Paths to interdisciplinarity in higher education: Comparative analysis of experiences in Portugal

In a context of intense changes and global competitiveness, education is becoming increasingly relevant. In the underpinning societal challenges, higher education institutions are asked to innovate, by adopting a more flexible curriculum and promoting interdisciplinary experiences (OECD, 2019; Falcus, Cameron & Halsall, 2019). Within this scope, the present communication analyses three solutions of interdisciplinarity: (a) Open study plans, without outset disciplinary specialization, which incorporate in their realization a significant margin of freedom on the part of the students in the elaboration of their educational curriculum; (b) Courses which although registered in an area of disciplinary specialization, in their syllabus incorporate an interdisciplinary and "multi-vocational" orientation in their training-profession relations, offering wide-ranging opportunities for interdisciplinary training choices; (c) Education-training contexts built on the principle that higher education experiences, as constituent pillars of choices with a future for their students, should necessarily incorporate activities inside and outside the classroom, in a fruitful relationship with different aspects of academic, civic, economic and cultural life. The question that guides us focuses on different solutions indicated, presenting them as possible paths, complementary and/or alternative, in the materialization of the contemporary demand for interdisciplinarity. For this purpose, the study analyses a graduate study program of the type: (a) offered by the largest Portuguese public university; two types (b) graduation and post-graduation programs at another university and, in this same university, characterizes the context of interdisciplinarity type (c). The analysis of the data collected allows an understanding of the difficulties inherent in multidisciplinary dialogue, but, at the same time, it points the way to solutions that reconcile the need for specialist expertise with interdisciplinary openness.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Prospective Study of Loss of Health-Related Quality Adjusted Life Years in Children and their Families due to Uncomplicated and Hospitalised Varicella

Introduction and aims: Although usually benign, varicella can lead to serious complications and sometimes long-term sequelae. Vaccines are safe and effective but not yet included in immunisation programmes in many countries. We aimed to quantify the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALY) in children with varicella and their families, key to assessing cost-utility in countries with low mortality due to this infection. Methods: Children with varicella in the community and admitted to hospitals in Portugal were included over 18 months from January 2019. Children's and carers' HRQoL losses were assessed prospectively using standard multi-attribute utility instruments for measuring HRQoL (EQ-5D and CHU9D), from presentation to recovery, allowing the calculation of QALYs. Results: Among 109 families with children with varicella recruited from attendees at a pediatric emergency service (community arm), the mean HRQoL loss/child was 2.0 days (95 % CI 1.9-2.2, n = 101) (mean 5.4 QALYs/1000 children (95 % CI 5.3-6.1) and 1.3 days/primary carer (95 % CI 1.2-1.6, n = 103) (mean 3.6 QALYs /1000 carers (95 % CI 3.4-4.4). Among 114 families with children admitted to hospital because of severe varicella or a complication (hospital arm), the mean HRQoL loss/child was 9.8 days (95 % CI 9.4-10.6, n = 114) (mean 26.8 QALYs /1000 children (95 % CI 25.8-29.0) and 8.5 days/primary carer (95 % CI 7.4-9.6, n = 114) (mean 23.4 QALYs/1000 carers (95 % CI 20.3-26.2). Mean QALY losses/1000 patients were particularly high for bone and joint infections [67.5 (95 % CI 43.9-97.6)]. Estimates for children's QALYs lost using the CHU9D tool were well correlated with those obtained using EQ-5D, but substantially lower. Conclusions: The impact of varicella on HRQoL is substantial. We report the first measurements of QALYs lost in hospitalised children and in the families of children both in the community and admitted to hospital, providing important information to guide vaccination policy recommendations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Perspectivas psicossociais para o estudo do cotidiano de trabalho

Cette étude visait à analyser le débat et l'approfondissement théorique et méthodologique développé dans les études sur la vie quotidienne au travail. L'investigation a démarré à partir du dialogue interdisciplinaire entre l'anthropologie du travail, l'ergologie et la psychologie sociale du travail et il a systématisé les contributions mutuels entre ces domaines scientifiques, leurs approches et leurs départs de la thématisation et l'appropriation de l'activité humaine au travail sous la perspective du quotidien. L'analyse comparative a mis en évidence des axes qui différencient les manières pour approcher l'objet, qui se réfèrent aux relations établies entre savoirs pratiques et technico-scientifiques et aux manières d'intervention sur les situations de travail. Les approches comparatives partagent l'intérêt de connaître le vrai travail, la valeur attribuée à les savoirs des travailleurs et la sensibilité aux dimensions micropolitiques du quotidien. On en conclut que la localisation dans chacun de ces axes dépend d'une plus grande ou plus petite affiliation à les traditions d'anthropologie ou d'ergonomie.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar el debate y la profundización teórica y metodológica desarrollada en los estudios acerca de la vida cotidiana en el trabajo. La investigación partió del diálogo interdisciplinario entre la antropología del trabajo, la ergología y la psicología social del trabajo y sistematizó las contribuciones mutuas entre eses campos científicos, sus aproximaciones y sus alejamientos de la tematización y la apropiación de la actividad humana en el trabajo bajo la perspectiva del cotidiano. El análisis comparativo destacó ejes que diferencian las formas de aproximación al objeto, que se refieren a las relaciones establecidas entre saberes prácticos y técnico-científicos y a los modos de intervención en las situaciones de trabajo. Los abordajes comparativos comparten el interés en conocer el trabajo real, el valor dado a los conocimientos de los trabajadores y la sensibilidad a las dimensiones micropolíticas del cotidiano. Se concluye que la localización en cada uno de eses ejes depende de la mayor o menor filiación a las tradiciones de la antropología o de la ergonomía.Este estudo teve por objetivo analisar o debate e o aprofundamento teórico e metodológico desenvolvido nos estudos sobre a vida cotidiana no trabalho. A investigação partiu do diálogo interdisciplinar entre a antropologia do trabalho, a ergologia e a psicologia social do trabalho e sistematizou as contribuições mútuas entre esses campos científicos, suas aproximações e seus afastamentos da tematização e da apropriação da atividade humana no trabalho sob a perspectiva do cotidiano. A análise comparativa destacou eixos que diferenciam as formas de aproximação ao objeto, que se referem às relações estabelecidas entre saberes práticos e técnico-científicos e aos modos de intervenção sobre as situações de trabalho. As abordagens comparativas compartilham o interesse em conhecer o trabalho real, o valor conferido aos conhecimentos dos trabalhadores e a sensibilidade às dimensões micropolíticas do cotidiano. Conclui-se que a localização em cada um desses eixos depende da maior ou menor filiação às tradições da antropologia ou da ergonomia.This study aimed to analyze the debate and the theoretical and methodological deepening of studies on daily life work. The investigation started from the interdisciplinary dialogue among anthropology of work, ergology, and social psychology of work and it systematized the mutual contributions among these scientific fields, their approximations and their departures from the thematization and appropriation of human activity at work from the perspective of daily life. The comparative analysis highlighted axes which differentiate the ways for approaching the object, that refer to the relations established between practical and technical-scientific kinds of knowledge and the modes of intervening on work situations. Comparative approaches share the interest in knowing the real work, the value attributed to workers' knowledge and sensitivity to the micropolitical dimensions of daily life. One concludes that the location in each of these axes depends on the greater or lesser affiliation to the traditions of anthropology or ergonomics

Systematic Development of Kinetic Models for the Glyceride Transesterification Reaction via Alkaline Catalysis

This study addresses the glyceride transesterification (TE) kinetics, a crucial step in biodiesel production from vegetable oils. An <i>n</i>th order reversible model is considered to describe the TE reaction rate, using experimental data gathered from different authors for a broad range of conditions. An incremental model-building strategy is used, consisting of the following sequence of steps: (a) structural identifiability analysis; (b) outliers detection using a robust M-estimator; (c) parameter estimation and subsequent construction of the respective confidence intervals; and (d) practical identifiability analysis. The methodology is applied to the glyceride TE reaction with sodium methoxide as catalyst, using a data set comprising 144 points collected from literature, and comparing the results for a five (5P) and a six (6P) parameters’ model. Although the results show that both kinetic models are structurally nonidentifiable, the former is practically identifiable for the case study analyzed. Furthermore, the 5P model shows a good capability of explaining the data features, with an average relative deviation of 5.2% for the residuals. The methodology presented can be used to analyze general kinetic reactions when experimental data are available and plausible reaction mechanisms are known

A new microebulliometer for the measurement of the vapor-liquid equilibrium of ionic liquid systems

Over the last decade ionic liquids appeared as potential entrainers for extractive distillation processes. However experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data for ionic liquid containing systems is still scarce since most conventional equilibrium cells are not adequate for these systems. To overcome that limitation a new isobaric microebulliometer, operating at pressures ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 MPa and requiring a sample volume lower than 8 mL was developed and validated in this work. The new apparatus was used to determine isobaric VLE data at pressures of 0.05, 0.07 and 0.1 MPa for eight binary mixtures of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C(2)mim][Cl]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C(4)mim][Cl]), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C(6)mim][Cl]), and choline chloride ([N-111(2OH)[Cl]) with water and ethanol. The experimental data here measured were correlated with the NRTL model. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved