Self-efficacy, mathematics’ anxiety and perceived importance: an empirical study with Portuguese engineering students

The accomplishment in mathematics has gained attention from educators and arises as an emerging field of study, including in engineering education. However, in Portugal, there is still incipient research in the area; so it is high time to explore factors that might enlighten the gap in the study of the relationship between Portuguese engineering students and the learning of mathematics. The main purpose of this study is to explore three factors identified in the literature as influencing the learning of mathematical concepts – self-efficacy, anxiety towards mathematics and perceived importance of mathematics – and search for differences by gender and by type of engineering course, a dimension not much reported in the literature but which was revealed as important in the team’s previous research. Based on a sample of 140 undergraduate students of different engineering courses from University of Minho, results only identify differences in the type of course and not in gender. These results constitute a contribution and open new paths for future research in the engineering education.FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal) in the scope of the project PEst-OE/EEI/UI0319/201

Les facteurs qui influencent l'apprentissage des concepts mathématiques dans les cours d'Ingénierie: une étude exploratoire avec des étudiants de l'Université de Minho

O sucesso na aprendizagem da Matemática no ensino superior constitui um campo emergente de pesquisa, em particular nos cursos de Engenharia. No entanto, em Portugal ainda é incipiente a pesquisa na área, pelo que é pertinente explorar fatores que podem esclarecer a relação entre os estudantes de Engenharia e a Matemática. Com base em três focus group realizados com estudantes de dois cursos de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho, este estudo exploratório pretende investigar as atitudes dos estudantes na aprendizagem de conceitos matemáticos e averiguar os fatores que influenciam a sua experiência no processo de aprendizagem. Para além da perceção da importância da Matemática no seu curso e na sua futura profissão, os resultados sugerem que há fatores que influenciam o seu desempenho, nomeadamente o papel do professor e a sua metodologia de ensino, bem como a aplicabilidade dos conceitos matemáticos no contexto da Engenharia, o papel ativo do estudante na aprendizagem e a influência dos pais e da sociedade.Success in the learning of Mathematics in higher education constitutes an emerging field of research, particularly in the Engineering courses. In Portugal, however, the research in this area remains incipient. It is therefore relevant to explore which factors may clarify the relation between the Engineering students and Mathematics. Based on three focus groups carried out with students from two Engineering courses at the University of Minho, this exploratory study aims to investigate the attitudes of students in the learning of mathematical concepts and find out the factors that influence their experience in the learning process. Beyond the perception of the importance of Mathematics in their course and their future profession, the results suggest that there are factors that influence their performance, such as the teacher's role and his/her teaching methodology, as well as the applicability of mathematical concepts in the context of Engineering, the student’s active role in learning and the influence of parents and society.Le succès de l'apprentissage de la Mathématique à l'enseignement supérieur est un domaine émergent de la recherche, particulièrement aux cours d'Ingénierie. Toutefois, au Portugal, la recherche est encore naissante, donc il est pertinent d'explorer les facteurs qui peuvent expliquer la relation entre les étudiants en Ingénierie et les Mathématiques. Basé sur trois groupes de discussion menés avec des étudiants de deux cours d'Ingénierie de l'Université de Minho, cette étude exploratoire vise à étudier les attitudes des élèves dans l'apprentissage des concepts mathématiques et de déterminer les facteurs qui influent sur leur expérience dans le processus d'apprentissage. En plus de la perception de l'importance des Mathématiques dans leur cours et leur future profession, les résultats suggèrent qu'il existe des facteurs qui influencent leur performance, à savoir : le rôle de l'enseignant dans la méthodologie de l'enseignement et l'applicabilité des concepts mathématiciens dans le contexte de l'Ingénierie, le rôle active de l'étudiant dans l'apprentissage et l'influence des parents et de la société.FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal) no âmbito do projeto PEst-OE/EEI/UI0319/201

Engineering students and the application of mathematical knowledge : how to explain the difficulties experienced?

The article presents the results of two focus groups and a questionnaire implemented with engineering students from the University of Minho, in order to assess opinions and perspectives concerning the main learning difficulties in mathematics-based disciplines. The results obtained show that students generally see the relevance of mathematics to engineering courses. Mathematics is considered as an essential discipline in course selection and a vital part of their career as engineers. The importance of the instructor is recognized when learning mathematical concepts. Students would like their courses to address mathematical concepts that are more in line with their future professions. The 73 undergraduate students who completed the questionnaire manifested a high self-efficacy and a high perception that the learning of mathematical concepts and the development of mathematical skills are essential for progression in their future career.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Desenvolvimento de um modelo explicativo do sucesso da aprendizagem matemática em estudantes de engenharia

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Levels of Trust in Information Sources as a Predictor of Protective Health Behaviors During COVID-19 Pandemic: A UAE Cross-Sectional Study

Health information sources and the level of trust in a particular source may influence the subsequent adoption of advocated health behaviors. Information source preference and levels of trust are also likely to be influenced by sociodemographic (culture, age, gender) variables. Understanding these source-trust-behavior relationships across various national and cultural contexts is integral to improved health messaging. The present study identified the sources most frequently consulted to obtain information about COVID-19 during the pandemic\u27s early stages in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study quantified levels of trust across an array of information sources, factoring in sociodemographic variables. Finally, the study explored the relationship between sociodemographic variables, levels of trust in information sources, and the adoption of COVID-19 related protective behaviors. Participants (n = 1585) were recruited during the first 2 weeks of April 2020 via announcements in the UAE media and through email networks. All participants completed a web-based survey presented in English or Arabic, as preferred. The most frequently consulted information sources were websites (health information websites), social media, government communications, and family and friends. The sources rated most trustworthy were: personal physicians, health care professionals, and government communications. There were differences in the use of sources and levels of trust according to age, gender, and education. The levels of trust in sources of information were associated with the adoption of protective behaviors, significantly so for citizens of the UAE. These findings may help inform the improvement of pandemic–related health messaging in multicultural contexts

International sustainable development cooperation of physiotherapy course from Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa

Objectives - To share with delegates the international experience in several Program of Physiotherapy course from Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa (ESTeSL)

Body Composition As A Frailty Marker For The Elderly Community

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Background: Body composition (BC) in the elderly has been associated with diseases and mortality; however, there is a shortage of data on frailty in the elderly. Objective: To investigate the association between BC and frailty, and identify BC profiles in nonfrail, prefrail, and frail elderly people. Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising 235 elderly (142 females and 93 males) aged > 65 years, from the city of Amparo, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was undertaken. Sociodemographic and cognitive features, comorbidities, medication, frailty, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass, fat mass, bone mass, and fat percent (%) data were evaluated. Aiming to examine the relationship between BC and frailty, the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests were applied. The statistical significance level was P<0.05. Results: The nonfrail elderly showed greater muscle mass and greater bone mass compared with the prefrail and frail ones. The frail elderly had greater fat % than the nonfrail elderly. There was a positive association between grip strength and muscle mass with bone mass (P<0.001), and a negative association between grip strength and fat % (P<0.001). Gait speed was positively associated with fat mass (P=0.038) and fat % (P=0.002). The physical activity level was negatively associated with fat % (P=0.022). The weight loss criterion was positively related to muscle mass (P<0.001), bone mass (P=0.009), fat mass (P=0.018), and BMI (P=0.003). There was a negative association between fatigue and bone mass (P=0.008). Discussion: Frailty in the elderly was characterized by a BC profile/phenotype with lower muscle mass and lower bone mass and with a higher fat %. The BMI was not effective in evaluating the relationship between BC and frailty. The importance of evaluating the fat % was verified when considering the tissue distribution in the elderly BC.1016611667Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (FCM-Unicamp)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Homecare physiotherapy in the iberian peninsula public health system

Objetivos - Conocer los principales servicios de fisioterapia domiciliaria que oferta el Sistema Sanitario Público para las personas mayores dependientes de la Península Ibérica (España y Portugal). Estrategia de búsqueda - Revisión bibliográfica actualizada y exhaustiva sobre los estudios previos; estancia de investigación en Hospitales, Centros de Salud y organismos financiados por la Administración Pública en ambos países; entrevistas en profundidad a informantes estratégicos. Síntesis de los resultados - Se describe la situación de la fisioterapia domiciliaria en España, desde el año 1987 hasta agosto de 2008. Se detecta que en Portugal la fisioterapia domiciliaria está recogida en la cartera de servicios de atención primaria (Decreto-Ley no 28/2008, del 22 de febrero). Conclusiones - Existen pocas investigaciones a nivel de la Península que ofrezcan datos objetivos basados en la evidencia científica sobre la efectividad de estos servicios de fisioterapia, la satisfacción del usuario y las repercusiones que producen con respecto a otros tratamientos; sin embargo, estos estudios son necesarios para la evaluación de las políticas sanitarias, la distribución adecuada de recursos, la revisión de los programas, la metodología de actuación, etc.ABSTRACT - Objectives: To become acquainted with the principal homecare physiotherapy services that are offered by the Public Health System for dependent elderly patients in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Methods: A thorough and updated review of the literature regarding previous studies, research stays in Hospitals, Primary Health Care Centers and Public Health institutions in both countries financed by the Public Health Administration; in-depth interviews with specific informants. Results: The situation of homecare physiotherapy in Spain from the year 1987 to the August 2008 is described. In Portugal, these services are established within the services regulated by Primary Health Care (Decree-Law no. 28/2008, of February 22). Conclusions: There are few studies in the Iberian Peninsula that offer scientific evidence-based information on the effectiveness of these physiotherapy services, user satisfaction and the effect they have in relation to other treatments. However, these studies are needed in order to evaluate the current health legislation, appropriate distribution of resources, to review the clinical programs, clinical action methodologies, etc.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The effect of a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor on the proliferation rate of retinoblastoma cell lines

Purpose To examine the effect of nepafenac, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on the proliferation rate of two human retinoblastoma (Rb) cell lines.Methods Two human Rb cell lines (WERI-RB and Y79) were cultured. COX-2 expression in these cell lines was verified by imunocytochemical analysis of cytospin sections and Western blotting. An MTT-based proliferation assay was used to compare Rb cell growth with and without amfenac, the active metabolite of nepafenac. the averaged results per condition were recorded. the Student's t-test was used to compare results from the cells cultured with and without amfenac.Result the Y79 cell line showed a higher proliferative rate than the WERI-RB cell line. Both cell lines were negative for COX-2 expression by immunocytochemical analysis; however, both cell lines were positive for COX-2 expression by Western blot. When amfenac was added to both of the cell lines, a statistically significant reduction in proliferation was observed in both cell lines. the two Rb cell lines were positive for COX-2 only in the Western blot, indicating that they probably express low levels of COX-2, which was undetectable by immucytochemical analysis.Conclusion the selective, anti-COX-2 molecule amfenac inhibited proliferation of both tested Rb cell lines. Further trials should be undertaken to study the effect of selective COX-2 inhibitors on Rb.McGill Univ, Henry C Witelson Ocular Pathol Lab, Montreal, PQ, CanadaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ophthalmol, São Paulo, SP, BrazilRetina & Oncol Serv, Dept Ophthalmol, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ophthalmol, São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Fluorescence studies of benzothienoquinolines in lipid membranes

This work was funded by FCT-Portugal through CFUM, CQ-UM, research project PTDC/QUI/81238/2006 (cofinanced by FEDER/COMPETE, FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-007467) and National NMR Network (Bruker 400). FCT is also acknowledged for Ph.D. grant of R. C. Calhelha (SFRH/BD/29274/2006)