Computer simulations of silicide-tetrahedrite thermoelectric generators

With global warming and rising energy demands, it is important now than ever to transit to renewable energy systems. Thermoelectric (TE) devices can present a feasible alternative to generate clean energy from waste heat. However, to become attractive for large-scale applications, such devices must be cheap, efficient, and based on ecofriendly materials. In this study, the potential of novel silicide-tetrahedrite modules for energy generation was examined. Computer simulations based on the finite element method (FEM) and implicit finite difference method (IFDM) were performed. The developed computational models were validated against data measured on a customized system working with commercial TE devices. The models were capable of predicting the TEGs’ behavior with low deviations (≤10%). IFDM was used to study the power produced by the silicide-tetrahedrite TEGs for different ΔT between the sinks, whereas FEM was used to study the temperature distributions across the testing system in detail. To complement these results, the influence of the electrical and thermal contact resistances was evaluated. High thermal resistances were found to affect the devices ΔT up to ~15%, whereas high electrical contact resistances reduced the power output of the silicide-tetrahedrite TEGs by more than ~85%.This research was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, through the contracts UID/Multi/04349/2020 and UI/BD/150713/2020. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and European Regional Development Fund, for funding under the PDI2021-126926OB-C22 research project

Challenges of public education in Brazil: Notes on school, the family and the community

This paper proposed to delimit as an object of study the “Challenges faced by Public Education in Brazil”, without the purpose of verifying the quality of education in the national territory. We understand that it is necessary for the school, the family and the community to walk together, so that socio-educational quality can be achieved. Therefore, an analysis of the main productions available on the subject is necessary. Although access to Elementary Education is practically universal, Brazil still faces the great problem of the precarious quality of education offered in its schools. Thus, the general objective of this work is to analyze the strategies that can be used by the school, the family and the community to implement the qualification of public education, specifically in Paraíba. Thus, subsidies to exercise and studies on the subject arise. This work is bibliographic and documental, under a qualitative approach, since it is understood as a social quality strategy and legal regulations through documents and bibliographic materials related to the strategies can be used by the school, family and community, to carry out the qualification of the public education, in Paraíba

ESTÁGIO SUPERVISIONADO EM COMPUTAÇÃO: ENSINO MÉDIO E TÉCNICO – RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA

O presente artigo visa refletir sobre a importância das vivências de um acadêmico na disciplina Estágio Supervisionado II, do curso de Licenciatura em Computação da Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA) para a formação completa do educando, bem como relatar sobre suas  vivências no campo de atuação  que ocorreu entre fevereiro e abril de 2023 na Escola Estadual Maria Almeida do Nascimento, e nos cursos de Técnico em Análise Clinicas e curso de Técnico em Informática no Centro de Educação Tecnológica do Amazonas- CETAM, localizados no município de Coari-AM, envolvendo as etapas de observação, coparticipação e regência. Como resultado do estágio, foi possível aprimorar habilidades e capacidades, as quais contribuíram significativamente para o aprimoramento profissional do aluno, além de oferecer oportunidades de aplicar recursos de mídias digitais para desenvolver a experiência profissional, ampliando a visão dos estudantes sobre a docência em sua reflexão sobre a prática, o cotidiano escolar, o currículo e as políticas educacionais que regulam o ensino-aprendizagem nas escolas.This article aims to reflect on the importance of the experiences of an academic in the discipline Supervised Internship II, of the Degree in Computing at the University of the State of Amazonas (UEA) for the complete formation of the student, as well as to report on his experience in the field of performance that took place between February and April 2023 at the Maria Almeida do Nascimento State School, and in the courses of Technician in Clinical Analysis and Computer Technician course at the Center for Technological Education of Amazonas - CETAM, located in the municipality of Coari-AM, involving the stages of observation, co-participation and conducting. As a result of the internship, it was possible to improve skills and abilities, which contributed significantly to the student's professional improvement, in addition to offering opportunities to apply digital media resources to develop professional experience, expanding the students' view of teaching in their reflection about the practice, the school routine, the curriculum and the educational policies that regulate teaching and learning in schools.Este artículo tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre la importancia de las experiencias de un académico en la disciplina Pasantía Supervisada II, de la Licenciatura en Computación de la Universidad del Estado de Amazonas (UEA) para la formación integral del estudiante, así como relatar sobre su experiencia en el campo de actuación que tuvo lugar entre febrero y abril de 2023 en la Escuela Estadual Maria Almeida do Nascimento, y en los cursos de Técnico en Análisis Clínico y Técnico en Informática del Centro de Educación Tecnológica de Amazonas - CETAM, ubicado en el municipio de Coari-AM, involucrando las etapas de observación, coparticipación y realización. Como resultado de la pasantía se logró mejorar destrezas y habilidades, lo que contribuyó significativamente a la superación profesional del estudiante, además de ofrecer oportunidades de aplicar recursos de medios digitales para desarrollar experiencia profesional, ampliando la mirada de los estudiantes sobre la docencia en su reflexión. sobre la práctica, la rutina escolar, el currículo y las políticas educativas que regulan la enseñanza y el aprendizaje en las escuelas.O presente artigo visa refletir sobre a importância das vivências de um acadêmico na disciplina Estágio Supervisionado II, do curso de Licenciatura em Computação da Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA) para a formação completa do educando, bem como relatar sobre suas  vivências no campo de atuação  que ocorreu entre fevereiro e abril de 2023 na Escola Estadual Maria Almeida do Nascimento, e nos cursos de Técnico em Análise Clinicas e curso de Técnico em Informática no Centro de Educação Tecnológica do Amazonas- CETAM, localizados no município de Coari-AM, envolvendo as etapas de observação, coparticipação e regência. Como resultado do estágio, foi possível aprimorar habilidades e capacidades, as quais contribuíram significativamente para o aprimoramento profissional do aluno, além de oferecer oportunidades de aplicar recursos de mídias digitais para desenvolver a experiência profissional, ampliando a visão dos estudantes sobre a docência em sua reflexão sobre a prática, o cotidiano escolar, o currículo e as políticas educacionais que regulam o ensino-aprendizagem nas escolas

A Técnica do Body Painting como Recurso Metodológico no Ensino Síncrono de Anatomia Humana: Um Relato de Experiência / The Body Painting Technique as a Methodological Resource in the Synchronous Teaching of Human Anatomy: An Experience Report

O presente trabalho apresenta um relato de experiência do processo de ensino aprendizagem em anatomia humana, utilizando a técnica do Body Painting por meio síncrono, no aprendizado da anatomia humana dos músculos da face. O método utilizado no estudo foi um relato de experiência, observacional, qualitativo e quantitativo, realizado dia 29 de abril de 2021, com os acadêmicos da disciplina de anatomia humana, dos cursos da saúde de um centro universitário, através da plataforma Google Meet, durante a finalização do conteúdo de anatomia do sistema muscular. Na primeira etapa da experiência foi realizada uma auto pintura facial, sobre orientação da docente da disciplina. Os universitários realizaram a pintura dos múculos, seguindo o passo a passo do método do Body Painting:  a) delimitação dos músculos; b) início da pintura dos músculos; c) finalização e retoque de áreas comprometidas pela tinta. Após a experiência, foi enviado um link do formulários do Google Forms, para eles passraem o feedback da experiência, onde 38 estudantes responderam. Deste modo, foi possível instigar dos universitários, o desenvolvimento de pensamento crítico e a retenção em longo prazo de conhecimentos anatômico. Assim, conclui-se que o body painting foi bem aceito pelos universitárisos por ser um método de aprendizagem divertido e integrativo, tornando a atividade estimulante e facilitando a retenção dos conhecimentos dos músculos da expressão facial

Viral genetic clustering and transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal

Pathogen genome sequencing during epidemics enhances our ability to identify and understand suspected clusters and investigate their relationships. Here, we combine genomic and epidemiological data of the 2022 mpox outbreak to better understand early viral spread, diversification and transmission dynamics. By sequencing 52% of the confirmed cases in Portugal, we identified the mpox virus sublineages with the highest impact on case numbers and fitted them into a global context, finding evidence that several international sublineages probably emerged or spread early in Portugal. We estimated a 62% infection reporting rate and that 1.3% of the population of men who have sex with men in Portugal were infected. We infer the critical role played by sexual networks and superspreader gatherings, such as sauna attendance, in the dissemination of mpox virus. Overall, our findings highlight genomic epidemiology as a tool for the real-time monitoring and control of mpox epidemics, and can guide future vaccine policy in a highly susceptible population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Viral genetic clustering and transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal

Pathogen genome sequencing during epidemics enhances our ability to identify and understand suspected clusters and investigate their relationships. Here, we combine genomic and epidemiological data of the 2022 mpox outbreak to better understand early viral spread, diversification and transmission dynamics. By sequencing 52% of the confirmed cases in Portugal, we identified the mpox virus sublineages with the highest impact on case numbers and fitted them into a global context, finding evidence that several international sublineages probably emerged or spread early in Portugal. We estimated a 62% infection reporting rate and that 1.3% of the population of men who have sex with men in Portugal were infected. We infer the critical role played by sexual networks and superspreader gatherings, such as sauna attendance, in the dissemination of mpox virus. Overall, our findings highlight genomic epidemiology as a tool for the real-time monitoring and control of mpox epidemics, and can guide future vaccine policy in a highly susceptible population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Mammals in Portugal: a data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in Portugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with ~26% of all species being included in the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associated with habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mammals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion for marine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems functionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is crucial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublished georeferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mammals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira that includes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occurring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live observations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%), bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent less than 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrows | soil mounds | tunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animal | hair | skulls | jaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8), observation in shelters, (9) photo trapping | video, (10) predators diet | pellets | pine cones/nuts, (11) scat | track | ditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalization | echolocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and 100 m (76%). Rodentia (n =31,573) has the highest number of records followed by Chiroptera (n = 18,857), Carnivora (n = 18,594), Lagomorpha (n = 17,496), Cetartiodactyla (n = 11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n = 7008). The data set includes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened (e.g., Oryctolagus cuniculus [n = 12,159], Monachus monachus [n = 1,512], and Lynx pardinus [n = 197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate the publication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contribute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting on the development of more accurate and tailored conservation management strategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications