Abstract For decades people near mine sites have complained of blasting-induced vibrations, because of that, tools of vibration prediction have a great significance. The idea of this work is to determine the probability of rock-blasting-induced vibrations exceed the threshold limits of international standards, related to structural damage and human discomfort. It is believed that a probabilistic analysis is a useful tool for avoiding harm to communities nearby. This paper shows how Monte Carlo simulation could be applied for blast-induced vibration from stochastic variables (maximum charge per delay and distance between blasting and the monitoring point) with the application of a representative attenuation law. For ground vibrations, it was observe 55% probability of structural damage in a community for a charge of 150 kg, 84% probability for human discomfort with a distance of 1000 m and 450 kg. However, for airblast overpressure it was observed no influence over the community studied.

Resumen Durante décadas, las personas cercanas a las minas se han quejado de vibraciones inducidas por voladuras, por eso, las herramientas de predicción de vibraciones tienen un gran significado. Este trabajo intenta a determinar la probabilidad de las vibraciones inducidas por voladuras de rocas superen los límites de los estándares internacionales de daños estructurales y malestar humano. Se cree que un análisis probabilístico es una herramienta útil para evitar daños a las comunidades cercanas. Este artículo muestra cómo se podría aplicar la simulación de Monte Carlo para las vibraciones a partir de variables estocásticas (carga explosiva y distancia) y una ley de atenuación representativa. Para vibraciones del suelo se observó 55% de probabilidad de daño estructural en una comunidad para una carga de 150 kg, 84% de probabilidad de malestar humano con una distancia de 1000 m y 450 kg. Considerando el ruido, no se observó influencia sobre la comunidad estudiada.

RESUMO O atual formato de desenvolvimento humano gera severos impactos ambientais, os quais repercutem negativamente na saúde; dentre eles, a intensificação da transmissão de doenças infecciosas, epidemias e pandemias, como a Covid-19. A forma como lidamos com a biodiversidade e os ecossistemas, em conjunto com as mudanças climáticas, viabiliza interfaces e corredores por onde ocorrem diversificação, spillover e circulação de vírus. Por esses meios, o Sars-CoV-2 poderá invadir biomas brasileiros, transformando florestas como a Amazônia em imensos reservatórios, de onde o coronavírus poderá retornar ainda mais agressivo à saúde.

ABSTRACT The current path of human development generates deleterious environmental impacts, which have negative impact on health; among them, intensified transmission of infectious diseases, epidemics and pandemics, such as covid-19. The way we usually deal with biodiversity and ecosystems, combined with the effects of climate change, make for interfaces and pathways that favor diversification, spillover and the circulation of viruses. By these means, Sars-CoV-2 may invade Brazilian biomes, transforming, for instance, the Amazon rain forest into a huge reservoir from where coronavirus may return even more aggressive to health.

Abstract The traditionally and widely used Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm presents well-known limitations that newer propositions attempt to overcome. The direct block schedule (DBS) methodology, which has gained relevance with computational advances, obtains the final pit as a natural result of production sequencing, different from Lerchs-Grossmann-based algorithms. This process flow applies constraints in the final pit definition stage attempting to provide a more realistic result and to minimize risks. Slope instability is a common and inherent risk to open pit mining and may affect the project's net present value (NPV). A study of the impacts of slope angle variations on safety indexes and final pit NPV provides an auxiliary tool for the overall slope angle definition process. This article presents a case study in which the effects of variations of the overall slope angle on the safety factor (SF) and project NPV were analyzed. A total of 25 pits were generated by each studied final pit definition methodology, and each pit had the sections with the varied slope angles analyzed in the stability assessment, resulting in a total of 150 slopes analyzed. A comparison between the results obtained by the two different methodologies implemented in commercial software is presented. The results show no relationship between the NPV and the overall slope angle using the DBS methodology. An analysis of the results for each geotechnical sector obtained by the traditional methodology was conducted and may contribute to the trade-off analysis between the best slope angle to achieve a reasonable SF and the maximum NPV.

Resumo Nessa pesquisa exploratória objetiva-se construir um modelo que subsidie o processo de desenvolvimento de software para avaliar um sistema de gestão. Utilizou-se a Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão - Construtivista (MCDA-C), a qual identifica, organiza e mensura, ordinal e cardinalmente, os aspectos tidos em conta pelo decisor para a gestão do contexto. Confirma-se a possibilidade de construção de um modelo que explicite os requisitos do cliente, visando avaliar o grau de atendimento que o software proposto, denominado Monitoring and Improving Context (MIC), alcança, e assim ser utilizado como instrumento de negociação para a definição do sistema necessário.

Abstract The aim of this exploratory research is to construct a model to support a process of software development in order to evaluate a management system. The Multicriteria Methodology of Decision Aiding - Constructivist (MCDA-C) was used, which supports the identification, organization and ordinal and cardinal measurement of the aspects taken into account by the decision maker for the context management. We argue that it is possible to construct a model with the specification of the customer requirements to evaluate the degree of service that the proposed software named Monitoring and Improving Context (MIC) achieves in relation to the demands of the customer, and thus be used as an instrument for the definition of the final system.

ABSTRACT Free listing is a data collection technique used in different subject areas to characterize a given cultural domain. Analysis of a set of lists from a human population allows inferences to be made about the cultural salience of the items in that domain. However, the challenge that the salience index presents is establishing a threshold value for determining whether an item can be considered salient or not. The present analysis reveals how to determine which items of a list have non-randomly determined citation frequency and order. Monte Carlo techniques were used to create a hypothetical null scenario. The present analysis not only objectively identifies which items stand out in relation to the others, it also reveals which items can be considered idiosyncratic and how order and frequency independently influence the salience index. The present analysis represents a useful tool for analyzing data collected through free listing. It also can contribute to understanding processes related to the cultural relevance of items and to the test future hypotheses in different areas of knowledge.

Abstract Geologic modeling is an important step in determining the benefits and final pit dimensions for mining operations. Geostatistical models and distance-based functions are the main methods used to estimate the grade behavior. However, these two methods, despite their similar mean values, differ in spatial variability. The objective of this article is to prove, by comparing the two methodologies, that models with different spatial variability using the Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm will output subtly different final pit dimensions and scheduling. Furthermore, with the direct block schedule (DBS), these differences can be considerable. The tests compared the methodologies using the following three models: inverse distance (ID), ordinary kriging (OK) and turning bands simulation (TBS). The results demonstrate that the Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm is only slightly sensitive to the spatial variability of the grade; however, DBS requires the model populations to be better defined because of its greater sensitivity to spatial variability.

RESUMO Com o aumento da demanda e a crise hídrica em muitos países, a gestão de perdas em sistemas de abastecimento de água mostra-se relevante em todos os serviços de água. Esta pesquisa propôs-se a construir um modelo de avaliação de desempenho para apoiar uma empresa de saneamento quanto à gestão de perdas nos sistemas de abastecimento de água que opera. Para tanto, baseou-se na Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão - Construtivista (MCDA-C). A construção do modelo seguiu as três fases do MCDA-C: estruturação, avaliação e recomendações. Na fase de estruturação, foram construídos 64 descritores, distribuídos em quatro áreas de preocupação: perdas aparentes, perdas reais, apoio operacional e relacionamento externo. Ao final da fase de avaliação, o status quo do sistema de abastecimento de água estudado foi de 22,51, considerado, pelo decisor, no nível competitivo. Foram elaboradas recomendações de ações para melhorar o desempenho do status quo para aqueles descritores que apresentaram desempenho comprometedor e que foram julgados pelo decisor como merecedores de aperfeiçoamento. As recomendações simuladas em conjunto foram importantes para a melhora no desempenho em todas as áreas de preocupação, resultando no desempenho global de 60,82. Assim, a metodologia MCDA-C mostrou-se coerente para os temas abordados nesta pesquisa e confirmou suas premissas construtivistas em todas as suas fases aqui desenvolvidas: estruturação, avaliação e recomendações.

ABSTRACT Considering the increasing demand and the water crisis in many countries, loss management in water supply systems seems relevant to all water services. This research set out to build a performance evaluation model to support a sanitation company on the loss management in the water supply systems that it operates, based on the Constructivist Multicriteria Decision Aid Approach (MCDA-C). The model construction followed the three phases of MCDA-C: structuring, actions evaluation and recommendations. The structuring phase resulted in 64 descriptors in four families of fundamental points of view: apparent losses, real losses, operational support, and external relations. At the end of the evaluation phase, the status quo of the water supply system studied was 22.51, within the competitive level judged by the decision-maker. Actions recommendations were designed to improve the status quo performance of those descriptors with compromising performance, judged by the decision-maker as relevant to be improved. Recommendations were important for improving performance in all families of fundamental points of view, resulting in the overall performance of 60.82. This way, the MCDA-C methodology proved to be consistent for the topics covered in this research and confirmed its constructivist assumptions in all the stages developed here: structuring, evaluation and recommendations.

Abstract Determination of the best possible ultimate pit for an open pit mine is a fundamental subject that has undergone a highly evolutionary process, reviewed in this study, since the correct choice carries substantial economic impact for the industry. The correct choice can be very beneficial for project analysis, whereas an incorrect choice has the potential to mask huge financial and economic future losses that could render a project unfeasible. The advent of computers in the 1960s allowed sophisticated analysis for the selection of the best ultimate pit determination, under specific modifying factors such as economic, social, environmental, and political, but only in deterministic situations, i.e., when the problem and variables for the ultimate pit determinations were considered deterministically and almost always based on average values. Techniques such as the Lerchs-Grossman algorithm and mixed-integer programming are among many standard tools now used by the mineral industry. Geological uncertainty and the associated risks as well as the need to consider the appropriate time to mine a block during a mine operation have a significant impact on the net present value of the resulting ultimate pits. Stochastic aspects embed a probabilistic component that varies in time and are now under intense investigation by researchers, who are creating algorithms that can be experimented with and tested in real mine situations. One can expect that once these algorithms demonstrate their efficiency and superior results, they will readily dominate the industry.

Abstract This study is focused on Direct Block Scheduling testing (Direct Multi-Period Scheduling methodology) which schedules mine production considering the correct discount factor of each mining block, resulting in the final pit. Each block is analyzed individually in order to define the best target period. This methodology presents an improvement of the classical methodology derived from Lerchs-Grossmann's initial proposition improved by Whittle. This paper presents the differences between these methodologies, specially focused on the algorithms' avidity. Avidity is classically defined by the voracious search algorithms, whereupon some of the most famous greedy algorithms are Branch and Bound, Brutal Force and Randomized. Strategies based on heuristics can accentuate the voracity of the optimizer system. The applied algorithm use simulated annealing combined with Tabu Search. The most avid algorithm can select the most profitable blocks in early periods, leading to higher present value in the first periods of mine operation. The application of discount factors to blocks on the Lerchs-Grossmann's final pit has an accentuated effect with time, and this effect may make blocks scheduled for the end of the mine life unfeasible, representing a trend to a decrease in reported reserves.

Resumen Según el contexto de industria minera la programación de producción es la mejor metodología para determinar la mejor secuencia de explotación y asi obtener el mejor valor presente líquido y explotar la reserva máxima. La construcción de pilas de acopio y de mezcla representa una alternativa valiosa para la planificación de minado permitiendo garantizar la calidad del concentrado y las especificaciones de la planta de tratamiento. Para satisfacer las especificaciones de leyes y tonelaje, y reducir las variaciones las pilas de acopio y mezcla cumplen un papel importante para la planificación de corto y largo plazo. La programación linear clásica viene siendo ampliamente utilizada en problemas de mezcla presentes en la industria minera entretanto esta formulación permite apenas trabajar con una sola función objetivo en su formulación. El presente trabajo describe un sistema basado en goal programing, capaz de alcanzar las restricciones requeridas en la planificación a corto y largo plazo de forma simultánea. La formulación propuesta obtiene el mejor escenario operacional garantizando que las restricciones de costos sean respetadas. Esta formulación es útil pues da soporte a la toma de decisiones en las actividades de planificación a largo y corto plazo

Abstract In a mining context, production scheduling’s main objective is to determine the best mining sequence of blocks to achieve the largest net present value and to maximize ore reserve exploitation. Stockpiling and blending procedures may represent very helpful alternatives for mine planning to ensure the ore quality and amount required by the processing plant. In order to satisfy industrial requirements of grades and tones, reducing stockpile fluctuations may represent a very important tool especially for medium and short term mine planning. Classical linear programing has been widely used to model blending problems at the mining industry, however this formulation allows only one objective formulation. The current work describes a system based on goal programing able to reach blending constraints desired by short/medium term planning. The proposed formulation achieves the best schedule scenario, ensuring cost constrains are respected. Hence, this study aims to provide support for both short and long term mine planning.

The Malaria Frontier Hypothesis (MFH) is the current model for predicting malaria emergence in the Brazilian Amazon. It has two important dimensions, ‘settlement time’ and ‘malaria incidence’, and its prediction are: malaria incidence peaks five years after the initiation of human settlement and declines towards zero after an estimated 10 years. Although MFH is currently accepted, it has been challenged recently. Herein, we described a novel method for estimating settlement timeline by using remote sensing technology integrated in an open-software geographic information system. Surprisingly, we found that of the majority of the rural settlements with high malaria incidence are more than 10 years old.

A tecnologia e o atual volume eletrônico de publicações tornaram mais complexa a avaliação das publicações científicas. Nesse contexto, a cientometria auxilia a comunidade científica na avaliação de conteúdo, por meio de diversos indicadores relacionados à performance acadêmica, com o propósito de trazer progresso a diversos campos de pesquisa. O presente trabalho enquadra-se como pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, de caráter exploratório-descritivo e de natureza teórico-ilustrativa. O objetivo da pesquisa é identificar os artigos disponíveis na literatura internacional que abordam o desempenho de métricas para avaliação de produções científicas, bem como realizar uma análise bibliométrica desses artigos. Foi utilizado o Knowledge Development Process-Constructivist como instrumento de intervenção. Como resultado, 15 artigos foram identificados para compor um Portfólio Bibliográfico com reconhecimento científico e alinhado ao tema segundo as delimitações postas pelos pesquisadores. O Portfólio Bibliográfico foi submetido a análise bibliométrica, evidenciando que o Scientometrics obteve o maior destaque como periódico; que o artigo An index to quantify an individual's scientific research output foi o mais reconhecido pelo número de citações; que o pesquisador Van Raan, APJ foi considerado o autor de destaque; e que os termos bibliometrics, citatione research assessmentapareceram como as palavras-chave mais recorrentes para o tema.

Technology and the current volume of electronic publications have made the assessment of scientific publications more complex. In this context, Scientometrics helps the scientific community assess content through various indicators related to academic performance in order to help different research fields excel. The present study is a qualitative, quantitative, exploratory, descriptive research, adopting an illustrative theoretical approach. The objective of the research was to identify articles in the international literature that address performance metrics to assess scientific production. To conduct the bibliometric analysis of the articles, we used the Knowledge Development Process-Constructivist as an instrument of intervention. As a result, 15 scientifically recognized articles, in agreement with the theme according to the specifications established by the researchers, were selected to compose the Portfolio Library. The Portfolio Library was submitted to bibliometric analysis and the following was found: 'Scientometrics' was the most frequent periodical; 'an index to quantify an individual's scientific research output' was the most cited article; 'Van Raan, APJ' was the most outstanding author; and the terms 'Bibliometrics', 'Citation' and 'Research Assessment' were the most frequent keywords for this subject.

RESUMO Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar e conhecer os mais relevantes artigos e seus parâmetros sobre o tema Gestão da Terceirização de Tecnologia da Informação por meio de um processo construtivista – Knowledge Development Process – Constructivist (ProKnow-C). Foram selecionados 23 artigos, compondo o Portfólio Bibliográfico (PB). A partir do PB evidenciou-se que: i) o periódico mais presente foi o The Journal of Strategic Information Systems; ii) o artigo mais citado foi Poppo, L. & Zenger, T. (2002); iii) o autor mais presente no PB foi o J. Goo; iv) os autores mais citados em geral foram L. P. Willcocks e M. C. Lacity; v) a palavra-chave mais presente no portfólio foi “Outsourcing”.

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to improve the knowledge of researchers on the subject of Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) Management, identifying their most relevant articles and their issues by the use of a constructivist process - Knowledge Development Process - Constructivist (ProKnow-C). For this purpose, publications were identified in the literature, aligned with the subject, resulting in a Bibliographic Portfolio with 23 articles. Using the Bibliographic Portfolio, it was shown that: i) the most present journal was The Journal of Strategic Information Systems; ii) the most cited article was Poppo, L. & Zenger, T. (2002); iii) the most present author was the J. Goo; iv) the most cited authors in general were L. P. Willcocks and M. C. Lacity; v) the most present keywords in the portfolio was “Outsourcing".

As Cooperativas de Produção Agropecuária (CPA) têm se consolidado no cenário econômico e social por sua característica específica de unir o desenvolvimento econômico ao bem-estar social do seu grupo de associados. Diante dessa especificidade, como auxiliar as cooperativas a identificar em quais atividades devem investir esforços? Na área dos negócios, a Avaliação de Desempenho (AD) oferece insumos. Assim, esse artigo objetiva construir, nos pesquisadores, o conhecimento necessário sobre o tema Avaliação de Desempenho de Cooperativas de Produção Agropecuária e explicitá-lo por meio da identificação de um Portfólio Bibliográfico que o represente e pelo mapeamento de suas características. Essa investigação caracteriza-se como exploratório-descritiva e adota o instrumento Knowledge Development Process - Construtivist (Proknow-C). Como resultado, verificou-se que o tema é representado por 14 artigos, cuja maioria foi publicada em periódicos vinculados ao assunto central desta investigação (Cooperativas e Agropecuária); "Environmental management and firm performance: a case study" é o artigo mais relevante; e inexiste autor com trajetória de pesquisa nesse tema. Como conclusão geral, constatou-se que a maioria dos artigos adota uma afiliação teórica de AD informada sob uma abordagem realista. Os autores sugerem a adoção de uma perspectiva construtivista para novas pesquisas nessa área.

The Agricultural Production Cooperatives (APC) have been consolidated in the economic and social scenario of its specific characteristic of joining the economic development and social well-being of group members. Given this specificity, how cooperatives can be helped to identify in which activities they should invest efforts? In the business area, the Performance Evaluation (PE) provides inputs. Thus, this article aims to build, in the researchers, the knowledge regarding Performance Evaluation of Agricultural Production Cooperatives and make it explicit by identifying a Portfolio Library that represents itself and by mapping its features. Such research is characterized as exploratory-descriptive and adopts the instrument Knowledge Development Process - Construtivist (Proknow-C). As a result, it was found that the subject is represented by 14 papers, where the majority has been published in journals related to the main subject of this research (Agricultural and Cooperatives), "Environmental management and firm performance: a case study" is the most relevant article and an author with research history in this subject does not exist. As a general conclusion, it was found that most of the articles adopt a theoretical affiliation PE informed under a realistic approach. The authors suggest the adoption of a constructivist perspective for further research in this area.

OBJETIVO: Analisar o efeito da qualidade da água de reservatórios domésticos de abastecimento público na resposta oviposicional de fêmeas de Aedes aegypti. MÉTODOS: Estudo conduzido em laboratório a partir de imaturos de Ae. aegypti, coletados em caixas d'água do município de Potim, SP, 2009. Foram disponibilizados simultaneamente três tipos de água por gaiola para a deposição dos ovos: ovipositor (A) com água coletada em caixa d'água de Taubaté, SP; ovipositor (B) com água destilada (controle); e ovipositor (C) com água coletada em caixa d'água de Potim. Foram analisados parâmetros fisicoquímicos. O teste de Kruskall-Wallis foi utilizado para analisar a média de ovos nas diferentes amostras de água e nas comparações posteriores, o teste Dwass-Steel-Chritchlow-Flingner. O índice de atividade de oviposição foi adotado para avaliar a resposta oviposicional. RESULTADOS: Foi observada diferença significativa no número de ovos entre as soluções líquidas testadas (H = 45; p < 0,0001). O número de ovos na água de caixas d'água de abastecimento público de captação em poços profundos (C) foi estatisticamente superior a amostras de água de caixas d'água de abastecimento público de superfície (A) (p < 0,0001) e do Controle (B) (p < 0,0001). Não houve diferença significante entre o número de ovos do Controle (B) e água de superfície (A). A primeira postura foi a mais produtiva em todas as soluções testadas nas três gaiolas. A amostra de água (C) produziu índice positivo (0,54), i.e., atrativo para oviposição. CONCLUSÕES: A qualidade da água influiu na oviposição de Ae. aegypti. As elevadas concentrações de nitrogênio amoniacal na água de abastecimento público sugerem que esse componente químico foi o responsável pela atratividade de fêmeas grávidas de Ae. aegypti para a oviposição nesses criadouros.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the quality of publicly supplied water in domestic water tanks on egg laying by female Aedes aegypti. METHODS: Laboratory study on immature Ae. aegypti, collected from water-tanks in the municipality of Potim, SP, Southeastern Brazil. Each cage contained three types of water in which eggs could be laid: Three choice per test were simultaneously used to deposit the eggs, ovipositor (A) with water collected from a water tank in Taubaté, ovipositor (B) with distilled water (control) and ovipositor (C) water collected from a water tank in the municipality of Potim. Physiochemical parameters were analyzed. The Kruskall-Wallis test was used to analyze the mean number of eggs in each water sample and the Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner test was used in making comparisons. To evaluate egg laying, an ovipositional activity index was adopted. RESULTS: A significant difference in the number of eggs was found between the liquid solutions tested (H = 45; p < 0.0001). The number of eggs found in water tank samples originating from deep wells (C), was statistically superior to water samples from water tanks originating from superficial wells (A) (p < 0.0001) and from the Control (C) p < 0.0001. There was no significant difference between the number of eggs in Control (B) and the surface water (A). In all three tests, the first position was the most productive in all tested solutions. Only water sample (C) produced a positive index (0.54), i.e., attractive to egg laying. CONCLUSIONS: Water quality influences egg laying by Aedes aegypti. The high concentrations of ammonium nitrate in public water supplies suggest that this chemical component was responsible for attracting pregnant female Aedes aegypti to lay eggs in these environments.

OBJETIVO: Analizar el efecto de la calidad de agua de reservatorios domésticos de abastecimiento público en la respuesta de oviposición por hembras de Aedes aegypti. MÉTODOS: Estudio conducido en laboratorio a partir de inmaduros de Ae. aegypti, colectados en tanques de agua del municipio de Potim, SP, Brasil, 2009. Se disponibilizaron simultáneamente tres tipos de agua por jaula para la deposición de los huevos: ovipositor (A) con agua colectada en tanque de agua de Taubaté, SP (Brasil), ovipositor (B) agua destilada (control) y ovipositor (C) con agua colectada en el tanque de agua de Potim. Se analizaron parámetros fisicoquímicos. La prueba de Kruskall-Wallis fue usada para analizar el promedio de huevos en las diferentes muestras de agua y en las comparaciones posteriores, la prueba de Dwass-Steel-Chritchlow-Flingner. El índice de actividad de oviposición fue adoptado para evaluar la respuesta en las diferentes muestras. RESULTADOS: Se observó diferencia significativa en el número de huevos entre las soluciones líquidas evaluadas (H= 45; p˂0,0001). El número de huevos en el agua de los tanques para abastecimiento público, de captación en pozos profundos (C) fue estadísticamente superior a las muestras de tanques para abastecimiento público de superficie (A) (p˂0,0001) y del Control (B) (p˂0,0001). No hubo diferencia significativa entre el número de huevos del Control (B) y el agua de superficie (A). La primera postura fue la más productiva en todas las soluciones evaluadas en las tres jaulas. La muestra de agua (C) produjo índice positivo (0,54), es decir, atractivo para oviposición. CONCLUSIONES: La calidad de agua influyó en la oviposición de Ae. aegypti. Las elevadas concentraciones de nitrógeno amoniacal en el agua de abastecimiento público sugieren que dicho componente químico fue el responsable por la atracción de hembras preñadas de Ae. aegypti para la oviposición en tales criaderos.