Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives (nitro-PAHs, oxygenated PAHs, and azaarenes) in PM2.5 from Southern European cities

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) samples were collected over two one month periods during winter and summer in three Southern European cities (Oporto – traffic site, Florence – urban background, Athens - suburban). Concentrations of 27 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 15 nitro-PAHs (NPAHs), 15 oxygenated-PAHs (OPAHs) and 4 azaarenes (AZAs) were determined. On average, the winter-summer concentrations of ΣPAHs were 16.3–5.60, 7.75–3.02 and 3.44–0.658 ng m− 3 in Oporto, Florence and Athens, respectively. The corresponding concentrations of ΣNPAHs were 15.8–9.15, 10.9–3.36 and 15.9–2.73 ng m− 3, whilst ΣOPAHs varied in the ranges 41.8–19.0, 11.3–3.10 and 12.6–0.704 ng m− 3. Concentrations of ΣAZAs were always below 0.5 ng m− 3. Irrespective of the city, the dominant PAHs were benzo[b + j + k]fluoranthene, retene, benzo[ghi]perylene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene. The most abundant OPAH in all cities was 1,8-naphthalic anhydride, whereas 5-nitroacenaphthene was the prevailing NPAH. The ΣOPAHs/ΣPAHs and ΣNPAHs/ΣPAHs were higher in summer than in winter, suggesting increasing formation of derivatives by photochemical degradation of PAHs. Molecular diagnostic ratios suggested that, after traffic, biomass burning was the dominant emission source. Apart from being influenced by seasonal sources, the marked differences between winter and summer may indicate that these diagnostic ratios are particularly sensitive to photodegradation, and thus should be applied and interpreted cautiously. The lifetime excess cancer risk from inhalation was, in part, attributable to PAH derivatives, acclaiming the need to include these compounds in regular monitoring programmes. On average, 206, 88 and 26 cancer cases per million people were estimated, by the World Health Organisation method, for the traffic-impacted, urban background and suburban atmospheres of Oporto, Florence and Athens, respectively

Teacher and school determinants of perceived classroom discipline: a multilevel analysis of TALIS 2013

Published online: 21 January 2021Classroom discipline is a significant concern in most educational systems and a critical element of an effective learning environment. In this article, we present a multilevel analysis of teachers' perceived classroom discipline (PCD) in Portugal, using data from the TALIS 2013. Portuguese teachers perceived slightly more classroom discipline problems than the mean of OECD countries, with classroom variables explaining PCD much better than school-related variables. The percentage of low achievers in the classroom, teacher's self-efficacy, and teacher's need for training in classroom management were the best predictors of PCD. Still, student-related factors (e.g., low achievement) were better predictors of PCD than teacher-related factors (e.g., teacher experience or teacher gender)

Character education in Portugal

Around the world, children who can exercise their right to attend school spend a significant part of their lives within the education environment. Therefore, schools have a great deal of influence on children’s development beyond the academic realm. Given this accessibility to children, schools have opportunities to help children develop positive character traits. Each community must determine what role schools will play in providing character education and what content would be delivered through character education programs. This article explores these issues associated with character education within Portugal, including who should be responsible for providing character education and how it can best be transmitted.(undefined

Índices de qualidade de serviço em sistemas de drenagem e tratamento de águas residuais

O abastecimento de água, o saneamento de águas residuais urbanas e a gestão integrada de resíduos sólidos urbanos constituem serviços públicos de carácter estrutural, essenciais ao bem-estar geral, à saúde pública e à segurança colectiva das populações, às actividades económicas e à protecção do ambiente. A Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Águas e Resíduos (ERSAR) implementou um sistema de avaliação de desempenho das entidades gestoras (EG) baseado em indicadores de desempenho (ID). Estes indicadores incidem sobre aspectos parcelares do desempenho duma dada EG, tendo por objectivo o aumento dos padrões de eficiência e de eficácia dos serviços prestados. Este trabalho tem como principal objectivo contribuir para a melhoria do modelo de avaliação de desempenho existente, através da definição e cálculo de índices (sectoriais e global) de qualidade de serviço em sistemas de drenagem e tratamento de águas residuais, com base numa metodologia de análise multicritério. O seu valor resulta duma criteriosa combinação das pontuações normalizadas de cada ID. Além de facilitarem a aplicação de estratégias de benchmarking, a integração destes índices em sistemas de suporte à decisão, associados à gestão patrimonial de infra-estruturas de saneamento básico poderá ser um instrumento muito útil para as EG na definição das suas prioridades de investimento e de planos operacionais de reabilitação

El trauma raquimedular

A medula espinhal dos mamíferos adultos não permite a regeneração de axônios. Por razões ainda desconhecidas, as fibras neurais falham em cruzar o sítio da lesão, como se não houvesse crescimento, desde a primeira tentativa. Quais mecanismos poderiam explicar a perda da capacidade de regeneração? As cicatrizes formadas pelas células da glia seriam uma consequência da falha na regeneração ou a causa? Diversas linhas de evidência sugerem que a regeneração da medula espinhal seria impedida no sistema nervoso central pela ação de fatores locais no sítio da lesão, e que o sistema nervoso central não-lesado é um meio permissivo para o crescimento axonal, na direção de alvos específicos. Uma vez que os axônios são induzidos adequadamente a cruzar a lesão com o auxílio de implantes, fármacos ou células indiferenciadas, as fibras em regeneração podem encontrar a via específica e estabelecer conexões corretas. O que ainda não se sabe é que combinação de moléculas induz/inibe o potencial de regeneração do tecido e que mecanismos permitem aos neurônios formarem conexões específicas com os alvos com os quais são programados a fazer.The adult mammal spinal cord does not allow axons regeneration. For unknown reasons, the neural fibers fail in coming across the site of the lesion, as if there were no growing from the first try. What mechanisms may explain the lost of regeneration capability? Are scars formed by glial cells a consequence of regeneration fail or the cause? Several evidence lines suggest that spinal cord regeneration would be blocked in the central nervous system by actions of local factors in the site of the wound, and no injured central nervous system is a permissive way for the axonal growing into specific targets. If axons are correctly induced to cross the injury, supported by implants, drugs and undifferentiated cells, the fibers in regeneration may find a specific way to establish the right connections. The combination of molecules which induce/inhibit the regeneration potential of the tissue remains unknown, as well as the mechanisms that enable the neuron to make specific connections with targets it is programmed to connect with.La medula espinal de los mamíferos adultos no permite la regeneración de los axones. Por razones aun no conocidas, las fibras neurales fallan en la tarea de cruzar por el sitio de la lesión, como si no hubiese crecimiento, desde el primer intento. ¿Cuáles mecanismos podrían explicar la pérdida de la capacidad de la regeneración? ¿Las cicatrices formadas por las células de la glía son una consecuencia del fallo en la regeneración o serían la causa? Diversas líneas de evidencia sugieren que la regeneración de la medula espinal sería impedida en el sistema nervioso central por la acción de factores locales en el sitio de la lesión, y que el sistema nervioso central no lesionado es un medio permisivo para el crecimiento axonal, en la dirección de dianas específicas. Una vez que los axones sean inducidos adecuadamente a cruzar la lesión, con auxilio de implantes, fármacos o células indiferenciadas, las fibras en regeneración podrían encontrar la vía específica y establecer conexiones correctas. Lo que aun es desconocido es que combinación de moléculas induce/inhibe el potencial de regeneración del tejido y cuáles mecanismos permiten a las neuronas formar conexiones específicas, con las dianas que son programadas a hacer.FAPESPCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)CNP

SmoothHazard:An R package for fitting regression models to interval-censored observations of illness-death models

The irreversible illness-death model describes the pathway from an initial state to an absorbing state either directly or through an intermediate state. This model is frequently used in medical applications where the intermediate state represents illness and the absorbing state represents death. In many studies, disease onset times are not known exactly. This happens for example if the disease status of a patient can only be assessed at follow-up visits. In this situation the disease onset times are interval-censored. This article presents the SmoothHazard package for R. It implements algorithms for simultaneously fitting regression models to the three transition intensities of an illness-death model where the transition times to the intermediate state may be interval-censored and all the event times can be right-censored. The package parses the individual data structure of the subjects in a data set to find the individual contributions to the likelihood. The three baseline transition intensity functions are modelled by Weibull distributions or alternatively by M -splines in a semi-parametric approach. For a given set of covariates, the estimated transition intensities can be combined into predictions of cumulative event probabilities and life expectancies

Inclusive education in Portugal: teachers’ professional development, working conditions, and instructional efficacy

Inclusive education policies thin the boundaries of special and regular education as well as teachers’ roles and competencies. The present study, using data from TALIS 2018, aims to find out whether Portuguese teachers working in classes directed entirely or mainly to special education needs students (SENS) differ from teachers working in classes with few or no SENS in the following areas: (a) professional development needs in special education; (b) perceived barriers to professional development; and (c) teaching and work features related to SENS. The results show small but significant differences between teachers working and teachers not working entirely or mainly with SENS in professional development needs, perceived opportunities for professional development, and stress involved in modifying SENS lessons. No other significant differences were found. Still, the results show that both groups of teachers perceive significant professional development needs and barriers to professional development but are optimistic about the quality of professional development, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy in instruction. However, teachers of both groups are pessimistic about professional collaboration, a key element of inclusive education. Overall, it seems that some critical elements of inclusive education are still to be implemented in Portuguese schools

Determinantes escolares y de los estudiantes en el rendimiento lector: un análisis multinivel con estudiantes portugueses

Available online 10 June 2021Reading is crucial for learning, in general. Starting right with reading in primary grades is, therefore, vital for school achievement. The present study aims to test whether students’ factors best predict reading performance than school factors and determine what student and school factors predict reading performance. The study sample includes 4,118 fourth-grade students participating in IEA PIRLS 2016. Three questionnaires were used to collect data: one for school principals, one for students, and one for parents. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to study the relation of school and student-level variables to students’ reading performance. Students’ confidence in reading and home resources for learning are the best predictors of reading performance at the student level. At the school level, school emphasis on academic success is the best predictor of reading performance. The results provide clues as to what schools might do to improve reading results.La lectura es fundamental para el aprendizaje en general. Empezar con la lectura en educación primaria es, por tanto, vital para el rendimiento académico. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo probar si los factores de los estudiantes predicen mejor el rendimiento en lectura que los factores escolares y determinar qué factores del alumnado y de la escuela predicen el rendimiento en lectura. La muestra del estudio incluye 4.118 estudiantes de cuarto curso de educación primaria que participan en el Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), 2016. Han sido utilizados tres cuestionarios para recopilar datos: un cuestionario para directores de escuela, un cuestionario para estudiantes y un cuestionario para padres. Se ha utilizado un modelo lineal jerárquico para estudiar la relación de las variables al nivel de la escuela y del alumnado con el rendimiento de los estudiantes en lectura. La confianza de los estudiantes en la lectura y los recursos del hogar para el aprendizaje son los mejores predictores del rendimiento lector. Al nivel escolar, el mejor indicador del rendimiento lector es el énfasis de la escuela en el éxito académico. Los resultados proporcionan pistas sobre lo que podrán hacer las escuelas para mejorar los resultados de lectura