New measures of job control, cognitive demand and production responsibility

Recent research has highlighted several job characteristics salient to employee well-being and behavior for which there are no adequate generally applicable measures. These include timing and method control, monitoring and problem-solving demand, and production responsibility. In this article, an attempt to develop measures of these constructs provided encouraging results. Confirmatory factor analyses applied to data from 2 samples of shop-floor employees showed a consistent fit to a common 5-factor measurement model. Scales corresponding to each of the dimensions showed satisfactory internal and test–retest reliabilities. As expected, the scales also discriminated between employees in different jobs and employees working with contrasting technologies.

Online-questionnaire design:establishing guidelines and evaluating existing eupport

As a new medium for questionnaire delivery, the internet has the potential to revolutionise the survey process. Online (web-based) questionnaires provide several advantages over traditional survey methods in terms of cost, speed, appearance, flexibility, functionality, and usability [1, 2]. For instance, delivery is faster, responses are received more quickly, and data collection can be automated or accelerated [1- 3]. Online-questionnaires can also provide many capabilities not found in traditional paper-based questionnaires: they can include pop-up instructions and error messages; they can incorporate links; and it is possible to encode difficult skip patterns making such patterns virtually invisible to respondents. Like many new technologies, however, online-questionnaires face criticism despite their advantages. Typically, such criticisms focus on the vulnerability of online-questionnaires to the four standard survey error types: namely, coverage, non-response, sampling, and measurement errors. Although, like all survey errors, coverage error (“the result of not allowing all members of the survey population to have an equal or nonzero chance of being sampled for participation in a survey” [2, pg. 9]) also affects traditional survey methods, it is currently exacerbated in online-questionnaires as a result of the digital divide. That said, many developed countries have reported substantial increases in computer and internet access and/or are targeting this as part of their immediate infrastructural development [4, 5]. Indicating that familiarity with information technologies is increasing, these trends suggest that coverage error will rapidly diminish to an acceptable level (for the developed world at least) in the near future, and in so doing, positively reinforce the advantages of online-questionnaire delivery. The second error type – the non-response error – occurs when individuals fail to respond to the invitation to participate in a survey or abandon a questionnaire before it is completed. Given today’s societal trend towards self-administration [2] the former is inevitable, irrespective of delivery mechanism. Conversely, non-response as a consequence of questionnaire abandonment can be relatively easily addressed. Unlike traditional questionnaires, the delivery mechanism for online-questionnaires makes estimation of questionnaire length and time required for completion difficult1, thus increasing the likelihood of abandonment. By incorporating a range of features into the design of an online questionnaire, it is possible to facilitate such estimation – and indeed, to provide respondents with context sensitive assistance during the response process – and thereby reduce abandonment while eliciting feelings of accomplishment [6]. For online-questionnaires, sampling error (“the result of attempting to survey only some, and not all, of the units in the survey population” [2, pg. 9]) can arise when all but a small portion of the anticipated respondent set is alienated (and so fails to respond) as a result of, for example, disregard for varying connection speeds, bandwidth limitations, browser configurations, monitors, hardware, and user requirements during the questionnaire design process. Similarly, measurement errors (“the result of poor question wording or questions being presented in such a way that inaccurate or uninterpretable answers are obtained” [2, pg. 11]) will lead to respondents becoming confused and frustrated. Sampling, measurement, and non-response errors are likely to occur when an online-questionnaire is poorly designed. Individuals will answer questions incorrectly, abandon questionnaires, and may ultimately refuse to participate in future surveys; thus, the benefit of online questionnaire delivery will not be fully realized. To prevent errors of this kind2, and their consequences, it is extremely important that practical, comprehensive guidelines exist for the design of online questionnaires. Many design guidelines exist for paper-based questionnaire design (e.g. [7-14]); the same is not true for the design of online questionnaires [2, 15, 16]. The research presented in this paper is a first attempt to address this discrepancy. Section 2 describes the derivation of a comprehensive set of guidelines for the design of online-questionnaires and briefly (given space restrictions) outlines the essence of the guidelines themselves. Although online-questionnaires reduce traditional delivery costs (e.g. paper, mail out, and data entry), set up costs can be high given the need to either adopt and acquire training in questionnaire development software or secure the services of a web developer. Neither approach, however, guarantees a good questionnaire (often because the person designing the questionnaire lacks relevant knowledge in questionnaire design). Drawing on existing software evaluation techniques [17, 18], we assessed the extent to which current questionnaire development applications support our guidelines; Section 3 describes the framework used for the evaluation, and Section 4 discusses our findings. Finally, Section 5 concludes with a discussion of further work.

Ontology-based pathways generation for biomass to bioenergy conversion

Bio energy is a renewable energy and a solution to the depleting fossil fuels. Bio energy such as heat, power and bio fuel is generated by conversion technologies using biomass for example domestic waste, root crops, forest residue and animal slurry. Pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion and combined heat and power engine are some examples of the technologies. Depending on the nature of a biomass, it can be treated with various technologies giving out some products, which can be further treated with other technologies and eventually converted into the final products as bio energy. The pathway followed by the biomass, technologies, intermediate products and bio energy in the conversion process is referred to as bio energy pathway. Identification of appropriate pathways optimizes the conversion process. Although there are various approaches to create or generate the pathways, there is still a need for a semantic approach to generate the pathways, which allow checking the consistency of the knowledge, and to share and extend the knowledge efficiently. This paper presents an ontology-based approach to automatic generation of the pathways for biomass to bio energy conversion, which exploits the definition and hierarchical structure of the biomass and technologies, their relationship and associated properties, and infers appropriate pathways. A case study has been carried out in a real-life scenario, the bio energy project for the North West of Europe (Bioen NW), which showed promising results.

Functionalised particles using dry powder coating in pharmaceutical drug delivery:promises and challenges

Introduction: Production of functionalised particles using dry powder coating is a one-step, environmentally friendly process that paves the way for the development of particles with targeted properties and diverse functionalities. Areas covered: Applying the first principles in physical science for powders, fine guest particles can be homogeneously dispersed over the surface of larger host particles to develop functionalised particles. Multiple functionalities can be modified including: flowability, dispersibility, fluidisation, homogeneity, content uniformity and dissolution profile. The current publication seeks to understand the fundamental underpinning principles and science governing dry coating process, evaluate key technologies developed to produce functionalised particles along with outlining their advantages, limitations and applications and discusses in detail the resultant functionalities and their applications. Expert opinion: Dry particle coating is a promising solvent-free manufacturing technology to produce particles with targeted functionalities. Progress within this area requires the development of continuous processing devices that can overcome challenges encountered with current technologies such as heat generation and particle attrition. Growth within this field requires extensive research to further understand the impact of process design and material properties on resultant functionalities.

Review of the History and Current Status of Cell-Transplant Approaches for the Management of Neuropathic Pain

Treatment of sensory neuropathies, whether inherited or caused by trauma, the progress of diabetes, or other disease states, are among the most difficult problems in modern clinical practice. Cell therapy to release antinociceptive agents near the injured spinal cord would be the logical next step in the development of treatment modalities. But few clinical trials, especially for chronic pain, have tested the transplant of cells or a cell line to treat human disease. The history of the research and development of useful cell-transplant-based approaches offers an understanding of the advantages and problems associated with these technologies, but as an adjuvant or replacement for current pharmacological treatments, cell therapy is a likely near future clinical tool for improved health care.

O envelhecimento no espaço midiático: a produção de sentidos pelos meios jornalísticos

Aging as a social phenomenon is guided in the ways of production and reproduction, that is linked to the peculiarities and compliances of the social structure influence the values and erected senses. The search for the understanding of the reality will be given by the appropriation of knowledge/information that in contemporary times are increasingly tied to the media means, so that they go beyond the mere condition media, reaching the condition of instruments of direct, attitudes and opinions production. Among the media instruments, there are news medias, that are important means of information dissemination and consequently production of senses, including over aging. Thus, the objective is to: apprehend the social representations and meanings associated with aging in the media space about aging; browse the social representations about aging in media space and their influence on the relations that are established in the cultural socio-economic context. To do it The Theory of Social Representation will be used. To collect the data, 57 online news from the three main state newspapers were studied: Tribuna do Norte, Gazeta do Povo and Jornal de Hoje, which were captured through a search tol of these newspaper sites, using the words: “aging””elderly”. These materials were analyzed making use of Bardin’s Qualitative Analysis, which allowed the establishment of five categories, namely: Aging and violence; Aging in contemporary times; Aging and health; Aging and citizenship; and Aging, work and action. In the first category news reporting violent situations are framed the regardless of the victim’s condition or the one charged by the violence, the fragility of elderly persists. In Aging in contemporary times the attempts of the news media to explain the demographic changes of the quantitative increases in the elderly, the burden it may lead to the full development of the country are noticed. In Aging and health is noticed the imminent end of the condition brought on age, as a synonym for diseases and conditions. In the fourth category, Aging and citizenship situations are shown where peculiarities and needs or the elderly need to turn into obligation to be fulfilled, denouncing the condition of low expression and social power of the class. Finally, in Aging, work and action situations that indicate the non-expectation of elderly interaction with new technologies and participation in decision-making directions of society are brought. In a general and specific form this analysis allowed learning the ways of production of meanings about aging in the papers, as these ones tend to represent aging through intentioned situations as hegemonic needs, building the social representation of the elderly as fragile person, submissive, inactive, subject to violence and susceptible to becoming ill.

Processos de imitação-criação como constituidores da práxis pedagógica: uma intervenção didático-formativa com o formador de professores

The research deals with the constitution of the pedagogical praxis of a teacher trainer, understood as objectification of theoretical and practical unity in the teaching field. It was achieved by means of a didactic-training intervention. The research problem: as a teacher trainer in a continuous training process is a pedagogical praxis, outlined to the overall objective: investigate the establishment of the pedagogical praxis of teacher trainer in a continuous formation process. The specific objectives were: 1) outline principles and foundations theoretical-methodological course of intervention research on appropriate teaching assumptions of historical-cultural theory; 2) systematic principles of constitution of the pedagogical praxis of a teacher trainer and 3) synthesize foundations of continued training of teacher trainers in view of the historical-cultural theory, to collaborate with design of institutional policies for continuing training of university teachers. The research was developed at the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro University - UFTM, with teachers who work in their degree courses. It was developed in three stages: diagnosis, didactic-formative intervention and analysis of data. In the diagnostic step attended five teacher educators of degrees in: history, geography, physics, chemistry and letters. At this stage were used identification questionnaires, interviews, classroom observation and document analysis. In the next stage, with participation of a trainer, it was held educational-training intervention understood as the collective research-training process that is involved intervening in teaching with the development of interdependent and simultaneous actions trainings, planning and implementation of educational activities and study, classroom observation and evaluation from the perspective of dialectical unity in order to contribute to the integral development of teachers and students. The intervention were also held interviews and document analysis. The last stage of the research was the analysis of the data. In the diagnosis of education, among other analyzes, three references were found of the trainer's training-action: memorized references, empirical and praxis. It was the analysis of the references of the trainer's training-action that guided referrals ways of teaching-training intervention. As a result, it was concluded that the teacher educator is their pedagogical praxis in the dialectical units theoretical and practical appropriation of concepts and imitation-creation. Were the two principles analyzed in the research. It was also systematized some essential elements of the formation of the teacher educator: the needs of trainers are decisive in the choice of concepts that will be appropriate; the organization of the training process should take place hand in hand with planning and development classes; the theory need to be experienced in training so that appropriation/objectification of education come true, and also, participants must be strengthened as a collective studies, since we have not learned by linearity but connections. It is hoped that the research will create opportunities to deepen the debate on the continuing education of teacher educators and contribute to scientific production in the area.

Seguridad en prácticas de andinismo : formación docente en Educación Física

El Profesorado de Educación Física con Orientación en Actividades Regionales en Montaña de la Universidad Nacional del Comahue. (En adelante PEF-CRUB-UNCo) es el único en el país que posee una trayectoria con más de 20 años de formación de profesores de Educación Física con orientación. Fue a través de un trabajo dinámico y continuo a lo largo de los años que se fueron definiendo qué contenidos teórico-prácticos eran los apropiados para la Educación Física (Palacio, López, Schneider, 2011). Se observan coincidencias con las experiencias realizadas en otros Países como España y Alemania en los que las actividades de escalada forman parte de la Formación Docente y de la currícula educativa (Saez Padilla, Gimenez, Fuentes Guerra 2005; Arribas Cubero 2008; Winter, 2000). Se determinó en paralelo con otros autores (Hepp, Güllich y Heidorn, 2001) que los contenidos relacionados con Trekking y Escalada son apropiados para desarrollar en un profesorado de estas características. Una preocupación permanente que desafía a la actividad como contenido educativo es el manejo de las condiciones de seguridad. En el presente trabajo se explicarán las condiciones de Seguridad que a lo largo de los años desde la experiencia, la interrogación permanente, la consulta de bibliografía especializada y las acciones realizadas en la formación docente han sido recopiladas.

Seguridad en prácticas de andinismo : formación docente en Educación Física

El Profesorado de Educación Física con Orientación en Actividades Regionales en Montaña de la Universidad Nacional del Comahue. (En adelante PEF-CRUB-UNCo) es el único en el país que posee una trayectoria con más de 20 años de formación de profesores de Educación Física con orientación. Fue a través de un trabajo dinámico y continuo a lo largo de los años que se fueron definiendo qué contenidos teórico-prácticos eran los apropiados para la Educación Física (Palacio, López, Schneider, 2011). Se observan coincidencias con las experiencias realizadas en otros Países como España y Alemania en los que las actividades de escalada forman parte de la Formación Docente y de la currícula educativa (Saez Padilla, Gimenez, Fuentes Guerra 2005; Arribas Cubero 2008; Winter, 2000). Se determinó en paralelo con otros autores (Hepp, Güllich y Heidorn, 2001) que los contenidos relacionados con Trekking y Escalada son apropiados para desarrollar en un profesorado de estas características. Una preocupación permanente que desafía a la actividad como contenido educativo es el manejo de las condiciones de seguridad. En el presente trabajo se explicarán las condiciones de Seguridad que a lo largo de los años desde la experiencia, la interrogación permanente, la consulta de bibliografía especializada y las acciones realizadas en la formación docente han sido recopiladas.

Análise da disponibilidade da instrumentação nuclear de um reator de pesquisa

The maintenance of systems and equipment is a central question related to Production Engineering. Although systems are not fully reliable, it is often necessary to minimize the failure occurrence likelihood. The failures occurrences can have disastrous consequences during a plane flight or operation of a nuclear power plant. The elaboration of a maintenance plan has as objective the prevention and recovery from system failures, increasing reliability and reducing the cost of unplanned shutdowns. It is also important to consider the issues related to organizations safety, especially those dealing with dangerous technologies. The objective of this thesis is to propose a method for maintenance analysis of a nuclear research reactor, using a socio-technical approach, and focused on existing conditions in Brazil. The research reactor studied belongs to the federal government and it is located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The specific objective of this thesis is to develop the availability analysis of one of the principal systems of the research reactor, the nuclear instrumentation system. In this analysis, were taken into account not only the technical aspects of the modules related to nuclear instrumentation system, but also the human and organizational factors that could affect the availability of the nuclear instrumentation system. The results showed the influence of these factors on the availability of the nuclear instrumentation system.

HATWALK/ Guerilla Millinery/ Part of the Cultural Olympiad

Stealth Visor for the Duke of Wellington Project HATWALK The 2012 Cultural Olympiad would not have been representative of London's creative industries without fashion design. Sponsored by the Mayor of London brought milliners to organise an alternative to the catwalk format , the designers brought together a Hatwalk, uniting landmark heritage statues, classical and modern, to be crowned with a new bespoke design piece each. Together forming a pedestrian navigation through the Jubilee city, the hats also invited twenty one milliners to consider the specificity of working for the great outdoors. Rigorously tested in wind tunnel laboratory to withstand hurricane wind speeds and squally shows the designs aim to bring the 'exclusive' culture of fashion accessories to the inclusive culture of international festival. Working with new technologies of engineering, such as laser measuring tools, and crane for assemblage and fitting, McLean brings new meaning to the familiar figures of national public authority. Since the storming of the Bastille in revolutionary France it has been traditional for the new order to symbolize change through attacking public statuary. In a similar vein, Hatwalk, invites spectators to reconsider the relationship between distant and lofty personages of power and the sartorial insignia through which their power is signified. Crowned with a revolutionary red ' large plexi punk neon number' the Duke of Wellington, at Wellington arch is the first in the Hatwalk exhibition. The originality of this research consists in the effects of surprise and Brechtian 'de familiarisation' resulting from the unexpected. The effects of this structural carnivalesque inversion of authorities can involve a range of reactions from the disdain of the offended to the laughter and pleasure of the surprised. This strategy of bringing the ludic element of play to the formalised authority of legitimised power is also signified through the conscious use of materials and colour in a monochrome and uniform culture of statuary. Here the difference in materials and visible surface of the design signifies the differences that need to be included within a socio political order before it may takes its place in history as being representative of the people it is entrusted to lead. This research output continues the work that led to the Hat Anthology exhibition (output 1), the Fifty Hats that Changed the World (output 2), the Jamaican Olympic team headwear design ( output 4), and is continued in the design, merchandise, accessories and avant garde artefacts of the House of Flora ( see website). The iterative process of the research brings innovation within continuity to McLean's work. It is difficult to theorise the 'rigour' that is undeniably present in a creative design praxis except in that McLean;s research outputs are always surprising and unexpected.

Restoring function after neuromuscular trauma: novel paradigms for enhancing volitional control of neural activity in untethered environments and vHAB, a gamified therapy platform

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Book Reviews

Reviews of the following books: Helen Caldwell and James Bird, 2015, Teaching with Tablets, London: Sage, ISBN: 978-1-473-90679-2 Reviewed by Gurmit Uppal. Vivienne Baumfield, Elaine Hall and Kate Wall, 2013, Action Research in Education (2nd Edition), London: Sage, ISBN: 978-1-446-20719-2 Reviewed by Warren Kidd. Patricia Driscoll, Andrew Lambirth and Judith Roden, 2015, The Primary Curriculum: A Creative Approach (2nd Edition), London: Sage, ISBN 978-1-473-90387-6 Reviewed by Rebecca Bannocks

Educação na era do hipertexto: uma experiência diferenciada na biologia

Acompanha: Sequência didática: trabalhando o conceito e as características dos fungos: pesquisa de campo para identificação dos fungos

Aplicação de técnicas de classificação em séries temporais

Hoje, há um interesse crescente pela aprendizagem de uma segunda língua, quer seja por razões profissionais ou pessoais. Esta é uma tendência que se vai afirmando num mundo cada vez mais interconectado. Por outro lado, a democratização das tecnologias computacionais torna possível pensar em desenvolver novas técnicas de ensino de línguas mais automatizadas e personalizadas. Esta dissertação teve como objetivo estudar e implementar um conjunto de técnicas de processamento de sinal e de classificação de séries temporais úteis para o desenvolvimento de metodologias do ensino oral com feedback automático. São apresentados resultados preliminares sobre a prestação destas técnicas, e avaliada a viabilidade deste tipo de abordagem.