Analysis of publications of a scientific periodic: evaluation by the tool SPC

The work consists of analyzing the historical evolution of an international scientific journal, which is characterized by publications via the web and the Open Journal System (OJS) software. In data collection it was necessary to use Google analytics between the years 2014 and 2017, based on the access / session variables and their respective averages. By means of Excel, a statistical analysis was performed based on Statistical Process Control (SPC). The research method selected was the case study, with data and information complemented by bibliographical and documentary research. As a result, the research identified that the international scientific journal presents mostly male users with Brazilian or foreign nationality. Moreover, in the stratification of the journal users by sex and titration it was possible to perceive that doctors are responsible for the greater number of records, both male and female. Finally, there is an increase in the number of views in the international scientific journal, thus confirming that there is a significant importance among academic researchers in seeking access to publications made available via the web

Approaches to the rationalization of surgical instrument trays: scoping review and research agenda

BACKGROUND: Surgical Tray Rationalization (STR) consists of a systematic reduction in the number of surgical instruments to perform specific procedures without compromising patient safety while reducing losses in the sterilization and assembly of trays. STR is one example of initiatives to improve process performance that have been widely reported in industrial settings but only recently have gained popularity in healthcare organizations. METHODS: We conduct a scoping review of the literature to identify and map available evidence on surgical tray management. Five methodological stages are implemented and reported; they are: identifying research questions, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, and collating, summarizing and reporting the results. RESULTS: We reviewed forty-eight articles on STR, which were grouped according to their main proposed approaches: expert analysis, lean practices, and mathematical programming. We identify the most frequently used techniques within each approach and point to their potential contributions to operational and economic dimensions of STR. We also consolidate our findings, proposing a roadmap to STR with four generic steps (prepare, rationalize, implement, and consolidate) and recommended associated techniques. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first study that reviews and systematizes the existing literature on the subject of STR. Our study closes with the proposition of future research directions, which are presented as nine research questions associated with the four generic steps proposed in the STR roadmap

Taxa de crescimento e estado nutricional do cafeeiro em sistema de produção orgânico

Devido a baixa concentração de N nos fertilizantes orgânicos, são necessárias doses elevadas dessas fontes para suprir as exigências do cafeeiro. Por esta razão, o N é o nutriente mais limitante na cafeicultura orgânica. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar, em sistema orgânico de produção, a influência da Crotalaria juncea no crescimento e estado nutricional de cultivares de café, bem como quantificar o aporte de biomassa vegetal e de N via fixação biológica, além do efeito sobre as características químicas do solo. O experimento foi constituído por seis cultivares de café (Coffea arabica), cultivadas com e sem Crotalaria juncea. A crotalária foi semeada em novembro de 2001, e aos 76 dias foi podada a meia altura. Aos 175 dias, foi cortada e quantificada a biomassa vegetal, os teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg e a abundância natural de 15N. O cultivo da crotalária proporcionou o aporte de 16 t ha-1 de matéria seca e a reciclagem de 444, 21, 241, 191 e 44 kg ha-1 de N, P, K, Ca e Mg, respectivamente. Os cultivares 'Obatã' e 'Catuaí Vermelho' apresentaram as maiores taxas de crescimento em altura, enquanto os cultivares 'Icatu' e 'Oeiras', as menores taxas. A fixação biológica de N proporcionou um aporte de N superior a 200 kg ha-1 de N, demonstrando ser uma alternativa para o produtor fertilizar os sistemas orgânicos com N. O cultivo da crotalária permitiu que o teor de N acumulado no tecido foliar dos cafeeiros se mantivesse igual após um ciclo da cultura, ao contrário do que foi observado nas parcelas não cultivadas com a leguminosa.In view of the low N concentration in organic fertilizers, it is necessary to use high rates of such fertilizers to attend coffee crop requirements. Hence, N is the most limiting nutrient for organic coffee production. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) organic fertilization on the growth and nutritional status of coffee cultivars, as well as to quantify plant biomass and N input derived from biological nitrogen fixation, and their effect on soil chemical characteristics. The experiment consisted of six coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivars intercropped with and without sunn hemp sown in November 2001 and pruned at mid-height 76 days later. At 175 days, the standing biomass of the legume was cut, measuring dry mass, total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and 15N natural abundance, resulting 16 t ha-1 of dry mass and the recycling of 444, 21, 241, 191, and 44 kg ha-1 of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively. Cultivars 'Obatã' and 'Catuaí Vermelho' presented the highest growth rates in terms of plant height, while cultivars 'Icatu' and 'Oeiras' presented the lowest rates. Biological nitrogen fixation associated to the legume introduced more than 200 kg ha-1 of N, which is a demonstration that N fertilization in organic cropping systems is a valuable alternative. Intercropping lead to a constant coffee leaf N content during the entire cropping cycle, contrary to what was observed in plots grown without sunn hemp

The proposition of factors for analysis of the maintenance of agricultural tractors from a systematic bibliographic review

The maintenance of agricultural tractors can be understood as the set of procedures that seek to keep the equipment in the best working conditions. However, carrying out adequate planning that can help optimize the maintenance of agricultural tractors is a complex task. The article consists of identifying and presenting a proposal of analysis factors for the maintenance of agricultural tractors, as well as their technical characteristics and modes of operation. In methodological terms, a Systematic Bibliographic Review was applied on maintenance and planning for agricultural tractors in two international databases. The research is classified as descriptive and comparative, of an exploratory nature. As a result, the study contributed to the information gap regarding the maintenance of agricultural tractors. In addition, we identified the main factors that must be analyzed to keep the equipment in the best operating conditions and that are responsible for increasing its useful life and avoiding future problems. The maintenance factor, which includes checking the level and oil change of the front axle, is characterized as the most important analysis procedure

Application of matrix importance-performance in the maintenance sector of an higher education institution

The sector service is what has the highest employability index in the country and is even the one with the largest participation in the world economy. In this sense, there is evidence of increased awareness of organizations that improvement has to come from the inside out. Thus, this research aims to demonstrate the competitive importance of the maintenance sector of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) through the application of the importance-performance matrix. As for the methodological procedures, this study is characterized by exploratory and quantitative research. A set of criteria to be evaluated within the organizational performance objectives was created in conjunction with maintenance staff and an IES strategic sector manager. As a result, an HEI demonstrated good performance in most of the criteria, generated an exception of one of the criteria that was out in the areas that need improvement actions, the accomplishment of the results by the matrix is important

Análise da crise do Subprime e os derivativos de crédito nos Estados Unidos da América

O artigo objetiva analisar como os instrumentos e estruturas financeiras permitiram que o setor mais sólido e representativo dos Estados Unidos da América gerasse uma crise sem precedentes. As origens da crise imobiliária de 2008 remontam a criação e difusão dos títulos hipotecários (mortgage backed securities) na mesa do Salomon Brothers nos anos 70, passam pela incorporação de empréstimos de alto risco (subprime) ao longo dos últimos 30 anos a fim de rentabilizar os títulos e chegam até o reempacotamento de hipotecas não pagas por meio dos títulos lastreados em dívidas, popularmente conhecidos como CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligation). Ao passo que o mundo noticiava e comentava as perdas envolvendo a crise, que em 2008 já haviam superado o valor de US$1 trilhão, foi possível constatar que um grupo de investidores atento aos indicadores acabou apostando contra o sistema e saiu ganhando. Fundos como a Scion Capital e a FrontPoint Partners acompanharam, por anos, a derrocada na qualidade do que estava sendo comercializado nos bancos e revendido incontáveis vezes. A queda na qualidade dos empréstimos hipotecários era evidente e um derivativo de crédito, em particular, o credit default swap, foi usado como seguro contra calote de instituições e títulos que não faziam parte da carteira de ativos dos investidores. Os contratos de swaps garantiram tempo e proteção aos investidores, que, ao longo da crise, aguardaram seus milhões de retorno, enquanto enxergavam a derrocada de gigantes como Lehman Brothers e Merrill Lynch, assim como, a derrocada de milhares de pessoas, sem emprego e sem moradia.The article aims to analyze how the financial instruments and structures allowed the most solid and representative sector of the United States of America to generate an unprecedented crisis. The origins of the 2008 housing crisis go back to the creation and diffusion of mortgage backed securities at the Salomon Brothers table in the 1970s, through the incorporation of subprime loans over the last 30 years in order to monetize bonds and even repackaging unpaid mortgages through debt-backed securities, popularly known as CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligation). While the world was reporting and commenting on the losses involving the crisis, which in 2008 had already surpassed the value of US$ 1 trillion, it was possible to see that a group of investors, looking at the indicators, ended up betting against the system and won. Funds such as Scion Capital and Front Point Partners have been tracking for years the quality of what was being marketed at banks and resold countless times. The decline in the quality of mortgage loans was evident and a credit derivative, in particular the credit default swap, was used as insurance against defaulting institutions and securities that were not part of the portfolio of investor assets. The swap contracts ensured time and protection for investors who, over the course of the crisis, waited for their millions of return as they saw the collapse of giants like Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, as well as the collapse of thousands of people without jobs and without housing.El artículo tiene como objetivo analizar cómo los instrumentos y estructuras financieras permitieron que el sector más sólido y representativo de los Estados Unidos de América generara una crisis sin precedentes. Los orígenes de la crisis inmobiliaria de 2008 se remonta à la creación y difusión de los títulos hipotecarios en la mesa de Salomon Brothers en los años 70, pasando por la incorporación de préstamos de alto riesgo (subprime) a lo largo de los últimos 30 años a fin de rentabilizar los títulos y llegan hasta el reempaquete de hipotecas no pagadas por medio de los títulos respaldados en deudas, popularmente conocidos como CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligation). Al paso que el mundo noticiaba y comentaba las pérdidas involucrando la crisis, que en 2008, ya habían superado el valor de US $ 1 billón, fue posible constatar que un grupo de inversores, atento a los indicadores, acabó apostando contra el sistema y salió ganando. Fondos como Scion Capital y FrontPoint Partners acompañaron, por años, el derrocamiento en la calidad de lo que estaba siendo comercializado en los bancos y revendido incontables veces. La caída en la calidad de los préstamos hipotecarios era evidente y un derivado de crédito, en particular, el credit default swap, fue utilizado como seguro contra el incumplimiento de instituciones y títulos que no formaban parte de la cartera de activos de los inversores. Los contratos de swaps garantizaron tiempo y protección a los inversores que, a lo largo de la crisis, aguardaron sus millones de retorno, mientras veían el derrocamiento de gigantes como Lehman Brothers y Merrill Lynch, así como el derrocamiento de miles de personas, sin empleo y sin vivienda.L'article vise à analyser comment les instruments financiers et les structures financières ont permis au secteur le plus solide et le plus représentatif des États-Unis d'Amérique de générer une crise sans précédent. Les origines de la crise du logement de 2008 remontent à la création et à la diffusion de titres adossés à des créances hypothécaires à la table des Salomon Brothers dans les années 1970, à travers l'incorporation de prêts subprime au cours des 30 dernières années afin de monétiser obligations et même reconditionner les hypothèques impayées à travers des titres adossés à des créances, communément appelées CDO (Collateralized Debt Obligation). Tandis que le monde faisait rapport et commentait les pertes liées à la crise, qui avait déjà dépassé la valeur de 1 000 milliards de dollars en 2008, il était possible de voir qu'un groupe d'investisseurs, en regardant les indicateurs, finissait par parier contre le système et gagnait. Des fonds tels que Scion Capital et FrontPoint Partners suivent depuis des années la qualité de ce qui était commercialisé dans les banques et revendu d'innombrables fois. La baisse de la qualité des prêts hypothécaires était évidente et un dérivé de crédit, en particulier le swap sur défaillance de crédit, a été utilisé comme assurance contre les institutions défaillantes et les titres qui ne faisaient pas partie du portefeuille d'actifs des investisseurs. Les contrats de swap ont assuré temps et protection aux investisseurs qui, au cours de la crise, ont attendu leurs millions de retours en voyant l'effondrement de géants comme Lehman Brothers et Merrill Lynch, ainsi que l'effondrement de milliers de personnes sans emploi et sans logement

Influence of the Kaolinite Calcination Conditions on the Compressive Strength of Geopolymer

Among the cementitious materials, geopolymers not only attract interest due to the low emission of CO2 in their manufacturing process, but also because of their good mechanical and chemical properties, together with their resistance to fire. They can be made from different raw materials including various wastes from industrial activities and mineral extraction. In this study, metakaolin was obtained from kaolinite calcined under different conditions. In this case kaolinite is a by-product of sand extraction. It was observed that the calcination conditions (kiln heating rate, calcination time and temperature) had a strong influence on the compressive strength of geopolymer after 28 days of cure. They also affected the composition of the geopolymer, which was prepared by mixing metakaolin, alkaline sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution.Compressivestrengthsintherangefrom10MPato50MPamaybeobserved, depending on the combination of these factors. A factorial design of experiments allowed the isolation of the effect of each factor and its interactions, offering new insights into the complexity of the geopolymeric reactions and highlighting the need for a rigid control of the calcination conditions of kaolinite and the composition of the geopolymer samples to obtain the desired compressive strength. Keywords: kaolinite, calcination, metakaolin, geopolymer, compressive strength