Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:37:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Salvador_Antonio_Sarto.PDF: 1146081 bytes, checksum: 282f325407e777428763559c076c899c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The aim of this work was to evaluate the best phenological stage of soybeans to make fungicide application for the control of Asian rust, based with or without uredospores the collector of spores. The experimental design used for the experiments was conducted in randomized blocks with four replications. The treatments were as follows: in the first experiment with the collector uredospore indicating the time of application in R1 (T - 1), R2 (T - 2), R3 (T - 3), R4 (T - 4), R5 ( T - 5), R6 (T - 6), T - 7 (no control) and T - 8 (full control) in the second experiment was applied fungicide at the same times of experiment 1, but without considering the collector as an indicator of the time of application of this product in soybeans. The fungicide was applied azoxystrobin + cyproconazole in a dose of 0.3 ha-1 in 200 L ha-1 spray volume, with the aid of pressurized with CO2 spray and equipped with tips of the fan type LD 110.02, the performance of the combined analysis indicated that for the agronomic characteristics, number of plants per area, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 100-grain mass was no significant difference (P <0.05) in function of use or non-collector as well as in relation to different application times of azoxystrobin + cyproconazole. However, in relation to productivity of grains observed that when the fungicide has been applied in the phenological stage R6 increased by approximately 22% compared to the applied R5, but not significantly different stages of R2 and R4. For incidence and severity of disease using collector indicated the time of fungicide application at phenological stage R5, providing less area under the curve of progress of the disease / O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar qual o melhor estádio fenológico na cultura da soja para realizar aplicação de fungicida, visando o controle da ferrugem asiática, tendo por base a presença ou não de uredósporos no coletor de esporos. O delineamento experimental utilizado para os experimentos conduzidos foi em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram os seguintes: no primeiro experimento com o coletor de uredósporos indicando o momento da aplicação em R1 (T - 1), R2 (T - 2), R3 (T - 3), R4 (T - 4), R5 (T - 5), R6 (T - 6), T - 7 (sem controle) e T - 8 (com controle total); no segundo experimento foi aplicado fungicida nas mesmas épocas do experimento 1, porém sem considerar o coletor como indicador do momento de aplicação desse produto na soja. O fungicida aplicado foi o azoxystrobina + cyproconazole na dose de 0,3 L ha-1 em 200 L ha-1 de volume de calda, com o auxílio de pulverizador pressurizado com CO2 e equipado com pontas do tipo leque 110.02 LD. A realização da análise conjunta indicou que para as características agronômicas, número de plantas por área, número de vagens por planta, número de sementes por vagem e massa de 100 grãos não houve diferença significativa (P<0,05) em função da utilização ou não do coletor, bem como em relação às diferentes épocas de aplicação de azoxystrobina + cyproconazole. No entanto, com relação à produtividade de grãos observou-se que quando foi aplicado o fungicida no estádio fenológico R6 houve aumento de aproximadamente de 22% em relação à aplicação em R5, mas não diferiu estatisticamente dos estádios R2 e R4. Para incidência e severidade da doença o uso de coletor indicou o melhor momento da aplicação de fungicida no estádio fenológico R5, proporcionando menor área abaixo da curva do progresso da doença

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo descrever e analisar, a partir das construções linguísticas usadas para marcar a introdução de um texto dissertativo-argumentativo, pela perspectiva da Gramaticalização e da Cognição, as categorias linguísticas mais frequentes. Para isso usamos um corpus que totaliza 1600 redações de vestibular da FUVEST (Fundação para o vestibular USP), produzidas no período de 2004 a 2011, sendo 50% delas as melhores e as outras 50% as piores consideradas pela banca corretora. Teoricamente, fundamentamos esta pesquisa nos estudos sobre Cognição, a partir de Tomasello (2003), Damásio (2011), Del Nero (1997) e sobre Gramaticalização Heine, Claudi e Hünnemeyer (1991), Bybee (2010). Todo o material analisado teve tratamento quantitativo e qualitativo e chegou-se à determinação de que a categoria espaço é a categoria cognitiva mais frequente na defesa de uma tese e difere da categoria lugar. Foi possível, assim, constatar que espaço, embora em vários contextos seja utilizado como sinônimo de lugar, sob o ponto de vista linguístico-cognitivo lugar tem caráter mais concreto, por determinar localização física, enquanto espaço situa-se mais à direita do continuum das categorias cognitivas propostas por Heine, Claudi e Hünnemeyer (1991), após a categoria tempo, apontando para maior grau de abstração metafórica. Pudemos evidenciar que o processamento cognitivo para a produção textual envolve vários fatores mentais como o protosself (condição básica ao indivíduo), self central (todo o conhecimento adquirido) e self autobiográfico (a forma de externalizar o conhecimento adquirido em texto escrito). Destacamos também, a forma como o candidato começa uma dissertação, procurando criar um espaço conjunto de atenção, que é resultado de todos esses selves trabalhando juntos para a (inter)subjetividade materializada via categorias cognitivas. / This research has as aim to describe and analyze, from the linguistic constructs used to mark the introduction of a argumentative essay text, from the perspective of Grammaticalization and Cognition, the most frequent linguistic categories . So we use a corpus of essays totaling 1600 entrance FUVEST exam (Foundation for the exam - USP) , produced in the period 2004-2011 , 50% of them the best and the other 50% considered the worst by the examining board. Theoretically this research is based on studies about Cognition, from Tomasello (2003), Damasio (2011), and Del Nero (1997), about Grammaticalization, the bases are Heine, Claudi and Hünnemeyer (1991) , and Bybee (2010). All analyzed material had quantitative and qualitative treatment, from this was found a determination that the space category is the most frequent cognitive category in the defense of a thesis and differs from place category. It was thus possible to observe that space, although in various contexts is used as a synonym of place, from the linguistic-cognitive point of view place has more concrete aspect, for determining physical location, while space is located more to the right cognitive categories continuum proposed by Heine, Claudi and Hünnemeyer (1991), after the time category, pointing to a higher degree of metaphorical abstraction. We found that the cognitive processing for text production involves several factors such as mental protosself (basic condition to the individual), core self (all acquired knowledge) and autobiographical self (how to externalize the knowledge acquired in the written text). We also note how the candidate begins an essay, trying to create a space set of attention, which is a result of all these selves working together for the (inter) subjectivity materialized via cognitive categories.

A exposição da comunidade escolar às novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação tem impacto positivo na apropriação tecnológica. Nosso objetivo é analisar o uso dos laboratórios de informática em três escolas públicas de Diamantina. Utilizamos como parâmetros os estágios evolutivos do Projeto ACOT (Apple Classroom of Tomorrow - Salas de Aula do Futuro da Apple). O referencial teórico trabalha a partir de cinco estágios evolutivos: (1) exposição; (2) adoção; (3) adaptação; (4) apropriação e; (5) inovação. Estas categorias derivam de registros de observação nos 10 anos de duração do projeto da Apple. Cada estágio expõe comportamentos e atitudes que gradativamente incorporam as novas tecnologias. A fonte dos dados está (a) nas entrevistas com professores, alunos, diretores de escola, mães e (b) nos registros de observações em campo realizadas no período de 2004 e 2005. O procedimento analítico busca as unidades significativas do discurso. Os estágios do projeto ACOT podem ser usados como parâmetros para mostrar a apropriação tecnológica nas escolas. Nas três escolas analisadas percebe-se que há uma apropriação significativa do uso das novas tecnologias em sala de aula, propiciando mudanças no ambiente escolar e mudança de postura na relação professor-aluno. Este trabalho foi produzido no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação (FACED/UFRGS), insere-se na linha de pesquisa Informática na Educação e vincula-se ao Núcleo de Educação Digital. / The exposure of school communities to new information and communication technologies has positive impact on technological appropriation. Our objective was to analyze the use of computer laboratories in three public schools in Diamantina. We have used the evolutive stages of the ACOT Project (Apple Classroom of Tomorrow) as parameters. The theoretical reference works from five evolutive stages: (1) exposure; (2) adoption; (3) adaptation; (4) appropriation and (5) innovation. These categories have derived from observations recorded during the 10-year period of the Apple Project. Each stage shows behaviors and attitudes which have gradually incorporated the new technologies. The source of data consists of (a) interviews with teachers, students, principals and mothers, and (b) field observations recorded between 2004 and 2005. The analytical procedure has searcherd for meaningful units of discourse. The stages of the ACOT Project may be used as parameters to show the technological appropriation in schools. In the three schools analyzed, there has been a significant appropriation of the use of new technologies in the classroom, thus allowing for innovation in the school environment and change of position in the teacher-student relashionship. This work has been carried out in Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação (FACED/UFRGS) as part of the research area related to the use of computers in education and is associated with the Núcleo de Educação Digital.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T17:26:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ingrid Bianchini Samczuk.pdf: 919530 bytes, checksum: d0eb783350b5674e432fc9e9494b8616 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-11-26 / This research had as objective to analyze resonances of Kierkegaard s philosophy on the literature of João Guimarães Rosa, which has not as yet been done in this author s set of critics. The plausibility of this confrontation between these two authors is guided by Rosas s records, in letters and interviews, about his personal interest in Kierkegaard, also demonstrated by the finding of the philosopher s works and a book on Danish language in his personal library. Besides, there are two fulcrum points to this approximation: the concern about the individual and the importance of religion over their lives and the making of their works. From this starting point, we chose to analyze five narratives of the book Primeiras estórias, which are: As margens da alegria, Os cimos, A menina de lá, A terceira margem do rio and O espelho. In these stories, the protagonists were studied in order to demonstrate in which mesure each of them would represent the stages of existence theorized by the Danish thinker: aesthetic, ethical and religious. After the analysis, the Boy in As margens da alegria and Os cimos, together with Nhinhinha in A menina de lá were identified with the kierkegaardian s aesthete. To the ethics stage belongs the narrator of A terceira margem do rio, and to the religious stage we found the father in A terceira margem do rio, as well as O espelho s narrator. About this last character, it is worth saying that, among the ones listed to this study, it is the only one that travels through the three stages, in order to complete its movement of existential subjectification / Esta dissertação propõe-se a analisar ressonâncias da filosofia de Søren Kierkegaard na literatura de João Guimarães Rosa, abordagem ainda carente na fortuna crítica do literato. A hipótese da plausibilidade de aproximação entre os dois autores pauta-se por registros de Rosa em cartas e entrevistas a respeito de seu interesse pessoal por Kierkegaard, também demonstrado pela presença de obras do filósofo e de um livro sobre a língua dinamarquesa em sua biblioteca pessoal. Somado a isso, são dois os pontos fulcrais para a aproximação de ambos: a preocupação com o Indivíduo e a importância que a religião possui tanto em suas vidas quanto para a elaboração de suas obras. A partir disso, optou-se pela análise de cinco narrativas de Primeiras estórias, a saber: As margens da alegria, Os cimos, A menina de lá, A terceira margem do rio e O espelho, nas quais foram analisados os protagonistas com o objetivo de demonstrar em que medida cada um representaria os estágios da existência teorizados pelo pensador dinamarquês: estético, ético e religioso. Após a análise, identificou-se o Menino de As margens da alegria e Os cimos, juntamente de Nhinhinha de A menina de lá, com o esteta kierkegaardiano. Ao estágio ético, pertence o narrador de A terceira margem do rio, e ao religioso pertencem tanto o pai de A terceira margem do rio quanto o narrador de O espelho. Sobre essa última personagem, vale a ressalva de que, dentre os elencados para esse trabalho, é o único que percorre os três estágios, de modo a completar seu movimento de subjetivação existencial

São estimadas 90 mil espécies de insetos para o Cerrado, o segundo maior bioma brasileiro, com enorme heterogeneidade de habitats e rica fauna. Dentre esses insetos, os Lepidoptera representam cerca de 10% do total de espécies. Entretanto, estudos sobre seus imaturos (ovo, larva e pupa) ainda são incipientes para o bioma, principalmente sobre as mariposas, cujas histórias naturais de muitas espécies ainda são desconhecidas. A falta desses estudos faz com que sejam ignoradas as interações multitróficas em que esses organismos estão envolvidos e, portanto, inviabiliza futuros estudos relacionados ao seu papel em comunidades e redes ecológicas. Esse é o caso de muitas espécies da família Geometridae, incluindo Oospila pallidaria, que é uma mariposa esmeralda (devido à coloração verde esmeralda das suas asas). Oospila pallidaria é uma espécie herbívora que não possuía até o momento nenhuma informação publicada sobre a sua biologia e fatores que condicionam sua ocorrência, tais como: a fenologia da planta hospedeira, que pode determinar o período de melhores condições para crescimento e reprodução; a qualidade nutricional dos recursos alimentares (e. g. quantidade de água e nitrogênio), que pode determinar quais recursos conferem melhor desenvolvimento/performance a um herbívoro; os inimigos naturais, que podem restringir a ocorrência dos herbívoros e a temperatura e pluviosidade, que podem alterar a qualidade e a distribuição geográfica dos recursos alimentares utilizados pelos herbívoros. Nesse sentido, o objetivo principal deste estudo foi descrever, pela primeira vez, aspectos da biologia e história natural de O. pallidaria (Capítulo 1) e avaliar a sua performance larval, a partir de diferentes dietas (Capítulo 2). Os resultados apresentados no Capítulo 1 mostraram que os ovos de O. pallidaria, verdes e com duração média de sete dias, foram solitários e ovipostos principalmente nos tricomas das folhas maduras. As larvas se alimentaram de folhas maduras predominantemente, mas utilizaram folhas jovens e botões florais oportunisticamente. As larvas tiveram coloração críptica, se camuflaram em meio às folhas de Mimosa setosa (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae), sua única hospedeira, e desenvolveram o comportamento de auto-limpeza. Há cinco ínstares larvais, com coloração que variou de amarelo a verde. As larvas apresentaram também um par de projeções no protórax e linha mediana marrom na região dorsal. O comprimento máximo do corpo das larvas foi de 28 mm. As pupas foram predominantemente verdes, com no máximo 10 mm de comprimento. O desenvolvimento do ovo ao adulto durou cerca de 50 dias ( = 42; S = 6; n = 11). Seu único inimigo natural registrado foi o microhimenóptero Cotesia sp. (Braconidae, Microgastrinae). Fêmeas de O. pallidaria produziram 65 ovos em média (S = 7,07; n = 2). A ocorrência de O. pallidaria foi sazonal e sobreposta ao pico de presença de folhas maduras. Larvas foram negativamente relacionadas à temperatura e pluviosidade, com significância estatística somente para a primeira (r = - 0.5889, P < 0.05). No Capítulo 2, foi mostrado que as folhas maduras de M. setosa foram o único recurso alimentar disponível durante todo o ano. Os botões florais foram o recurso com maior qualidade nutricional (conteúdo relativo de água e nitrogênio total), seguidos por folhas jovens e maduras respectivamente. Entretanto, a sobrevivência de O. pallidaria foi maior com folhas maduras. Os resultados indicam que para o herbívoro especialista O. pallidaria, a fenologia da planta hospedeira é crucial para sua sobrevivência, em especial a presença de folhas maduras de M. setosa. Por outro lado, os botões florais são recursos efêmeros, porém importantes para a sobrevivência das larvas de últimos ínstares no final da estação seca, quando as folhas maduras estão ressecadas e/ou senescentes. / It is estimated 90.000 species of insects for the Cerrado, the second largest Brazilian biome, with great diversity of habitats and rich fauna. Among these insects, Lepidoptera represents about 10% of all species. However, studies on their immature stages (egg, larvae and pupae) are incipient for the biome, mostly on moths, whose natural histories of many species are unknown. The lack of these studies makes the multitrophic interactions in that these organisms are involved ignored and, therefore, prevent future studies related to their role in communities and ecological networks. This is the case of many species of Geometridae, including Oospila pallidaria, which is an emerald moth (due to emerald green color of their wings). Oospila pallidaria is a herbivorous species that had not published any information on their biology and factors that influence their occurrence, such as: the phenology of the host plant, which can determine the time of better conditions for growth and reproduction; the nutritional quality of food resources (e. g. amount of water and nitrogen), which can determine what resources provide better development/performance to a herbivore; natural enemies, that could restrict the occurrence of herbivores and the temperature and rainfall, which can change the quality and geographical distribution of food resources used by herbivores. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to describe, for the first time, aspects of the biology and natural history of O. pallidaria (Chapter 1) and to assess their larval performance from different diets (Chapter 2). The results presented in Chapter 1 showed that eggs of O. pallidaria, green and lasting an average of seven days, were lonely and laid especially in trichomes of mature leaves. The larvae fed on mature leaves predominantly, but used young leaves and flower buds opportunistically. Larvae had cryptic coloration, they camouflaged among the leaves of Mimosa setosa (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae), a single host, and developed the self-cleaning behavior. There are five larval instars, with color ranging from yellow to green. The larvae also had a pair of projections on prothorax and brown midline in the dorsal region. The maximum length of the larvaes body was 28 mm. The pupae were predominantly green, with a maximum of 10 mm in length. The development from egg to adult lasted about 50 days ( = 42, S = 6, n = 11). Their only natural enemy recorded was the microhymenopteran Cotesia sp. (Braconidae, Microgastrinae). Oospila pallidaria females produced 65 eggs on average (S = 7.07; n = 2). The occurrence of O. pallidaria was seasonal and overlapped on the peak presence of mature leaves. Larvae were negatively related to temperature and rainfall, with statistical significance only for the first (r = - 0.5889, P < 0.05). In Chapter 2, it was shown that mature leaves of M. setosa were the only food source available throughout the year. The flower buds were the resource with higher nutritional quality (relative water content and total nitrogen), followed by young and mature leaves respectively. However, the survival of O. pallidaria was greater with mature leaves. The results indicate that for the specialist herbivore O. pallidaria, the host plant phenology is critical for its survival, especially the presence of mature leaves of M. setosa. On the other hand, the flower buds are ephemeral resources, but important for the survival of the last instar larvae in the dry season, when mature leaves are withered and/or senescent.

Nesta dissertação, nosso objetivo é verificar a mudança linguística do Tétum, uma das dezesseis línguas timorenses, definida como oficial em parceria com o Português. Essa mudança é observada a partir de um processo provocado por fatores externos tendo em vista a situação de Timor-Leste como um país anteriormente dependente de outras nações, e, por isso, sujeito às constantes mudanças relacionadas à imposição do poder. Pelo fato de o Timor-Leste ter atravessado diferentes situações, foi necessário fazer uma descrição do ponto de vista diacrônico de seu processo histórico, no sentido de verificar as etapas pelas quais o Tétum foi sofrendo alterações devidas a uma imposição e não a uma mudança natural da língua. Levando em conta a imposição das normas linguísticas pelas instâncias do poder, temos como objetivo específico analisar os empréstimos do Português no Tétum veiculados em textos de jornais que circulam em Timor-Leste para verificar se o uso da língua resultante dessa imposição poderá responder aos princípios baseados na lei que procura desenvolver o Tétum como língua oficial e preservá-la como uma das línguas nativas. O motivo da escolha dos jornais como corpus é devido à influência da linguagem veiculada pela mídia, e, à influência do poder materializada nesses textos. / In this dissertation, our objective is to verify the linguistic change of Tétun, one of the sixteen Timorese languages, defined as co-official language along with Portuguese. This change has been observed from a process provoked by external factors in view of the situation of Timor-Leste as a country previously dependent of other nations, and, therefore, it is subject to the constant changes related to the imposition of the power. For the fact of Timor-Leste having undergone different situations, it was necessary to make a description of the diachronic point of view of its historical process, in the sense of verifying the stages for which the Tétun was suffering from alterations due to an imposition and not to a natural change from the language. Taking into account the imposition of the linguistics norms by the stages of the power, we have as specific objective to analyze the use of the Portuguese language in Tétum diffused in the texts of news papers that circulate throughout Timor-Leste, to verify if the use of the language resulting from this imposition will be able to answer to the principles based on the law that it looks to develop the Tétun as official language and to preserve it as one of the native languages. The reason of the choice of news papers as corpus, is caused by the influence of the language diffused by the media, and the influence of the power materialized in these texts.

Two studies were performed to research potential exemplification effects throughout various stages of natural disasters. Exemplification theory (Zillmann, 1999, 2002) promotes the use of exemplars, media examples, because of their potential ability to motivate risk related information seeking and their possible influence in optimizing protective action (Zillmann, 2006). Study one examined potential exemplification effect differences between various stages of natural disasters. Study two was designed to test for differences in trust, perceptions of severity, and intentions to volunteer depending on the organization type supplying related exemplars in social media. Results indicate that exemplification effects do not differ depending on disaster stage. However, exemplification effects do depend on the source of the exemplars. Furthermore, differences in perceptions of trust were detected between the two organizations providing the exemplars. And, intentions to volunteer vary depending on the current disaster stage. Specific findings, related theoretical implications, and practical suggestions are discussed.

The degradation of the environment and climate change represent some of the most important environmental issues affecting our society today, and we need to better understand what can be done in order to mitigate the negative effects of human activity on the environment. The present program of research proposes to examine, through three studies, how the frequency of pro-environmental behaviours (PEB) and harmful-environmental behaviours (HEB) are related to self-determined (SDM) and non-self-determined motivation (NSDM), stages of change (SOC), the satisfaction versus the frustration of basic psychological needs as defined by Self-Determination Theory, and nature relatedness. In Study 1 (N = 377), a scale was created to measure two distinct types of environmental behaviours, PEB and HEB, and the relationships between these types of environmental behaviours and SDM and NSDM were examined. Results demonstrated that both types of behaviours loaded on two distinct factors when conducting an exploratory factor analysis, that they were associated differently with environmental motivation, and that levels of motivation were different according to the reported frequency of adoption of PEB and HEB. In Study 2a (N = 266) and 2b (N = 529), the role of stages of change (SOC) was introduced to determine whether environmental motivation and behaviours were different across SOC and to examine whether SOC played a mediating or moderating role in the relationship between environmental motivation and behaviours. Results indicated that people in the later SOC displayed higher levels of SDM and PEB while people in the earlier stages reported higher levels of NSDM and HEB. It was also observed that SOC partially mediated the relationship between environmental motivation and behaviours. In Study 3 (N = 507) nature relatedness was compared to the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs proposed by SDT to examine their respective roles in the association of motivation, SOC, PEB and HEB. Results revealed that nature relatedness was incremental to need satisfaction and frustration with regard to levels of SDM. Also, nature relatedness was an important determinant of SOC and both types of environmental behaviours. As for the proposed model, it was demonstrated that high levels of nature relatedness were associated with higher PEB and lower HEB through partial mediation by SDM and SOC, while need frustration was linked to a higher reported frequency of HEB through mediation by NSDM. Overall this thesis expands on SDT research by highlighting the importance of including HEB in conjunction with PEB and by demonstrating the prominent roles that SOC and nature relatedness could play in the motivational process associated with environmental action.

Registered nurses perceive the healthcare work environment as stressful. Stress can have a negative effect on patient care and nurses' attrition and health. In the literature, mentors have been identified as having a positive influence on nurses. This qualitative study was an examination of nurses in mentoring relationships in the early, middle, and late career stage and working in a hospital setting. Two research questions addressed mentoring relationship preferences and mentors' influence on perceived stress. Fourteen nurses were interviewed in the study. The conceptual framework was based on the career and psychosocial mentoring theory, the mentoring the adult learner theory, and the attachment theory. Data were analyzed electronically and manually into intuitively and inductively derived themes. The results of the study related to preferences showed nurses prefer mentors to be in the work setting, mentors to help nurses develop nursing competencies, and mentors to help nurses develop a positive self-concept. The difference among the nurses in the career stages was the type of competencies developed. The nurses identified that mentors had a positive influence on the perception of stress through the development of emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills with similarities and differences in the type of challenges nurses' experience. The implications for future research are studies with nurses working in other healthcare settings and quantitative studies to measure levels of stress with and without a mentor. Implications for practice are the development of mentoring programs where career stages and perception of stress are addressed. Limitations of this study were the setting and sample size. Implications for social change include the development of humanistic approaches to mentoring to address nurses' challenges and stressors in the healthcare work environment.

The rate of obesity is increasing in the United States. In Florida, almost 60% of the population will be obese by 2030. This increase is expected to contribute to millions of cases of preventable chronic diseases costing the state an estimated $34 billion dollars. Employer-sponsored health programs can positively influence employees' lifestyle choices and support weight loss programs to reduce health-related costs to the employee and the employer. Guided by the transtheoretical model, the purpose of the project was to conduct an employee assessment to determine the need for, interest in, and readiness for a lifestyle intervention weight loss program. One-hundred sixteen employees from a participant pool of 1,500 employees of a community hospital completed an online survey by providing information on age, weight, gender, body mass index, and exercise patterns. They also answered the 36-item University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale to determine readiness for participating in the workplace-based Group Lifestyle Balance program. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics; 52% of respondents were between 26 and 55 years of age and 44% of respondents were obese. Scores on the Change Assessment Scale revealed that 46.4% (n = 54) of the respondents were thinking about making a lifestyle change within the next 6 months. The findings indicated that many hospital employees were in the contemplation stage of readiness for change and they were receptive to additional information about the weight loss program. The needs assessment was the first step toward establishing community-level social change, starting with hospital employees, to decrease obesity and improve population health.