The students' point of view about quality of educational multimedia software

The study reported here is part of an international project supported by EU (PEDACTICE - Educational Multimedia in Compulsory School: From Pedagogical Assessment to Product Assessment) and had as main goal to know the opinion and the perception of the Portuguese students about criteria of quality of educational multimedia software. In order to obtain elements on the student`s point of view about educational multimedia software, we decided to interview small groups of pupils who are involved in the work with multimedia materials and than gather, organize and analyse the information got. The sample of interviewed pupils can be considered as representative of the Lisbon schools attended by teachers and pupils very much interested in multimedia materials which these students use not only as an aid to learning activities but also as a support to home and school work. As main results of the study we can refer: a) the confirmation of the success of computers and multimedia among the young Portuguese student population, being manifest either in their attitudes or in the diversity of their experiences, including the technical mastery of informas; b) the acknowledgment, by the students, of the role of the school and of those of their teachers who had till now led the process; c) an unexpected emphasis attached by the students, mainly by the older ones, to the use of computer as a resource for school work which, till now, was done without it; and d) the rare use of the computer for supporting tasks of creative or autonomous nature.European Comissio

O Balanced scorecard como instrumento integrador da gestão de risco

O Balanced Scorecard (BSC) e o Enterprise Risk Management (ERM – Gestão do Risco Empresarial) são conceitos úteis à gestão que pretende uma consciência sistematizada do negócio, atenta à incerteza e aos seus riscos. O BSC será uma forma de disciplinar a gestão da empresa para enfrentar a complexidade do mundo empresarial, podendo ser visto como um instrumento integrador da gestão de risco. Ao estudar, nomear e atualizar perspetivas fundamentais para análise da empresa e sua atividade, o BSC vai cingindo campos de atenção onde procurar fatores de risco ou oportunidade. Considerar o BSC a pensar na gestão de risco suscita dificuldades associadas à recolha de informação, ao seu tratamento e à construção de um mapa estratégico realista; contudo, julgamos o BSC como um bom caminho de aproximação a uma gestão de risco comprometida e realista

Perfil dos observadores de aves no Parque Natural da Ria Formosa

In the Algarve the potential for birdwatching tourism is widely recognized, especially in the Ria Formosa Natural Park (RFNP). This study aims to describe birdwatchers' profile in the RFNP. For this purpose, a survey was applied. The results show that the most frequent nationalities of birdwatchers are: British (39%), Dutch (17%) and Portuguese (17%). The majority of birdwatchers are male (55%) and married (57%). The average age is 50 years old. They are highly educated (74% have an academic degree). Concerning profession, the most frequent answer was retired (41%). Respondents are committed to the activity as the majority possess special equipment and practice birdwatching in vacations. This study also tests if nationality is related to other characteristics of the birdwatchers, by using the Kruskal-Wallis and the Chi-square tests. Overall, the results of this study highlight that regional management organizations should invest in developing birdwatching in the RFNP.O potencial para o turismo de birdwatching é vastamente reconhecido, especialmente no Parque Natural da Ria Formosa (PNRF). Este estudo tem como objetivo descrever o perfil dos observadores de aves que visitam o PNRF. Para esse propósito, foi aplicado um questionário. Os resultados mostram que as nacionalidades mais frequentes dos observadores de aves são: britânica (39%), holandesa (17%) e portuguesa (17%). A maioria dos observadores de aves é do sexo masculino (55%), sendo o seu estado civil casado (57%). A idade média é de 50 anos. O seu nível educacional é elevado (74% têm um grau académico). Quanto à profissão, a resposta mais frequente foi aposentado (41%). Os inquiridos estão comprometidos com a atividade, pois a maioria possui equipamentos especiais e pratica observação de aves nas férias. Este estudo também testa se a nacionalidade está relacionada com outras características dos observadores de aves, através de testes Kruskal-Wallis e Qui-quadrado. Os resultados deste estudo indicam que as organizações de gestão regional devem investir no desenvolvimento do birdwatching no PNRF.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A ciência na luta contra o crime: potencialidade e limites

Partindo de um conjunto de reflexões desenvolvidas por especialistas e académicos de diferentes áreas disciplinares – da genética forense, ciências policiais, direito, sociologia, antropologia e psicologia forense – que espelham saberes e práticas de diferentes áreas de conhecimento e de atuação profissional, este livro procura responder à questão: Quais as potencialidades e os limites da ciência e da tecnologia no combate ao crime? Os olhares heterogéneos e interdisciplinares condensados nesta publicação apontam para algumas convergências, nomeadamente, o reconhecimento do elevado potencial da ciência e da tecnologia para a investigação criminal. Contudo, são igualmente identificados os principais obstáculos colocados nas práticas de terreno da investigação de criminal: a legislação que dificulta a agilização de processos de investigação e acesso à informação; as divergências na interpretação da lei; os fatores que dificultam a recolha e preservação de elementos de prova; a burocracia que fragiliza a eficiência dos procedimentos; as fragilidades da formação técnica na área da ciência e tecnologias forenses de vários atores do sistema judiciário

University Library and Accessibility in the Remote Assistance to Users with Sensorial Disability

In a context marked by mandatory social distancing as a measure of fighting the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA) library had to intensify offering their services remotely. Therefore, we analyzed how these services are disseminated through the website for the users with sensorial disabilities. We performed a documental analysis, evaluated the library’s website through the “Web for all movement” organization, and through direct observation of the services made available by the library’s website. Accessibility and communication problems for users with sensory disabilities included the inexistence of audio description for blind users and the interpretation of the Brazilian Sign Language by the avatar, which does not meet the informational necessities of deaf users. Given the observed facts, we found that UFMA’s library has to articulate improvements regarding the rules of communication accessibility aiming for information democratization, autonomy and promotion of social and educational inclusion of the disabled person

Release profile of ibuprofen in β-cyclodextrin complexes from two different solid dosage forms

The objective of this work was to develop solid dosage forms using powders containing inclusion complexes (ibuprofen with β-cyclodextrin) which were used to produce tablets (direct compression without additional excipients) and pellets (extrusion/spheronization) from wet mass containing 40% (w/w) of microcrystalline cellulose. The pellets also demonstrated that during preparation of the wet mass, the inclusion process occurred in a same yield that when pre-complexation was used. The particles characteristics were evaluated after being obtained through different complexation methods. The results showed that the tensile strength and profile dissolution were as expected for both dosage forms. Tablets containing inclusion complexes showed higher solubility when compared with a reference formulation and with two commercial formulations. The ibuprofen released from the two pellets formulations didn’t show relevant differences between them. The drug released was analyzed considering different dissolution parameters. The advantages of these new methodologies can be summarized as: (a) tablets were produced at a lower cost for the total process; and (b) in the pellet´s preparation there was no need of the previous complexation method resulting in a decrease in time and energy required

Fatores relevantes na adesão ao processo de reabilitação

Mestrado em PsicologiaA adesão ao processo de reabilitação é influenciada por vários fatores. Deste modo, este estudo pretende perceber a relação existente entre algumas variáveis e qual o grau de influência destas, no nível de adesão. A amostra é constituída por 30 participantes, vítimas de acidente vascular cerebral, traumatismo crânio encefálico e lesão medular, em regime de internamento no Centro de Medicina da Reabilitação da Região Centro – Rovisco Pais. A amostra apresenta uma média de idades de 49,6 anos e é maioritariamente masculina. Os resultados apresentam relações positivas e significativas entre o comportamento de adesão e a idade, sexo, motivação intrínseca e qualidade da relação com os terapeutas. Os valores médios indicativos do nível de adesão ao processo de reabilitação são altos e como preditoras destes resultados temos a qualidade da relação com os terapeutas, a competência percebida para os exercícios de reabilitação e a variável sexo, explicando no conjunto cerca de 71% da adesão.The adherence to the rehabilitation process is influenced by several factors. Thus, this study aims to understand the relationship between some variables and the degrees of influence of these on the adherence level. The sample consisted if 30 victims of stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. All of them are inpatients of Center for Medical Rehabilitation in de center region of Portugal – Rovisco Pais. The sample had a mean age of 49,6 years and is mostly male. The results show significant and positive relationships between adherence behavior and age, gender, intrinsic motivation and quality of the relationship with the therapist. Mean values indicative of the level of adherence to the rehabilitation process are high and as predictors of these outcomes, the results suggest the quality with the therapist, the perceived competence for rehabilitation exercises and gender, explaining the whole about 71% of the adherence’s variance

Cultivating the macroalgal holobiont: effects of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture on the microbiome of Ulva rigida (chlorophyta)

Ulva is a ubiquitous macroalgal genus of commercial interest. Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems promise large-scale production of macroalgae due to their high productivity and environmental sustainability. Complex host-microbiome interactions play a decisive role in macroalgal development, especially in Ulva spp. due to algal growth- and morphogenesis-promoting factors released by associated bacteria. However, our current understanding of the microbial community assembly and structure in cultivated macroalgae is scant. We aimed to determine (i) to what extent IMTA settings influence the microbiome associated with U. rigida and its rearing water, (ii) to explore the dynamics of beneficial microbes to algal growth and development under IMTA settings, and (iii) to improve current knowledge of host-microbiome interactions. We examined the diversity and taxonomic composition of the prokaryotic communities associated with wild versus IMTA-grown Ulva rigida and surrounding seawater by using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. With 3141 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs), the prokaryotic richness was, overall, higher in water than in association with U. rigida. Bacterial ASVs were more abundant in aquaculture water samples than water collected from the lagoon. The beta diversity analysis revealed distinct prokaryotic communities associated with Ulva collected in both aquacultures and coastal waters. Aquaculture samples (water and algae) shared 22% of ASVs, whereas natural, coastal lagoon samples only 9%. While cultivated Ulva selected 239 (8%) host-specific ASVs, wild specimens possessed more than twice host-specific ASVs (17%). Cultivated U. rigida specimens enriched the phyla Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Proteobacteria. Within the Gammaproteobacteria, while Glaciecola mostly dominated the microbiome in cultivated algae, the genus Granulosicoccus characterized both Ulva microbiomes. In both wild and IMTA settings, the phylum Bacteroidetes was more abundant in the bacterioplankton than in direct association with U. rigida. However, we observed that the Saprospiraceae family within this phylum was barely present in lagoon water but very abundant in aquaculture water. Aquaculture promoted the presence of known morphogenesis-inducing bacteria in water samples. Our study suggests that IMTA significantly shaped the structure and composition of the microbial community of the rearing water and cultivated U. rigida. Detailed analysis revealed the presence of previously undetected taxa associated with Ulva, possessing potentially unknown functional traits.European Union (EU)642575; German Research Foundation (DFG) CRC 1127 ChemBioSys;COST Action "Phycomorph" FA1406info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeito da Reeducação Postural Global (RPG) na flexibilidade da cadeia posterior e nos alinhamentos posturais em atletas de basquetebol

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciada em FisioterapiaIntrodução: O Basquetebol pela sua especificidade do gesto técnica, pode levar a alterações posturais e de flexibilidade. Objetivo: Investigar o efeito da RPG na flexibilidade e nos alinhamentos posturais em atletas do sexo feminino praticantes de Basquetebol. Metodologia: A amostra constituída por 13 atletas foi dividida em dois grupos (experimental e controlo). No grupo experimental foi aplicado um protocolo de Reeducação Postural Global (RPG) durante 4 semanas, 2 vezes por semana. Ambos os grupos foram submetidos a uma avaliação inicial e final, tendo como instrumentos a fotogrametria e o Banco de Wells. Resultados: Verificou-se um aumento significativo na flexibilidade no grupo que realizou o protocolo face ao que não realizou. Houve melhorias nos alinhamentos posturais no grupo experimental, tanto no plano sagital, nomeadamente nos alinhamentos do tronco e do corpo como no plano frontal, particularmente no ângulo frontal do membro inferior direito e esquerdo. Conclusão: A RPG demonstrou ser eficaz nos ganhos de flexibilidade e nas melhorias no alinhamento do corpo e do tronco nos atletas submetidos ao protocolo.Introduction: The Basketball, have specificity of the technical gesture, that can lead to postural changes and flexibility. Objective: To investigate the effect of Global Posture Reeducation (GPR) on flexibility and postural alignment in female athletes practicing Basketball.Methods: A sample of 13 athletes was divided into two groups (experimental and control). The experimental group was subjected to a stretching protocol of Global Posture Reeducation (GPR), for four weeks, two times per week. Both groups were submitted to an initial and final evaluation, using photogrammetry and the Wells Bank. Results: There was a significant increase in flexibility in the group that performed the protocol compared to that which did not. There were improvements in the postural alignments in the experimental group, both in the sagittal plane, namely in the trunk and body alignments and as in the frontal plane particularly, in the frontal angle of the right and left lower limb.Conclusion: RPG has been shown to be effective in gains in flexibility and improvements in body and trunk alignment in athletes submitted protocol.N/

Multi-organ histological observations on juvenile senegalese soles exposed to low concentrations of waterborne cadmium

A histopathological screening was performed on juvenile Senegalese soles exposed to environmentally realistic concentrations of waterborne Cd (0.5, 5 and 10 lg L-1 ) for 28 days. The severity and dissemination of histopathological changes were variable and limited to the kidney, liver, spleen, gills and skin goblet cells. Contradicting available literature that refers the liver as the most affected organ upon acute exposure and the kidney following chronic exposure, the liver was the most impacted organ (even at the lowest concentration), in a trend that could relate to the duration of exposure and Cd concentration. The most noticeable hepatic alterations related to inflammation, although hepatocellular alterations like lipidosis and eosinophilic foci also occurred. The trunk kidney of exposed fish endured moderate inflammation, apoptosis and necrosis, however, without a clear time-dependent effect. The spleen of fish subjected to the highest concentrations revealed diffuse necrotic foci accompanied by melanomacrophage intrusion. The gills, albeit the most important apical uptake organ of dissolved toxicants, sustained only moderate damage, from epithelial hyperplasia and pavement cell detachment to the potentially more severe chloride cell alterations. In the skin, an increase in goblet cell size occurred, most notoriously correlated to Cd concentration at earlier stages of exposure. The results show that a metal-naı¨ve juvenile fish can endure deleterious effects when exposed to low, ecologically relevant, concentrations of a common toxic metal and that the pattern of Cdinduced histopathological alterations can be complex and linked to organ-specific responses and metal translocation within the organism.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio