Systematic development of a behavioural intervention to promote sun-protection behaviours amongst holidaymakers

PhD ThesisIntermittent UV-exposure is a risk factor for melanoma. Recreational sun-exposure (e.g. holiday) is associated with melanoma incidence. Effective and affordable interventions to promote sun-protection behaviours (SPB) are needed. This PhD thesis describes the development of a behavioural change intervention to promote SPB amongst holidaymakers and a pilot of acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of the intervention. A systematic review was conducted to appraise efficacy of behavioural interventions to change SPB and experience of sunburn. Twenty-three randomised-controlled trials (RCT) were included and no evidence was found for the efficacy of interventions in reducing tanning, promoting protective clothing and seeking shade. Larger effects were observed for self-reported sun-exposure and number of sunburn experienced. Moderator analyses showed that effective interventions were more likely to stimulate social norms and provide appearance-based information about photoaging. A qualitative study based on the theory domain framework was conducted to investigate perceptions of sun-related experiences and determinants of SPB. In a semi-structured interview, 17 holidaymakers showed a desire to tan attributing a high value to it during holidays. Most respondents knew how to perform SPB and identified key barriers to SPB. Findings from systematic review and qualitative work informed the development and design of an evidence-based intervention. The prototype of the mobile phone based (app) intervention was initially tested using a user-centred design: 17 participants were satisfied with the prototype and expressed willingness to use it, with minor changes being introduced to optimise acceptability. Novel outcome measures to assess sun protection behaviours were also explored. The two newly developed methods of outcome assessment (sunscreen use events classifier and mDNA damage caused by UV exposure) show robust evidence for the assessment of sun protection behaviours and skin damage during holidays. This work contributed to the development of a full protocol for the outcome assessment in a definitive trial. Another systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on the question-behaviour effect (QBE) for health-related behaviours. Forty-one studies were included assessing a range of health behaviours. Findings showed a small QBE. Studies showed moderate heterogeneity, variable methodological quality and evidence for publication bias. No dose-response relationship was found. Risk of bias within studies and publication bias indicate that the observed small effect size may be an over-estimate. Based on these findings, no changes would be introduced to the protocol of the definitive trial to tackle QBE. A pilot study assessing the acceptability, feasibility and fidelity of the app use showed that the intervention was feasible and highly acceptable. Findings from the pilot study will inform a definitive RCT

Zeolites and related materials as catalyst supports for hydrocarbon oxidation reactions

Catalytic oxidation is a key technology for the conversion of petroleum-based feedstocks into useful chemicals (e.g., adipic acid, caprolactam, glycols, acrylates, and vinyl acetate) since this chemical transformation is always involved in synthesis processes. Millions of tons of these compounds are annually produced worldwide and find applications in all areas of chemical industries, ranging from pharmaceutical to large-scale commodities. The traditional industrial methods to produce large amounts of those compounds involve over-stoichiometric quantities of toxic inorganic reactants and homogeneous catalysts that operate at high temperature, originating large amounts of effluents, often leading to expensive downstream processes, along with nonrecovery of valuable catalysts that are loss within the reactant effluent. Due to the increasingly stringent environmental legislation nowadays, there is considerable pressure to replace these antiquate technologies, focusing on heterogeneous catalysts that can operate under mild reactions conditions, easily recovered, and reused. Parallelly, recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of metal complexes and metal clusters on support surfaces have brought new insights to catalysis and highlight ways to systematic catalysts design. This review aims to provide a comprehensive bibliographic examination over the last 10 years on the development of heterogeneous catalysts, i.e., organometallic complexes or metal clusters immobilized in distinct inorganic supports such as zeolites, hierarchical zeolites, silicas, and clays. The methodologies used to prepare and/or modify the supports are critically reviewed, as well as the methods used for the immobilization of the active species. The applications of the heterogenized catalysts are presented, and some case-studies are discussed in detail.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Approaching the issue of moral development from a sociocultural constructivist perspective

Partindo da análise de trabalhos tradicionalmente realizados na área de desenvolvimento moral, o artigo sinaliza a necessidade de desenvolver uma abordagem teórica que trate o tema dentro de um enfoque que considere os aspectos socioculturais, cognitivos e afetivos. A questão central reside em abordar de forma sistêmica e integrada a dinâmica do desenvolvimento moral do indivíduo, resgatando a dimensão interativa e contextual envolvida na resolução dos conflitos morais e no desenvolvimento de crenças e valores. O trabalho parte dos pressupostos da perspectiva histórica socio-cultural construtivista do desenvolvimento humano, explicitando as exigências metodológicas implicadas na adoção dos conceitos e categorias utilizados no âmbito de tal perspectiva.Considering the literature on moral development research and theory, we argue for the need to develop a theoretical approach that takes into account all different aspects or dimensions of human development, such as affection, cognition, and contextual embedding. The complexities of the phenomena requires investigators to analyze the dynamics of the individual's moral development within a systemic and integrated framework, rescuing the interactive and contextual dimension involved in the resolution of moral conflicts, and the construction of values and beliefs. Elaborating on the assumptions and principles of a sociocultural construtivist perspective for the study of human development, we consider the methodological demands implied by the adoption of such a systemic framework

Lifetime Experiences Scale (LIFES): Desenvolvimento e validação em amostras da comunidade

This paper describes the development, validation, and reliability of a new measure to assess life experiences reported by adults, the Lifetime Experiences Scale (LIFES). This scale is important because no available measure focuses on both positive and negative life experiences and covers childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. LIFES is a self-report measure consisting of two sections: 75 items (organized into eight domains: school, work, health, leisure, life conditions, adverse experiences, achievements, and people and relationships) regarding lived experiences and blank spaces for non-lived (but desired) experiences. The procedures involved in the development of LIFES are described in detail (e.g., construct, generation of items and questions). Moreover, evidence based on test content, response processes, relations to other variables, and different classes of reliability for community samples are presented. Overall, the results suggest that LIFES presented good evidence of validity and reliability and can be a valuable tool for research and clinical purposes.Este artigo descreve o processo de desenvolvimento e validação de um novo instrumento para avaliar experiências de vida, reportadas por adultos: a Lifetime Experiences Scale (LIFES). A originalidade deste instrumento prende-se com a inclusão quer de experiências positivas, quer negativas ocorridas na infância, adolescência e vida adulta. A LIFES é uma medida de autorrelato organizada em duas secções: 75 itens (abrangendo oito domínios: percurso escolar, percurso profissional, saúde, tempos livres, condições de vida, experiências adversas, realizações e pessoas e relações) sobre experiências vividas e espaços em branco para as experiências não vividas (mas desejadas). Os procedimentos realizados para o desenvolvimento da LIFES são apresentados detalhadamente (e.g., construto, criação de itens e questões). Além disso, são apresentadas evidências baseadas no conteúdo, processo de resposta, relação com outras variáveis e diferentes tipos de fiabilidade, em amostras da comunidade. Genericamente, os resultados da LIFES indicam boas evidências de validade e fiabilidade, apresentando-se como um instrumento útil quer para fins de investigação, quer clínicos.This work was part of a doctoral thesis, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology, through the individual grant SFRH/BD/76022/2011, with funds from POQH - QREN - Tipologia 4.1 - Formação avançada, financed by European Social Funds and the Portuguese State Budget. This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (Ref.: UIDB/PSI/01662/2020)

Administrative Innovation in Human Resource Information Systems: Exploring Post-Adoption Usage in Kuwait’s Public Sector

Human resource information systems (HRIS) have a prominent role in organizational success and have been used to support various HR goals. Previous research on HRIS focuses on its adoption as a form of innovation per se, and limited studies examine innovation emerging in the context of HRIS post-adoption usage. This study will focus on post-adoption usage from the perspective of administrative innovation, which is related to improvements in work processes and tasks following the adoption of HRIS. Although innovation has gained more interest in the public sector as a way to improve efficiency, there is a lack of studies regarding HRIS and administrative innovation in this sector. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the development of administrative innovation in the public sector of Kuwait where HRIS has been adopted and integrated into various HR practices. This poster presents the preliminary findings of the research in progress

Production and quality of floral buds for rose cv. Vega (Rosa SP.) cultivated under plastic with different years of use

Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar a produção e qualidade de botões de rosa cultivar Vega ( Rosa sp. ), cultivada sob cobertura plástica com diferentes anos de uso. Para tanto foram selecionados 15 vãos de estufas com plásticos colocados em 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, e testemunha (sem uso anterior), com três repetições, avaliados por duas maneiras: na primeira os frutos foram colhidos através de uma poda (como procedimento do cultivo comercial); na segunda foi realizada uma poda rasa em uma área de 1 m² para poder acompanhar o crescimento da haste floral desde o início da formação até a fase de botão floral. No primeiro caso foram realizadas 4 coletas ao longo do período do experimento, nas quais foram coletadas 4 hastes florais por tratamento, totalizando 60 flores por data de coleta. No segundo caso foi avaliado o aparecimento dos botões florais dos novos brotos em quatro datas até a formação das hastes florais comerciais, e então coletadas 13 hastes florais por tratamento. Não houve diferença estatística entre os anos de uso dos plásticos de 1998, 1999, 2002 e 2003 nas variáveis: comprimento, diâmetro e comprimento dos botões florais, massa fresca e seca das pétalas, para as condições e cultivar analisados. Com isso o produtor ganha um período maior de utilização do plástico gerando um custo menor, sem perdas na produção.The aim of this study was to evaluate the production and quality of floral buds of rose cv. Vega (Rosa sp.) cultivated underneath a plastic film used as greenhouse covering, with different years of use. In order to evaluate the bud production and quality, 15 greenhouse gaps with plastic covering dating from 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, were selected; and the control covering (never used before) with three replications each. Two types of evaluation were made for this analysis: the first one, the fruits were harvested by means of pruning (as the commercial use standard procedure); in the second evaluation a clear cut pruning was conducted in an area of 1m² with the purpose of determining the development of the flower buds from the pruning to the commercial flower stalk. On the first evaluation, 4 harvestings were conducted during the entire experiment period, in which 4 flower stalks per treatments were collected, totaling 60 flowers per collecting date. On the second evaluation, floral buds emerging on new shoots were determined in four different dates until commercial flower stalks complete formation was achieved, then 13 flower stalks per treatment were collected. There was no statistical difference among the plastic films with different years of use regarding stalk length and diameter, flower bud diameter and length, dry and fresh petal mass under the analyzed conditions and cultivars, translating into a larger period of plastic covering use without loss in the production at a low production cost.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

Study of Pt/MCM-22 based catalysts in the transformation of n-hexane: effect of rare earth elements and mode of platinum introduction

The bifunctional transformation of n-hexane was carried out over Pt/MCM-22 based catalysts. MCM-22 was synthesized and submitted to ion exchange with rare earth nitrate solutions of La, Nd and Yb, followed by Pt introduction. Three different methods were used to introduce about 1 wt% of Pt in the zeolite: ion exchange, incipient wetness impregnation and mechanical mixture with Pt/Al(2)O(3). The bifunctional catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and by the model reaction of toluene hydrogenation. These experiments showed that, in the ion exchanged sample, Pt is located both within the inner micropores and on the outer surface, whereas in the impregnated one, the metal is essentially located on the outer surface under the form of large particles. The presence of RE elements increases the hydrogenating activity of Pt/MCM-22 since the location of these species at the vicinity of metal particles causes modification on its electronic properties. Whatever the mode of Pt introduction, a fast initial decrease in conversion is observed for n-hexane transformation, followed by a plateau related to the occurrence of the catalytic transformations at the hemicages located at the outer surface of the crystals. The effect of rare earth elements on the hydrogenating function leads to a lower selectivity in dibranched isomers and increased amounts of light products

Aspectos organizacionais e dinâmicos na gestão de escolas: dilemas e conflitos

O texto analisa a gestão de escolas técnicas, observando dois movimentos: (a) aspectos organizacionais (fluxo de informações; organização de reuniões pedagógicas e de alunos; manutenção do espaço físico e infra-estrutura); e (b) aspectos dinâmicos (dilemas e tensões da docência; interação entre equipes de gestão, professores e alunos; conflitos; consensos, colaborações e parcerias). Discute fatores que influenciam a dinâmica dos conflitos gerados em situações de grupo e a forma como os gestores das escolas se posicionam diante desse movimento, com base em pesquisa realizada em escolas técnicas da rede estadual paulista

Sentimentos na história: as relações de afetividade entre mãe e filha nas cartas de Maria Gomes Aguiar (1975-1976)

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso, apresentado para obtenção do grau de Licenciatura no curso de História, da Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, UNESCEsse trabalho trata de um estudo sobre “escritas ordinárias”. A perspectiva da História Cultural ampliou a valorização de documentos dignos de estudos históricos. Entre eles, encontra-se o objeto desse estudo: cartas que foram enviadas de uma mãe para sua filha, entre os anos de 1975 e 1976, em Santa Catarina. O objetivo da pesquisa foi compreender nas cartas analisadas, questões referentes ao universo feminino explicitados nas angustias, alegrias, intimidades e outras preocupações. A metodologia foi a análise documental das respectivas cartas e depoimentos de parentes. São cartas de Maria Gomes Aguiar para sua filha Cleusa Salete Aguiar Martins. As cartas foram enviadas do município de São José do Cedro para Tubarão. Ao todo são seis cartas, totalizando quinze folhas. A análise desses documentos seguiu a organização do acervo e a identificação das temáticas explicitas na escrita. Como referenciais teóricos foram utilizados os conceitos de escrita ordinária, história da escrita e história epistolar. Para tanto foram usados os seguintes autores: Chartier (2002), Gomez (2001), Foucault (2000) entre outros. Percebeu-se pelas análises dessas “escritas ordinárias”, os sentimentos e preocupações de uma mulher, professora e mãe de 11 filhos nos anos de 1970, afastada da família por ter de acompanhar a filha caçula em um novo emprego. Identifiquei que nas escritas de si, cenas públicas e privadas que se dão a ver, quando discutidas por pesquisadores