Students’ perceptions of assessment: a comparative analysis between Portugal and Sweden

This paper aims at investigating students’ perceptions about assessment, especially the ways in which it is put into practice. Data were collected through questionnaires in different programmes in Portugal and Sweden. In total, 173 students from Portugal and 72 from Sweden participated in the study. Findings showed that students had similar ideas about assessment, such as verification of knowledge and learning, tests and grades. Their experiences of assessment methods used varied in the two countries, which can partly be explained by differences in national education systems. A learner-oriented perspective is prominent in the use of assessment methods, but at the same time student influence on assessment is perceived as low in both countries. Implications of the findings are analysed, namely issues regarding a learner-oriented perspective and the effectiveness, influence, trust, times and methods of assessment.Understanding the assessment process, including the concepts and methods used, is essential to educational practice. In recent years new trends on assessment have emerged from an integrated perspective of the teaching, learning and assessment process (Rust 2007). In contrast to summative assessment, which can be perceived as mainly using assessment to certify student achievement (Boud and Falchikov 2006; Hernández 2012), formative assessment supports and monitors the students’ learning, providing continuous feedback during the process (Yorke 2003; Weurlander et al. 2012), and informing them about their performance (Boud 1990; Brown and Knight 1994; Brew et al. 2009). These trends have introduced new methods of assessment (Brew et al. 2009) and more participatory practices, such as self, peer, and co-assessment (Dochy, Segers and Sluijsmans 1999).National Funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) and co-financed by European Regional Development Funds (FEDER) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (POCI) through CIEC (Research Centre on Child Studies, of the University of Minho) with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562Strategic Project UID/CED/00317/2013CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, IE, UMinho (FCT R&D unit 317), Portugalinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Radial Alignment in Simulated Clusters

Observational evidence for the radial alignment of satellites with their dark matter host has been accumulating steadily in the past few years. The effect is seen over a wide range of scales, from massive clusters of galaxies down to galaxy-sized systems, yet the underlying physical mechanism has still not been established. To this end, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the shapes and orientations of dark matter substructures in high-resolution N-body cosmological simulations. We find a strong tendency for radial alignment of the substructure with its host halo: the distribution of halo major axes is very anisotropic, with the majority pointing towards the center of mass of the host. The alignment peaks once the sub-halo has passed the virial radius of the host for the first time, but is not subsequently diluted, even after the halos have gone through as many as four pericentric passages. This evidence points to the existence of a very rapid dynamical mechanism acting on these systems and we argue that tidal torquing throughout their orbits is the most likely candidate.Comment: v2: 13 pages, 10 figures, ApJ in press. Revisions include a new section (4.2) comparing our results with observations, and a few added reference

Improvement in the flow of materials in the painting section of an industrial company

This research was undertaken in the Painting section at the company Preh Portugal, which is currently increasing its capacity. The plastic components are painted and engraved, and then supplied to internal customers so that they can then be assembled on the final line. The main purpose of the study resides in analyzing the value flow. The methodology used consisted of the case study itself, in association with the use of lean tools. The objective was to reduce the changeovers generated by activities which, in the customer’s perspective, are of no added value. To this end, one studied the possibility of altering the configuration of the FIFO supermarket, as well as optimizing laser production in the section. The changes proposed resulted in gains of 74,02% and 74,4% regarding the distance of the routes covered by material and operators, respectively. Additional studies were carried out in the Painting section, more specifically in the new section of Painting. Here, one analyzed the layout projected by the company and subsequently carried out some changes which will enable gains of 48 and 43% in the distance of the routes covered by material and operators, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Susceptibilidade de crianças asmáticas a infecções respiratórias

OBJECTIVE: A case-control study of patients with pneumonia was conducted to investigate whether wheezing diseases could be a risk factor. METHODS: A random sample was taken from a general university hospital in S. Paulo City between March and August 1994 comprising 51 cases of pneumonia paired by age and sex to 51 non-respiratory controls and 51 healthy controls. Data collection was carried out by two senior paediatricians. Diagnoses of pneumonia and presence of wheezing disease were independently established by each paediatrician for both cases and controls. Pneumonia was radiologically confirmed and repeatability of information on wheezing diseases was measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors. RESULTS: Wheezing diseases, interpreted as proxies of asthma, were found to be an important risk factor for pneumonia with an odds ratio of 7.07 (95%CI= 2.34-21.36), when the effects of bedroom crowding (odds ratio = 1.49 per person, 95%CI= 0.95-2.32) and of low family income (odds ratio = 5.59 against high family income, 95%CI= 1.38-22.63) were controlled. The risk of pneumonia attributable to wheezing diseases is tentatively calculated at 51.42%. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that at practice level asthmatics should deserve proper surveillance for infection and that at public health level pneumonia incidence could be reduced if current World Health Organisation's guidelines were reviewed as to include comprehensive care for this illness.OBJETIVO: Investigar, através de um estudo caso-controle de pacientes com pneumonia, se as doenças chiadoras poderiam constituir-se em fator de risco. MÉTODOS: De um hospital universitário, na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil, entre março e agosto de 1994, foi tomada uma amostra de 51 casos de pneumonia pareados por sexo e idade a 51 controles sadios e 51 controles não respiratórios. O diagnóstico de pneumonia e a presença de doença chiadora foram investigados de forma independente por cada pediatra tanto para casos quanto para controles. Foi confirmada pneumonia radiologicamente e a repetibilidade da informação sobre doença chiadora foi medida. Foi utilizada regressão logística para identifição de riscos. RESULTADOS: As doenças chiadoras, entendidas como representantes de asma, mostraram ser importante fator de risco para pneumonia, com um odds ratio de 7,07 (IC95%= 2,34-21,36), controlados os efeitos de aglomeração no quarto de dormir (odds ratio de 1,49 por pessoa a mais no quarto, IC95%= 0,95-2,32) e a baixa renda familiar (odds ratio de 5,59 contra alta renda familiar, IC95%= 1,38-22,63). O risco atribuível às doenças chiadoras foi calculado de forma exploratória em 51,42%. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que os clínicos devem ter atenção sobre asmáticos para o risco de infecção e que ao nível da saúde pública a incidência de pneumonia poderia ser reduzida se as orientações atuais da Organização Mundial da Saúde pudessem ser revistas para oferecer atenção integral para os doentes

Role of local communities in the social network of the protected area management

Biodiversity conservation traditionally necessitates setting aside land, which frequently impacts local communities. Although progress has been made on how to optimize this process, conflict frequently emerges when conservation and community goals are at odds. Improving communication and community inclusiveness in decision-making processes is strongly recommended to achieve livelihood goals and conservation outcomes. We used social network analysis to understand how local communities are embedded within the structure and dynamics of stakeholder interactions in Quirimbas National Park (Mozambique). We detected a network of limited cooperation that lacks bidirectional communication, displaying low average knowledge transfer but high bonding across stakeholder groups with similar perceptions. Local communities only interact with the district government and they have a passive voice in the system. A more inclusive network structure is needed so that conservation and community livelihood goals can be achieved.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Decolorization of aqueous effluents using agro waste

In this study, the potential of agrowaste for a food dye sequestration from aqueous effluents was investigated. Initially, four local agrowaste waste namely pumpkin seed hull, bean null, oat straw and nut shells, were tested in natural condition. Bean hull (BH) revealed the best uptake capacity for Food Red 14 (FR14). The agro waste was characterised before and after dye sorption process using SEM and FTIR techniques. Those analyses were conducted in order to identify the principal connections contributing to the sorption process. The point of zero charge of BH surface, pHpzc was assessed at 4.6, which indicated a mostly acidic surface, favorable for dye adsorption at pH<6, when the sorbent is positively charged. The dye removal efficiency of the adsorbent has been established in relation to some factors, such as: pH, amount of adsorbent, dye initial concentration, contact time and temperature. In order to make the sorption process predictable, four empirical isotherms and four kinetics models were applied to the experimental data so as to enact the nature of the sorption process. Attempts have also been made for sorbent viability by testing different solvents for FR14 desorption. FTIR spectra reveal the main bands in FR14 sorption process: that at 1450 cm-1 corresponding to C=C bond from the aromatic ring appears greatly diminished for FR14-BH after the sorption process and suggests a horizontal orientation of the molecules. The movement of the band at 3442 cm-1, corresponding to -OH groups, to lower wave number suggests lower involvement of these groups in the sorption process. The others band movement from BH spectra after the sorption process is due to physical interactions (hydrogen bond, van der Waals force) that occur between functional groups of sorbent and dye. The present study shows that the agro-waste bean hull is very effective as biosorbent for Food Red 14 removal from aqueous solutions, from a large range of dye concentration in aqueous solutions (5-400 mg L-1) in batch system. Since the agricultural wastes used in this study are friendly, abundantly and locally available, the sorbents are economically viable for aqueous effluents decolorization

The effect of clay particles on the efficacy of a biocide

The effect of kaolin particles on the bacterial activity as well as on the efficacy of a biocide was investigated. The results show that the presence of the clay particles enhance the Pseudomonas fluorescens activity for all buffered pH values tested, this increase being more relevant for the more adverse pH for this bacteria growth. The results also demonstrated that kaolin reduces the ability of desinfection of a carbamatebased biocide against P. fluorescens suspensions.União Europeia - Training and Mobility of Researchers, project BIOTOBIO. PRAXIS XXI BD/3242/94. Instituto de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (IBQF). Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD)

A simple flow cell for monitoring biofilm formation in laboratory and industrial conditions

This work proposes and discusses a simple flow cell reactor that provides a means to monitoring biofilm growth by periodical removing biofilm-attached slides for off-line, nondestructive and destructive biofilm analysis without the stoppage of the flow. With this flow cell, biofilm growth and respiratory activity can be easily followed, either in well defined laboratory conditions or in an industrial environment. The reproducible and typical biofilm development curves obtained validated this flow cell and confirmed its potential for different biofilm-related studies, which can include biocidal treatment

A serologia para avaliação do papel dos predadores em olival biológico

A oliveira, sendo uma planta mediterrânica, encontra-se bem adaptada em Portugal. Apesar de ser uma cultura com poucos problemas fitossanitários, por vezes e sujeita à acção de algumas pragas e doenças. De entre as pragas de artrópodos destacam-se a traça da oliveira, Prays oleae (Bern.), a mosca da azeitona, Bactrocera oleae (GmeL) e a cochonilha negra, Saissetia oleae (Oliv.). No entanto, as populações destes inimigos podem ser mantidas abaixo do nível económico de ataque por factores abióticos e/ou por outros artrópodos, espécies predadoras e parasitóides, que contribuem para a estabilidade da biocenose no olival A valorização destes auxiliaras é, assim, um factor preponderante na protecção contra pragas da oliveira, nomeadamente em modo de produção biológico