Digital radiography detectors - A technical overview: Part 2

Digital X-ray detector technologies provide several advantages when compared with screen-film (SF) systems: better diagnostic quality of the radiographic image, increased dose efficiency, better dynamic range and possible reduction of radiation exposure to the patient. The transition from traditional SF systems to digital technology-based systems highlights the importance of the discussion around technical factors such as image acquisition, themanagement of patient dose and diagnostic image quality. Radiographers should be aware of these aspects concerning their clinical practice regarding the advantages and limitations of digital detectors. Newdigital technologies require an up-to-date of scientific knowledge concerning their use in projection radiography. This is the second of a two-part review article focused on a technical overview of digital radiography detectors. This article provides a discussion about the issues related to the image acquisition requirements and advantages of digital technologies, the management of patient dose and the diagnostic image quality.

Contributos de um ambiente de geometria dinâmica (geogebra) e do geoplano na compreensão das propriedades e relações entre quadriláteros: um estudo com alunos do 4.º ano

O estudo insere-se no âmbito da educação matemática, mais especificamente na área da geometria. Com esta investigação pretende-se compreender qual o contributo do Ambiente de Geometria Dinâmica (AGD), GeoGebra, e do material manipulável (geoplano) na identificação das propriedades e relações entre quadriláteros: trapézio, paralelogramo, retângulo, losango e quadrado. De acordo com o objetivo do estudo formularam-se três questões: Qual o papel das representações na identificação das propriedades dos quadriláteros? Que influência tem a visualização na identificação das propriedades dos quadriláteros? Quais os contributos da utilização do AGD, GeoGebra, e do material manipulável (geoplano) na compreensão das propriedades e relações entre os quadriláteros? Atendendo à problemática em estudo, optou-se por uma metodologia de investigação predominantemente qualitativa, baseada em três estudos de caso. A recolha de dados empíricos foi realizada numa turma de 4.º ano do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico onde se implementou uma experiência de ensino, envolvendo todos os alunos e recorrendo ao geoplano e ao GeoGebra. Essa recolha incidiu na observação participante, em sala de aula, no registo de notas da investigadora, nos documentos produzidos pelos alunos e nos registos áudio e vídeo das discussões nos grupos e no coletivo da turma. Em termos de resultados, salienta-se que a utilização de representações evidenciou a compreensão que os alunos têm dos conceitos, facilitou a identificação das propriedades dos quadriláteros e a compreensão das relações entre eles. Os alunos identificaram as propriedades com base nas representações, no entanto focaram-se em casos particulares, de acordo com a imagem mental que têm da figura, especificamente o protótipo, indiciando a influência da visualização. Dos resultados sobressai também a dificuldade que os alunos sentiram em considerar uma figura como representante de uma classe e em distinguir atributos essenciais e não essenciais. Da análise dos dados ressalta também que tanto o geoplano como o GeoGebra foram uma mais-valia na concretização da experiência de ensino deste estudo. Os dois possuem vantagens e limitações e podem ser usados de maneira que um complemente o outro, podendo dessa forma contribuir, favoravelmente, para a aprendizagem da geometria. - ABSTRACT The study falls within the scope of mathematics education, specifically in the area of geometry. This research aims to understand the contribution of the Dynamic Geometry Environment (GeoGebra) and manipulative material (Geoboard) in the identification of properties and relations of quadrilaterals: trapezium, parallelogram, rectangle, diamond and square. According to the purpose of the study three questions were formulated: What is the role of the representations in the identification of the properties of quadrilaterals? What is the influence of visualization on the identification of the properties of quadrilaterals? What are the contributions on the use of Dynamic Geometry Environment (GeoGebra) and manipulative material (Geoboard) to understand the properties and relationships among quadrilaterals? Given the problem under study, it was chosen a predominantly qualitative research methodology based on three case studies. The empirical data collection was carried out on a fourth primary grade class, where it was implemented a teaching experience, involving all students and the use of Geoboard and GeoGebra. This collection was focused on participant observation in the classroom, in the record of the researcher’s notes, the documents produced by the students and the audio and video recordings of group discussions and collective class. In terms of results, it is noted that the use of representations showed the students understanding of the concepts and that it has facilitated the identification of the properties of quadrilaterals and understanding of the relationships between them. The students identified properties based on representations, however they focused in particular cases, according to the mental image that they have of the figure, specifically the prototype, indicating the influence of visualization. Results also highlights the difficulty that students felt in considering a figure as a representation of a group and distinguishing essential and nonessential attributes. Data analysis also highlights that both Geoboard and GeoGebra have been an asset in the delivery of teaching experience in this study. Both have advantages and limitations and they may be used to complement each other and contribute favorably to the learning of geometry.

Construção e desenvolvimento da identidade profissional do educador de infância - percursos no masculino : um estudo de três casos

Dissertação de Mestrado em Supervisão em Educação, enquadrada na linha de investigação sobre Desenvolvimento Profissional dos Professores, apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa

The influence of genetic polymorphisms in XRCC3 and ADH5 genes on the frequency of genotoxicity biomarkers in workers exposed to formaldehyde

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified formaldehyde as carcinogenic to humans because there is “sufficient epidemiological evidence that it causes nasopharyngeal cancer in humans”. Genes involved in DNA repair and maintenance of genome integrity are critically involved in protecting against mutations that lead to cancer and/or inherited genetic disease. Association studies have recently provided evidence for a link between DNA repair polymorphisms and micronucleus (MN) induction. We used the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN assay) in peripheral lymphocytes and MN test in buccal cells to investigate the effects of XRCC3 Thr241Met, ADH5 Val309Ile, and Asp353Glu polymorphisms on the frequency of genotoxicity biomarkers in individuals occupationally exposed to formaldehyde (n = 54) and unexposed workers (n = 82). XRCC3 participates in DNA double-strand break/recombination repair, while ADH5 is an important component of cellular metabolism for the elimination of formaldehyde. Exposed workers had significantly higher frequencies (P < 0.01) than controls for all genotoxicity biomarkers evaluated in this study. Moreover, there were significant associations between XRCC3 genotypes and nuclear buds, namely XRCC3 Met/Met (OR = 3.975, CI 1.053–14.998, P = 0.042) and XRCC3 Thr/Met (OR = 5.632, CI 1.673–18.961, P = 0.005) in comparison with XRCC3 Thr/Thr. ADH5 polymorphisms did not show significant effects. This study highlights the importance of integrating genotoxicity biomarkers and genetic polymorphisms in human biomonitoring studies.

Otimização e validação de um método de cromatografia líquida de alta resolução (HPLC) para a determinação do edulcorante ciclamato: ocorrência em adoçantes de mesa

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Biológica

Profissionais de relações públicas: história oral de vida

Este estudo tem como objetivo descrever o método de história de vida, bem como a história de vida através da oralidade como importantes métodos a serem utilizados nas investigações em Relações Públicas. O método de história de vida é parte da abordagem biográfica, apresentando os conceitos-chave que fazem parte dos métodos e pontos de partida para uma investigação com o profissional de Relações Públicas decorrentes da aplicação dos métodos. O estudo incide sobre a análise das narrativas contadas pelos profissionais de Relações Públicas tendo por base a sua própria “História de Vida”. Centra-se inicialmente no “como”, no “porquê” e no “quando” de uma profissão vistos através da “História Oral de Vida” dos seus profissionais. Está assente em “Como os profissionais chegaram ao exercício da atividade de Relações Públicas?”, “O porquê de seguirem esta escolha?” e “Quando seguiram esta escolha?”. A História Oral de Vida tem sido aplicada noutras áreas, agora sendo relevante para trazer à tona as narrativas dos profissionais de Relações Públicas. A valorização da narrativa pessoal/profissional dos praticantes de Relações Públicas na constituição do profissional, para que se possa estudá-lo para além das organizações. Um dos objetivos relevantes é a possível caracterização da escolha profissional e até que ponto pode contribuir-se para a formação de outros profissionais da área. O papel central do profissional de Relações Públicas que habitualmente fala em nome de uma organização, passa a ser posto à parte para que o profissional seja o sujeito-narrador da sua própria história. O estudo salienta a importância dos profissionais de Relações Públicas através da relevância dada às narrativas. Ao fazer-se a “História Oral de Vida” estamos a trazer à área um novo contributo para aprofundar o conhecimento sobre a atividade.

Entidades do setor não lucrativo: abordagem contabilística e fiscal. Estudo de caso: Fundação Minerva

Mestrado em Contabilidade

Public relations, satisfaction and commitment

The importance of the organizational relationship (senior managers) with an internal public (employees) is the main focus of this research, aiming to understand how this relationship differs between the different publics. Nowadays, the relevance attributed by Public Relations to this relationship is crucial. The main purpose is to identify two consistent models to measure the impact of an organizational relationship on the internal public. The second purpose is to identify how the internal public react to this organizational relationship, namely by gender. The research was conducted in nine Portuguese companies with a sample of 1.244 subjects in order to study the context of the relationship and validate the identified models. The results show the gender stereotypes in the relationship in these companies and that the organizational relationship has an impact on organizational commitment with a consistent model that highlights the impact of Public Relations on a company's productivity.

James W. Carey as critical theorist of the information age

This paper suggests that the thought of the North-American critical theorist James W. Carey provides a relevant perspective on communication and technology. Having as background American social pragmatism and progressive thinkers of the beginning of the 20th century (as Dewey, Mead, Cooley, and Park), Carey built a perspective that brought together the political economy of Harold A. Innis, the social criticism of David Riesman and Charles W. Mills and incorporated Marxist topics such as commodification and sociocultural domination. The main goal of this paper is to explore the connection established by Carey between modern technological communication and what he called the “transmissive model”, a model which not only reduces the symbolic process of communication to instrumentalization and to information delivery, but also politically converges with capitalism as well as power, control and expansionist goals. Conceiving communication as a process that creates symbolic and cultural systems, in which and through which social life takes place, Carey gives equal emphasis to the incorporation processes of communication.If symbolic forms and culture are ways of conditioning action, they are also influenced by technological and economic materializations of symbolic systems, and by other conditioning structures. In Carey’s view, communication is never a disembodied force; rather, it is a set of practices in which co-exist conceptions, techniques and social relations. These practices configure reality or, alternatively, can refute, transform and celebrate it. Exhibiting sensitiveness favourable to the historical understanding of communication, media and information technologies, one of the issues Carey explored most was the history of the telegraph as an harbinger of the Internet, of its problems and contradictions. For Carey, Internet was seen as the contemporary heir of the communications revolution triggered by the prototype of transmission technologies, namely the telegraph in the 19th century. In the telegraph Carey saw the prototype of many subsequent commercial empires based on science and technology, a pioneer model for complex business management; an example of conflict of interest for the control over patents; an inducer of changes both in language and in structures of knowledge; and a promoter of a futurist and utopian thought of information technologies. After a brief approach to Carey’s communication theory, this paper focuses on his seminal essay "Technology and ideology. The case of the telegraph", bearing in mind the prospect of the communication revolution introduced by Internet. We maintain that this essay has seminal relevance for critically studying the information society. Our reading of it highlights the reach, as well as the problems, of an approach which conceives the innovation of the telegraph as a metaphor for all innovations, announcing the modern stage of history and determining to this day the major lines of development in modern communication systems.

Relatório de estágio

I (Prática Pedagógica)- No que se refere à secção da tese dedicada ao estágio, esta pretende desenvolver uma síntese do que se passou ao longo deste ano lectivo. Durante o ano lectivo 2012/2013, tive a oportunidade de assistir a aulas ministradas pela professora Ana Valente. A tese procura focar variados aspectos das aulas a que assisti. De uma forma geral, o relatório do estágio evidencia vários aspectos: metodologias de ensino, questões motivacionais, relação aluno/professor, questões de disciplina, entre outras. No decorrer das aulas, foi possível constatar muitas dessas questões na prática. Tentei registar as actividades desenvolvidas nas aulas relativas a várias questões, nomeadamente questões relacionadas com a prática do instrumento, assim como outras relacionadas com a noção de musicalidade. Como resultado, esta secção apresenta diversos tipos de estratégias de ensino, ilustrando exemplos práticos que efectivamente se passaram nas aulas. É essencialmente, uma secção dedicada à reflexão sobre metodologias de ensino e estudo. A segunda parte desta secção é relativa à análise das gravações das aulas dadas por mim e pretende sobretudo focar-se na crítica pessoal. É uma parte importante do estágio, em que tenho a oportunidade de observar a minha forma pedagógica de lidar com os alunos. Por fim, a terceira parte do relatório refere-se à observação crítica da abordagem da professora tendo por base o meu ponto de vista. Esta parte pretende essencialmente descrever e analisar a forma como a professora dá as aulas. Com base no que disse anteriormente, esta parte do trabalho mostra mais em detalhe as metodologias e estratégias de ensino utilizadas pela professora em questão. De um modo geral, esta secção pretende descrever as três vertentes que mencionei anteriormente (relatório das aulas, análise das gravações, observação crítica ao método pedagógico da professora).

OPTIMAX 2014 - Radiation dose and image quality optimisation in medical imaging

Medical imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool. Consequently, the number of medical images taken has increased vastly over the past few decades. The most common medical imaging techniques use X-radiation as the primary investigative tool. The main limitation of using X-radiation is associated with the risk of developing cancers. Alongside this, technology has advanced and more centres now use CT scanners; these can incur significant radiation burdens compared with traditional X-ray imaging systems. The net effect is that the population radiation burden is rising steadily. Risk arising from X-radiation for diagnostic medical purposes needs minimising and one way to achieve this is through reducing radiation dose whilst optimising image quality. All ages are affected by risk from X-radiation however the increasing population age highlights the elderly as a new group that may require consideration. Of greatest concern are paediatric patients: firstly they are more sensitive to radiation; secondly their younger age means that the potential detriment to this group is greater. Containment of radiation exposure falls to a number of professionals within medical fields, from those who request imaging to those who produce the image. These staff are supported in their radiation protection role by engineers, physicists and technicians. It is important to realise that radiation protection is currently a major European focus of interest and minimum competence levels in radiation protection for radiographers have been defined through the integrated activities of the EU consortium called MEDRAPET. The outcomes of this project have been used by the European Federation of Radiographer Societies to describe the European Qualifications Framework levels for radiographers in radiation protection. Though variations exist between European countries radiographers and nuclear medicine technologists are normally the professional groups who are responsible for exposing screening populations and patients to X-radiation. As part of their training they learn fundamental principles of radiation protection and theoretical and practical approaches to dose minimisation. However dose minimisation is complex – it is not simply about reducing X-radiation without taking into account major contextual factors. These factors relate to the real world of clinical imaging and include the need to measure clinical image quality and lesion visibility when applying X-radiation dose reduction strategies. This requires the use of validated psychological and physics techniques to measure clinical image quality and lesion perceptibility.

Unstabilized rammed Earth: characterization of material collected from old constructions in South Portugal and comparison to normative requirements

Unstabilized rammed earth is a recyclable, economical, and eco-friendly building material, used in the past and still applied today. Traditionally, its use was based on a long empirical knowledge of the local materials. Because this knowledge was mostly lost or is no longer sufficient, in many countries normative documents have been produced to allow the assessment of rammed earth soils. With the aim of contributing for a refining of these normative requirements, this article presents a research work that included: (i) collection of Unstabilized rammed earth samples from six constructions in Portugal; (ii) a literature survey of normative and complementary documents to identify the most mentioned key-properties, the test procedures and the corresponding threshold limits; and (iii) a discussion of the test procedures and of the thresholds limits in the light of the experimental results. The analyzed properties are the particle size distribution, maximum particle size, plasticity, compaction, linear shrinkage, organic content, and salt content. The work highlights the advantages of taking into account the characteristics of existing constructions as a basis for the establishment and further refining of consistent threshold values. In particular, it shows that it is essential to adjust the requirements to the specificities of local materials.

ECG Analysis Using Consensus Clustering

Biosignals analysis has become widespread, upstaging their typical use in clinical settings. Electrocardiography (ECG) plays a central role in patient monitoring as a diagnosis tool in today's medicine and as an emerging biometric trait. In this paper we adopt a consensus clustering approach for the unsupervised analysis of an ECG-based biometric records. This type of analysis highlights natural groups within the population under investigation, which can be correlated with ground truth information in order to gain more insights about the data. Preliminary results are promising, for meaningful clusters are extracted from the population under analysis. © 2014 EURASIP.

X Radiation dose implications in screening patients with ferromagnetic IOFBs prior to MRI: a literary review

Patients scheduled for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan sometimes require screening for ferromagnetic Intra Orbital Foreign Bodies (IOFBs). To assess this, they are required to fill out a screening protocol questionnaire before their scan. If it is established that a patient is at high risk, radiographic imaging is necessary. This review examines literature to evaluate which imaging modality should be used to screen for IOFBs, considering that the eye is highly sensitive to ionising radiation and any dose should be minimised. Method: Several websites and books were searched for information, these were as follows: PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar. The terms searched related to IOFB, Ionising radiation, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Safety, Image Quality, Effective Dose, Orbits and X-ray. Thirty five articles were found, several were rejected due to age or irrelevance; twenty eight were eventually accepted. Results: There are several imaging techniques that can be used. Some articles investigated the use of ultrasound for investigation of ferromagnetic IOFBs of the eye and others discussed using Computed Tomography (CT) and X-ray. Some gaps in the literature were identified, mainly that there are no articles which discuss the lowest effective dose while having adequate image quality for orbital imaging. Conclusion: X-ray is the best method to identify IOFBs. The only problem is that there is no research which highlights exposure factors that maintain sufficient image quality for viewing IOFBs and keep the effective dose to the eye As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA).

O desenvolvimento de competências sociais na educação de infância: a música como estratégia de intervenção

Relatório da Prática Profissional Supervisionada Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar