Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2015-09"
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- Unraveling Sarcocystis miescheriana and Sarcocystis suihominis infections in wild boarPublication . Coelho, Catarina; Gomes, Jacinto; Inácio, João; Amaro, Ana; Mesquita, João Rodrigo; Pires, Isabel; Lopes, Ana Patrícia; Vieira-Pinto, MadalenaSarcocystis species are worldwide spread cyst-forming protozoa that can infect wild boar but little is known about the prevalence of these parasites. In this study we assessed the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. infections in wild boars from northeastern Portugal, for which novel PCR testing assays targeting Sarcocystis genus, S. miescheriana and S. suihominis were implemented, and risk factors potentially associated with these infections were evaluated. Samples from muscle tissue, namely diaphragm (n = 102), oesophagus (n = 96) and heart (n = 101), were collected from a total of 103 wild boar hunted between October 2011 and February 2012. Diaphragm muscle was used for the PCR detection of Sarcocystis nucleic acids since a higher proportion of samples showed the presence of cysts during histological examination. PCR assay targeting Sarcocystis genus yielded a 73.8% infection rate, which indicate a high level of exposure to these protozoan parasites among wild boars. These samples showed to be positive with the S. miescheriana-specific PCR assay and no sample was positive with the S. suihominis-specific assay, suggesting that a single species infecting wild boar is circulating in Portugal. These results were confirmed by the partial sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene amplified from selected samples from different geographic regions. Adults, young adults and female wild boars were found to be more likely infected. Hunters have an important role in the life cycle of S. miescheriana since potentially infected viscera and carcasses can be left behind promoting the protozoan dissemination to the scavenging final hosts. If hunting dogs bite and ingest infected meat they can perpetuate the life cycle of Sarcocystis spp. spreading oocysts or sporocysts in the environment.
- Potential production of RDF from municipal solid waste mechanical treatment and selective collection rejected streamsPublication . Duarte, Diana; Silva, Maria Elisabete; Lemos, Luís Teixeira de; Brás, IsabelIn order to fulfill legal requirements, adequate alternatives to traditional municipal waste landfilling must be found. The valorization of some residual streams from municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plants are among them. The purpose of this study is to characterize the rejected streams resulting from the mechanical treatment of municipal solid waste and from the yellow waste container selective collection, in order to evaluate the potential of their valorization as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). To accomplish this purpose, two sampling campaigns were done. Physical characteristics, proximate analysis, heating value and chlorine content were determined. As expected, results show that the refused stream from mechanical treatment and from the selective collection are rather different in overall composition, water content, energetic matter and ashes, as well as heating value and chlorine, with the last showing higher calorific value and lower moisture, therefore superior energy recovery availability. Preliminary data allows us to conclude that studied materials have a very interesting potential to be used as RDF.
- Stress and burnout in special education teachersPublication . Martins, Rosa; Andrade, Ana; Albuquerque, Carlos; Cunha, MadalenaAbstract: Background: Duties that teachers are required to perform in the current social context require personal skills which cannot be limited to knowledge accumulation. Teachers related to special education are subject to such pressure, demands and psychological overload that it can result in serious cases of stress and burnout. Objectives: assessing stress and burnout in special education teachers and find out to what extent socio-demographic and psychosocial variables have a significant effect on those levels. Method: Study of quantitative, cross-cutting and descriptive-correlational nature. It is a non-probability sampling based on convenience, composed of 90 teachers, linked to special education in Portugal. The research protocol includes questions of socio-demographic, professional and health characterization, as well as two scales: one which assesses stress and burnout levels (CPB-R) and another which assesses self-efficacy (SES). Data collection took place between January and June 2014, and statistical treatment of data was based on SPSS software 19.0. Outcomes: The sample is mainly composed of females, married, holding a bachelor’s degree and with a mean age of 46 years old. Stress affects 80% of teachers, who feel lack of recognition for their work (64.4%) and professional fulfilment (55.6%). Although overall burnout (35.6%) and emotional exhaustion (48.9%) were identified, they strike a lower number of teachers. Stress and burnout levels are higher in older and divorced teachers who teach students in lower secondary education, with a weekly working time of 22/25 hours and perception of low efficacy. Evidence showed that teacher’s stress and burnout is variable and multidimensional. Nonetheless, it affects a significant number of special education teachers, which invites us to implement intervention programs on this professional group.
- Ensino explícito de estratégias de leitura no Ensino BásicoPublication . Balula, João PauloO ensino explícito de estratégias de leitura, bem como de recolha e tratamento da informação, reveste-se de particular importância. É igualmente crucial promover a leitura dos textos literários como forma de favorecer a articulação entre o prazer na leitura e o desenvolvimento da compreensão. Esta comunicação pretende apresentar uma reflexão acerca dos resultados de dois estudos sobre o desenvolvimento da compreensão na leitura (Balula, 2007; Miragaia, 2014). Conclui-se que o ensino explícito de estratégias de leitura contribui de forma significativa para o desenvolvimento de competências associadas à compreensão na leitura, para a aprendizagem em termos globais e para o êxito escolar e social dos alunos.
- Development and validation of a visual body condition scoring system for dairy goats with picture-based trainingPublication . Vieira, A; Brandão, S; Monteiro, A; Ajuda, I; Stilwell, GBody condition scoring (BCS) is the most widely used method to assess changes in body fat reserves, which reflects its high potential to be included in on-farm welfare assessment protocols. Currently used scoring systems in dairy goats require animal restraint for body palpation. In this study, the Animal Welfare Indicators project (AWIN) proposes to overcome this constraint by developing a scoring system based only on visual assessment. The AWIN visual body condition scoring system highlights representative animals from 3 categories: very thin, normal, and very fat, and was built from data sets with photographs of animals scored by a commonly used 6-point scoring system that requires palpation in 2 anatomical regions. Development of the AWIN scoring system required 3 steps: (1) identification and validation of a body region of interest; (2) sketching the region from photographs; and (3) creation of training material. The scoring system's reliability was statistically confirmed. An initial study identified features in the rump region from which we could compute a set of body measurements (i.e., measures based on anatomical references of the rump region) that showed a strong correlation with the assigned BCS. To validate the result, we collected a final data set from 171 goats. To account for variability in animal size and camera position, we mapped a subset of features to a standard template and aligned all the rump images before computing the body measurements. Scientific illustrations were created from the aligned images of animals identified as representative of each category to increase clarity and reproducibility. For training material, we created sketches representing the threshold between consecutive categories. Finally, we conducted 2 field reliability studies. In the first test, no training was given to 4 observers, whereas in the second, training using the threshold images was delivered to the same observers. In the first experiment, interobserver results was substantial, showing that the visual scoring system is clear and unambiguous. Moreover, results improved after training, reaching almost perfect agreement for the very fat category. The visual body condition scoring system is not only a practical tool for BCS in dairy goats but also shows potential to be fully automated, which would enhance its use in welfare assessment schemes and farm management.
- Promoting intercultural education through textbooks of Portuguese languagePublication . Balula, João PauloThe growing importance of efforts to ensure respect for issues of difference calls for the evaluation of the contribution of textbooks of Portuguese in the promotion of interculturality. We discuss some results of a multi-methodological research that was based on the analysis of two textbooks of Portuguese (4th grade) to implement didactic interventions in a class of the same grade level. The results show that the activities promoting critical thinking about interculturality are scarce in the textbooks analysed and indicate that the role of the teacher is substantial in promoting mutual understanding and respect for the Other.
- Impact of cattle slurry treatment by separation and acidification on gaseous emissions after soil applicationPublication . Fangueiro, D.; Pereira, J.; Bichana, A.; Surgy, S.; Cabral, F.; Coutinho, J.Objectives: Cattle-slurry management became a priority in many livestock farms and slurry treatment is used to increase the fertilizer value of slurry and/or minimize its environmental impact. Indeed, significant emissions of ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gases (GHG) as nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) can occur during and after slurry application to soil. Application of acidified slurry or liquid fraction (LF) obtained by solid-liquid separation are two alternatives to raw slurry application that have proven to be efficient to minimize ammonia emissions. However, few is known about its effect on GHG emissions. The aim of the present work was to assess the efficiency of cattle slurry treatment by acidification and/or solid liquid separation to mitigate ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions following surface application to a sandy loam soil.
- Tomato Lycopene: Functional Proprieties and HealthPublication . Marques, C.S.; Lima, Maria João Reis; Oliveira, J.; Lemos, Edite Teixeira deThe growing concerns for physical wellbeing and health have been reflected in the way we choose food in our table. Nowadays, we are all more informed consumers and choose healthier foods. On the other hand, stroke, cancer and atherosclerosis may be somehow minimized by the intake of some bioactive compounds present in food, the so-called nutraceuticals and functional foods. The aim of this work was to make a revision of the published studies about the effects of some bioactive compounds, namely lycopene in human health, in the prevention of diseases, thus playing the role of a functional food. Free radical in human body can induce cell damage and consequently can be responsible for the development of some cancers and chronic diseases. Lycopene is one of the most powerful antioxidants known, being the predominant carotenoid in tomato. The respective chemistry, bioavailability, and its functional role in the prevention of several diseases will be object of this work. On the other hand, the inclusion of lycopene in some foods can also be made by biotechnology and represents a way to recover the wastes in the tomato industry with nutritional positive effects in health.
- Qualidade de vida dos cuidadores informais de doentes de HuntingtonPublication . Dinis, Alexandra Isabel Marques da Costa; Martins, Rosa Maria LopesIntrodução: A Doença de Huntington (DH) é uma patologia neuro degenerativa hereditária de transmissão autossómica dominante que afeta o movimento e conduz a um défice progressivo das capacidades cognitivas e comportamentais. Cuidar um doente de Huntington é um processo complexo e exigente com um grande impacto na saúde, bem-estar e qualidade de vida do cuidador informal. Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto da DH na Qualidade de Vida do Cuidador Informal, e verificar em que medida as variáveis sociodemográficas, contextuais e clínicas se relacionam com essa Qualidade de Vida. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, não experimental, transversal numa lógica de análise descritivo-correlacional com 50 Cuidadores Informais de nacionalidade espanhola, membros da “Asociación de Corea de Huntington Española” - ACHE. Utilizamos a versão espanhola do questionário: Huntington’s Disease Quality of Life Battery for Carers (HDQoLC) como instrumento de colheita de dados especifico para a avaliação da QDV dos Cuidadores de Doentes de Huntington . Resultados: Os participantes são na sua maioria do sexo feminino (68%), com uma media de idades de 50,04 anos, casados (72%) com elevado grau de literacia (52%) e no ativo (72%). São essencialmente cônjuges da pessoa dependente (52%) ou filhos(as) (28%). Os resultados sugerem que os CI possuem uma QDV moderada (53%) na qual os “aspetos práticos do cuidar”, ou seja, o papel de cuidador, tem grande impacto na QDV (43%) a “satisfação com a vida e os “sentimentos sobre a vida com DH” parecem atenuar esta sobrecarga. Os dados obtidos revelam que as variáveis que influenciaram significativamente a Qualidade de Vida total são: as habilitações literárias e o número de horas de cuidados diários. No entanto podemos afirmar que a idade, tempo como CI e os motivos que levaram a assumir o papel de cuidador, tem uma relação expressiva com a dimensão “aspetos práticos do cuidar” da QDV. Conclusões: Os resultados reforçam a multidimensionalidade e variabilidade da qualidade de vida dos cuidadores informais de Doentes de Huntington e evidenciam a necessidade dos profissionais de saúde apostarem em programas de intervenção na comunidade, de forma a implementar estratégias de apoio que minimizem as dificuldades sentidas, aumentem a capacidade para a prestação de cuidados e que promovam a qualidade de vida dos que cuidam. Palavras-chave:; Doença de Huntington; Cuidadores Informais; Qualidade de Vida.
- Evolução da perceção parental da imagem corporal da criança : análise retrospetiva de dois estudosPublication . Nascimento, Patrícia Filipa da Silva Carvalho; Costa, Maria da Graça Ferreira AparícioIntrodução: A obesidade é reconhecida pela OMS como um importante problema de saúde pública, que afeta adultos, crianças e adolescentes e que tem tomado proporções epidémicas em todo o mundo. Os estudos revelam que os pais, mas sobretudo as mães se mostram preocupadas e concordam com a adoção de hábitos alimentares saudáveis, no entanto a perceção que estas têm do estado nutricional dos filhos nem sempre é adequada e frequentemente a imagem corporal é distorcida, percebendo-se contudo que esta distorção tem vindo a diminuir. Foi neste âmbito que emergiu como objetivo geral deste estudo, explorar a evolução da perceção parental da imagem corporal da criança em dois estudos, estudo A (Graça Aparício) e estudo B (Graça Aparício, Madalena Cunha, João Duarte; Anabela Pereira, Jorge Bonito, Carlos Albuquerque), publicados respetivamente, em 2012 e 2013 e relacioná-la com o comportamento alimentar da criança do estudo B. Material e métodos: Este estudo de carácter retrospetivo e transversal, foi realizado com as crianças que participaram no estudo A e no estudo B, num total de 2216 crianças em idade pré-escolar, média idade= 4.51 anos (±0.97Dp), residentes as crianças do estudo A na região de Viseu e Dão e as do estudo B, nas regiões Viseu, Lamego, Vila Real, Évora e Leiria, tendo sido efetuada pelos autores originais, uma avaliação antropométrica e classificação nutricional das crianças com base no referencial NCHS (CDC, 2000). Para a recolha de dados os autores originais, utilizaram um Questionário de Caracterização Sociodemográfica das Crianças e dos Progenitores; o Questionário de Avaliação da Perceção Parental da Imagem Corporal da criança (Collins, 1991) e o Questionário de Caracterização do Comportamento Alimentar Infantil (CEBQ), traduzido e validado para a população portuguesa por Viana & Sinde (2008). Resultados: Comparativamente ao estudo A, no estudo B os pais revelaram-se significativamente mais preocupados com o estado nutricional dos seus filhos (p= 0,000). Ainda no estudo B uma maior percentagem de pais assinala as imagens representativas de pré-obesidade (27,5%) e obesidade (0,6%), comparativamente ao estudo A, onde se verifica o oposto; uma maior sinalização das crianças no grupo da normalidade e baixo-peso (56,3% e 20,4% respetivamente). Apurou-se uma diferença de médias significativa da perceção parental da imagem corporal da criança entre o estudo A e o estudo B, evidenciando a perceção dos pais, a uma maior aproximação com os valores mais elevados de IMC dos filhos, ou seja, os pais têm uma perceção menos distorcida da imagem corporal dos filhos, quando estes apresentam valores de IMC mais elevados. Relativamente ao comportamento alimentar, apesar dos comportamentos de “atração pela comida” se associarem a uma perceção parental de imagem corporal maior, e de alguns dos comportamentos de “evitamento da comida” se associarem a uma perceção parental de imagem corporal menor, a relação entre o comportamento alimentar e a perceção parental da imagem corporal criança não se revelou significativa. Conclusões: Os resultados indicam uma maior acurácia da perceção da imagem corporal dos pais ao real estado nutricional dos filhos, podendo este facto ser o primeiro passo para o seu reconhecimento do excesso de peso dos seus filhos e facilitar a adequação a um estilo de vida mais saudável entre as crianças em idade pré-escolar, e maior sensibilização da família para o controlo do excesso de peso na infância. Palavras-chave: Perceção parental, imagem corporal, Obesidade infantil.
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