização do local tendo como objetivo identificar a aceitação dos trabalhadores em relação ao ambiente no escritório, usando como caso de estudo a empresa Angolana SOMG de Operação e manutenção de toda a rede de gasoduto de gás natural liquefeito da Angola LNG. A amostra foi de uma população de 50 indivíduos contida num universo de 70 trabalhadores. O estudo reforça a necessidade de melhoria na área de conforto térmico laboral em Angola. Verificou-se que o método de escalas subjetivas de avaliação (ISO 10551, 2001) é um instrumento importante na avaliação subjetiva do conforto térmico. Houve valores superiores a 60% entre os resultados do PMV e PPD obtidos através dos gráficos de Fanger com as respostas dos trabalhadores. Dos 50 trabalhadores participaram do inquérito, 19% demonstraram estar insatisfeitos e 81% de satisfeitos, conforme demonstrou o resultado do índice PPD em relação ao conforto no ambiente em que se encontravam. Foi verificado na pesquisa que existe uma relação direta entre os valores de PMV e PPD em relação a satisfação dos trabalhadores no ambiente térmico do posto de trabalho no momento em que davam as respostas ao inquérito, 68% dos trabalhadores consideram estar neutros (conforto). No geral aproxidamente 100% votos foram a favor de um ambiente do posto de trabalho aceitável.Thermal comfort is a subjective response in which a person expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment because of the heat exchanges of the body and the environment. Several factors contribute to the feeling of comfort in a work environment. As for example: environmental factors, physiological factors, subjective factors and architecture. Our study addresses the range dedicated to moderate thermal environments. The methodology used was the adaptive and designated as quantitative, research conducted in real situations of daily life, with people to perform their activities in workplaces where people expressed their sensations and thermal preferences according to favourable scales. To identify the occupational thermal comfort felt by the workers in their work environment. Was carried out through surveys a subjective evaluation of the acclimatization of the place, aiming to identify the acceptance of the workers in relation to the environment in the office, using as case study the company Angolan SOMG de Operation and maintenance of the entire liquefied natural gas pipeline network of Angola LNG. The sample was of a population of 50 individuals contained in a universe of 70 workers. The study reinforces the need for improvement in the area of thermal comfort in Angola. They are verified that the method of subjective evaluation scales (ISO 10551, 2001) is an important instrument in the subjective evaluation of thermal comfort. There were values higher than 60% between the results of PMV and PPD obtained through the Fanger charts with the workers' responses. Are taking part in the survey 50 workers, 19% were dissatisfied and 81% satisfied, as demonstrated by the PPD index in relation to comfort in the environment in which they were found. In the research, there was a direct relationship between the values of PMV and PPD in relation to the satisfaction of workers in the thermal environment of the workplace at the time they gave the answers to the survey, 68% of workers considered to be neutral (comfort). Proximately 100

Impact of SGRT on patient positioning: a systematic review

Introdução – Surface guided radiotherapy (SGRT) é uma técnica que utiliza tecnologia na deteção a 3D da superfície do doente e que auxilia o radioterapeuta no reposicionamento diário e na monitorização de movimentos intra e interfração do doente. É uma técnica não invasiva e sem recurso a radiação ionizante. Objetivos – Pretende-se estudar se a técnica SGRT poderá substituir o uso de marcações cutâneas e o uso de protocolos de imagens de verificação/Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), sem comprometer a reprodutibilidade do tratamento. Método – Efetuou-se uma revisão sistemática nas bases de dados Scopus e MEDLINE, onde foram analisados artigos publicados nos últimos cinco anos. Após a conjugação dos termos de pesquisa e de acordo com os critérios de inclusão e exclusão identificaram-se dez artigos, que foram incluídos na revisão. Resultados/Discussão – A técnica SGRT reduziu os desvios no posicionamento, comparativamente ao posicionamento com base em marcações cutâneas. Por outro lado, permite uma redução de dose resultante da verificação da IGRT devido à menor frequência da sua utilização, quando conjugado com SGRT. Conclusão – A SGRT mostrou-se viável ao garantir um posicionamento preciso quando comparada com o reposicionamento convencional baseado na conjugação de marcações cutâneas e lasers. Foi ainda possível verificar uma redução significativa dos erros intrafração e interfração. No entanto, ela não foi considerada suficientemente viável para substituir a IGRT na sua totalidade. A IGRT ainda tem um papel importante na confirmação do posicionamento anatómico e na monitorização do PTV e órgãos adjacentes.ABSTRACT - Introduction – Surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT) is a technique that uses technology in the 3D detection of the patient’s surface, which helps the radiation therapists in the daily repositioning and monitoring of intra and interfraction movements of the patient. It is a non-invasive technique and does not use ionising radiation. Objectives – It is intended to study if the SGRT technique could replace the use of skin markers and the use of verification/Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) imaging protocols, without compromising the reproducibility of the treatment. Methods – A systematic review was performed in the Scopus and MEDLINE databases, where articles published in the last five years were analysed. After combining the search terms and according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, ten articles were included in this review. Results/Discussion – The SGRT technique reduced positioning deviations compared to positioning based on skin markers. On the other hand, it allows a dose reduction resulting from IGRT verification, due to the lower frequency of its use, when combined with SGRT. Conclusion – SGRT proved to be feasible in ensuring accurate positioning when compared to conventional repositioning based on the conjugation of skin markers and lasers. A significant reduction in intrafraction and interfraction errors was also observed. However, it was not considered sufficiently feasible to replace IGRT to its full extent. IGRT still has an important role in confirming anatomical positioning and in monitoring PTV and adjacent organs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Performance Supervision and Employees’ Productivity in the Ministry of Lands, Environment and Natural Resources of Taita Taveta County, Kenya

The objective of the study was to find out the effect of performance supervision on employees’ productivity in the Ministry of Lands, Environment, and Natural Resources in Taita Taveta County. Goal-setting theory and equity theory form theoretical frameworks. A descriptive research design was adopted in this study. The target population was 262 employees. Stratified random sampling was implemented to produce a sample for the study. To ascertain its level of reliability, the research instrument was pilot tested before the actual data collection. Respondents were requested to correct the contents of the questionnaire and experts were consulted to enhance the instrument’s validity. Questionnaires were issued to respondents and recollected thereafter for analysis. Sorting was conducted on the collected data. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were employed to analyze quantitative data. The study established that performance supervision had a positive connection with employee productivity. Therefore, the study recommended that institutions need to strive towards achieving effective supervision since it provides a safe environment for employees to reflect on their practice, as well as to develop skills and knowledge. The delivery of effective supervision is heavily dependent on the organizational context due to the dynamics surrounding the role of supervision. For the Ministry to realize high output, the outcome points in the direction of good supervision, which is believed to contribute to increased job satisfaction, increased job and organizational commitment among staff, and reduced employee turnover

Modelling nitrate pollution pressure using a multivariate statistical approach: the case of Kinshasa groundwater body, Democratic Republic of Congo

A multivariate statistical modelling approach was applied to explain the anthropogenic pressure of nitrate pollution on the Kinshasa groundwater body (Democratic Republic of Congo). Multiple regression and regression tree models were compared and used to identify major environmental factors that control the groundwater nitrate concentration in this region. The analyses were made in terms of physical attributes related to the topography, land use, geology and hydrogeology in the capture zone of different groundwater sampling stations. For the nitrate data, groundwater datasets from two different surveys were used. The statistical models identified the topography, the residential area, the service land (cemetery), and the surface-water land-use classes as major factors explaining nitrate occurrence in the groundwater. Also, groundwater nitrate pollution depends not on one single factor but on the combined influence of factors representing nitrogen loading sources and aquifer susceptibility characteristics. The groundwater nitrate pressure was better predicted with the regression tree model than with the multiple regression model. Furthermore, the results elucidated the sensitivity of the model performance towards the method of delineation of the capture zones. For pollution modelling at the monitoring points, therefore, it is better to identify capture-zone shapes based on a conceptual hydrogeological model rather than to adopt arbitrary circular capture zones

Assessing groundwater vulnerability in the Kinshasa region, DR Congo, using a calibrated DRASTIC model

This study assessed the vulnerability of groundwater against pollution in the Kinshasa region, DR Congo, as a support of a groundwater protection program

Use of hydrochemical and isotopes for assessing nitrate pollution pressure in the Kinshasa groundwater body, DR Congo

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Structure et composition floristique de savanes arbustives en système préservé du feu à Ibi, plateau des Bateke, en République Démocratique du Congo

Résumé La compréhension du processus de reforestation naturelle des savanes arbustives est un enjeu de taille pour la gestion de ressources naturelles savanicoles. Nous cherchons à comprendre le tempérament des formations herbeuses dites ouvertes en protection contre le feu. Deux formations végétales (l’îlot forestier qui est un boisement naturel en savane et la galerie forestière, une forêt qui longe un cours d’eau) ont été protégées de feux de brousse par un pare-feu de 25 m de large et 4000 m de long, dont la mise en place a eu lieu de juin 2010 à avril 2011. Une portion de savane non protégée à l’ouest du dispositif a servi comme contrôle d’observations réalisées sur les deux types. Cette étude s’est étalée sur 3 ans, à Ibi-village au plateau des Bateke, en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC). La comparaison de la richesse et de la diversité spécifiques de ces deux formations végétales révèle 22 familles botaniques inventoriées avec 55 espèces dans l’îlot forestier contre 27 familles et 58 espèces dans la galerie. Bien que les deux formations soient similaires en richesse et diversité spécifiques, une dizaine d’espèces présentes dans l’îlot forestier n’ont pas été listées dans la galerie forestière. Celle-ci présente une quinzaine d’espèces non listées dans l’îlot forestier. 43 espèces sont communes aux deux formations végétales. L’augmentation de la surface terrière en reforestation s’accompagne d’une augmentation de la richesse et de la diversité spécifiques dans les deux types de végétation. Abstract Understanding the process of natural reforestation of shrubland savannas is a major challenge for the management of savannah natural resources. We seek to understand the evolution of open grasslands protected against fire. Two vegetation types (Forest island, a natural forest patch within grasslands and riparian forest, a forested land adjacent to a body of water) were protected from bushfires by a firewall of 25 m wide and 4000 m long, whose implementation took place from June 2010 to April 2011. This study was conducted over a 3 year-period, at Ibi- village on the Bateke plateau, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The comparison of the richness and diversity of these two specific vegetation types showed 22 botanical families with 55 species inventoried in the forest island against 27 families including 58 species in the riparian forest (gallery forest). Although both forest types were similar in richness and species diversity, a dozen species in the forest island were not listed in the gallery forest. The latter presented fifteen species unlisted in the forest island. 43 species were common to both plant formations. The increased reforestation basal area was accompanied by an increase in richness and diversity in both vegetation types