Study of motivation in portuguese students

In adolescence, motivation is a predictive factor in academic success. Motivated students have higher levels of satisfaction in school, mobilizing interests and skills in various domains (Galinha, 2006). This study aimed to assess the existence of improvements in motivational dynamics in Portuguese adolescents by investigating if students who participated in the P-DMAR Programme displayed higher motivation levels relative to the control group in the domains present in the QME questionnaire. The School Motivation Questionnaire - QME (Cordeiro, 2010) was administered to two groups (experimental vs control) at two different phases, before and after participation in the P-DMAR. A sample of 86 students (n = 43 experimental group, n = 43 control group) were involved in the study. The statistical methodology consisted of a quantitative analysis of the QME using hypothesis tests for independent and paired samples. An α = 5% was set. The results showed that males were predominant (51.2%) with 29.1% of the respondents repeating. There was a statistically significant improvement in the six dimensions evaluated in the QME in the experimental group as opposed to the control group (p values <0.01). It was verified that the P-DMAR is a valuable programme with statistical significance (p <0.01) because the students participating in it saw their motivational capacities enhanced in the following six domains measured in the QME: strategies, extrinsic objectives of the teacher, extrinsic objectives of the student with external regulation, intrinsic objectives of the teacher, extrinsic objectives of the student with internal regulation and intrinsic objectives of the student.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Communication and society:senior virtual university's contribution to sustainability during the pandemic perio

Lifelong Learning (LLL) and Sustainable Human Development (HDI) are defended by ONU focused on their educational goals and quality of life. Objective: In the pandemic period an attempt was made to evaluate the contributions of the new experience of the Senior Virtual University (SVU): the perceptions and participation in training activities and the correlation between variables. Method: This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational study involving 86 senior virtual university students, using beyond a demographic questionnaire the USVSOQ scale. Results:The USVSOQ scale has a good internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha coefficient=0.82). There is a positive correlation (rho=0.6) and statistically significant (p<0.001) between satisfaction with the SVU and the continuity of participation of its students for the next academic year. The SUV offer is inclusive, transversal and covers the whole country. The association between suggestions for SVU improvement to be implemented in the next school year and gender is highlighted (p-value = 0.04). Conclusion: SVU prove to be a contribution to sustainability in education in periods of confinement and emergency, upskilling.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Monitoring and modelling of membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment incorporating 2D fluorescence spectroscopy

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica, Especialidade em Engenharia BioquímicaOs biorreactores de membranas (MBRs, ‘membrane bioreactors’) para o tratamento de águas residuais combinam o processo de lamas activadas com um passo de filtração para obtenção de um efluente limpo, livre de sólidos. Os MBRs representam uma tecnologia em expansão no tratamento de águas residuais sobretudo devido ao reduzido espaço que requerem e à elevada qualidade do efluente obtido. No entanto, a colmatação das membranas pode reduzir o desempenho do MBR. Por este motivo, no presente trabalho, pretendeu-se estudar a monitorização dos MBRs, com o objectivo de minimizar o número de parâmetros de monitorização necessários para descrever o desempenho do processo e obter uma monitorização em tempo real com recurso mínimo a técnicas laboratoriais demoradas. Para este fim, estudou-se a aplicabilidade da fluorescência bidimensional em meios biológicos complexos, tais como as lamas activadas utilizadas para o tratamento de águas residuais. A fluorescência bidimensional mostrou ser uma técnica abrangente, capaz de recolher informação relevante sobre o estado do sistema em tempo real. Devido à complexidade da informação contida nos espectros de fluorescência, usaram-se técnicas de estatística multivariada, tais como análise de componentes principais e projecção de estruturas latentes (PLS, ‘projection to latent structures’), para extrair a informação dos espectros e correlacioná-la com parâmetros de operação e de desempenho do MBR. O uso de modelos estatísticos permitiu a previsão de parâmetros chave para o desempenho do MBR usando somente dados de processo impostos ou facilmente adquiríveis em tempo real. Adicionalmente, a modelação estatística foi combinada com um modelo mecanístico, numa estrutura híbrida, de forma a melhorar a previsão mecanística. Este estudo demonstrou ser possível usar modelos PLS para incorporar dados de fluorescência obtidos em tempo real, de modo a melhorar a previsão mecanística sem requerer análises laboratoriais adicionais

The most prevalent respiratory and gastrointestinal parasites in Herring Gulls -Larus argentatus- admitted in a wildlife rehabilitation centre in South-East England

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaHerring gull (Larus argentatus) is one of the most widespread species throughout the British coastal areas. In the last 40 years, there has been a decline of 30% in the global population followed by a decrease in the natural breeding sites and sharp increase in the urban nesting populations. RSPCA Mallydams Woods, is a wildlife rehabilitation centre situated in the South-East of England that has been receiving increasing numbers of Herring gulls that end up being euthanized due to respiratory signs with the suspicion of the persistence of a parasitological agent (Cyathostoma sp.), previously identified in 2004. In the meantime, no further parasitological studies in this species were performed by the centre. Therefore, a total 65 necropsies and coprological analysis were performed in order to assess the main respiratory and gastrointestinal parasites as well as the main pathological alterations suggestive of other infectious agents. The general results showed that 32% (21/65) were positive for the presence of parasites. These results included gulls that had not received worming treatment, who showed 60% of positives (12/20) and dewormed gulls, who still showed 20% positives (9/45). Around 24.6% (16/65) presented Syngamidae eggs including two mixed infection cases, one with Porrocaecum eggs (1.54%) and the other with Contracaecum (1.54%). Among those 16 cases, 44.8% also presented visible worms in the infraorbital area of the nasal cavity. Nematodes of the species Cyathostoma lari were detected in 16.9% (11/65) of the cases and genus Syngamus in 1.54% (1/65). As to the McMaster method, it was shown that 23.1% (15/65) gulls had ˃50 EPG counts, including 9.2% (6/65) within the dewormed gulls. During necropsy procedures, signs of acute inflammation on the lungs were the most prevalent findings (30%). The longer rehabilitation periods and higher number of doses of wormer were the only factors to show significant association with the lower prevalence of parasites. This study demonstrated that the inefficacy of the worming protocol, the high animal density and presence of other infectious agents are the most probable causes of the persistence of respiratory signs within the admitted gulls. However, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first parasitological study on Herring gulls performed in a British rehabilitation centre and there is a difference of 40 years between this study and the previous ones performed in wild populations, which shows that there is a serious need for more projects in this field.RESUMO - Parasitas respiratórios e gastrointestinais mais prevalentes em Gaivotas Cinzentas (Larus argentatus) admitidas num centro de reabilitação de animais selvagens no Sudeste de Inglaterra - A gaivota-cinzenta (Larus argentatus) é uma das espécies mais amplamente distribuídas na orla costeira britânica. Nos últimos 40 anos, houve um declínio de 30% na população mundial, seguido de uma diminuição nas zonas naturais de reprodução e um aumento acentuado nas populações de nidificação urbana. RSPCA Mallydams Woods, é um centro de reabilitação de animais selvagens situado no sudeste Inglês, que tem recebido um número crescente de gaivotas cinzentas que acabam por ser submetidas a eutanásia devido à presença de sinais respiratórios com a suspeita de persistência de um agente parasitário (Cyathostoma sp.), previamente identificado em 2004. Até à data, nenhum outro estudo parasitológico na espécie foi realizado pelo centro. Deste modo, um total de 65 necrópsias e análises coprológicas foram efetuadas para avaliar os principais parasitas respiratórios e gastrointestinais envolvidos, bem como as principais alterações patológicas sugestivas de outros agentes infeciosos. Os resultados gerais mostraram que 32% (21/65) eram positivas à presença de parasitas. Estes resultados incluíam gaivotas que não receberam desparasitante, apresentando 60% de positivos (12/20) e gaivotas desparasitadas, que ainda assim apresentavam 20% de positivos (9/45). Cerca de 24,6% (16/65) apresentavam ovos do tipo dos observados na família Syngamidae, incluindo 2 casos de infeção mista, um com ovos de Porrocaecum sp. (1,54%) e outro com ovos de Contracaecum sp. (1,54%). Entre estes 16 casos, 44,8% também apresentaram parasitas visíveis na zona infraorbitária da cavidade nasal. Os nemátodes da espécie Cyathostoma lari foram detetados em 16,9% (11/65) dos casos e Syngamus sp. em 1,54% (1/65). Relativamente ao método de McMaster, demonstrou-se que 23,1% (15/65) das gaivotas tinham ˃50 EPG, incluindo 9,2% (6/65) das gaivotas desparasitadas. Durante as necrópsias, os sinais de inflamação aguda nos pulmões foram o achado mais prevalente (30%). Períodos de reabilitação mais longos e maior número de doses de desparasitante foram os únicos fatores que mostraram uma associação significativa com a menor prevalência de parasitas. Este estudo demonstrou que a ineficácia do protocolo de desparasitação, a elevada densidade de animais no espaço existente e a presença de outros agentes infeciosos no centro de reabilitação, são as causas mais prováveis da persistência de sinais respiratórios nas gaivotas admitidas. No entanto, este parece ser o primeiro estudo parasitológico sobre gaivotas cinzentas realizado num centro de reabilitação britânico e há uma diferença de 40 anos entre este estudo e os previamente realizados em populações selvagens, o que demostra a elevada necessidade de mais projetos nesta área.N/

Levels of assertiveness and cooperation in the student population during the pandemic period:data from higher education

Within this pandemic associated with Covid-19, psychological health occupies a prominent place as a result of a situation of forced isolation. Mental health, it is ever so pressing to know and preserve, particularly in the young adult. These changes affect more vulnerable population groups among them students. Students express and reflect their psychological health needs, their beliefs, competences and abilities, functionalities, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and their risks and dangers within the framework of global public health. Assertiveness is conceived as a bilateral behaviour that emphasizes the importance of considering the desires, thoughts and feelings of both the sender and the recipient of the assertive message, predictive of academic success. Cooperation is conceived as the ability to jointly operationalize knowledge, attitudes and skills with a view to achieving a common purpose. OBJECTIVE to present the results of the application of the Global Assertiveness Assessment Scale (EAGA) and the findings levels of the Global Cooperation Assessment Scale (EAGA), applied in the pandemic period in higher education. SAMPLE The study used a non-probabilistic sample for convenience of 101 Portuguese higher education students. INSTRUMENTS Global Assertiveness Assessment Scale (EAGA) and Global Cooperation Assessment Scale (EAGC), Likert. ADMINISTRATION Online administered survey SOCIODEMOGRAFIC PROFILE Most of the participants are females (88%). The average age is 21.25 years old (± 3,86 years) with the youngest and oldest student respectively 19 and 27 years old. The majority of students (50%) live with their families, 26% with their friends, 13.5% other choose, and the lowest percentage of students lives in a residence/rented room (10.6%). Most of respondents are single (98%). The median travel time from the student's address to the university is 20 minutes (inter-quartile range: 40 minutes). Additionally, it appears that in students who travel daily distances in each route greater than 30 km, 72% do so in public transport, the rest being by their own vehicle. Approximate distance, in Km, of the route (one way) that the student takes daily from his address to the educational institution during the class period: 54% [0;5[ km. Sociodemographic variables were also used, which seemed promising in contextualizing, interpreting, and discussing the results. The value of the sample mean obtained at EAGA=31 (± 5.53), thus revealing a high assertive competence who attend higher education and EAGC=35 (± 6.5), thus revealing a high cooperation. We argue that signaling and monitoring of less favorable cases detected is pertinent. The impact of SARSCoV-2 on global public health has been profound. The monitoring of the student population using these scales is an element of greater value because, besides its easy applicability and low cost, it allows for the evaluation of health in this population group. New multicentric studies, seeking to assess the geographic role (inside and outside borders) in assessing the levels of assertiveness and cooperation of students from higher education, well-being, soft skills and their relationship with peers, studying how we can reduce the global burden of diseases and preventing consequences of the next pandemic.N/

E-Learning and virtual innovations - social representations and feeling of learning community

Key challenges of e-learning and of virtual innovations cater to personal and social diverse needs and providing holistic and community learning experiences. Considering opportunities, e learning feature is helpful, support enabling the implementation of technology-based. The study of the feeling of community is also relevant to assess the development of populations, in particular individuals and groups that are in a situation of psychological and social vulnerability, including situations of response to a pandemic crisis (Muller, Goh, Lim & Gao 2021; Sanchez-Vidal 2007). In this exploratory quantitative research through a questionnaire survey SIRF Likert Scale (Galinha 2021) addressed to a sample of 420 individuals, the main goal is to get to know the educative institutions as a positive organizations. The secondary goals were considered: i) to characterize the participants in the sociodemographic component ii) to know the importance assigned to e-learning and virtual innovations, iii) to know the social representations perceived by participants in this context and iv) to assess the feeling of learning community. The results show that: i) the majority of participants are female (67%), aged between 25-49 years, married (65%), with a high level of education (47%). There is a moderate positive correlation (ρ=0.62) and statistically significant (p-value=0) between the e-learning and virtual innovations and the level of education of high level of education. ii) As for the importance assigned, the data point to: socializing and learning. iii) The subjects said that the crisis was difficult to overcome emotionally. iv) Both genres equitably expressed attachment to their institutions in terms of their sense of belonging to communities of learning practices. The study data are relevant from the perspective of Martin Seligman's positive organizations (Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson 2005; Vala & Monteiro 2013; Marujo & Neto 2019; Galinha 2020), Freire (1996) and Sgoti and Santos (2021).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Perceptions of elderly persons on sexuality in advanced age - exploratory study

O presente estudo tem como objetivo central percecionar de que forma os homens e as mulheres, em idades avançadas vivenciam e vivenciaram a sua sexualidade, assim como analisar a perceção e a importância que os mesmos atribuem. Esta investigação baseou-se num estudo de caso utilizando a técnica da análise documental, a observação participante e a aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas a 8 idosos de ambos os sexos do centro de dia “Cantinho do Idoso” 5 fem. 3 masc. Nesta amostra foram considerados os idosos que tinham idade igual ou superior a 70 anos, que não representassem défice cognitivo, que permanecessem no Centro de Dia há pelo menos 6 meses e que consentissem e demonstrassem disponibilidade para participar no estudo em referência. Conclui-se que os idosos/as expressam e vivem a sua sexualidade de forma diferencial, justificando-se ao nível do género e existência de companheiro/a. Em idades avançadas constatase uma sexualidade que transcende a relação sexual observando-se o predomínio da relação afetiva confirmando dados de outros autores em discussão no seio das ciências humanas.The main objective of the present study is to understand how men and women in advanced ages lived and experienced their sexuality, as well as to analyze the perception and importance they attribute to them. This research was based on a case study using the documental analysis technique, participant observation and the application of semi-structured interviews to 8 elderly of both sexes of the day center "Cantinho do Idoso" 5 fem. 3 men. In this sample, the elderly were considered to be at least 70 years of age and did not represent a cognitive deficit, who remained at the Day Center for at least 6 months and who consented and showed their willingness to participate in the study. It is concluded that some elderly people express and live their sexuality in a different way, justifying themselves at the gender level. In advanced ages it is verified that sexuality for the elderly transcends the sexual relation, observing the predominance of the affective relation, confirming data of other authors under discussion in the human sciences.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Access control system for the epidemic marketplace

Tese de mestrado em Engenharia Informática, apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa, através da Faculdade de Ciências, 2013A Epidemic Marketplace (EM) é uma plataforma de integração e partilha de dados epidemiológicos. As questões da privacidade constituem sempre um aspecto muito delicado nos repositórios de plataformas desta natureza, já que envolvem a partilha de dados sensíveis. Os utilizadores requerem que lhes seja assegurado o acesso aos seus dados de acordo com políticas de acesso bem definidas. Para suportar tal requisito, o modelo de controlo de acesso suportado pela EM é baseado em grupos (GBAC). Numa primeira versão da plataforma, os recursos apenas podiam ser partilhados com grupos estáticos, o que limitava a expressividade das especificações. Além disso, a plataforma tinha problemas de desempenho que derivavam de uma implementação inicial, não escalável, do sistema de controlo de acesso. Neste trabalho, apresentam-se as soluções desenvolvidas para aumento da escalabilidade da EM e fornecimento de mecanismos mais expressivos para a partilha de recursos através da especificação de grupos dinâmicos. Dada a popularidade das redes sociais, a utilização dos grupos dinâmicos foi estendida para possibilitar a sua integração com estas redes, permitindo que os utilizadores da EM criem grupos baseados em ligações das redes sociais. A EM foi desenvolvida no âmbito do projecto Europeu Epiwork, que teve como objectivos monitorar surtos epidemiológicos, guardar os dados recolhidos e utilizá-los em modelos matemáticos destinados a simular e a melhor entender a disseminação de doenças.The Epidemic Marketplace (EM) is a platform for integrating and sharing epidemiological data. Privacy issues are always a delicate matter when users intend to store sensitive data in such repositories. The users require assurance that their data access will always be in compliance with defined policies. The access control model of the EM uses Group-Based Access Control (GBAC). However, in an initial version of the platform resources could only be shared with static groups, leading to a lack of expressiveness. In addition, the EM platform had performance limitations that derived from using a nonscalable access control system implementation which could only perform simple access control changes. This work reports how performance issues with the platform have been solved and its scalability improved. In addition, EM users have the possibility of sharing their resources with dynamic groups, which, being rule based, provide more expressive mechanisms to share data. Given the current popularity of Social Networks, dynamic groups have been integrated with Social Networks, enabling EM users to create groups based on Social connections, obtained from Social Networks. Such groups rely on user approval for granting EM access to Social Network data. The EM has been developed in part within the EU-funded Epiwork project, whose main concerns include monitoring epidemiological outbreaks, storing that data and feeding it to mathematical models for simulating and better understanding the dissemination of diseases

Relationship between Education, Personal and Social Competences and Quality of Life of Adult Family Caregivers

Increasingly, lifelong learning is of growing importance and it refers to the constant experiences and needs of individuals adapting to the development of their personal and social skills in relation to the contexts and circumstances in which they are inserted. For this, one of the primary requirements to be able to enjoy a high Quality of Life. For the family, the diagnosis of disability in children is a particularly significant time consuming energy and mobilizing physical and economic resources, imposing itself as an important event inducing stress. It is an exploratory study with a quantitative data approach. The data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 25) software. This study has as main objectives (1) to evaluate the QoL of Family Caregivers of Adults with Disability or Intellectual Disability, by identifying the domains and facets of the WHOQOL-Bref most affected; (2) to study the measure of association between some variables related to the care delivery and QoL of Family Caregivers; (3) to evaluate the differences in the indicators of QoL between genders and (4) to evaluate the relationship between the wear associated with the caring of the Family Caregivers and their QoL. N=30 aged 20-57. Instruments: Sociodemographic and Care Rendering Data Sheet, WHOQOL-Bref QoL Scale, and Caregiver's Scale of Attrition. As results this study reveals that the WHOQOL-Bref domains are not significantly affected. It was also verified that there is a negative association between the objective and subjective burnout and the QoL of the Family Caregivers. The scale of personal growth, however, is negatively related to QoL. This study points to the importance of leadership investing in Family Caregivers in the sense of their personal growth and development of social skills. Keywords: : Education; skills; caregivers; quality of lif

Cognitive, Affective and Contextual Predictors of Subjective Well-Being

The article analyses the prediction power of cognitive, affective and contextual factors on Subjective Well-Being (SWB). Several measures of SWB are used in order to analyse its different predictors. A sample of 303 adult students was collected and reassessed in a 2 month interval. Instruments: Global Subjective Well-Being; Satisfaction with Life in Domains; Positive and Negative State Affect; Positive and Negative Trait Affect; Standards of Comparison; Depression, Anxiety and Stress; Life Events; Socio-Demographic Variables. Results show that Global SWB is predicted by Satisfaction with Life in Domains, followed by Positive and Negative State Affect. The cognitive dimension of SWB is mainly predicted by Depression, followed by Comparison Standards and several contextual variables. The affective dimension of SWB is mainly predicted by affective trait variables and also by Depression and Anxiety. Results stress the importance of analysing separately the different components of SWB (cognitive, affective) because each shows different predictors. In the predictors of SWB in a two month interval, we observe a reduction of the prediction power of state affective variables and of the contextual variables, as well as an increase of the prediction power of the trait affective and cognitive variables