A Stochastic Frontier Analysis of Secondary Education Output in Portugal

This paper contributes to the discussion about the performance and efficiency of Portuguese secondary schools, using the stochastic production frontier analysis. We discuss the impact of school variables and the environment on output (measured by the average national examination scores), as determinants of the shape of technology and degree of efficiency. We find, in particular, that teacher seniority, school size and private management have a positive impact on output. The area where the school is located also plays an important role. Further, results show that schools differ considerably in their efficiency levels, and we also address the use of the stochastic frontier methodology in order to improve the computation of school rankings.

O paciente alérgico no consultório de medicina dentária

Projeto de Pós-Graduação/Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Medicina DentáriaIntrodução: A alergia é uma reação do sistema imunológico a uma série de substâncias como o pólen, o leite, o chocolate, a lã, o nylon, medicamentos e anestésicos. Afeta essencialmente indivíduos atópicos com predisposição genética. A prevalência de alergias tem vindo a aumentar na última década, estima-se que 25% da população europeia apresenta algum tipo de alergia. No consultório dentário, apesar das hipersensibilidades aos materiais dentários serem escassas, as hipersensibilidades mais comuns são as do tipo I e do tipo IV. Objetivos: Quantificar a prevalência de alergias nos pacientes atendidos na Consulta de Medicina Dentária das Clínicas Pedagógicas da Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Fernando Pessoa; caracterizar as alergias mais frequentes; verificar a existência de alguma relação entre a prevalência de alergias com a variável sexo e a variável idade. Metodologia: O presente estudo epidemiológico consistiu na aplicação de um inquérito como instrumento de recolha de dados quantitativos. Obteve-se uma amostra de 190 indivíduos com idade superior a 18 anos, selecionados de forma aleatória e que se dirigiram à Clinica Pedagógica de Medicina Dentária da Universidade Fernando Pessoa no ano letivo de 2013/2014. Os dados resultantes do estudo foram armazenados no programa Microsoft Excel 2010. Os procedimentos de análise estatística descritiva foram realizados utilizando o programa informático IBM SPSS Statistics. Resultados: A prevalência de alergias na população em estudo foi de 29%. A prevalência de alergias é maior no sexo feminino sendo a probabilidade (OR) de cerca de 1.89 vezes superior no sexo feminino do que no sexo masculino. No teste de correlação de Pearson, o valor observado foi de 0.302 assim não se verificou correlação entre o aumento da idade com o aumento ou diminuição das alergias. As alergias mais frequentes foi a do tipo respiratória 60%, medicamentosas 16%, doenças alérgicas com alergénios positivos 11%, do tipo cutâneas 9% e do tipo alimentares 4%. Nas alergias do tipo respiratórias observa-se uma maior percentagem na rinite alérgica com 36.40%. Relativamente às alergias do tipo medicamentosas, a penicilina apresenta 10.60%. Conclusão: A prevalência de alergias nesta população assemelha-se à de outros países Europeus. Tal como noutros países a alergia mais comum é a rinite alérgica. A análise dos resultados deste estudo pode conduzir a uma reflexão acerca do aumento da prevalência de alergias pelo que é crucial que todos os médicos dentistas tenham um cuidado extra ao abordarem os seus pacientes no sentido de diagnosticar qualquer uma das mais variadas alergias abordadas no presente trabalho. Introduction: Allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a variety of substances such as pollen, milk, chocolate, wool, nylon, drugs and anesthetics. Affects mainly atopic individuals with a genetic predisposition. The prevalence of allergies has increased in the last decade, it is estimated that 25% of the population has some type of allergy. In dental surgery, despite hypersensitivity to dental materials are rare, the most common are the hypersensitivity type I and type IV. Aims: Quantify the prevalence of allergies in patients attending at the dental medicine services of pedagogical practice in Faculdade Fernando Pessoa; characterize the most common allergies; verify the existence of any relationship between the prevalence of allergies with the gender variable and the variable age. Methodology: This epidemiological study consisted in application of a survey as a tool for collecting quantitative data. Obtained a sample of 190 individuals aged over 18 years, randomly selected and who applied to the Pedagogical Clinic of Dental Medicine, University Fernando Pessoa in the academic year 2013/2014. The data resulting from the study were stored in Microsoft Excel 2010 program. Procedures descriptive statistics were performed using the computer program SPSS Statistics. Results: The prevalence of allergies in the study population was 29%. The prevalence of allergies is higher in females and the likelihood (OR) of about 1.89 times higher in females than in males. In Pearson correlation test, the observed value was 0.302 so there was no correlation between age increase with the increase or decrease of allergies. The most common allergies of the respiratory type was 60%, 16% drug, with positive allergens allergic diseases 11%, the type Skin 9% and 4% of the food type. In the respiratory type allergies observe a higher percentage in allergic rhinitis with 36.40%. Regarding allergies drug type, penicillin has 10.60%. Conclusions: The prevalence of allergies in this population is similar to other European countries. As in other countries the most common allergy is allergic rhinitis. The results of this study may lead to a reflection on the increasing prevalence of allergies so it is crucial that all dentists take extra care when approaching their patients in order to diagnose any of the various allergies addressed in this work

Musical Exploration and Improvisation: Impact on beginners learning the Cello

The importance of incorporating musical exploration and improvisation activities in teaching students how to play an instrument points to their individual needs and presents itself as a vehicle to promote further development of these children’s technical and musical skills. This paper focuses on two case studies that intend to demonstrate the impact of musical exploration and improvisation in the technical and musical evolution of the student within the context of introduction to studying the violoncello. The results led to a discussion that could serve as a proposal for strategies on teachinglearning to play the cello

Exploration and improvisation: the use of creative strategies in instrumental teaching

In music lessons there are still predisposition to adopt some educational practices, where the teaching is still centered in the teacher, and the student is there to “imitate” and learn the music exercises brought into class. By doing so the teacher is neglecting the student musical development as there is a unidirectional skill transfer, and the student does not participate directly in the process. Therefore, using creative strategies in class maybe a striking and important element, that can both create student participation but also allow different dynamics within the classroom. In music, instrumental classes share a set of common skills to other music disciplines, in which the use of musical exploration and improvisation activities can present in various ways. The importance of incorporating these activities in teaching students how to play an instrument, points to their individual needs and presents itself as a vehicle to promote further technical and expressive developmental skills. The present paper focuses on two case studies, with both students at the beginning of their learning.The study intend to demonstrate the impact of musical exploration and improvisation in the technical and musical evolution of the student within the context of studying the violoncello. The results’ analysis led to a discussion that could serve as a proposal for strategies on teaching-learning to play an instrument. The paper concludes that the students, who attend classes with the use of creative activities as a teaching strategy, obtain more emphatic results and success

Risk management in manufacturing systems: case study

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica Industrial e ComputadoresUma vez que vivemos num mundo competitivo é necessário progredir lado a lado com a evolução crescente do mercado, assim sendo, as organizações precisam de ser cada vez mais flexíveis e ter uma forte capacidade de adaptação face às mudanças. Assim sendo, observa-se por parte das empresas o interesse em realizar-se uma análise aos fatores internos e externos que poderão comprometer a continuidade do negócio. Às exigências internas juntam-se as dos seus parceiros e clientes, de forma a garantir o cumprimento dos requisitos, pedem às empresas para obterem as certificações dos padrões de Qualidade. Surge assim a necessidade por parte das empresas de se guiarem por essas normas. Considerando o avanço tecnológico e as exigências dos seus parceiros, organizações como a International Organisation for Standardisation, ISO, e a International Automotive Task Force, IATF, têm revisto as suas normas ao longo dos anos, garantindo que se enquadram ao mundo competitivo que vivemos. Neste projeto de dissertação foi dada especial atenção as normas ISO 9001:2015, ISO 31000:2018 e IATF 16949:2016, uma vez que este projeto deverá responder a requerimentos presentes nelas. Neste projeto, procedeu-se à aplicação do modelo de gestão de riscos proposto na norma ISO 31000:2018, contextualizando-o ao contexto industrial da Continental Mabor Indústria de Pneus, CMIP. Durante a aplicação do modelo, foi realizado o Risk Assessment a seis sistemas presente no Manufacturing Execution System, MES, onde foram identificados e avaliados os riscos inerentes a eles. Após esta avaliação foi realizada a definição de ações de tratamento, tendo sido definido a necessidade de atualizar ou criar novos planos de contingência, respondendo assim a um requerimento da IATF 16949:2016. Em paralelo com o Risk Assessment foi também executada a atualização do pontos relacionado com a Direção de Tecnologia e Informação, DTI, no plano de contingência da CMIP. As técnicas utilizadas para a exposição dos resultados foram a análise de modos de falhas e efeitos (FMEA) e o Registo de riscos (RR). Como conclusão deste projeto foram apontadas as vantagens e desvantagens das técnicas aplicadas, assim como foram identificadas as suas limitações. A implementação de um processo de gestão de riscos, permitiu à organização agir de forma preventiva no processo de produção.Since we live in a competitive world, it is necessary to progress side by side with the growing evolution of the market. Therefore, organisations need to be increasingly flexible and have a solid ability to adapt to changes. Therefore, companies are interested in analysing the internal and external factors that could compromise the continuity of the business. Furthermore, their customers and partners want assurance of the fulfilment their requirements, which results in the companies obtaining the certifications of the Quality standards to provide evidence to their partners and customers. Considering technological advances and the demands of their partners, organisations such as International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and International Automotive Task Force (IATF) have revised their standards over the years, ensuring that they fit the competitive world in which we live. In this dissertation project, special attention was given to the ISO 9001:2015, ISO 31000:2018, and IATF 16949:2016 standards since this project must respond to the requirements. In this project, the risk management model proposed in the ISO 31000:2018 standard was applied, contextualising it to the industrial context of CMIP. During the application of the model, six systems present in the MES were the target of the Risk Assessment, where the identification and evaluation of their inherent risks occur. After this evaluation, the next stage was the Risk Treatment, where the definition of the need to update or create new contingency plans occurred, thus responding to a requirement of IATF 16949:2016. In parallel with the Risk Assessment, updating the points related to the DTI in the CMIP contingency plan was also carried out. The techniques used to present the results were the failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and the Risk Register (RR). The conclusion of this project debated the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques applied and their limitations. Implementing a risk management process, allowed the organisation to act preventively in the production process

Transformative communication radar: practices, action and praxis communication in solidarity economy networks in Portugal and Catalonia

This article explores the transformational character of solidarity economy network communication in Portugal and Catalonia, focusing on the first two months of the crisis brought on by COVID-19. We assume that what these networks choose to convey (or remain silent on) in their public communications reflects their positions in the fields of action and values and their theoretical alignment, establishing an ethico-political orientation. Through the analysis of virtual content conveyed by solidarity economy organisations, we analyse the topics covered, the types of content and sources cited, and the level of demand in the discourse, as well as their individual, institutional and collective character. The results reveal very different commu-nicative approaches in each of the cases analysed: from silence or total absence of communi-cative practices to what can be considered a transformational praxis communication, based on collective action challenging the structures of power and domination and pointing out ways to overcome them. The article proposes a transformative communication radar linking Haber-mas's theory of communicative action and Fuchs's Marxist-inspired praxis communication con-cept, as a way of distinguishing merely instrumental communicative approaches from those guided by communicative and cooperative rationality driving new agreements and societal transformations