Estudo de factores de vulnerabilidade no desenvolvimento de demências: escolaridade, actividades profissionais e actividades lazer

Mestrado em Psicologia - Psicologia Clínica e da SaúdeA demência constitui um problema médico e social em crescimento, com um impacto devastador sobre as pessoas afectadas e seus respectivos familiares/cuidadores. Com efeito, o conhecimento da relação entre a escolaridade, as actividades profissionais, as actividades de lazer e o quadro demencial pode ser de extrema importância para o processo de diagnóstico precoce preventivo. Neste trabalho, através de um design transversal, apresenta-se uma investigação empírica com 61 idosos, 23 com diagnóstico clínico de demência e 38 sem diagnóstico clínico de demência, em que se procurou avaliar os principais efeitos da escolaridade, das ocupações profissionais e do lazer no desenvolvimento de demências. Este estudo contempla apenas um momento de avaliação, tendo sido a informação recolhida a partir dos instrumentos de avaliação seleccionados para o efeito: Exame do Estado Mental (Mini Mental State Exam – MMSE; Folstein, Folstein, & McHugh, 1975; versão portuguesa: Guerreiro et al., 1994); Escala de Avaliação Clínica da Demência (Clinical Dementia Rating – CDR; Morris, 1993; versão portuguesa: Garrett et al., 2008). Dos nossos resultados, destacaríamos que: (a) existe uma relação significativa entre a escolaridade e o desenvolvimento de demências; (b) verifica-se a existência de uma relação significativa entre as ocupações profissionais e o desenvolvimento de um quadro demencial, em que o grau de demência é menor para os especialistas das profissões intelectuais e científicas; (c) as actividades de lazer parecem ser um factor de protecção no desenvolvimento de demências e (d) apenas o lazer surge como variável preditora, no entanto, as restantes variáveis parecem influenciar o surgimento de um quadro demencial, uma vez que aumentam a qualidade do ajustamento do modelo logístico, pelo que funcionam como variáveis latentes. A interpretação dos resultados, bem como as possíveis implicações destes em termos de prevenção e intervenção, são discutidos à luz da literatura relevante.Dementia is a growing medical and social problem with a devastating impact on the people affected and their respective families/care-takers. Therefore, having knowledge of the relationship between levels of education, professional activities and leisure activities with the dementia framework may be of extreme importance in early preventative diagnosis. In this project, by means of a transversal design, an empirical study was carried out to evaluate the principal effects of levels of education, professional occupations and leisure in dementia development. The research included the participation of 61 elderly persons, 23 clinically diagnosed with dementia and 38 without a clinical diagnosis of dementia. This research takes into consideration one moment of the evaluation; the information having been gathered using evaluation instruments selected to this effect: Exame do Estado Mental (Mini Mental State Exam – MMSE; Folstein, Folstein, & McHugh, 1975; versão portuguesa: Guerreiro et al., 1994); Escala de Avaliação Clínica da Demência (Clinical Dementia Rating – CDR; Morris, 1993; versão portuguesa: Garrett et al., 2008). From the results, it is highlighted that: (a) there exists a significant correlation between the level of education and dementia development; (b) there exists a significant correlation between professional occupation and the dementia development framework in which the degree of dementia is less for individuals who are specialists in intellectual or scientific professions; (c) leisure activities seem to be a protection factor in the development of dementia; and (d) only leisure emerges as a predictor variable. However, the remaining variables seem to influence the appearance of dementia, being that they increase the adaptation quality of the logistic model, and therefore function as latent variables. The interpretation of the results, as well as their possible implications with regard to prevention and treatment, are discussed in light of the relevant literature

Ethnobotanical survey in Canhane village, district of Massingir, Mozambique: medicinal plants and traditional knowledge

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medicinal plants are used by 80% of people from developing countries to fulfill their primary health needs, occupying a key position on plant research and medicine. Taking into account that, besides their pharmaceutical importance, these plants contribute greatly to ecosystems' stability, a continuous documentation and preservation of traditional knowledge is a priority. The objective of this study was to organize a database of medicinal plants including their applications and associated procedures in Canhane village, district of Massingir, province of Gaza, Mozambique.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In order to gather information about indigenous medicinal plants and to maximize the collection of local knowledge, eleven informants were selected taking into account the dimension of the site and the fact that the vegetation presents a great homogeneity. The data were collected through intensive structured and semi-structured interviews performed during field research. Taxonomical identification of plant species was based on field observations and herbarium collections.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 53 plant species have been reported, which were used to treat 50 different human health problems. More than half of the species were used for stomach and intestine related disturbances (including major diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery). Additionally, four species with therapeutic applications were reported for the first time, whose potential can further be exploited. The great majority of the identified species was also associated with beliefs and myths and/or used as food. In general, the community was conscientious and motivated about conservational issues and has adopted measures for the rational use of medicinal plants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The ethnomedicinal use of plant species was documented in the Canhane village. The local community had a rich ethnobotanical knowledge and adopted sound management conservation practices. The data compiled in this study show the social importance of the surveyed plants being a contribution to the documentation of PGR at the national and regional level.</p

The Versatile Dioctadecyldimethylammonium Bromide

Dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) is a quaternary ammonium surfactant (Quat) with interesting properties and applications. In this chapter, DODAB characteristics as compared to other Quats emphasize its self-assembly in aqueous solutions and the novel applications involving this useful cationic lipid so easily combined with biomolecules and interfaces to yield a wide range of novel uses in many fields such as delivery of drugs, vaccines and genes, design of nanoparticles, modification of interfaces, and many others yet to come

Biomimetic nanoparticles: preparation, characterization and biomedical applications

Mimicking nature is a powerful approach for developing novel lipid-based devices for drug and vaccine delivery. In this review, biomimetic assemblies based on natural or synthetic lipids by themselves or associated to silica, latex or drug particles will be discussed. In water, self-assembly of lipid molecules into supramolecular structures is fairly well understood. However, their self-assembly on a solid surface or at an interface remains poorly understood. In certain cases, hydrophobic drug granules can be dispersed in aqueous solution via lipid adsorption surrounding the drug particles as nanocapsules. In other instances, hydrophobic drug molecules attach as monomers to borders of lipid bilayer fragments providing drug formulations that are effective in vivo at low drug-to-lipid-molar ratio. Cationic biomimetic particles offer suitable interfacial environment for adsorption, presentation and targeting of biomolecules in vivo. Thereby antigens can effectively be presented by tailored biomimetic particles for development of vaccines over a range of defined and controllable particle sizes. Biomolecular recognition between receptor and ligand can be reconstituted by means of receptor immobilization into supported lipidic bilayers allowing isolation and characterization of signal transduction steps

Biomimetic Nanomaterials from the Assembly of Polymers, Lipids, and Surfactants

Nanostructured materials require evaluation at a molecular level to become controllable and useful in drug and vaccine delivery. Over the years self-assembled nanomaterials such as nanoparticles and thin films have been prepared, characterized and used for biomedical applications. In this review meaningful examples of biomimetic nanomaterials and their construction based on intermolecular interactions such as the electrostatic attraction or the hydrophobic effect will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the interactions between polymers, lipids, surfactants and surfaces leading to bioactive supramolecular assemblies such as nanoparticles and coatings. Among the important applications of the self-assembled nanostructures and films to be reviewed are their antimicrobial effect and their adjuvant activity for vaccine delivery

Auto-avaliação da aprendizagem: percepções de alunos e professores

O artigo surge como consequência da tese elaborada no âmbito do doutoramento. O objectivo central deste artigo pretende questionar a auto-avaliação enquanto instrumento dirigido para o desenvolvimento da metacognição e o aperfeiçoamento do processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Optou-se por um estudo de caso focado numa turma do 1º ano do ensino superior de uma universidade moçambicana, no contexto da disciplina de Matemática. Participaram um total de 40 alunos distribuídos em dois cursos (Gestão de Recursos Humanos e Marketing e Relações Públicas), e 10 professores. Foram utilizados no estudo instrumentos de recolha de dados, fichas de autoavaliação (preenchidas em dois momentos), momentos de observação (nãoparticipante) e inquéritos por entrevista (semi-estruturada). Foram ainda analisados, alguns documentos normativos e académicos da instituição. Os resultados permitiram concluir que os alunos recorrem à autoavaliação da sua aprendizagem de uma maneira implícita e como reação ao conteúdo aprendido, mas, não como uma estratégia de aprendizagem intencional. Os alunos, recorrem a estratégias metacognitivas, sendo que o julgamento metacognitivo constituiu a modalidade mais utilizada. Verificou-se também o uso da decisão metacognitiva num pequeno número de alunos que chegaram a expressar algumas dinâmicas de carácter individual e particular consideradas necessárias para a aprendizagem. Não foram encontradas diferenças de género quanto ao uso da metacognição. De forma geral, verificou-se uma relação positiva significativa entre as estratégias metacognitivas e o desempenho académico, na medida em que os alunos, que usaram a metacognição na sua forma mais elaborada, apresentaram um melhor desempenho.The article arises as a consequence of a thesis developed within the ambit of a doctorate. The main objective of this paper is to question the use of self-evaluation as a tool for the development of metacognition and the improvement of the teaching and learning process. We opted for a case study focused on a class of first year undergraduates at a Mozambican university, in the context of the subject of Mathematics. A total of 40 students studying two courses (Human Resources Management, and Marketing and Public Relations), and 10 teachers participated in the study. Data collection instruments consisted of self-assessment forms (completed in sessions), non-participant observation and semi-structured interview surveys were used in the study. Also analyzed were some normative and academic documents of the institution. The results allow us to conclude that students resort to self-evaluation of their learning in an implicit manner and as a reaction to the content learned, but not as an intentional learning strategy. Students use metacognitive strategies, and metacognitive judgment was the most used modality. There was also the use of metacognitive decision in a small number of students who came to express some individual and particular dynamics considered necessary for learning. No gender differences were found regarding the use of metacognition. Overall, there was a significant positive relationship between metacognitive strategies and academic achievement, as students who used metacognition in its most elaborate form performed better.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Percursos de plantas e saberes como estratégia de educação ambiental

Durante o primeiro semestre de 2012 na aldeia de Maçãs, freguesia de Parâmio, Bragança, Trás-os-Montes, realizou-se um inventário etnobotânico recorrendo a metodologias etnográficas (inquirição e observação-participante) que permitiu identificar um conjunto de espécies silvestres outrora frequentemente usadas para fins medicinais e alimentares pela população local, bem como registar os saberes tradicionais associados ao reconhecimento dos habitats, das diferentes fases fenológicas e características morfológicas, dos locais preferenciais de colheita sustentada e dos modos de fazer e usar. A partir da informação registada estabeleceram-se diferentes percursos (itinerários) tendo em conta o habitat e a distribuição das espécies mais citadas pelos informantes e organizaram-se várias ações de educação ambiental para promover o conhecimento da flora local e despertar interesse pela sua gestão e conservação. Um dos percursos interpretativos, destinado a públicos urbanos de várias faixas etárias, envolveu cerca de trinta participantes e contou com a colaboração dos informantes locais. À medida que os participantes seguiam o percurso marcado, os informantes e monitores ensinavam a encontrar as diferentes espécies da flora local, a reconhecer os habitats, explicavam usos e histórias relacionadas com essas plantas, incentivavam a descobrir critérios para uma identificação expedita e classificação básica e a respeitar e preservar os recursos naturais. No final do passeio, participantes, informantes e monitores reuniram-se na Junta de Freguesia e fizeram o resumo e balanço da sessão, discutiram aprendizagens e testaram os novos conhecimentos. Este trabalho apresenta de forma sucinta as principais etapas e os resultados obtidos num projeto realizado no âmbito da Licenciatura em Educação Ambiental, destacando a importância da partilha de saberes e experiências para uma tomada de consciência relativa à gestão e conservação dos recursos naturais e dos habitats

Metabolic Diseases: a differential diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis

Objectives: The overall aim of our research project is to develop a Next Generation Sequencing strategy to identify metabolic disorders in 104 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of primary progressive MS.We would like to thank to MERCK, SA and NORTE2020 (NORTE-01-0246-FEDER-000014) for funding this Project.N/