Envolver os alunos produtivamente em aulas de física e química durante uso de simulações computacionais: Dois professores com mediações distintas e uso distinto das simulações

Neste trabalho, pretende-se identificar e descrever as características da mediação do professor determinantes para promover o envolvimento produtivo dos alunos, durante o uso de simulações computacionais (SC). São apresentados resultados com base no estudo de aulas lecionadas por dois professores de física e química, com a mesma experiência profissional, mas diferente experiência de integração de investigação didática nas suas práticas de ensino. Os resultados permitem compreender as condições fundamentais para os alunos se envolverem produtivamente nas tarefas, as principais diferenças entre a mediação de professores com experiência de integração de resultados de investigação didática nas práticas de ensino. São ainda discutidos os fatores que influenciam o uso de SC em contexto de aula.In this work, we intend to identify and describe the characteristics of teacher mediation that are determinant to promote students productive engagement, while using computer simulations (CS). Results are presented based on the study of classes taught by two teachers of physics and chemistry, with similar professional experience, but different experience integrating educational research in their teaching practices. The results allow us to understand the fundamental conditions for students to engage productively in the tasks, the main differences between the mediation of teachers with experience integrating research results in teaching practices. The factors that influence the use of CS in the classroom context are also discussed

Envolver os alunos de forma produtiva em aulas de ciências físicas: evidências para uma proposta de uma ferramenta para ajudar os professores

A qualidade das aprendizagens dos alunos nas aulas de Ciências Físicas pode melhorar se a mediação do professor atribuir um papel fundamental ao envolvimento produtivo dos alunos. A partir de narrações sobre a mediação do professor em contexto de sala de aula, analisou-se o envolvimento dos alunos nas aulas de Ciências Físicas, o esforço do professor para induzir esse envolvimento, bem como indicadores de produtividade dos alunos. Com base nas evidências empíricas obtidas, elaborou-se uma proposta de ferramenta de trabalho, adaptável, para apoiar os professores na identificação de indicadores do envolvimento produtivo dos seus alunos na disciplina e de possíveis modos de os professores envolverem os alunos na disciplina de modo produtivo

Self-adaptive combination of global tabu search and local search for nonlinear equations

Solving systems of nonlinear equations is a very important task since the problems emerge mostly through the mathematical modeling of real problems that arise naturally in many branches of engineering and in the physical sciences. The problem can be naturally reformulated as a global optimization problem. In this paper, we show that a self-adaptive combination of a metaheuristic with a classical local search method is able to converge to some difficult problems that are not solved by Newton-type methodsFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

A reduction method for semi-infinite programming by means of a global stochastic approach

We describe a reduction algorithm for solving semi-infinite programming problems. The proposed algorithm uses the simulated annealing method equipped with a function stretching as a multi-local procedure, and a penalty technique for the finite optimization process. An exponential penalty merit function is reduced along each search direction to ensure convergence from any starting point. Our preliminary numerical results seem to show that the algorithm is very promising in practice.Algoritmi Research CenterFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - bolsa POCI/MAT/58957/200

On a smoothed penalty-based algorithm for global optimization

This paper presents a coercive smoothed penalty framework for nonsmooth and nonconvex constrained global optimization problems. The properties of the smoothed penalty function are derived. Convergence to an ε -global minimizer is proved. At each iteration k, the framework requires the ε(k) -global minimizer of a subproblem, where ε(k)→ε . We show that the subproblem may be solved by well-known stochastic metaheuristics, as well as by the artificial fish swarm (AFS) algorithm. In the limit, the AFS algorithm convergence to an ε(k) -global minimum of the real-valued smoothed penalty function is guaranteed with probability one, using the limiting behavior of Markov chains. In this context, we show that the transition probability of the Markov chain produced by the AFS algorithm, when generating a population where the best fitness is in the ε(k)-neighborhood of the global minimum, is one when this property holds in the current population, and is strictly bounded from zero when the property does not hold. Preliminary numerical experiments show that the presented penalty algorithm based on the coercive smoothed penalty gives very competitive results when compared with other penalty-based methods.The authors would like to thank two anonymous referees for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the paper. This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT - Fundac¸ao para a Ci ˜ encia e Tecnologia within the projects UID/CEC/00319/2013 and ˆ UID/MAT/00013/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genotypes at the APOE and SCA2 loci do not predict the course of multiple sclerosis in patients of Portuguese origin

Prova tipográfica (In Press)Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease that affects about one in 500 young Europeans. In order to test the previously proposed influence of the APOE and SCA2 loci on susceptibility to MS, we studied these loci in 243 Portuguese patients and 192 healthy controls and both parents of 92 patients. We did not detect any significant difference when APOE and SCA2 allele frequencies of cases and controls were compared, or when we compared cases with different forms of the disease. Disequilibrium of transmission was tested for both loci in the 92 trios, and we did not observe segregation distortion. To test the influence of the APOE o4 and SCA2 22 CAGs alleles on severity of disease, we compared age at onset and progression rate between groups with and without those alleles. We did not observe an association of the o4 or the 22 CAGs alleles with rate of progression in our total patient population; allele o4 was associated with increased rate of progression of MS in a subset of patients with less than 10 years of the disease. However, globally in the Portuguese population, the APOE and SCA2 genes do not seem to be useful in the clinical context as prognostic markers of this disorder.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - grant SFRH/BD/9111/2002.Serono Portugal

Testing Nelder-Mead based repulsion algorithms for multiple roots of nonlinear systems via a two-level factorial design of experiments

This paper addresses the challenging task of computing multiple roots of a system of nonlinear equations. A repulsion algorithm that invokes the Nelder-Mead (N-M) local search method and uses a penalty-type merit function based on the error function, known as 'erf', is presented. In the N-M algorithm context, different strategies are proposed to enhance the quality of the solutions and improve the overall efficiency. The main goal of this paper is to use a two-level factorial design of experiments to analyze the statistical significance of the observed differences in selected performance criteria produced when testing different strategies in the N-M based repulsion algorithm. The main goal of this paper is to use a two-level factorial design of experiments to analyze the statistical significance of the observed differences in selected performance criteria produced when testing different strategies in the N-M based repulsion algorithm.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT

Consumption of fruits and vegetables in two European countries: Results from a survey in France and Portuga

Presently, there is a huge burden on public health due to a very high incidence of chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, among others. The modern lifestyle, with inadequate diets and insufficient physical activity, is one of the most important factors contributing to this situation. Therefore, a healthy diet can have a very positive impact on global population health. Fruits and vegetables are staple foods with a typically low caloric value that still contribute to an adequate ingestion of the necessary macro and micronutrients and bioactive compounds, with a beneficial effect on health. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge about the consumption of fruits and vegetables in two countries, Portugal and France. A questionnaire survey was carried out on a sample of 639 adult participants (382 French and 257 Portuguese). The results revealed significant differences in knowledge between countries, sexes, level of education, body mass index, satisfaction with body weight, reasons for dissatisfaction with weight, and having a chronic disease. The most influential sociodemographic variable was the country, while the most influential behavioral variable was practicing a varied diet. Factor analysis identified two factors, one accounting for items in the scale that were true, and the other accounting for false items; both factors had acceptable internal consistency. Finally, cluster analysis showed three clusters of participants: The first included individuals with high knowledge of both factors, the second included individuals with low or very low knowledge, and the third cluster included individuals with partial knowledge, who only knew about true items. These results are relevant for planning educational measures aimed at improving knowledge and thus helping to promote healthier diets.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Role of Social Media Advertisement and Physical Activity on Eating Behaviors among the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Over the past few decades, people in Saudi Arabia have become less inclined to adopt active lifestyles and healthy eating habits due to the increasing use of digital technologies such as social media. The objective of this online-based cross-sectional study was to assess the role of social media food advertisements and physical activity on eating behaviors among the general population in Saudi Arabia (n = 471). Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, which consisted of four parts: (i) sociodemographic information, (ii) attitude towards social media, (iii) eating behaviorsrelated information, and (iv) exposure to and engagement with social media advertisements. The study’s outcome variable, eating behaviors (healthy vs. unhealthy), was assessed using the following question: “Are you on a healthy diet (such as a balanced diet, keto, or low carb)?” A multiple binary logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors that influence unhealthy eating behaviors. Approximately 79.6% of the participants had unhealthy eating behaviors. Participants who were not involved in daily physical activity were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors compared to their counterparts (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 4.86). Participants who watched food ads on social media channels 1–3 times a week (AOR = 2.58) or daily (AOR = 3.49) were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors than their counterparts. Participants whose appetite to try foods increases always (AOR = 1.42) or usually (AOR = 2.88) after viewing ads on social media were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors. These findings suggest that policymakers should take immediate action to regulate food advertising policy to promote a healthy food environment across the country. Saudis should be encouraged to engage in more physical activity, which could support the maintenance of healthy eating patterns and lifestyles.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Theoretical and practical convergence of a self-adaptive penalty algorithm for constrained global optimization

This paper proposes a self-adaptive penalty function and presents a penalty-based algorithm for solving nonsmooth and nonconvex constrained optimization problems. We prove that the general constrained optimization problem is equivalent to a bound constrained problem in the sense that they have the same global solutions. The global minimizer of the penalty function subject to a set of bound constraints may be obtained by a population-based meta-heuristic. Further, a hybrid self-adaptive penalty firefly algorithm, with a local intensification search, is designed, and its convergence analysis is established. The numerical experiments and a comparison with other penalty-based approaches show the effectiveness of the new self-adaptive penalty algorithm in solving constrained global optimization problems.The authors would like to thank the referees, the Associate Editor and the Editor-in-Chief for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the paper. This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT - Funda¸c˜ao para a Ciˆencia e Tecnologia within the projects UID/CEC/00319/2013 and UID/MAT/00013/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio