An investigation on parallel, divergent and convergent acetylene dual jet diffusion flames

Results are presented and discussed of an experimental investigation on acetylene turbulent dual jet diffusion flames. The study includes parameters of flames in parallel, divergent and convergent configurations. Tests with two parallel jets with addition of helium in the fuel stream were also performed and analysed. The variation of overall flame length and of other name physical characteristics, such as width, volume and conditions for lifting, are presented as functions of burner tip Reynolds number, jet distance from each other and inclination angle. The effects of diluent concentration in the fuel gas stream are presented for single and two parallel jets. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. Ltd.

Cranial osteology and systematic implications in Crotophaginae (Aves, Cuculidae)

Recognizing the scarcity of anatomical and phylogenetic studies on Crotophaginae, the authors set Out to add to the anatomical knowledge of the group based on a detailed description of cranial osteology. Another objective was to verify whether this source of data could be used to infer relationships by performing the first cladistic analysis of the four species of Crotophaginae. The shortest-length cladogram (consistency index = 1.0) indicated that cranial osteology is an important source of characters for cladistic analysis of cuckoos. The findings corroborated the monophyly of Crotophaginae, showing that Guira guira is (lie most divergent and plesiomorphic taxon and that Crotophaga ani and Crotophaga sulcirostris are more closely related to each other than to Crotophaga major.

Validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Clinician rating scale (NPI-C): Reliability and validity of a revised assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) affect almost all patients with dementia and are a major focus of study and treatment. Accurate assessment of NPS through valid, sensitive and reliable measures is crucial. Although current NPS measures have many strengths, they also have some limitations (e.g. acquisition of data is limited to informants or caregivers as respondents, limited depth of items specific to moderate dementia). Therefore, we developed a revised version of the NPI, known as the NPI-C. The NPI-C includes expanded domains and items, and a clinician-rating methodology. This study evaluated the reliability and convergent validity of the NPI-C at ten international sites (seven languages). Methods: Face validity for 78 new items was obtained through a Delphi panel. A total of 128 dyads (caregivers/patients) from three severity categories of dementia (mild = 58, moderate = 49, severe = 21) were interviewed separately by two trained raters using two rating methods: the original NPI interview and a clinician-rated method. Rater 1 also administered four additional, established measures: the Apathy Evaluation Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Index, and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Intraclass correlations were used to determine inter-rater reliability. Pearson correlations between the four relevant NPI-C domains and their corresponding outside measures were used for convergent validity. Results: Inter-rater reliability was strong for most items. Convergent validity was moderate (apathy and agitation) to strong (hallucinations and delusions; agitation and aberrant vocalization; and depression) for clinician ratings in NPI-C domains. Conclusion: Overall, the NPI-C shows promise as a versatile tool which can accurately measure NPS and which uses a uniform scale system to facilitate data comparisons across studies. Copyright © 2010 International Psychogeriatric Association.

O processo de (re)construção da teoria do conceito no domínio de Organização do Conhecimento: Uma visão dialógica

The search for a dialogical interpretation on the concept theory is the purpose of this paper. It uses the concept of dialogism, proposed by Bakhtin, which refers to the interaction occurring among the social actors in the process of (re)construction of language. Starting from the analysis of texts on concept theory authored by Dahlberg, Hjorland, Tennis and Tennis and Sutton, the convergent, divergent and complementary aspects related to the concepts advocated by the authors are discussed. The analysis revealed that, although these concepts have been built individually, they are reflections of distinct currents of thought and of the historical moments that have influenced each author's ideas. It can be argued, therefore, that the studied concepts were developed on dialogue with other authors and among themselves.

Adaptação Transcultural Brasil-Portugal da Escala de Satisfação com o Suporte Social para Estudantes do Ensino Superior

Realizou-se adaptação transcultural da Escala de Satisfação com o Suporte Social (ESSS) para a língua portuguesa. As qualidades psicométricas foram avaliadas numa amostra de 1.023 estudantes do ensino superior do Brasil e de Portugal. A partir dos resultados obtidos propõe-se uma versão modificada da ESSS com 12 itens que avaliam 4 dimensões. A versão modificada revelou adequada confiabilidade, validade fatorial, validade concorrente, divergente e discriminante com exceção dessa última para Satisfação com as Amizades e a Intimidade. A validade convergente esteve no limite do aceitável. Observou-se invariância dos pesos fatoriais entre Brasil e Portugal, permitindo sua utilização para a avaliação da Satisfação com o Suporte Social em estudantes do ensino superior de ambos os países.

Student's academic efficacy or Inefficacy? an example on how to evaluate the psychometric properties of a measuring instrument and evaluate the effects of item wording

This study evaluated the effect of item inversion on the construct validity and reliability of psychometric scales and proposed a theoretical framework for the evaluation of the psychometric properties of data gathered with psychometric instruments. To this propose, we used the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which is the most used psychometric inventory to measure burnout in different professional context (Students, Teachers, Police, Doctors, Nurses, etc…). The version of the MBI used was the MBI-Student Survey (MBI-SS). This inventory is composed of three key dimensions: Exhaustion, Cynicism and Professional Efficacy. The two first dimensions—which have positive formulated items—are moderate to strong positive correlated, and show moderate to strong negative correlations with the 3rd dimension—which has negative formulated items. We tested the hypothesis that, in college students, formulating the 3rd dimension of burnout as Inefficacy (reverting the negatively worded items in the Efficacy dimension) improves the correlation of the 3rd dimension with the other two dimensions, improves its internal consistency, and the overall MBI-SS’ construct validity and reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis results, estimated by Maximum Likelihood, revealed adequate factorial fit for both forms of the MBI-SS (with Efficacy) vs. the MBI-SSi (with Inefficacy). Also both forms showed adequate convergent and discriminant related validity. However, reliability and convergent validity were higher for the MBI-SSi. There were also stronger (positive) correlations between the 3 factors in MBI-SSi than the ones observed in MBI-SS. Results show that positively rewording of the 3rd dimension of the MBI-SS improves its validity and reliability. We therefore propose that the 3rd dimension of the MBI-SS should be named Professional Inefficacy and its items should be positively worded.

Validation of the weight concerns scale applied to Brazilian university students

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Metodologias de Inovação: Soluções da TRIZ aplicadas em um ambiente design thinking

This work discusses the theories of TRIZ and Design Thinking, as well as the association of the two theories by a tool for the application of TRIZ in a Design Thinking environment. This work proposes the association of the theories by an easy and systematic method constituted by a step by step process. The objective of this work is to create a method that facilitates the application of the two innovation theories helping the inventors to develop new products without the necessity of being creative people. By the end of the work is shown the research case accomplished as an empirical analysis of this tool that can be a fast and efficient method to solve inventive problems focused in the expectations and necessities of the clients

O ambiente virtual na formação inicial de professores de alemão como apoio para o ensino e a aprendizagem da língua e a reflexão sobre ações docentes

Estudiosos dos campos da Educação, da Linguística Aplicada e da Formação de Professores de Línguas insistem hoje na grande importância da inclusão de Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TICs) na formação inicial, bem como na necessidade de promover o desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico-reflexivo dos futuros professores. Tomando como pressupostos teóricos estudos acerca das características da sociedade de informação, dos ambientes virtuais e da formação de professores, este trabalho tem como objetivo discutir possibilidades oferecidas pela plataforma Moodle de aprendizagem na formação inicial de professores de alemão. Para tanto, apresentaremos diferentes formas de uso de ambientes virtuais e de ferramentas neles disponíveis, que demonstraram ser de grande valor no processo de formação de licenciandos, tanto em língua alemã, quanto durante suas práticas iniciais. As experiências apontam para um valor inestimável de ambientes virtuais no acompanhamento de licenciandos no processo de aprendizagem da língua e nas primeiras experiências com a docência.

Evolutionary dynamics of rRNA gene clusters in cichlid fish

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The element-free Galerkin method applied to the study of fully developed magnetohydrodynamic duct flows

In this paper, the meshless method is introduced to magnetohydrodynamics. A numerical scheme based on the element-free Galerkin method is used to solve the laminar steady-state two-dimensional fully developed magnetohydrodynamic flow in a rectangular duct. Accurate and convergent solutions are achieved for low to moderately high Hartmann numbers.

Renormalization of the ladder light-front Bethe-Salpeter equation in the Yukawa model

The reduction of the two-fermion Bethe-Salpeter equation in the framework of light-front dynamics is studied for the Yukawa model. It yields auxiliary three-dimensional quantities for the transition matrix and the bound state. The arising effective interaction can be perturbatively expanded in powers of the coupling constant gs allowing a defined number of boson exchanges; it is divergent and needs renormalization; it also includes the instantaneous term of the Dirac propagator. One possible solution of the renormalization problem of the boson exchanges is shown to be provided by expanding the effective interaction beyond single boson exchange. The effective interaction in ladder approximation up to order g4 s is discussed in detail. It is shown that the effective interaction naturally yields the box counterterm required to be introduced ad hoc previously. The covariant results of the Bethe-Salpeter equation can be recovered from the corresponding auxiliary three-dimensional quantities.

Telejornalismo e interatividade na TV digital: uma construção colaborativa e participativa no espaço digital

Pós-graduação em Televisão Digital: Informação e Conhecimento - FAAC

O processo de alfabetização e o projeto político-pedagógico em escolas de ensino fundamental

Pós-graduação em Educação - IBRC