Ixodidae founded in Ostrich (Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1766) in Portugal

Ostriches are acquiring a status of species for livestock production in Portugal. The introduction of this species can lead to new animal and public health problems. Ixodidae in two ostrich herds have been found following our veterinary parasitological activity. As ticks are vectors and agents of diseases, such as Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) we are compelled to keep epidemiological surveillance on the diseases of ostriches, in order to evaluate their implications in animal and public health

Contribution to the knowledge of bovine besnoitiosis in Portugal

Bovine besnoitiosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoa Besnoitia besnoiti (Marotel, 1912) that presents an acute phase (with fever and anasarca) and a chronic phase (with sclerodermitis), and has been characterized by high morbidity and low mortality (Ferreira, 1985). A study on the presence of besnoitiosis was carried out in October 2001 on a beef cattle herd located in the Évora region. On this farm, where previous cases of besnoitiosis were diagnosed, 12 assymptomatic Limousine bulls, aged between 18 and 24 months, were randomly selected and studied. Skin biopsies were collected and prepared. Subsequent histopathologic analyses of the biopsies have shown that 5 (42%) of the animals studied harboured B. besnoiti cysts. Therefore, these results demonstrate the immediate need to obtain insight in to some as yet not clearly defined aspects of the physiopathogeny of this disease. Possible ways of transmission (that is, determination of intermediate as well as definite hosts) and their impact on animal production such as bovine fertility and the quality of skins for leather industry should be addressed. In addition, the cases of assymptomatic animals with B. besnoiti in the Évora district should be clarified

Culture, longevity and social policies - Radar's Project from the Portuguese Institution Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa

Culture is intrinsically linked to the values of society. Politics dictates our evolution of society through choices and omissions. Older people and their perceived value to the world must be a global priority. Still, the West has not valued this age group wisely and fairly. The data indicate that the impact of social circumstances on the quality of life of the elderly has not been of paramount importance. Investment in the scientific biosocial approach has been deficient compared to the biomedical approach. However, it has had the most significant positive impact on living standards and longevity. We recognise that the funding of the biosocial approach is not considered as competitive as the biomedical approach, because the methodology of the social sciences is fundamentally different. Public policy lacks accuracy because science cannot overrule political power. Accordingly, from 2021 to 2030, the United Nations Organization has named the decade of healthy ageing. Healthcare, as a pillar of social governance and respect for the lives of the elderly, believes that it is vital to have the necessary social support to prosper. On the basis of these circumstances, this research paper outlines the importance of focusing on the social aspect of living and ageing in assessing this age group. Healthy ageing has reflected improved living standards, and increased longevity must become a political priority. This article highlights the concept of political longevity initiatives and how to observe them from an ethical point of view of social science results in a different picture of society. The different perspectives that we present are useful for the modern science of public health. Radar is a current Portuguese initiative as a political project involving public and social institutions. We analyse this project, focusing on the importance of making healthy global ageing a political option.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Kindergarten Teachers' Perspective on Early Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorders

In Portugal, children with developmental disorders are supported by the National Early Childhood Intervention System (NECIS). This network aims to promote child development from a family-centered perspective, based on community support and carried out in everyday natural contexts by a transdisciplinary team. This study aims to verify how the NECIS responds to the needs identified by educators who receive children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in pre-school. This is a qualitative, multiple case study using the content analysis of 6 semi-structured interviews. The results show that these educators feel ill-prepared to work with children with ASD. They expect NECIS professionals will perform more targeted and rehabilitative work with the child and point out the limited time that they have to spend with children as one of the main constraints

Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Case Report

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection exists in a large proportion of patients undergoing renal transplantation. Nowadays it is not considered to be an absolute contraindication to transplantation; however, it is associated with an increased risk for the patient and accounts for a shorter half-life of the renal allograft. We present three transplant recipients who displayed serious hepatic dysfunction after renal transplantation due to an HCV infection. In two of these cases, the liver biopsies established the diagnosis of FCH. In the third case, the liver biopsy was compatible with the early stages of FCH. All patients were started on peg-interferon alfa 2-b and ribavirin with subsequent normalization of hepatic function and early complete viral responses

Isolation of Besnoitia besnoiti from infected cattle in Portugal

Abstract Besnoitia besnoiti, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite belonging to the phylum apicomplexa, is the causative agent of bovine besnoitiosis. Besnoitiosis is responsible for significant losses in the cattle industry of Africa and Mediterranean countries due to the high morbidity rate, abortion and infertility in males. The acute stage of disease is associated with the proliferative forms (tachyzoites) and is characterized by fever, whimpery, general weakness and swelling of the superficial lymph nodes. During the following chronic stage, a huge number of cysts are formed mainly in the subcutaneous tissues. This process is non-reversible, and chronic besnoitiosis is characterized by hyper-sclerodermia, hyperkeratosis, alopecia and, in bulls, atrophy, sclerosis and focal necrosis that cause irreversible lesions in the testis. In this paper we report on the identification of large cysts in the skin of a cow and a bull in Portugal, which presented loss of hair and enlargement and pachydermis all over the body. The observation of a two-layered cyst wall within the host cell, the encapsulation of the host cell by a large outer cyst wall, and the subcutaneous localization of the cysts within the host, were characteristic for B. besnoiti. The parasites were isolated from the infected animals and successfully propagated in Vero cells without prior passages in laboratory animals. Morphological characterization of B. besnoiti tachyzoites and the amplification of the 149 bp segment from the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), aided with specific primers, confirmed the identification of B. besnoiti. Keywords: Besnoitia besnoiti; Bovine besnoitiosis; Portugal; Cyst; In vitro cell cultur

Objetos didáctico-poéticos para desarrollar el pensamiento crítico y artístico en discentes del Grado de Magisterio en Educación Primaria.

El pensamiento crítico artístico del alumnado del Grado de Magisterio en Educación Primaria se construye a partir de experiencias didácticas duales: a) educación perceptiva del mundo visual y objetual que les rodea y b) educación creadora de imágenes y objetos personales. Entre las posibilidades prácticas está la elaboración de lo que denominamos en este artículo como “dispositivos didáctico-poéticos” que servirán a los futuros docentes de Educación Primaria para trabajar con los niños y las niñas en las aulas su pensamiento crítico. Presentamos los resultados del proyecto “Metáforas visuales tridimensionales: estirar hasta dar la vuelta” elaborado durante los cursos 2019-2020 y 2020-2021. En este proyecto se aplicó la metodología docente del Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos (ABP) en combinación con el Aprendizaje Basado en la Creación (ABC) donde convergen la didáctica y la creación. Los resultados desvelan cómo el alumnado es capaz de comprender las narrativas mediáticas y objetuales materializándolas en objetos físicos didáctico-poéticos que servirán para educar en pensamiento crítico a niños y niñas de Educación Primaria

What Is the Relation between Circular Economy and Sustainability? Answers from Frontrunner Companies Engaged with Circular Economy Practices

The circular economy (CE) concept has become a major interest for companies, promising new business opportunities and a decrease in environmental impacts. Though research on circular business models has recently increased, few scholars have investigated how companies engaged with CE view the connection between CE and sustainability. To address this gap, this paper uses a semi-quantitative survey and semi-structured interviews conducted with companies based in Italy and the Netherlands. Purposive sampling was employed to target firms associated with national and international CE networks, as these companies already engage with CE practices. The survey was distributed online to over 800 firms, of which 155 provided information on their understanding of the CE concept and its relationship with sustainability. The survey results are complemented through findings from 43 interviews with a subset of the survey respondents. The survey answers show that companies view CE as one of the tools to achieve sustainable development, particularly in the environmental domain, where the focus lies on environmentally friendly resource use. Yet, the respondents are less confident whether CE increases economic and social benefits of firms. Interviews show that a majority of respondents position sustainability as the overarching concept. However, most companies advocate that the private sector should strive for both sustainability and circularity, though the distinction between the two concepts in daily business operations seems synthetic and futile to some. These findings provide an important stepping stone for better understanding how firms could apply CE practices to move towards a more sustainable society