Equal opportunities, fair work and social protection: Impacts of COVID-19 on young people in Portuguese rural territories

Several international organizations, as well as worldwide scholarship, have abundantly shown that young people under 34 are among the groups struggling the most with COVID-19 economic and social impacts. Seldom, however, does scholarship focus on the uneven effects of the pandemic on younger generations across different types of territories. Overall, young people in rural territories tend to face much greater adversities. These territories concentrate less population, show strong ageing trends trend and depict a lower settlement rate. Rural younger generations struggle to strive, because rural areas depend heavily on declining economic activities such as farming, are plagued by precarious jobs, and display limited institutional support compared to (sub)urban areas. In Portugal, the country’s population is unevenly distributed between affluent, high-density coastal areas and inlands and archipelagos with a considerable rural predominance. The COVID-19 crisis has the potential to further stretch the existing inequalities among young people due to spatial distribution. Therefore, in this chapter, we discuss the impact of the recent pandemic crisis on rural Portuguese young people. We will do so by characterizing headline indicators in the three domains of the European Pillar of Social Rights, namely equal opportunities (e.g., Early School Leavers from Education and Training), fair working conditions (e.g., Youth Unemployment), and social protection and inclusion (e.g., at risk of poverty and social exclusion). We expect to reach an initial comprehension of the challenges faced by rural Portuguese young people in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis in three domains: education, employment and social inclusion. We also discuss how more nuanced territorial conceptualizations (e.g., low-density areas) and policymaking can add alternative views about young people’s living conditions due to subnational disparities.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Limiar do Índice Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) para Resistência à Insulina numa População de Doentes Admitidos Electivamente numa Enfermaria Portuguesa de Cardiologia

INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance is the pathophysiological key to explain metabolic syndrome. Although clearly useful, the Homeostasis Model Assessment index (an insulin resistance measurement) hasn't been systematically applied in clinical practice. One of the main reasons is the discrepancy in cut-off values reported in different populations. We sought to evaluate in a Portuguese population the ideal cut-off for Homeostasis Model Assessment index and assess its relationship with metabolic syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We selected a cohort of individuals admitted electively in a Cardiology ward with a BMI < 25 Kg/m2 and no abnormalities in glucose metabolism (fasting plasma glucose < 100 mg/dL and no diabetes). The 90th percentile of the Homeostasis Model Assessment index distribution was used to obtain the ideal cut-off for insulin resistance. We also selected a validation cohort of 300 individuals (no exclusion criteria applied). RESULTS: From 7 000 individuals, and after the exclusion criteria, there were left 1 784 individuals. The 90th percentile for Homeostasis Model Assessment index was 2.33. In the validation cohort, applying that cut-off, we have 49.3% of individuals with insulin resistance. However, only 69.9% of the metabolic syndrome patients had insulin resistance according to that cut-off. By ROC curve analysis, the ideal cut-off for metabolic syndrome is 2.41. Homeostasis Model Assessment index correlated with BMI (r = 0.371, p < 0.001) and is an independent predictor of the presence of metabolic syndrome (OR 19.4, 95% CI 6.6 - 57.2, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Our study showed that in a Portuguese population of patients admitted electively in a Cardiology ward, 2.33 is the Homeostasis Model Assessment index cut-off for insulin resistance and 2.41 for metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Homeostasis Model Assessment index is directly correlated with BMI and is an independent predictor of metabolic syndrome

Trends in income inequality: comparing the United States and Portugal

This article presents a comparative analysis of the United States and Portugal in terms of economic inequality from the early twentieth century to the present decade. We use different measures of inequality from several statistical sources. The article revolves around three complementary points. The first is a synchronic and diachronic analysis of economic inequalities in Portugal and the United States, the second is the issue of redistribution of income and the final analysis addresses the evolution of top incomes in both countries.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Characterization of natural cork agglomerate functionalised by plasma treatment

This work intends to study the chemical and physical modifications of natural cork agglomerate after plasma treatment using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Different experimental techniques were used to evaluate the surface alterations of the substrate pre- treated with DBD plasma, namely, static and dynamic contact angle, surface energy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Plasma discharge greatly increases the wettability and surface energy of the samples. Chemical and physical analyses of the cork agglomerate confirmed considerable surface modification.The authors gratefully acknowledge the CsF – CNPq and CAPES Foundation, Brazil, for the doctoral grants 202539/2011-3 and BEX0978/12-4. We would also like to thank the Project no 2011/19280 (“COLTEC”), FCT and FEDER-COMPETE funding PEt-C/CTM/UI0264/2011

Cortiça, tecnologia e moda : aplicação da descarga plasmática para viabilizar a utilização de novos produtos.

Este trabalho pretende estudar potenciais aplicações da cortiça. Por ser tratar de um material inerte, muitas vezes torna-se necessário modificar a superfície deste substrato com o intuito de melhorar a sua interação com outros tipos de materiais nos processos de estamparia, tingimento, acabamentos entre outros. Diferentes técnicas foram utilizadas para analisar a cortiça após o tratamento plasmático. Verificou-se, com os resultados obtidos, que o plasma DBD foi capaz de melhorar as propriedades superficiais de um aglomerado de cortiça e sua interação com microcápsulas, criando a possibilidade de desenvolver produtos sustentáveis e inovadores.Os autores agradecem o programa CsF - CNPq e a Fundação CAPES, pelas bolsas de doutorado 202539/2011-3 e BEX0978/12-4, respectivamente. Gostaríamos também de agradecer ao Projeto n o 2011/19280 ("COLTEC"), FCT e FEDER-COMPETE financiamento PEt-C/CTM/UI0264/2011.This paper intends to explore potential applications of the cork. Because it is an inert material, several times becomes necessary to modify the surface of this substrate in order to improve its interaction with other types of materials in the printing, dyeing, finishing processes. Different techniques were used to analyze the cork agglomerate after plasma treatment. The results obtained showed that the DBD plasma was able to improve the surface properties of this substrate and its interaction with PCMs microcapsules, creating the possibility to develop innovative and sustainable products

Functionalization of cork agglomerate composite with pcm microcapsules after dbd plasma treatment

This research intends to study the influence of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment on the adsorption of Phase Change Materials (PCM) microcapsules applied to cork agglomerate laminated with a polymer membrane. Several experimental techniques were used to evaluate cork and membrane surface modification after plasma treatment and the influence on the microcapsules adsorption, namely, Static and Dynamic Contact Angle, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Tensile Strength. The plasma treatment greatly increases the hydrophilicity of both materials, justifying that more microcapsules are adsorbed on this composite. Chemical and physical characterization of the cork agglomerate and polymer membrane confirmed significant surface alteration.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from - Programme CsF–CNPq and CAPES Foundation, Brazil, for the doctoral grants 202539/2011-3 and BEX0978/12-4. The authors would also like to express their acknowledgment to FCT and FEDER-COMPETE funding, under the project PEst-C/CTM/UI0264/2011

Polichromatic image sensor with microlenses for stereoscopic acquisition

This paper presents the fabrication of microlenses for integration on a stereoscopic image sensor in CMOS technology and a low-cost technology for fabricating optical filters arrays tuned for the primary colors. The material selected for fabricating the microlens was the AZ4562 positive photoresist and the fabrication process explained. Moreover, the fabrication process presented in this paper is for directly printing the optical filters into a transparent flexible substrate (acetate).This work was fully supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project FCT/PTDC/EEA-ELC/109936/2009 and R. P. Rocha is supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology financial grant SFRH/BD/33733/2009

A planar thermoelectric power generator for integration in wearable microsystems

A technique for IC-compatible fabrication of a planar (in-plane) thermoelectric (TE) power generator using a thermopile composed of n-type bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and p-type antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin-films is presented. The research demonstrates that the thermal co-evaporation of bismuth/antimony (Bi/Sb) and telluride (Te) is the most suitable deposition technique. The measurements showed TE performance properties of the deposited thin-films that are comparable to those reported for the same materials in the bulk form. The measurements showed absolute values of the Seebeck coefficient in the range 91–248 VK−1, an electrical resistivity in the 7.6–39.1 m range and a thermal conduction between 1.3 and 1.8Wm−1 K−1. The best resulting figures-of-merit, ZT, at room temperatures were 0.97 and 0.56 (equivalent to power-factors, PF, of 4.87×10−3 and 2.8×10−3WK−1m−2) for the Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 thin-films, respectively. The IC-compatibility and the dependence of the TE performance on technological details, such as photolithography and wet etching used for patterning the thin-films have also been investigated. The converter dimensions for best performance were analysed and a prototype of a planar TE power generator was fabricated

Photonic sensors based on flexible materials with FBGs for use on biomedical applications

This chapter is intended for presenting biomedical applications of FBGs embedded into flexible carriers for enhancing the sensitivity and to provide interference-free instrumentation.This work was fully supported by the Algoritmi’s Strategic Project UI 319-2011-2012, under the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology grant Pest C/EEI/UI0319/2011

Caracterización de recubrimientos de hidroxiapatita depositadas sobre la aleación Ti6Al7Nb a través de aspersión térmica a plasma

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coated onto titanium alloys by atmospheric plasma-arc spraying is a promising technique for improving biocompatibility of materials. The tissue adherence to the HA coating increases when compared to the provided by the natural environment of the human body. Hidroxyapatite coating applied to a Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy substrate by plasma spray was characterized morphologically via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray diffraction. X-Ray diffraction results of the HA layer indicated the presence of crystalline HA, amorphous phase and another constituents, like tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and calcium oxide. However, after annealing at a temperature of 600oC there was recristalisation of the amorphous phase and transformation of some of the TCP to HA. SEM results revealed a lamellar morphology which is typical of plasma sprayed surfaces. The HA/alloy interface exhibited some irregularities, however these are not present in the majority of the interfacial area.Peer Reviewe