Modelação, simulação e implementação de agitação acústica para aplicações em microfluídica

Tese de Doutoramento (Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Biomédica)

Sucesso escolar e percursos vocacionais na adolescência: variáveis pessoais e contextuais

Tese de Doutoramento Ciências da Educação (Especialidade em Psicologia da Educação)

Contributos dos ambientes digitais online para a aprendizagem em contexto de atividades de apoio extraescolar

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Educação (área de especialização em Tecnologia Educativa)

Intervir através da educação física na coeducação: realidade ou intenção?

Intervir de forma consciente e organizada em prol da promoção da igualdade de oportunidades na escola tem sido, nas últimas décadas, um dos propósitos da Educação Física (EF) na Europa. Através das rotinas e das oportunidades que se proporcionam, rapazes e raparigas têm acesso a uma prática de atividade física e desportiva (AFD) que lhes possibilita aperfeiçoar capacidades, competências e atitudes. Consideramos que o contributo da EF na educação é de um valor significativo, viabilizando às crianças e jovens construir a sua imagem corporal e os estereótipos de género, desenvolver afectos e emoções, cultivar a sua relação com os outros, criar capacidades e valores, ajudando deste modo uma formação das atitudes individuais ou coletivas, que respeitem a igualdade de género e, por isso, os direitos humanos. Este estudo foi realizado a partir da informação recolhida, através da aplicação de um questionário, a uma amostra de 993 crianças, 57.5% raparigas e 42.5% rapazes, com idades compreendidas entre os 10 e 12 anos, pertencentes a várias escolas do ensino público e ambicionou comparar as perceções e preferências de rapazes e raparigas relativamente às práticas AFD que decorrem na disciplina de EF, para se poderem apresentar alternativas de práticas mais flexíveis e integradoras. A partir dos nossos resultados podemos concluir que a AFD na escola continua a ser muito marcada por práticas de técnicas de movimento, jogos e competições desportivas, vivências muito identificadas com os estereótipos masculinos e que, nem sempre ajudam à formação de um bom esquema corporal e de comportamentos que se tendem a manter ao longo da vida, para muita(o)s jovens. Sugerimos que as atividades oferecidas às crianças e jovens nas escolas sejam mais diversificadas e inclusivas, impondo um nível de desempenho e de satisfação mais adequado a cada caso em particular, devendo estar mais centradas quer em atividades de ar livre, quer em práticas que desenvolvem também as dimensões sensitiva, expressiva e corporal do(a)s aluno(a)s.

Determination of the importance of iron acquisition for Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm survival in human blood

Dissertação de mestrado em Bioengenharia

Relatório final de estágio realizado na Escola Secundária com 2º e 3º ciclos Anselmo de Andrade

O presente relatório constitui-se como uma análise reflexiva do processo de formação do Estágio Pedagógico desenvolvido na Escola Secundária com 2º e 3º ciclos Anselmo de Andrade, em Almada, no ano letivo 2013/2014. O estágio em questão integra o 2º ano do Mestrado em Ensino da Educação Física nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário da Faculdade de Motricidade Humana. O relatório teve por base o Guia de Estágio Pedagógico 2013/2014, que define as competências a adquirir em quatro áreas de intervenção: (1) Organização e gestão do ensino e da aprendizagem, (2) Investigação e inovação pedagógica, (3) Participação na escola e (4) Relação com a comunidade. É feita uma contextualização do estágio seguida de uma descrição e reflexão sobre a prática pedagógica de cada área e uma reflexão sobre a contribuição das aprendizagens para o meu futuro profissional, sendo ainda lançadas algumas propostas de atividades que poderiam ter sido desenvolvidas no estágio pedagógico ou no futuro. É também realizada uma reflexão final sobre todo o processo inerente ao estágio, destacando-o como um processo interligado, e, ainda, uma reflexão sobre a importância do Plano Individual de Formação, efetuando um resumo das competências desenvolvidas ao longo do processo de estágio.

Procesos adaptativos y dimensiones del comportamiento biosocial en cazadores recolectores del SW de la provincia de La Pampa.

Resumen del proyecto: Este resumen se incluirá en la base de datos de la Biblioteca Digital del Ministerio, por lo que se debe elaborar el mismo sobre la base de la siguiente estructura y completar todos los campos que se indican a continuación: identificación y caracterización del problema objeto del estudio, hipótesis, planteo de objetivos, materiales y métodos a utilizar, resultados esperados, importancia del proyecto (extensión del campo 4000 caracteres). Proyecto diseñado para aportar al conocimiento de los procesos adaptativos y la dinámica biosocial de las sociedades del pasado prehistórico argentino. Propone analizar y evaluar el potencial documental de los restos bioarqueológicos con fehaciente asociación contextual para posibilitar la realización de inferencias sobre procesos biosociales de naturaleza adaptativa o no adaptativa. Está centrado en el análisis osteológico y biocultural de materiales esqueletales (aproximadamente cien individuos) correspondientes a poblaciones aborígenes prehistóricas del actual territorio de la provincia de La Pampa (Médano Petroquímica, Departamento Puelén). Entre otros muchos aspectos, la importancia de estos materiales reside en que son asignables a sociedades con economía cazadora-recolectora y cuya cronología corresponde al Holoceno tardío final (Entierros datados en 393 ± 41 cal AP AMS.), una época particularmente interesante por la dinámica sucesión de eventos socioculturales y poblacionales que la caracterizan. La evidencia recuperada da cuenta de prácticas funerarias complejas que consisten en la realización de enterratorios colectivos, indirectos, secundarios, y presencia de eventos de violencia y/o tensión social. Los métodos y técnicas consisten en la descripción e identificación basados en observación y registro de marcadores esqueléticos conforme a prácticas estándares de nuestro laboratorio: Planillas de observación y registro durante excavaciones de la Archaeological Summer Field School (ASFS) de la Universidad de Chicago y planillas de los “Standards” de Buikstra y Ubelaker, modificadas y adaptadas por nuestro grupo de trabajo, entre otros). Los datos obtenidos serán empleados para graficación (estadística descriptiva) y también se realizará sobre ellos análisis multivariados y estadística no paramétrica (etapa inferencial). Se tendrán en cuenta aspectos descriptivos y analíticos vinculados con el reconocimiento de la edad y el sexo, hábitos dietarios (marcadores morfológicos y químicos de hueso y dientes), economía de subsistencia, patrones de diferenciación social, exploración de eventuales relaciones de parentesco, roles vinculados con el sexo, el uso del cuerpo, dieta, salud y enfermedad, en relación con la economía de subsistencia, etc. (Buikstra y Beck 2006, Larsen, 1997, White y Folkens 2000). Dado la naturaleza y complejidad de los hallazgos, caracterizados por la conformación de entierros colectivos secundarios e indirectos, un capítulo de interés lo constituye el análisis de las dimensiones sociales del comportamiento mortuorio y la discusión de los indicadores de violencia y/o tensión social asociados a los hallazgos (O´Shea 1984, Rakita et al. 2005, entre otros). Dado el hecho de que se cuenta con la disponibilidad de materiales adecuados para este tipo de estudios, la información relevante y los datos a analizar serán obtenidos mediante la aplicación de métodos y técnicas bioarqueológicas específicas antes mencionados, con la finalidad de observar y discutir tendencias y proponer modelos de interpretación sujetos a ulterior validación, particularmente toda vez que se cuente con una mayor representación numérica y casuística tanto a nivel de individuos como de sitios bioarqueológicos excavados. El proyecto se enmarca en la firma de un Convenio Específico de Trabajo entre la UNRC y el Gobierno de La Pampa. Palabras clave: Ingrese hasta 5 palabras clave, distintas de las utilizadas en el título del proyecto y que describan la naturaleza del objeto de estudio. bioarqueología economía cazadora-recolectora adaptación biosocial comportamiento mortuorio Violencia y tensión social. Abstract: Resumen del proyecto en inglés (extensión del campo 2000 caracteres). This project has been designed to improve the knoledge on adaptive processes and biosocial dynamics among aborigine past societies in Argentina. This research is focused on the analysis and evaluation of documentary potential of bioarchaeological skeletal remains with reliable contextual associations. It is specifically centered in the osteological as well as cultural analysis of more than one hundred skeletons from native prehistoric populations from a prehistoric collective burial site in La Pampa province. (Médano Petroquímica, Departamento Puelén). Among other aspects, the importance of the materials to be analyzed lies in the fact that they correspond to a subsistence economy based on hunting and gathering, and have been chronologically assigned to Late Holocene times (burials dated 393 ± 41 cal AP AMS), a period denoting particular interest due to the dynamic succession of sociocultural events that characterized it. Evidence so far recovered accounts for complex funerary practices consisting of indirect, secondary collective burials, as well as the presence of events of violence and/o social tension. Methods and techniques consist in the description and identification based on the observation, and recording of skeletal markers, according to laboratory as well as field work standards: The University of Chicago Archaeological Summer Field School (ASFS) forms, and the “Standards” forms from Buikstra y Ubelaker (1994), modified and adapted by our research team, among others. Data obtained shall be used for graphic (descriptive statistics) as well as multivariate analyses and non parametric statistics (inferential stage). Descriptive as well as analytical aspects such as those related to age and sex determination, feeding habits (morphological as well as chemical markers of bones and teeth), subsistence economy, patterns of social differentiation, kinship patterns, sex-linked roles, body use, diet, health and disease, all of them in close relationship with the hunter-gatherer subsistence economy (Buikstra y Beck 2006, Larsen, 1997, White y Folkens 2000). Given the nature and complexity of the burial disposals, characterized by complex collective burials, a core chapter of our interest is that of social dimensions of mortuary behavior as well as the discussion and interpretation of markers of violence and/or social tension. Given the amount of evidence gathered so far, relevant information as well as data to be analyzed will be obtained by specific bioarchaeological methods and techniques, trying to observe and discuss possible trends as well as to formulate interpretive models to be verified or rejected with the arrival of new, reliable data both at individual level as well as at the archaeological sites to be excavated. This project has been particularly considered in a bilateral agreement between UNRC and the Government of La Pampa Province.

Derechos de participación e información en programas dirigidos a adolescentes en escuelas secundarias de la Ciudad de Córdoba: cumplimiento progresivo y estrategias de promoción. Participation and information rights in programs for adolescents in secondary schools in Cordoba City: progressive implementation and promotion strategies.

Abordar la infancia desde el enfoque de derechos (ED) implica una lectura de los derechos de los cuales los niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) son titulares y de las acciones estatales que se implementan para viabilizar el ejercicio concreto de ellos. Esta perspectiva exige comprender los contenidos de las políticas púb,el grado de participación que se les asigna y los sentidos que ellas toman en términos de progresividad de los derechos. Los cambios de concepción de la infancia desde la Convención Internacional de los Derechos del Niño (CIDN) y los cambios legislativos interpelan al Estado y la sociedad a modificar la visión hegemónica. Nuestra hipótesis gira alrededor de las siguientes considerac.: se han producido algunas modificaciones en las políticas y acciones estatales, aún no se dan las transformaciones necesarias de las lógicas institucionales y de los operadores que estimulen la participación de NNA en el ámbito escolar. Esto se visualiza en la ausencia de análisis cuali de los contenidos de las acc. y la falta de ftes estadísticas específicas, que muestren la orientac.de los contenidos en los principios de la protecc.integral. Estos presupuestos plantean interrogantes que delimitan el problema de investigación: ¿cómo se construye y reconstruye el ejercicio de la ciudadanía a través de la participación de los NNA, en su paso por la escuela, y cuáles son las lógicas institucionales que habilitan u obstaculizan ese ejercicio? Y ¿cuáles son los recursos institucionales que permitan que los programas y acciones redunden en el ejercicio efectivo de los derechos?.Obj.gral: Describir, analizar e interpretar la progresividad en el ejercicio de los derechos de participación e informacióin que tienen los adolescentes en escuelas secundarias de la cd de Cba, durante 2005 / 2010, para promover espacios públicos de construcción de ciudadanía. Se analizarán tres escuelas de Córdoba, escuela pública provincial, púb. nacional y privada. Obj. Espec.: Analizar las prácticas participativas formales e informales en las escuelas seleccionadas.- Aplicar indicadores cuanti y cualitativos del “Sistema de Indicadores para los derechos de la Infancia” Describir y analizar los recursos materiales y humanos. Elaborar y proponer procedim. para la confec. de registros de datos estadísticos - Elaborar y proponer lineamientos para la elaborac.e implementac.de acciones. Diseñar herramientas de difusión sobre los ds de participación e información.Esta investigac. es de carácter descriptivo e interpretativo, analizará diferentes ftes de informac.con técnicas cuanti y cualitativas, durante período la promulgación de la Ley 26061/05 y la adhesión prov. 9396/07. Se tomarán del Sistema de Indicadores, el derecho a la educación, el tema transversal “Acceso a la información y participación”, y las categorías de análisis “Recepción del Derecho y Capacidades estatales”. Se trabajaran indicadores cuanti y señales de progreso (cualitativos): estructurales, proceso y resultados. Serán analizados los Programas implementados durante el período de estudio. Estrategias cuali observac. participante, entrevistas, grupos focales, talleres de sensibilización, etc .Otras ftes de info: doc. institucionales, registros, evaluac, contenidos de programas y campañas y de difusión, prensa escrita, legislaciones, etc. La info se analizará a través Programa Atlas Ti, y del análisis estadístico. Algunos resultados esperados: Evaluac.y ajuste del Sistema de indicadores, la sensibilizac. desde el EF de autorid. escol. para la formulac. de planes y programas para el monitoreo adecuado de los mismos y para la rendic. de ctas de su gestión. Estimular la participac. de NNA en la escuela. Realizac.de documental. Brindar herramientas al Edo para superv de la aplicación progresiva del ejercicio de los derechos de participación e información de NNA Promov la continua evaluac. de los programas y acc.desde el ED para estimular el reconoc. de la nec.de ajuste de la política. The issue of children from the rights focus implies a reading of the rights in which children and adolescents are the holders and the state actions that are implemented to enable the exercise of them. This perspective requires understanding the contents of the public policies, the participation level that is assigned, and the senses that they take in terms of rights progressivity of. The conception changes about children since the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and legislative changes challenge to the State and society to modify hegemony vision. Our hypothesis revolves around the following considerations: there have been some public policies and state actions changes, but they not turn out, yet, transformations in logical institutional and actors whose are encourages children participation in school. This could be reflects in the absence of qualitative analysis in the actions contents and the lack of sources specific statistics, that will be showing the control of the principal contents of integral protection. These, raise the questions that delimit our problem research: how is built citizenship exercise through children and adolescent’s participation in the school, and what are the institutional logical that empowers or turns difficult that exercise? And What are the institutional resources that make possible the effective exercise of the rights, through different programs and actions?. General Objective: To describe, analyze and interpret exercise progressivity participation and information rights that have the adolescents in secondary schools in Córdoba City during 2005 / 2010, in order to promote public spaces for the construction of citizenship. It will analyze three schools in Cordoba, provincial public school, national public school and private school. . Obj. Specifics: To analyze the formal and informal participative practices in the schools selected. - To apply quantitative and qualitative indicators of the “Indicators System for Infa

Molecular and cellular basis of hepatic fibrogenesis in experimental schistosomiasis mansoni infection

Morbidity in schistosomiasis mansoni occurs primaryly as a result of the complications of hepatic fibrosis. Yet, the pathogenesis of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis is poorly understood. The fact that hepatic egg granuloma is the hallmark of this infection suggests a potential role for granulomatous inflamation in hepatic fibrogenesis. Our studies in a murine schistosomiasis model indicate that hepatic granuloma cells secrete a variety of fibrogenic cytokines that may initiate the scarring process. Among these cytokines, we identified a novel protein that we designated fibroplast stimulating factor-1 (FsF-1). FsF-1 is a lymphokine that can stimulate fibroplast growth and matrix synthesis. A notable feature of hepatic fibrosis in this model is that production of FsF-1 and other granuloma-derived fibrogenic cytokines is down-regulated in chronic infection, an event that may be under immunological control. The spontaneous reduction of FsF-1 secretion presumably accounts for reduced scar formation late in infection of mice. In the context of relevant clinical studies, our findings engender the hypothesis that Symmer's fibrosis may develop in a small suppopulation of individuals as a result of immunogenetically-determined dysregulation of fibrogenic cytokine production.

A quorum sensing small volatile molecule promotes antibiotic tolerance in bacteria.

Bacteria can be refractory to antibiotics due to a sub-population of dormant cells, called persisters that are highly tolerant to antibiotic exposure. The low frequency and transience of the antibiotic tolerant "persister" trait has complicated elucidation of the mechanism that controls antibiotic tolerance. In this study, we show that 2' Amino-acetophenone (2-AA), a poorly studied but diagnostically important small, volatile molecule produced by the recalcitrant gram-negative human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, promotes antibiotic tolerance in response to quorum-sensing (QS) signaling. Our results show that 2-AA mediated persister cell accumulation occurs via alteration of the expression of genes involved in the translational capacity of the cell, including almost all ribosomal protein genes and other translation-related factors. That 2-AA promotes persisters formation also in other emerging multi-drug resistant pathogens, including the non 2-AA producer Acinetobacter baumannii implies that 2-AA may play an important role in the ability of gram-negative bacteria to tolerate antibiotic treatments in polymicrobial infections. Given that the synthesis, excretion and uptake of QS small molecules is a common hallmark of prokaryotes, together with the fact that the translational machinery is highly conserved, we posit that modulation of the translational capacity of the cell via QS molecules, may be a general, widely distributed mechanism that promotes antibiotic tolerance among prokaryotes.

Educational pathways of minority youth in Norway: intersections of gender, ethnicity and social class

Educational aspirations during lower secondary school and choice of upper secondary education are important for young people’s future trajectories into higher education and labour market positions. In line with ideas about reflexive, autonomous individuals (Giddens, 1991), choice of education is often represented as a young person’ individual decision, and educational guidance as aimed at discovering what ‘fits’ an individual’s personality, interests and abilities. Educational aspirations and choices are also social patterns that are reproduced. Some population categories represent exceptions from expected patterns of social reproduction of educational level and professions. In several countries, one such category is young people from families with migration experiences (Lauglo, 2000; Modood, 2004). In Norway, students have a legal right to non-compulsory upper secondary schooling and 96 percent of the students continue from lower to upper secondary school. In spite of positive developments regarding minority youths’ completion of upper secondary and higher education in later years, studies still persistently show lower educational attainment among minority youth, particularly among boys (Fekjaer, 2006). However, in lower secondary school, minor ity youth tend to have markedly higher educational aspirations and stronger learning motivation than their majority peers, as well as greater effort in school and strong adherence to school values (Lauglo, 2000) despite lower educational attainment or lower socio-economic backgrounds. In addition, gender differences in educational aspirations seem to be smaller among minority youth. The principal objective of the study in progress that will be presented in this paper, is to describe how processes relating to gendered, ethnic and class-based identities influence young people’s educational choices. The study is undertaken as a PhD project in social anthropology. The methodological approach is ethnographic longitudinal fieldwork in two multicultural lower secondary schools in Oslo. The study is part of a larger project that also include quantitative analyses of longitudinal data covering 9th graders in Oslo 2006 through four data collections during lower and upper secondary school.

Isochorismate synthase (PchA), the first and rate-limiting enzyme in salicylate biosynthesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa the extracellular metabolite and siderophore pyochelin is synthesized from two major precursors, chorismate and l-cysteine via salicylate as an intermediate. The regulatory role of isochorismate synthase, the first enzyme in the pyochelin biosynthetic pathway, was studied. This enzyme is encoded by pchA, the last gene in the pchDCBA operon. The PchA protein was purified to apparent electrophoretic homogeneity from a PchA-overexpressing P. aeruginosa strain. The native enzyme was a 52-kDa monomer in solution, and its activity strictly depended on Mg(2+). At pH 7.0, the optimum, a K(m) = 4.5 microm and a k(cat) = 43.1 min(-1) were determined for chorismate. No feedback inhibitors or other allosteric effectors were found. The intracellular PchA concentration critically determined the rate of salicylate formation both in vitro and in vivo. In cultures grown in iron-limiting media to high cell densities, overexpression of the pchA gene resulted in overproduction of salicylate as well as in enhanced pyochelin formation. From this work and earlier studies, it is proposed that one important factor influencing the flux through the pyochelin biosynthetic pathway is the PchA concentration, which is determined at a transcriptional level, with pyochelin acting as a positive signal and iron as a negative signal.

The effect of in vitro heating on the distribution of nuclear matrix polypeptides in HeLa cells.

The in situ nuclear matrix was obtained from HeLa cells. After permeabilization with nonionic detergent, the resulting structures were incubated for 1 h at 37 degrees C to determine whether or not such an incubation might result in the redistribution of nuclear polypeptides which resisted extraction with buffers of high-ionic strength (1.6 M NaCl or 0.25 M (NH4)2SO4 as well as DNase I digestion. Using indirect immunofluorescence experiments and monoclonal antibodies we show that heating to 37 degrees C changes the distribution of a 160 kDa protein previously shown to be a component of the inner matrix network. On the other hand, a 125 kDa polypeptide was not affected at all by the incubation. Our results clearly indicate that the inclusion of a 37 degrees C incubation (for example during digestion with DNase I) in the protocol to obtain the in situ nuclear matrix can result in the formation of in vitro artifacts.

A good practice guide for school food initiatives

This Guide was developed through extensive consultation with schools, community groups, health professionals and suppliers who are currently involved in providing food in school. Research was also conducted on approaches in Northern Ireland and in other countries. Finally, we consulted with Government and social partner stakeholders at national level to get their views as to the main issues to be addressed.

Success and Failure for Children Born with Facial Clefts in Africa: A 15-Year Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: This study reviews the 15 year program of our Department of Pediatric Surgery for the treatment and follow-up of children born with a cleft in Benin and Togo. METHODS: We analyzed files of children born in Africa with a cleft. They were referred to us through a nongovernmental organization (NGO) between 1993 and 2008 and assessed in Africa by local pediatricians before and after surgery. Operations were performed by our team. RESULTS: Two hundred files were reviewed: 60 cases of unilateral cleft lip, seven of bilateral cleft lip, 44 of unilateral cleft lip palate (UCLP), 29 of bilateral cleft lip palate (BCLP), 53 of cleft palate (CP), three of bilateral oro-ocular cleft, one of unilateral and two of median clefts (Binder), and one of commissural cleft. Sixty-nine (35 %) of these cases were not operated in Africa: 25 (12.5 %) had not shown up, 28 (15 %) were considered unfit for surgery (Down's syndrome, HIV-positive, malnutrition, cardiac malformation), and 16 (7.5 %) were transferred to Switzerland. Palatal fistula occurred in 20 % of UCLP, 30 % of BCLP, and 16 % of CP. Evaluation of speech after palate surgery gave less than 50 % of socially acceptable speech. CONCLUSIONS: Our partnership with a NGO and a local team makes it possible to treat and subsequently follow children born with a cleft in West Africa. Surgery is performed under good conditions. If aesthetic results are a success, functional results after palate surgery need further improvement to promote integration in school and social life.