Promover a consciência metacognitiva e a autorregulação das estratégias de aprendizagem para aumentar a qualidade da aprendizagem

Tese de mestrado, Psicologia (Secção de Psicologia da Educação e da Orientação), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2013O presente estudo tem por base a teoria das abordagens à aprendizagem, focando-se numa das suas componentes - as estratégias de aprendizagem - que são um dos fatores determinantes do sucesso e da qualidade da aprendizagem. Através de uma experiência de casos múltiplos, pretendeu-se verificar se uma intervenção que promove a consciência daquelas estratégias, que modela o emprego de estratégias de profundidade e de organização e que fomenta a sua autorregulação, tem um impacto positivo no tipo de estratégias utilizadas e na qualidade da aprendizagem, num grupo de 6 alunos do Ensino Secundário. Os resultados indicam que a intervenção tem um impacto diferenciado nos distintos participantes. Apesar disso, sugerem que aquela tende a potenciar as estratégias de profundidade e de organização e a reduzir a estratégia de superfície, com um concomitante impacto na qualidade da aprendizagem que, apesar de não aumentar inequivocamente logo após a intervenção, tende a aumentar significativamente após um período interpretado como de maturação necessária.This study is based on the theory of approaches to learning, focusing on one of its components – the learning strategies, which are one of the factors of success and quality of learning. Through a multiple case experiment, we intended to assess whether an intervention that promotes awareness of those strategies, which models the use of deep and achieving strategies and fosters their self-regulation, has a positive impact on the type of strategies used and the quality of learning, in a group of six high school students. The results indicate that the intervention has a differentiated impact on the various participants. Nevertheless, results also suggest that the intervention tends to increase the deep and achieving strategies and to reduce the surface strategy, with a simultaneous impact on the quality of learning, which does not clearly increase immediately after the intervention, yet tends to increase significantly after a maturation period interpreted here as possible required

Cr(III) removal from synthetic and industrial wastewaters by using co-gasification chars of rice waste streams

ABSTRACT: Blends of rice waste streams were submitted to co-gasification assays. The resulting chars (G1C and G2C) were characterized and used in Cr(III) removal assays from a synthetic solution. A Commercial Activated Carbon (CAC) was used for comparison purposes. The chars were non-porous materials mainly composed by ashes (68.3-92.6% w/w). The influences of adsorbent loading (solid/liquid ratio - S/L) and initial pH in Cr(III) removal were tested. G2C at a S/L of 5 mg L-1 and an initial pH of 4.50 presented an uptake capacity significantly higher than CAC (7.29 and 2.59 mg g(-1), respectively). G2C was used in Cr(III) removal assays from an industrial wastewater with Cr(III) concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg L-1. Cr(III) removal by precipitation (uptake capacity ranging from 11.1 to 14.9mg g(-1)) was more effective in G2C, while adsorption (uptake capacity of 16.1 mg g(-1)) was the main removal mechanism in CAC.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of intermittent fasting on regulation of metabolic homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis in health and metabolic-related disorders

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an emerging dietetic intervention that has been associated with improved metabolic parameters. Nowadays, the most common IF protocols are Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF) and Time-Restricted Fasting (TRF), but in this review and meta-analysis we have also considered Religious Fasting (RF), which is similar to TRF but against the circadian rhythm. The available studies usually include the analysis of a single specific IF protocol on different metabolic outcomes. Herein, we decided to go further and to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the advantages of different IF protocols for metabolic homeostasis in individuals with different metabolic status, such as with obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Systematic searches (PubMed, Scopus, Trip Database, Web of Knowledge and Embase, published before June 2022) of original articles in peer-review scientific journals focusing on IF and body composition outcomes were performed. Sixty-four reports met the eligibility criteria for the qualitative analysis and forty-seven for the quantitative analysis. Herein, we showed that ADF protocols promoted the major beneficial effects in the improvement of dysregulated metabolic conditions in comparison with TRF and RF protocols. Furthermore, obese and MetS individuals are the most benefited with the introduction of these interventions, through the improvement of adiposity, lipid homeostasis and blood pressure. For T2D individuals, IF impact was more limited, but associated with their major metabolic dysfunctions—insulin homeostasis. Importantly, through the integrated analysis of distinct metabolic-related diseases, we showed that IF seems to differently impact metabolic homeostasis depending on an individual’s basal health status and type of metabolic disease.This work has been funded by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—project UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020

Biodegradation of mono-, di- and trifluoroacetate by microbial cultures with different origins

This work focused on the biodegradation of three structurally related fluoroacetates (FAs), mono- (MFA), di- (DFA) and trifluoroacetate (TFA), using as microbial inocula samples collected from a site with a long history of industrial contamination and activated sludge obtained from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Biodegradation experiments were carried out under different modes of substrate supplementation, which included (i) FAs fed as sole carbon sources; (ii) FAs (only for DFA and TFA) fed in co-metabolism with sodium acetate; and (iii) mixtures of MFA with DFA or TFA. Biodegradation of the target compounds was assessed through fluoride ion release. Defluorination was obtained in the cultures fed with MFA, while DFA and TFA were recalcitrant in all tested conditions. When present in mixture, DFA was shown to inhibit biodegradation of MFA, while TFA had no effect. A total of 13 bacterial isolates obtained from MFA degrading cultures were found to degrade 20mgL-1 of this compound, as single strains, when supplemented as a sole carbon source. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that among these degrading bacteria only Delftia acidovorans had been previously reported to be able to degrade MFA. This work shows that, despite their similar chemical structures, biodegradation of the three tested FAs is very distinct and draws attention to the unknown impacts that the accumulation of DFA and TFA may have in the environment as a result of their high recalcitrance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Isolation and characterization of cgchi3, a nodule-specific gene from Casuarina glauca encoding a class III chitinase

Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) catalyse the hydrolysis of chitin, a homopolymer of b-1,4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues. Plant chitinases are involved in a wide variety of processes; in particular, their expression has been found to be enhanced in symbiotic and pathogenic plant–microbe interactions. During this work we have cloned and characterized a gene encoding a class III chitinase from actinorhizal nodules of Casuarina glauca (cgchi3). CGCHI3 was found to be encoded by a single gene that was specifically activated in nodules as compared with uninoculated control roots and leaves. The expression of this gene was further enhanced in nodules after salicylic acid treatment and completely repressed after wounding. In situ hybridisation analysis revealed that cgchi3 is an early nodulin gene, being expressed in the meristem and in the uninfected cortical cells of young nodules. Based on the obtained results we suggest that this gene is involved in nodule development. This is the first report on a class III chitinase coding gene that is specifically activated during actinorhizal symbiosis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impact of a novel sugarcane straw extract-based ingredient on skin microbiota via a new preclinical in vitro model

During cosmetic product development, the impact on the skin microbiota needs to be evaluated, as it plays an important role in skin health. Clinical studies are frequently used to assess cosmetic effects, but are expensive, time-consuming and require finished ingredients, which may be a limiting factor. Thus, this study had two main objectives, the development of a preclinical in vitro model for the evaluation of the effect of cosmetic ingredients on the skin microbiota, and its use to evaluate a novel sugarcane straw extract-based ingredient. In the development of the preclinical in vitro model, the microbiota incubation time and atmospheric conditions were optimized. The model was validated using a benchmark ingredient with reported in vivo effects on skin microbiota. Then, the new sugarcane straw extract-based ingredient was tested in the model, using skin microbiota samples from 12 healthy female volunteers. The impact on microbial groups was analyzed using qPCR and next-generation sequencing. The best conditions for the in vitro model were 24 h incubation under aerobic conditions. Furthermore, the results obtained with the benchmark ingredient agreed with those obtained in vivo, thus validating our model. Sugarcane straw extract-based ingredient was found to have no effect on community α-diversity, however it appears to affect S. epidermidis. In conclusion, the developed model can be used as a tool to assess the impact of novel cosmetic ingredients on skin microbiota. Also, the novel ingredient seems to have an impact on commensal S. epidermidis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio