Que música ouvimos? Estudo exploratório com crianças em contexto de creche, pré-escolar e familiar

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar

Aprender a gostar de poesia: contributos para uma didática do texto poético em contexto de Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

Escola, democracia e autonomia: uma análise das políticas e práticas no cotidiano escolar

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências da Educação - Especialidade em Política Educativa

End-of-day dryness, corneal sensitivity and blink rate in contact lens wearers

Purpose: To study the relationship among the variables intensity ofthe end-of-day (EOD) dryness, corneal sensitivity and blink rate in soft contact lens (CL) wearers. Methods: Thirty-eight soft CL wearers (25 women and 13 men; mean age 27.1 ± 7.2 years) were enrolled. EOD dryness was assessed using a scale of 0–5 (0, none to 5, very intense). Mechanical and thermal (heat and cold) sensitivity were measured using a Belmonte’s gas esthesiometer. The blink rate was recorded using a video camera while subjects were wearing a hydrogel CL and watching a film for 90 min in a controlled environmental chamber. Results: A significant inverse correlation was found between EOD dryness and mechanical sensitivity (r: −0.39; p = 0.02); however, there were no significant correlations between EOD dryness and thermal sensitivity. A significant (r: 0.56; p < 0.001) correlation also was observed between EOD dryness and blink rate, but no correlations were found between blink rate and mechanical or thermal sensitivity. Conclusions: CL wearers with higher corneal sensitivity to mechanical stimulation reported more EOD dryness with habitual CL wear. Moreover, subjects reporting more EOD dryness had an increased blink rates during wear of a standard CL type. The increased blink rate could act to improve the ocular surface environment and relieve symptoms

Numerical and experimental analysis of full scale arches reinforced with GFRP materials

In this contribution, original limit analysis numerical results are presented dealing with some reinforced masonry arches tested at the University of Minho-UMinho, PT. Twelve in-scale circular masonry arches were considered, reinforced in various ways at the intrados or at the extrados. GFRP reinforcements were applied either on undamaged or on previously damaged elements, in order to assess the role of external reinforcements even in repairing interventions. The experimental results were critically discussed at the light of limit analysis predictions, based on a 3D FE heterogeneous upper bound approach. Satisfactory agreement was found between experimental evidences and the numerical results, in terms of failure mechanisms and peak load.

Comparison between tilt-table testing results performed during different periods of the day

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influences of circadian variations on tilt-table testing (TTT) results by comparing the positivity rate of the test performed during the morning with that of the test performed in the afternoon and to evaluate the reproducibility of the results in different periods of the day. METHODS: One hundred twenty-three patients with recurrent unexplained syncope or near-syncope referred for TTT were randomized into 2 groups. In group I, 68 patients, TTT was performed first in the afternoon and then in the morning. In group II, 55 patients, the test was performed first in the morning and then in the afternoon. RESULTS: The TTT protocol was the prolonged passive test, without drug sensitization. Twenty-nine (23.5%) patients had a positive result in at least one of the periods. The positivity rate for each period was similar: 20 (16.2%) patients in the afternoon and 19 (15.4%) in the morning (p=1.000). Total reproducibility (positive/positive and negative/negative) was observed in 49 (89%) patients in group I and in 55 (81%) in group II. Reproducibility of the results was obtained in 94 (90.4%) patients with first negative tests but in 10 (34%) patients with first positive tests. CONCLUSION: TTT could be performed during any period of the day, and even in the 2 periods to enhance positivity. Considering the low reproducibility rate of the positive tests, serial TTT to evaluate therapeutic efficacy should be performed during the same period of the day.

The appraisal of anaerobic digestion in Ireland to develop improved designs and operational practice

Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion treating sewage sludge was investigated at five full-scale sewage treatment plants in Ireland. The anaerobic digestion plants are compared and evaluated in terms of design, equipment, operation, monitoring and management. All digesters are cylindrical, gas mixed and heated Continuously Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTR), varying in size from 130m3 to 800m3. Heat exchanger systems heat all digesters. Three plants reported difficulties with the heating systems ranging from blockages to insufficient insulation and design. Exchangers were modified and replaced within one year of operation at two plants. All but one plant had Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems installed. Parameter monitoring is a problem at all plants mainly due to a lack of staff and knowledge. The plant operators consider pH and temperature the most important parameters to be measured in terms of successful monitoring of an anaerobic digester. The short time taken and the ease at which pH and temperature can be measured may favour these parameters. Three laboratory scale pilot anaerobic digesters were operated using a variety of feeds over at 144-day period. Two of the pilots were unmixed and the third was mechanically mixed. As expected the unmixed reactors removed more COD by retention of solids in the digesters but also produced greater quantities of biogas than the mixed digester, especially when low solids feed such as whey was used. The mixed digester broke down more solids due to the superior contact between the substrate and the biomass. All three reactors showed good performance results for whey and sewage solids. Scum formation occurred giving operational problems for mixed and unmixed reactors when cattle slurry was used as the main feed source. The pilot test was also used to investigate which parameters were the best indicators of process instability. These trials clearly indicated that total Volatile Fatty Acid (VFA) concentrations was the best parameter to show signs of early process imbalance, while methane composition in the biogas was good to indicate possible nutrient deficiencies in the feed and oxygen shocks. pH was found to be a good process parameter only if the wastewater being treated produced low bicarbonate alkalinities during treatment.