Leitura: um modelo teórico e (algumas) propostas de uma prática consistente

Ao longo da sua história a humanidade desenvolveu a vida fundamentalmente a partir da comunicação, construindo textos que foram (e continuarão a ser) veículos de partilha de decisões e de saber entre emissores e receptores. Naturalmente que essa comunicação começou por assumir um carácter familiar e a ser materializada pela linguagem, com toda a carga de artificialismo que este meio de expressão comporta. Mas a linguagem não foi o único veículo de interacção com o mundo, mesmo no homem mais primitivo. O seu sentido de sobrevivência leva-o a arquitectar as formas de subsistência possíveis e a pintura rupestre, representando cenas de caçadas, é reveladora dessa outra vertente da comunicação, mais duradoura do que a linguagem, e que é hoje um dos documentos fundamentais que a humanidade possui para penetrar no "segredo" da vida dos nossos antepassados

A Aquisição de uma L2 (Algumas Variáveis Cognitivas e Afectivas).

A investigação mais recente sobre o estudo de uma segunda língua confirma a hipótese de que os processos de aquisição (formulação inconsciente de princípios gramaticais) e de aprendizagem (o estudo consciente, de base cognitiva, da gramática) representam dois sistemas de interiorização do conhecimento da língua. Por outro lado, e de acordo com um corpo de pesquisa cada vez mais volumoso, o grau elevado de insucesso no desenvolvimento da capacidade comunicativa na L2 deve-se fundamentalmente ao facto de as metodologias tradicionais terem considerado o estudo da língua como actividade intelectual, secundarizando (ou não considerando mesmo), entre outras, as variáveis afectivas. Estamos perante uma viragem com implicações metodológicas profundas: a focalização desloca-se da formalização para os sentidos das comunicações genuínas, para as mensagens; a compreensão precede a produção; durante as actividades de aquisição os professores não fornecem feedback directo para os erros, de modo a não inibir a participação dos alunos em interacções comunicativas; nas primeiras fases de aquisição o vocabulário é mais importante para a compreensão do que as estruturas de superfície da sintaxe; as regras de gramática têm um lugar importante apenas na fase de edição. Para além de muitas outras. Tentaremos neste trabalho começar por analisar quatro das hipóteses mais actuais sobre a aquisição de uma L2 formuladas por S. Krashen e por J. W. Oller, e reflectir sobre as principais implicações metodológicas que elas contêm. Confirmadas em grande parte dos estudos de investigação levados já a cabo em contextos culturais bem diversificados, elas justificam uma viragem de orientação que os professores de língua inglesa em Portugal deverão considerar e implementar

Optimal solution of a diffusion equation with a discrete source term

In this paper we study the numerical behavior of a diffusion equation with a discrete control source term. The equation is discretized in space by finite differences and in time by an implicit scheme. The control variables are calculated in order to minimize an objective function, taking into account some restrictions. We define two strategies to obtain the optimal solution and present some numerical results in a context of a model that describes the oxygen concentration in a single chamber microbial fuel cell

Scheduling of nonconforming devices: the case of a company in the automotive sector

This article presents a project developed in a company’s quality department aiming at scheduling the nonconforming devices analysis’ process. The company faced a problem of low compliance with pre-established time requests, resulting in large fines paid to its customers of the automotive sector. In order to overcome this problem, scheduling tools were developed and tested, with the goal of minimizing the number of tardy tasks in identical parallel machines. The simulation of different scheduling rules allowed confirmation that the current prioritization rule is not the most effective one. Preliminary simulations were carried out using Lekin software [18], showing that other criteria promote better results. The use of a newly developed algorithm, combining two different criteria, resulted in a reduction of tardy tasks, thus decreasing tardiness fines paid to customers. Despite the preliminary status of present results, it is possible to foresee some improvements in the analysis process performance, by using decision making support tools based on scheduling algorithms. This way, a significant improvement on the number of analysis which fulfills the defined pre-requirements will be achieved.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The effect of mobile text messages and a novel floss holder on gingival health: a randomized control trial

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of using mobile text messages and a novel floss holder as compared to finger flossing or the novel floss holder alone, on the psychological, behavioral, and clinical parameters of patients with gingivitis.Methods: A total 165 adults were assessed for eligibility and 144 met the criteria for randomization into three groups: Finger Floss (FF, n=43), Novel Floss Holder (NFH, n= 40), and Novel Floss Holder plus Text Messages (NFH+TM, n= 61) following a dental hygiene consultation appointment. Gingival bleeding points were measured on probing (BOMP) at baseline and four months later by a calibrated dental hygienist, blinded to the experimental groups. Participants also self-reported their oral hygiene behaviors, and indicated psychological determinants of behavior change prior to the dental hygiene consultation and at four months. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare groups over time.Results: Two subjects dropped out of the study making the total number of participants 142. At the four month follow-up, the NFH group and the NFH+TM groups demonstrated significantly higher levels of self-reported flossing, action self-efficacy, intention, action planning, and action control. The NFH+TM group showed lower levels of bleeding and higher levels of oral hygiene and recovery self-efficacy than the other groups, in addition to higher levels of maintenance self-efficacy as compared to the FF group.Conclusions: The use of a novel floss holder, NFH, was shown to improve the behavioral and psychological determinants of periodontal health four months after introduction of the device. However the clinical measures of BOMP only improved significantly when used in conjunction with text messages (NFH+TM). The use of a consciousness awareness technique,TMs, in combination with a novel device, may help patients to reach therapeutic objectives and contribute to the management of periodontal pathologies such as gingivitis.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Purchase management improvement in a TV company from the industry district of Manaus (PIM)

All rights reserverd. Continuous improvement in quality of products and processes offered by an organization can support companies keep it long in this competitive and dynamic business environment. Therefore, the interaction between the university, government, and Industry (the triple helix) is the opportunity for a Technology Company as TV’s industry to have innovation and new studies developed frequently. This research, studies the improvements of material purchases process to increase knowledge in the TV Purchasing Department inside an Industry from the Industrial District of Manaus, Brazil (PIM) which deals with high technology on their products and must have agility to be the first option to the customers. During the research a checklist was applied to employees from purchasing department and was observed that there was a frequent participation from quality sector in the resolution of the procurement process and that has proven to be positive in the management process. These are facilitators on a daily developers, customers and suppliers.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – The Foundation for Science and Technology within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Information organization and production planning improvement in a clothes company in Portugal

In this paper we followed a qualitative research methodology through a case study, incorporating interviews with institutional actors involved (university, industry and government) in the cooperation project. Although this study is limited to a case study, however, highlight the importance of Triple Helix networks in order to develop the research presents a proposal for improvement for the first methodology of medium-sized textile company to address the modelling conceptual planning, production and control. In order to develop the research, development and innovation with the use of study methods which are: Planning and Production Control (PPC), master Production Planning (MPS), Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) Material, Capacity Planning using Global Factors (CPOF), and Capacity Requirement Planning (CRP). Through the practical perspective of a case study of Triple Helix successful cooperation, we were able to develop the cases considered to be studied on the organization and the production of information for structuring an improvement of data necessary to implement the methods of planning and selected information within the company.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – The Foundation for Science and Technology within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio