Employability, Skills Development and Enterprise Creation (Momentum, University of Worcester)

Background to the Momentum project : PSS1 (Sept 2014 - July 2016): funded by HEFCE to promote Postgraduate Education and Employability. A discussion of group demographics, student experience, employer feedback, and enterprise creation through the establishment of the University of Worcester Business Incubator. The presentation concludes with a number of lessons learned from the project.

A criação artística contemporânea no contexto das universidades seniores: um caso de estudo

As Universidades Seniores têm vindo a assumir um papel cada vez mais preponderante nas transformações das sociedades ocidentais atuais, as quais têm a responsabilidade de integrar, absorver e até mesmo beneficiar das mais-valias caraterísticas do aluno sénior. São portanto o reflexo das mudanças de paradigma do adulto sénior, permitindo variadíssimas possibilidades e atividades orientadas para este público. A proposta de novas práticas e metodologias é consequentemente, desejável a partir de novas abordagens didáticas de ensino que tentam acompanhar a disponibilidade de informação facilitadora do acesso ao conhecimento. A diversidade de meios e o cruzamento de várias disciplinas artísticas apresentam-se como componentes de um processo que se pretende dinâmico e atual. Neste relatório de estágio, coloca-se a questão da valorização da Criação Artística, através de uma abordagem contemporânea, na configuração das ofertas educativas no seio das Universidades Seniores em geral, e da Universidade Sénior de Ovar em particular. Como tal é proposto o desenvolvimento do projeto Incubadora Artística como configuração experimental daquilo que é admitido como possibilidade alargada de aproximação à arte, em geral, e à arte contemporânea, em particular, por parte do aluno sénior conhecendo e explorando as diferentes expressões artísticas, bem como usando as mesmas nas suas próprias produções artística.

G181(P) Evaluation of a new e-health intervention in neonatal care : perspectives of parents and health professionals.

Aim This paper will report findings from the first phase of an evaluation of a new e-health intervention designed to allow mothers to ‘see’ their baby in neonatal care (NNU) when they are not able to be with them. The intervention, MyLittleOne, involves a web-camera being placed over the incubator in NNU, which transmits a real-time video wirelessly to a coupled tablet device at the mother’s bedside. Guided by the MRC Framework for the Development and Evaluation of Healthcare Interventions (MRC, 2008), the aim was to explore parent and professional views of the technology and make recommendations for its future development, use and evaluation. Methods A qualitative approach was adopted, guided by a critical realist perspective (McEvoy and Richards, 2003). The study took place in a Level 3 NNU in Scotland. Participants were recruited purposively and included parents (n = 33) and a range of health professionals working in neonatal and postnatal care (n = 21). The data were collected during semi-structured individual, paired and small group interviews and were analysed thematically using NVivo v10. Results The majority of parents and professionals spoke positively about MyLittleOne. Perceptions were that: use of the technology assisted bonding and responsiveness; it promoted the recovery process following birth; and, for mothers who wished to breast-feed, being able to see their baby on the tablet device encouraged the ‘let-down’ reflex. An additional benefit was that siblings and others who may not be able to visit the NNU were able to see the baby. In contrast, for a small number of mothers, viewing their baby remotely appeared to increase their levels of anxiety. Switching off the camera during a medical procedure and back on after the procedure was completed was found to be problematic, at times and in different ways, for both parents and professionals. Conclusions Findings from this preliminary evaluation will guide future developments of the technology, including its use in family homes following the mother’s discharge. The findings will also inform the design of a feasibility study and subsequent RCT to assess the impact of MyLittleOne on a range of psychological indicators of postnatal adjustment.

Curriculum R & D: Incubating change in higher education

This mixed methods study examined incubation as a strategy for curricular change. The purpose was to examine the characteristics and effectiveness of curriculum incubation from a faculty perspective. The conceptual frame for this study proposed combining a grounded theory of incubation with concepts from organizational creativity to explain incubator processes. Findings concluded that while the incubator did engage is typical practices of nurturing, testing, and refining ideas, the salient characteristics of the incubator were most closely related to concepts of organizational creativity. The incubator examined in this study was in formative stages of development and data offered a thin slice of evidence supporting incubation as a mechanism of curricular change. Further study is warranted

In vivo and in vitro disappearance of energy and nutrients in novel carbohydrates and cereal grains by pigs

In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to determine digestibility of GE and nutrients, as well as DE and ME of carbohydrates fed to growing pigs. The objective of Exp. 1 was to determine the DE and ME of 4 novel carbohydrates fed to pigs. The 4 novel carbohydrates were 2 sources of resistant starch (RS 60 and RS 70), soluble corn fiber (SCF), and pullulan. These carbohydrates were produced to increase total dietary fiber (TDF) intake by humans. Maltodextrin (MD) was used as a highly digestible control carbohydrate. The DE and ME for RS 60 (1,779 and 1,903 kcal/kg, respectively), RS 75(1,784 and 1,677 kcal/kg, respectively), and SCF (1,936 and 1,712 kcal/kg, respectively) were less (P < 0.05) than for MD (3,465 and 3,344 kcal/kg, respectively) and pullulan (2,755 and 2,766 kcal/kg, respectively), and pullulan contained less (P < 0.05) DE and ME than MD. However, there was no difference in the DE and ME for RS 60, RS 75, and SCF. The varying degrees of small intestinal digestibility and differences in fermentability among these novel carbohydrates may explain the differences in the DE and ME among carbohydrates. Therefore, the objectives of Exp. 2 were to determine the effect of these 4 novel carbohydrates and cellulose on apparent ileal (AID) and apparent total tract (ATTD) disappearance, and hindgut disappearance (HGD) of GE, TDF, and nutrients when added to diets fed to ileal-cannulated pigs. The second objective was to measure the endogenous flow of TDF to be able to calculate the standardized ileal disappearance (SID) and standardized total tract (STTD) disappearance of TDF in the 4 novel fibers fed to pigs. Results of the experiment indicated that the AID of GE and DM in diets containing cellulose or the novel fibers was less (P < 0.05) than of the maltodextrin diet, but the ATTD of GE and DM was not different among diets. The addition of RS 60, RS 75, and SCF did not affect the AID of acid hydrolysed ether extract (AEE), CP, or ash, but the addition of cellulose and pullulan reduced (P < 0.01) the AID of CP. The average ileal and total tract endogenous losses of TDF were calculated to be 25.25 and 42.87 g/kg DMI, respectively. The SID of TDF in diets containing RS 60, SCF, and pullulan were greater (P < 0.01) than the SID of TDF in the cellulose diet, but the STTD of the SCF diet was greater (P < 0.05) than for the cellulose and pullulan diets. Results of this experiment indicate that the presence of TDF reduces small intestinal disappearance of total carbohydrates and energy which may reduce the DE and ME of diets and ingredients. Therefore, the objective of Exp. 3 was to determine the DE and ME in yellow dent corn, Nutridense corn, dehulled barley, dehulled oats, polished rice, rye, sorghum, and wheat fed to growing pigs and to determine the AID and ATTD of GE, OM, CP, AEE, starch, total carbohydrates, and TDF in these cereal grains fed to pigs. Results indicated that the AID of GE, OM, and total carbohydrates was greater (P < 0.001) in rice than in all other cereal grains. The AID of starch was also greater (P < 0.001) in rice than in yellow dent corn, dehulled barley, rye, and wheat. The ATTD of GE was greater (P < 0.001) in rice than in yellow dent corn, rye, sorghum, and wheat. With a few exceptions, the AID and ATTD of GE and nutrients in Nutridense corn was not different from the values for dehulled oats. Likewise, with a few exceptions, the AID, ATTD, and HGD of GE, OM, total carbohydrates, and TDF in yellow corn, sorghum, and wheat were not different from each other. The AID of GE and AEE in dehulled barley was greater (P < 0.001) than in rye. The ATTD of GE and most nutrients was greater (P < 0.001) in dehulled barley than in rye. Dehulled oats had the greatest (P < 0.001) ME (kcal/kg DM) whereas rye had the least ME (kcal/kg DM) among the cereal grains. Results of the experiment indicate that the presence of TDF and RS may reduce small intestinal digestibility of starch in cereal grains resulting in reduced DE and ME in these grains. Digestibility experiments involving animals are time consuming and expensive. Therefore, the objective of Exp. 4 was to correlate DM and OM digestibility obtained from 3 in vitro procedures with ATTD of GE and with the concentration of DE in 50 corn samples that were fed to growing pigs. The second objective was to develop a regression model that can predict the ATTD of GE or the concentration of DE in corn. The third objective was to evaluate the suitability of using the DaisyII incubator as an alternative to the traditional water bath when determining in vitro DM and OM digestibility. Results indicated that corn samples incubated with Viscozyme for 48 h in the DaisyII incubator improved (P < 0.001) the ability of the procedure to detect small differences in the ATTD of GE or to detect small differences in the concentration of DE in corn. Likewise, compared with using cellulase or fecal inoculum, the variability in the ATTD of GE and the variability in the DE in corn was better (R2 = 0.56; P < 0.05 and R2 = 0.53; P < 0.06, respectively) explained if Viscozyme was used than if cellulase or fecal inoculum was used. A validated regression model that predicted the DE in corn was developed using Viscozyme and with the corn samples incubated in the DaisyII incubator for a 48 h. In conclusion, this present work used the pig as a model for human gastrointestinal function and evaluates carbohydrates from 2 different nutritional perspectives – humans and animals. The addition of novel carbohydrates reduced the digestibility of energy in the diets without necessarily reducing the digestibility of other nutrients. Thus, supplementation of novel carbohydrates in the diets may be beneficial for the management of diabetes. Aside from diabetic management, cereal grains such as rye and sorghum, may also help in BW management because of there low caloric value, but for undernourished individuals, dehulled oats, dehulled barley, and rice are the ideal grains. From an animal nutrition standpoint, high concentration of dietary fiber is undesirable because it reduces feed efficiency. Therefore, the inclusion of feed ingredients that have a high concentration of dietary fiber is often limited in animal diets. Although in vivo determination is ideal, in vitro procedures are useful tools to determine caloric value of food and feed ingredients.

Effect of temperature on genomic and some biological indices during embryonic and larval development of Caspian trout Salmo trutta caspius Kessler, 1877

Since 1966 especially recent decade, Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius Kessler, 1877) considered as a strategic endemic species for Caspian Sea fisheries resources also coldwater aquaculture in Iran. Nowadays habitat condition effects on this subspecies during life stages, artificial breeding and incubation period noticed by research and execution sessions of fisheries in Iran. Incubation duration of Caspian trout from artificial fertilization followed by green egg and eyed egg, hatching and yolk sac absorption identified as most sensitive stages for fish and any pollution, stress and deviation by natural life conditions of embryo up to larvae could provide possible mortalities and observable or hidden alterations. Among all vital factors for Caspian trout welfare even in conservation plans and stocks rehabilitation programs or recent attempts for domestication of this fish for introduction to cold water aquaculture industry, water temperature as the most important physical factor which might conserve or induce stress to rearing environment condition is not considered yet. In hatcheries activities, the temperature for incubation and rearing Caspian trout eggs is determining by available water temperature and wide range of temperatures in governmental or private farms is using depend on the water resources availability. Also global climate change consideration and increase temperature trend accompany with group of physical and chemical factors provided by fish farm discharges and other source points entered to the migration pathway of Caspian trout in spawning season were not investigated before. Natural spawning migration pathway is upstream of Caspian tout south and south west rivers especially in Cheshmehkileh upstream in Tonekabon, Iran directed this research focus on the mentioned location. For simulation of natural spawning bed for Caspian trout, water supplied from the upstream of Daryasar branch as headwater of Cheshmehkileh River which provided REDD water condition for in vitro incubation. Green eggs treatments of wild and F1 cultured brooders both 3+ were incubated. Incubation implemented in dark, constant temperature (4, 8, 12 degree centigrade) and DO–pH–temperature digital monitoring in 3 recycling incubators ended to yolk sac absorption and entering larval stage. Hatching success, possible genome alterations by HSP70 gene expression and comet assay implemented as diagnostic tools in 3 life stages of eyed egg– Alevin and Larvae. Numbers and diameters of larvae white fiber muscles measured by histology experiment and Hematoxylin–eosine staining. Results stated significant effect of incubation temperature on hatching success, genome and white fiber muscles of wild and F1 samples. Hatching success measured as 31% and 38% for cultured and wild cold treatments, 79% and 91% for normal and 64% and 73% for warm cultured and wild treatments respectively. Considerable mortality occurred for cold treatment and 8 degree centigrade stated the best thermal condition in normal incubator according to hatching success in wild Caspian trout samples.

ProjectION: Investigation Operative Networks

Corporations and enterprises have embraced the notion of shared experiences and collective workplaces by incorporating coworking places. A great deal of the methodology carries from the studio culture that architecture schools foster as well as think tank culture. Maker spaces and incubator spaces are prime examples of places that engender creative thought and products. This thesis seeks to explore the impact that architecture has on collaborative spaces with a focus on augmenting to their generated learning and design activities. The investigation explores the collaborative design process as a series of interactions between groups of individuals. This involves the impact of technology and its implications on those interactions. The goal of this thesis is not to further the use of a tool or systematic procedure, but to use architecture as a framing device to form places for collaborative processes.

Sustentabilidade de empreendimentos econômicos solidários: contribuições e desafios do PITCPES/UFPA a partir da análise da Cooperativa dos Fruticultores de Abaetetuba - COFRUTA

The study aimed to understand how the methodology of hatching contributes to the sustainability of economic enterprises in solidarity. For analysis, we developed a study on the social economy and the incubation methodology, based on the program of teaching, research and extension - Technological Incubator of Popular Cooperatives and Entrepreneurship Solidarity (PITCPES), and as the survey of the Cooperative of Fruit of Abaetetuba - COFRUTA. We started from the exploratory-descriptive approach in a qualitative and quantitative, in order to demonstrate the process of sustainability under the dimensions of different kinds such as: the economic dimension, social dimension, the political dimension, size and scale management training. Based on the analysis of these different dimensions was reached results as: first the recognition that the incubator contributes to the sustainability of COFRUTA, especially with regard to planning, control and the need to diversify production. However, there was suggestion of cooperative for training and technical assistance is continued, to the extent that the performance of projects under the base leaves gaps for the learning and application of social technologies required to the Incubator. It also concluded that the dissertation contributes to the team of the incubator can assess their strengths and weaknesses in their performance

Incubadora como motor de arranque para a uma estratégia urbana

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitectura, apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitetura.

Avaliação da crioinjúria em ovócitos imaturos e maturados in vitro e produção de embriões a partir de ovócitos bovinos vitrificados em Open Pulled Straw (OPS) e Cryotop

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, 2012.

Evaluation of Neurodevelopment and Factors Affecting it in Children With Acyanotic Congenital Cardiac Disease

Background: The rate of congenital heart disease is 0.8% in all live births. The majority of this, however, is acyanotic congenital heart disease. The survival rate of children with cardiac disease has increased with the developments provided in recent years and their lifetime is extended. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate neurodevelopment of children with uncomplicated acyanotic congenital heart disease in preschool period and determine the factors affecting their neurodevelopmental process. Patients and Methods: 132 children with acyanotic congenital heart disease aged 6 - 72 months were involved in the study. Mental development and intelligence levels of patients under 2 years old were assessed by using Bayley Development Scale-III, and Stanford Binet Intelligence test was employed for patients over 2 years old. Denver Developmental Screening Test II was applied to all patients for their personal-social, fine motor, gross motor and language development. Results: The average age of patients (67 girls, 65 boys) included in the study was 35.2 ± 19.6 months. It was determined that there were subnormal mental level in 13 (10%) patients and at least one specific developmental disorder in 33 (25%) patients. Bayley Mental Development Scale score of patients who had received incubator care in perinatal period was found significantly low (88 ± 4.2) compared to those with no incubator care (93.17 ± 8.5) (P = 0.028). Low educational level of father was established to be linked with low mental development scores at the age of 2 and following that age (P < 0.05). Iron deficiency anemia was discovered to be related to low psychometric test scores at every age (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Neurodevelopmental problems in children with acyanotic congenital heart disease were found higher compared to those in society. Mental development and intelligence levels of patients were determined to be closely associated with receiving incubator care, father’s educational level and iron deficiency anemia.

Dose inseminante para fertilização artificial de ovócitos de dourado

Objetivou-se determinar a dose inseminante adequada para uso na fertilização artificial de ovócitos de dourado (Salminus brasiliensis). Os ovócitos foram distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, e fertilizados com uma das relações espermatozoides/ovócito 6,0×10³; 6,0×10(4); 6,0×10(5); 6,0×10(6) ou 3,0×10(7), cada uma com quatro repetições. Considerou-se unidade experimental uma incubadora de volume útil de 2,5 L, contendo 2,0 mL de ovócitos não-hidratados. As taxas de fertilização foram mensuradas 8 horas após o início da fertilização. Com intuito de verificar possíveis efeitos da diluição seminal na movimentação dos espermatozoides, realizou-se a mensuração do tempo de duração da motilidade espermática dos espermatozoides de dourado, ativados por meio de diferentes relações de diluição: 6,8×10-5; 6,8×10-4; 6,8×10-3; 6,8×10-2; 3,4×10-1 e 1,0 mL de sêmen por mL de água. O tempo de duração da motilidade foi avaliado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado composto de seis tratamentos e três repetições. As taxas de fertilização apresentaram relação quadrática com o número de espermatozoides por ovócito. As relações de diluição do sêmen tiveram efeito inversamente proporcional sobre a duração da motilidade espermática. A relação que proporcionou melhores taxas de fertilização artificial de ovócitos de dourado (Salminus brasiliensis) foi de 30.722 espermatozoides por ovócio.

Avaliação da biodegradabilidade de petróleo utilizando microrganismos isolados do estuário do Rio Potengi (RN)

The oil activity in the Rio Grande do Norte State (RN) is a permanent threat to coastal ecosystems, particularly mangroves, with the possibility of oil spills. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential resistance of the mangrove environment of a possible spill. Were selected and isolated microorganisms degrading oil by the technique of enrichment cultures and formation of a bacterial consortium. The kinetic study of the consortium was held in rotary incubator shaken at 150 rpm and 30° C. Samples were taken at intervals of 4 hours for analysis of cell concentration and surface tension. The biodegradation was monitored using two methods of respirometry: manometric (OxiTop-C ®) and conductivimetry, where the biodegradation of oil was estimated indirectly by oxygen consumption and CO2 production, respectively. Furthermore, it was used a full 2² factorial design with triplicate at central point to the runs that used the conductivimetric methodology.. The technique of enrichment cultures allowed to obtain thirteen bacterial strains. Kinetic study of the consortium, we can showed the absence of the lag phase, reaching a maximum cell concentration of 2.55 g / L at 16 h of cultivation and a reduction on surface tension. When we adopted the methodology of OxiTop-C was detected a band indicating biodegradability (1% oil v/v), however when we used the conductivimetry methodology did not observe any band that would indicate effective biodegradation. By monitoring a process of biodegradation is necessary to observe the methodology will be adopted to evaluate the biodegradation process, since for the same conditions adopted different methodologies can produce different results. The oil-degrading isolates from soils of the mangrove estuary Potengi / RN are largely to be used in bioremediation strategies of these places, in the case of a possible oil spill, or it can be used in the treatment of waste oil generated in saline environments, since they are optimized the conditions of the tests so that the efficiency of biodegradation reach the minimum level suggested by the standarts

Subwavelength Index Engineering for SOI Waveguides

Photonic structures with a sub-wavelength pitch, small enough to suppress diffraction, can behave as equivalent homogenous materials that can be engineered to exhibit a specific refractive index and dispersion. Here we discuss the design of a variety of integrated photonic devices, ranging from grating couplers to multimode interference couplers, for which the use of sub-wavelength structures enables unique characteristics. We will place special emphasis on the design and experimental demonstration of multi-mode interference couplers with an unprecedented bandwidth beyond 200nm at telecom wavelengths.

Lessons from natural disasters, tsunami-affected Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises(SMEs) in Sri Lanka

The main objective of this paper is to identify some of the key issues encountered by tsunami-affected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the process of rehabilitation and re-establishment in Sri Lanka. The second objective is to assess how far these affected industries have received various benefits and supports from bodies such as government agencies, private sector firms, donors and NGOs to help them get back into business. The final objective is to recommend policies and strategies to develop the tsunami-affected SMEs in a self-sustaining manner and within a certain time period. The main database of firms for this research has been obtained from the Industrial Development Board, which conducted a survey covering 4,389 tsunami-affected micro- and SMEs. In addition to this, information from various state organizations and NGOs-based sources has been used. This paper identifies the main issues related to tsunami-affected SMEs ranging from basic infrastructure provision up to finance, marketing, machinery, technology, training, product identification and development and so forth. In fact, it is shown that there are no significant differences between issues faced by SMEs in general and tsunami-affected SMEs, apart of course from the effects of a sudden disaster (the tidal wave). Consequently, these issues can be generalized as issues relevant to SMEs in Sri Lanka as a whole. However, under the flood and rain of local and foreign assistance, there have been more pledges and promises than actual deliveries and, so, tsunami-affected SMEs have received comparatively little support and assistance in recovering and no records can be found as to where the colossal amount of foreign assistance received has actually gone. Finally, this paper recommends various types of business incubator centres and entrepreneurial enhancing skill programmes for the revamping of tsunami-affected SMEs in addition to the normal disaster risk management plan.