45 research outputs found
The Integration of Foreign Students in the Portuguese School of the 1st Cycle of Basic Education: the Case of a School Grouping in the Municipality of Viseu
The present study aims to understand whether the foreign students who have different nationalities but the
Portuguese are integrated into the school of the 1st Cycle of Basic Education. With this purpose, a
descriptive and phenomenological research was conducted, making use of documental analysis, as well as
semi-structured interviews and sociometric tests. These two data collecting tools were applied to students
attending from the 1st to the 4th school years, in three 1st Cycle of Basic Education schools, within a school
grouping in Viseu. The data obtained through the interviews allow us to conclude that foreign students, in
general, feel integrated both in the school and in the class they belong to. However, the analysis of the
results of the sociometric tests reveals other data, allowing us to conclude that one of the students is neither
integrated in the school, nor in the class he is part of.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Risk factors for metabolic bone disease in Crohn's disease patients
Background: The aim was to evaluate the presence of metabolic bone disease (MBD) in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and to identify potential etiologic factors. Methods: The case–control study included 99 patients with CD and 56 controls with a similar age and gender distribution. Both
groups had dual-energy x-ray absorptionmetry and a nutritional evaluation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at the IL1, TNF-a,
LTa, and IL-6 genes were analyzed in patients only. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results: The prevalence of MBD was significantly higher in
patients (P ¼ 0.006). CD patients with osteoporosis were older (P < 0.005), small bowel involvement and surgical resections were more frequent (P < 0.005), they more often exhibited a penetrating or stricturing phenotype (P < 0.05), duration of disease
over 15 years (P < 0.005), and body mass index (BMI) under 18.5 kg/m2 (P < 0.01) were more often found. No association was found with steroid use. Patients with a Z-score < 2.0 more frequently had chronic active disease (P < 0.05). With regard to diet, low vitamin K intake was more frequent (P ¼ 0.03) and intake of total, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fat was higher in patients with Z-score < 2.0 (P < 0.05). With respect to genetics, carriage of the polymorphic allele for LTa252 A/G was associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis (P ¼ 0.02). Regression analysis showed that age over 40 years, chronic active
disease, and previous colonic resections were independently associated with the risk of developing MBD. Conclusions: The prevalence of MBD was significantly higher
in CD patients. Besides the usual risk factors, we observed that factors related to chronic active and long-lasting disease increased the risk of MBD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients’ perspectives during COVID-19 pandemic: results from a Portuguese survey
© 2021 Sociedade Portuguesa de Gastrenterologia. Published by S. Karger AG, BaselThis is an Open Access article licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-4.0 International License (CC BY-NC) (http://www.karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense), applicable to the online version of the article only. Usage and distribution for com- mercial purposes requires written permissionIntroduction: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not seem to be at increased risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2, but there is a concern whether immunosuppressive therapy may be associated with more severe disease. Several clinical practice recommendations have been published to help guide IBD care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, few studies have addressed patients' perspectives and fears. We aimed to evaluate Portuguese IBD patients' perspectives on the clinical management of their disease during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as well as the impact on their professional life.
Methods: An anonymous electronic survey was created using REDCap and was distributed by the Portuguese Association of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (APDI) between May and August 2020. Patients' perspectives on immunosuppressive therapy, disease management, interaction with gastroenterology departments, and the impact of the pandemic in their professional life were assessed. Patients' proposals to improve medical care were also evaluated. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were performed.
Results: A total of 137 participants answered the survey (79.6% females, mean age 41.7 ± 12.1 years). Although having IBD and receiving treatment with immunosuppressors (thiopurines, steroids, or biologics) were considered promotors of anxiety, most patients (85.4%) agreed that disease remission was a priority and only a minority of patients interrupted their treatment during the pandemic. In multivariate analysis, active disease, biologic treatment, and use of corticosteroids in the last 3 months were perceived by the patients as high-risk features for increased risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection and more severe disease. Fifty-nine patients (44%) believed that their follow-up was influenced by the pandemic and only 58.8% felt that they had the opportunity to discuss their therapeutic options with their doctor. Sixty-three patients (46.0%) were working from home during the pandemic, although this decision was related to IBD and immunosuppressive therapy in only 36.5 and 39.7% of the cases, respectively. Areas where care could have been improved during the pandemic were identified by patients, namely enhancement of the communication with IBD professionals, conciliation of telemedicine with face-to-face appointments, and facilitation of the interaction between patients and employers.
Conclusion: Most patients agreed that maintaining IBD remission is crucial, and only a minority of the patients stopped their treatment as per their own initiative. IBD status only had a small influence on patients' professional activity during the COVID-19 outbreak, with most changes being related to the pandemic itself.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Analog electronic teaching – a new approach for bipolar transistors
a) This work was based in a single individual sample;
b) Learning Support Means (LSM) received poor acceptance;
c) Other Alternative Support Means are under development;
d) For these, a broader test sample was used;
e) Preliminary results from this test are encouraging to further pursue
this workN/
Intervention strategies in the school environment for children with food allergies
As alergias alimentares em idade pediátrica são uma realidade cada vez mais prevalente na sociedade. A
implementação de estratégias de prevenção e tratamento dirigidas a esta problemática, são cruciais para melhorar a
qualidade de vida destas crianças e suas famÃlias, onde os profissionais que trabalham nas escolas em articulação
com os profissionais de saúde, assumem um papel determinante. O objetivo desta revisão narrativa da literatura foi
conhecer as estratégias/programas implementados em contexto escolar dirigidos a crianças com alergia alimentar,
com impacto positivo na prevenção e controlo desta problemática. Recorreu-se a diferentes bases de dados: CINAHL,
MEDLINE, PubMed, BIREME e a pesquisa centrou-se na consulta de artigos em texto integral livre, nos idiomas
português, inglês e espanhol, publicados entre 2014 e 2019. As estratégias de intervenção identificadas com
resultados mais efetivos, foram a formação e treino dos profissionais que trabalham nas escolas, o tratamento de
reações alérgicas e a adoção de polÃticas escolares de redução do risco de exposição a alergénios. Os estudos foram
unânimes sobre os benefÃcios da formação periódica de todos os profissionais das escolas para a melhoria dos
cuidados às crianças com alergias alimentares.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The D1822V APC polymorphism interacts with fat, calcium, and fiber intakes in modulating the risk of colorectal cancer in Portuguese persons
Background - Both genetic and environmental factors affect the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Objective - We aimed to examine the interaction between the D1822V polymorphism of the APC gene and dietary intake in persons with CRC. Design - Persons with CRC (n = 196) and 200 healthy volunteers, matched for age and sex in a case-control study, were evaluated with respect to nutritional status and lifestyle factors and for the D1822V polymorphism. Results - No significant differences were observed in energy and macronutrient intakes. Cases had significantly (P < 0.05) lower intakes of carotenes, vitamins C and E, folate, and calcium than did controls. Fiber intake was significantly (P = 0.004) lower in cases than in controls, whereas alcohol consumption was associated with a 2-fold risk of CRC. In addition, cases were significantly (P = 0.001) more likely than were controls to be sedentary. The homozygous variant for the APC gene (VV) was found in 4.6% of cases and in 3.5% of controls. Examination of the potential interactions between diet and genotype found that a high cholesterol intake was associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer only in noncarriers (DD) of the D1822V APC allele (odds ratio: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.76). In contrast, high fiber and calcium intakes were more markedly associated with a lower risk of CRC in patients carrying the polymorphic allele (DV/VV) (odds ratio: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.94 for fiber; odds ratio: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.93 for calcium) than in those without that allele. Conclusion - These results suggest a significant interaction between the D1822V polymorphism and the dietary intakes of cholesterol, calcium, and fiber for CRC risk
Risk of colorectal cancer associated with the C677T polymorphism in 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in Portuguese patients depends on the intake of methyl-donor nutrients
Background: Polymorphisms located in genes involved in the metabolism of folate and some methyl-related nutrients are implicated
in colorectal cancer (CRC). Objective: We evaluated the association of 3 genetic polymorphisms [C677T MTHFR (methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase), A2756G MTR (methionine synthase), and C1420T SHMT (serine hydroxymethyltransferase)] with the intake of methyl-donor nutrients in CRC risk.
Design: Patients withCRC(n 196) and healthy controls (n 200) matched for age and sex were evaluated for intake of methyl-donor nutrients and the 3 polymorphisms. Results: Except for folate intake, which was significantly lower in patients (P 0.02), no differences were observed in the dietary
intake of other methyl-donor nutrients between groups. High intake of folate ( 406.7 g/d) was associated with a significantly lower risk of CRC (odds ratio: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.99). The A2756G MTR polymorphism was not associated with the risk of developing
CRC. In contrast, homozygosity for the C677TMTHFRvariant (TT) presented a 3.0-fold increased risk of CRC (95% CI: 1.3, 6.7). Similarly, homozygosity for the C1420T SHMT polymorphism also had a 2.6-fold increased risk (95% CI: 1.1, 5.9) of developing CRC.
When interactions between variables were studied, low intake of all methyl-donor nutrients was associated with an increased risk ofCRC in homozygous participants for the C677T MTHFR polymorphism, but a statistically significant interaction was only observed for folate (odds ratio: 14.0; 95% CI: 1.8, 108.5). No significant associations were seen for MTR or SHMT polymorphisms. Conclusion: These results show an association between the C677T MTHFR variant and different folate intakes on risk of CRC
MAGIC: Manipulating Avatars and Gestures to Improve Remote Collaboration
Remote collaborative work has become pervasive in many settings, from
engineering to medical professions. Users are immersed in virtual environments
and communicate through life-sized avatars that enable face-to-face
collaboration. Within this context, users often collaboratively view and
interact with virtual 3D models, for example, to assist in designing new
devices such as customized prosthetics, vehicles, or buildings. However,
discussing shared 3D content face-to-face has various challenges, such as
ambiguities, occlusions, and different viewpoints that all decrease mutual
awareness, leading to decreased task performance and increased errors. To
address this challenge, we introduce MAGIC, a novel approach for understanding
pointing gestures in a face-to-face shared 3D space, improving mutual
understanding and awareness. Our approach distorts the remote user\'s gestures
to correctly reflect them in the local user\'s reference space when
face-to-face. We introduce a novel metric called pointing agreement to measure
what two users perceive in common when using pointing gestures in a shared 3D
space. Results from a user study suggest that MAGIC significantly improves
pointing agreement in face-to-face collaboration settings, improving
co-presence and awareness of interactions performed in the shared space. We
believe that MAGIC improves remote collaboration by enabling simpler
communication mechanisms and better mutual awareness.Comment: Presented at IEEE VR 202
Stroke due to Percheron artery occlusion: description of a consecutive case series from Southern Portugal
The artery of Percheron (AOP) is an abnormal variant of the arterial supply of the
thalamus. Stroke caused by AOP occlusion is seldom reported. AOP leads to bilateral
thalamic and rostral midbrain infarct presenting with unspecific manifestations. There
are few descriptions of case series of stroke caused by AOP. We sought to review the
clinicoradiological characteristics of AOP infarction from Algarve, Southern Portugal.
Eight consecutive cases were retrospectively identified by searching the electronic
clinical charts, as well as the stroke Unit database (2015–2020). Sociodemographic
(age and gender) and clinicoradiological characteristics (etiological classification,
admission severity, manifestations, and short- and long-term prognoses) were retrieved. The corresponding frequency of AOP infarction was 0.17% (95% confidence
interval: 0.05–0.28). The mean age was 67.1 (range: 60–80) years. The range of stroke
severity evaluated assessed by the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale ranged
from 5 to 23 (median ¼ 7.5). None of the patients receive acute ischemic stroke
reperfusion treatment. AOP patterns were isolated bilateral paramedian thalamic
(n ¼ 2), bilateral paramedian and anterior thalamic (n ¼ 2), and bilateral paramedian
thalamic with rostral midbrain (n ¼ 4). Two patients (20%) died on the short term (30
days). At hospital discharge, six patients had functional disability of 2 on the modified
Rankin scale. In the follow-up at 6 months, half (n ¼ 3) of the survivors had persistent
hypersomnia and two had vascular dementia. Stroke from AOP presents with variable
clinical and radiological presentations and patients do not receive alteplase. The shortterm survivor and the long-term functional independency can be compromised after
AOS infarct.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio