Online and FREE access to plasma physics experiments

Remote controlled laboratories had a great push during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, they were already out there but lacking in visibility. This external trigger pushed the academy to face a global challenge to start offering remote experiments more consistently and maturely. Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) has been offering several remote experiments since 2000 but with the need for an update due to technological aging. As such, the framework for remote experiments in education (FREE) was created based on new web technologies. In addition to the most diverse experiments that had already been developed, FREE includes two experiments that aimed at advanced-level physics students: the Langmuir probe and the electromagnetic (EM) cavity. Both allow users to configure the various parameters and to access the results in real time or check back later. All this access is done using a browser (on a PC or mobile phone) without the need to install additional software. The results of an experimental execution are stored in a database and are downloadable, allowing users to do various analyses and to determine the corresponding plasma density and temperature. In this paper, we will introduce how FREE was used in the implementation of both experiments and give an insight into their didactic approach, such as: (i) how to perform an experimental execution, (ii) the typical data set obtained with, and (iii) the corresponding analysis necessary for the user to retrieve information from it. © 2023 Pedro A. Mendes Rossa et al., published by Sciendo.

Incidence of COVID-19 and associated factors in the population of Para

The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of COVID-19 according to the positivity of the rapid tests and the associated factors in the population of the state of Para. This is a cross-sectional, analytical, retrospective study, developed with cases of COVID-19 in individuals notified and residing in the state of Para. Information was collected on the State Transparency Portal. Positivity for rapid tests of the disease was considered as the outcome variable. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify associations between variables. The incidence of COVID-19 was 46% (95% CI: 45.7-46.2). Being male, over 80 years old and waiting 22 days or more to perform the tests after the onset of symptoms increased the chances for a positive result. It can be concluded that there is a high incidence of COVID-19 in the state. Non-pharmacological measures and case tracking strategies are important alternatives to mitigate the pandemic.

ATILA, THE ALERT LAUNCHER: CONSTITUTION OF COVID-19 AS A PUBLIC PROBLEM IN BRAZIL

The objective of the research was to describe how an alert about the seriousness of COVID-19 had resonance, performing controversies in Brazil. We elected the alert of a specialist, the researcher Atila Iamarino. Data collection was carried out by means of documentary research, based on data made available on the internet, on YouTube videos, reports and texts in magazines, as indicated by Venturini (2012), for cartography with digital data. We show how Atila Iamarino's public alert acquired resonance, based on her argument that COVID-19 was a risk, requiring a measure of social isolation. This allowed the alert to be understood and taken seriously, when its arguments generally rose.

ATILA, O LANÇADOR DE ALERTAS: CONSTITUIÇÃO DA COVID-19 COMO PROBLEMA PÚBLICO NO BRASIL

Data collection was carried out by means of documentary research, based on data made available on the internet, on YouTube videos, reports and texts in magazines, as indicated by Venturini (2012), for cartography with digital data. Tendo como epicentro a cidade de Wuhan, na China, o que aparentemente se tratava de casos pontuais havia se transformado em uma séria epidemia no territorio chines, tornando necessário o fechamento das atividades do mercado de frutos do mar de Wuhan, acreditando-se que os animais ali contidos poderiam ser a origem do virus (Kucharski et al., 2020;Williams, 2020). Em 30 de janeiro, cerca de um mes após a China identificar o virus e tornar pública a sua situaçao, a OMS declarou que o surto da doença causada pelo novo coronavirus (COVID-19, do ingles Coronavirus Disease 2019) constituia uma Emergencia de Saúde Pública de Importancia Internacional (OMS, 2020;Kucharski et al., 2020). Por fim, na seçao 5, as consideraçöes finais, limitaçöes e futuras pesquisas. 2REFERENCIAL TEÓRICO 2.1A Construçao de Problemas Públicos O debate construtivista sobre problemas públicos, presente na década de 1970 e 1980, foi ressignificado nas pesquisas sobre arenas públicas e construçao de problemas públicos, especialmente, em Cefai' (2009;2017a;2017b), que procurou inspiraçöes no filósofo John Dewey.

HSG400 – Design, implementation, and evaluation of a hybrid board game for aiding chemistry and chemical engineering students in the review of stereochemistry during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper provides information about a hybrid multilingual (English, Portuguese, French, and Italian) game developed as an alternative learning method to the traditional problem-solving exercises model. The game comprises a physical board and a free-of-charge application for undergraduate students to review and reinforce concepts related to stereochemistry by answering questions, from a bank of 400 questions, in a ludic, competitive, and collaborative environment. Brazilian, French, and Italian undergraduate students played the game face-to-face before the disruption caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic and remotely during that. They also evaluated the game, and the quite positive results obtained from students’ self-assessment revealed that they felt the game contributed to their learning while playing. © 2021 Institution of Chemical Engineers