Habilitacijos procedūrai teikiamoje mokslo darbų apžvalgoje apibendrinama Vilniaus universiteto Širdies ir kraujagyslių ligų klinikoje taikyto sunkaus širdies nepakankamumo gydymo patirtis. Įrodytas intraaortinės kontrapulsacijos balionėliu taikymo tikslingumas pacientams su dekompensuota dilatacine kardiomiopatija. Įvertintas dirbtinių skilvelių, kaip tilto į transplantaciją ar likimo terapiją efektyvumas. Nustatyta, kaip techniniai dirbtinių skilvelių pakeitimai gali daryti įtaką gydymo rezultatams. Ištirtas dirbtinių skilvelių poveikis recipiento imuninei sistemai prieš ir po transplantacijos. Apžvelgti alternatyvūs širdies transplantacijai chirurginiai gydymo metodai. Pasiūlyta originali modifikuotos labirinto operacijos technika, įvertintas jos saugumas, efektyvumas ir galimybė derinti su kitomis širdies operacijomis. Prognozuojamos ateities tendencijos labai sunkiam širdies nepakankamumui gydyti. Šiame darbe remiamasi kartu su bendraautoriais atliktų tyrimų 2001-2009 m. rezultatais. Autorius visuose apžvelgiamuose tyrimuose dalyvavo tiesiogiai, kaip padalinio, kuriame gydomi pacientai su labai sunkiu širdies nepakankamumu, vadovas ir kaip chirurgas. Remiantis publikuota medžiaga buvo daryti pranešimai ir Lietuvoje, ir užsienyje. / The experience of treatment of end-stage heart failure cumulated at Vilnius University Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic is provided for habilitation procedure. The experience of intraaortic balloon counterpulsation for the patients suffering from decompensated dilatative cardiomyopathy has been proven. The efficacy of artificial ventricular assist devices as a bridge to transplantation or destination therapy has been evaluated. The role of technical modifications of ventricular assist devices for the outcomes of treatment has been assessed. The impact of assist devices on the immune status of the patient pre- and post-transplantation has also been evaluated. The alternative methods of treatment instead of heart transplantation are reviewed. The original technique of modified maze procedure is proposed; the safety, efficacy and possibilities of combining this technique with other heart operations are assessed. The future trends for treatment of end-stage heart failure are predicted. This study is based on the investigations performed with co-authors during the period since 2001 to 2009. The author has participated directly in all reviewed investigations as the head of the department where patients suffering from end-stage heart failure are being treated and as well as a surgeon. The reports based on the published material have been presented in Lithuania and abroad.

L'insuffisance cardiaque est une maladie à grande incidence dont le traitement définitif est difficile. Les pompes d'assistance ventriculaire ont été proposées comme thérapie alternative à long terme, mais la technologie est relativement jeune et selon son design, axial ou centrifuge, le dispositif favorise soit l'hémolyse, soit la stagnation de l'écoulement sanguin. Les pompes à écoulement mixte, combinant certaines propriétés des deux types, ont été proposées comme solution intermédiaire. Pour évaluer leurs performances, nous avons effectué des comparaisons numériques entre huit pompes, deux axiales, deux centrifuges, et quatre mixtes, en employant un modèle Windkessel du système cardiovasculaire avec paramètres optimisés pour l'insuffisance cardiaque résolu avec une méthode Radau IIA3, une méthode de résolution de système d'équations différentielles ordinaires L-stable appartenant à la famille des méthodes Runge-Kutta implicites. Nos résultats semblent suggérer que les pompes d'assistance mixtes ne démontrent qu'un léger avantage comparativement aux autres types en terme de performance optimale dans le cas de l'insuffisance cardiaque, mais il faudrait effectuer plus d'essais numériques avec un modèle plus complet, entre autres avec contrôles nerveux implémentés. / Heart failure is a disease with a high incidence rate that is difficult to treat definitively. Ventricular assist devices have been proposed as alternative long-term therapeutic options, but the technology is fairly recent and depending on the design, axial or centrifugal, the device will favor hemolysis or blood flow stagnation. Mixed flow devices, which combine properties of the two previous types, have therefore been proposed as intermediate solutions. To evaluate their performance, we did a numerical comparison between eight pumps (two axial, two centrifugal, and four mixed) using a Windkessel model of the cardiovascular system with parameters optimised for heart failure and solved using a Radau IIA3 method, an L-stable method used to numerically solve systems of ordinary differential equations that belongs to the family of implicit Runge-Kutta methods. Our results suggest that in terms of optimal performance, mixed flow pumps are modest improvements over the other two types, and more tests would have to be performed using a more complete model with, among other modifications, neural control systems implemented.

Control of systems requiring direct physical human-robot interaction (pHRI) requires special consideration of the motion, dynamics, and control of both the human and the robot. Humans actively change their dynamic characteristics during motion, and robots should be designed with this in mind. Both the case of humans trying to control haptic robots using physical contact and the case of using wearable robots that must work with human muscles are pHRI systems. Force feedback haptic devices require physical contact between the operator and the machine, which creates a coupled system. This human contact creates a situation in which the stiffness of the system changes based on how the operator modulates the stiffness of their arm. The natural human tendency is to increase arm stiffness to attempt to stabilize motion. However, this increases the overall stiffness of the system, making it more difficult to control and reducing stability. Instability poses a threat of injury or load damage for large assistive haptic devices with heavy loads. Controllers do not typically account for this, as operator stiffness is often not directly measurable. The common solution of using a controller with significantly increased controller damping has the disadvantage of slowing the device and decreasing operator efficiency. By expanding the information available to the controller, it can be designed to adjust a robot's motion based on the how the operator is interacting with it and allow for faster movement in low stiffness situations. This research explored the utility of a system that can estimate operator arm stiffness and compensate accordingly. By measuring muscle activity, a model of the human arm was utilized to estimate the stiffness level of the operator, and then adjust the gains of an impedance-based controller to stabilize the device. This achieved the goal of reducing oscillations and increasing device performance, as demonstrated through a series of user trials with the device. Through the design of this system, the effectiveness of a variety of operator models were analyzed and several different controllers were explored. The final device has the potential to increase the performance of operators and reduce fatigue due to usage, which in industrial settings could translate into better efficiency and higher productivity. Similarly, wearable robots must consider human muscle activity. Wearable robots, often called exoskeleton robots, are used for a variety of tasks, including force amplification, rehabilitation, and medical diagnosis. Force amplification exoskeletons operate much like haptic assist devices, and could leverage the same adaptive control system. The latter two types, however, are designed with the purpose of modulating human muscles, in which case the wearer's muscles must adapt to the way the robot moves, the reverse of the robot adapting to how the human moves. In this case, the robot controller must apply a force to the arm to cause the arm muscles to adapt and generate a specific muscle activity pattern. This related problem is explored and a muscle control algorithm is designed that allows a wearable robot to induce a specified muscle pattern in the wearer's arm. The two problems, in which the robot must adapt to the human's motion and in which the robot must induce the human to adapt its motion, are related critical problems that must be solved to enable simple and natural physical human robot interaction.

The transportation sector has been identified as one of many sources of today's energetic and environmental problems. With constantly increasing numbers of vehicles on the road, non-renewable fossil fuels are becoming scarce and expensive. In addition, due to the pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines, the transportation sector is a major producer of greenhouse gas emissions. To resolve these problems researcher are looking for technological solutions, such as more efficient components and alternative drive train technologies, on one hand. On the other hand, work is being done to ensure the most efficient utilization of available technological resources. Eco driving is one way to immediately reduce a driver's energy consumption. In this thesis the potential gains of eco driving for passenger vehicles will be discussed. The main objective of this work is to, first, identify and compare drive train specific, optimal vehicle operation. Secondly, the effect of real-life constraints on potential gains of eco driving is evaluated. In addition, an approach to integrate mathematical optimization algorithms in an advanced driver assist system for eco driving is proposed. Physical vehicle models are developed for three representative vehicles: the conventional, electric and power-split hybrid vehicle. Using real-life and standard drive cycles a baseline mission is defined by specifying trip and road constraint. Applying the dynamic programming algorithms the trajectory optimization problem is solved, minimizing energy consumption for the trip. The effect of traffic on potential gains of eco driving is discussed, considering a vehicle following situation. Integrating emission constraints in the optimization algorithm the environmental advantages of eco driving are discussed. Finally, the developed algorithms were integrated in a driver assist system. Experimental tests on a driving simulator were used to verify the effectiveness of the system, as well as driver acceptance.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:45:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AndreaTRC_DISSERT.pdf: 811961 bytes, checksum: 1e22ae7b0afe44c9666690ca237f4e89 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-24 / Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte / This research assumes that for changes in health practices directed to an integral care, is crucial humanization, participation and autonomy of service users. In this sense, the research had investigated the issue of humanization involving users of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in city of Mossor?, having as objectives: to analyze the perceptions of users on humanization in the production of health care in daily of Family Health Strategy, from these perceptions, identify elements featuring humanized and non-humanized in everyday practices related to production of health care; relate perceptions of users about humanization with the notions of extended clinic and social participation present in the National Humanization Policy (NHP); identify difficulties and potentialities in the production of health care from the perspective of humanization. It was a qualitative approach to data collection and it was used the methodology of Network Analysis of Everyday Life (NAEL), which allowed the questioning of health practices through an interactive discussion involving participants subjected. The analysis of data through the technique of content thematic analysis was performed and the results were interpreted related the Extended Clinic references and the users participation, related with the Gift Theory discussed by Marcel Mauss. The results indicated senses humanization linked to affection, reciprocity and honesty, highlighting as essential to humanized practices the trust, bonding, listening, dialogue and accountability. Were also mentioned other elements related to the organization of health services such as access and good functioning of the health services. The difficulties and potentialities show structural deficiencies of the health system and changes in the labor process. The participation of users deconstructing and reconstructing concepts remainder humanization in the production of health care is a key factor for the sedimentation of what is proposed in the HNP. Using the privileged space of the FHE to create more active people and understanding their needs and demands, is possible path to build a participative management / A presente pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que, para mudan?as nas pr?ticas em sa?de direcionadas ao cuidado integral, s?o de fundamental import?ncia a humaniza??o, a participa??o e a autonomia dos usu?rios. Neste sentido, investigou o tema da humaniza??o envolvendo usu?rios da Estrat?gia Sa?de da Fam?lia (ESF) do munic?pio de Mossor?, tendo como objetivos: analisar as percep??es dos usu?rios sobre a humaniza??o na produ??o do cuidado em sa?de no cotidiano de um territ?rio da Estrat?gia Sa?de da Fam?lia e, a partir destas percep??es, identificar elementos que caracterizam pr?ticas cotidianas humanizadas e n?o humanizadas na produ??o do cuidado em sa?de; relacionar as percep??es dos usu?rios sobre humaniza??o com as no??es sobre cl?nica ampliada e participa??o social presentes na Pol?tica Nacional de Humaniza??o (PNH); identificar dificuldades e potencialidade na produ??o do cuidado em sa?de na perspectiva da humaniza??o. Foi uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa que para a coleta dos dados utilizou a Metodologia de An?lise de Redes do Cotidiano (MARES), o que possibilitou a problematiza??o das pr?ticas de sa?de atrav?s de uma discuss?o interativa envolvendo os sujeitos participantes. A an?lise dos dados foi realizada atrav?s t?cnica de an?lise tem?tica de conte?do e seus resultados foram interpretados tendo como refer?ncias a Cl?nica Ampliada e a participa??o do usu?rio, dialogando tamb?m com a Teoria da D?diva discutida por Marcel Mauss. Os resultados apontaram sentidos da humaniza??o vinculados ao afeto, reciprocidade e honestidade, destacando-se como elementos essenciais ?s pr?ticas humanizadas a confian?a, o v?nculo, a escuta, o di?logo e a responsabiliza??o. Foram tamb?m mencionados outros elementos relacionados ? organiza??o dos servi?os de sa?de tais como acesso e bom funcionamento. As dificuldades e potencialidades demarcaram defici?ncias estruturais do sistema de sa?de e mudan?as no processo de trabalho. A participa??o dos usu?rios desconstruindo e reconstruindo conceitos sobra ? humaniza??o na produ??o do cuidado em sa?de ? fator primordial para o a sedimenta??o do que prop?e a PNH. Utilizando o espa?o privilegiado da ESF e criando sujeitos mais part?cipes, ? poss?vel entender suas necessidades e demandas, sendo um caminho poss?vel para a constru??o de uma gest?o participativa

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:46:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SuzannyBC_DISSERT.pdf: 2770547 bytes, checksum: 8c2b23ed81b9c0e05cf8dfa55f4350a6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-26 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico / Can be declared that throughout the historical trajectory of the Brazilian Social Work, the men in the Social Work profession, women in the Social Work profession in his/her professional activity, present an educational dimension that runs through various social and occupational spaces, particularly in the area of Social Assistance Policy. Based on this premise, this present Dissertation, problematize the educational dimension present on the interventional process, in Social Work on the ambit of the Social Assistance Policy in Natal / RN city Brazil in the contemporary scene. Having thus, specific objectives that orientate the research of the interventional process of Social Work in the social assistance policy, analyzing of the apprehension of Social Work professionals on the educational dimension, in their daily work professional and the verification of the relationship between the educational dimension, to the professional action of both men in the Social Work profession and women in the Social Work profession and the concretization of social rights on the ambit of the social assistance policy. In this sense, the theoretical and methodological procedures used for this research, are substantiated on a critical-dialectical perspective and a qualitative and quantitative approach, from of the application of field research, of the non-participant observation, of the semi-structure, of the review of literature bibliographic and documental. Thus, considering that both women in the social work profession and men in the social work profession are an organic intellectuals who in their daily professional work promotes an intellectual and moral reform of their users, the results of this research, synthesize and show that the educational dimension in both professional work and social assistance, which have partner-historics, whose imbrication allows, contradictorily, by a side, a reaffirmation of the dominant culture, and by other side, a direction linked to the construction of an emancipatory culture in the pursuit of the materializing of social rights and a new sociability / Afirma que ao longo da trajet?ria hist?rica do Servi?o Social brasileiro, o assistente social em seu fazer profissional, apresenta uma dimens?o educativa que perpassa diversos espa?os s?cio-ocupacionais, sobretudo, no espa?o da pol?tica de assist?ncia social. Com base nessa premissa, o presente trabalho problematiza a dimens?o educativa presente no processo interventivo do Servi?o Social no ?mbito da pol?tica de assist?ncia social no munic?pio do Natal-Rio Grande do Norte (RN), na cena contempor?nea. Teve como objetivos norteadores a caracteriza??o do processo interventivo do Servi?o Social na pol?tica de assist?ncia social; a an?lise da compreens?o dos profissionais de Servi?o Social acerca da dimens?o educativa no seu cotidiano profissional; e a an?lise da rela??o entre a dimens?o educativa do fazer profissional do assistente social e a concretiza??o dos direitos sociais no ?mbito da pol?tica de assist?ncia social. Os procedimentos te?rico-metodol?gicos utilizados se fundamentam numa perspectiva cr?tica-dial?tica e numa abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa, a partir da utiliza??o da observa??o n?o-participativa, de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, da revis?o da literatura e documental. Assim, considerando que o assistente social ? um intelectual org?nico, e que em seu cotidiano profissional, contribui para a reforma intelectual e moral dos seus usu?rios, os resultados desta pesquisa apontam que a dimens?o educativa no fazer profissional no ?mbito da pol?tica de assist?ncia social possuem v?nculos s?cio-hist?ricos, cuja imbrica??o permite, contraditoriamente, de um lado, uma reafirma??o da cultura dominante; e, de outro, uma dire??o vinculada ? constru??o da emancipa??o humana, em articula??o com os movimentos sociais na busca pela universaliza??o e concretiza??o dos direitos sociais e de uma nova sociabilidade

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:46:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ValeriaRCO_DISSERT.pdf: 1256287 bytes, checksum: 332c4191ad68117fd9f3926a5bec4137 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-29 / This work demonstrates the results obtained from research on violence against women: an analysis of the work from reference center of the Social Assistance-CREAS, held in the city of Parnamirim/RN from September 2008 extending through the february of 2009. Having as goal to investigate and examine in a longitudinal cut, which specifically covers the period from 2006 to 2007, find out extent the actions taken by the Reference Center Specialized Social Assistance-CREAS, contributed to the change of women who were there, by checking if there was any change in their positions ahead of the violence and if they began to realize how social subjects, able to control their living conditions and interfere in the orientation of social dynamics Have a particular emphasis on the presence of work and schooling or lack of them is also a factor to be allied to the barriers and rules imposed on women in contemporary society. In this study it was found through a qualitative research guided by dialectical and implemented through the use of documentary research, observation, semi-structured interview and an extensive theoretical background on the subject in question that the woman victim of violence is in a complex and contradictory context where there is both the construction and deconstruction of rights, a view that there are strong influences of patriarchal culture and the consequences of social issues that specifically searched for the public, focuses on social, economic , political, social and cultural. In this sense, the National Policy to Combat Violence against Women, operated by CREASE Parnamirim, is also reflected in its early stages in the life of these women are to nurture a real chance for these victims of violence, to perceive themselves as social subjects can control their lives and interfere in their own destinies. We want this study to add more knowledge to help and most appropriate intervention in this reality, but without the intention of reaching exhaustion, but to subsidize future studies on the topic of women victims of violence / O presente trabalho apresenta os resultados obtidos atrav?s da pesquisa: viol?ncia contra a mulher: uma an?lise do trabalho do centro de refer?ncia da assist?ncia social-CREAS, realizada no munic?pio de Parnamirim/RN no per?odo de setembro de 2008 a fevereiro de 2009. Tendo como objetivo investigar e analisar, em um recorte longitudinal, que compreende especificamente o per?odo de 2006 a 2007, at? que ponto as a??es desenvolvidas pelo Centro de Refer?ncia Especializado de Assist?ncia Social-CREAS, contribuiram para a modifica??o das mulheres que foram atendidas, verificando se houve alguma mudan?a em suas posturas frente ? situa??o de viol?ncia, e se estas passaram a se perceber enquanto sujeitos sociais, capazes de interferir em suas situa??es de vida e na orienta??o da din?mica social, objetivou tamb?m verificar se a presen?a do trabalho e da escolariza??o (ou a falta destes) ? tamb?m um elemento a ser aliado aos entraves impostos ?s mulheres na sociedade contempor?nea. No referido estudo constatou-se, atrav?s de uma pesquisa qualitativa norteada pela concep??o dial?tica e aplicada atrav?s do emprego de pesquisa documental, observa??o, entrevistas semiestruturadas e fundamenta??o te?rica sobre a tem?tica em quest?o, que a mulher v?tima de viol?ncia, encontra-se em um complexo e contradit?rio contexto, no qual existe ao mesmo tempo a constru??o e a desconstru??o de direitos, tendo em vista a exist?ncia de fortes influ?ncias da cultura patriarcal e de manifesta??es da quest?o social na vida do p?blico pesquisado, incidindo nos aspectos sociais, econ?micos, pol?ticos, sociais e culturais. Neste sentido, a Pol?tica Nacional de Enfrentamento ? Viol?ncia contra a Mulher, operacionalizada pelo CREAS-Parnamirim, se traduz ainda de forma incipiente na vida destas mulheres n?o oportunizando possibilidades reais para essas v?timas de viol?ncia se perceberem enquanto sujeitos sociais capazes de controlar suas vidas e interferirem em seus pr?prios destinos. Desta feita o referido estudo, n?o tem a pretens?o de esgotar a tem?tica da viol?ncia contra mulher e sim subsidiar futuros estudos

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:46:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AngelaCOP.pdf: 364520 bytes, checksum: bdb5a6b935de33cfbea540c5c622af3e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-08-28 / The crisis that the Brazilian State have been crossing throughout the last decades has revealed intense oscillations in the the way of life of the population reality. In the health area, specifically of buccal health, new alternatives of attending to demands for odontological services have been increasing from the 1990 decade. The research had as objective to analyze the demand of the services of the clinic-school of odontology of the UFRN to identify the socio-economic profile of the users and the inflections of the standards of the National Politics of Buccal Health. The methodology is based on a dialectic perspective and a quali-quantitative boarding. It was used as instrument of data collection forms with open and closed questions, applied to two distinguished groups of citizens: 53 users of the services and 12 pupils of 9th and 10th term of the Odontology Course. The results reaffirm that, with the aggravation of the crisis of SUS (Sistema ?nico de Sa?de- Single Health System) grow the difficulties of accessing the odontological services of the users majority. The subjects of the research make use of a regular socio-economic condition, with high school, own house, formal bond to labor and monthly medium income between 1 and 2 minimum wages. The conclusive analyses point to the selective and exculpatory character of the buccal health right, mainly, those users who find themselves in situation of extreme poverty and social vulnerability. Immediate and of lesser cost odontological assistance is what it s aimed, but the standards praised in the Public Politics of Buccal Health walk in another direction, requiring a bigger strongness of the formation bases and implementation of the programmatical actions since the academic field until the effectiveness of Politics of Buccal Health as a right while as a right to attention and care / A crise que o Estado brasileiro vem atravessando ao longo das ?ltimas d?cadas tem revelado oscila??es marcantes na realidade do modo de vida da popula??o. Na ?rea de sa?de, especificamente de sa?de bucal, novas alternativas de atendimento ?s demandas por servi?os odontol?gicos t?m se tornado crescentes a partir da d?cada de 1990. A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar a demanda dos servi?os da cl?nica-escola de odontologia da UFRN e identificar o perfil s?cio-econ?mico dos usu?rios e as inflex?es das Diretrizes da Pol?tica Nacional de Sa?de Bucal. A metodologia est? fundamentada numa perspectiva dial?tica e numa abordagem quali-quantitativa. Utilizou-se como instrumento de coleta de dados formul?rios com quest?es abertas e fechadas, aplicados a dois grupos de sujeitos distintos: 53 usu?rios dos servi?os e 12 alunos do 9? e do 10? per?odo do Curso de Odontologia. Os resultados reafirmam que, com o agravamento da crise do Sistema ?nico de Sa?de (SUS) crescem as dificuldades de acesso aos servi?os odontol?gicos pela maioria dos usu?rios. Os sujeitos da pesquisa disp?em de uma condi??o s?cio-econ?mica regular, com ensino m?dio, casa pr?pria, v?nculo formal de trabalho e renda m?dia mensal entre 1 e 2 sal?rios m?nimos. As an?lises conclusivas apontam para o car?ter seletivo e excludente do direito ? sa?de bucal, principalmente, ?queles usu?rios que se encontram em situa??o de pobreza extrema e vulnerabilidade social. Assist?ncia odontol?gica imediata e de menor custo ? o que se procura, mas as Diretrizes preconizadas na Pol?tica P?blica de Sa?de Bucal caminham numa outra dire??o, requerendo um maior fortalecimento das bases de forma??o e implementa??o das a??es program?ticas desde o campo acad?mico at? a efetividade da Pol?tica de Sa?de Bucal enquanto direito ? aten??o e ao cuidado

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:46:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DeusaMS_DISSERT.pdf: 1871527 bytes, checksum: 08300853dc895d5a07660a4383638bac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-10-15 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / This rescearch comprises a study of the life condictions of the users of the Continuous Installment Allowance in the city of Macau, RN. This benefit has been predicted by the Federal 1988 Constitution and regulated by the Social Assistance Organic Law (LOAS), but it has been carried out only since january 1996. It consists of an amount of half a minimum salary given to old-age and handicapped peoplewhose families mathch the per capita income criterion of less than 0,25 minimum salary. It is a least-income policy relud by the principle of the smallest elegibility. The study focused on aged or handicapped people who were receiving the BPC from 1996 to 2004. Through a quatitative analysis, the life reality of these users has been critically examined. In order to achieve this, it has been necessary to trace their social and economical profile. The research revealed the precarious life conditions of the aged and handicapeed people after they were given the BPC, as well as their interpretation of this politcal directive, and also the need for revision of the eligibility criteria so that a public policy of integral service to the basic needs of the social being can be accomplished / A pesquisa em quest?o compreende um estudo sobre as condi??es de vida dos usu?rios do Benef?cio de Presta??o Continuada no Munic?pio de Macau/RN. O BPC foi previsto na Constitui??o Federal de 1988 e regulamentado pela Lei Org?nica da Assist?ncia Social LOAS. Mas, s? teve sua concess?o a partir de janeiro de 1996. Este benef?cio consiste no repasse de um sal?rio m?nimo vigente ?s pessoas idosas e portadoras de defici?ncia, cujas fam?lias se enquadram no crit?rio de renda per capita inferior a ? do sal?rio m?nimo. Trata-se de uma pol?tica de renda m?nima que se rege pelo princ?pio da menor elegibilidade. O espa?o temporal compreendido abrangeu os idosos e portadores de defici?ncia que recebem o BPC entre o per?odo de 1996 a 2004. Atrav?s do estudo quanti-qualitativo, buscou-se apreender e analisar criticamente a realidade da vida desses usu?rios. Para tanto, fez-se necess?rio realizar o perfil dos benefici?rios, bem como sua caracteriza??o s?cio-econ?mica. Os resultados revelam as prec?rias condi??es de vida dos idosos e portadores de defici?ncia ap?s a concess?o do BPC, e apresentam a interpreta??o que os mesmos fazem desta pol?tica;Assim identifica-se a prem?ncia de serem revistos os crit?rios de elegibilidade dos benefici?rios, objetivando uma pol?tica p?blica de atendimento integral ?s necessidades b?sicas do ser social. Unitermos: Benef?cio de Presta??o Continuada, assist?ncia social, necessidades humanas, idosos e portadores de defici?ncia