Building a knowledge and learning society in Portugal: adult students in technological schools and higher education institutions

Lifelong learning (LLL) has received increasing attention in recent years. It implies that learning should take place at all stages of the ���life cycle and it should be life-wide, that is embedded in all life contexts from the school to the work place, the home and the community��� (Green, 2002, p.613). The ���learning society���, is the vision of a society where there are recognized opportunities for learning for every person, wherever they are and however old they happen to be. Globalization and the rise of new information technologies are some of the driving forces that cause depreciation of specialised competences. This happens very quickly in terms of economic value; consequently, workers of all skills levels, during their working life, must have the opportunity to update ���their technical skills and enhance general skills to keep pace with continuous technological change and new job requirements��� (Fahr, 2005, p. 75). It is in this context that LLL tops the policy agenda of international bodies, national governments and non-governmental organizations, in the field of education and training, to justify the need for LLL opportunities for the population as they face contemporary employability challenges. It is in this context that the requirement and interest to analyse the behaviour patterns of adult learners has developed over the last few years

B-learning quality: dimensions, criteria and pedagogical approach

Measuring the quality of a b-learning environment is critical to determine the success of a b-learning course. Several initiatives have been recently conducted on benchmarking and quality in e-learning. Despite these efforts in defining and examining quality issues concerning online courses, a defining instrument to evaluate quality is one of the key challenges for blended learning, since it incorporates both traditional and online instruction methods. For this paper, six frameworks for quality assessment of technological enhanced learning were examined and compared regarding similarities and differences. These frameworks aim at the same global objective: the quality of e-learning environment/products. They present different perspectives but also many common issues. Some of them are more specific and related to the course and other are more global and related to institutional aspects. In this work we collected and arrange all the quality criteria identified in order to get a more complete framework and determine if it fits our b-learning environment. We also included elements related to our own b-learning research and experience, acquired during more than 10 years of experience. As a result we have create a new quality reference with a set of dimensions and criteria that should be taken into account when you are analyzing, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating a b-learning environment. Besides these perspectives on what to do when you are developing a b-learning environment we have also included pedagogical issues in order to give directions on how to do it to reach the success of the learning. The information, concepts and procedures here presented give support to teachers and instructors, which intend to validate the quality of their blended learning courses.

Ankle anticipatory postural adjustments during gait initiation in healthy and post-stroke subjects

Background: Anticipatory postural adjustments during gait initiation have an important role in postural stability but also in gait performance. However, these first phase mechanisms of gait initiation have received little attention, particularly in subcortical post-stroke subjects, where bilateral postural control pathways can be impaired. This study aims to evaluate ankle anticipatory postural adjustments during gait initiation in chronic post-stroke subjects with lesion in the territory of middle cerebral artery. Methods: Eleven subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis with the ability to walk independently and twelve healthy controls participated in this study. Bilateral electromyographic activity of tibialis anterior, soleus and medial gastrocnemius was collected during gait initiation to assess the muscle onset timing, period of activation/deactivation and magnitude of muscle activity during postural phase of gait initiation. This phase was identified through centre of pressure signal. Findings: Post-stroke group presented only half of the tibialis anterior relative magnitude observed in healthy subjects in contralesional limb (t=2.38, p=0.027) and decreased soleus deactivation period (contralesional limb, t=2.25, p=0.04; ipsilesional limb, t=3.67, p=0.003) as well its onset timing (contralesional limb, t=3.2. p=0.005; ipsilesional limb, t=2.88, p=0.033) in both limbs. A decreased centre of pressure displacement backward (t=3.45, p=0.002) and toward the first swing limb (t=3.29, p=0.004) was observed in post-stroke subjects. Interpretation: These findings indicate that chronic post-stroke subjects with lesion at middle cerebral artery territory present dysfunction in ankle anticipatory postural adjustments in both limbs during gait initiation.

Reliability of Two Methods for Identifying the Postural Phase of Gait Initiation in Healthy and Post-stroke Subjects

This study aims to compare two methods of assessing the postural phase of gait initiation as to intrasession reliability, in healthy and post-stroke subjects. As a secondary aim, this study aims to analyse anticipatory postural adjustments during gait initiation based on the centre of pressure (CoP) displacements in post-stroke participants. The CoP signal was acquired during gait initiation in fifteen post-stroke subjects and twenty-three healthy controls. Postural phase was identified through a baseline-based method and a maximal displacement based method. In both healthy and post-stroke participants higher intra-class correlation coefficient and lower coefficient of variation values were obtained with the baseline-based method when compared to the maximal displacement based method. Post-stroke participants presented decreased CoP displacement backward and toward the first swing limb compared to controls when the baseline-based method was used. With the maximal displacement based method, there were differences between groups only regarding backward CoP displacement. Postural phase duration in medial-lateral direction was also increased in post-stroke participants when using the maximal displacement based method. The findings obtained indicate that the baseline-based method is more reliable detecting the onset of gait initiation in both groups, while the maximal displacement based method presents greater sensitivity for post-stroke participants.

Quadros El��tricos Inteligentes-Smart Panels

Na sociedade atual, a preocupa����o com o ambiente, por um lado, e com o conforto e a seguran��a, por outro, faz com que a sustentabilidade energ��tica se assuma como uma forma de interven����o adequada ��s exig��ncias de qualidade de vida e �� efici��ncia no ��mbito da economia. Nesta conformidade, �� incontorn��vel a mais-valia do Smart Panel, um quadro el��trico inteligente criado com vista �� consecu����o daqueles desideratos, o que motivou o tema do presente trabalho. Assim, pretende-se demonstrar as potencialidades do Smart Panel, um novo conceito de quadro el��trico que visa a otimiza����o da sua funcionalidade na gest��o din��mica e pragm��tica das instala����es el��tricas, nomeadamente no que respeita ao controlo, monitoriza����o e atua����o sobre os dispositivos, quer in loco quer, sobretudo, �� dist��ncia. Para a consecu����o deste objetivo, concorrem outros que o potenciam, designadamente a compreens��o do funcionamento do quadro el��trico (QE) tradicional, a compara����o deste com o Smart Panel e a demonstra����o das vantagens da utiliza����o desta nova tecnologia. A grande finalidade do trabalho desenvolvido ��, por um lado, colocar a forma����o acad��mica ao servi��o de um bom desempenho profissional futuro, por outro ir ao encontro da tend��ncia tecnol��gica inerente ��s necessidades que o homem, hoje, tem de controlar. Deste modo, num primeiro momento, �� feita uma abordagem geral ao quadro el��ctrico tradicional a fim de ser compreendido o seu funcionamento, aplica����es e potencialidades. Para tanto, a explana����o inclui a apresenta����o de conceitos te��ricos subjacentes �� conce����o, produ����o e montagem do QE. S��o explicitados os diversos componentes que o integram e fun����es que desempenham, bem como as intera����es que estabelecem entre si e os normativos a que devem obedecer, para conformidade. Houve a preocupa����o de incluir imagens coadjuvantes das explica����es, descri����es e procedimentos t��cnicos. No terceiro cap��tulo �� abordada a tecnologia Smart Panel, introduzindo o conceito e objetivos que lhe subjazem. Explicita-se o modo de funcionamento deste sistema que agrupa prote����o, supervis��o, controlo, armazenamento e manuten����o preventiva, e demonstra-se de que forma a capacidade de leitura de dados, de comunica����o e de comando do quadro el��trico �� dist��ncia se afigura uma revolu����o tecnol��gica facilitadora do cumprimento das necessidades de seguran��a, conforto e economia da vida moderna. Os cap��tulos quarto, quinto e sexto versam uma componente pr��tica do trabalho. No cap��tulo quarto �� explanado um suporte formativo e posterior demonstra����o do kit de ensaio, que servir�� de apoio �� apresenta����o da tecnologia Smart Panel aos clientes. Al��m deste suporte de forma����o, no quinto cap��tulo �� elaborada uma lista de procedimentos de verifica����o a serem executados aos componentes de comunica����o que integram o Smart Panel, para fornecimento ao quadrista. Por fim, no sexto cap��tulo incluem-se dois casos de estudo: o estudo A centra-se na aplica����o da tecnologia Smart Panel ao projeto de um QE tradicional, que implica fazer o levantamento de toda a aparelhagem existente e, de seguida, proceder �� transposi����o para a tecnologia Smart Panel por forma a cumprir os requisitos estabelecidos pelo cliente. O estudo de caso B consiste na elabora����o de um projeto de um quadro el��ctrico com a tecnologia Smart Panel em fun����o de determinados requisitos e necessidades do cliente, por forma a garantir as fun����es desejadas.

B-leraning: elemento institucional e operacional de desenvolvimento educativo uma institui����o de ensino superior

Na sua origem o Projecto de Apoio OnLine do ISCAP (PAOL) tinha como principal fonte impulsionadora a necessidade emergente de desenvolver solu����es sustentadas de integra����o das tecnologias como apoio ��s aulas presenciais ministradas na institui����o. Este elemento impulsionador ainda hoje se mant��m como uma das principais alavancas, agora alargada transversalmente nas ��reas de conhecimento da institui����o e na inclus��o das compet��ncias did��ctico-pedag��gicas. Com o desenvolvimento do projecto, ganharam import��ncia crescente as fontes pr��prias de cria����o de conhecimento e de solu����es t��cnicas, capazes de responder aos anseios da comunidade escolar. Este artigo pretende enquadrar e explicitar, atrav��s da mostra de casos pr��ticos e de uma an��lise dos resultados de uso da plataforma Moodle, o percurso seguido pelo projecto, a estrat��gia adoptada e as ac����es implementadas. Abstract Initially ISCAP���s Online Support Project (PAOL), was instigated by the emergent necessity to develop sustainable solutions in order to integrate technologies as a means to support the institution���s traditional in-class lessons. This propulsive element, still valid today as one of the main levers, has now transversally extended into the various knowledge areas within the institution and the inclusion of pedagogic-didactical competences. With the development of the project, the institution���s own sources of knowledge creation and technical solutions capable of answering the needs of the institutions��� community became ever more crucial. This article seeks to frame and explain, by showing practical cases and the analysis of the results as to the use of the learning platform Moodle, the path taken by the project, the strategy adopted and the actions implemented.

Estudo de tecnologias dom��ticas e a sua aplica����o em projectos

Actualmente a ��rea da dom��tica (automa����o de casas e edif��cios) encontra-se em franca expans��o, com principal relev��ncia nos pa��ses mais desenvolvidos, com um crescimento de mercado de mais de 10% ao ano. Existem in��meras razoes para a crescente implanta����o da dom��tica em edif��cios, entre as quais a maior efici��ncia energ��tica, o aumento da seguran��a e a redu����o do custo de aquisi����o das tecnologias. No que diz respeito as habita����es particulares, acrescenta-se essencialmente o aumento do conforto devido ao grau de automa����o trazido pela dom��tica. Apesar da dom��tica n��o ser uma ��rea cientifico-tecnol��gica recente, a r��pida evolu����o das tecnologias associadas, nomeadamente a n��vel das redes de comunica����o com e sem fios, foi uma das razoes fundamentais para a elabora����o desta Tese. Acresce o facto de o candidato estar actualmente envolvido profissionalmente na ��rea, pelo qual esta Tese assume uma particular import��ncia. Realizou-se um estudo comparativo das tecnologias de dom��tica mais relevantes, escolhidas quer pelas suas caracter��sticas t��cnicas quer pela sua implanta����o de mercado e potencial futuro - KNX/EIB, LonWorks, HomePlug, ZigBee e Z-Wave. Destas, comprovou-se que as duas primeiras s��o aquelas que, actualmente, tem maior adequabilidade para serem aplicadas em projectos de dom��tica. Foi por isso efectuado um estudo mais elaborado das tecnologias LonWorks e KNX/EIB, incluindo a forma pratica de instala����o/programa����o, a elabora����o de dois demonstradores e de dois projectos (de acordo com um caderno de encargos real), usando as duas tecnologias. Concluiu-se que a tecnologia LonWorks apresenta vantagens no que respeita a escalabilidade (dimens��o) dos sistemas. Em termos futuros, prev��-se a necessidade da interoperabilidade entre os nos/redes cablados (tradicionais) com nos/redes sem fio, seguindo a tend��ncia para os ambientes inteligentes (���ambient intelligence/assisted living���, ���smart spaces���, ���ubiquitous computing).

ENCOURAGE architecture: support for heterogeneous smart grids

Our society relies on energy for most of its activities. One application domain inciding heavily on the energy budget regards the energy consumption in residential and non-residential buildings. The ever increasing needs for energy, resulting from the industrialization of developing countries and from the limited scalability of the traditional technologies for energy production, raises both problems and opportunities. The problems are related to the devastating effects of the greenhouse gases produced by the burning of oil and gas for energy production, and from the dependence of whole countries on companies providing gas and oil. The opportunities are mostly technological, since novel markets are opening for both energy production via renewable sources, and for innovations that can rationalize energy usage. An enticing research effort can be the mixing of these two aspects, by leveraging on ICT technologies to rationalize energy production, acquisition, and consumption. The ENCOURAGE project aims to develop embedded intelligence and integration technologies that will directly optimize energy use in buildings and enable active participation in the future smart grid environment.The primary application domains targeted by the ENCOURAGE project are non-residential buildings (e.g.: campuses) and residential buildings (e.g.: neighborhoods). The goal of the project is to achieve 20% of energy savings through the improved interoperability between various types of energy generation, consumption and storage devices; interbuilding energy exchange; and systematic performance monitoring.

NONIUS.TV na SMART TV LG PRO: Centric

A Smart TV �� um equipamento novo e em evolu����o que incorpora um computador e acesso �� Internet em ecr��s de grande qualidade. Permite a implementa����o de servi��os interactivos, acesso �� Internet e televis��o. �� medida que a tecnologia melhora, muitos equipamentos est��o a tornar-se t��o capazes quanto os computadores normais quando se trata de navega����o na web e at�� mesmo v��deo na Internet (Video-on-Demand e streaming de v��deo). O projecto de est��gio ���NONIUS.TV na Smart TV LG Pro:Centric��� foi desenvolvido na empresa Nonius Software que est�� inserida no ramo das telecomunica����es. Uma das suas ��reas de actividade est�� relacionada com o desenvolvimento de plataformas de entretenimento para o mercado hoteleiro, combinando diversos servi��os e funcionalidades a pensar no h��spede. Este projecto teve como finalidade implementar alguns dos servi��os e funcionalidades j�� existentes em plataformas que usam uma Set-Top Box da Nonius Software, numa Smart TV, aproveitando tamb��m para inovar e criar novos servi��os. Nesse conjunto est�� inclu��da a implementa����o de uma Caixa de Mensagens, Servi��o de Quartos, Servi��o de Desporto e Lazer, Servi��os Informativos, um cliente RTSP, um despertador, um sistema de mudan��a de idioma e outras pequenas funcionalidades desenvolvidas ao longo de toda a aplica����o. Esta disserta����o apresenta um estudo sobre as tecnologias Smart TV existentes no mercado, assim como as vantagens e desvantagens da sua utiliza����o para este projecto. Ap��s uma an��lise de requisitos de forma a estruturar e desenhar os servi��os e funcionalidades a serem criados para a aplica����o, implementou-se um conjunto de servi��os, usando a linguagem de programa����o ActionScript 2.0, que permitiram �� empresa disponibilizar um novo produto baseado na televis��o Pro:Centric da LG.

VPP��s multi-level negotiation in smart grids and competitive electricity markets

The increase of distributed generation (DG) has brought about new challenges in electrical networks electricity markets and in DG units operation and management. Several approaches are being developed to manage the emerging potential of DG, such as Virtual Power Players (VPPs), which aggregate DG plants; and Smart Grids, an approach that views generation and associated loads as a subsystem. This paper presents a multi-level negotiation mechanism for Smart Grids optimal operation and negotiation in the electricity markets, considering the advantages of VPPs��� management. The proposed methodology is implemented and tested in MASCEM – a multiagent electricity market simulator, developed to allow deep studies of the interactions between the players that take part in the electricity market negotiations.

Development and biological evaluation of API-ILs based on anti-bacterial and anti-fungal drugs

In recent years Ionic Liquids (ILs) are being applied in life sciences. ILs are being produce with active pharmaceutical drugs (API) as they can reduce polymorphism and drug solubility problems [1] Also ILs are being applied as a drug delivery device in innovative therapies What is appealing in ILs is the ILs building up platform, the counter-ion can be carefully chosen in order to avoid undesirable side effects or to give innovative therapies in which two active ions are paired. This work shows ILs based on ampicillin (an anti-bacterial agent) and ILs based on Amphotericin B. Also we show studies that indicate that ILs based on Ampicillin could reverse resistance in some bacteria. The ILs produced in this work were synthetized by the neutralization method described in Ferraz et. al. [2] Ampicillin anion was combined with the following organic cations 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, [EMIM]; 1-hydroxy-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C2OHMIM]; choline, [cholin]; tetraethylammonium, [TEA]; cetylpyridinium, [C16pyr] and trihexyltetradecylphosphonium, [P6,6,6,14]. Amphotericin B was combined with [C16pyr], [cholin] and 1-metohyethyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C3OMIM]. The ILs-APIs based on ampicillin[2] were tested against sensitive Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Klebsiella pneumonia (clinical isolated), as well as on Gram positive Staphylococcus Aureus ATCC 25923, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis. The arising resistance developed by bacteria to antibiotics is a serious public health threat and needs new and urgent measures. We study the bacterial activity of these compounds against a panel of resistant bacteria (clinical isolated strains): E. coli CTX M9, E. coli TEM CTX M9, E. coli TEM1, E. coli CTX M2, E. coli AmpC Mox2. In this work we demonstrate that is possible to produce ILs from anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds. We show here that the new ILs can reverse the bacteria resistance. With the careful choice of the organic cation, it is possible to create important biological and physic-chemical properties. This work also shows that the ion-pair is fundamental in ampicillin mechanism of action.

��-lactamases in the biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory

��-lactamases are hydrolytic enzymes that inactivate the ��-lactam ring of antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins. The major diversity of studies carried out until now have mainly focused on the characterization of ��-lactamases recovered among clinical isolates of Gram-positive staphylococci and Gram-negative enterobacteria, amongst others. However, only some studies refer to the detection and development of ��-lactamases carriers in healthy humans, sick animals, or even in strains isolated from environmental stocks such as food, water, or soils. Considering this, we proposed a 10-week laboratory programme for the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology laboratory for majors in the health, environmental, and agronomical sciences. During those weeks, students would be dealing with some basic techniques such as DNA extraction, bacterial transformation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, and the use of several bioinformatics tools. These laboratory exercises would be conducted as a mini research project in which all the classes would be connected with the previous ones. This curriculum was compared in an experiment involving two groups of students from two different majors. The new curriculum, with classes linked together as a mini research project, was taught to a major in Pharmacy and an old curriculum was taught to students from environmental health. The results showed that students who were enrolled in the new curriculum obtained better results in the final exam than the students who were enrolled in the former curriculum. Likewise, these students were found to be more enthusiastic during the laboratory classes than those from the former curriculum.

Nano-CF: a Coordination Framework for macro-programming in wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are being used for a number of applications involving infrastructure monitoring, building energy monitoring and industrial sensing. The difficulty of programming individual sensor nodes and the associated overhead have encouraged researchers to design macro-programming systems which can help program the network as a whole or as a combination of subnets. Most of the current macro-programming schemes do not support multiple users seamlessly deploying diverse applications on the same shared sensor network. As WSNs are becoming more common, it is important to provide such support, since it enables higher-level optimizations such as code reuse, energy savings, and traffic reduction. In this paper, we propose a macro-programming framework called Nano-CF, which, in addition to supporting in-network programming, allows multiple applications written by different programmers to be executed simultaneously on a sensor networking infrastructure. This framework enables the use of a common sensing infrastructure for a number of applications without the users having to worrying about the applications already deployed on the network. The framework also supports timing constraints and resource reservations using the Nano-RK operating system. Nano- CF is efficient at improving WSN performance by (a) combining multiple user programs, (b) aggregating packets for data delivery, and (c) satisfying timing and energy specifications using Rate- Harmonized Scheduling. Using representative applications, we demonstrate that Nano-CF achieves 90% reduction in Source Lines-of-Code (SLoC) and 50% energy savings from aggregated data delivery.

Impacto dos sistemas colaborativos nas organiza����es: estudo de casos de adop����o e utiliza����o de sistemas workflow

Disserta����o apresentada na Universidade do Minho com vista �� obten����o do grau de Doutor em Tecnologias e Sistemas de Informa����o (Engenharia e Gest��o de Sistemas de Informa����o)

Level monitoring system for waste oil containers: an EPS@ISEP project

Waste oil recycling companies play a very important role in our society. Competition among companies is tough and process optimization is essential for survival. By equipping oil containers with a level monitoring system that periodically reports the level and alerts when it reaches the preset threshold, the oil recycling companies are able to streamline the oil collection process and, thus, reduce the operation costs while maintaining the quality of service. This paper describes the development of this level monitoring system by a team of four students from different engineering backgrounds and nationalities. The team conducted a study of the state of the art, draw marketing and sustainable development plans and, finally, designed and implemented a prototype that continuously measures the container content level and sends an alert message as soon as it reaches the preset capacity.