Building up Undergraduate Skills – empirical evidence from a Portuguese University

This study presents preliminary results of the PSP Project, addressing students' soft skills development within the context of HEI. Theoretical framework is grounded in Person-Environment Fit theories (Rounds & Hesketh, 1994), and also in Evans (2001) starfish model. Study 1 aimed to identify Economics and Business graduates' Market-Valued Skills Profile, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with HR managers and former students focus groups. Study 2 assessed students' confidence level regarding skills using a self-report questionnaire (Miles & Grummon, 2006). Career development representations were also assessed (Savickas, 2002; Gonçalves, 2006). Additional data was collected through open-ended questions focusing on work and other extracurricular experiences. Results from Study 1 highlight soft skills as multidimensional construct where different interrelated skills contribute to graduates' employability. Study 2 reveals students' positive self-perception regarding those skills, although limited vocational experiences were reported.Soft Skills, Career development, higher education students; employability

Variscan shear zones and control of Sn-W, Au, U mineralizations in the Central-Iberian Zone in Portugal

[Resumo] Propoese urna síntese sobre a génese dos cisalhamentos regionais e estruturas secundárias associadas nas diferentes fases colisionais, para o sector restricto da Zona Centro-Ibérica (Z.C.!.) da orogenia hercínica. Adoptam-se os conceitos de RAMSAY (1980) e SANDERSON &MARCHINI (1984) para enquadrar, respectivamente, a tipologia e cinemática destes cisalhamentos. Esboçase um cenário geral da geometria e cinemática das estructuras na Z.C.!., concomitantemente, com a evolu~ao dos cisalhamentos tangenciais nas fases precocese com os cisalhamentos transcorrentes nas fases tardias do orógeno. No quadro da associa~ao espacial das mineralizag:>es de Sn-W, Au e U aos cisalhamentos, define-se o controlo estrutural destas mineraliza~oes e procede-se a tentativa de hierarquizar as referidas mineralizag:>es da Z.C.!., conectando-as as diferentes fases de deformaçao da orogenia hercínica[Abstract] The tipology and kinematic evolution of the shear zones and related secondary structures in the Central Iberian Zone (Variscan orogeny) are stablished on the basis of the concepts expressed, respectively, by RAMSAY (1980) and SANDERSON & MARCHINI (1984). The geometry and kinematics of these structures are linked to the evolution of nappes in the preliminary deformation phases and with transcurrent shearing in the later deformation phases. The structural control and the spatial relationship of Sn-W, Au and U mineralizations by these shears, is defined. For each her cynian deformations phase it is made an atempt of hierarchyzation of these C.I.Z. mineralizations

Kinetics of protein aggregate growth and breakage during isoelectric precipitation

The kinetics of isolectric precipitation of soy protein in a turbulent stirred tank reactor was studied. The effects of protein feed concentration, pH of precipitation, mean residence time, ionic strength, mixing speed, and order of addition of salt were investigated;The particle size distribution (PSD) of the solid phase was determined using a Coulter Counter Model TAII equipped with a 70 (mu)m diameter aperture tube. Protein recoveries after centrifugation and/or filtration were determined using the Kjeldahl procedure;The kinetics of solid phase formation were modelled and the results compared with the experimental PSD. The model includes growth, breakage, and outflow from the continuous reactor;Aggregate growth was described as proceeding by addition of submicron particles to a growing aggregate as a result of both Brownian and turbulent motion. The frequency of collision of colloidal particles in a turbulent fluid was combined with the definition of a linear growth rate to obtain alternative growth rate expressions dependent on particle diameter, volume fraction of primary particles, and mixer power input;Possible hydrodynamic mechanisms for particle disruption in a turbulent fluid were examined. It was shown that for the size and density of these protein aggregates the local shear mechanism predominates over the usually considered turbulent pressure fluctuations and surface erosion (due to relative motion). The aggregates breakage rate was shown to be a function of aggregate concentration and of a dimensionless Force Number (forces acting on the aggregate/forces binding the aggregate). Breakage was described as a \u27thorough\u27 process with daughter fragments smaller than the aggregate nuclei;Good fit was obtained using the proposed model and most aspects of the variation of kinetic parameters with pH, mixing speed, ionic strength, and feed concentration agreed qualitatively with the proposed mechanisms. In addition, growth rate could be related to (zeta)-potential

Conjunctival lymphangioma: a case report and brief review of the literature

Background. Lymphangioma is a rare venolymphatic lesion, characterized by dilation of lymphatic vessels. It may occur as an isolated lesion or, more often, represent the surface component of a deep orbital lymphangioma. Case. We report a case of a conjunctival lymphangioma on a 58-year-old male that had simultaneously an upper respiratory tract infection. Excision and biopsy confirmed the nature of the lesion, and there has been no relapse to date. Conclusion. Conjunctival lymphangioma is a rare condition in which the diagnose, must be kept in mind in patients with a red eye resistance to topical therapy and in association with an upper respiratory tract infection. Finally, it is also necessary to be aware of possible recurrence of the lesion

Photodynamic therapy for diffuse choroidal hemangioma in sturge-weber syndrome

Purpose. To report the treatment outcome of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (PDT) for exudative retinal detachment (RD) associated with diffuse choroidal hemangioma in Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS). Methods. An interventional case report of a 10-year-old girl with SWS who developed an exudative RD (visual acuity hand motions) that was treated with PDT. She was treated with a first session of multispot PDT. Posteriorly, a choroidotomy for drainage of subretinal fluid was created, combined with an intravitreal injection of gas (SF6) and cryoapplication. Finally, a second session of PDT was applied. Results. Subretinal fluid resolved over a period of one year and visual acuity increased to 20/125. Conclusions. PDT is an effective therapeutic option for exudative RD associated with diffuse choroidal hemangioma

Increase of the yields of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids by the microalga Pavlova lutheri following random mutagenesis

The high commercial values of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids have driven a strain-improvement program, aimed at increasing the content of those fatty acids in the microalga Pavlova lutheri (SMBA 60) as parent strain. After a round of mutation using UV-light as mutagenic agent, an isolate strain (tentatively called II#2) was obtained, the EPA and DHA contents of which (in % dry biomass) were 32.8% and 32.9% higher than those of the control, native strain. The final EPA yields, when the cultures were maintained under appropriate conditions, were 17.4 and 23.1 mg · g−1 dry biomass, for the wild-type and the II#2 strain, respectively, whereas the final DHA yields were 8.0 and 10.6 mg · g−1 dry biomass, respectively. These results suggest that random mutagenesis can successfully be applied to increase the yield of n-3 fatty acids by microalgae

Rapid spectrophotometric determination of nitrates and nitrites in marine aqueous culture media

The spectrophotometric determination of nitrate in sea water broths for cultivation of, say, microalgae is complicated by the frequent presence of nitrite. Two methods - sulphamic/perchloric acid method (also known as Cawse method) and sulphamic acid method - both claimed to be able to eliminate nitrite interference, were tested using a set of standards, but statistical treatment of the results proved their limitations in nitrate quantification. An improved method, based on former published methods for quantification of nitrite and coupled determination of nitrate and nitrite, was designed and tested. This improved method was compared with the reference method (based on use of a cadmium column) using several standards and biological samples of two culture media for microalgae, in different phases of their growth curve. The results thus obtained have demonstrated that there is no statistically significant difference between them at the 5% level. The precision of the method was tested by repeating determinations with three sets of standard mixtures containing nitrate and nitrite. The method proposed has advantages over conventional methods in reduced time of analysis, as well as high precision and accuracy, so it may be a good alternative for determination of nitrite and nitrate in marine aqueous media

Therapeutic challenge of a paediatric case of Graves' disease with severe ophthalmopathy

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Building up Undergraduate Skills – empirical evidence from a Portuguese University

This study presents preliminary results of the PSP Project, addressing students‟ soft skills development within the context of HEI. Theoretical framework is grounded in Person-Environment Fit theories (Rounds & Hesketh, 1994), and also in Evans (2001) starfish model. Study 1 aimed to identify Economics and Business graduates‟ Market-Valued Skills Profile, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with HR managers and former students focus groups. Study 2 assessed students‟ confidence level regarding skills using a self-report questionnaire (Miles & Grummon, 2006). Career development representations were also assessed (Savickas, 2002; Gonçalves, 2006). Additional data was collected through open-ended questions focusing on work and other extracurricular experiences. Results from Study 1 highlight soft skills as multidimensional construct where different interrelated skills contribute to graduates‟ employability. Study 2 reveals students‟ positive self-perception regarding those skills, although limited vocational experiences were reported.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Simple and complex modelling of timber-framed masonry walls in Pombalino buildings

Timber-framed masonry has been developed as an effective lateral-load resisting system in regions of high seismicity such as Southern Europe. A salient feature of the ‘last generation’ of timber-framed (TF) buildings is the presence of diagonal members that may consist of two diagonal braces. The present study focusses on alternative modelling procedures, ranging from simple to rather complex, for this interesting type of traditional structure. All models are applied to study the behaviour of full-scale specimens of diagonally-braced TF panels. The complex model is based on plasticity with contact surfaces for the connection between timber diagonals and masonry infills. A parametric analysis using this model shows that masonry infills affect only slightly the lateral force carried by this TF panel configuration. Furthermore, two simple modelling techniques are put forward for application in the analysis of large, realistic structures incorporating TF walls. The first one is directly connected to the complex modelling and is based on substructuring. A nine-step procedure is developed and is found to properly reproduce the response of the test specimens. The second simple model is a phenomenological one, developed on the basis of observed behaviour during tests and is a complete hysteretic model; however, for comparison purposes, all models are evaluated here with respect to the prediction of the envelope (pushover) curve for the walls tested under lateral loads