COVID-19 Traumatic Stress Scale and Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale: psychometric properties in Portuguese male adults

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia pandemic constitutes a serious public health emergency. Besides its detrimental social and economic implications, it has generated a negative psychological impact worldwide. Several studies have been carried out concerning psychological impact and mental health related to COVID-19, with the psychological constructs most studied being anxiety, fear, phobia, stress and depression. Other psychological constructs were less studied, namely post-traumatic stress related to COVID-19, as well as preventive behaviors towards COVID-19. Thus, the aims of this study were to validate the COVID-19 Traumatic Stress (C19TSS) Scale and the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) with a Portuguese male adult sample and to measure their invariance across age and education. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to obtain the final factor structure of the Portuguese version of both scales. Configural, metric and scalar invariance were measured across age and education through multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). Results: Results showed that both C19TSS and PIBS models fitted the data well. Configural, metric and scalar invariance across age as well as configural and metric invariance across education were found regarding C19TSS. Only configural invariance across education was found regarding PCIBS. Conclusions: The C19TSS and PCIBS are valid and reliable tools for researchers interested in examining post-traumatic stress related to COVID-19 and preventive behaviors towards COVID-19

Seismic assessment of St. James church by means of pushover analysis : before and after the New Zealand earthquake

The paper presents a numerical study for the seismic assessment of the St James Church in Christchurch, New Zealand affected by the recent 2011 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. The structural behaviour of the Church has been evaluated using the finite element modelling technique, in which the nonlinear behaviour of masonry has been taken into account by proper constitutive assumptions. Two numerical models were constructed, one incorporating the existing structural damage and the other considering the intact structure. The validation of the numerical models was achieved by the calibration of the damaged model according to dynamic identification tests carried out in situ after the earthquake. Non-linear pushover analyses were carried out on both principal directions demonstrating that, as a result of the seismic action, the Church can no longer be considered safe. Pushover analysis results of the undamaged model show reasonable agreement with the visual inspection performed in situ, which further validates the model used. Finally, limit analysis using macro-block analysis was also carried out to validate the main local collapse mechanisms of the Church.(undefined

Fire effects on soil after an experimental burnt

5th International Conference of Fire Effects on Soil PropertiesThe impacts of forest fires are multiple (economic, human, social, environmental and on landscape - in the trees, the shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, on soil, on soil organisms, in birds and mammals, in the air, water, etc) and complex (direct, indirect, cumulative, immediate, subsequent, etc). Depend on factors as varied as the magnitude, intensity, duration and frequency of fires, the size and composition of the stands, fuel volume, concentration, distribution and characteristics, soil nature and characteristics, among many other factors. One of the most significant impacts of these catastrophic events in Portugal, occurs at the level of the soil (physical and chemical properties, hydrological and erosive effects, hydrophobicity, etc.). Consequently, we intend to present and discuss in this work the results of experimental burns held in May 2014 in Santo Tirso (NW Portugal), in a eucalyptus stand and in shrub lands. This experimental burning was intended to reduce the fuel material, using different fire driving techniques and is the result of a cooperation between the University of Minho and the Municipality of Santo Tirso. In this sense, we sought to evaluate the effects of fire on the ground by different conditions of progression of the fire, evaluating the temperature at different depths of the soil and its physical and chemical characteristics

Património natural da Bacia do Ave

PROJECTO ALBA-TER / AVE. ADRAVE

High-fat diet-induced obesity rat model: a comparison between wistar and sprague-dawley rat

[resumo][abstract

Colecistite aguda alitiásica

The authors report the case of a 14-year old male seen at the adult emergency room at Hospital da Restauração, presenting acute inflammation in the abdomen, secondary to acute appendicitis with local peritonitis. On the 8th postoperative day, he returned to the hospital with abdominal pain associated with fever and intense leukocytosis. Abdominal ultrasonography showed distended gallbladder with thickened walls, which suggests acute acalculous cholecystitis. The patient was submitted to surgery, which revealed an enlarged vesicle, thickened walls, and no calculi inside it. After theperformance of cholecystomy, the patient was dismissed on the 4th postoperative day. Os autores relatam o caso de um paciente de 14 anos, masculino, atendido na emergência de Adultos do Hospital da Restauração, com quadro de abdômen agudo inflamatório, secundário a apendicite aguda com peritonite localizada. No oitavo dia de pós-operatório, retornou ao hospital com dor abdominal associada à febre e intensa leucocitose. A ultra-sonografia abdominal revelou vesícula biliar distendida com paredes espessadas, sugestivo de colecistite aguda alitiásica. O paciente foi submetido à cirurgia, com achado de vesícula aumentada de volume, paredes espessadas, sem cálculos em seu interior. Realizada colecistectomia, tendo alta hospitalar no quarto diade pós-operatório

Probing the relationship between late endogenous ERP components with fluid intelligence in healthy older adults

The world population is rapidly aging, bringing together the necessity to better understand the advancing age. This characterization may be used to aid early diagnosis and to guide individually-tailored interventions. While some event-related potential (ERP) components, such as the P300 and late positive complex (LPC), have been associated with fluid intelligence (Gf) in young population; little is known whether these associations hold for older people. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to assess whether these ERP components are associated with Gf in the elderly. Fifty-seven older adults performed a continuous performance task (CPT) and a visual oddball paradigm while EEG was recorded. Participants were divided into two groups, according to their performance in the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices test: high-performance (HP) and low-performance (LP). Results showed that the HP group, compared to the LP group, had higher LPC amplitudes in the CPT and shorter P300 latencies in the oddball task, highlighting the role of ERP components as a potential electrophysiological proxy of Gf abilities in the elderly.We thank Camara Municipal de Vila Nova de Famalicao (Dr. Rui Baptista and Bruno Gomes), Associacao Geracoes (Dr. Cristiana Oliveira, Clara and Daniela Silva), Santa Casa da Misericordia de Barcelos (Dr. Ricardo Vieira and Dr. Helder Longras), and Fundacao Bomfim (Dr. Raquel Polonia) for hosting the study; all the volunteers for their participation, as well as, Silvia Alves, Carla Barros, Anabela Fernandes and our colleagues from the Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory for all the help during data collection and recruitment. This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [Doctoral Grants No. SFRH/BD/80965/2011 (awarded to ACT) and No. PD/BD/105964/2014 (awarded to DRP)] and by the Bial Foundation (Grant Number #286/16). It was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (Grant Number UID/PSI/01662/2019), through the national funds (PIDDAC). DP was supported by FCT (Grant Number SFRH/BPD/120111/2016). SC was funded by the FCT (Grant Number IF/00091/2015) and COMPETE 2020 (Grant Number PTDC/PSI-ESP/29701/2017)

Effects of periodontal therapy on white blood cell count and levels of transforming growth factor beta in serum of subjects with severe periodontitis

This study aimed to investigate the effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on white blood cell (WBC) count and levels of transforming growth factor beta (TGF—β) in serum from subjects with severe periodontitis. Serum from 28 subjects with periodontitis (mean age: 34.36±6.24; 32% men) and 27 healthy controls (mean age: 33.18±6.42; 33% men) were collected prior to therapy. Blood samples were obtained from 23 subjects who completed therapy (9—12 months). A well—controlled periodontal treatment protocol was established in three stages: mechanical periodontal therapy (scaling and root planning), reinstrumentation of dental sites, and supportive periodontal therapy. Periodontal and systemic parameters such as the total number of WBCs and TGF—β levels, accessed by enzyme—linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were included. After therapy, all clinical periodontal parameters decreased (

Exploring the reactivity of formylporphyrins with 3-(diethylamino)phenol. Synthesis, spectroscopic properties and singlet oxygen generation of a new porphyrin–rosamine conjugate

The design of novel molecular structures with tunable photophysical properties is an important research field for many applications including optoelectronics, sensing and bioimaging. Porphyrin and rhodamine/rosamine derivatives are among the most studied and relevant chemosensors and imaging probes due to their attractive photophysical properties, such as high absorption coefficients and long emission wavelengths. In this work, we present the synthesis and the structural characterization of a new porphyrin–rosamine conjugate H2P3 and its related triarylmethane precursors H2P1 and H2P2. The photophysical properties of H2P1, H2P2 and H2P3, and their ability to chelate iron(III) and copper(II) ions, were evaluated by absorption and emission spectroscopy. The formation of copper(II) complexes was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), which also allowed the detection of an intense and stable radical signal for the free-base H2P3. Further studies involving the addition of the 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine spin trap to derivatives H2P1, H2P2 and H2P3, showed that only H2P3 gives rise to an EPR detectable signal due to a strong generation of singlet oxygen.publishe

Questions in Science textbooks: development and validation of a checklist

Questões são enunciadas que requerem uma resposta refletida e que desempenham diversas funções educativas, incluindo o despoletar novas aprendizagens. Neste caso, o seu uso enquadra-se na Aprendizagem Baseada na Resolução de Problemas (ABRP, do inglês, Problem-Based Learning, PBL), que coloca o aluno no centro dos processos de ensino e aprendizagem, atribuindo-lhe um papel ativo na aprendizagem de novo conhecimento. Atendendo à influência que os manuais exercem nas práticas de ensino, a questão que se coloca é a de saber em que medida as questões incluídas nos manuais escolares de Ciências podem fomentar um ensino orientado para a ABRP. Neste texto, descrever-se-á o processo de construção e validação de uma grelha de análise de questões incluídas em manuais escolares de Ciências com essa finalidade, apresentando-se não só essa grelha, mas também, a título ilustrativo, uma aplicação da mesma a um tópico de Ciências, 8º ano, abordado nas duas disciplinas desta área.Questions require a thoughtful answer and can play diverse educational roles, such as stimulating the learning of new knowledge, as is the case in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) contexts. In this context, the student is placed at the center of the teaching and learning processes and plays an active role in the learning of new knowledge. Bearing in mind the influence that textbooks exert on teaching practices, it is worthwhile questioning to which extent questions included in school science textbooks promote a PBL oriented teaching approach. This paper describes the development and validation of a checklist for analyzing the questions included in science textbooks. After introducing the checklist, an example of its application to a science unit assigned to two junior high school science courses (8th grade) is given, approaching the two disciplines in the area