Ageing at work: capacity for the work of ESTeSC teachers

Introduction: Aging does not necessarily mean a decrease in "ability to work" and that the eventual decline of certain skills related to increasing age are not generalizable, striking, or uniform and can be accelerated or delayed depending on the conditions of work, individuals and, above all, the types of attrition to which the worker is subjected. Objective: To evaluate the work ability index (WAI) of the professors of the School of Technology and Health of Coimbra (ESTeSC). Material and Methods: This study was an analytical observational and prospective cohort study. The respondents answered a questionnaire that assessed the WAI and the quality of life index (QLI). The results were evaluated in the IBM SPSS Statistics program through descriptive character tests and inference tests. Results: It was verified that an average value of 33.63 (7-49 scale) was identified for the work ability in the studied group, being this value belonging to the Moderate category. When correlating the age of workers with WAI and QLI, it was verified that there was no correlation (p> 0.05) between these factors. On the other hand, WAI was related to QLI, in which a correlation was observed (p<0,05), that is, the more satisfied they are with quality of life, the better the capacity for work. Conclusion: It was found that in the present study, aging does not cause a loss of capacity for work, nor does it influence the quality of life of workers. Since teachers' scores for WAI are in the Moderate category, it is necessary to implement health promotion strategies, such as practicing physical exercise or performing work-related gymnastics in the workplace.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Psicossocial no Trabalho: Sistemas Integrados de Gestão/ Assessement and promotion of psychosocial health at work: Integrated management systems

A exposição a fatores de risco psicossocial em ambientes laborais é cada vez mais experienciada pelos trabalhadores, face à pressão em responder às exigências laborais, aos recursos pessoais disponíveis e ao contexto global vivenciado e em constante mutação. Tornando urgente o diagnóstico e intervenção psicossocial, de forma sistémica, sistemática e fundamentada, por forma à promoção de ambientes de trabalho saudáveis, inclusivos e sustentáveis. A utilização de metodologias de gestão de riscos psicossociais que possam ser integradas nas práticas torna-se uma mais-valia quer para as organizações quer para os trabalhadores, potenciando as intervenções e o seu impacto. A utilização de referenciais normativos internacionais permite a fundamentação e o desenho de sistemas de gestão de riscos psicossociais de forma integrada e alinhada com os sistemas de gestão. Permitindo o recurso a um léxico conhecido, aliado a uma abordagem já testada e implementadas noutras áreas, como sejam a gestão da qualidade (ISO 9001; ISO 17025) ou a gestão de sistemas integrados de saúde e segurança (ISO 45001, ISO 45003). O presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo a apresentação, sistematização e discussão de uma metodologia de gestão, avaliação e promoção da saúde no trabalho baseado na gestão de riscos psicossociais alicerçado na prática e em modelos de gestão baseados em referenciais normativos

Produção da Bananeira BRS Tropical sob aplicação de ácidos húmicos via fertirrigação.

A bananeira é uma planta que necessita de uma concentração razoável de nutrientes disponíveis no solo, para seu desenvolvimento e produção. Este trabalho teve como objetivo o efeito de diferentes doses de ácidos húmicos na produtividade da bananeira cv. BRS Tropical sob fertirrigação. O experimento foi desenvolvido em um Latossolo Amarelo na Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura usando a cultura da bananeira cv. BRS Tropical espaçada de 2,0 x 2,5 m, fertirrigada por microaspersão. O experimento seguiu um delineamento em blocos ao acaso com seis repetições onde os tratamentos consistiram de cinco doses de ácidos húmicos com aplicação mensal ao longo do ciclo. A dose de referencia (DR) equivaleu a 35L/ha/ciclo e os tratamentos foram: T1= 60%DR; T2 = 80%DR; T3 = DR; T4 = 120%DR e T5 = 140%DR e T6 = testemunha. As variáveis analisadas no momento da emissão foram altura da planta, diâmetro do pseudocaule, número de folhas e área foliar. Na colheita, foram avaliados número de folhas, pencas e frutos; diâmetro e comprimento do fruto central da segunda penca; produtividade de penca e do cacho. As análises de variância mostraram que não houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para as variáveis, exceto o número de pencas e a área foliar

Melatonin bioengineered: A New Possible Strategy for Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is an important public health problem, with an estimated 3.2 million new cases by the year 2050. Diet plays a key role in the etiology of breast cancer and breastfeeding is associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer. On the other hand, the improvement of the therapeutic properties of bioactive compounds through their incorporation into microcarriers is an important strategy in obtaining new therapies, since cyclical changes in concentration are eliminated; there is biological availability of the compound as well as the reduction in toxicity, number dose and suppression of adverse reactions. Studies using hormones such as melatonin extracted from human milk adsorbed onto polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres showed that the controlled release of this compound was able to reduce viability and induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cell lines. Colostrum differs from most of the secretions because it contains viable leukocytes during the first days of lactation with a quantity and activity comparable to blood leukocytes, and has several defense components such as antibodies and hormones, such as melatonin (MLT). This review details the influence of the soluble and cellular components present in human colostrum, such as the MLT hormone, as the modified release systems influence the action of MLT and the possible mechanisms involved that contribute to the hypothesis of reduction of breast cancer in women who breastfed

The Portuguese observatory on occupational psychosocial factors: contribution for public health

To achieve the goal of sustainable employment, considering the profile of the Portuguese working population (PWP), is needed a range of strategies to ensure long, productive, and sustainable careers allied with a better quality of working life, health, and wellbeing, but also with public health policies grounded on scientifically validated and reliable data. This is possible through a comprehensive working system approach that ensures workers will be mentally and physically able to remain at work by the balance between work demands and individual resources allied with public health policies transfer into the workplaces by organizations’ leadership and policy makers. The Portuguese Observatory on Occupational Factors (Popsy@Work) aims at addressing this global challenge by: i) digitally collecting psychosocial data on the PWP; ii) implementing and strengthening of a psychosocial occupational health surveillance digital system; iii) providing reference values for the PWP concerning Psychosocial Health; iv) Transferring to society knowledge and best practices; v) Raising awareness on the importance of psychosocial management in occupational settings based on science. Popsy@work is a digital platform that collects and aggregates psychosocial data analytically and creates a visualization hub adding value to data on the PWP and giving science back to society in a usable way, empowering workers, strengthening organizations and grounding public policies. Pospy@Work considers the development of strategic intelligence on levels and inequalities of psychosocial health and well-being in occupational settings by robust metrics and reference data. Creating opportunities for national policy dialogue on inequalities, including the psychosocial health of the PWP through collaboration with diverse sectors identifying and mapping subgroups of populations whose unmet needs require specific outreach measures

The Portuguese Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire: Preliminary Validation Studies of the Middle Version among Municipal and Healthcare Workers

A third version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) was developed internationally aiming to respond to new trends in working conditions, theoretical concepts, and international experience. This article aims to present the preliminary validation studies for the Portuguese middle version of COPSOQ III. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study viewing the cross-cultural adaption of COPSOQ III to Portugal, ensuring the contents and face validity and performing field-testing in order to reduce the number of items and to obtain insight into the data structure, through classic test theory and item response theory approaches. The qualitative study encompassed 29 participants and the quantitative one 659 participants from municipalities and healthcare settings. Content analysis suggested that minor re-wording could improve the face validity of items, while a reduced version, with 85 items, shows psychometric stability, achieving good internal consistency in all subscales. The COPSOQ III Portuguese middle version proved to be a valid preliminary version for future validation studies with various populations, able to be used in correlational studies with other dimensions

Acute ST segment elevation during exercise stress echocardiography due to severe pulmonary hypertension

A 51-year-old female undergoing an outpatient stress echocardiogram to evaluate atypical chest pain developed acute ST elevation in the anterior precordial leads on electrocardiogram following exercise. Echocardiography revealed a severe rise in pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) with marked right ventricular (RV) enlargement and interventricular septum flattening. Subsequently, cardiac catherization confirmed an exercise-induced elevation in PASP and diagnosed pulmonary arterial hypertension without evidence of coronary artery disease. This case suggests that an acute elevation in pulmonary artery pressure with RV dilation may be a potential cause of acute ST elevation during stress testing

The usefulness of contrast during exercise echocardiography for the assessment of systolic pulmonary pressure

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAPs) can be accurately estimated, non-invasively, using continuous-wave Doppler (CWD) ultrasound measurement of the peak velocity of a tricuspid regurgitant (TR) jet.</p> <p>However, it is often difficult to obtain adequate tricuspid regurgitation signals for measurement of PAPs, what could lead to its underestimation. Therefore, utilization of air-blood-saline contrast has been implemented for the improvement of Doppler signal in several clinical contexts.</p> <p>It is now recommended in the evaluation of patients with pulmonary hypertension. Physical activity is severely restricted in patients with PAH, being exertional dypnea the most typical symptom. Exercise stress echo-Doppler imaging allows assessment of the response to exercise. It is an excellent screening test for patients with suspected PAH. Our purpose was to evaluate the value and accuracy of agitated saline with blood contrast echocardiography, in the improvement of the Doppler signal, to quantify PAPs during treadmill exercise-echocardiography.</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>To evaluate the value of contrast echocardiography, using agitated saline with blood, in the improvement of the Doppler signal used to quantify the pulmonary artery systolic pressure during exercise.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From a total of 41 patients (pts), we studied 38 pts (93%), 35 women, aged 54 ± 12 years-old. 27 with the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis, 10 with history of pulmonary embolism and one patient with a suspected idiopathic PAH, who were referred to the Unity of Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension for screening of PAH. According to the Unity protocol, a transthoracic echocardiogram was made, in left decubitus (LD), with evaluation of right ventricle-right atria gradient (RV/RAg). A peripheral venous access was obtained, with a 3-way stopcock and the patients were placed in orthostatism (O), with a new evaluation of RV/RAg. Exercise echocardiography (EE) was begun, with evaluation of RV/RAg at peak exercise (P) and afterwards agitated saline (8 cc with 1 cc of air and 1 cc of blood) was injected, followed by a new evaluation of RV/RAg (PC) and then the interruption of the EE. Pulmonary Hypertension was diagnosed when RV/RAg at the end of the exercise was superior to 40 mmHg.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The quality of Doppler signal was deteriorated in 5 pts, maintained in 6 pts and improved in 26 pts, with the use of contrast. In one patient, an interventricular septal defect was diagnosed. In 6 pts, a Doppler signal was only obtained with the use of contrast. In 15 pts, a RV/RAg superior to 40 mmHg was only obtained with the use of contrast. Of these, 9 have already been submitted to right heart cathetherism, that confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension in 5 of them (56%). RV/RAg (P) was 44 ± 11 mmHg and RV/RAg (PC) was 54 ± 11 mmHg, p < 0,001.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>1. The method is applicable in a large number of patients. 2. RV/RA gradients obtained at peak exercise are higher with the use of contrast, and the clinical meaning of this difference should be evaluated in a larger number of pts submitted to right heart cathetherism. The high number of false positives should lead to a higher diagnostic threshold. 3. This method seems to have relevant clinical value in the diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.</p