A influência do e-learning no capital humano

Na Europa e nas últimas décadas do Século XX, a emergência da Sociedade de Informação veio impor às organizações a necessidade de que, para além das inovações tecnológicas, haja uma preocupação relativamente aos bens intangíveis como a informação, as novas metodologias de trabalho e o know how (Batista, 2002). Paralelamente a estas inovações, as Instituições de Ensino Superior têm contribuído para a evolução do Capital Humano, como ativo intangível intrínseco ao Homem. Em Portugal e no contexto do Ensino/Formação a Distância parecem continuar a existir, ainda, em algumas instituições, problemas de identificação, e de descriminação das vantagens no que concerne à estrutura aberta e flexível, com o estudante/formando a ter algumas dificuldades em adaptar o seu perfil e interesses profissionais ao tipo de aprendizagem que mais se lhe adequa. O e-learning surge como um método de Ensino/Formação a Distância, só possível com a especificidade dos processos pedagógicos e em complementaridade com as Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC), uma vez que são estas que lhe dão o suporte necessário à sua concretização. O e-learning ao proporcionar novas formas de comunicação, de interação e de confronto de ideias, permite uma aprendizagem baseada na partilha de saberes, tendo em consideração as experiências e os objetivos profissionais dos formandos. Dentro destes pressupostos, achámos importante fazer uma investigação a partir de Instituições de Ensino Superior Portuguesas, de modo a percebermos qual o papel e a influência que o e-learning desempenha nos objetivos das organizações académicas em geral e no Capital Humano dos seus Estudantes/Formandos em particular. A partir da questão da investigação foram definidos os objetivos e hipóteses de investigação de modo a que ao ser enunciada uma metodologia esta englobe fatores que foquem os elementos necessários à confirmação, ou não, dos pressupostos enunciados. Foi analisada documentação diversa, criado um questionário e conduzidas entrevistas, de modo a obter e potenciar a informação necessária e suficiente para o efeito. A recolha de dados para posterior análise e os resultados depois de interpretados, permitirão responder aos propósitos expressos desde o início da investigação.

Technological change and the wealth of nations

We discuss a unified theory of directed technological change and technologyadoption that can shed light on the causes of persistent productivity differencesacross countries. In our model, new technologies are designed in advanced countries and diffuse endogenously to less developed countries. Our framework is richenough to highlight three broad reasons for productivity differences: inappropriatetechnologies, policy-induced barriers to technology adoption, and within-countrymisallocations across sectors due to policy distortions. We also discuss the effectsof two aspects of globalization, trade in goods and migration, on the wealth ofnations through their impact on the direction of technical progress. By doing so,we illustrate some of the equalizing and unequalizing forces of globalization.

Interaction between Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum in the management of Spodoptera spp.

Interaction betweeen Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum in the management of Spodoptera spp. The use of egg parasitoids is a promising strategy for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), but different species of parasitoids have greater or lesser control efficiency, depending on the pest species. Recently, not only Anticarsia gemmatalis and Pseudoplusia includens but also Spodoptera cosmioides and S. eridania have been among the key Lepidoptera larvae attacking soybeans. This study evaluated the combination of Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum for parasitism of eggs of the Spodoptera complex, for better control efficiency and broader spectrum of action among the key pests of soybeans. The experiment was carried out under controlled environmental conditions (25 ± 2ºC; 70 ± 10% RH; and 14 h photophase) in a completely randomized experimental design with seven treatments and 10 replicates with S. frugiperda, S. cosmioides and S. eridania eggs. Each replicate consisted of one egg mass of each Spodoptera species, with approximately 100 eggs offered to the parasitoids. The treatments were: 1) 10 females of T. pretiosum; 2) nine females of T. pretiosum and one female of T. remus; 3) eight females of T. pretiosum and two females of T. remus; 4) seven females of T. pretiosum and three females of T. remus; 5) six females of T. pretiosum and four females of T. remus; 6) five females of T. pretiosum and five females of T. remus, and 7) 10 females of T. remus. The parameter evaluated was the percentage of parasitized eggs. Results showed that treatments combining both parasitoid species with only 1 T. remus for each 9 T. pretiosum (10%) and only 2 T. remus for each 8 T. pretiosum (20%) were enough to significantly increase the parasitism observed on eggs of S. cosmioides and S. frugiperda, respectively. This association of T. pretiosum and T. remus in different proportions is very promising for biological control in IPM programs because it provides wide spectrum of control.

European research funding and regional technological capabilities: Network composition analysis

We use network and correspondence analysis to describe the compositionof the research networks in the European BRITE--EURAM program. Our mainfinding is that 27\% of the participants in this program fall into one oftwo sets of highly ``interconnected'' institutions --one centered aroundlarge firms (with smaller firms and research centers providing specializedservices), and the other around universities--. Moreover, these ``hubs''are composed largely of institutions coming from the technologically mostadvanced regions of Europe. This is suggestive of the difficulties of attainingEuropean ``cohesion'', as technically advanced institutions naturally linkwith partners of similar technological capabilities.

Interaction between tobacco and alcohol use and the risk of head and neck cancer: pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium.

BACKGROUND: The magnitude of risk conferred by the interaction between tobacco and alcohol use on the risk of head and neck cancers is not clear because studies have used various methods to quantify the excess head and neck cancer burden. METHODS: We analyzed individual-level pooled data from 17 European and American case-control studies (11,221 cases and 16,168 controls) participating in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium. We estimated the multiplicative interaction parameter (psi) and population attributable risks (PAR). RESULTS: A greater than multiplicative joint effect between ever tobacco and alcohol use was observed for head and neck cancer risk (psi = 2.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-3.04). The PAR for tobacco or alcohol was 72% (95% confidence interval, 61-79%) for head and neck cancer, of which 4% was due to alcohol alone, 33% was due to tobacco alone, and 35% was due to tobacco and alcohol combined. The total PAR differed by subsite (64% for oral cavity cancer, 72% for pharyngeal cancer, 89% for laryngeal cancer), by sex (74% for men, 57% for women), by age (33% for cases <45 years, 73% for cases >60 years), and by region (84% in Europe, 51% in North America, 83% in Latin America). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that the joint effect between tobacco and alcohol use is greater than multiplicative on head and neck cancer risk. However, a substantial proportion of head and neck cancers cannot be attributed to tobacco or alcohol use, particularly for oral cavity cancer and for head and neck cancer among women and among young-onset cases.

Interaction between Musca domestica L. and its predator Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae): effects of prey density and food source abundance

Interaction between Musca domestica L. and its predator Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae): Effects of prey density and food source abundance. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of prey density and food source abundance on the predatory behavior of Muscina stabulans over M. domestica. Three predator/prey proportions were evaluated (1:1, 1:3 and 1:6), using 100 third instar predator larvae against second instar prey larvae. Each proportion was maintained using three different levels of food substrate (25, 50 and 100 g). The experiments were carried out in triplicate in BOD incubators (25ºC, UR 70% ± 10% and 12 h photoperiod). The mortality of the M. domestica larvae was 100% under all conditions, except in the 1:6 predator/prey proportion, at the 50g and 100g food substrate levels, where it was 99.99% and 99.22%, respectively. There was a significant increase in the development period of M. stabulans in relation to the increase in prey density and decrease in quantity of food substrate. An increase in the proportion of individuals and a reduction in the amount of resource slowed down larval development. Muscina stabulans pupal weight was proportional to the increase in prey density and the amount of food substrate. The proportion or the density influenced the survival of M. stabulans, with no difference in relation to the amount of food source and consequently in the interaction of the factors. There was no difference between the 1:1 and 1:3 predator-prey densities, with both differing from the 1:6 density.

Interaction between Tephritidae (Insecta, Diptera) and plants of the family Asteraceae: new host and distribution records for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Twenty species of Tephritidae (Diptera) are recorded in association with capitula of plants in the family Asteraceae. The Tephritidae genus Tetreuarestais registered for Rio Grande do Sul for the first time. Five species of Tephritidae are newly recorded for Rio Grande do Sul, and new hosts are recorded for the following fly species: Dioxyna chilensis (Macquart), Plaumannimyia dolores (Hering), Plaumannimyia imitatrix (Hering), Plaumannimyia miseta(Hering), Plaumannimyia pallensHering, Tomoplagia incompleta (Williston), Tomoplagia matzenbacheriPrado, Norrbom & Lewinsohn, Tomoplagia reimoseriHendel, Xanthaciura biocellata(Thomson) and Xanthaciura chrysura(Thomson).

Worldly Saints : Social Interaction of Dominican Penitent Women in Italy, 1200-1500

Doctoral dissertation, University of Turku

Interaction of alpha-melanotropin with central dopamine systems: role of hormonal state and molecular structure

The tubero-infundibular and nigrostriatal DA neurone systems of rats respond to systemic (i.p.) injection of alpha-MSH (2-100 microgram/kg). The response of the tubero-infundibular (arcuate) DA neurones, an increase in cellular fluorescence intensity which can be interpreted as a sign of increased neuronal activity, is essentially the same in males, estrogen-progesterone-pretreated ovariectomized females and hypophysectomized males, whereas the type of response elicited by alpha-MSH in the nigral DA neurones depends upon the hormonal state of the animal. Differences between the two DA neurone groups exist also with regard to the effects of peptide fragments containing the two active sites of the alpha-MSH molecule. Results of lesion experiments in the lower brainstem (area postrema) and of blockade of muscarinic mechanisms by atropine further point to differences in the mechanisms underlying the peptide effects on the two neurone systems. The reaction of the tubero-infundibular DA system (which controls the pars intermedia of the pituitary) can be considered to reflect the activation of a feedback mechanism on MSH secretion, while the functional counterpart of the changes observed in the nigral system remains unknown at the present time.

Développement de la communication intentionnelle gestuelle à partir des usages culturels des objets dans l'interaction triadique enfant-objet-adulte

Pour que deux protagonistes parviennent à communiquer, ils doivent non seulement partager les signes verbaux et/ou non verbaux qu'ils utilisent, mais ils doivent également parvenir à accéder à l'intention communicative de chacun. Ce dernier aspect de la communication a été intimement lié aux significations et aux connaissances que les protagonistes partagent (angl. common ground). Malgré le fait que l'importance des significations partagées ait été soulignée dans la littérature concernant la communication entre adultes, cet aspect n'a pas été étudié en ce qui concerne le développement précoce de la communication. Dans le présent travail, nous suggérons d'investiguer le lien entre les significations partagées entre le jeune enfant et l'adulte et la capacité de l'enfant à communiquer de manière intentionnelle via des gestes. En nous appuyant sur l'approche de la Pragmatique de l'Objet (Moro & Rodríguez, 2005), nous suggérons que les connaissances concernant l'usage culturel de l'objet que construit progressivement l'enfant représentent un type de significations que l'enfant partage avec autrui. 12 dyades mère-enfant ont été enregistrées à l'aide d'une caméra lors d'interactions avec quatre objets. Les observations ont eu lieu au domicile des familles et ont été conduites chaque deuxième mois lorsque les enfants ont été âgés de 8 à 16 mois (groupe 1) et de 16 à 24 mois (groupe 2). Les observations ont été codées pour le niveau de maîtrise de l'usage culturel par l'enfant ainsi que pour la production de gestes par l'enfant et par l'adulte. Nous avons trouvé que plus l'enfant maîtrise les usages culturels des objets, plus il produit de gestes, et plus ces gestes remplissent une fonction communicative explicite. Concernant les gestes de l'adulte, les résultats dévoilent que plus l'enfant maîtrise les usages conventionnels des objets, plus l'adulte adresse des gestes communicatifs à l'enfant, plus ses gestes sont produits de manière complexe et plus l'intention des gestes communicatifs de l'adulte est complexe. Pris ensemble, ces résultats suggèrent que le partage de significations sur l'usage culturel des objets représente un type de connaissances communes qui permettent au bébé et à ses protagonistes de communiquer.

Copresence video conference mediated interaction

Abstract

Interaction between widening of diameter of abdominal aorta and cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis burden.

The aim of this study was to investigate influence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and subclinical atherosclerosis (ATS) burden on early stages of abdominal aortic diameter (AAD) widening among adults. 2,052 consecutive patients (P) (39 % women), mean age 52 ± 13 years, were prospectively screened for CVRF, ATS, and AAD. B-mode ultrasound was used to evaluate the largest AAD and to detect carotid and femoral atherosclerotic plaques. Mean AAD was 15.2 ± 2.8 mm. Atherosclerotic plaques were detected in 71 % of patients. Significant univariate correlation between AAD, traditional CVRF, and ABS was found. However, multiple regression analysis showed that only seven of them were significantly and weakly correlated with AAD (R² = 0.27, p < 0.001). On the other hand, a multivariate logistic analysis was used to evaluate CVRF impact on enlarged AAD ≥25 mm (EAAD) as compared to those with AAD <25 mm. These factors did not account for more than 30 % of interaction (R² = 0.30, p = 0.001). Furthermore, despite a large proportion of patients with high number of CVRF, and subclinical ATS, rate of patients with AAD ≥25 mm was low (1 %) and scattered regardless their CHD risk score or ATS burden. In conclusion, these results suggest that although some traditional CVRF and presence of ATS are associated with early stages of EAAD, other determinants still need to be identified for a better understanding of abdominal aortic aneurysm pathogenesis.