The potential benefits of using videos in higher education

The developments of digital technology have opened new outlooks for online education which offer students the flexibility to learn at any time and any place. With all this instructional changes instructors, in all levels of the educational chain have been compelled to adapt quickly to this reality. They have a wide diversity of tools available to grab student’s attention and motivate them to embrace the knowledge in their own learning process. One of these resources is the use of videos. Through them lecturers can deliver complex information and contents to students and, if used creatively, videos can become a powerful technological tool in education. In this article we will explore some of the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of videos in the teaching and learning process at higher education levels. We will also discuss some thoughts and examples for the use of teaching materials to enhance student’s learning and try to change ideas about the potentialities and future of video’s annotation new software resources, as incoming open tools for group work involvement.

The potential benefits of using videos in higher education

The developments of digital technology have opened new outlooks for online education which offer students the flexibility to learn at any time and any place. With all this instructional changes teachers, in all levels of the educational chain have been compelled to adapt quickly to this reality. They have a wide diversity of tools available to grab student’s attention and to motivate them to embrace the knowledge in their own learning process. One of these resources is the use of videos. Through them teachers can deliver complex information and contents to students and, if used creatively, videos can become a powerful technological tool in education. In this article we will explore some of the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of videos in the teaching and learning process at higher education levels. We will also discuss some thoughts and examples for the use of teaching materials to enhance student’s learning and try to share ideas about the potentialities and future of video’s annotation new software resources, as incoming open tools for group work involvement.

Assessing the eco-efficiency of a composite processing industry: evaluation and quantification of potential improvements’

In this study, an attempt was made in order to measure and evaluate the eco-efficiency performance of a pultruded composite processing company. For this purpose the recommendations of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WCSD) and the directives of ISO 14301 standard were followed and applied. The main general indicators of eco-efficiency, as well as the specific indicators, were defined and determined. With basis on indicators’ figures, the value profile, the environmental profile, and the pertinent ecoefficiency’s ratios were established and analyzed. In order to evaluate potential improvements on company eco-performance, new indicators values and eco-efficiency ratios were estimated taking into account the implementation of new proceedings and procedures, both in upstream and downstream of the production process, namely: a) Adoption of new heating system for pultrusion die in the manufacturing process, more effective and with minor heat losses; c) Recycling approach, with partial waste reuse of scrap material derived from manufacturing, cutting and assembly processes of GFRP profiles. These features lead to significant improvements on the sequent assessed eco-efficiency ratios of the present case study, yielding to a more sustainable product and manufacturing process of pultruded GFRP profiles.

Commercial squids: Characterization, assessment of potential health benefits/risks and discrimination based on mineral, lipid and vitamin E concentrations

The most consumed squid species worldwide were characterized regarding their concentrations of minerals, fatty acids, cholesterol and vitamin E. Interspecific comparisons were assessed among species and geographical origin. The health benefits derived from squid consumption were assessed based on daily minerals intake and on nutritional lipid quality indexes. Squids contribute significantly to daily intake of several macro (Na, K, Mg and P) and micronutrients (Cu, Zn and Ni). Despite their low fat concentration, they are rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentanoic (EPA) acids, with highly favorable ω-3/ω-6 ratios (from 5.7 to 17.7), reducing the significance of their high cholesterol concentration (140–549 mg/100 g ww). Assessment of potential health risks based on minerals intake, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks indicated that Loligo gahi (from Atlantic Ocean), Loligo opalescens (from Pacific Ocean) and Loligo duvaucelii (from Indic Ocean) should be eaten with moderation due to the high concentrations of Cu and/or Cd. Canonical discriminant analysis identified the major fatty acids (C14:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:3ω-3, C20:4ω-6 and C22:5ω-6), P, K, Cu and vitamin E as chemical discriminators for the selected species. These elements and compounds exhibited the potential to prove authenticity of the commercially relevant squid species.

Riesz potential versus fractional Laplacian

This paper starts by introducing the Grünwald–Letnikov derivative, the Riesz potential and the problem of generalizing the Laplacian. Based on these ideas, the generalizations of the Laplacian for 1D and 2D cases are studied. It is presented as a fractional version of the Cauchy–Riemann conditions and, finally, it is discussed with the n-dimensional Laplacian.

Utilização do Kinect no apoio ao ensino/ aprendizagem dos fundamentos da Matemática

A interação humano-computador passou a desempenhar um papel fundamental no mundo atual. Esta forma de comunicar continua a evoluir, introduzindo novas formas de interação, como por exemplo, a interação natural. Este estilo de interação começou por estar presente na área de jogos. No entanto, atualmente está a ser explorada noutras áreas. Esta dissertação tem como propósito investigar a utilidade das interfaces naturais encontradas em consolas de jogos e conjugar com a área educativa, nomeadamente, o ensino e a aprendizagem dos fundamentos de Matemática. O desenvolvimento deste projeto baseou-se no estudo dos conteúdos programáticos de Matemática referentes ao 1º ciclo do ensino básico, de várias aplicações já existentes que estão relacionadas com o tema abordado e de alguns dispositivos de interação natural. De forma a avaliar a ideia proposta, foi desenvolvido um protótipo, designado Matemática Interativa, no sentido de permitir ao utilizador enriquecer a aprendizagem e também o interesse pela disciplina. São descritas, de uma forma mais aprofundada, as funcionalidades do dispositivo escolhido, o Kinect, de modo a tirar proveito das suas potencialidades e desenvolver um motor de reconhecimento de gestos e respetiva avaliação. Por fim, é feita uma discussão dos resultados de uma avaliação de usabilidade com o objetivo de validar a aplicação Matemática Interativa. Os resultados desta avaliação sugerem que a aplicação foi bem-sucedida e revelam ainda capacidades de melhoria.

Picocyanobacteria From a Clade Of Marine Cyanobium Revealed Bioactive Potential Against Microalgae, Bacteria, And Marine

The production of bioactive compounds either toxic or with pharmacological applications by cyanobacteria is well established. However, picoplanktonic forms within this group of organisms have rarely been studied in this context. In this study, the toxicological potential of picocyanobacteria from a clade of marine Cyanobium strains isolated from the Portuguese coast was examined using different biological models. First, strains were identified by applying morphological and molecular approaches and cultured under lab conditions. A crude extract and three fractions reflecting a preliminary segregation of lipophilic metabolites were tested for toxicity with the marine microalga Nannochloropsis sp., the bacteria Pseudomonas sp., the brine shrimp Artemia salina, and fertilized eggs of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. No significant apparent adverse effects were noted against Artemia salina. However, significant adverse effects were found in all other assays, with an inhibition of Nannochloropsis sp. and Pseudomonas sp. growth and marked reduction in Paracentrotus lividus larvae length. The results obtained indicated that Cyanobium genus may serve as a potential source of interesting bioactive compounds and emphasize the importance of also studying smaller picoplanktonic fractions of marine cyanobacteria.