A taxonomy of podcasts and its application to higher education

In this paper we address the uses of podcasts in higher education and we propose a taxonomy for podcasts. We describe results obtained within a study that is being conducted at the University of Minho, in Portugal, focusing on the use of podcasts and their implications towards learning in higher education. The project involves 6 lecturers from different scientific domains – Education, Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering and Biology. These lecturers created 84 podcasts in order to support their undergraduate and master courses during the 1st and 2nd semesters of 2007/ 2008 and the 1st semester of 2008/ 2009. A total of 479 students - 372 undergraduate and 107 master students - were enrolled in 20 courses. Some students were not only podcasts listeners but they also had the challenge and the opportunity to create their own podcasts (34 episodes). Podcasts were classified in different types (Informative, Feedback, Guidelines and Authentic materials), styles (formal or informal), length (short, moderate or long), purpose and medium (audio or video), according to a taxonomy proposed by the authors. The majority of podcasts was Informative (76), followed by podcasts with Feedback (30), Guidelines (9) and Authentic materials (3). Most podcasts were short (102), mainly in informal style and only 21 were vodcasts. Students´ reactions about podcasts implementation in higher education revealed their acceptance of this new tool and their receptiveness to podcasting in other courses. The majority of students found podcasts a positive resource in learning, although they did not explore one of the main advantages of this technology – portability. Lecturers also found podcasting a useful resource for learning and recognized its great potential as a pedagogical tool but stressed that it is too time consuming

ENSINO DE EMPREENDEDORISMO NOS CURSOS DE GRADUAÇÃO EM TURISMO NO ESTADO DE SANTA CATARINA, BRASIL

Entre os maiores desafios do governo brasileiro está a geração de emprego e renda. Estudos mostram que o empreendedorismo serve como base para acelerar a economia, em países em desenvolvimento. Assim, se entende que na formação acadêmica de cursos superiores deveriam constar conhecimentos sobre o empreendedorismo. Nesta perspectiva, se inclui a formação superior em turismo. Por meio de pesquisa exploratória, com método qualitativo, foi estudado o ensino do empreendedorismo em cursos de graduação em turismo, no estado de Santa Catarina. Coordenadores e professores que ministram disciplinas nesses cursos foram os respondentes. Os objetivos buscaram analisar as disciplinas quanto às ementas, conhecer o entendimento dos coordenadores e professores sobre a inclusão do enfoque do empreendedorismo na formação de turismólogos, e as tendências dos cursos de turismo. Os resultados apontam que dos 27 cursos estudados, 7 oferecem disciplinas de empreendedorismo. As ementas se voltam para o Empreendedorismo, de forma geral, e para o Plano de Negócios. Os coordenadores e professores entendem como importante o enfoque do empreendedorismo na construção de habilidades e competências desses acadêmicos como um diferencial competitivo para inclusão no mercado de trabalho. Entre as tendências dos cursos superiores de turismo revela-se a inclusão do empreendedorismo

Neurodevelopmental assessment of very low birth weight preterm infants at corrected age of 18-24 months by Bayley III scales

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of delay and factors associated with neurodevelopmental scores in premature infants. METHODS: Cross-sectional study to assess the development by Bayley Scales III, including very low birth weight preterm infants aged 18 to 24 months who were under follow-up at the outpatient clinic for preterm infants. Congenital malformation, genetic syndrome, symptomatic congenital infection at birth, deafness, and blindness were excluded. Numerical variables were compared by Mann-Whitney or Student t test and categorical variables by chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Factors associated with developmental scores were analyzed by linear regression, and statistical significance level was established at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Out of the 58 children included, four (6.9%) presented cognitive delay, four (6.9%) motor, 17 (29.3%) language, 16 (27.6%) social-emotional and 22 (37.0%) adaptive-behavior delay. By multiple linear regression, the variables: social classes CDE (-13.27; 95%CI: -21.23 to -5.31), oxygen dependency at 36 weeks of corrected age (-8.75; 95%CI: -17.10 to -0.39) decreased the cognitive developmental score. Periventricular leukomalacia decreased the cognitive (-15.21; 95%CI: -27.61 to -2.81), motor (-10.67; 95%CI:-19.74 to -1.59) and adaptive-behavior scores (-21.52; 95%CI: -35.60 to -7.44). The female sex was associated with higher motor (10.67; 95%CI: 2.77 to 12.97), language (15.74; 95%CI: 7.39 to 24.09) and social-emotional developmental scores (10.27; 95%CI: 1.08 to 19.46). CONCLUSIONS: Very low birth weight preterm infants aged from 18 to 24 months of corrected age presented more frequently language, social-emotional and adaptive-behavior delays. The variables: social classes CDE, periventricular leukomalacia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and male sex reduced the neurodevelopmental scores.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de atraso e fatores associados aos escores de desenvolvimento em crianças nascidas prematuras. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal para avaliar o desenvolvimento por escalas Bayley III, incluindo-se prematuros de muito baixo peso de 18 a 24 meses de idade corrigida, acompanhados no Ambulatório de Prematuros da instituição. Excluíram-se: malformação congênita, síndrome genética, infecção congênita sintomática ao nascimento, surdez e cegueira. As variáveis numéricas foram comparadas por teste t de Student ou Mann-Whitney, e as categóricas, por qui-quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher. Para análise dos fatores associados aos escores de desenvolvimento, utilizou-se a regressão linear, considerando-se significante p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Das 58 crianças avaliadas, quatro (6,9%) apresentaram alteração cognitiva; quatro (6,9%), motora; 17 (29,3%), de linguagem; 16 (27,6%), socioemocional; e 22 (37,9%), de comportamento adaptativo. À regressão linear múltipla, os fatores classe socioeconômica CDE (-13,27; IC95% -21,23 a -5,31) e dependência de oxigênio com 36 semanas de idade corrigida (-8,75; IC95% -17,10 a -0,39) diminuíram o escore cognitivo. A leucomalácia periventricular diminuiu o escore cognitivo (-15,21; IC95% -27,61 a -2,81), motor (-10,67; IC95% -19,74 a -1,59) e de comportamento adaptativo (-21,52; IC95% -35,60 a -7,44). O sexo feminino se associou ao maior escore motor (10,67; IC95% 2,77-12,97), de linguagem (15,74; IC95% 7,39-24,09) e socioemocional (10,27; IC95% 1,08-19,46). CONCLUSÕES: Prematuros de muito baixo peso apresentaram com maior frequência alterações na linguagem, comportamento adaptativo e socioemocional. As variáveis classe socioeconômica CDE, leucomalácia periventricular, displasia broncopulmonar e sexo masculino contribuíram para reduzir os escores de desenvolvimento.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM) Departamento de PediatriaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PediatriaSciEL

CANAL DISH (CD), THE NEW ANTIMICROBIAL TESTING APPARATUS

Objective: This writing aims to introduce new antimicrobial test apparatus called Canal Dish (CD), theoretically.Methods: We have designed two types of CD such as Circular CD (CCD) and Square CD (SCD). Internally, the CCD is a 80 mm diameter circular while the SCD is a 80×80 mm square CD plate. Both of them contain 2(40×2) mm parallel travelling canals from the each CD-centre having radius of 3 mm. Canals are 6 mm in depth.Results: The features of CCD and SCD indicate possible allowance of various size, low media consuming, the inclusion of multiple microorganisms and/or test samples/doses, ease of handling; therefore, understanding, rapidity, and economy.Conclusion: CD may replace currently used Petri dishes due to its cost-effectiveness, rapidity, ease of handling and a wider range of applicability.Keywords: Antimicrobial assay, Canal dish, Circular, Square, New apparatu

COFFEE: A HEALTH FUEL-BLOT POPULAR DRINKING

Now, the days begin with cups of coffee worldwide. Caffeine is the main component of coffee, which is vastly consumed as a psychoactive agent, and in varieties of dietary supplements. Day by day coffee and caffeinated-consumption areas are expanding. Only a single cup of coffee contains thousands of biochemical. Otherwise, during roasting, some of which turn to convert other chemicals moieties. Thus, the coffee is an interesting item to the drug scientists. Upon this jackpot, a number of researches have been done on coffee and its chemical components; in which many postulations are still in contentious and some are unclear to the coffee users. Upon going through the stand-point, this study has been snapshot to sketch a complete overview on coffee and its components. Our finding depicts constituents of coffee to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer's disease, anti-Parkinson's disease, and cardioprotective activities. But the anti-cancerous effect of coffee components is not clear yet. In conclusion, coffee, and its constituents are in important in phytopharmacological research.Keywords: Coffee, Coffee components, Health-effect

Proteomics of Red Blood Cells from Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This work was approved by the Ethical Committee of INSA.I.P.-Lisboa, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa-Norte., Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados, Portugal.DIGE images were obtained in ITQB.Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common public health concern causing metabolic and cardiovascular consequences. Although OSA is a systemic disease, the molecular mechanisms and specific genes/proteins associated with such processes remain poorly defined.To identify dysregulated proteins that could be useful as candidate biomarkers of diagnosis/prognosis of OSA., is the aim of this studyProject - Obstructive sleep apnea and associated metabolic/cardiovascular disorders: understanding mechanisms towards early diagnosis and prognosis prediction. Work partially supported by Harvard Medical School-Portugal Program (HMSP-ICJ/0022/2011), FCT/Poly-Annual Funding Program and FEDER/Saúde XXI Program (Portugal

Toxicogenetic study of omeprazole and the modulatory effects of retinol palmitate and ascorbic acid on Allium cepa

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This author accepted manuscript is made available following 12 month embargo from date of publication (May 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyOmeprazole (OME) is a proton pump inhibitor used for the treatment of various gastric and intestinal disease; however, studies on its effects on the genetic materials are still restricted. The present study aimed to evaluate possible toxicogenic effects of OME in Allium cepa meristems with the application of cytogenetic biomarkers for DNA damage, mutagenic, toxic and cytotoxic effects. Additionally, retinol palmitate (RP) and ascorbic acid (AA) were also co-treated with OME to evaluate possible modulatory effects of OME-induced cytogenetic damages. OME was tested at 10, 20 and 40 μg/mL, while RP and AA at 55 μg/mL and 352.2 μg/mL, respectively. Copper sulphate (0.6 μg/mL) and dechlorinated water were used as positive control and negative control, respectively. The results suggest that OME induced genotoxicity and mutagenicity in A. cepa at all tested concentrations. It was noted that cotreatment of OME with the antioxidant vitamins RP and/or AA significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited and/or modulated all toxicogenic damages induced by OME. These observations demonstrate their antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, antitoxic and anticitotoxic effects in A. cepa. This study indicates that application of antioxidants may be useful tools to overcome OME-induced toxic effects