Teaching and learning production and operations management: the journey from identity crisis to a cross, disciplinary approach

Este artigo tem suas raízes em algumas questões relacionadas à "forma" e ao "conteúdo" do que nós, professores, ensinamos na área de Administração da Produção e Operações. Inicialmente, descrevo a evolução histórica desse campo no Brasil. Em seguida, discuto a crise de identidade que o campo está sofrendo. Com o objetivo de apresentar respostas para essa situação, apresento seis propostas para o desenvolvimento e consolidação do campo. Finalmente, descrevo uma iniciativa prática, envolvendo uma disciplina específica da área, ensinada para alunos de pós-graduação. Essa iniciativa enfatiza a "dimensão do conteúdo" (de uma abordagem técnico-operacional para uma abordagem estratégico-gerencial) como também a "dimensão da forma" (do foco no ensino para o foco no aprendizado). O sucesso dessa experiência em curso confirma a coerência da agenda proposta e induz futuros aperfeiçoamentos.

Paradoxo de inovação no cluster do vinho: o caso da região demarcada do Douro

Este artigo tem por principal objetivo analisar a problemática da inovação no âmbito do cluster de uma região vitivinícola europeia tradicional (Região Demarcada do Douro - Portugal), caracterizada pelo chamado modelo vitivinícola do terroir, uma estrutura econômica suportada por um elevado número de viticultores, pequenas e médias empresas vinícolas e elevada regulação ao longo de toda a cadeia produtiva, em que, claramente, emerge a questão da tradição versus inovação. A pesquisa utilizou o método Grounded Theory, e os resultados evidenciam uma concordância de as empresas permanecerem numa região tradicional, cuja legislação dificulta as inovações radicais, mas que, concomitantemente, assegura os valores da qualidade. Verifica-se uma transferência de valores tradicionais de um produto específico, o vinho do Porto, para os novos produtos lançados recentemente no mercado; e, simultaneamente, uma transferência do valor agregado do vinho do Porto para o valor do vínculo da família com o processo produtivo e com as terras da Região Demarcada do Douro.

Mortality problems in Brazil and in Germany: past-present-future. Learning from each other?

This article was written by a Swiss-German historical demographer after having visited different Brazilian Universities in 1984 as a guest-professor. It aims at promoting a real dialog between developed and developing countries, commencing the discussion with the question: Can we learn from each other? An affirmative answer is given, but not in the superficial manner in which the discussion partners simply want to give each other some "good advice" or in which the one declares his country's own development to be the solely valid standard. Three points are emphasized: 1. Using infant mortality in S. Paulo from 1908 to 1983 as an example, it is shown that Brazil has at its disposal excellent, highly varied research literature that is unjustifiably unknown to us (in Europe) for the most part. Brazil by no means needs our tutoring lessons as regards the causal relationships; rather, we could learn two things from Brazil about this. For one, it becomes clear that our almost exclusively medical-biological view is inappropriate for passing a judgment on the present-day problems in Brazil and that any conclusions so derived are thus only transferable to a limited extent. For another, we need to reinterpret the history of infant mortality in our own countries up to the past few decades in a much more encompassing "Brazilian" sense. 2. A fruitful dialog can only take place if both partners frankly present their problems. For this reason, the article refers with much emprasis to our present problems in dealing with death and dying - problems arising near the end of the demographic and epidemiologic transitions: the superanuation of the population, chronic-incurable illnesses as the main causes of death, the manifold dependencies of more and more elderly and really old people at the end of a long life. Brazil seems to be catching up to us in this and will be confronted with these problems sooner or later. A far-sighted discussion already at this time seems thus to be useful. 3. The article, however, does not want to conclude with the rather depressing state of affairs of problems alternatingly superseding each other. Despite the caution which definitely has a place when prognoses are being made on the basis of extrapolations from historical findings, the foreseeable development especially of the epidemiologic transition in the direction of a rectangular survival curve does nevertheless provide good reason for being rather optimistic towards the future: first in regards to the development in our own countries, but then - assuming that the present similar tendencies of development are stuck to - also in regard to Brazil.

Análise de Cluster e Análise Heurística na construção de uma tipologia de alcoolistas

Objetivos Desenvolver e avaliar uma tipologia binária de alcoolistas. Métodos Analisados registros de 329 alcoolistas acompanhados em estudo prospectivo e observacional. Análise de Correspondência foi aplicada para selecionar o menor número de variáveis capazes de representar a máxima variabilidade dos sujeitos; Análise de Cluster para identificar dois subtipos; e Análise Heurística para organizar as variáveis selecionadas em grupos de sentido. Análises Bivariadas foram utilizadas para testar possíveis associações com 51 variáveis demográficas ou clinicamente relevantes. Resultados A Análise de Correspondência selecionou 20 variáveis, posteriormente categorizadas em três grupos de sentidos por meio de Análise Heurística: “comportamentos”, “crenças” e “sentimentos”. Os pacientes do subgrupo 1 possuem perfil de maior gravidade clínica, psicopatológica e social. Sentimentos e crenças identificados se associaram a variáveis de consumo e recaída e os comportamentos com repercussão social. Conclusões Os resultados deste estudo permitem supor que a tipologia aqui apresentada possa contribuir para o tratamento desses subtipos de alcoolistas identificados por meio de estratégias teórico-práticas adaptadas às necessidades desses sujeitos.

Stress During ACLS Courses: Is it Important for Learning Skills?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of stress on teaching medical emergencies in an Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course and to verify this influence on learning, and the efficiency of emergency care training. METHODS: Seventeen physicians signed up for an ACLS course. Their pulses were taken and blood pressure (BP) verified on the first day, before the beginning of the course, and on the second day, during the theoretical and practical test (TPT). Variations in pulse rates and BP were compared with students' test grades. Then, students answered a questionnaire of variables (QV) about the amount of sleep they had during the course, the quantity of study material and the time spent studying for the course, and a stress scale graphic. RESULTS: Seven students had a pulse variation less than 10% between the 2 periods and 10 had a 10% or more variation. Grades on TPT were, respectively, 91.4±2.4 and 87.3±5.2 (p<0.05). Six students had a BP variation less than 20 mmHg, and in 11 it varied more than 21 mmHg. Grades on the TPT were 92.3±3.3 and 86.2± 8.1, respectively (p<0.05). The QV dates did not significantly influence grades. CONCLUSION: Stress, as an isolated variable, had a negative influence on the learning process and on the efficiency of emergency training in this situation.

Associative learning in wild Anastrepha obliqua females (Diptera, Tephritidae) related to a protein source

The aim of the present study was to determine whether wild adult Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart, 1835) females are able to associate a compound (quinine sulphate - QS) not related to their habitual diet with a protein-enriched food. Females were first fed on diets based on brewer yeast and sucrose containing or not QS. The groups were then allowed to choose between their original diets and a diet with or without QS, depending on the previous treatment, and between a diet based on agar and a diet containing agar and QS. When the nutritional value of the diets was adequate, the females did not show any preference for the diet with or without QS. With respect to the agar diet and the agar + QS diet, females previously fed on a nutritive diet containing QS preferred the diet containing QS, indicating an association between the compound and the nutritional value of the diet. The importance of this behavioral strategy is discussed.

Benzodiazepine receptor ligand influences on learning: an endogenous modulatory mechanism mediated by benzodiazepines possibly of alimentary origin

In rats pre-but not post-training ip administration of either flumazenil, a central benzodiazepine (BSD) receptor antagonist, or of n-butyl-B-carboline-carboxylate (BCCB), an inverse agonist, enhanced retention of inhibitory avoidance learning. Flumazenil vlocked the enhancing effect of BCCB, and the inhibitory effect of the BZD agonists clonazepam and diazepam also given pre-training. Post-training administration of these drugs had no effects. The peripheral BZD receptor agonist/chloride channel blocker Ro5-4864 had no effect on the inhibitory avoidance task when given ip prior to training, buth it caused enhancement when given immediately post-training either ip or icv. This effect was blocked by PK11195, a competitive antagonist of Ro5-4864. These results suggest that ther is an endogenous mechanism mediated by BZD agonists, which is sensitive to inverse agonists and that normally down-regulates the formation of memories through a mechanism involving GABA-A receptors and the corresponding chloride channels. The most likely agonists for the endogenous mechanism suggested are the diazepam-like BZDs found in brain whose origin is possibly alimentary. Levels of these BZDs in the cortex were found to sharply decrease after inhibitory acoidance training or mere exposure to the training apparatus.

Cl gene cluster encoding several small nucleolar RNAs: a comparison amongst trypanosomatids

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that modify RNA molecules such as rRNA and snRNA by guiding 2'-O-ribose methylation (C/D box snoRNA family) and pseudouridylation reactions (H/ACA snoRNA family). H/ACA snoRNAs are also involved in trans-splicing in trypanosomatids. The aims of this work were to characterise the Cl gene cluster that encodes several snoRNAs in Trypanosoma rangeli and compare it with clusters from Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania major, Leishmania infantum, Leishmania braziliensis and Leptomonas collosoma. The T. rangeli Cl gene cluster is an 801 base pair (bp) repeat sequence that encodes three C/D (Cl1, Cl2 and Cl4) and three H/ACA (Cl3, Cl5 and Cl6) snoRNAs. In contrast to T. brucei, the Cl3 and Cl5 homologues have not been annotated in the Leishmania or T. cruzi genome projects (http//:www.genedb.org). Of note, snoRNA transcribed regions have a high degree of sequence identity among all species and share gene synteny. Collectively, these findings suggest that the Cl cluster could constitute an interesting target for therapeutic (gene silencing) or diagnostic intervention strategies (PCR-derived tools).

Oxidative stress enhances the expression of sulfur assimilation genes: preliminary insights on the Enterococcus faecalis iron-sulfur cluster machinery regulation

The Firmicutes bacteria participate extensively in virulence and pathological processes. Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal microorganism; however, it is also a pathogenic bacterium mainly associated with nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients. Iron-sulfur [Fe-S] clusters are inorganic prosthetic groups involved in diverse biological processes, whose in vivo formation requires several specific protein machineries. Escherichia coli is one of the most frequently studied microorganisms regarding [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis and encodes the iron-sulfur cluster and sulfur assimilation systems. In Firmicutes species, a unique operon composed of the sufCDSUB genes is responsible for [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of the E. faecalis sufCDSUB system in the [Fe-S] cluster assembly using oxidative stress and iron depletion as adverse growth conditions. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction demonstrated, for the first time, that Gram-positive bacteria possess an OxyR component responsive to oxidative stress conditions, as fully described for E. coli models. Likewise, strong expression of the sufCDSUB genes was observed in low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, indicating that the lowest concentration of oxygen free radicals inside cells, known to be highly damaging to [Fe-S] clusters, is sufficient to trigger the transcriptional machinery for prompt replacement of [Fe-S] clusters.

International analysis of the countries where Brazilian franchise chains operate

This paper aims to demonstrate which external environment factors are involved in the international commitment of Brazilian franchise chains. Our objectives herein are to understand which external country characteristics lead to international franchising operations and to ascertain the influence of such characteristics in the commitment of franchise chains in each country they operate in. The database has 54 Brazilian franchise chains with international operations in 26 countries, which implies in 157 franchises operating abroad. Regarding external environment factors, the independent variables form a group divided into market opportunity and business efficiency – trust and ease to doing business. The result of the three distinct clusters show how the market opportunity and the business efficiency (trust and ease in doing business) work as drivers to the international operation of Brazilian franchises. The paper shows that the franchise chains operating in the USA (cluster 3) have an inferior international commitment in comparison with the franchises which operate in developed countries and in small Latin American countries (cluster 2). It is also possible to notice a large number of franchises that operate in underdeveloped countries from Latin America and Africa (cluster 1) with worse business efficiency due to the advantage of learning how to operate in a country that could have some similarities with Brazil

Modes of acquisition of health literacy skills in informal learning contexts

In this article we try to analyze the learning processes of health literacy skills in informal contexts. We intend to broaden the understanding of the learning process beyond the formal contexts, thus contributing to the elucidation of health professionals on how individuals acquire and manage their knowledge in health matters. Given our goal, we use an analytic corpus constituted by one hundred autobiographical narratives written between 2006 and 2011, in educational contexts but with recognized potential for use in different scientific fields, including health. The results reveal the existence of three different types of modes of learning health literacy skills in informal context: : i) learning that takes place in action, in achieving daily tasks; ii) learning processes that result from problem solving; iii) learning that occurs in an unplanned manner, resulting from accidental circumstances and, in some cases, devoid of intentionality.

The art and learning patterns of knowing in nursing

Objective To identify the perception of the students about the use of art as a pedagogical strategy in learning the patterns of knowing in nursing; to identify the dimensions of each pattern valued in the analysis of pieces of art. Method Descriptive mixed study. Data collection used a questionnaire applied to 31 nursing students. Results In the analysis of the students’ discourse, it was explicit that empirical knowledge includes scientific knowledge, tradition and nature of care. The aesthetic knowledge implies expressiveness, subjectivity and sensitivity. Self-knowledge, experience, reflective attitude and relationships with others are the subcategories of personal knowledge and the moral and ethics support ethical knowledge. Conclusion It is possible to learn patterns of knowledge through art, especially the aesthetic, ethical and personal. It is necessary to investigate further pedagogical strategies that contribute to the learning patterns of nursing knowledge.

Effects of web-based electrocardiography simulation on strategies and learning styles

OBJECTIVETo identify the association between the use of web simulation electrocardiography and the learning approaches, strategies and styles of nursing degree students.METHODA descriptive and correlational design with a one-group pretest-posttest measurement was used. The study sample included 246 students in a Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support nursing class of nursing degree.RESULTSNo significant differences between genders were found in any dimension of learning styles and approaches to learning. After the introduction of web simulation electrocardiography, significant differences were found in some item scores of learning styles: theorist (p < 0.040), pragmatic (p < 0.010) and approaches to learning.CONCLUSIONThe use of a web electrocardiogram (ECG) simulation is associated with the development of active and reflexive learning styles, improving motivation and a deep approach in nursing students.

Assessment of the teaching-learning process in students of the health area: cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the skills and knowledge of undergraduate students in the health area on cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers with the use of an automatic external defibrillator.METHODThe evaluation was performed in three different stages of the teaching-learning process. A theoretical and practical course was taught and the theoretical classes included demonstration. The evaluation was performed in three different stages of the teaching-learning process. Two instruments were applied to evaluate the skills (30-items checklist) and knowledge (40-questions written test). The sample comprised 84 students.RESULTSAfter the theoretical and practical course, an increase was observed in the number of correct answers in the 30-items checklist and 40-questions written test.CONCLUSIONAfter the theoretical class (including demonstration), only one of the 30-items checklist for skills achieved an index ≥ 90% of correct answers. On the other hand, an index of correct answers greater than 90% was achieved in 26 (86.7%) of the 30 items after a practical training simulation, evidencing the importance of this training in the defibrillation procedure.