Cardiovascular disease prevention by sports: myth or reality?

Low levels of physical activity and fitness substantially increase risk of several chronic diseases, reduce longevity, and lead to loss of function. The strength and relation of inactivity to health problems and the high prevalence of sedentary habits in most countries of the world make lack of exercise a major public health problem. Fortunately, there is now good consensus regarding public health recommendations for physical activity from many important medical, scientific, and public health organizations. Recent research on physical activity interventions provides additional approaches to helping sedentary adults become more physically active

Student teachers' perceptions of the Internet: Motivation, influences, and use

The Internet's rapid growth and diffusion, both worldwide and in Portugal, as well as its importance for teacher education, made the authors feel the need to reflect on how their student teachers integrate themselves in such quite novel environmental conditions and teaching communities This paper reports on one specific Portuguese university's student teachers' Internet usage during their teaching practice and what reasons motivated them to do so. It also looks into student teachers' perceptions about Internet discussion and usage by other teachers in their schools and, in particular, in their own disciplinary groups. The data was collected using a questionnaire which was anonymously answered by 189 of the entire 360-student teacher 2000/2001 population from all 9 different preservice programs

Integrating Phylogenetic and Network Approaches to Study Gene Family Evolution: The Case of the \u3ci\u3eAGAMOUS\u3c/i\u3e Family of Floral Genes

The study of gene family evolution has benefited from the use of phylogenetic tools, which can greatly inform studies of both relationships within gene families and functional divergence. Here, we propose the use of a network-based approach that in combination with phylogenetic methods can provide additional support for models of gene family evolution. We dissect the contributions of each method to the improved understanding of relationships and functions within the well-characterized family of AGAMOUS floral development genes. The results obtained with the two methods largely agreed with one another. In particular, we show how network approaches can provide improved interpretations of branches with low support in a conventional gene tree. The network approach used here may also better reflect known and suspected patterns of functional divergence relative to phylogenetic methods. Overall, we believe that the combined use of phylogenetic and network tools provide a more robust assessment of gene family evolution

Growing healthy is fun! A co-creation nutrition intervention to children aged 3-6 years

In order to promote healthier eating habits and consequently lower obesity levels, that it is important for children to have knowledge of diet and nutrition. Objectives: Increase nutritional knowledge about healthy eating and Portuguese food wheel in children aged 3-6years. Methods: Our group developed the Growing Healthy is Fun! to 3-6 years old children, at the Kindergarten of Obra Kolping. Several funny activities were planned, in order to instill knowledge about healthy eating and Portuguese food wheel, leading to best eating practices and adequate nutritional status. Structured interviews were conducted with the children pre and post the intervention for all children that parents or guardian delivered a written informed consent. Results: At pre intervention, the percentages of children that considered the example food as healthy food are: 100% for apple, beans, carrots and unflavored milk; 57.1% for fish; 28.6% for chocolate and cake. At post intervention the results are: 100% for apple, beans, carrots and unflavored milk; 85,7% for fish; and 0% for chocolate, cake and pizza. About Portuguese food wheel knowledge, at pre intervention, all children indicated cauliflower and banana, 71.4% considered olive oil and plain milk, 42.9% considered cake, and 28.7% considered egg and candy as foods belonging to the wheel. In post intervention, 100% of children considered egg, olive oil, cauliflower and bananas as food belonging to the wheel and 71.4% of them considered milk as belonging to the food wheel. Chocolate, candies, hamburger and cake were not classified as part of the food wheel.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identification of gifted students by teachers: reliability and validity of the Cognitive Abilities and Learning Scale

Teachers play a relevant role in screening and identifying gifted and talented students. However, many times teacher´s assessments may be biased by personal beliefs about giftedness. In these cases, the quality of screening and identification can be enhanced through the use of measurement devices that present good psychometric properties of validity and reliability. This study presents the examination of the precision and factor validity of the Cognitive Abilities and Learning Scale (CALS: Escala de Habilidades Cognitivas e de Aprendizagem – EHC/A; Almeida, Olivira &Melo, 2000), with a sample of 262 students from fourth and fifth grades. Results suggest the existence of only one factor, not confirming the theoretical model of three factors (intellectual ability, motivation and creativity) that supports the scale. Principal components analysis for three factors shows some problems with item specification for ability and creativity. These problems contrast with high reliability coefficients obtained when arranging items according to the dimension they would theoretically be linked to. These findings suggest the need to include new items with more specificity in terms of the cognitive dimensions of giftedness

Integrating Phylogenetic and Network Approaches to Study Gene Family Evolution: The Case of the \u3ci\u3eAGAMOUS\u3c/i\u3e Family of Floral Genes

The study of gene family evolution has benefited from the use of phylogenetic tools, which can greatly inform studies of both relationships within gene families and functional divergence. Here, we propose the use of a network-based approach that in combination with phylogenetic methods can provide additional support for models of gene family evolution. We dissect the contributions of each method to the improved understanding of relationships and functions within the well-characterized family of AGAMOUS floral development genes. The results obtained with the two methods largely agreed with one another. In particular, we show how network approaches can provide improved interpretations of branches with low support in a conventional gene tree. The network approach used here may also better reflect known and suspected patterns of functional divergence relative to phylogenetic methods. Overall, we believe that the combined use of phylogenetic and network tools provide a more robust assessment of gene family evolution

Dialogical as a methodological transdisciplinary principle in research in education

O presente trabalho apresenta a dialógica enquanto perspectiva de pesquisa transdiciplinar. O texto começa por referir o percurso seguido por Mikhail Bakthin, Paulo Freire, Edgar Morin e Basarab Nicolescu ao trabalharem a metodologia dialógica em suas obras. Além disso, discute a transdiciplinaridade compreendida em seu aspecto metodológico, como processo que ocorre em três etapas simultâneas: análise de diferentes níveis de realidade, a lógica do terceiro incluído e a complexidade. Buscou-se, através da pesquisa bibliográfica, levantar pontos teóricos sobre a dialogia e pesquisa transdisciplinas entre os autores supracitados. Na dialógica não se rejeita nenhuma flecha do conhecimento, o processo de conhecimento disciplinar, multidisciplinar, pluridisciplinar, interdisciplinar fazem parte da unidade na diversidade que compõe a transdiciplinaridade. Nesta perspectiva, Nicolescu (2000) diz que não há superação de um nível anterior de conhecimento, mas que os opostos coexistem e que, portanto, o princípio retroativo e de autorregulação ocorrem simultaneamente. Por isso, é um importante caminho metodológico para as ciências sociais.This paper presents the dialogue as of transdisciplinary research perspective. We start presenting the route followed by Mikhail Bakhtin, Paulo Freire, Edgar Morin and Basarab Nicolescu to work dialogical methodology in their works. Further, it discusses the transdisciplinarity understood in its methodological aspect, as a process that occurs in three simultaneous steps: analysis of different levels of reality, the logic of the included and complexity. We sought, through literature, raise theoretical points on the dialogism and research transdisciplinary between the above authors. In dialogic is not rejected any arrow of knowledge, the process of disciplinary knowledge, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary part of unity in diversity that makes up the transdisciplinarity. In this perspective, Nicolescu (2000) says there is no overcoming a previous level of knowledge, but that opposites coexist and that therefore the retroactive principle and self-regulatory occur simultaneously. So it is an important methodological approach to the social sciences.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Indoor school environment: easy and low cost to assess inorganic pollutants

Total particulate matter (TPM) was passively collected inside two classrooms of each of five elementary schools in Lisbon, Portugal. TPM was collected in polycarbonate filters with a 47 mm diameter, placed inside of uncovered plastic petri dishes. The sampling period was from 19 May to 22 June 2009 (35 days exposure) and the collected TPM masses varied between 0.2 mg and 0.8 mg. The major elements were Ca, Fe, Na, K, and Zn at μg level, while others were at ng level. Pearson′s correlation coefficients above 0.75 (a high degree of correlation) were found between several elements. Soil-related, traffic soil re-suspension and anthropogenic emission sources could be identified. Blackboard chalk was also identified through Ca large presence. Some of the determined chemical elements are potential carcinogenic. Quality control of the results showed good agreement as confirmed by the application of u-score test