Associations between gross motor coordination and academic achievement in elementary school children

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between gross motor coordination (MC) and academic achievement (AA) in a sample of Portuguese children aged 9–12 years. The study took place during the 2009/2010 school year and involved 596 urban children (281 girls) from the north of Portugal. AA was assessed using the Portuguese Language and Mathematics National Exams. Gross MC was evaluated with the Körperkoordination Test für Kinder. Cardiorespiratory fitness was predicted by a maximal multistage 20-m shuttle-run test of the Fitnessgram Test Battery. Body weight and height were measured following standard procedures. Socio-economic status was based on annual family income. Logistic Regression was used to analyze the association of gross MC with AA. 51.6% of the sample exhibited MC disorders or MC insufficiency and none of the participants showed very good MC. In both genders, children with insufficient MC or MC disorders exhibited a higher probability of having low AA, compared with those with normal or good MC (p < .05 for trend for both) after adjusting for cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass index and socio-economic status.CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, UM (FCT R&D 317

Atividade física no recreio escolar: estudo de intervenção em crianças dos seis aos 12 anos

This study analysed the effects of an intervention in a playground, in the physical activity level of children aged 6 to 12 years and explore differences between genders and age groups. The sample comprises 158 children (7.81 ± 1.17 years). Physical activity was accessed by accelerometry and weight was objectively measured. The children were evaluated in two different moments: 1) with an "empty" playground (before intervention); 2) with an "improved" playground (after intervention - with introduction of materials). On both moments, subjects were accessed during the 30 minutes of the school recess. The results showed that the intervention in the playground resulted in a significant increase in the physical activity level (>; 3 MET's) in both gender and age groups. This study allow us to take the following conclusions: the children who took part in this research benefited from the playground intervention, what makes us believe that its implementation in other schools would be worthwhile. School recess seems to be a privileged space to promote physical activity in young children that cannot be neglected.O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar os efeitos de uma intervenção no recreio escolar nos níveis de atividade física em crianças de ambos os sexos, com idades entre os seis e os 12 anos, verificando diferenças entre gêneros e idades. A amostra foi constituída por 158 crianças com uma idade média de 7,8 ± 1,2 anos. A atividade física foi avaliada por acelerometria e o peso medido de forma objetiva. Os alunos foram avaliados em dois recreios distintos: 1) sem intervenção; 2) com intervenção. Em ambos os momentos, cada aluno foi avaliado durante os 30 minutos do recreio. Os resultados indicam que a intervenção resultou num aumento significativo de todos os valores percentuais médios da atividade física total (>; 3 MET's) em ambos os sexos e grupos etários. Este estudo permite-nos concluir que se estas crianças se beneficiaram com a intervenção no recreio escolar, poderá ser benéfica a sua implementação noutras escolas. O recreio escolar afigura-se como um espaço privilegiado de promoção de hábitos de atividade física nas crianças, não devendo por isso ser negligenciado

Outdoor Cultivation of the Microalga Chlorella vulgaris in a New Photobioreactor Configuration: The Effect of Ultraviolet and Visible Radiation

Microalgae can be a future source of biomass with a wide range of applications, including its use to solve current environmental issues. One of the main variables for microalgal cultivation is the light supply: (i) its intensity that often does not present a uniform spatial distribution inside the culture; (ii) photoperiod; and (iii) spectrum. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the growth of the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris in a tubular photobioreactor with compound parabolic collectors (CPCs) under outdoor conditions. The effect of ultraviolet and visible radiation on biomass productivity and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) uptake was assessed. The maximum biomass productivity was (5 +/- 1) x 10(-3) g.L-1.h(-1), and the specific growth rates ranged from (1.1 +/- 0.3) x 10(-2) to (2.0 +/- 0.6) x 10(-2) h(-1). Regarding nutrient uptake, initial removal rates of (0.9 +/- 0.4) mg N.L-1.h(-1) for nitrogen and (0.17 +/- 0.04) mg P.L-1.h(-1) for phosphorus were reached. These values increased with visible and ultraviolet irradiance until certain values (143 W-VIS.m(-2) and 9 W-UV.m(-2) for biomass productivity; 101 W-VIS.m(-2) and 6 W-UV.m(-2) for nutrient removal) and then decreased for higher ones due to the photoinhibition phenomenon. Therefore, the application of CPCs to photobioreactors (PBRs) may be beneficial for microalgal culture in countries with higher latitude (with lower solar irradiance levels)

Associação entre o índice de massa corporal e a coordenação motora em crianças

The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between body mass index (BMI) and motor coordination (MC) in children. Data were collected in 794 children, ages 6-9 years. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight &#91;Body mass (kg)/Height (m²)&#93;. MC was evaluated using KTK. In both girls (&#967;² = 93.96; p < 0.001) and boys (&#967;² = 46.98; p < 0.001). There were significant differences in MC between the three groups of BMI (normal weight, overweight, obese). Normal weight children of both sexes have better outcomes than those who are overweight, and these in turn have better results than the obese. MC is moderately and negatively associated with BMI and the association increases during childhood (-0.16 to -0.50). In both boys and girls overweight and obese have lower levels of MC than normal weight children.O propósito do estudo foi analisar a associação entre o índice de massa corporal (IMC) e a coordenação motora (CM). Foram avaliadas 794 crianças (seis a nove anos) de ambos sexos na CM, com a bateria de testes KTK. O IMC foi calculado a partir das medidas de peso e estatura &#91;Peso(kg)/Estatura (cm²)&#93;. Quer nas meninas (&#967;² = 93,96; p < 0,001) quer nos meninos (&#967;² = 46,98; p < 0,001) ocorreram diferenças significativas na CM entre os três grupos do IMC (normoponderais, sobrepeso, obesos). Os normoponderais de ambos os sexos obtiveram melhores resultados do que os sujeitos com sobrepeso e estes obtiveram melhores resultados do que os obesos. A CM está moderada e negativamente associada com o IMC e a associação aumenta durante a infância (-0,16 a -0,50). As crianças com sobrepeso e obesas de ambos os sexos apresentaram menores níveis de CM do que as crianças normoponderais

As ciências do desporto

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Combining power electronic converters and automation to simulate solar PV systems

This paper presents a solar photovoltaic panel simulator system with the ability to perform automatic tests in different condition according to manufacture parameters. This simulator is based on three buck-boost DC-DC converters controlled by a microcontroller and supported by a Programmable Logic Controller which is responsible for the automatic tests. This solution will allow to achieve fast response, like suddenly changes in the irradiation, temperature, or load. To control the power converter, it will be used a fast and robust sliding mode controller. Therefore, with the proposed system is possible to perform the I-V curve simulation of a solar PV panel, evaluate different MPPT algorithms considering different meteorological and load variation. The main advantage of this work is the possibility to evaluate and test several MPPT algorithms and understand the operation and typical operation of solar PV panels in different conditions. Several simulations and experimental results from a laboratory prototype are presented to confirm the theoretical operation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aspectos clínicos e epidemiológicos de pacientes com coinfecção HIV/sífilis atendidos em um centro de referência / Clinical and epidemiological aspects of patients with HIV/syphilis co-infection treated at a reference center

Objetivo: Descrever a epidemiologia básica, apresentações clínicas e abordagens terapêuticas de pacientes com sífilis atendidos pela Unidade de Referência Especializada em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias Especiais (URE DIPE). Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo, observacional, do tipo série de casos, a fim de descrever a epidemiologia, os aspectos clínicos e o tratamento utilizado em pacientes diagnosticados para sífilis e HIV, acompanhados na URE/DIPE no período de 2016 a 2018, por meio da coleta de dados em fichas e prontuários desses pacientes. Resultados: Foram coletados dados de 138 pacientes. A média de idade foi 36,4 anos, variando dos 20 aos 80 anos. Composto principalmente por homens, de cor parda, solteiros e residentes do estado do Pará. Dos casos de coinfecção de HIV/Sífilis 26% aconteceram em 2016, 18% em 2017 e 54% em 2018. As formas de tratamento mais utilizadas seguem o esquema de três antirretrovirais, sendo dois Inibidores de Transcriptase Reversa Análogos de Nucleosídeos/Nucleotídeos associados a outra classe. O tratamento mais utilizado nos pacientes com sífilis foi o uso da benzilpenicilina benzatina. Conclusão: A coinfecção HIV/sífilis aumentou sucessivamente nos anos da pesquisa. Assim, é imprescindível que haja mais pesquisas sobre o assunto, para potencializar o tratamento e a prevenção.

Genetic aspects of sports practice: a twin study

Este estudo é percorrido por dois propósitos fundamentais: a) apresentar, ainda que de modo breve, aspectos da metodologia de genética quantitativa aplicados ao estudo de fenótipos de interesse dos cientistas das Ciências do Desporto; e b) aplicar tais técnicas e procedimentos em gêmeos monozigóticos (MZ) e dizigóticos (DZ) para determinar a presença de efeitos genéticos nos seus índices de prática desportiva. A amostra é constituída por 104 pares de gêmeos, 40 MZ e 64 DZ, cuja média de idades é 17,30 ± 5,82 e 17,86 ± 8,12, respectivamente. O índice de prática desportiva foi obtido a partir do questionário de Baecke et alii (1982). Os procedimentos estatísticos compreendem tabelas de contingência, correlações tetracóricas, taxas de concordância “probandwise” bem como ajustamento de modelos univariados gemelares. Os programas estatísticos utilizados foram o SPSS 9.0 e o Mx. Os principais resultados e conclusões foram os seguintes: a) é evidente a presença de forte agregação familiar nos valores de prática desportiva; b) estes valores são mais fortes nos gêmeos MZ do que nos gêmeos DZ, e mais elevados nos meninos do que nas meninas; c) nos meninos o valor da dependência genética é de 82%, sendo muito reduzida a influência do envolvimento comum e único de cada par; d) nas meninas os resultados são diametralmente opostos, já que a influência genética é zero, e a do seu envolvimento comumente partilhado no seio da família é de 71%. Estas diferenças de efeitos genéticos e do envolvimento nos dois sexos sugerem interpretações de natureza biológica e sócio-culturalThe purposes of this study are twofold: a) to present, briefly, some aspects of quantitative genetics applied to Sport Sciences, and b) to apply such techniques and methodologies to study the genetic effects of sports practice in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins. Sample size comprises 104 twin pairs, 40 MZ and 64 DZ, whose mean age is, respectively 17.30 ± 5.82 and 17.86 ±8.12. An index of sports practise was built based on the questionnaire suggestions of Baecke et alii (1982). Statistical procedures include the following techniques: contingency tables, tetrachoric correlations, probandwise concordance rates, as well as model fitting techniques to univariate twin models. Software used was SPSS 9.0 and Mx. Main results and conclusions are as follows: a) it is evident the presence of familial aggregation in sports practise; b) these values are more evident in MZ twins than in DZ twins, and more so in males than in females; c) in males, genetic differences account for 82% of the variation in the index of sports practise; d) in females the results are just the opposite, where genetic influences are zero, and shared environmental influences account for 71%. These differences in genetic and environmental effects in the two sexes call for biological and social-cultural interpretation

Offshore 1755 CE Lisbon Tsunami deposit in the southern portuguese continental shelf

The importance of tsunami hazard assessment is only possible if a complete dataset of events is available, allowing the determination of the recurrence intervals of the tsunamis adapted to local and regional conditions. One possible way to know these intervals is to study the offshore sedimentary record, looking for sediment remobilised and transported by the incoming tsunami waves and generated backwash currents. Even if these deposits are not of easy access (and not so well studied), the tsunami depositional signature has potential to be better preserved than those located onshore.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio