10 years of experience

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Contributo para a validação da versão reduzida da escala Approaches and study skills inventory for students (assist)

As abordagens ao estudo referem-se ao modo como os estudantes encaram as tarefas de aprendizagem e as estratégias que utilizam para as levar a cabo. Um dos instrumentos habitualmente utilizados na investigação sobre as abordagens ao estudo é o Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Esta escala teve a sua origem no Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) e inclui subescalas adicionais com vista a integrar a descrição dos processos relativos não só ao estudo, mas também as reações ao ensino. A sua versão mais recente avalia as abordagens à aprendizagem em três dimensões ou escalas distintas: Profunda, Estratégica e Superficial Apática. Neste estudo apresentamos dados relativos às propriedades psicométricas da versão reduzida desta escala (Short Version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students – SV-ASSIST) a qual é constituída por 18 itens distribuídos pelas 3 dimensões referidas. Participaram no estudo 186 estudantes de cursos de Licenciatura em Terapia Ocupacional de diferentes instituições. A análise fatorial exploratória resultou numa solução fatorial de 3 fatores: um fator integrando os itens que remetem para estratégias ligadas à Abordagem Profunda e que inclui 5 itens; um segundo fator associado à Abordagem Estratégica (AE) constituído por 4 itens; e um terceiro fator constituído pelos 6 itens que reenviam para a Abordagem Superficial Apática. No que respeita à consistência interna, os valores obtidos revelaram-se aceitáveis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in 6–7-year-old schoolchildren from Luanda, Angola

Background: Epidemiological data have shown that the prevalence of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children is still increasing, namely in Africa. However, there are no epidemiological studies on asthma or allergic diseases in Angolan children. Objective: To study the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in Angolan children. Methods: Descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study, using the ISAAC study methodology, in the province of Luanda, Angola in 6-7-yearold children. Forty-six (8.3%) public schools were randomly selected. Data were analysed using the SPSS Statistics version 24.0 software. Results: A total of 3080 children were studied. Results showed that the prevalence of asthma (wheezing in the previous 12 months) was 15.8%, that of rhinitis (sneezing, runny or blocked nose in the previous 12 months) was 19% and that of eczema (itchy skin lesions in the previous 12 months) was 22%, without differences between sexes. Rhinitis was associated with a higher number of episodes of wheezing episodes, disturbed sleep and night cough, in children with asthma. Rhinitis, eczema, Split-type air conditioning system, antibiotic intake in the child's first year of life, frequent intake (more than once per month) of paracetamol and active maternal smoking were associated with a higher risk of having asthma, whereas electrical cooking was associated with a protective effect. Conclusion: Asthma and allergic diseases are highly prevalent in children from Luanda. A strategy for preventive and control measures should be implemented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seminário pré-congresso: Doenças respiratórias crónicas e tuberculose

On the 18th of April of 2017, the Institute of Tropical Medicine of the Nova University of Lisbon IHMT held the Pre-Congress Seminar, "Chronic respiratory diseases and tuberculosis". The seminar was organised comprising the following objectives: to increase the visibility and importance of chronic respiratory diseases in lusophone and international space; to provide oppor-tunity of collaboration in the Lusophone space; to lay the foundations for the creation of a future Lusophone GARD.The GARD-WHO, Global Alliance is a voluntary Alliance of national and international organizations whose vision is a world in which everyone can breathe freely. Its main goal is to reduce the global burden on Chronic Res-piratory Diseases worldwide. The main diseases encompassed are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergic rhinitis and obs-tructive sleep apnoea syndrome.At the seminar presentations were made on present situation of respiratory diseases in Portugal, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde and Brazil and on Tuberculosis and other Mycobacteria in Portugal and Brazil. Also, presentations and discussion on GARD ‘projects and international trends of this Alliance work took place.The evolution to a Lusophone GARD was agreed, expressing the desire for cooperation between countries and in Portuguese, which contemplates chronic respiratory diseases and tuberculosis. It was expressed the willing-ness in promoting training in Portuguese between countries at a clinical and technical level was expressed, of placing the issue of respiratory diseases on the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Speaking Countries) Mi-nisters of Health’ agenda meeting and in each country, at ministerial level; in increasing the knowledge in in the following areas: prevalence of risk factors, prevalence of diseases and burden of disease, available treatments, drugs and diagnostic means in different countries and settings. No dia 18 de abril de 2017 teve lugar, no IHMT, o Seminário pré-congresso, “Doenças respiratórias crónicas e tuberculose”. Os objetivos deste seminário foram, entre outros, aumentar a visibilidade e importância das doenças respiratórias crónicas no espaço lusófono e internacional; proporcionar colaboração no espaço lusófono; estabelecer as bases da criação de um futuro GARD em língua portuguesa.A GARD-OMS, Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases é uma Aliança voluntária de organizações nacionais e internacionais que tem como visão um mundo em que todos possam respirar livremente. O seu objetivo principal é o de reduzir a carga global sobre as doenças respiratórias crónicas no mundo. As doenças principais englobadas são a asma, Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crónica (DPOC), rinite alérgica e a apneia do sono.No seminário foi feita uma apresentação da situação atual das doenças respiratórias em Portugal, Moçambique, Angola, Cabo Verde e Brasil e da tuberculose e outras micobacterioses em Portugal e no Brasil. Foram igualmente apresentados projetos GARD e tendências a nível internacional do trabalho desta Aliança.Foi acordada a evolução para um GARD em língua portuguesa, expressa a vontade de cooperação entre países e em português, que contemple as doenças respiratórias crónicas e a tuberculose. Foi expressa vontade de promover formação em português entre países ao nível clínico e técnico; colocar na agenda dos ministros da saúde a questão das doenças respiratórias nos encontros da CPLP e em cada país, ao nível ministerial; aumentar o conhecimento sobre as seguintes áreas: prevalência dos fatores de risco; prevalência das doenças, carga de doença e tratamento das doenças respiratórias; acesso a medicação e outros meios de terapêutica.publishersversionpublishe

Contributo para a caracterização biogeoquímica da Mina da Caveira – Estudo da planta Erica australis

As minas inactivas ou abandonadas caracterizam-se como áreas sensíveis a nível ambiental e os impactos tendem a agravar-se com o tempo e a ocupar regiões geográficas adjacentes, se não forem rectificados a curto prazo. Estes impactos ambientais podem ser avaliados pela caracterização biogeoquímica das zonas mineiras e envolventes. Neste trabalho, apresenta-se o estudo das características biogeoquímicas de uma mina abandonada no concelho de Grândola no Alentejo (mina de Caveira), com vista à avaliação dos riscos inerentes. A caracterização foi realizada através do estudo de diversos parâmetros químicos (e.g. teores de cobre, zinco, chumbo, ferro, manganês) e biológicos (e.g. actividade antioxidante), determinados em amostras de solo e na planta Erica australis presente na região da mina. A capacidade antioxidante da planta estudada foi avaliada pelo método do DPPH

Energy estimation of cosmic rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30-80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy-corrected for geometrical effects-is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal

Measurement of the radiation energy in the radio signal of extensive air showers as a universal estimator of cosmic-ray energy.

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 +/- 0.7 (stat) +/- 6.7 (syst) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principles calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Nanosecond-level time synchronization of autonomous radio detector stations for extensive air showers

To exploit the full potential of radio measurements of cosmic-ray air showers at MHz frequencies, a detector timing synchronization within 1 ns is needed. Large distributed radio detector arrays such as the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) rely on timing via the Global Positioning System (GPS) for the synchronization of individual detector station clocks. Unfortunately, GPS timing is expected to have an accuracy no better than about 5 ns. In practice, in particular in AERA, the GPS clocks exhibit drifts on the order of tens of ns. We developed a technique to correct for the GPS drifts, and an independent method is used to cross-check that indeed we reach a nanosecond-scale timing accuracy by this correction. First, we operate a "beacon transmitter" which emits defined sine waves detected by AERA antennas recorded within the physics data. The relative phasing of these sine waves can be used to correct for GPS clock drifts. In addition to this, we observe radio pulses emitted by commercial airplanes, the position of which we determine in real time from Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcasts intercepted with a software-defined radio. From the known source location and the measured arrival times of the pulses we determine relative timing offsets between radio detector stations. We demonstrate with a combined analysis that the two methods give a consistent timing calibration with an accuracy of 2 ns or better. Consequently, the beacon method alone can be used in the future to continuously determine and correct for GPS clock drifts in each individual event measured by AERA

Auto-eficácia na criança asmática

O presente estudo tem como objectivos avaliar a auto-eficácia de um grupo de 70 crianças asmáticas e comparar a auto-eficácia em dois grupos etários (8-10 anos, n=34 e dos 11-14 anos, n=36). Foi utilizado, para medir a auto-eficácia no manejo da asma – “The asthma Self-efficacy Questionaire” (Lemanek). Encontrou-se adequada fiabilidade para o instrumento. Verificou-se que as expectativas de eficácia, ao nível dos auto-cuidados, são mais elevadas no grupo das crianças mais velhas. Encontrou-se ainda uma relação entre as expectativas de eficácia e a frequência de crises de asma, quanto maior é o sentimento de eficácia menor é a frequência das crises. ------ ABSTRACT ------ Self-efficacy is evaluated in a group of 70 asthmatic children and two age groups are compared (8 to 10 years old and 11 to 14 years old). Selfefficacy in the management of asthma was measured by “The asthma self-efficacy questionnaire” (Lemanek). Acceptable reliability has been found for the instrument. Self-efficacy beliefs at a self-care level are higher in the group of the older children. We could still find a relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and the asthma crisis frequency, the bigger the feeling of efficacy the fewer are the crisis