‘Escapando de la clase tradicional’: the escape rooms methodology within the spanish as foreign language classroom

  The escape games or the so-called escape rooms industry is booming nowadays. Due to the fact that this type of live-action team-based games (Nicholson, 2016) require a great deal of communication and critical thinking, it is quite easy to think of its application in education. This paper aims at discussing how to use escape room concepts for educational purposes and, more specifically, in Spanish as Foreign Language (SFL) classroom. Moreover, it is also our aim to present a case study in which students were invited to both create and participate in an escape room. Therefore, we will be focusing on escape room design applied to the teaching of the SFL setting, taking into consideration game narratives, puzzle types and rooms organization aspects. By following an ethnographic methodological approach, a case study was undertaken in which the following data-collection tools were used: a) questionnaires to figure out students’ perceptions on escape rooms and on the influence of escape room methodologies onto the development of skills; b) field notes, pictures and videos collected during the application of the escape room activities. The main results show that students considered both escape rooms catered for the development of 21st-century skills. Keywords: escape room methodology; gamification; Spanish as a foreign languag

Does the mixed company model provide value for money? An analysis of different local infrastucture sectors

This paper looks at the use of institutionalised public‐private partnership (PPP) arrangements by local governments for the delivery of different types of infrastructure. It starts by analysing the mixed company model from a theoretical point of view, in particular the potential for internal regulation and the achievement of relational agreements. Then, after discussing the practicalities of crafting this type of governance structure, the examination of four Portuguese case‐studies is provided. The empirical evidence on mixed companies operating in the water, waste, transportation and education sectors shows that the extreme complexity involved in the whole life‐cycle management of these companies, usually leads to poor outcomes from a social welfare point of view

Índices de governança municipal : utilidade e exequibilidade

Comunicação apresentada no 8º Congresso Nacional de Administração Pública – Desafios e Soluções, em Carcavelos de 21 a 22 de Novembro de 2011.A convicção de que a “boa governança” no sector público é particularmente importante para o bem-estar geral é cada vez mais reconhecida pela literatura. Por conseguinte, desenvolver metodologias que permitam medir empiricamente a qualidade da governança nos diversos níveis da administração pública é um tema que tem interesse académico e, ao mesmo tempo, relevância para o “mundo real”. Até à data, os esforços que têm sido feitos neste campo dão primazia ao nível do estado central ou focalizam-se em casos de estudo locais de países em vias de desenvolvimento. No presente artigo defende-se que a construção de indicadores de governança municipal pode ter utilidade em países desenvolvidos. Este estudo pretende ser o ponto de partida de uma investigação que tem como objectivo desenvolver um indicador de governança municipal a ser aplicado aos municípios Portugueses

Teaching ecology to children of preschool education to instill environmentally-friendly behaviour

This qualitative study analyzes the results of a pedagogical and didactic experiment which was focused on the problem of teaching environmentally-friendly behaviours to young kindergarten children. It is essential to awaken children's curiosity and desire to know more about environmental issues in their regions so that children develop their own answers to problems. Our research focus was to understand the potential of practicalexperimental activities connected to ecology, in a relaxed and entertaining learning context, promotes the learning of environmentally-friendly behaviours. The analysis of the results obtained in the pedagogical and didactic experiment was based on the following categories: (a) teaching and learning methodology and teaching resources; (b) children perceptions. The findings revealed that the built teaching resources have enabled these children to understand the importance of having environmentallyfriendly behaviours

Enterprise Architecture as a Tool for Digital Transformation

Enterprise Architecture (EA) is the holistic expression for the main strategies of an enterprise in terms of business, applications and technologies, and the impact they have on its processes and functions. Currently, the CEOs of most businesses are investigating what opportunities are afforded by digitalization. However, despite the benefits of EA, and its possible role in digital transformation, there is a gap in the research regarding how to take advantage of EA in digital transformation. This article explores the concepts of EA and digital transformation based on a set of publications we selected from the area of IS/IT, and addresses some contributions to a methodology that promotes EA planning as a tool for digital transformation. As such, we refer to the dimensions, the approach, and the two phases of development which will contribute to placing EA as a tool for solving the problems of digital transformation initiatives

Caracterização dinâmica da ponte Luiz Bandeira em Sejães

A Ponte Luiz Bandeira, localizada na N333-3 sobre o Rio Vouga próxima da localidade de Sejães (Oliveira de Frades), é hoje considerada como a mais antiga ponte de betão armado em utilização no nosso país, e uma das mais velhas da Europa. Recentemente foram realizados na Ponte Luiz Bandeira um conjunto de ensaios de inspecção e diagnóstico estrutural que incluíram, entre outros, uma identificação dinâmica para a determinação das frequências naturais, modos de vibração e coeficientes de amortecimento. Para a elaboração da campanha experimental, primeiramente foi efectuada uma análise numérica de sensibilidade da resposta dinâmica da ponte, que permitiu melhor definir os procedimentos de ensaio em campo. Na ponte foram efectuados dois tipos de ensaios dinâmicos: ensaios com ruído ambiente e ensaios para a determinação dos coeficientes de amortecimento com recurso à passagem de um automóvel sobre uma prancha no pavimento a diferentes velocidades. Posteriormente, os resultados da identificação dinâmica foram utilizados para a calibração do modelo numérico que permitiu aferir, juntamente com os restantes ensaios de inspecção e diagnóstico, o estado de conservação estrutural da ponte Luiz Bandeira. A presente comunicação apresenta e descreve detalhadamente todas as fases de estudo referentes à caracterização dinâmica da ponte

A critical review

Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Teixeira, Ferreira, Pereira-da-Silva and Ferreira.Atherosclerotic disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Atherosclerosis may be present in different arterial territories and as a single- or multi-territorial disease. The different phenotypes of atherosclerosis are attributable only in part to acquired cardiovascular risk factors and genetic Mendelian inheritance. miRNAs, which regulate the gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, may also contribute to such heterogeneity. Numerous miRNAs participate in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis by modulating endothelial function, smooth vascular cell function, vascular inflammation, and cholesterol homeostasis in the vessel, among other biological processes. Moreover, miRNAs are present in peripheral blood with high stability and have the potential to be used as non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis. However, the circulating miRNA profile may vary according to the involved arterial territory, considering that atherosclerosis expression, including the associated molecular phenotype, varies according to the affected arterial territory. In this review, we discuss the specific circulating miRNA profiles associated with atherosclerosis of different arterial territories, the common circulating miRNA profile of stable atherosclerosis irrespective of the involved arterial territory, and the circulating miRNA signature of multi-territorial atherosclerosis. miRNAs may consist of a simple non-invasive method for discriminating atherosclerosis of different arterial sites. The limitations of miRNA profiling for such clinical application are also discussed.publishersversionpublishe

Custos indiretos do enfarte agudo do miocárdio em Portugal

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease, and particularly myocardial infarction (MI), carries a significant economic burden, through productivity losses (indirect costs) associated with temporary absence from work, that has not yet been adequately studied in Portugal. Our objective was to quantify the indirect costs of MI in the first year after admission. Methods: Consecutive patients admitted to a single center aged <66 years who survived to discharge during a one-year period were included. Employment status on admission was assessed and for every employed patient, their monthly wage was estimated from market wage rates taken from the Ministry of Labor database according to gender and age. The duration of temporary absence from work was assessed in follow-up contacts for up to one year. Indirect costs were calculated in this sample and the results were applied to the number of MIs in Portugal during 2016 and separately to ST-elevation MI (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. Results: A total of 219 patients were included, of whom 66.2% were working. The mean monthly labor cost was 1802 euros. A total cost of 760 521.55 euros was obtained. At national level there were 4133 patients aged <66 years admitted with acute MI who survived to discharge. Costs were higher in STEMI patients and the total indirect cost was estimated at 10.12 million euros. Conclusions: In Portugal, the costs to society of disability-generated productivity losses exceed ten million euros in the first year after MI. Strategies to promote an earlier return to work are needed to lower these costs.Introdução: As doenças cardiovasculares, em particular o enfarte do miocárdio (EM), podem causar uma sobrecarga económica por perdas de produtividade (custos indiretos) associadas a ausência temporária do emprego, ainda não suficientemente estudada em Portugal. Foi nosso objetivo quantificar os custos indiretos do EM no primeiro ano após admissão. Métodos: Incluíram-se doentes consecutivos admitidos num único centro com < 66 anos durante um ano e que sobreviveram até à alta. Foi avaliado o estado de emprego na admissão e em cada doente empregado, foi estimado o salário mensal com base em dados de fontes públicas nacionais de acordo com sexo e idade. A duração de ausência de trabalho foi avaliada nos contactos de seguimento até um ano. Os custos indiretos foram calculados nesta amostra e aplicados para o número de EM em Portugal durante o ano de 2016 e separadamente para enfarte com supra-ST (EMST) e síndromes coronárias agudas sem supra-ST. Resultados: Foram incluídos 219 doentes, dos quais 66,2% estavam a trabalhar. O custo mensal médio foi de 1802 euros. Obtivemos um custo total de 760.521,55 euros. A nível nacional, foram admitidos 4133 doentes com < 66 anos com EM que sobreviveram até à alta. Os custos foram superiores nos doentes com EMST e estimámos um custo indireto em Portugal de 10.12 milhões de euros. Conclusões: Em Portugal, os custos para a sociedade das perdas de produtividade condicionados pelas incapacidades excedem os 10 milhões de euros durante o primeiro ano após EM. Devem ser desenvolvidas estratégias para regresso mais precoce ao trabalho para reduzir os custos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Numerical simulation of the structural behaviour of concrete tetrapods subject to imposed deformations and applied loads

Tetrapods for coastal protection are frequently used in break waters for dissipation of wave energy. During their service, these plain concrete elements usually exhibit degradation signs with frequent premature rupture of one or more of their legs when located in highly aggressive environments subjected to extreme wave action. These ruptures tend to decrease the efficiency of breakwaters as a whole, thus diminishing their capacity to absorb wave energy. The present paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the stress levels that occur in this kind of mass concrete elements, taking into account imposed deformations (associated with heat of hydration) and applied loads. A thermo-mechanical numerical simulation tool (3D), based on the finite element method, is used for the assessment of heat of hydration induced stresses. After an initial discussion of the temperature development inside the tetrapod, the corresponding residual stresses are presented and discussed, and conclusions are withdrawn with regard to the available capacity of concrete to withstand further applied loads. Finally, the subsequent behaviour of the tetrapod is assessed and compared to alternative solutions with internal reinforcement of the tetrapod legs, such as reinforced concrete (using stainless steel), steel fibre reinforced concrete and reinforced concrete with FRP’s