Cutaneous manifestations associated with SARS CoV-2: an emerging topic in a pandemic era

A 70-year-old man was admitted to our COVID-19 ward with thoracalgia, productive mucus cough, fatigue and erythematous–violaceous macules on the inner side of feet and interdigital regions. The patient was started on oxygen and dexamethasone. On the day of discharge, he maintained the skin changes despite the resolution of COVID-19 symptoms. A 57-year-old woman initially presented with diffuse urticarial rash on the cervical and chest region. Oral cetirizine was started, and pruritus improved. Thirty days after the discharge, the patient maintained the rash, but without pruritus. A 49-year old man was admitted with thoracalgia, shortness of breath, dry cough and urticarial rash on the cervical and chest region. The patient was treated with cetirizine. The pruritus improved, and 5 days after discharge, the urticarial areas completely disappearedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The Theories of Interconstitutionality and Transconstitutionalism. Preliminary Insights from a Jus-cultural Perspective (With a view to Transnational Social Justice)

In the following pages, some light will hopefully be shed into the recent proposals of interconstitutionality and transconstitutionalism – deemed highly influential among Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries – considering them against the backdrop defined by the more general disquisitions recently devoted to interculturality and transculturality in their quality of practical responses to the globalization and social differentiation phenomena. Acknowledging the fact that, even inside the juridical linguistic game and within the juristic community of interpreters, the new narratives interwoven through the above mentioned concepts are becoming more and more intricate – v.g., including epistemic and normative, as well as subjective and objective perspectives, giving birth to new elaborate semantic networks and covering an ever growing territory – it is important to admonish, at the outset, that, in this stance, we cannot but provide a preliminary and provisory map of the vast continent thereby comprised. As a consequence, the present text will limit itself to the signalling of some landmarks and the rough drawing of the basic lineaments for further (and certainly wiser and more competent) cartographic and exploratory endeavours

Cadetes en las academias militares portuguesas: un retrato sociológico

The aim of this article is to revisit the question of the social origins of the armed forces officer corps, using data drawn from a survey to all cadets following military training at the three Portuguese service academies in 2016. It puts forward the question of whether the sociological characteristics of the future military elite reveal a pattern of convergence with society or depart from it, in terms of geographical origins, gender and social origins. The article offers a sociological portrait of the cadets and compares it with previous studies, identifying trends of change and continuity. The results show that there is a diversified and convergent recruitment pattern: cadets are coming from a greater variety of regions in the country than in the past; there is a still an asymmetric but improving gender balance; self-recruitment patterns are rather stable, and there is a segmented social origin pointing to the dominance of the more qualified and affluent social classes. In the conclusion questions are raised regarding future civil-military convergence patterns as well as possible growing differences between ranks.O objetivo do presente artigo é revisitar a questão das origens sociais do corpo de oficiais das Forças Armadas, utilizando dados de um inquérito aplicado a todos os cadetes que frequentavam os cursos das escolas superiores militares, em 2016. Coloca-se a questão de saber se as características sociológicas das futuras elites militares revelam um padrão de convergência com a sociedade ou se dela se afastam, em termos de origens geográficas, género e origens sociais. O artigo apresenta um retrato sociológico dos cadetes e compara-o com estudos anteriores, identificando tendências de mudança e continuidade. Os resultados demonstram que existe diversidade e convergência no padrão de recrutamento: os cadetes são oriundos de uma maior variedade de regiões do país relativamente ao passado; persistem assimetrias de género, mas que têm vindo a diluir-se; os padrões de autorrecrutamento são estáveis; e subsiste uma segmentação na origem social que aponta para a dominância das classes sociais mais qualificadas e com maiores recursos. Na conclusão são levantadas questões sobre os padrões de convergência civil-militar, bem como sobre o possível aumento das diferenças entre categorias no interior das forças militares.L’objectif de cet article est de réexaminer la question des origines sociales du corps des officiers des forces armées, en utilisant les données d’une enquête auprès de tous les cadets suivant une formation militaire dans les trois académies de service portugaises en 2016. La question se pose de savoir si les caractéristiques sociologiques des futures élites militaires révèlent un modèle de convergence avec la société, ou si elles s’en écartent en termes d’origines géographiques, de genre et d’origine sociale. L’article présente un portrait sociologique des cadets et le compare avec des études antérieures, identifiant des tendances de changement et de continuité. Les résultats montrent qu’il existe une diversité et une convergence dans la structure du recrutement: les cadets proviennent d’une plus grande variété de régions du pays que par le passé; les asymétries entre les sexes persistent mais ont été diluées; les standards d’auto-recrutement sont stables; et il existe une segmentation de l’origine sociale qui indique la domination des classes sociales les plus qualifiées et mieux pourvues de ressources. Dans la conclusion, des questions sont soulevées sur les modèles de convergence civilo-militaire, ainsi que l’accroissement possible des différences entre les catégories au sein de l’armée.El objetivo del presente artículo es el de revisar la cuestión de los orígenes sociales del cuerpo de oficiales de las Fuerzas Armadas, utilizando datos de una encuesta aplicada a todos los cadetes que frecuentaban los cursos de las escuelas superiores militares, en 2016. Se plantea la cuestión de si las características sociológicas de las futuras élites militares revelan un patrón de convergencia con la sociedad o si de ella se alejan, en términos de orígenes geográficos, género y orígenes sociales. El artículo presenta un retrato sociológico de los cadetes y lo compara con estudios anteriores, identificando tendencias de cambio y continuidad. Los resultados demuestran que existe diversidad y convergencia en el patrón de reclutamiento: los cadetes provienen de una mayor variedad de regiones del país con respecto al pasado; persisten asimetrías de género pero que se han diluido; los patrones de autorecrutamiento son estables; y subsiste una segmentación en el origen social que apunta a la dominación de las clases sociales más cualificadas y con mayores recursos. En la conclusión se plantean cuestiones sobre los patrones de convergencia civil-militar, así como sobre el posible aumento de las diferencias entre categorías dentro de las fuerzas militares

Recalibrar sem legislar: formulação de políticas de retração no cálculo das pensões, o caso do fator de sustentabilidade

A presente investigação, em Políticas Públicas, versa sobre a formulação de políticas de retração no âmbito das pensões de velhice, com especial incidência na reforma implementada em Portugal, no ano de 2007. Tal medida é importante de ser estudada porque ela é pioneira na indexação do cálculo da pensão à esperança de vida, com reajustamentos anuais automáticos, recalibrar sem legislar, e porque representa uma mudança face às opções de reforma que vinham sendo seguidas neste campo. Sob o escopo principal de identificar os argumentos que justificam a introdução do fator de sustentabilidade em Portugal analisaram-se mais de vinte anos de reformas, desde a primeira Lei de Bases, de 1984, até à implementação do Decreto-Lei n.º 187/2007. Das diversas reformas executadas foram escolhidos três casos, materializados nos diplomas que introduziram significativas reformas de retração nas pensões, nos anos de 1993, de 2002 e de 2007, os quais foram analisados com recurso ao modelo analítico Fluxos Múltiplos desenvolvido por John Kingdon. Esta opção deveu-se ao facto de o modelo permitir estudar em simultâneo todo o processo de agendamento político e, sobretudo, porque possibilita explicar a descontinuidade das políticas. Após a aplicação do modelo e escalpelização dos diversos fluxos que constituíam os casos (problema, política e políticas), com recurso ao método comparado, procurou-se dar resposta à questão central: que argumentos justificam a introdução do fator de sustentabilidade no cálculo das pensões de velhice em Portugal? Com os dados recolhidos foi possível verificar que o feedback das soluções anteriores, a existência de um Governo maioritário, as propostas alternativas dos partidos, a aceitação de uma medida sub-ótima pelos intervenientes e o facto de os cortes serem melhor aceites quando são indexados a um determinado fator, não sujeito a discricionariedade política, foram determinantes para que a introdução do fator de sustentabilidade fosse politicamente viável.This research in Public Policy deals with the formulation of retraction policies regarding the old-age pensions, with particular emphasis on the reform implemented in Portugal, in 2007. This measure is important to be studied because it is a pioneering measure of indexation for the calculating of the pension to life expectancy with automatic annual adjustments and because it represents a change in the choices that had been used in this field. Under the main purpose of identifying the arguments justifying the introduction of the sustainability factor in Portugal, over twenty years of reforms in this area were analyzed, from the first Law of Social Security, in 1984, until the implementation of Decree-Law n. º 187/2007. From the multiple executed reforms, three were chosen due to the significant retractions in pension reforms in 1993, 2002 and 2007 and they were analyzed with the analytic model Multiple Streams developed by John Kingdon. This option is based on the assumption that the model allows studying simultaneously all scheduling of political process and, above all, because it allows explaining the discontinuity of policies. After applying the model and identification the various streams that constitute the cases, problem, policies and politics, with resources of the comparing method, it is intended to address the central issue of work - What arguments justify the introduction of the sustainability factor in the calculation of old-age pensions in Portugal? With the collected data was possible to verify that the feedback of previous solutions, the existence of a majority government, the alternative ideas of political parties, the accepting of a sub-optimal measure for all actors and the fact that the reductions are better accepted when they are indexed to one particular factor, not subject to political discretionary, were determinants for the introduction of the sustainability factor to be politically feasible

Experimental study on RSS based indoor positioning algorithms

This work compares the performance of indoor positioning systems suitable for low power wireless sensor networks. The research goal is to study positioning techniques that are compatible with real-time positioning in wireless sensor networks, having low-power and low complexity as requirements. Map matching, approximate positioning (weighted centroid) and exact positioning algorithms (least squares) were tested and compared in a small predefined indoor environment. We found that, for our test scenario, weighted centroid algorithms provide better results than map matching. Least squares proved to be completely unreliable when using distances obtained by the one-slope propagation model. Major improvements in the positioning error were found when body influence was removed from the test scenario. The results show that the positioning error can be improved if the body effect in received signal strength is accounted for in the algorithms.Helder D. Silva is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the grant SFRBD/78018/2011.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Body attenuation and path loss exponent estimation for RSS-based positioning in WSN

The influence of the human body in antenna systems has significant impact in the received signal strength (RSS) of wireless transmissions. Accounting for body effect is generally considered as being able to improve position estimation based on RSS measurements. In this work we perform several experiments with a wireless sensor network, using a sensor node equipped with an inertial measurement unit (IMU), in order to obtain the relative orientation between the sensor node and multiple anchor nodes. A model of the RSS attenuation induced by the body was created using experimental measurements in a controlled environment and applied to a real-time positioning system. A path loss exponent (PLE) estimation method using RSS information from neighbor anchors was also implemented and evaluated. Weighted centroid localization (WCL) algorithm was the positioning method used in this work. When the sensor node was placed on the user’s body, accounting for body effect produced negligible improvements (6%) in the best-case scenario and consistently degraded accuracy under real conditions, whether the node was placed on the user’s body (in the order of 3%), 10 cm away (from 14% to 35%) or 20 cm away from the body (from 42% to 105%) for results in the 70th percentile. The PLE estimation method showed improvements (in the order of 11%) when the sensor node is further away from the body. Results demonstrate that the distance between sensor node and the body has an extremely important influence on the accuracy of the position estimate.This work has been supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) in the scope of the project UID/EEA/04436/2013. Helder D. Silva is supported by FCT under the grant SFRH/BD/78018/2011info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Actividade antioxidante de folhas de medronheiro (Arbutus unedo L.) de 19 genótipos provenientes da região de Bragança

Nos últimos anos, tem-se verificado na região de Trás-os-Montes a substituição do medronheiro (Arbutus unedo L.) por espécies florestais. Este facto resulta da pouca importância económica atribuída a esta espécie fruteira. Com o intuito de inverter esta situação, no presente trabalho procedeu-se à caracterização da actividade antioxidante das folhas, afim de seleccionar os genótipos de superior qualidade e incentivar a sua utilização na indústria farmacêutica e química. Para tal, em diferentes localidades do distrito de Bragança foram colhidas folhas de medronheiro de 19 indivíduos, e determinada a sua actividade antioxidante através dos métodos do poder redutor e do efeito bloqueador de radicais de DPPH (2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazilo). Na generalidade dos extractos analisados verificou-se a existência de uma relação de dependência entre a concentração dos extractos e a actividade demonstrada. Os valores de EC50 para o método do poder redutor oscilaram entre 0,234 e 0,378 mg de extracto/ml, enquanto para o método do DPPH variaram entre 0,089 e 0,142 mg de extracto/ml. As folhas provenientes de Vila Verde foram as que apresentaram maior actividade antioxidante enquanto as provenientes de Vila Boa 2 expressaram a menor actividade. ln the last years there has been noticed, in the region of Tras-osMontes, a reduction of strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo L,) by replacing them by other species with higher economic value, This fact is due to the low ecanomic importance of this specie. ln arder to invert this situatian, in the present work the antioxidant potential of leaves of 19 genotypes was characterized, to contribute for the selection of superior quaJity genotypes and to encourage their use in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, 50, 19 genotypes were recovered in Bragança region and was determined their antioxidant potential using the methods of reducing power and the sCavenging effect of DPPH [2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radicais. Generally, in the analyzed extracts was found the existence of a dependence relation between the extract concentration and the activity obtained, ECso values for the method of reducing power ranged between 0,224 and 0.378 mg of extract/mL, while for the method of DPPH ranged between 0,089 and 0.142 mg of extract/mL Leaves from Vila Verde showed the highest antioxidant activity while those from Vila Boa 2 expressed the lowest activit