According to the National Drug Policy one of the health services objectives is to ensure the availability and accessibility of essential drugs to all citizens. An economic objective of the same policy is to promote the cost-effective and rational use of drugs (Department of Health, 1996). Currently, there is no system to scientifically determine the usage of medicines in the public sector and whether the current usage is satisfactory enough (John, 2004:2). The World Health Organization states that "good drug supply management is an essential component of effective and affordable health care services globally (World Health Organization, 1998:1). In the South African context, even though the Essential Drug List helps health care professionals to treat diseases in the public sector, it does not prescribe the minimum guidelines for medicine supply systems (Department of Health, 2006a). The general objective of this study was to develop a therapeutic medicine budget model in a district hospital in the public sector of the North-West Province to control medicine usage. This can be done after analysing the medicine usage patterns and then developing a framework for therapeutic budgeting by evaluating appropriate systems, i.e. the International Code for Disease (ICD-10) classification system, with the therapeutic budget model framework. Retrospective drug utilisation of six months (January 2007 until June 2007) was documented. A random sample population of 25% was selected (n = 1 494). After the data collection period of 9 weeks, the actual study population was only 18.67% (only 1 166 of the 1 494 patients files had a medicine history). All the medicine items prescribed were classified in the therapeutic budget model. Patient confidentially was assured by using a unique pin number on the survey form, so that no names of patients or other biographical details were collected from the patient files onto the survey form, which is in line with the requirements of the Ethics Committee approval conditions for the North-West University. The total number of medicine items dispensed during the study period was 11 768. The average cost per medicine item was R19.36 ± 86.79 for inpatients. The total number of consultations was 3 220. The average number of medicine items per consultation was 3.66 ± 1.98. The total cost of medicine items during the study period was R244 677.11. The average medicine cost per consultation for inpatients was R70.80 ± 177.72. The top three budget groups according to frequency represented 68.11% of all medicine used according to budget groups. The top three pharmacological groups according to total cost represented 61.68% of the total cost of pharmacological groups. The top three therapeutic codes according to frequency represented 18.75% of all therapeutic codes. The top three ICD-10 codes based on total cost represented 59.35% of all medical conditions diagnosed. The total hospital budget for 2007 was predicted at R3 276 750.00. Of this budget, 75% was for pharmaceuticals (R2 457 562.50). The total pharmaceutical medicine cost (excluding surgicals) from the study was R224 677.11 (this was for 18.67% of the total patient visits for six months) which can be calculated at R2 406 824.96 for all patients visits in a full year. The correlation between the actual budget and the projected budget showed a R50 737.54 surplus in the budget of the hospital. A therapeutic budget model can also help in achieving the following: • Proper preparation and planning of budgetary policies in a phased manner based on scientific evidence; • Evaluation of budgetary compliance, cost-efficiency of therapy and standard treatment guidelines (STG) / Essential Drug List (EDL) / formulary compliance; • Better procurement strategies based on demand, expenditure and inventory control; and • Better delivery and maintenance of quality health care by evaluating operational and clinical policies. The therapeutic budget model is a more appropriate manner to use in the projections of budgets and medicine usage. The scope of a therapeutic budget model to be implemented in the hospitals in the public sector of the North-West Province seems to be promising. / Thesis (M. Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M. Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:49:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMS.pdf: 1818780 bytes, checksum: 7b414877086b02e1714122ec5f260ad2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-12-19 / The role of the agribusiness has been extremely important in the context of the Brazilian production in terms of both economic values and employment generation. However, the agribusiness specific characteristics have not been sufficiently considered in the literature and even in the development of Production Planning and Control Systems. This thesis is an attempt to fulfill this lack. Two basic aspects were taken into consideration. First, the thesis provides a classification system that allows for identifying those enterprises according to their special characteristics. Second, the architecture of a Planning and Control System is proposed in order to address the main needs of agri-industries, which are dedicated to the raw material splitting up, such as slaughterhouses and mills. In that architecture, it is particularly taken into account demand forecasting and raw material availability restriction. Also, a rule of master production scheduling have been built taking into consideration the simultaneous generation of co-products, which can or not to be immediately needed. / A agroindústria tem-se mostrado um segmento extremamente importante no contexto produtivo, particularmente no Brasil, seja em relação aos valores econômicos envolvidos, seja na geração de empregos diretos e indiretos. Entretanto, suas peculiaridades não têm sido suficientemente consideradas na literatura e mesmo no desenvolvimento de sistemas de Planejamento e Controle da Produção. Assim, esse trabalho visa resgatar essas preocupações, contribuindo basicamente em dois aspectos. O primeiro é a constituição de um sistema de classificação que permite identificar esses empreendimentos segundo suas particulares características constitutivas. O segundo é a proposição de uma arquitetura para o sistema de Planejamento e Controle da Produção, voltado para as principais necessidades da parcela de empreendimentos agroindustriais dedicados ao fracionamento da matéria-prima alimentar, tais como abatedouros e moageiras. Nessa arquitetura é particularmente destacada a preocupação com a previsão de demanda, associada à restrição de disponibilidade da matéria-prima, bem como a constituição do programa mestre de produção, considerando a geração simultânea de coprodutos, que podem ou não ser imediatamente desejados.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:50:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4781.pdf: 3152433 bytes, checksum: cf35b78a642a798abac8d8e2148f7a0d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-13 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Brazil is the largest world coffee producer and exporter. The crop arrived in the country in the colonial period, in the mid-seventeenth century, and during much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was the Brazilian main export product. Brazil produces coffees of different qualities. In raw grain status, the product is traded after being benefited in the farms or cooperatives of farmers. Each lot of green coffee receives a respective commercial description according to the Brazilian official classification. This instrument coordinates the product domestic market serving as orientation for the pricing on transactions and hence for the remuneration of farmers and cooperatives. The problem is that the classification is based mainly on the type indicator, which is a quantifier of physical defects observed in the samples. Thus, the real quality of the beans is underprivileged, generating uncertainty in transactions, opportunism, and problems of adverse selection, also hindering the grower to earn income by quality. The research studied the triple inter-relationship between the classification system, the quality attributes required by industry and the payment to the grower. Thirteen stakeholders of the production chain comprised the object of study: five cooperatives located in the main Brazilian coffee regions, five roasters associated with them, and three intermediary companies (traders) located in the region of Hamburg, Germany. The studied cases showed that the problem is partially solved by the cooperatives through the use of alternative classification systems. These systems provide fairer remuneration to the grower and better highlight the qualities of the lots to their customers (intermediaries or industry). The restructuring of the classification system, therefore, appears to be potentially able to redirect the payment system and to bring economic benefit to the productive sector. In the results the research presents a proposal of classification system for green coffee, built from the empirical data. / O Brasil é o maior produtor e exportador mundial de café. A cultura chegou ao país ainda no período colonial, em meados do século XVII, e durante boa parte dos séculos XIX e XX foi o principal produto da pauta de exportação. O Brasil produz cafés de diferentes qualidades. Em estado grão cru, o produto é comercializado após ter sido beneficiado nas propriedades rurais ou cooperativas de cafeicultores. Cada lote de café beneficiado recebe uma respectiva descrição comercial, fornecida segundo a classificação oficial brasileira (COB). Este instrumento coordena o mercado interno do produto, servindo de orientação para a precificação nas transações e, consequentemente, para a remuneração de cafeicultores e cooperativas. O problema é que a classificação baseia-se fundamentalmente no indicador tipo, que é um quantificador dos defeitos físicos encontrados nas amostras. Desse modo, a real qualidade dos grãos é desprivilegiada, gerando incerteza nas transações, oportunismo e problemas de seleção adversa, além de dificultar ao produtor auferir renda pela qualidade. A pesquisa estudou a tríplice inter-relação existente entre o sistema de classificação, os atributos de qualidade requeridos pela indústria e a remuneração do produto ao cafeicultor. Treze agentes da cadeia produtiva compuseram o objeto de estudo: cinco cooperativas localizadas nas principais regiões cafeeiras do país; cinco torrefadoras a elas associadas; e três empresas intermediárias (traders) localizadas na região de Hamburgo, na Alemanha. Os casos estudados mostraram que o problema é parcialmente contornado pelas cooperativas por meio do uso de sistemas classificatórios alternativos. Além de possibilitarem uma remuneração mais justa ao cafeicultor, esses sistemas evidenciam melhor as qualidades dos lotes a seus clientes (agentes intermediários ou indústria). A reestruturação do sistema classificatório, portanto, revela-se potencialmente capaz de reorientar o sistema de pagamento e trazer benefício econômico ao setor produtivo. Ao final do estudo, apresenta-se uma proposta de sistema classificatório para o café beneficiado, construída a partir do tratamento dos dados empíricos.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most frequent neurodevelopmental deseases. The brain lesion may disturb upper extremity functioning in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This thesis aims to create a therapeutic program focused on movability of upper limbs in school-aged children with CP and and verify the efficiency of this therapeutic program. Another goal is to consider the applicability of the Jebsen Taylor Test of Hand Function for assessment of hand function in children with CP. The theoretical part deals elaborately with cerebral palsy, therapeutic interventions in children with CP and its efficiency according to the evidence based medicine. This part also deals with standardized assassment tools and pays close attention to the Jebsen Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTTHF) and the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS). The practical part presents six case studies of children with cerebral palsy who attended the occupational therapy three times a week over three weeks. The created therapeutic program includes three areas focused on the bimanual training, grips and grafomotorics. This program was appropriate for four of six children patients. The program was too hard for children with quadruparesis classified as MACS IV. The other children were classified as MACS II. The efficiency of...

A permeabilidade através do epitélio intestinal tem se tornado um importante aspecto a ser determinado nas avaliações biofarmacotécnicas envolvendo fármacos e medicamentos. A técnica mais empregada para essa determinação in vitro é aquela que utiliza a cultura de células Caco-2. Entretanto, ainda são discutíveis as condições para a realização desses experimentos, uma vez que a padronização das mesmas é fator fundamental para a confiabilidade dos resultados. Nesta tese, foram avaliadas as condições para realização dos estudos de permeabilidade através de membranas de células Caco-2 para a rifampicina, principal fármaco utilizado no tratamento da tuberculose. Para tanto, foram investigados fatores tais como a citotoxicidade da rifampicina em diferentes concentrações, a influência da concentração do fármaco sobre a permeabilidade, do pH de realização dos experimentos e da presença de proteínas do muco intestinal, além da influência de proteínas plasmáticas. Foi também investigado o potencial indutor da rifampicina sobre a expressão da glicoproteína-P (Pgp) e seu impacto na permeabilidade da própria rifampicina. Os estudos foram desenvolvidos utilizando membranas de células Caco-2 provenientes da American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) cultivadas em placas Transwel®, a quantificação da fração permeada foi por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com métodos validados. A análise da indução da expressão da Pgp foi realizada por PCR-RT. Demonstrou-se que as concentrações da rifampicina (10,0; 25,0 e 50,0 µg/mL) não ocasionaram danos às células Caco-2 no estudo de citotoxicidade pela técnica que emprega o sal do brometo de 3-(4,5-dimetil-2-tiazoli)-2,5-difenil-2H-tetrazólio (MTT). As concentrações de rifampicina (5,0; 10,0 e 25,0 µg/mL) não resultaram em valores estatisticamente diferentes de permeabilidade aparente (Papp) em células Caco-2 nas condições do estudo. A rifampicina apresentou valor de Papp significativamente maior em pH 6,8 dentre os valores de pH avaliados (5,8 ; 6,8; 7,4). A presença de muco simulado e de soro fetal bovino não resultou em valores de permeabilidade significativamente distintos do resultado obtido sem a sua adição ao experimento. A expressão da Pgp em células Caco-2 é induzida pela adição da rifampicina (10µg/mL), ocasionando diminuição da sua permeabilidade por mecanismo de efluxo. Pelos resultados de permeabilidade obtidos em todas as condições avaliadas, a rifampicina pode ser considerada um fármaco de alta permeabilidade de acordo com o Sistema de Classificação Biofarmacêutica. / The permeability through the intestinal epithelium has become an important aspect to be determined in evaluations involving drugs and pharmaceutical products. The most common technique for this determination in vitro is one that uses the culture of Caco-2 cells. Nevertheless, the conditions for carrying out such experiments are still questionable, since the standardization of them is essential to the reliability of the results. In this thesis, we evaluate the conditions for the studies of permeability of rifampicin through membranes of Caco-2 cells, the main drug used in the treatment of tuberculosis. To this end, we examined factors such as cytotoxicity of rifampicin at different concentrations, the influence of drug concentration on the permeability, as well as the pH of the experiments, the presence of proteins of intestinal mucus, and the influence of plasma proteins. It was also investigated the potential of rifampicin on the expression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and its impact on the permeability of rifampicin itself. The studies were developed using membranes of Caco-2 cells from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) grown on plates Transwel®, and the quantification of the fraction of drug permeated was obtained by high performance liquid chromatography with validated methods. The analysis of induction of expression of Pgp was performed by RT-PCR. It was demonstrated that the concentrations of rifampicin (10,0; 25,0 and 50,0 µg/mL) did not cause damage to Caco-2 cells in the study of the cytotoxicity technique that uses a bromide salt of 3 - (4,5-dimethyl-2 - thiazol) -2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium (MTT). The concentrations of rifampicin (5,0; 10,0 and 25,0 &#181g/mL) did not result in statistically different values of apparent permeability (Papp) in Caco-2 cells under the conditions of the study. Rifampicin showed a value of Papp significantly higher at pH 6.8 in comparison with other measured pH values (5,8 and 7,4). The presence of mucus simulated and fetal calf serum did not result in permeability values significantly different from the result obtained without its addition to the experiment. The expression of P-gp in Caco-2 cells is induced by the addition of rifampicin (10 µg/ml), decreasing its permeability by efflux mechanism. Taking into account the results of permeability obtained in all conditions, the rifampicin can be considered a high permeability drug according to the biopharmaceutical classification system.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 raqueldeoliveiramartinsfernandes.pdf: 2255079 bytes, checksum: c9eea3a9464dcd1ce35930aa7d91e868 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-07 / A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar as relações interpessoais no acolhimento ao usuário na classificação de risco sob a percepção dos enfermeiros das Unidades de Pronto Atendimento de uma cidade mineira. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva de abordagem qualitativa na qual a análise de dados será operacionalizada à luz da hermenêutica dialética. O cenário da pesquisa foram duas unidades de pronto atendimento denominadas “Norte” e “Oeste” de uma cidade mineira. As mesmas utilizam o Sistema de Triagem de Manchester como sistema de acolhimento e classificação de risco. A população-alvo envolveu 17 enfermeiros referentes às duas Unidades de Pronto Atendimento, dos quais sete eram locados na UPA “A” e dez na UPA “B”. Os dados foram coletados por meio das seguintes técnicas: a ambiência, a observação participante, o diário de campo e a entrevista semiestruturada, realizadas no período de 21 a 28 de setembro de 2016. A análise de dados foi operacionalizada à luz da hermenêutica dialética. Foram identificadas as seguintes categorias: o processo do trabalho do enfermeiro na classificação de risco na UPA; percebendo as relações interpessoais com o usuário no processo de acolhimento com classificação de risco e, por fim, fatores limitantes às relações interpessoais no atendimento ao usuário no serviço de urgência e emergência: encontros e desencontros entre o pensar e o fazer. Por meio delas, identificou-se a importância da certificação dos enfermeiros no protocolo Sistema de Triagem Manchester para o bom andamento do processo; a importância do enfermeiro enquanto influenciador da dinâmica dos Serviços de Urgência e Emergência; a atuação do enfermeiro no ACR (Acolhimento com Classificação de Risco) ascende à humanização da assistência; o enfermeiro se vê em uma tentativa de superação do modelo biomédico ao priorizar as relações interpessoais neste contexto; a presença do técnico de enfermagem contribui para uma assistência humanizada; os enfermeiros compreendem e valorizam as relações interpessoais com o usuário, seu par profissional, equipe multidisciplinar e demais trabalhadores; os enfermeiros procuram desenvolver as relações interpessoais por meio de valores como cooperação. Percebeu-se também que sentimentos como respeito e confiança contribuem para qualidade da assistência e que a proximidade emocional, instrumentalizada pela comunicação e escuta qualificada, é fundamental para o desenvolvimento das relações interpessoais. Foram apontados como fatores limitantes às relações interpessoais: o tempo; a superlotação por conta da baixa resolubilidade da Atenção Primária; a insatisfação dos usuários quanto ao STM por desconhecimento de seus objetivos; os conflitos entre médicos e enfermeiros, que impactam a assistência ao paciente. Nenhuma entrevista foi mencionada como “acolhimento”. Conclui-se que, apesar dos SUEs se constituírem em locais de grandes contradições, há de se pensar na importância das relações interpessoais como instrumento catalizador na ação do enfermeiro ao iniciar um processo de transformação no pensar e agir em saúde. E, por fim, acreditando-se que pequenas ações podem transformar contextos, sentimentos, significados e prática, sugere-se um futuro estudo de pesquisa-ação que se beneficie do material desta pesquisa de forma a contribuir para um novo olhar ao ACR. / The present research has the objective of analyzing interpersonal relations with users on receiving in risk classification under nurses’ perception within the Prompt Help Units (Unidades de Pronto Atendimento – UPA) in a city located in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This is a descriptive research with a qualitative approach which data analysis shall be operated under a dialectic hermeneutics view. The scenario for the research was two prompt help units named “north” and “west” in a city in Minas Gerais. They use the Manchester Tracking System as receiving and risk classification system. The target population involved 17 nurses from both Prompt Help Units, from which 7 nurses were located in UPA “A” and 10 located in UPA “B”. Data were collected through the following techniques: environment, participating observation, field diary and semi-structured interviews that took place from September 21 through 28, 2016. Data analysis was operated through dialectic hermeneutics. The following characteristics were identified: nurses’ working process in risk classification at the UPA; perceiving interpersonal relations with users in the receiving process with risk classification and, finally, limiting factors within interpersonal relations on helping users at the urgency and emergency service: matches and mismatches between what is thought and what is done. Through these it was the importance of nurses’ certification within the Manchester Tracking System protocol for good development at the process; the importance of nurses as influencer of the Urgency and Emergency Services; acting of nurses on receiving with risk classification goes toward assistance humanization; nurses see themselves in an attempt to surpass the biomedical model when they prioritize interpersonal relations in this context; presence of a nursing technician contributes for humanized assistance; nurses understand and value interpersonal relations with users, their professional peers multidisciplinary teams and other workers; nurses also try to develop interpersonal values through values like cooperation. It was also perceived that feelings like respect and trust contribute for assistance quality and that emotional proximity, instrumented by qualified listening and communication, is fundamental for developing interpersonal relations. Limiting factors found were: time; overcrowding due to poor effectiveness of Primary Attention; users’ unsatisfaction with STM due to their unawareness of their objective; conflicts between doctors and nurses that impact assistance to patients. None of the interviews was mentioned as “receiving”. We conclude that, although the SUEs are places with lots of contradictions, we must ponder on the importance of interpersonal relations as a catalyzing instrument in nurses’ action on starting a thought and action transformation in the health field. And finally, by believing that small actions can transform contexts, feelings, meanings and practices we suggest a future action-research study benefitting from the material within this research in order to contribute for a new look at receiving with risk calculation.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:33:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_gabriel_franke_brixner.pdf: 2402163 bytes, checksum: 701d885a41fab3e10bd6ac8fd53776cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-26 / The climatic characterization of the producing regions with potential for vitiviniculture becomes a demand of modern viticulture. Among the new frontiers of modern viticulture it is highlighted the Campanha region located in Rio Grande do Sul, being driven for presenting soil and climatic conditions favorable for growing grapes vines. This new culture lacks studies of interference of climatic conditions in the development of the plants in the region. The dissertation aims to characterize the suitability of the climate of the region Campaign of Rio Grande do Sul for viticulture. The work was divided into three chapters, the first being a study on the estimation of the evapotranspiration by different methods and its application in the Dryness Index (DI) for the municipalities of Campanha, aiming to identify alternatives methods to the standard one (Penman-Monteith) used in the DI. In the second chapter, it was performed the climatic characterization of the region through the Geoviticulture Multicriteria Climatic Classification System, aiming to identify the thermal and hydric availability of the municipalities of the region under study. In the third chapter, it was held a study of the risk of frost and the duration of phenological subperiods of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Campanha region. In these chapters, we used daily meteorological data, the period from 1961 to 2010, for Alegrete, Bagé, Quaraí, São Gabriel, Santana do Livramento and Uruguaiana as availability of municipalities. It was found that the Thornthwaite, Camargo, Makkink and Blaney-Criddle methods present optimal performance in estimation of the evapotranspiration compared to standard when the using it with DI. It was used the Thornthwaite method for the estimation of the evapotranspiration throughout the Campanha, allowing to analyze a longer period of DI in the region, being this class of the wet type, having hydric availability for cultivation. The index of night cold is of the class of temperate nights in Campanha, however there are variations among municipalities, months and years analyzed. Regarding the heliothermal index, Uruguaiana is of the very hot kind and the other municipalities are of the hot kind, having high thermal availability, combined with climatic conditions that favor the ripening of the grapes with satisfactory condition for winemaking. Regarding the risk of frost, Uruguaiana and São Gabriel in early September have low risk of frost formation at 5% level, while in the other municipalities the last date occurs in early October, characterized as spring frosts. It is also possible to see that Cabernet Sauvignon showed variations in the total number of days in relation to sprouting periods, as well as between municipalities Campaign. / A caracterização climática de regiões produtoras com potencial para a vitivinicultura torna-se uma demanda da viticultura moderna. Dentre as novas fronteiras da viticultura destaca-se a região da Campanha localizada no Rio Grande do Sul, impulsionada por apresentar condições edafoclimáticas favoráveis ao cultivo de videiras viníferas. Trata-se de uma cultura nova que carece de estudos sobre a interferência das condições climáticas no desenvolvimento das plantas na região. A dissertação objetiva caracterizar a aptidão climática da região da Campanha do Rio Grande do Sul para a viticultura. O trabalho foi dividido em três capítulos, sendo o primeiro um estudo sobre a estimativa da evapotranspiração por diferentes métodos e sua aplicação no Índice de Seca (IS) para os municípios da Campanha, objetivando identificar métodos alternativos ao método padrão (Penman-Monteith) empregado no IS. No segundo capítulo, foi realizada a caracterização climática da região por meio do Sistema CCM Geovitícola, visando identificar a disponibilidade térmica e hídrica dos municípios da região. No terceiro capítulo, foi realizado um estudo do risco de geada e duração dos subperíodos fenológicos da Cabernet Sauvignon na região da Campanha. Nestes três capítulos, foram utilizados dados meteorológicos diários, do período de 1961 a 2010, para Alegrete, Bagé, Quaraí, São Gabriel, Santana do Livramento e Uruguaiana, conforme disponibilidade dos municípios. Constatou-se que os métodos Thornthwaite, Camargo, Makkink, Blaney- Criddle apresentam desempenho ótimo, na estimativa da evapotranspiração em relação ao padrão, quando empregado ao IS. Foi utilizado o método de Thornthwaite para estimativa da evapotranspiração em toda Campanha, possibilitando analisar um período maior do IS na região, sendo este da classe do tipo úmido, apresentando disponibilidade hídrica para o cultivo. O índice de frio noturno é da classe de noites temperadas, porém observa-se variações entre os municípios, meses e anos analisados. Quanto ao índice heliotérmico, Uruguaiana é do tipo muito quente e os demais municípios do tipo quente, apresentando elevada disponibilidade térmica, aliada a condições climáticas que propiciam a maturação das uvas com condições satisfatórias para vinificação. Quanto ao risco de geada, Uruguaiana e São Gabriel no início de setembro apresentam baixo risco de formação de geada ao nível de 5%, enquanto que nos demais a última data ocorre no início de outubro, caracterizando-se como geadas primaveris. É também possível constatar que a Cabernet Sauvignon apresentou variações no número total de dias em relação às épocas de brotação, bem como, entre os municípios da Campanha.

The main purpose of the natural immune system is to protect the body against any unwanted foreign cells that could infect the body and lead to devastating results. The nature immune system has different lymphocytes to detect and destroy these unwanted foreign patterns. The natural immune system can be modeled into an artificial immune system that can be used to detect any unwanted patterns in a non-biological environment. One of the main tasks of an immune system is to learn the structure of these unwanted patterns for a faster response to future foreign patterns with the same or similar structure. The artificial immune system (AIS) can therefore be seen as a pattern recognition system. The AIS contains artificial lymphocytes (ALC) that classify any pattern either as part of a predetermined set of patterns or not. In the immune system, lymphocytes have different states: Immature, Mature, Memory or Annihilated. Lymphocytes in the annihilated state needs to be removed from the active set of ALCs. The process of moving from one state to the next needs to be controlled in an efficient manner. This dissertation presents an AIS for detection of unwanted patterns with a dynamical active set of ALCs and proposes a threshold function to determine the state of an ALC. The AIS in the dissertation uses evolutionary computation techniques to evolve an optimal set of lymphocytes for better detection of unwanted patterns and removes ALCs in the annihilated state from the active set of ALCs. / Dissertation (MSc (Computer Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Computer Science / unrestricted

The following thesis aims to account for and describe the variations of perceptions that public librarians have regarding user-friendliness of the classification systems that are used in Swedish public libraries. How user-friendliness and the classification systems are perceived are examined to understand how the librarians might connect these two together.  The thesis is based on the qualitive research methodology of phenomenography which is a method used in order to create an understanding of the variations of perceptions of a phenomenon. The phenomenographic method is applied by using qualitative interviews. For this study eight public librarians in the Stockholm region have been interviewed. The interviews were conducted in a phenomenographic manner and were set out to be a dialogue between the interviewer and the interviewee. All the libraries in the study are currently working in the SAB classification system. The study shows that there are a variation of different perceptions of user-friendliness and the classification systems. One perception that is found is that SAB is not user-friendly because of the lack of logic within the system and it is a common impression that users find the system confusing. A perception also states that SAB is “a dead system”, referring to the fact that SAB no longer is updated. The perception means that in time, SAB will not be a useable system. Another perception contradicts the first one and says that SAB is a system that users usually understand to a certain degree. The users have the capability to operate within the system to find literature they seek but as they submerge deeper into the systems hierarchy most users usually get confused. Another perception is that the connection between user-friendliness and classification systems is not of importance. This perception proclaims that user-friendliness can be achieved by working with signage and shelf placement instead. The study also shows that there is a gap between how the librarians perceive the classification systems and how they imagine their users perceiving them. This is shown in the lack of dialogue between users and librarians. A common perception among the librarians is that they have what they call a “home blindness” concerning the classification systems. This statement is made referring to the fact that librarians work within these systems day by day and easily forgets to reflect on the difficulties that a first-time user might face as they try to understand the systems.