Using the notion of a differential equation which describes an 1j-pseudospherical surface (1j-p.s.s.), we give a characterization of the equations of type U xt = F(u, u x "'" aku/ax k ), k ~ 2, with this property. We obtain a systematic procedure to determine a linear problem for which a given equation is the integrability condition. The equations of type u xt = F(u, uJ were characterized by Rabelo and Tenenblat in another paper. The theory is applied to several equations, some of which were not known to describe 1j-p.S.S.

In is known that the equations [u t -g(u)ux]x = ± g'(u) describe pseudo-spherical surfaces, i.e. that these equations are the integrability conditions for the structural equations of such surfaces, provided g satisfies gil + p.g = (). In this paper we obtain self-Backlund transformations for these equations by a geometric method, and show how the inverse scattering method generates global solutions.

The equations uxt=F(u,ux), which describe η-pseudospherical surfaces, are characterized. In particular, when F does not depend on ux, the sine–Gordon, sinh–Gordon, and Liouville equations are essentially obtained. Moreover, it is shown that an equation uxt=F(u) has a self-Bäclund transformation if and only if it describes an η-pseudospherical surface.

The equations of type ut = uxxx + G(u,ux,uxx) which describe η-pseudospherical surfaces are characterized. A new class of such equations is obtained. This class together with the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation, the modified Korteweg–de Vries (MKdV) equation, and the linear equation completes the classification.

RESUMOO objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar e validar, para o contexto brasileiro, uma escala portuguesa sobre expectativas acadêmicas de estudantes que ingressam no Ensino Superior, identificando fatores relacionados à participação e ao envolvimento acadêmico dos discentes. ABSTRACT -Adaptation of the Academic Expectation Scale of Freshman University StudentsThe purpose of this study was to adapt and to obtain evidence of validity of a Portuguese scale of academic expectations of freshmen university students, for the Brazilian context, identifying factors associated with students' academic participation and involvement. Three hundred and thirty-nine university students participated in the research. The Brazilian version of the instrument consisted of 62 items to be answered in a 6-point scale varying from totally disagree to totally agree. The factor analysis generated seven factors: Academic Training of Quality, Social and Academic Commitment, Extension of Interpersonal Relationships, Opportunity for Students' Interchanges and Internationalization, Professional Success and Perspectives, Self-image Concerns, and Development of Transversal Competencies. The alpha reliability indices ranged from .71 to .90. The results indicated that the scale is useful for evaluating expectations of 1st year students, and may subsidize higher education institutions concerning the review of pedagogical curricula of undergraduate courses, the development of programs and support services for students. Keywords: expectations; higher education; student; scale adaptation. RESUMEN -Adaptación de la Escala Expectativas Académicas para Estudiantes que Ingresan en la UniversidadEl objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y validar, en el contexto brasileño, una escala portuguesa sobre expectativas académicas de estudiantes que ingresan en la universidad, identificando factores relacionados con su participación y compromiso académico. Participaron 339 estudiantes. La versión brasileña del instrumento constaba de 62 ítems respondidos en una escala de seis puntos que iba desde muy en desacuerdo a totalmente de acuerdo. El análisis factorial generó siete factores: Formación Académica de Calidad, Compromiso Social y Académico, Ampliación de las Relaciones Interpersonales, Oportunidad de Internacionalización e Intercambio, Perspectiva de Éxito Profesional, Preocupación de la Propia Imagen y Desenvolvimiento de Competencias Transversales. Los índices alfa de fiabilidad oscilaron de 0,71 a 0,90. Los resultados indican que la escala es una herramienta útil de evaluación de las expectativas de nuevos alumnos, pudiendo conceder subvenciones a las universidades en la revisión de propuestas de cursos, así como una elaboración de programas y servicios al estudiante.Palabras clave: expectativas; educación superior; estudiante; adaptación del escala.O Ensino Superior desempenha papel de destaque na construção e divulgação da produção cultural, em prol do bem-estar social. Historicamente, essa modalidade é compreendida como instituição produtora

The engineering professional profiles have been discussed by several branches of the engineering field. On the one hand, this discussion helps to understand the professional practice and contributes to the specification of the competences that are suitable for each function and company culture. On the other hand, it is an essential starting point for the definition of curricula in engineering schools. Thus, this study aims to characterize, in an innovative way based on job advertisements, the demand for competences and areas of practice for Industrial Engineering and Management contributing for the definition of a professional profile. This characterization is based on the analysis of 1391 job advertisements, collected during seven years from a Portuguese newspaper. The data analysis takes into account the job description in which two categories were considered: areas of professional practice (e.g. project management) and transversal competences (e.g. teamwork). Considering the total number of job advertisements, it was possible to identify 1,962 cumulative references for 11 professional practice areas and 5,261 cumulative references for transversal competences. The contribution of this study lies on the identification of the main areas of practice and the main transversal competences demanded by employers.

Acknowledging the relevance of mathematics education, as well the evidence about predictors related to achievement in this domain, the present study performed a predictive analysis of students’ mathematics achievement in the National Exam for Secondary Education, employing the Regression Tree Method and a model with 53 predictors. Results indicated that the model explained 29.97% of the mathematics achievement variance. Certain variables are related to worse achievement in mathematics: Students’ family monthly income equal or smaller than 2 minimum wages, be female, have not attended Primary and Secondary Education in private schools, live in North, North East and Center West regions of Brazil, be highly motivated to perform the exam to obtain Secondary Education certificate or scholarship. The results obtained highlight the role of variables related to the individual, school and family as predictors of mathematics achievement.

By using structural equation modeling, this study investigated the dimensionality and invariance of the Brazilian scale of Academic Expectations for Higher Education - short version. The sample consisted of 6,913 students from a Brazilian public university. The results showed good adjustment of the proposed solution containing seven factors: Quality of Academic Education, Social and Academic Commitment, Expansion of Interpersonal Relationships, Opportunity for Student Exchange and Internationalization, Perspective of Professional Success, Concern with Self-Image, and Development of Transversal Skills. The results indicate that the scale is invariant with regard to different groups: students who entered university traditionally and those who entered through social programs for minorities, male and female students, and part-time, full-time or non-working students. The scale can support higher education institutions in the development of educational policies, programs and academic services.