The present study investigated high risk behaviors in a population of college students through the use of a large, national quantitative data set and individual qualitative interviews. Since millions of students are enrolled in higher education, which often comes at a great financial cost and sacrifice to them and their families (Henretta, Wolf, Van Voorhis & Soldo, 2012), this is a particularly important population to study. Additionally, despite being a time of optimal health, adolescence is also a time of increased mortality, particularly as it relates to social morbidities (Resnick et al., 1997). While risk taking amongst college students manifests itself in many ways, the primary focus of this research will be on alcohol use, drug use and sexual behavior. Recent research in the field, including the composite measure of psychosocial maturity (Steinberg, Cauffman, Woolard, Graham & Banich, 2009a), the social neuroscience perspective (Steinberg, 2008) and current trends in alcohol use, drug use and sexual behaviors amongst college students were examined. The American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II) provided statistically significant evidence that students who drink more (frequency and quantity) have lower overall GPAs, experience more negative consequences as a result of their drinking and experience more impediments to academic success. Students who live on campus, are members of Greek fraternities and sororities and/or are varsity athletes engage in higher levels of binge drinking than their peers. Additionally, students who drink more (frequency and quantity) engage in other risky behaviors (unprotected sex, NMPD use, etc.) at higher rates than their peers. Qualitative interviews with high achieving students who engaged in various levels of risk taking resulted in the explication of six distinct themes: defining and conceptualizing risk taking, decision making, painting a picture of individual risk taking, academic achievement, peer perceptions and influence, and achieving both (what allows a high risk student to also be high achieving). In addition to the above analyses, the present study also examines implications for practitioners and directions for future research. / Educational Psychology

The intestinal tract of salmonids provides a dynamic interface that not only mediates nutrient uptake but also functions as the first line of defence against ingested pathogens. Exposure of the immune system to beneficial microorganisms and different dietary immunostimulants via the intestine has been shown to prime the immune system and help in the development of immune competence. Furthermore, the morphology and function of teleostean intestines are known to respond to feed components and to ingested and resident bacterial communities. Histological appraisal is still generally considered to be the gold standard for sensitive assessment of the effects of such dietary modulation. The aim of the present study was to improve understanding of salmonid intestinal function, structure and dynamics and to use the knowledge gained to develop a model for analysis, which would allow intestinal health to be assessed with respect to different intestinal communities and feed components. Virtual histology, the process of assessing digital images of histological slides, is gaining momentum as an approach to supplement traditional histological evaluation methodologies and at the same time, image analysis of digitised histological sections provides a practical means for quantifiable assessment of structural and functional changes in tissues, being both objective and reproducible. This project focused on the development of a rapid, practical analytical methodology based on advanced image analysis, that was able to measure and characterise a range of features of the intestinal histology of Atlantic salmon in a quantitative manner. In the first research chapter, the development of a novel histological assessment system based upon advanced image analysis was described, this being developed with the help of a soybean feed model known to induce enteropathy in Atlantic salmon. This tool targeted the evaluation of the extent of morphological changes occurring in the distal intestine of Atlantic salmon following dietary modulation. The final analytical methodology arrived at, could be conducted with minimal user-interaction, allowing rapid and objective assessment of 12 continuous variables per histological frame analysed. The processing time required for each histological frame was roughly 20-25 min, which greatly improved the efficiency of conducting such a quantitative assessment with respect to the time taken for a subjective semi-quantitative alternative approach. Significant agreement between the fully automated and the manual morphometric image segmentation was achieved, however, the strength of this quantitative approach was enhanced by the employment of interactive procedures, which enabled the operator / observer to rectify preceding automated segmentation steps, and account for the specimen’s variations. Results indicated that image analysis provided a viable alternative to a pathologist’s manual scoring, being more practical and time-efficient. In the second research chapter, feeding Atlantic salmon a high inclusion level of unrefined SBM (25 %) produced an inflammatory response in the distal intestine as previously described by other authors. The model feed trial successfully generated differentiable states, although these were not, for the most part, systemically differentiable through the majority of standard immunological procedures used, being only detectable morphologically. Quantitation of morphometric parameters associated with histological sections using the newly developed image analysis tool successfully allowed identification of major morphological changes. Image analysis was thus shown to provide a powerful tool for describing the histomorphological structure of Atlantic salmon distal intestine. In turn, the semi-automated image analysis methods were able to distinguish normal intestinal mucosa from those affected by enteritis. While individual parameters were less discriminatory, use of multivariate techniques allowed better discrimination of states and is likely to prove the most productive approach in further studies. Work described in the third research chapter sought to validate the semi-automated image analysis system to establish that it was measuring the parameters it was purported to be measuring, and to provide reassurance that it could reliably measure pre-determined features. This study, using the same sections for semi-quantitative and quantitative analyses, demonstrated that the quantitative indices performed well when compared to analogous semi-quantitative descriptive parameters of assessment for enteritis prognosis. The excellent reproducibility and accuracy performance levels indicated that the image analysis system was a useful and reliable morphometric method for the quantification of SB-induced enteritis in salmon. Other characteristics such as rapidity, simplicity and adaptability favour this method for image analysis, and are particularly useful where less experienced interpreters are performing the analysis. The work described in the fourth research chapter characterised changes in the morphology of the intestinal epithelial cells occurring as a result of dietary modulation and aspects of inflammatory infiltration, using a selected panel of enzyme and IHC markers. To accomplish this, image analysis techniques were used to evaluate and systematically optimise a quantitative immunolabelling assessment protocol. Digital computer-assisted quantification of labelling for cell proliferation and regeneration; programmed cell death or apoptosis; EGCs and t-cell like infiltrates; mobilisation of stress-related protein regenerative processes and facilitation of nutrient uptake and ion transport provided encouraging results. Through the description of the intestinal cellular responses at a molecular level, such IHC expression profiling further characterised the inflammatory reaction generated by the enteropathic diet. In addition, a number of potential diagnostic parameters were described for fish intestinal health e.g. the relative levels of antigenicity and the spatial distribution of antigens in tissues. Work described in the final research chapter focused on detailed characterisation of intestinal MCs / EGCs in order to try to elucidate their functional role in the intestinal immune responses. Through an understanding of their distribution, composition and ultrastructure, the intention was to better characterise these cells and their functional properties. The general morphology, histochemical characteristics and tissue distribution of these cells were explored in detail using histochemical, IHC and immunogold staining / labelling, visualised using light, confocal and TEM microscopy. Despite these extensive investigations, their physiological function and the content of their granules still remain somewhat obscure, although a role as immunodulatory cells reacting to various exogeneous signals through a finely regulated process and comparable to that causing the degranulation of mammalian MCs is suggested. The histochemical staining properties demonstrated for salmonid MCs / EGCs seem to resemble those of mammalian mucosal mast cells, with both acidophilic and basophilic components in their granules, and a granule content containing neuromodulator / neurotransmitter-peptides such as serotonin, met-enkephalin and substance-p. Consequently, distinguishable bio-chromogenic markers have been identified that are of utility in generating a discriminatory profile for image analysis of such cells.

Dans ce mémoire, différentes architectures pour le contrôle et la surveillance des systèmes techniques complexes de grande dimension (STCGD) sont discutées. Les problématiques de maintenance conditionnelle et d'évaluation de l'état de santé sont définies. Les types de diagnostic et de pronostic sont présentés afin d'aboutir à une évaluation de l'état de santé des STCGD. Les études relatives au diagnostic décentralisé sont discutées puis les apports des NTIC et des technologies distribuées au diagnostic sont présentés. Par la suite, le diagnostic distribué et les travaux relatifs à ce mode de déploiement sont introduits. Les limites des approches centralisées et décentralisées du diagnostic sont présentées et confrontées à l'apport des approches distribuées. Les informations et/ou les connaissances supports aux diagnostic et au pronostic ainsi que leur modélisation afin de les exploiter sont décrites et formalisées. Une caractérisation des statuts que peut prendre un composant est proposée. Il est décrit les pré-requis nécessaires pour la couche de surveillance des STCGD et les principes du diagnostic et du pronostic sont ensuite présentés sous la forme de différents algorithmes. Enfin, une méthode d'évaluation de l'état de santé des STCGD est proposée. Plusieurs déploiements peuvent être envisagés pour l'évaluation de la santé des STCGD. Une plateforme de simulation a été développée pour évaluer les performances des déploiements centralisés et distribués. La plateforme a eu pour but de se comporter comme la couche de surveillance d'un STCGD. Un cas d'étude paramétrable est proposé pour chacun des deux déploiements et leurs performances sont comparées. / In this dissertation, various architectures for the control and the monitoring of Large Scale Complex Technical Systems (LSCTS) are discussed. The problematic of condition-based maintenance and health status assessment is defined. A diagnostic and prognostic typology is presented leading to the assessment of the health status of LSCTSs. Decentralized diagnosis studies are discussed then the contributions of the ICT and of the distributed technologies for the diagnosis are presented. Thereafter, the distributed diagnosis and works relative to this kind of deployments are introduced. The limits of the centralized and decentralized diagnosis approaches are presented. Then the centralized approaches are compared to the distributed ones. Information and/or knowledge that support the diagnosis and the prognosis as well as their modeling in order to exploit them are described and formalized. A characterization is proposed for the different status of a component can be in. Requirements are described for the monitoring layer of the LSCTSs are described in order to implement the proposed diagnosis and prognosis principles that are then specified by the means of algorithms. Eventually, a health assessment method of the LSCTSs is also proposed. Several deployments can be considered to implement the health assessment of the LSCTSs. A simulation platform, which was developed to evaluate the performances of the centralized and the distributed deployments, is presented. Among the purposes of the platform, one is to behave as the monitoring layer of a LSCTS. A use case is proposed for two deployments and their performances are compared.

Assessment of forest damage using satellite and lidar data Abstract The main objective of this thesis is to create a methodical procedure used for the evaluation of forest damage in the chosen area of the National Park Sumava, Czech Republic. In this work were combined the multispectral satellite data and data of airborne laser scanning. The forests in this area are heavily damaged mainly due to bark beetle outbreak. You can find here as healthy so damaged forests. Based on this methodology will be differentiated greater number of classes than I found in the literature. In this work was used pansharpened multispectral image SPOT, multispectral image Landsat and airborne laser scanning data with low density points. Another task was to get height information from ALS data in the form of grid. Forest stands were classified using object-oriented classification, which included at first segmentation and then creation of classification base. In classification entered spectral information and height information obtained from the ALS data. Forests were classified into 5 classes and accuracy of both classifications was evaluated using the error matrix and kappa coefficient. SPOT image classification reached kappa coefficient of 68,5 % and Landsat image classification reached kappa coefficient of 72,3 %. From the...

The study of health disparities and the social determinants of health has resulted in the call for public health researchers to investigate the mid- and upstream factors that influence the incidence of chronic diseases (Adler & Rehkopf, 2008; Berkman, 2009; Braveman P. , 2006; Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014; Krieger, 2011; Rose, 1985). Social ecological models (SEMs) provide important conceptual tools to inform this research and practice (Krieger, 2011; Golden & Earp, 2012; Story, Kaphingst, Robinson O'Brien, & Glanz, 2008; Glanz, Rimer, & Lewis, 2002). These models can help us look at the social and physical environments in rural Arizona communities and consider how health policies and environmental interventions address mediating factors, such as disparities in access to fresh food, that contribute to ill health in marginalized, rural, populations. Rural residents are at greater risk for obesity than their urban counterparts (Jackson, Doescher, Jerant, & Hart, 2006; Story, Kaphingst, Robinson O'Brien, & Glanz, 2008). And while human life expectancy has steadily increased over the past thousand years, current projections indicate that the rise in obesity-related illnesses will soon result in its decline (Olshansky, et al., 2005). One reason for this decline, may be the reduced availability of healthy food – an important predictor of positive health outcomes including reduced obesity and chronic disease - in many parts of the United States (Brownson, Haire-Joshu, & Luke, 2006; Ahen, Brown, & Dukas, 2011; Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014; Braveman, Egerter, & Williams, 2011). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food deserts as geographic areas in which there is limited access to grocery stores and whose populations have a high rate of poverty. In Arizona, 24% of the rural census tracts are considered food deserts; compared to an average of eight percent of rural census tracts across the nation (United States Department of Agriculture, 2013). Food deserts are one example of the upstream factors influencing the health of rural populations. Local health departments have been encouraged through the National Association for City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) and through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) to conduct community health assessments (CHAs) in order to identify unique contexts and community resources, health disparities, and the social determinants of health as well as potential areas for advocacy, policy change, environmental interventions, and health promotion interventions. Public health challenges like chronic diseases, which have multiple causes, can be explored in-depth through CHAs. CHAs often contain recommendations for action and/or are followed by community health improvement plans (CHIPs) which help local health departments prioritize resources and set measurable goals. In Florence, AZ recommendations made in a CHA are being acted upon by a non-profit agency, the Future Forward Foundation (3F). This investigation explores two interrelated issues regarding the use of CHAs and CHIPs as practical tools to set public health priorities. First, what makes a CHA useful to rural public health practitioners? What methods of conducting a CHA and subsequently analyzing the data results in actionable policy recommendations and/or environmental level interventions? Second, to what extent can public health agencies engage nontraditional partners to work in partnership to address the social determinants of health? As an example, I will look at the impact of a volunteer-based non-profit agency, located in a rural food desert on improving the social and physical nutrition environment as recommended by a local CHA. This inquiry will provide insights to public health practitioners seeking to identify and implement policy and environmental change addressing complex, multi-causal, public health issues, and provide insights regarding engaging nontraditional partners who may not self-identify as public health agencies.

Introdução: A gestão da qualidade é um imperativo para as instituições de saúde que almejam sobreviver ao mercado globalizado e competitivo. O programa de acreditação hospitalar é uma metodologia de avaliação voluntária, periódica e educativa utilizada para garantir a qualidade da assistência por meio de padrões previamente definidos. O centro cirúrgico é um setor complexo em que a equipe de enfermagem desempenha um papel importante na melhoria dos processos em busca da excelência. Objetivos: Analisar a acreditação hospitalar no centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário, sob a ótica da equipe de enfermagem, nas dimensões avaliativas de estrutura, processo e resultado, e identificar os fatores intervenientes da acreditação, de acordo com modelo Donabediano. Método: Trata-se de um estudo exploratório-descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa, realizado no centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário no interior do Estado de São Paulo. A população constou de 69 profissionais de enfermagem e a coleta de dados ocorreu nos meses de Janeiro e Fevereiro de 2014, por meio de um questionário, empregando-se uma escala de Likert. Os dados foram analisados em função dos índices percentuais e testes estatísticos específicos. O instrumento mostrou-se confiável para a população estudada, sendo o valor obtido de Alpha de Cronbach igual a 0,812. Resultados: Na caracterização dos sujeitos, verificou-se que 76,8% pertenciam ao sexo feminino, 17% eram enfermeiros, 19% auxiliares de enfermagem e 64% eram técnicos de enfermagem, sendo uma equipe predominantemente adulta. Na dimensão de estrutura os sujeitos demonstraram percepção favorável aos aspectos do centro cirúrgico referentes à aquisição de equipamentos, aos investimentos realizados na estrutura física e ao custo financeiro para a instituição que se propõe a participar de um programa de acreditação. Na dimensão processo a maioria reconhece o treinamento admissional, considera que houve uniformização das práticas e condutas na equipe de enfermagem e que o enfermeiro supervisiona o processo de qualidade. Avaliou-se a participação da equipe no protocolo de cirurgia segura, sendo os cirurgiões os profissionais com menor adesão. No que tange à dimensão de resultado, os participantes concordaram que foi obtida maior visibilidade para o hospital após a conquista da certificação, que houve aumento na segurança proporcionada aos pacientes e que os indicadores são usados na gestão do setor. Não houve consenso referente ao aumento de punições no setor após o processo de acreditação. Na comparação das três dimensões, a que obteve maior escore de favorabilidade foi a de resultado, média de 47,12 (dp± 7,23), e a menor foi de estrutura, média de 40,70 (dp± 5,19), com diferença estatisticamente significante. Conclusões: Esperamos contribuir para a melhoria dos serviços de saúde, principalmente disponibilizando uma fonte a mais de literatura específica do centro cirúrgico. Este diagnóstico situacional irá subsidiar a reestruturação dos pontos vulneráveis avaliados nas três dimensões, sobretudo os da dimensão de estrutura, auxiliando o setor no propósito da certificação ONA nível II. / Introduction: The quality management is an imperative for the health institutions that aim to survive in the globalized and competitive market. The hospital accreditation program is a methodology of volunteer, periodic and educative assessment utilized to ensure the quality of the assistance by means of previously defined patterns. The surgical center is a complex sector where the nursing team performs an important role in the improvement of the processes in pursuit of the excellence. Objectives: Analyze the hospital accreditation in the surgical center of a teaching hospital, from the perspective of the nursing team, in the evaluative dimensions of structure, process and result, and identify the intervening factors of the accreditation, based on the Donabedian model. Method: This is an exploratory-descriptive study, of quantitative approach, conducted in the surgical center of a teaching hospital at the interior of the São Paulo state. The population consisted of 69 nursing professionals and the data collection occurred in January and February 2014, through a questionnaire, using a Likert scale. The data were analyzed in terms of percentage rates and specific statistical tests. The instrument has proved reliable for the studied population, and the value of Cronbach\'s Alpha obtained was equal to 0.812. Results: Regarding the characterization of the subjects, it was verified that 76.8% were female, 17% were nurses, 19% were nursing assistants and 64% were nursing technicians, consisting of a predominantly adult team. In the dimension of structure, the subjects demonstrated favorable perception of the surgical center\'s aspects related to the acquisition of equipment, the investments in the physical structure and the financial cost to the institution that proposes to participate of an accreditation program. In the dimension of process, the majority acknowledges the admission training and considers that there was a standardization of the practices and conducts of the nursing team and that the nurse supervises the quality process. It was assessed the team\'s participation in the secure surgery protocol, considering the surgeons as the professionals with lower adhesion. Regarding the dimension of result, the participants agreed that the hospital obtained higher visibility after the certification was achieved, that there was an increase in the security provided to the patients and that the indicators are used in the sector\'s management. There was no consensus referring to the increase of punishments in the sector after the accreditation process. In comparing the three dimensions, the result obtained the highest favorability score, average of 47.12 (SD ± 7.23), and the structure obtained the lowest, average of 40.70 (SD ± 5.19), with a statistically significant difference. Conclusions: We hope to contribute with the improvement of the health services, mainly providing an additional source of specific literature of the surgical center. This situational diagnosis will subsidize the restructuring of the vulnerable points assessed in the three dimensions, especially regarding structure, supporting the sector in the purpose of the level II ONA certification

Introdução: O aumento da população idosa é uma realidade em todo o mundo. Investigar Internações e óbitos por Condições Sensíveis à Atenção Primária (CSAP) em idosos traz informações essenciais à prática da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Objetivo: Analisar a evolução temporal das principais causas de internações e óbitos por CSAP de idosos brasileiros no período de 2006 a 2016. Método: Estudo ecológico de série temporal, com utilização de dados do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS) e do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Analisaram-se dados das Autorizações de Internação Hospitalar (AIH) dos hospitais do SUS e ou conveniados, referentes às principais causas de CSAP de idosos brasileiros no período de 2006 a 2016 em todo o país. Os idosos foram subdivididos em dois grupos etários, de 60-79 anos, e ≥80 anos. Foram elencadas as nove causas mais frequente e presentes no início e no fim do período do estudo. O programa Tab para Windows (TABWIN) foi utilizado para as tabulações das variáveis. O programa R Project, versão 3.4.0., e o programa SPSS for Windows, versão 20.0, foram utilizados para as análises estatísticas. O teste de Spearman foi aplicado, para conferir o sentido da tendência, crescente ou decrescente, a força de correlação, e o valor de p<0,05 foi adotado como estatisticamente significativo. Este estudo dispensou apreciação de Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (CEP), por tratar-se de dados de domínio público. Resultados: No período do estudo houve redução no total das internações por CSAP selecionadas, em idosos brasileiros A Insuficiência Cardíaca (IC) foi a causa mais frequente de internação e óbito, contudo apresentou tendência decrescente no período. As internações por Doenças Pulmonares (DPS), as Gastroenterites Infecciosas (GEA) e a Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica (HAS) também apresentaram tendência decrescente. Ao analisar as ICSAP por sexo, verificou-se uma frequência maior entre as idosas para a Diabetes Mellitus (DM), GEA e HAS. Em ambos os grupos etários as internações por Infecções do Trato Urinário (ITU), Doenças Cerebrovasculares (DCV), Angina (AGN), Pneumonias (PNM), DM apresentaram uma tendência crescente, enquanto que as demais (IC, DPS, GEA e HAS) apresentaram tendência decrescente. Óbitos por DM, AGN, ITU e PNM apresentaram aumento durante o tempo. Os óbitos por GEA e Deficiências Nutricionais (DNT) foram as duas causas de óbitos que apresentaram tendência decrescente. Observou- se os óbitos por sexo e a PNM, ITU, DCV, DM, Úlcera Gastrointestinal (UGI), apresentaram tendência crescente, em ambos os grupos, as GEA apresentaram tendência decrescente. As IC, DPS e DNT apresentaram tendência crescente, para os idosos mais velhos, e tendência decrescente em idosos jovens. O total dos dias de permanência obteve aumento no durante o tempo. Considerações Finais: Este estudo indica uma redução no total das ICSAP em idosos. Esses achados podem estar relacionados à ampliação e cuidados mais efetivos prestados pela APS, bem como consolidação do SUS. / Background: Introduction: The increase of the elderly population is a reality all over the world. Investigating hospitalizations and deaths due to Primary Care Sensitive Conditions (CSAP) in the elderly brings information essential to the practice of Primary Health Care (PHC). Objective: To analyze the temporal evolution of the main causes of hospitalizations and deaths by CSAP of Brazilian elderly people from 2006 to 2016. Method: Ecological study of a time series, using data from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian National Health System (DATASUS) and of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Data from the Hospital Hospitalization Authorizations (AIH) of the SUS hospitals and / or contracted, referring to the main causes of CSAP of Brazilian elderly people from 2006 to 2016 in the whole country were analyzed. The elderly were subdivided into two age groups, 60-79 years, and ≥80 years. The nine most frequent and present causes were listed at the beginning and end of the study period. The Tab program for Windows (TABWIN) was used for tabulations of the variables. The R Project program, version 3.4.0., And the SPSS for Windows program, version 20.0, were used for statistical analysis. The Spearman test was applied to check the trend direction, increasing or decreasing, correlation strength, and the value of p <0.05 was adopted as statistically significant. This study exempted the Ethics in Research Committee (CEP) from being public domain data Results: In the study period, there was a reduction in the total hospitalizations for selected CSAP, in Brazilian elderly. Heart Failure (HF) was the most frequent cause of hospitalization and death, but showed a decreasing trend in the period. The hospitalizations for Pulmonary Diseases (DPS), Infectious Gastroenteritis (GEA) and Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) also presented a decreasing trend. When analyzing the ICSAP by sex, there was a higher frequency among the elderly women for Diabetes Mellitus (DM), GEA and SAH. In both age groups hospitalizations for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), Cerebrovascular Diseases (CVD), Angina (AGN), Pneumonias (PNM), DM presented a growing trend, while the others (CI, DPS, GEA and SAH ) showed a decreasing trend. Deaths due to DM, AGN, ITU and PNM increased over time. Deaths by GEA and Nutritional Deficiencies (DNT) were the two causes of deaths that showed a decreasing trend. It was observed the deaths by sex and PNM, ITU, CVD, DM, GI, presented an increasing tendency, in both groups, GEA presented a decreasing trend. CI, DPS and DNT showed an increasing tendency for older adults and a decreasing trend in young adults. The total number of days of stay increased during the time. Conclusion: This study indicates a reduction in total ICSAP in the elderly. These findings may be related to the increase and more effective care provided by the APS, as well as the consolidation of SUS.

Felinos selvagens são importantes reguladores de ecossistema, porém estes animais vem sofrendo uma série de ameaças, entre as quais estão as doenças, o que vem tornando imprescindível o monitoramento da saúde de populações selvagens para compreender a relação natural entre hospedeiros e parasitas e, além disso, para identificar, prevenir e manejar potenciais patógenos e fatores ambientais que possam representar uma ameaça à saúde destes animais. A partir de dados obtidos de nove jaguatiricas saudáveis e três doentes capturadas no Parque Estadual do Rio Doce nos anos de 2012 e 2013, proponho em um dos artigos apresentados nesta tese que, para obter dados mais robustos sobre a saúde de carnívoros neotropicais, sejam avaliados dados clínicos, hematológicos e bioquímicos de animais capturados. Entretanto, para que os animais possam ser avaliados, a captura dos mesmos é imprescindível. Baseada nos resultados e dificuldades obtidos com a captura das jaguatiricas, proponho, no primeiro artigo aqui apresentado, que os métodos de captura de carnívoros neotropicais sejam avaliados e comparados, buscando atender os seguintes critérios: (i) alta eficiência de captura; (ii) alta seletividade; (iii) baixa taxa de lesões; (iv) alta adequabilidade da imobilização; e (v) baixo custo. / Despite the fact that wild felids are considered important ecosystem regulators, these animals have been facing many threats, including diseases. Therefore, the monitoring of wild populations health is crucial to understand the natural relationship between hosts and parasites and, moreover, to identify, prevent and manage potential pathogens and environmental factors that may threat these felids´ health. Based on results from nine healthy ocelots and three ill ocelots captured at Rio Doce State Park in 2012 and 2013, I propose in one of the articles presented in this thesis that, to obtain consistent data on Neotropical carnivores health, the animals should be evaluated through clinical, hematological and serum chemistry data. From the difficulties and results found when capturing the ocelots, I propose, in the first article, that capture methods targeting Neotropical carnivores should be evaluated and compared, aiming the following criteria: (i) High capture efficiency; (ii) High selectivity; (iii) Low injury rate; (iv) High immobilization suitability (safe for the animal, suitable to time to procedures, fast recovery and predictable effects); and (v) Low costs.

A novel structural health assessment (SHA) technique is proposed. It is a finite element-based time domain nonlinear system identification technique. The procedure is developed in two stages to incorporate several desirable features and increase its implementation potential. First, a weighted global iteration with an objective function is introduced in the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) procedure in order to obtain stable, convergent, and optimal solution. Furthermore, it also improves the capability of the UKF procedure to identify a large structural system using only a short duration of responses measured at a limited number of dynamic degrees of freedom (DDOFs). The combined procedure is denoted as unscented Kalman filter with weighted global iteration (UKF-WGI). Then, UKF-WGI is integrated with iterative least-squares with unknown input (ILS-UI) in order to increase its implementation potential. The substructure concept is also incorporated in the procedure. The integrated procedure is denoted as unscented Kalman filter with unknown input and weighted global iteration (UKF-UI-WGI). The two most important features of the method are that it does not need information on input excitation and uses only limited number of noise-contaminated response information to identify structural systems. Also, the method is able to identify the defects at the local element level by tracking the changes in the stiffness of the structural elements in the finite element representation. The UKF-UI-WGI procedure is implemented in two stages. In Stage 1, based on the location of input excitation, the substructure is selected. Using only responses at all DDOFs in the substructure, ILS-UI can identify the input excitation time-histories, stiffness parameters of all the elements in the substructure, and two Rayleigh damping coefficients. The outcomes of the first stage are necessary to initiate UKF-WGI. Using the information from Stage 1, the stiffness parameters of all the elements in the structure are identified using UKF-WGI in Stage 2. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure, health assessment of relatively large structural systems is presented. Small and relatively large defects are introduced at different locations in the structure and the capability of the method to detect the health of the structure is examined. The optimum number and location of measured responses are also investigated. It is demonstrated that the method is capable of identifying defect-free and defective states of the structures using minimum information. Furthermore, it can locate defect spot within a defective element accurately. The comparative studies are also conducted between the proposed methods and available methods in the literature. First, it is between the UKF-WGI and extended Kalman filter with weighted global iteration (EKF-WGI) procedure. Then, it is between UKF-UI-WGI and generalized iterative least-squares extended Kalman filter with unknown input (GILS-EKF-UI) procedure, developed earlier by the research team. It is demonstrated that the proposed UKF-based procedures are superior to the EKF-based procedures for SHA.

Introdução: O aumento da população idosa é uma realidade em todo o mundo. Investigar Internações e óbitos por Condições Sensíveis à Atenção Primária (CSAP) em idosos traz informações essenciais à prática da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Objetivo: Analisar a evolução temporal das principais causas de internações e óbitos por CSAP de idosos brasileiros no período de 2006 a 2016. Método: Estudo ecológico de série temporal, com utilização de dados do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS) e do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Analisaram-se dados das Autorizações de Internação Hospitalar (AIH) dos hospitais do SUS e ou conveniados, referentes às principais causas de CSAP de idosos brasileiros no período de 2006 a 2016 em todo o país. Os idosos foram subdivididos em dois grupos etários, de 60-79 anos, e ≥80 anos. Foram elencadas as nove causas mais frequente e presentes no início e no fim do período do estudo. O programa Tab para Windows (TABWIN) foi utilizado para as tabulações das variáveis. O programa R Project, versão 3.4.0., e o programa SPSS for Windows, versão 20.0, foram utilizados para as análises estatísticas. O teste de Spearman foi aplicado, para conferir o sentido da tendência, crescente ou decrescente, a força de correlação, e o valor de p<0,05 foi adotado como estatisticamente significativo. Este estudo dispensou apreciação de Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (CEP), por tratar-se de dados de domínio público. Resultados: No período do estudo houve redução no total das internações por CSAP selecionadas, em idosos brasileiros A Insuficiência Cardíaca (IC) foi a causa mais frequente de internação e óbito, contudo apresentou tendência decrescente no período. As internações por Doenças Pulmonares (DPS), as Gastroenterites Infecciosas (GEA) e a Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica (HAS) também apresentaram tendência decrescente. Ao analisar as ICSAP por sexo, verificou-se uma frequência maior entre as idosas para a Diabetes Mellitus (DM), GEA e HAS. Em ambos os grupos etários as internações por Infecções do Trato Urinário (ITU), Doenças Cerebrovasculares (DCV), Angina (AGN), Pneumonias (PNM), DM apresentaram uma tendência crescente, enquanto que as demais (IC, DPS, GEA e HAS) apresentaram tendência decrescente. Óbitos por DM, AGN, ITU e PNM apresentaram aumento durante o tempo. Os óbitos por GEA e Deficiências Nutricionais (DNT) foram as duas causas de óbitos que apresentaram tendência decrescente. Observou- se os óbitos por sexo e a PNM, ITU, DCV, DM, Úlcera Gastrointestinal (UGI), apresentaram tendência crescente, em ambos os grupos, as GEA apresentaram tendência decrescente. As IC, DPS e DNT apresentaram tendência crescente, para os idosos mais velhos, e tendência decrescente em idosos jovens. O total dos dias de permanência obteve aumento no durante o tempo. Considerações Finais: Este estudo indica uma redução no total das ICSAP em idosos. Esses achados podem estar relacionados à ampliação e cuidados mais efetivos prestados pela APS, bem como consolidação do SUS. / Background: Introduction: The increase of the elderly population is a reality all over the world. Investigating hospitalizations and deaths due to Primary Care Sensitive Conditions (CSAP) in the elderly brings information essential to the practice of Primary Health Care (PHC). Objective: To analyze the temporal evolution of the main causes of hospitalizations and deaths by CSAP of Brazilian elderly people from 2006 to 2016. Method: Ecological study of a time series, using data from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian National Health System (DATASUS) and of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Data from the Hospital Hospitalization Authorizations (AIH) of the SUS hospitals and / or contracted, referring to the main causes of CSAP of Brazilian elderly people from 2006 to 2016 in the whole country were analyzed. The elderly were subdivided into two age groups, 60-79 years, and ≥80 years. The nine most frequent and present causes were listed at the beginning and end of the study period. The Tab program for Windows (TABWIN) was used for tabulations of the variables. The R Project program, version 3.4.0., And the SPSS for Windows program, version 20.0, were used for statistical analysis. The Spearman test was applied to check the trend direction, increasing or decreasing, correlation strength, and the value of p <0.05 was adopted as statistically significant. This study exempted the Ethics in Research Committee (CEP) from being public domain data Results: In the study period, there was a reduction in the total hospitalizations for selected CSAP, in Brazilian elderly. Heart Failure (HF) was the most frequent cause of hospitalization and death, but showed a decreasing trend in the period. The hospitalizations for Pulmonary Diseases (DPS), Infectious Gastroenteritis (GEA) and Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) also presented a decreasing trend. When analyzing the ICSAP by sex, there was a higher frequency among the elderly women for Diabetes Mellitus (DM), GEA and SAH. In both age groups hospitalizations for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), Cerebrovascular Diseases (CVD), Angina (AGN), Pneumonias (PNM), DM presented a growing trend, while the others (CI, DPS, GEA and SAH ) showed a decreasing trend. Deaths due to DM, AGN, ITU and PNM increased over time. Deaths by GEA and Nutritional Deficiencies (DNT) were the two causes of deaths that showed a decreasing trend. It was observed the deaths by sex and PNM, ITU, CVD, DM, GI, presented an increasing tendency, in both groups, GEA presented a decreasing trend. CI, DPS and DNT showed an increasing tendency for older adults and a decreasing trend in young adults. The total number of days of stay increased during the time. Conclusion: This study indicates a reduction in total ICSAP in the elderly. These findings may be related to the increase and more effective care provided by the APS, as well as the consolidation of SUS.