Atividade contra o preconceito: desenvolvimento de fatos de hidroginástica para Idosos

O principal objetivo deste estudo consiste em contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do preconceito existente sobre os idosos e do papel fundamental que a atividade física pode desempenhar para combater o estigma, relativamente a este grupo etário. A hidroginástica foi a atividade escolhida para este trabalho por apresentar já alguma adesão por parte das pessoas idosas de Caldas da Rainha, manifestando contudo ainda alguns problemas por resolver, de onde se destacam: alguns idosos expressarem sentimentos de vergonha provocados pela utilização do fato de banho, o desconforto provocado pela temperatura da água e dos balneários, a desadequação do modo de vestir e despir dos fatos de banho existentes e a dificuldade em acomodar a diversidade antropométrica que se verifica na população mais idosa. As entrevistas e testes realizados durante o desenvolvimento do projeto foram efetuados em diferentes locais, nomeadamente no Centro Social Paroquial de Nossa Senhora das Mercês de Carvalhal Benfeito e na Associação Humanitária dos Bombeiros Voluntários das Caldas da Rainha. Foram também realizadas visitas ao Lar Monsanto da Serra do Bouro e a vários ateliers de costura

Lie structure on the Hochschild cohomology of a family of subalgebras of the Weyl algebra

For each nonzero h ∈ F[x], where F is a field, let Ah be the unital associative algebra generated by elements x; y, satisfying the relation yx - xy = h. This gives a parametric family of subalgebras of the Weyl algebra A1, containing many well-known algebras which have previously been studied independently. In this paper, we give a full description of the Hochschild cohomology HH·(Ah) over a field of an arbitrary characteristic. In case F has a positive characteristic, the center Z(Ah) of Ah is nontrivial and we describe HH·(Ah) as a module over Z.(Ah). The most interesting results occur when F has a characteristic 0. In this case, we describe HH·(Ah) as a module over the Lie algebra HH1(Ah) and find that this action is closely related to the intermediate series modules over the Virasoro algebra. We also determine when HH·(Ah) is a semisimple HH1.Ah/-module.Fil: Lopes, Samuel. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Solotar, Andrea Leonor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Investigaciones Matemáticas "Luis A. Santaló". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Matemáticas "Luis A. Santaló"; Argentin

Shoulder morphofunctional adaptations on overhead-throwing athletes : implications for physiotherapy throwing-shoulder examination.

Doutoramento em Motricidade Humana, especialidade de Ciências da Fisioterapia.The overhead throwing motion is a highly skilled movement, particularly demanding to the shoulder due to high strength levels and/or acceleration applied to the hand and by the elevated degree of control and precision required to position the arm in space. The shoulders of those involved in repeated forceful overhead throwing, the overhead-throwing athletes, undergo a range of neural, soft tissues and skeletal adaptations that could be described as, the “overhead-throwing shoulder adaptive pattern” (OTSAP). The main goal of overall studies in this thesis was to characterize the dominant overhead-throwing shoulder adaptive pattern of non-symptomatic overhead throwing athletes, comparing with a non-athletic population. Additionally, while comparing volleyball and team-handball players, we looked for specific sport-related components of the OTSAP. Knowledge on OTSAP is important for those involved on training, but also for sport physiotherapist during shoulder functional assessment. Some components of the OTSAP could be mistaken by injury signs or risk factors. Structural (osseous) and functional changes were identified on the dominant shoulder of volleyball and team-handball players. Some were similar of those described in baseball players, and others were sport-related. Thus, the OTSAP should be considered by the physiotherapist during overhead-throwing shoulder assessment. RESUMO:O movimento de lançamento é altamente especializado e particularmente exigente para o ombro devido aos excessivos níveis de carga/aceleração aplicados. Atletas cujos ombros estão envolvidos em movimentos repetidos de lançamento, consideram-se, na literatura anglo-saxónica, atletas “overhead”. Estes são sujeitos a um conjunto de adaptações neurais, tecidulares e ósseas que podem ser descritas como, o “padrão de adaptação do ombro do atleta overhead” (PAOAO). O principal objetivo da tese foi caracterizar o padrão de adaptação do ombro dominante, não sintomático, dos atletas “overhead”, comparando-os com não atletas. Adicionalmente, comparando voleibolistas e andebolistas, procurou-se encontrar componentes específicos da modalidade praticada inerentes ao PAOAO. O conhecimento detalhado deste PAOAO é crucial para os intervenientes em processos de treino, e para o fisioterapeuta responsável por uma avaliação detalhada do ombro, sob pena de alguns dos componentes do PAOAO serem erroneamente considerados como sinais de lesão ou fatores de risco. Foram identificadas alterações estruturais e funcionais no ombro dominante de voleibolistas e andebolistas. Algumas são similares às encontradas em jogadores de beisebol, enquanto outras estão diretamente relacionadas com a prática desportiva específica. Assim, este PAOAO deverá ser tido em consideração pelo fisioterapeuta aquando da avaliação do ombro do atleta “overhead”.FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologi

Enzymatic pretreatment of microalgae using fungal broth from Trametes versicolor and commercial laccase for improved biogas production

Coupling microalgae production to wastewater treatment can reduce the costs of microalgae production for non-food bioproducts and energy consumption for wastewater treatment. Furthermore, microalgae anaerobic digestion can be enhanced by applying pretreatment techniques. The aim of this study is to improve the biogas production from microalgal biomass grown in urban wastewater treatment systems by applying an enzymatic pretreatment with crude fungal broth and commercial laccase. To this end, the fungus Trametes versicolor was cultured, and the enzymatic activity of the culture broth analysed by measuring laccase concentration. The results showed that both the fungal broth and commercial laccase pretreatment (100 U L- 1) over an exposure time of 20 min increased the methane yield in batch tests. Indeed, the fungal broth pretreatment increased the methane yield by 74%, while commercial laccase increased the methane yield by 20% as compared to non-pretreated microalgal biomass. In this manner, laccase addition enhanced microalgal biomass anaerobic biodegradability, and addition of T. versicolor broth further improved the results. This fact may be attributed to the presence of other molecules excreted by the fungus.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

The potential of graphene coatings as neural interfaces

Recent advances in nanotechnology design and fabrication have shaped the landscape for the development of ideal cell interfaces based on biomaterials. A holistic evaluation of the requirements for a cell interface is a highly complex task. Biocompatibility is a crucial requirement which is affected by the interface’s properties, including elemental composition, morphology, and surface chemistry. This review explores the current state-of-the-art on graphene coatings produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and applied as neural interfaces, detailing the key properties required to design an interface capable of physiologically interacting with neural cells. The interfaces are classified into substrates and scaffolds to differentiate the planar and three-dimensional environments where the cells can adhere and proliferate. The role of specific features such as mechanical properties, porosity and wettability are investigated. We further report on the specific brain-interface applications where CVD graphene paved the way to revolutionary advances in biomedicine. Future studies on the long-term effects of graphene-based materials in vivo will unlock even more potentially disruptive neuro-applications.Project 2DM4EH with reference DRI/India/0664/2020, funded by FCT—Science and Technology FoundationMICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033European Social Found (FSE) El FSE invierte en tu futuro for Ramón y Cajal research contract (RYC-2019–027692-I