Relatório de estágio

O presente relatório de estágio está integrado no âmbito do estágio curricular do 2º ciclo do Mestrado em Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde da Universidade Católica Portuguesa – Faculdade de Filosofia, Braga. O presente documento pretende definir em linhas gerais o estágio em Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde no Centro de Saúde de Santo Tirso, o qual se centra fundamentalmente no contexto de cuidados de saúde primários. Este relatório pretende elucidar o grau de aprendizagens verificadas, assim como a compreensão da experiencia no Centro de Saúde de Santo Tirso. Posto isto, inicialmente, procedeu-se à caracterização da instituição, contextualização do papel do psicólogo nos cuidados de saúde primários e as atividades desenvolvidas ao longo do ano.This internship report is integrated within the curricular of the 2nd cycle of the Masters in Clinical Psychology and Health of the Portuguese Catholic University - Faculty of Philosophy, Braga. This document aims to define broadly the stage in Clinical Psychology and Health at the Health Center of Santo Tirso, which focuses primarily in the context of primary health care. This report aims to clarify the degree of learning analysis, as well as understanding the experience at the Health Center of Santo Tirso. Having said that, initially, we proceeded to characterize the institution, contextualizing the role of psychologists in primary care and the activities conducted throughout the year

Does Locomotive Syndrome, Associated with Sarcopenia or otherwise, Influence Quality of Life in Individuals Aged over 80 years? Third Wave of the LOCOMOV Project

Introduction: Locomotion is a determinant of intrinsic capacity ofolder people and can be limited by dysfunction in locomotory organs,characterizing Locomotive Syndrome (LoS). Knowledge on locomotiveproblems and sarcopenia, and their interface with quality of life, in theoldest old in the literature is scarce.Objective: To evaluate the correlation between LoS and sarcopenia andtheir influence on quality of life in oldest old.Methods: A cross-sectional study of an observational, descriptive andanalytical epidemiological survey in independent older adults aged 80and over from São Paulo, Brazil and who participated in the third waveof the LOCOMOV Project, was carried out. Sociodemographic data,comorbidities, functioning in activities of daily living, physical functioning,quality of life, and presence of sarcopenia and LoS were assessed. Thestatistical analyses included the Test-for-Comparing-Two-Proportions,Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, the chi-Square test and Student´s t-test.Results: Thirty oldest old with a mean age of 89.1 years were evaluated.The prevalence of LoS was high (53.3%) and correlated significantly withchronic pain (p-value 0.024), worse performance on the SPPB and Gaitspeed (p-value <0.001). Sarcopenia was not correlated with LoS, but worsequality of life on the physical domain was significantly associated with LoS(p-value <0.001) regardless of the presence of sarcopenia.Conclusions: LoS was highly prevalent among the oldest old studied andnegatively impacted their quality of life, regardless of the presence ofsarcopenia.

Creep behavior of concrete elements strengthened with NSM CFRP laminate strips under different environmental conditions

The present work intends to contribute for the knowledge on the long-term deformational performance of concrete structures strengthened with the near-surface mounted (NSM) technique. For that purpose a wide experimental program has been initiated using beam pullout and slab specimens submitted to sustained loads under the following environmental conditions: (i) 20ºC temperature and 55% relative humidity; (ii) immersed in water tank at 20ºC with 0% of chlorides; (iii) immersed in water tank at 20ºC with 2.5% of chlorides; (iv) submitted to wet/dry cycles at 20ºC with 2.5% of chlorides. The slabs are continuously monitored in terms of mid-span vertical deflection and strains (in concrete, CFRP laminate strip and steel reinforcements), whereas for the case of the beam pullout specimens monitoring includes the free and loaded end slips and strain in CFRP laminate strip. The present paper summarizes the preliminary results

Metals and arsenic enrichment processes in sulfide-rich waste dumps - the role of the clay size fraction

[Extract] 1. Purpose Abandoned mines pose some of the most outstanding environmental risks, namely related with potentially toxic metals and metalloids in mining soils. Mobilization or fixation of these elements in the soil particles can be regulated by the interactions between several biogeochemical and mineralogical processes. In this context, the present study is focused on the detection of metals and arsenic enrichment processes in different particle size fractions of two distinctive sulphide-rich waste dumps. Furthermore, the study evaluates the role of typical clay size minerals, such as oxyhydroxides and clay minerals in the retention of toxic elements...info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of different environmental conditions on the mechanical characteristics of a structural epoxy

With the aim of characterising a commercially available epoxy adhesive used for fibre-reinforced polymers strengthening applications, when submitted to different environmental conditions, mainly thermal (TC), freeze-thaw (FT), and wet-dry (WD) cycles and immersion in pure (PW) and water with chlorides (CW) for periods of exposure that lasted up to 16 months, an experimental program was carried out. Several methodologies were used in its characterization, mainly the scanning electron microscope (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), standard tensile tests (STT) coupled with digital image correlation (DIC). In general the results revealed that the chemical composition was not affected by the environmental conditions. Nevertheless, it was verified through DMA and STT that the modulus of elasticity and tensile strength of the epoxy adhesive increased in the TC, while the specimens submitted to PW and CW faced a high degradation in terms of its mechanical properties. Eventually, the glass transition temperature (Tg) was not affected by the environmental conditions, apart from the specimens subjected to TC and FT, presenting a higher and lower Tg, respectively, when compared with the reference specimens.This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors - COMPETE and National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project FPReDur PTDC/ECM-EST/2424/2012. The first and second authors wishes also to acknowledge the grants SFRH/BD/89768/2012 and SFRH/BD/80338/2011, respectively, provided by FCT

Solid-state fermented brewer's spent grain enzymatic extract increases in vitro and in vivo feed digestibility in European seabass

Brewers spent grain (BSG) is the largest by-product originated from the brewery industry with a high potential for producing carbohydrases by solid-state fermentation. This work aimed to test the efficacy of a carbohydrases-rich extract produced from solid-state fermentation of BSG, to enhance the digestibility of a plant-based diet for European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). First, BSG was fermented with A. ibericus to obtain an aqueous lyophilized extract (SSF-BSG extract) and incorporated in a plant-based diet at increasing levels (0control; 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4%). Another diet incorporating a commercial carbohydrases-complex (0.04%; Natugrain; BASF) was formulated. Then, all diets were tested in in vitro and in vivo digestibility assays. In vitro assays, simulating stomach and intestine digestion in European seabass, assessed dietary phosphorus, phytate phosphorus, carbohydrates, and protein hydrolysis, as well as interactive effects between fish enzymes and dietary SSF-BSG extract. After, an in vivo assay was carried out with European seabass juveniles fed selected diets (0control; 0.1%, and 0.4%). In vitro digestibility assays showed that pentoses release increased 45% with 0.4% SSF-BSG extract and 25% with Natugrain supplemented diets, while amino acids release was not affected. A negative interaction between endogenous fish enzymes and SSF-BSG extract was observed in both diets. The in vivo digestibility assay corroborated in vitro data. Accordingly, the dietary supplementation with 0.4% SSF-BSG increased the digestibility of dry matter, starch, cellulose, glucans, and energy and did not affect protein digestibility. The present work showed the high potential of BSG to produce an added-value functional supplement with high carbohydrases activity and its potential contribution to the circular economy by improving the nutritional value of low-cost and sustainable ingredients that can be included in aquafeeds. © 2021, The Author(s).Te authors thank UNICER, a sof-drink company (Porto, Portugal), for providing the brewer’s spent grain used in this study. Tis study was supported by the project “SPO3-Development of innovative sustainable protein and omega-3 rich feedstufs for aquafeeds, from local agro-industrial by-products”, reference POCI-01- 0145-FEDER-030377, funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and by strategic funding of UIDB/04423/2020 by UIDB/04469/2020 unit, the BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) through national funds provided by FCT, and under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit. Te H.F. and C.C were supported by grants SFRH/BD/131219/2017 and SFRH/BPD/114942/2016, respectively, from FCT, MCTES, FSE, and UE under the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE2020). José Manuel Salgado was supported by Beatriz Galindo contract of Ministry of Education (Spain).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor versus vaginal cone therapy for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence

PURPOSE: to compare the effects of functional electrostimulation of the pelvic floor and therapy with cones in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: randomized clinical study for which 45 patients with SUI were selected. The effects of functional electrostimulation of the pelvic floor were evaluated in the SUI treatment of 24 women, with the use of clinical data (micturition diary, pad test and a questionnaire about quality of life - I-QoL). The patients were submitted to two 20' weekly sessions for four consecutive months, under the supervision of a physiotherapist. The electrode used had 10 cm length and 3.5 cm width with a double metallic ring and a cylindrical shape, positioned in the medium third of the vagina. The electric parameters used were: intensity varying from 10 to 100 mA and 50 Hz of fixed frequency, with pulse duration of 1 ms. Also, we evaluated 21 patients who were submitted to vaginal cone treatment. The cone therapy was done with two 45 minute sessions per week. The cones' weight varied from 20 to 100 gr. RESULTS: there was no difference between the outcomes of electrostimulation of the pelvic floor and the vaginal cones for the treatment of SUI (p>0.05). After four months, there was a significant improvement in the I-QoL index of the patients treated both with electrostimulation (40.3 versus 82.9) or with the cones (47.7 versus 84.1). There was a significant decrease in pad weight in both groups, measured before and after the treatment (28.5 and 32 g versus 2.0 and 3.0 g for the electrostimulation and cone group, respectively). Finally, there was a significant decrease in the number of urinary leakage evaluated by the micturition diary in both groups (p0,05). Observamos, após quatro meses, melhora significativa dos índices de qualidade de vida das pacientes tratadas com eletroestimulação (40,3 versus 82,9) e com os cones (47,7 versus 84,1). Houve diminuição significante do peso do absorvente (pad test) nos dois grupos antes e depois do término dos tratamentos (28,5 e 32 g versus 2,0 e 3,0 g, para o grupo da eletroestimulação e cones, respectivamente). Finalmente, houve diminuição significativa no número de perdas urinárias avaliadas pelo diário miccional nos dois grupos (p<0,0001). CONCLUSÕES: a eletroestimulação e os cones vaginais foram efetivos no tratamento de mulheres com IUE.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Ginecologia Setor de Uroginecologia e Cirurgia VaginalUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de GinecologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de Ginecologia Setor de Uroginecologia e Cirurgia VaginalUNIFESP, Depto. de GinecologiaSciEL

Man’s access to health services in primary care

Objective: To investigate the factors that influence man’s access to health services in primary care. Method: It is a descriptive and exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, carried out with eight men through focus group in October 2010. The data was analyzed based on the technique of the Collective Subject Discourse. Results: The users expressed precarious investment in the service organization from a gender perspective, reinforcing common sense that men are not the primary users, and remain subsidized by a patriarchal ideology. Conclusion: It is necessary to think about determining socio-historical-cultural ways of life, illness and death of the today’s man, and to establish a new paradigm men’s health in modern life

Insect Cells for High-Yield Production of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein: Building a Virosome-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) homotrimeric spike (S) protein is responsible for mediating host cell entry by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, thus being a key viral antigen to target in a coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccine. Despite the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, low vaccine coverage as well as unvaccinated and immune compromised subjects are contributing to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Therefore, continued development of novel and/or updated vaccines is essential for protecting against such new variants. In this study, we developed a scalable bioprocess using the insect cells-baculovirus expression vector system (IC-BEVS) to produce high-quality S protein, stabilized in its pre-fusion conformation, for inclusion in a virosome-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate. By exploring different bioprocess engineering strategies (i.e., signal peptides, baculovirus transfer vectors, cell lines, infection strategies and formulation buffers), we were able to obtain ~4 mg/L of purified S protein, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the highest value achieved to date using insect cells. In addition, the insect cell-derived S protein exhibited glycan processing similar to mammalian cells and mid-term stability upon storage (up to 90 days at -80 and 4 °C or after 5 freeze-thaw cycles). Noteworthy, antigenicity of S protein, either as single antigen or displayed on the surface of virosomes, was confirmed by ELISA, with binding of ACE2 receptor, pan-SARS antibody CR3022 and neutralizing antibodies to the various epitope clusters on the S protein. Binding capacity was also maintained on virosomes-S stored at 4 °C for 1 month. This work demonstrates the potential of using IC-BEVS to produce the highly glycosylated and complex S protein, without compromising its integrity and antigenicity, to be included in a virosome-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate