O aleitamento materno como atitude ambientalmente sustentável : um estudo piloto

Os benefícios da amamentação exclusiva tanto para as mães como para os bebés é bem conhecida na maioria dos países. Contudo, a relação existente entre o processo de amamentação e a proteção ambiental ainda não foi estudada. Para avaliar a perceção das mães sobre a amamentação como uma atitude amiga do ambiente foi realizado em Portugal, durante o ano de 2013, um inquérito a 140 mulheres grávidas. Após análise dos resultados concluiu-se que a maioria das mulheres estão conscientes dos benefícios da amamentação relativamente à saúde do bebé mas não em relação à sua própria saúde. Além disso, as mulheres que participaram neste estudo não estavam conscientes da relação que existe entre o processo de amamentação e a proteção ambiental.Breastfeeding as a Sustainable Attitude: a pilot study. The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to babies and mothers are well established in most countries. The relationship between breastfeeding and environmental protection hasn’t yet been studied. To evaluate mother's perception of breastfeeding as an environmentally friend attitude a questionnaire which involved 140 pregnant women was carried out in Portugal in 2013. After analysis of the results it was concluded that the majority of women in the pilot study were well aware of the health benefits of breastfeeding for the baby but not for themselves. Moreover, women in the study were not aware of the relation between breastfeeding and environmental protection

Which table salt to chose?

The link between salt consumption and hypertension has been the focus of many studies and clinical trials in the past few years. It is recommended that table salt intake does not exceed the maximum of 5g per day and yet most people find almost impossible to comply with this recommendation. New types of salt have recently appeared in the market and they claim to be less harmful to health than current commercial salt. Besides being less salty to the taste these new types of salt contain less sodium and more trace minerals than commercial salt but there is a need of experiments and studies in order to establish their benefit to health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Participation and Quality of Life in Inclusive Education

O conceito de qualidade de vida tem vindo a merecer, entre nós, um interesse crescente. Em termos gerais, tem vindo a definir-se a qualidade de vida como um estado desejado de bem-estar pessoal que é multidimensional, e a participação e inclusão social uma das suas dimensões; tem componentes objetivos e subjetivos bem como caraterísticas universais e caraterísticas específicas dos contextos socioculturais particulares em que a pessoa vive; que varia ao longo do ciclo de vida, e que é influenciado tanto por fatores pessoais como por fatores ambientais. Em Portugal, o interesse que tem suscitado é visível no estudo de instrumentos para a sua avaliação (especialmente a qualidade de vida relacionada com a saúde), bem como tem vindo a ser um tópico para as instituições que intervém ao nível psicossocial – como as que trabalham com pessoas com dificuldades intelectuais e desenvolvimentais. Vários autores têm reclamado a importância destes modelos e da sua aplicação em contexto educativo, em especial quando se trata de promover a educação inclusiva, em geral, e a educação para a vida pós-escolar de crianças e jovens com necessidades educativas especiais, em particular. No entanto, os modelos de qualidade de vida são pouco (re)conhecidos e têm merecido poucas referências aos diferentes níveis do sistema educativo português. Propõe-se uma breve incursão sobre os princípios dos modelos de qualidade de vida no que respeita à sua concetualização, avaliação e aplicação, bem como alguns dos possíveis contributos para uma educação inclusiva e capaz de promover a participação de todos. / The concept of quality of life has been deserving of growing interest in Portugal. In general, the quality of life has been defined as a desired state of personal well-being that is multidimensional, and social participation and inclusion one of its dimensions; Has objective and subjective components, as well as universal characteristics and specific characteristics of the particular sociocultural contexts in which the person lives; Varies throughout the life cycle, and is influenced by both personal and environmental factors. In Portugal, this increased interest is visible in the study of instruments for its assessment (especially health-related quality of life), and it has become an important topic for institutions that intervene at the psychosocial level - such as those working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Several authors claim the relevance of these models and their application in the educational contexts, especially when the inclusive education is a goal, and, even more, the education for post-school life of youth with special education needs. However, the models of quality of life are little known and have deserved few references at the different levels of the Portuguese educational system. The aim of the present work is to briefly explore the principles of a quality of life model concerning its conceptualization, assessment / evaluation and application, as well as discussing its possible contributions to inclusive education and promoting the participation of all

Distance education: the experience with environmental sciences

Educational systems should warrant learning needs of the population they serve offering a diversity of educational agents, strategies and answers to the needs of those that seek knowledge (Caeiro et al., 2004). In Portugal the experience of teaching subjects related to Environmental Sciences via open distance learning started in 1995 at Universidade Aberta (a Public University specially dedicated to the open distance learning of graduate and undergraduate courses). This experience began with General Ecology, and in view of the interest showed by students (and in fact by a wider public) the University later offered other subjects such as Environmental Education and Water Pollution. Today we have a number of different subjects within the vast area of Environmental Sciences and are preparing an undergraduate programme in view of the recent Bolonha agreement. The University also offers post-graduate programmes that bring together the environment and the citizen participation. The aim is to heighten the interests of our students in scientific subjects related to the environment as well as providing a practical perspective of what they can do as active citizens. The programmes are supported by necessary tools that enable students to critically analyse and discuss press articles about the environment, protocols that are designed to make industries “greener” as well as government decisions

"Vascular Memory” as a predictive factor for endothelium function-associated conditions : Comparative study of 3 clinical models – Raynaud’s Disease, Systemic Sclerosis and Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by small vessel vasculopathy, autoantibody production and collagen deposition in the skin and internal organs. Although SSc is considered a fibrosing disease, vascular involvement together with immune activation, inflammatory response and oxidative stress seem to play major roles in the pathogenesis of organ dysfunction. There is some evidence that endothelial dysfunction may precede the typical perivascular abnormalities present in the disease, with the microvasculature becoming aberrant and exhibiting dilations, tortuosities and microhaemorrages, with extense avascular areas, resulting in tissular hypoxia, but the published data are still controversial. Despite the phenotypic variety, almost all patients with systemic sclerosis have Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), an episodic vasospastic ischaemic disorder. Raynaud's phenomenon can precede other symptoms and signs of systemic sclerosis by up to 30 years, but its presence alone is not sufficient for the development of SSc. Therefore, it has been particularly difficult to understand what mechanisms come first in the pre-clinical phase of systemic sclerosis, as it is a rare disease with a small direct genetic impact. Nevertheless, studying the offspring of these patients could be the closest to a control group for genetics and early in life (at least) environmental factors. This thesis was developed from the hypothesis that a ‘vascular memory’ characterized by anatomical microcirculatory changes, could be the earliest manifestation and the influencing factor for endothelial dysfunction. Methods: The study included patients with systemic sclerosis, n=124, two different endothelium dysfunction-associated diseases (disease control groups): Raynaud’s disease (RD), n=158, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), n=98, and their respective healthy offspring (SSc offspring, n=55, RD offspring, n=11, T2DM offspring, n=50), and healthy controls (n=59). All the groups were studied concerning the demographic, clinical and general biochemical features. Circulatory anatomy was studied using Nailfold VideoCapillaroscopy (NVC) and the characterisation of the inflammation, immune activation and oxidative stress was addressed by the quantification of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, VEGF-A, 3-NT and TAC. Main findings: The healthy offspring of patients with SSc showed significant changes in NVC when compared to controls [number of capillaries per field inferior to eight (p=0.003), enlarged capillaries (p=0.003), major morphologic abnormalities (p=0.027), oedema (0.031), avascular areas (p<0.001), neoangiogenesis (p=0.041), reduced velocity of blood flow (p<0.001), sludge (p<0.001)], despite having normal levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, VEGF and 3-NT, with a high level of TAC. When compared to the patients with SSc, their offspring had similar changes regarding major morphologic abnormalities (p=0.6), “sludge” (p=0.06) and avascular areas (p=0.78). This two groups showed differences only in capillaries per field (p<0.001), enlarged (p<0.001) and giant (p<0.001) capillaries, minor dysmorphias (p<0.001), haemorrhages (p<0.001) and interstitial oedema (p<0.001). Capillary rarefaction and “sludge” were even more pronounced in the offspring of SSc when compared to patients with RD (p<0.001 for both parameters). Patients with RD differed from controls only in the number of enlarged capillaries (p=0.02), blood flow (p=0.002) and neoangiogenesis (p=0.04); their offspring had a practically normal NVC. Regarding the biologic products, none were higher in the RD and respective offspring group compared to controls. The offspring of patients with T2DM also showed significant differences from controls in NVC [edema (p=0.009), avascular areas (p<0.001), neoangiogenesis p=0.001, and reduced blood flow (p=0.046)]. There was only difference in haemorrhages (p=0.002) between patients with T2DM and their offspring. The T2DM offspring group had serum levels of 3-NT higher than controls (p=0.027). Conclusions: The anatomy of microvasculature in the offspring of patients with SSc appears to change before the immune system and inflammation markers get activated. This may be due to the fact that the microcirculatory structure is genetically driven whilst the disease onset may need further “hits” to develop. RD might have a different physiopathology from RP in the context of SSc, highlighting the different nature of the two conditions regarding their early (pre-clinical) mechanisms. The offspring of patients with T2DM showed the same phenomena that the SSc group, (despite the differences in the terminal vessels morphology), suggesting the presence of a genetic-based background which may develop into the metabolic disease after exposure to other stimuli. Therefore, we may postulate the existence of a ‘vascular anatomical memory’ in systemic sclerosis.Resumo Introdução: A esclerose sistémica (ES) é uma doença autoimune do tecido conjuntivo caracterizada por vasculopatia de pequenos vasos, produção de autoanticorpos e deposição de colagénio na pele e órgãos internos. Embora seja considerada uma doença fibrosante, o envolvimento vascular, em conjunto com a activação imunológica, a resposta inflamatória e o stress oxidativo, parecem desempenhar um papel importante na patogénese da disfunção de órgão. Há alguma evidência de que a disfunção endotelial poderá preceder as alterações perivasculares típicas presentes na doença, com a microvasculatura a tornar-se aberrante e a exibir dilatações, tortuosidades e micro-hemorragias, com extensas áreas avasculares, resultado em hipoxia tissular, mas os dados publicados são ainda controversos. Apesar da variabilidade fenotípica, quase todos os doentes com esclerose sistémica apresentam fenómeno de Raynaud (FR), um distúrbio isquémico vaso-espástico episódico. O fenómeno de Raynaud pode preceder em 30 anos os outros sintomas e sinais da esclerose sistémica, mas a sua presença por si só não é suficiente para o desenvolvimento da ES. Tem sido particularmente difícil compreender quais os mecanismos que surgem primeiro na fase pré-clínica da esclerose sistémica, por se tratar de uma doença rara com um pequeno impacto genético direto. No entanto, estudar a descendência destes doentes pode ser o mais próximo que conseguimos como grupo controlo para fatores genéticos e ambientais em início de vida. Esta tese foi desenvolvida a partir da hipótese de que uma “memória vascular”, caracterizada por alterações anatómicas micro-circulatórias, poderia ser a manifestação mais precoce e o factor influenciador da disfunção endotelial. Métodos: O estudo incluiu doentes com esclerose sistémica , n=124, e outras duas doenças associadas à disfunção endotelial (grupos controlo da doença): doença de Raynaud (DR, n=158) e diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2, n=98); e os seus respectivos descendentes saudáveis (descendentes de ES, n=55, descendentes de DR, n=11, descendentes de DM2, n=50) e controlos (n=59). Estes grupos foram estudados quanto às características demográficas, clínicas e bioquímicas gerais. A anatomia circulatória foi estudada por vídeo-capilaroscopia peri-ungueal (VCP) e a caracterização da inflamação, ativação imunológica e stress oxidativo, foi abordada pela quantificação de VCAM-1, ICAM-1 , VEGF-A, 3-NT e TAC. Resultados principais: A descendência saudável dos doentes com ES apresentou alterações significativas na VCP quando comparada aos controlos [número de capilares por campo inferior a oito (p=0,003), capilares dilatados (p=0,003), dismorfias major (p=0,027), edema (p=0,031), áreas avasculares (p<0,001), neoangiogénese (p=0,041), redução da velocidade do fluxo sanguíneo (p<0,001), e estase eritrocitária (p<0,001)], apesar de apresentar níveis normais de VCAM-1, ICAM- 1, VEGF e 3-NT, com níveis elevados de TAC. Quando comparados aos doentes com ES, os seus descendentes tiveram alterações semelhantes em relação a dismorfias major (p=0.6), “sludge” (p=0.06) e áreas avasculares (p=0.78). Estes dois grupos apresentaram diferenças apenas no número de capilares por campo (p<0,001), nos capilares dilatados (p<0,001) e megacapilares (p<0,001), nas dismorfias minor (p<0,001), nas hemorragias (p <0,001) e no edema intersticial (p<0,001). A rarefação capilar e a estase eritrocitária foram ainda mais pronunciadas nos descendentes de ES quando comparados com doentes com DR (p<0.001 para os dois parâmetros). Os doentes com DR diferiram dos controlos apenas nos capilares dilatados (p=0.02), na velocidade reduzida de fluxo circulatório (p=0.002) e na neoangiogénese (p=0.04); a descendência de doentes com DR apresentou uma VCP quase normal. Em relação aos biomarcadores, nenhum foi maior nos descendentes de DR em comparação com os controlos. A descendência dos doentes com diabetes mellitus tipo 2 também apresentou diferenças significativas na VCP em relação aos controlos [edema (p=0,009), áreas avasculares (p<0,001), neoangiogénese (p=0,001) e redução da velocidade do fluxo sanguíneo (p=0,046)]. Houve diferença apenas nas hemorragias (p=0,002) entre os doentes com DM2 e os filhos de doentes com DM2. O grupo de descendentes apresentou níveis séricos de 3-NT superiores aos controlos (p=0.027). Conclusões: A anatomia da microvasculatura presente nos descendentes dos doentes com ES parece mudar antes do sistema imunológico e os marcadores de inflamação serem ativados. Isto pode dever-se ao facto da estrutura microcirculatória ser determinada geneticamente, enquanto que o início da doença pode necessitar de mais “eventos” para se desenvolver. A DR pode ter uma fisiopatologia diferente do FR no contexto da ES, destacando-se a natureza diferente das duas condições quanto aos seus mecanismos precoces (pré-clínicos). A descendência de doentes com DM2 apresentou os mesmos fenómenos do grupo da ES (apesar das diferenças na morfologia da circulação terminal), sugerindo a presença de uma base genética, que pode evoluir para a doença metabólica após exposição a outros estímulos. Desta forma, podemos postular a existência de uma memória anatómica vascular na esclerose sistémica

Artificial wetlands and their importance for water quality

The efficiency of a constructed wetland to remove Cd, Ni and Pb was studied over a six-month period. The distribution of these metals in the sediments was examined using a sequential extraction method. Results showed that high levels of Cd and Pb were present and that each metal has a characteristic distribution in the sediment. There was a significant difference in the removal efficiency of metals during dry weather and during storm events. Although, the removal of Ni and its distribution did not show any consistent trend, it was evident that a significant amount of Ni was removed during the storm event

Does performing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 12 to 24 hours prior Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis affects the validity of body water compartments assessment?

Purpose: One of the bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) requirement is to avoid performing physical activity in the 12-24h prior measurement, which can be difficult in highly active populations. This investigation aimed: to examine if moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) performed in 12-24h prior BIS testing, affects the validity of determining total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW) and intracellular water (ICW) using dilution techniques as the reference method. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy highly active males, aged 20 to 39 years (72.4 ± 8.7 Kg;1.77 ± 0.07 m) were evaluated. BIS and dilution techniques were used to assess TBW, ECW, and ICW. Pearson coefficient of correlation was used to analyze if MVPA was associated with the difference between methods for TBW, ECW, and ICW. Results: No significant differences between BIS and the dilution technique for TBW, ECW, and ICW volumes were observed (p>0.05). For all water compartments, no association was found between MVPA in the previous 12-24h with the differences between methods (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that performing MVPA 12-24h prior measuring water compartments may not compromise a valid estimation of TBW, ECW, and ICW from BIS compared to dilution techniques. Indeed, the magnitude of the differences between methods in body water assessment was not related with the amount of MVPA performed by highly active adults.Objetivo: Um dos requisitos de bioimpedância elétrica por espectroscopia prende-se com evitar a prática de atividade física nas 12-24h antes da medição, o que pode ser difícil em populações altamente ativas. Esta investigação teve como objetivo: examinar se a atividade física moderada a vigorosa (AFMV) realizada entre 12-24h antes do teste de bioimpedância elétrica por espectroscopia afeta a validade da determinação da água corporal total (ACT), água extracelular (AEC), e água intracelular (AIC) usando técnicas de diluição como o método de referência. Métodos: Foram avaliados vinte e sete homens saudáveis, altamente ativos, com idades entre os 20 e os 39 anos (72,4 ± 8,7Kg; 1,77 ± 0.07m). A bioimpedância elétrica por espectroscopia e as técnicas de diluição foram usadas para avaliar TBW, ECW e ICW. O coeficiente de correlação de Pearson foi usado para analisar se a AFMV estava associada à diferença entre os métodos para ACT, AEC e AIC. Resultados: Não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre a bioimpedância elétrica por espectroscopia e a técnica de diluição para os volumes ACT, AEC e AIC (p> 0,05). Para todos os compartimentos de água, não foi encontrada associação entre AFMV com as diferenças entre os métodos (p> 0,05). Conclusões: O presente estudo mostrou que a realização de AFMV 12-24h antes da medição dos compartimentos de água poderá não comprometer uma estimativa válida de ACT, AEC e AIC do BIS em comparação com as técnicas de diluição. De fato, a magnitude das diferenças entre os métodos na avaliação da água corporal não demonstrou associação com a quantidade de AFMV realizada por adultos altamente ativos

Verbascum rotundifolium subsp. haenseleri (Boiss.) Murb. (Scrophulariaceae), an overlooked taxon in the Portuguese flora

  Verbascum rotundifolium subsp. haenseleri (Boiss.) Murb. was first collected in Portugal in 1970 (in Beira Baixa) but has remained uncited in all reference works regarding the Portuguese flora. In recent years, the plant was observed in Beira Baixa at four distinct sites along the valley of the Erges river. This plant is not an occasional or vagrant species in Portugal and, thus, should be considered as native and added to the Portuguese flora.Verbascum rotundifolium Ten. fue recolectada por primera vez en Portugal en 1970 (Beira Baixa), pero permaneció ausente de todos los trabajos de referencia sobre la flora portuguesa. En los últimos años, la planta también fue observada en la Beira Baixa en cuatro sitios distintos en el valle del río Erges. La planta no es una especie ocasional ni adventicia en Portugal por lo que debe considerarse nativa y agregarse a la flora portuguesa

Self-knowledge and depressive symptoms in late adolescence: a study using the repertory grid technique

The goal of this study is to explore the relationship, suggested by recent developmental approaches, between several aspects of self-knowledge organization and depressive symptomatology in late adolescence, within the comprehensive framework of Kelly’s personal construct psychology. The repertory grid technique was used to obtain six measures of self-knowledge organization: global differentiation; polarization; presence of conficts; and discrepancies between actual self, ideal self, and others. Two inventories were used to create two samples of late adolescents according to their level of depressive symptoms. Results supported the expectations of greater global differentiation and actual– ideal self discrepancy (or lower self-esteem) for adolescents with depressive symptoms, as well as a higher likelihood of intrapersonal con icts. However, discrepancies between self (actual or ideal) and others (identi cation, and perceived adequacy of others), and polarization showed no significant differences. Furthermore, the association of symptom severity with different grid measures was stronger for adolescents with depressive symptoms. Results and limitations of this study are discussed, and the potential of using personal construct theory and the repertory grid technique in studies of self-knowledge and psychological adjustment during adolescence is explored