Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2019-01"
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- Derivation and validation of the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS): a new SLE continuous measure with high sensitivity for changes in disease activityPublication . Jesus, Diogo; Cristina Bico Rodrigues de Matos, Ana; Henriques, C.; Zen, Margherita; Larosa, Maddalena; Iaccarino, Luca; Da Silva, José António Pereira; Doria, Andrea; Inês, Luís SousaObjectives To derive and validate a new disease activity measure for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS), with improved sensitivity to change as compared with SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), while maintaining high specificity and easiness of use. Methods We studied 520 patients with SLE from two tertiary care centres (derivation and validation cohorts). At each visit, disease activity was scored using the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) and SLEDAI 2000 (SLEDAI-2K). To construct the SLE-DAS, we applied multivariate linear regression analysis in the derivation cohort, with PGA as dependent variable. The formula was validated in a different cohort through the study of: (1) correlations between SLE-DAS, PGA and SLEDAI-2K; (2) performance of SLEDAI-2K and SLE-DAS in identifying a clinically meaningful change in disease activity (ΔPGA≥0.3); and (3) accuracy of SLEDAI-2K and SLE-DAS time-adjusted means in predicting damage accrual. Results The final SLE-DAS instrument included 17 items. SLE-DAS was highly correlated with PGA (r=0.875, p<0.0005) and SLEDAI-2K (r=0.943, p<0.0005) in the validation cohort. The optimal discriminative ΔSLE-DAS cut-off to detect a clinically meaningful change was 1.72. In the validation cohort, SLE-DAS showed a higher sensitivity than SLEDAI-2K (change ≥4) to detect a clinically meaningful improvement (89.5% vs 47.4%, p=0.008) or worsening (95.5% vs 59.1%, p=0.008), while maintaining similar specificities. SLE-DAS performed better in predicting damage accrual than SLEDAI-2K. Conclusion SLE-DAS has a good construct validity and has better performance than SLEDAI-2K in identifying clinically significant changes in disease activity and in predicting damage accrual.
- Evolution of Proanthocyanidins During Grape Maturation, Winemaking, and Aging Process of Red WinesPublication . Jordão, António; Ricardo-da-Silva, Jorge M.Grapes and wine native proanthocyanidins are oligomers and polymers of flavan-3-ols linked mainly by C4–C8 and/or C4–C6 bonds (B type). Proanthocyanidins play an important role in red wine sensorial properties contributing to the wine color and mouthfeel properties. As a result of different factors, such as grape variety, grape maturation and sanitary level, climatic conditions, viticultural practices, winemaking, stabilization technology and type of aging, there is a high range in the levels and composition of proanthocyanidins quantified in the different fractions of grape bunch and in the wines. During the wine aging, in particular for red wines, several changes in the wine phenolic compounds occur. In many cases this aging occurs in the presence of wood, in particular by the use of oak wood (barrels or alternative wood products). Indeed, the environment evolving inside oak barrels during the maturation of wines provides conditions for further reactions involving several wood compounds and wine phenolics, like proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, with consequent chemical and sensory repercussions.
- Inscrição da Capela de S. Domingos (Travessa de S. Domingos, Viseu)Publication . Marques, JorgeNa sequência do violento incêndio que consumiu, na madrugada do dia 21 de setembro de 1977, o edifício do antigo Hotel Central, um imóvel que fora construído entre finais da segunda e inícios da terceira década do século XX (ARAGÃO, 1928), entre a Rua Dr. Luís Ferreira / / Comércio, a Travessa de S. Domingos e a Rua de D. Duarte, na cidade de Viseu, foi recolhida uma inscrição de grandes dimensões 1 que se encontrava reutilizada nas paredes do edifício calcinado.
- Religious heritage and accessibility in the World Douro Heritage: The case of Lamego townPublication . Soeiro De Carvalho, Ana Branca; Santos, Paula; Bonito, ÁlvaroThis chapter intends to emphasize the importance of the accessibility in religious heritage, as a key to local and sustainable development in tourism. The authors intend to show how accessibility is taken into account when it is necessary to publicize religious tourist sites. In fact, there are nowadays some methodologies and tools to allow tourists with visual, motor and/or hearing disabilities to experience touristic heritage, promoting equal opportunities to access to monuments. In this chapter it will be presented a theoretical analysis about local and sustainable development, as well as accessibility to Heritage. Finally, it will be presented a pilot study model, regarding the accessibility in the churches of Lamego town, one of religious heritage and pilgrimage centers in UNESCO World Douro Heritage.
- Adiposity and Physical Activity Do Not Mediate the Longitudinal Association Between Sleep Quality and Arterial Thickness Among AdolescentsPublication . Cayres, Suziane; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos; Machado-Rodrigues, Aristides; Werneck, André; Barbosa, Maurício; Fernandes, RomuloStudy Objectives: Sleep is a behavior with the potential to affect cardiovascular health. Given the fact that adiposity and physical activity seem to be related to cardiovascular risk factors during growth, it is still unclear whether sleep quality could affect arterial thickness among adolescents. Thus, the objective of the current study was to analyze the effect of sleep quality on arterial thickness and identify the possible mediation role of physical activity and trunk fat in adolescents. Methods: This was a longitudinal study (12-month follow-up) composed of 71 adolescents with ages ranging from 11 to 14 years at baseline (absence of any known chronic diseases, and no regular medicine use). All variables were assessed twice (baseline and 12-month follow-up): (1) sleep quality was reported using the Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ); (2) physical activity was estimated using pedometers; (3) trunk fat was assessed using a densitometry scanner; and (4) carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and femoral intima-media thickness (FIMT) were assessed using ultrasonography. Results: Adolescents who presented poor sleep quality demonstrated significantly increased FIMT (r = .299, 95% confidence interval .071 to .498) and for every point increase in the MSQ score from baseline to follow-up there was a 1.12% (95% confidence interval 0.26 to 1.98) increase in FIMT over time. Moreover, trunk fat and physical activity did not mediate the association between sleep quality and arterial thickness, but FIMT had a positive and independent relationship only with trunk fat. Conclusions: Sleep quality was positively associated with FIMT among adolescents, whereas physical activity and adiposity did not mediate this process.
- Predictive Load Angle and Stator Flux Control of SynRM Drives for the Full Speed RangePublication . Hadla, Hazem; Cruz, Sérgio Manuel Ângelo daNowadays, several types of electric motors are utilized in industrial applications, namely induction motors (IMs), permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) and synchronous reluctance motors (SynRMs). Owing to the high cost of PMSMs and due to the rotor losses of IMs, SynRMs can be considered an ideal choice for some applications. These motors have a simple structure, are robust, and have a low cost due to the absence of permanent magnets or windings in the rotor. To exploit the advantages of SynRM drives, an adequate control strategy is essential. In recent times, due to the development of fast and cheap microprocessors and FPGAs, the category of control strategies known as finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) has attracted significant attention in both academia and industry. FCS-MPC has as main advantages, an intuitive and simple implementation, very fast dynamic response and the ability to tackle several constraints in a straightforward manner. Due to these advantages, it can be considered an ideal alternative to field-oriented control (FOC) and direct torque control (DTC) in high performance motor drives. In spite of its advantages, FCS-MPC has been barely proposed for the control of SynRM drives, especially if we consider that some applications require the drive system to operate in the full speed range. This thesis proposes three different FCS-MPC control strategies for high-performance SynRM drives. The first two control strategies combine the concepts of active flux and torque control in order to operate the SynRM in the constant torque region. The first control strategy, baptized as predictive active flux and torque control (PAFTC), regulates the active flux and the electromagnetic torque of the SynRM in an independent manner. It follows the standard implementation steps of FCS-MPC, namely by predicting the values of the state variables for all possible switching states of the inverter, and by using a cost function with a weighting factor which needs to be tuned. A second control approach, known as simplified PAFTC (S-PAFTC), is a simplified version of the PAFTC in the sense that the predictions of the state variables are replaced by the calculation of an equivalent reference voltage, performed only once in a sampling period. This procedure leads to a smaller computational time, when the control strategy is implemented in a digital control platform, and to the use of a cost function without any weighting factor, overcoming one of the challenging tasks in classical FCS-MPC strategies which is the choice of the optimal value(s) for the weighting factor(s). The simulation and experimental results obtained with these control strategies demonstrate the very good steady-state and dynamic response of the SynRM drive in the constant torque region. With the aim to safely operate the SynRM drive in the full speed range, while ensuring at the same time the exploitation of all its potentialities and limits, including its operation with optimal efficiency, a third control strategy, known as predictive load angle and stator flux control (PLASFC), is proposed for SynRM drives. The PLASFC, implemented in a stator flux reference frame, regulates the stator flux and the load angle of the SynRM in an independent manner. While the stator flux regulation is straightforward, the torque is regulated indirectly by controlling the load angle, bringing benefits in terms of a smooth transition between the different motor operating regions. Similarly to the S-PAFTC strategy, an equivalent reference voltage is calculated instead of predicting the values of the motor state variables for all possible switching states of the inverter, and the cost function does not include any weighting factor. In the PLASFC strategy, the SynRM is easily operated in the full speed range: constant torque region (including zero speed), constant power region and constant load angle region, the last two being part of what is usually known as field-weakening (FW) region. With this control strategy, the voltage, current and load angle limits are easily exploited by simple mathematical relations and saturation blocks. In addition, a loss minimization algorithm is developed and incorporated in this control strategy thus allowing to operate the SynRM with minimum copper losses for a given load torque. Furthermore, to improve the performance of the control system, some parameters namely the motor apparent inductances, are estimated online. Several simulation and experimental results presented demonstrate the excellent steady-state and dynamic performance of the SynRM drive when operating with the PLASFC strategy, thus clearly demonstrating the benefits of using FCS-MPC strategies in the field of electric drives in general and SynRM drives in particular.
- Perspetivas sobre os trabalhos para casa en ciências naturais no 2º ciclo do ensino básicoPublication . Silva, Andreia Filipa Duarte Ferreira da; Cardoso, Ana Paula; Abrantes, IsabelO presente trabalho desenvolveu-se no âmbito do Mestrado em Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e de Matemática e Ciências Naturais do 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, na Escola Superior de Educação de Viseu. Contempla duas partes: uma primeira, onde se inclui uma reflexão crítica sobre as Práticas de Ensino Supervisionadas durante quatro semestres; e uma segunda onde se apresenta o trabalho de investigação, que pretende compreender as perspetivas dos professores e alunos sobre os Trabalhos Para Casa (TPC) em Ciências Naturais, no 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (CEB). Assim, na investigação recorremos ao inquérito por questionário e por entrevista na modalidade de focus group. Os questionários foram aplicados a professores de Ciências Naturais e a alunos do 2.º CEB de um Agrupamento de Escolas de Viseu e as entrevistas, subsequentes a uma atividade experimental como TPC, foram aplicadas a quatro grupos de uma turma do 5.º ano de escolaridade. Verificou-se que os professores solicitam semanalmente TPC nesta disciplina, considerando-os muito importantes para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Relativamente aos alunos, na sua maioria, realizam os TPC e também os consideram importantes, uma vez que os ajuda a estudar, aumenta a curiosidade e melhora os seus hábitos de estudo. As tarefas que realizam com maior frequência e aquela que os professores também solicitam mais vezes são as fichas do manual escolar. Contudo, com a entrevista, também pudemos constatar que os alunos reagem com mais entusiasmo e motivação a TPC inovadores, fora do contexto tradicional.
- Relationship Between HbA1c And Capillary Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring In Type 2 DiabeticsPublication . Machado, Sara; Marques, Rui; Nascimento, Edite; Matos, Ana; Henriques, CarlaDiabetes Control and Complications Trial has established the importance of glycemic control in reducing the progression of retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy in type 1 diabetics. There is little literature linking the frequency of glycemic monitoring with glycated hemoglobin A (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetics. The objectives were to assess the influence of glycemic self-monitoring on HbA1c in three groups of patients with type 2 diabetes (with insulin, with oral antidiabetics and with combination therapy).
- Cuidados de Enfermagem Veterinária nos novos animais de companhiaPublication . Cabral, Marília Gabriela Amaral; Esteves, Fernando; Cruz, RitaNo presente trabalho realizado no âmbito da conclusão do Mestrado em Enfermagem Veterinária de Animais de Companhia estará contemplada uma revisão bibliográfica dividida em mamíferos, aves, e répteis de forma representativa das diferentes espécies que surgem na prática clínica de animais exóticos. Abordando diversos temas, desde as principais patologias em Mamíferos destacando-se as Patologias Dentárias, nas Aves uma grande predominância da Clamidiose e Alterações comportamentais e por últimos nos répteis as Alterações Metabólicas, acompanhados assim como os cuidados de enfermagem em cada espécie. A fim de complementar, associa-se os casos práticos, seguindo-se a discussão conclusão. Por fim, uma pequena abordagem da legislação destes novos animais de companhia.
- Generic and Specific Competencies of the Supervisor in Pedagogical ContextPublication . Cunha, Madalena; Aparício, Graça; Madureira, Antonio; Menezes, Luís; Menezes, Nídia; Nascimento, Márcio; Santos, CarlaFor the success of the learning of students of higher education it is necessary that the teacher plays the supervisory action that aims to ensure a learning adapted to the biopsycho social context of the learners. Objective: To evaluate the perspective of the students on the competences of the mentor teacher. The study descriptive with favorable opinion of the Ethics Committee was carried out on a sample by 306 students, from a Polytechnique Institute of Portugal (81.7% women), with a mean of 21.15 years. Data collection wascarried out via the online application of Cunha et al.'S (2017) Generic and Specific Supervisor Competency Scale. The results support the importance of the assignment of a mentor teacher in College (87.5%), with follow-up from 1st to 4th year (60.4%). They also suggest the preference of daily sessions (51.6%) in the training place (52.4%), lasting lessthan one hour (49.7%). The character is tics most valued by the students are generic competences and the most valued item was the demon strate empathy, patience, understanding and readiness to dialogue. The results suggest that one should consider the evaluation of the competences obtained by the teachers when evaluating their pedagogical performance in the scope of supervision. Even though higher education students value the existence of a mentor teacher with competences for the supervision of learning, their attribution assumes relevance in the strategic management of innovative pedagogical practices in the fight against failure and school abandonment.