Risk Factors for Brucella spp. in Domestic and Wild Animals

Brucella spp. is the aetiological agent of brucellosis, a serious contagious disease that results in reproductive failure and that has profound public health significance because of its zoonotic characteristics. This disease also is responsible for a high economic impact associated with the application of prevention, surveillance and test-and-slaughter programmes in animals by national authorities. Brucella spp. infects a large variety of animals and their prevalence is variable worldwide, mainly associated with the presence or absence of control programmes and also with the vaccination of animals against brucellosis. To achieve the control and eradication of brucellosis, the identification of the risk factors of brucellosis that maintain the infection in animals and/or the environment is fundamental. Although several risks have been identified, the most important have been associated with the biology of the bacteria, animal management (age, sex, species or breed), herd management (herd/flock size, number of species, contact with wild animals or type of animal production), farm management (facilities, cleaning and disinfection or veterinary support) and farmers’ knowledge about the disease. Thus, to benefit from proper risk identification of brucellosis, it is essential to put a cost-effective and efficient brucellosis control programme into place

The economics of mental health: from risk factors to financing

This thesis investigates the economics of mental health focusing on three dimensions: financing and services organisation, medication adherence, and socio-economic determinants. Part I provides a detailed analysis on the fi nancial incentives to deliver mental healthcare services. It also proposes innovative payment mechanisms to incentivise integrated community-based care, to detect and prevent mental disorders early in life, and to implement a collaborative stepped care model for depression. Part II assesses the socio-economic factors that influence non-adherence rates and investigates how one can use a payment mechanism to induce adherence. Finally, Part III explores the relationship between unemployment and mental health by age group and education level

The relation between social anxiety, social withdrawal and (cyber)bullying roles: A multilevel analysis

Publish at: Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 86, September 2018,corresponding author: Vítor A. Coelho, Académico de Torres Vedras, Email: [email protected] Full postal address: Travessa do Quebra-Costas 9, 2564- 910, Torres Vedras, Portugal.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563218302127This study investigated how social anxiety and social withdrawal are related to middle school students’ involvement in bullying, and whether class-levels variables influence this association. There were 668 participants (Mage = 12.73, SD = 1.08), who were part of a screening for inclusion in a social and emotional learning program. Results showed there was overlap between traditional bullying and cyberbullying in bullies (52.4%), but not victims (32.7%). Girls reported significantly more social anxiety than boys, while no gender differences were found for social withdrawal. Bullying and cyberbullying victims, as well as bully-victims (but not cyberbully-victims), displayed higher levels of social anxiety than students who were not involved in bullying/cyberbullying. All students involved in bullying (victims, bullies and bully-victims) had higher levels of social withdrawal; however, bully-victims were those who showed the highest levels. Gender distribution did not moderate the relation between social anxiety, social withdrawal, on the one hand, and any bullying or cyberbullying roles, on the other hand. Class size moderated the relation between being a bully/victim and social withdrawal. These results showed that (cyber)bullying roles strongly impact social anxiety, social withdrawal and demonstrated the importance of including class size when analyzing the relation between bullying roles and social anxiety and social withdrawal

Mental health inpatient care: how should services be organised in a NHS?

Research mastersOrganisation of mental health care provided by hospitals can be done with concentration of services in a few units or with several hospitals providing them. The trade-o↵ to be made is between being closer to patients having several units of low volume activity each or benefiting from economies of scale to obtain better outcomes. We address here the magnitude of the scale e↵ects in mental health care. This provides important information to address the above-mentioned trade-o↵. We also analyse the importance of integrated continuous care services in mental health as a complement to inpatient care by computing the potential savings to the National Health Service (NHS). These services are a set of sequential interventions in mental health and/or social support, focusing on rehabilitation and recovery of patients with psychosocial disability. Analysing both economies of scale and integrated continuous care are relevant issues for mental health system financing. We use a diagnosis related group (DRG) dataset from 2001 to 2013 considering only mental health inpatient discharges, from an European country with a case-mix based funding system (Portugal). Using a conditional risk set model, we find a scale e↵ect for each DRG that ranges between 0 and 1 day. The magnitude of the scale e↵ect is not sufficiently high to justify the centralisation of psychiatric services in higher volume hospitals. We find potential savings for the NHS if integrated continuous care was in place. The focus of mental health system redesign should be on promoting integrated mental health care, with concentration of hospital services not being particularly relevant

Comportamentos de cidadania organizacional em educadores de infância da rede pública e privada

Several studies have identified the nature and characteristics of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) in primary and secondary education teachers, but research in the field of preschool education is almost non-existent. Empirical evidence of the impact that this type of behavior has on the functioning of any organization and the particularities of the roles of preschool teachers in relation to those of other teachers, justify conducting studies on this topic with early childhood education professionals. This paper presents the conclusions of a qualitative study carried out with public and private preschool teachers. The organizational citizenship behaviors performed by these professionals are identified, as well as personal and contextual factors that influence them. The data was collected in interviews with preschool teachers and was analyzed following the Grounded Theory procedures, in particular the constant comparison technique (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). In a second moment, the data was discussed with different participants in a focus group. Data analysis indicates that although preschool teachers tend to view most of the activities they develop as central dimensions of their specific professionality, therefore not describing them as OCBs, it is possible to identify some forms of OCBs specific to preschool teachers, either at the professional level (pedagogical and/or organizational) and at the interpersonal level (activities focused on the relationship with children and families). Major divergences were identified in the dimension of providing care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of child and maternal variables on childhood obesity in the municipalities of Fundão, Montijo, Oeiras, Seixal and Viana do Castelo

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity has been considered a global epidemic and its prevalence has increased worldwide in the last decades. Such trends as gain special interest in the scientific community and their causes have been large studied. In this context it is recognized the importance of more study on obesity’ influences. According to the literature childhood obesity is linked with some child and maternal features. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between child and maternal variables and childhood obesity in school aged children from Fundão, Montijo, Oeiras, Seixal and Viana do Castelo municipalities. METHODS: Longitudinal study developed into three periods (2008-2011). The present data results from the first stage. 167 public schools were selected from the 5 municipalities, where 3851 children were included. The nutritional status was evaluated according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2000) growthcharts criteria percentiles of Body Mass Index (BMI) and the child and maternal variables was obtained from a self-response family’ questionnaire. The statistics analysis was obtained through descriptive analysis and Binomial Logistic Regression Model was used and the odds ratios for confidence intervals were set at 95 %. RESULTS: 3173 children was evaluated, 50.6% were female with a mean age of 7.5 years (± dp=0.8). The prevalence of overweight was 32.1% (BMI≥P85) and 14.3% was obese (BMI≥P95). Childhood breastfeeding occurred in almost children (90.1%) and showed a protective association with childhood obesity (childhood not-breastfeeding OR=1.6; 95%CI: 1.1-2.2). High children birthweight was positively associated with childhood obesity (OR=2.5; 95%CI: 1.3-4.6). The durability of breastfeeding, maternal weight, gestational age and maternal age did not show relevant link with childhood obesity. CONCLUSION: The child and maternal variables are associated with the development of childhood obesity, however in the present study, just not-breastfeeding and children birth weight showed a statistic link with childhood obesity. Furthermore investigation is useful in order to validate these results, and better understand the influence of child and maternal factors on child development

A construção publicitária da herança da marca Burberry: uma proposta de análise

A herança das marcas de luxo é uma componente da marca (Aaker, 2004), construída numa dimensão intangível — do imaginário (Maffesoli, 2006), do mito, do desejo (Castarède, 2007) — e materializada em vários suportes de comunicação, entre estes, as imagens publicitárias em revistas de moda. Segundo vários autores (Kopnina, 2007; Morris & Nichols, 2013; Moulins & Roux, 2008), a herança das marcas de luxo é representada na publicidade através de uma linguagem simbólica que transmite os valores e emoções da marca, apela à dimensão sensitiva e afetiva dos consumidores e tenta seduzi-los e conquistá-los, articulando o passado, o presente e o futuro, a sua herança (Hill, 2006). No quadro de um projeto de investigação de doutoramento sobre o tema, pretende-se discutir o conceito de herança da marca e o papel da comunicação publicitária no processo de construção da mesma. O foco incide nas marcas de luxo de vestuário, dada a forte carga simbólica que define este segmento (Lipovetsky & Roux, 2005; Lipovetsky, 2007) e a importância vital da dimensão intangível neste setor (Hancock II et al. (Eds.), 2014; Husband & Chadha, 2007; Kapferer & Bastien, 2009a; Okonkwo, 2007; Tungate, 2009). Como suporte teórico para esta discussão, articulam-se saberes provenientes da gestão da marca, do marketing, da sociologia e da filosofia. Por ser uma marca que investe na construção da sua herança e na criação de produtos icónicos, nomeadamente o trench coat (Moore & Birtwistle, 2004), propomos ilustrar a nossa reflexão com o exemplo da marca britânica Burberry e das suas imagens publicitárias. Para o efeito, recorremos às últimas 4 imagens publicitárias da Burberry, publicadas na Vogue UK, por ser o país de origem da marca. Assim, iremos 1) analisar a herança da Burberry e o papel da trench coat nesta construção e no percurso da marca; 2) identificar, nas imagens, os elementos sígnicos que remetem para a herança da Burberry; 3) relacionar estes elementos com a história e o percurso da Burberry para compreender a forma como estas imagens fazem do trench coat um produto icónico da marca. Assim, este trabalho, no quadro do nosso projeto de investigação de doutoramento, permite-nos aprofundar conceitos e relações centrais na problemática tecida e testar caminhos para a sua exploração empírica

Scope of safety requirement in quality certificates used in food production in Brazil

Os certificados ou selos de qualidade são utilizados em diversos países, inclusive no Brasil, com o intuito de diferenciar produtos ou unidades de produção de alimentos. São considerados mecanismos de regulação da qualidade, que podem ser concedidos por organismos governamentais, credenciados a eles ou ainda por organizações não governamentais. Os motivos para a certificação são os mais diversos possíveis, destacando-se: demanda de clientes internacionais, imagem dos produtos junto aos clientes, demanda de consumidores mais exigentes ou ainda agregar valor ao produto ou serviço. Os procedimentos para concessão dos certificados variam, especialmente considerando-se a esfera de concessão (âmbito governamental ou associações do setor produtivo). Este trabalho, de caráter exploratório, avaliou a abrangência do requisito segurança em 13 procedimentos de certificação da qualidade identificados na cadeia produtiva de alimentos no Brasil. Constatou-se a predominância da utilização das ferramentas Boas Práticas de Fabricação e Boas Práticas Agrícolas, sendo que o sistema APPCC, ferramenta reconhecida pelo Codex Alimentarius para o gerenciamento de perigos na produção de alimentos é utilizado apenas por apenas 3 dos 13 certificados avaliados. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ABSTRACT Quality certificates or seals are used in many countries, including in Brazil, in order to differentiate products or food production plants. They are considered quality regulation mechanisms, which can be given by government agencies, authorized institutions or nongovernmental organizations. The reasons for certification are many, such as: international clients demand, image of the products among the clients, demanding consumers request, or to add value to a product or service. Procedures for getting permission to use these certificates may vary, especially considering if it is given by a governmental or nongovernmental agency. This article, an exploratory study, evaluated the scope of the safety requirement in 13 quality certificate or seals used in food production in Brazil. It was found that most of the certificates use the tools Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Agriculture Practices. Only three of the certificates consider HACCP, tool recognized by Codex Alimentarius for hazard management in food production as requirement