Inserção profissional: os desafios nos primeiros anos de ensino

A problemática da inserção profissional dos novos professores tem sido largamente estudada sob várias perspetivas das quais destacamos, as dificuldades enfrentadas no início do seu desempenho como docentes (Alen y Sardi, 2009) Krichesky y Merodo (2009), o vinculo entre inserção e identidade profissional (Martineau y Portelance, 2005), o desenvolvimento da competência ética nos novos professores (St. Vincent 2011) e as trajetórias de emprego, entre outras.Os resultados destas pesquisas têm revelado o tipo de problemas enfrentados pelos novos professores à entrada na carreira docente e confirmado que nem todos os percursos se iniciam de modo tranquilo e sereno. É esta a problemática que serve de base ao objeto de estudo desta dissertação, pretendendo-se mais precisamente, centrar a nossa pesquisa no percurso profissional de seis professores diplomados pela Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa há dois anos. O objetivo geral do estudo é, assim, descrever e compreender o desenvolvimento profissional desses professores, identificar as dimensões mais relevantes, os fatores que o condicionam e os contextos que o limitam ou facilitam. Tendo em conta o objeto de estudo identificaram-se as seguintes questões: 1) Quais as implicações da formação inicial no desempenho da profissão? 2) Quais as principais dificuldades / problemas com que se defrontaram os novos professores na inserção na profissão?; 3) Como atuam os professores principiantes?; O que mudam nas suas práticas, o que perdura?; 4) Como se incrementa o sentimento de pertença ao novo grupo profissional?; 5) Quais as particularidades dos contextos de trabalho em que estes professores se encontram integrados que se revelam facilitadoras e/ou constrangedoras da sua inserção profissional? Para o efeito recorremos a uma metodologia qualitativa, e privilegiámos como técnica de recolha de dados a entrevista semiestruturada. Para o tratamento dos dados sustentámo-nos na análise de conteúdo seguindo os passos recomendados para a análise de conteúdo (Bardin, 2009). Os resultados do estudo permitiram identificar os constrangimentos experimentados por estes professores à entrada da profissão, assim como os modos como os ultrapassaram. Destes, destacam-se dificuldades relacionadas com a falta de autonomia, com aspetos de natureza metodológica, ao nível da organização e desenvolvimento curricular e de relacionamento com os elementos da direção das instituições nos contextos de trabalho.Abstract The issue of employability of new teachers has been widely studied from various perspectives. Research has revealed the sort of problems faced by new teachers at the beginning of their career. It confirms that frequently it is not a peaceful and serene start. We highlight the following difficulties: the link between integration and professional identity (Alen y Sardi, 2009; Krichesky y Merodo, 2009), the development of ethical competence in new teachers (y Portelance Martineau, 2005), and the professional path (St. Vincent 2011). This is the hypothesis explored in this thesis. Specifically, we focus our research on the career of six graduate teachers by the Lisbon School of Education. The main objective is to describe and understand the professional development of these teachers. For that we identify the most relevant dimensions, the factors that constrain and contexts that limit or facilitate their development. A qualitative methodology was used throughout the study. Semi structured interviews were the main data collection process. Data treatment followed the recommended framework for content analysis (Bardin, 2009). The following research questions were put forward: 1) What are the impacts of base level of knowledge in the professional performance? 2) What are the main difficulties / problems that new teachers face? 3) How do novice teachers perform? What changes in their methods, what endures? 4) What increases the feeling of belonging to the new professional group? 5) What are the peculiarities of work contexts that act as facilitators and/or barriers to professional acceptance? The results allowed identifying the constraints experienced by teachers at the beginning of their careers, and the ways to surpass them. We highlight the difficulties related to: lack of autonomy; methodologies; curricular organization and development; and the relationship with the directors at their workplace.

A entrada na profissão do educador de infância: percursos singulares

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciências da Educação - Especialidade Supervisão em Educação

Da formação inicial à inserção na profissão

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa Para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Ciências da Educação - Especialidade Supervisão em Educação

Inter-relação entre o balanço cátion-aniônico do alimento e o ph urinário de gatos

Studies for the food development of formulations for pets, look for key components to maintaining healthy way of life and safety of products, including these, elements capable of preventing the risk of certain metabolic disorders associated with diet. Feline urinarytract disorders, highlights the urolithiasis, have high incidence in clinical series. Studies linking dietary factors such as ingredients, digestibility and chemical composition, changing the volume, density and pH of urine and consequent induction training for urolithiasis. A highly significant correlation between the mineral composition of the diet and urine pH of cats began to be studied, using the association between the cation-anion balance of the diet (DCAB) and regulation of acid-base balance of the body. The DCAB can be defined as the difference between the total fixed anions and cations present in the diet, important tool for estimating the urinary pH and to determine the range of pH that favors the food used, thereby linking the trigger and the prevention of struvite and calcium oxalate urolithiasis in the urinary tract of cats. Thus, this review aims to clarify the effects of the nutritional composition of diet on urine pH in cats.

Plan de entrenamiento y capacitación para el nuevo personal: proyecto Galileo de Schlumberger Surenco S.A.

Las empresas en su direccionamiento estratégico requieren de la estructuración de actividades para mantener control y orden sobre las capacitaciones llevadas a cabo al personal que ingresa a la compañía. En base a esto, se identificó que la empresa Schlumberger Surenco SA, dedicada a la prestación de servicios de petróleo y gas, no poseía un esquema claro de entrenamiento donde se presentaran no solo los conocimientos y objetivos del proyecto, sino detalles vitales para su desempeño dentro de las funciones al momento de su ingreso al proyecto de la compañía. De acuerdo a esta necesidad se decidió crear un Plan de Entrenamiento y Capacitación para el nuevo personal que ingresara en el área de compras también llamado Proyecto Galileo, teniendo en cuenta las necesidades de los mismos y la información que es base para iniciar el desarrollo de carrera dentro de la compañía. Para esto, fue necesario que los trabajadores con mayor trayectoria se reunieran y decidieran como sería la forma más óptima de capacitar a los nuevos ingresos de acuerdo a las habilidades y conocimientos de cada uno; se llegó a un consenso y se determinó que las personas capacitadoras se escogerían según su perfil y experiencia. Luego de identificar a las personas idóneas para las capacitaciones y los puntos clave a resaltar en los entrenamientos se procedió con la formulación de las estrategias para presentación del curso de inducción y la viabilidad de las mismas.

Induction of Zenk protein expression within the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala of pigeons following tone and shock stimulation

In this study, we evaluated the expression of the Zenk protein within the nucleus taeniae of the pigeon’s amygdala (TnA) after training in a classical aversive conditioning, in order to improve our understanding of its functional role in birds. Thirty-two 18-month-old adult male pigeons (Columba livia), weighing on average 350 g, were trained under different conditions: with tone-shock associations (experimental group; EG); with shock-alone presentations (shock group; SG); with tone-alone presentations (tone group; TG); with exposure to the training chamber without stimulation (context group; CG), and with daily handling (naive group; NG). The number of immunoreactive nuclei was counted in the whole TnA region and is reported as density of Zenk-positive nuclei. This density of Zenk-positive cells in the TnA was significantly greater for the EG, SG and TG than for the CG and NG (P < 0.05). The data indicate an expression of Zenk in the TnA that was driven by experience, supporting the role of this brain area as a critical element for neural processing of aversive stimuli as well as meaningful novel stimuli.

MicroRNAs 29 are involved in the improvement of ventricular compliance promoted by aerobic exercise training in rats

Soci UPR, Fernandes T, Hashimoto NY, Mota GF, Amadeu MA, Rosa KT, Irigoyen MC, Phillips MI, Oliveira EM. MicroRNAs 29 are involved in the improvement of ventricular compliance promoted by aerobic exercise training in rats. Physiol Genomics 43: 665-673, 2011. First published March 29, 2011; doi:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00145.2010.-MiRNAs regulate cardiac development, hypertrophy, and angiogenesis, but their role in cardiac hypertrophy (CH) induced by aerobic training has not previously been studied. Aerobic training promotes physiological CH preserving cardiac function. This study assessed involvement of miRNAs-29 in CH of trained rats. Female Wistar rats (n = 7/group) were randomized into three groups: sedentary (S), training 1 (T1), training 2 (T2). T1: swimming sessions of 60 min/5 days/wk/10 wk. T2: similar to T1 until 8th wk. On the 9th wk rats swam 2x/day, and on the 10th wk 3x/day. MiRNAs analysis was performed by miRNA microarray and confirmed by real-time PCR. We assessed: markers of training, CH by ratio of left ventricle (LV) weight/body wt and cardiomyocytes diameter, pathological markers of CH (ANF, skeletal alpha-actin, alpha/beta-MHC), collagen I and III (COLIAI and COLIIIAI) by real-time PCR, protein collagen by hydroxyproline (OH-proline) concentration, CF and CH by echocardiography. Training improved aerobic capacity and induced CH. MiRNAs-1, 133a, and 133b were downregulated as observed in pathological CH, however, without pathological markers. MiRNA-29c expression increased in T1 (52%) and T2 (123%), correlated with a decrease in COLIAI and COLIIIAI expression in T1 (27%, 38%) and T2 (33%, 48%), respectively. MiRNA-29c was inversely correlated to OH-proline concentration (r = 0.61, P = 0.05). The E/A ratio increased in T2, indicating improved LV compliance. Thus, these results show that aerobic training increase miR-29 expression and decreased collagen gene expression and concentration in the heart, which is relevant to the improved LV compliance and beneficial cardiac effects, associated with aerobic high performance training.

Endurance exercise training ameliorates insulin resistance and reticulum stress in adipose and hepatic tissue in obese rats

Obesity-induced endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) stress has been demonstrated to underlie the induction of obesity-induced JNK and NF-kappa B activation inflammatory responses, and generation of peripheral insulin resistance. On the other hand, exercise has been used as a crucial tool in obese and diabetic patients, and may reduce inflammatory pathway stimulation. However, the ability of exercise training to reverse endoplasmatic reticulum stress in adipose and hepatic tissue in obesity has not been investigated in the literature. Here, we demonstrate that exercise training ameliorates ER stress and insulin resistance in DIO-induced rats. Rats were fed with standard rodent chow (3,948 kcal kg(-1)) or high-fat diet (5,358 kcal kg(-1)) for 2 months. After that rats were submitted to swimming training (1 h per day, 5 days for week with 5% overload of the body weight for 8 weeks). Samples from epididymal fat and liver were obtained and western blot analysis was performed. Our results showed that swimming protocol reduces pro-inflammatory molecules (JNK, I kappa B and NF-kappa B) in adipose and hepatic tissues. In addition, exercise leads to reduction in ER stress, by reducing PERK and eIF2 alpha phosphorylation in these tissues. In parallel, an increase in insulin pathway signaling was observed, as confirmed by increases in IR, IRSs and Akt phosphorylation following exercise training in DIO rats. Thus, results suggest that exercise can reduce ER stress, improving insulin resistance in adipose and hepatic tissue.

AT(1) receptor participates in the cardiac hypertrophy induced by resistance training in rats

Resistance training is accompanied by cardiac hypertrophy, but the role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in this response is elusive. We evaluated this question in 36 male Wistar rats divided into six groups: control (n = 6); trained (n = 6); control + losartan (10 mg.kg(-1).day(-1), n = 6); trained + losartan (n = 6); control + high-salt diet (1%, n = 6); and trained + high-salt diet (1%, n = 6). High salt was used to inhibit the systemic RAS and losartan to block the AT(1) receptor. The exercise protocol consisted of: 4 x 12 bouts, 5x/wk during 8 wk, with 65-75% of one repetition maximum. Left ventricle weight-to-body weight ratio increased only in trained and trained + high-salt diet groups (8.5% and 10.6%, P < 0.05) compared with control. Also, none of the pathological cardiac hypertrophy markers, atrial natriuretic peptide, and alpha MHC (alpha-myosin heavy chain)-to-beta MHC ratio, were changed. ACE activity was analyzed by fluorometric assay (systemic and cardiac) and plasma renin activity (PRA) by RIA and remained unchanged upon resistance training, whereas PRA decreased significantly with the high-salt diet. Interestingly, using Western blot analysis and RT-PRC, no changes were observed in cardiac AT(2) receptor levels, whereas the AT(1) receptor gene (56%, P < 0.05) and protein (31%, P < 0.05) expressions were upregulated in the trained group. Also, cardiac ANG II concentration evaluated by ELISA remained unchanged (23.27 +/- 2.4 vs. 22.01 +/- 0.8 pg/mg, P > 0.05). Administration of a subhypotensive dose of losartan prevented left ventricle hypertrophy in response to the resistance training. Altogether, we provide evidence that resistance training-induced cardiac hypertrophy is accompanied by induction of AT(1) receptor expression with no changes in cardiac ANG II, which suggests a local activation of the RAS consistent with the hypertrophic response.

Cellular distribution of Hsp70 expression in rat skeletal muscles. Effects of moderate exercise training and chronic hypoxia.

Rat hindlimb muscles constitutively express the inducible heat shock protein 72 (Hsp70), apparently in proportion to the slow myosin content. Since it remains controversial whether chronic Hsp70 expression reflects the overimposed stress, we investigated Hsp70 cellular distribution in fast muscles of the posterior rat hindlimb after (1) mild exercise training (up to 30 m/min treadmill run for 1 h/day), which induces a remodeling in fast fiber composition, or (2) prolonged exposure to normobaric hypoxia (10%O(2)), which does not affect fiber-type composition. Both conditions increased significantly protein Hsp70 levels in the skeletal muscle. Immunohistochemistry showed the labeling for Hsp70 in subsets of both slow/type 1 and fast/type 2A myofibers of control, sedentary, and normoxic rats. Endurance training increased about threefold the percentage of Hsp70-positive myofibers (P < 0.001), and changed the distribution of Hsp70 immunoreactivity, which involved a larger subset of both type 2A and intermediate type 2A/2X myofibers (P < 0.001) and vascular smooth muscle cells. Hypoxia induced Hsp70 immunoreactivity in smooth muscle cells of veins and did not increase the percentage of Hsp70-positive myofibers; however, sustained exposure to hypoxia affected the distribution of Hsp70 immunoreactivity, which appeared detectable in a very small subset of type 2A fibers, whereas it concentrated in type 1 myofibers (P < 0.05) together with the labeling for heme-oxygenase isoform 1, a marker of oxidative stress. Therefore, the chronic induction of Hsp70 expression in rat skeletal muscles is not obligatory related to the slow fiber phenotype but reveals the occurrence of a stress response.

An induction programme for Bologna first-year bachelor’s degree students in Spain

Introduction. The current study describes the planning process and aims of the university reforms in Spain and suggests an innovative proposal, namely the design and evaluation of a week-long induction programme for first-year bachelor‟s degree students at the University of Lleida (Spain), organised within the European higher education framework. The purpose of this induction programme is to help new students adapt to university life. Method. A total of 102 students and ten lecturers were involved in the study. These participants responded questionnaires and interviews. We contrasted all the results in order to obtain some results that were useful to evaluate the induction programmee which the University introduced in the first four degrees. Results. Findings of the study revealed that participants gave very positive feedback regarding the programme, and the results also highlighted areas which could be improved. Conclusion. The new proposals clearly require a higher level of staff participation to make them work, highlighting the need for appropriate training of university staff and improving coordination with appropriate systems.

Accuracy and Precision of Head Motion Information in Multi-Channel Free Induction Decay Navigators for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Free induction decay (FID) navigators were found to qualitatively detect rigid-body head movements, yet it is unknown to what extent they can provide quantitative motion estimates. Here, we acquired FID navigators at different sampling rates and simultaneously measured head movements using a highly accurate optical motion tracking system. This strategy allowed us to estimate the accuracy and precision of FID navigators for quantification of rigid-body head movements. Five subjects were scanned with a 32-channel head coil array on a clinical 3T MR scanner during several resting and guided head movement periods. For each subject we trained a linear regression model based on FID navigator and optical motion tracking signals. FID-based motion model accuracy and precision was evaluated using cross-validation. FID-based prediction of rigid-body head motion was found to be with a mean translational and rotational error of 0.14±0.21 mm and 0.08±0.13(°) , respectively. Robust model training with sub-millimeter and sub-degree accuracy could be achieved using 100 data points with motion magnitudes of ±2 mm and ±1(°) for translation and rotation. The obtained linear models appeared to be subject-specific as inter-subject application of a "universal" FID-based motion model resulted in poor prediction accuracy. The results show that substantial rigid-body motion information is encoded in FID navigator signal time courses. Although, the applied method currently requires the simultaneous acquisition of FID signals and optical tracking data, the findings suggest that multi-channel FID navigators have a potential to complement existing tracking technologies for accurate rigid-body motion detection and correction in MRI.

Effects of exercise training on autonomic and myocardial dysfunction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Several investigators have demonstrated that diabetes is associated with autonomic and myocardial dysfunction. Exercise training is an efficient non-pharmacological treatment for cardiac and metabolic diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of exercise training on hemodynamic and autonomic diabetic dysfunction. After 1 week of diabetes induction (streptozotocin, 50 mg/kg, iv), male Wistar rats (222 ± 5 g, N = 18) were submitted to exercise training for 10 weeks on a treadmill. Arterial pressure signals were obtained and processed with a data acquisition system. Autonomic function and intrinsic heart rate were studied by injecting methylatropine and propranolol. Left ventricular function was assessed in hearts perfused in vitro by the Langendorff technique. Diabetes (D) bradycardia and hypotension (D: 279 ± 9 bpm and 91 ± 4 mmHg vs 315 ± 11 bpm and 111 ± 4 mmHg in controls, C) were attenuated by training (TD: 305 ± 7 bpm and 100 ± 4 mmHg). Vagal tonus was decreased in the diabetic groups and sympathetic tonus was similar in all animals. Intrinsic heart rate was lower in D (284 ± 11 bpm) compared to C and TD (390 ± 8 and 342 ± 14 bpm, respectively). Peak systolic pressure developed at different pressures was similar for all groups, but +dP/dt max was decreased and -dP/dt max was increased in D. In conclusion, exercise training reversed hypotension and bradycardia and improved myocardial function in diabetic rats. These changes represent an adaptive response to the demands of training, supporting a positive role of physical activity in the management of diabetes.

Induction of Zenk protein expression within the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala of pigeons following tone and shock stimulation

In this study, we evaluated the expression of the Zenk protein within the nucleus taeniae of the pigeon’s amygdala (TnA) after training in a classical aversive conditioning, in order to improve our understanding of its functional role in birds. Thirty-two 18-month-old adult male pigeons (Columba livia), weighing on average 350 g, were trained under different conditions: with tone-shock associations (experimental group; EG); with shock-alone presentations (shock group; SG); with tone-alone presentations (tone group; TG); with exposure to the training chamber without stimulation (context group; CG), and with daily handling (naive group; NG). The number of immunoreactive nuclei was counted in the whole TnA region and is reported as density of Zenk-positive nuclei. This density of Zenk-positive cells in the TnA was significantly greater for the EG, SG and TG than for the CG and NG (P < 0.05). The data indicate an expression of Zenk in the TnA that was driven by experience, supporting the role of this brain area as a critical element for neural processing of aversive stimuli as well as meaningful novel stimuli.