The ECSI model in higher education in tourism: a segmentation analysis in the Portuguese case

This research explores the European Consumer Satisfaction Index model applied to higher education in tourism by including the construct of employability and by accounting for unobserved heterogeneity. In particular, it intends to identify segments of higher education institutions' (HEI) consumers based on the structural model estimates of the European Consumer Satisfaction Index (ECSI), enlarged with the employability construct. A model-based segmentation approach using FIMIX in PLS path model-ling is used. Th e ECSI is properly adjusted to the educational framework and shows its effectiveness when assessing students' satisfaction regarding the attended HEI. Two distinctive graduate segments are identifi ed using a sample of 166 HEI consumers. The results confi rm the assumption of heterogeneity as the relationships differ across segments and the need for HEIs to target those segments differently in such a competitive context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Secondary Adrenal Suppression Related to High Doses of Inhaled Corticosteroids in Patients with Severe Asthma

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Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Hypersensitivity in Pediatric Patients with Asthma

Introdução: Os dados publicados sobre a frequência de hipersensibilidade (HS) a anti-inflamatórios não esteróides (AINEs) em doentes asmáticos são discrepantes, sendo escassos na população pediátrica. O objectivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência de HS a AINEs, reportada por inquérito telefónico em doentes asmáticos com idade pediátrica. Métodos: Incluíram -se os doentes com idades entre 6 e 17 anos com clínica de asma confirmada por prova de broncodilatação positiva, realizada no período entre 1 de Agosto de 2008 e 30 de Novembro de 2010. Aplicou-se um inquérito telefónico para questionar sobre alguma reacção adversa a fármacos, nomeadamente a AINEs. Perante o reportar de reacção adversa a AINEs, detalhava-se fármaco envolvido, idade na primeira reacção, manifestações clínicas, intervalo entre a toma e o início da reacção, reprodutibilidade, evicção do fármaco implicado e tolerância de fármacos alternativos. Resultados: Foram selecionados, por prova de broncodilatação positiva, 184 doentes. Foi possível aplicar o inquérito a 111/184 (60,3%). A maioria (59,4%) era do género masculino, com 11 ± 3,1 anos. Nove doentes (8,1%) reportaram reacção de HS a AINEs, reprodutível em três. A primeira reacção ocorreu com uma idade mediana de 2 anos (P25:1,8; P75:5,75), abaixo dos 10 anos em todos os doentes. O ibuprofeno foi o fármaco implicado em todos os casos, sendo o paracetamol usado em alternativa. Todos descreveram reacções imediatas, com as seguintes manifestações: respiratória (7), cutânea (3), gastrintestinal (1). A frequência reportada de sintomas respiratórios como manifestação de reacção de HS a AINEs nesta amostra de doentes asmáticos foi de 6,3% (7/111). Quatro doentes (3,6%) estavam sob evicção de AINEs apesar de negarem qualquer reacção de HS prévia. Conclusões: A frequência reportada de HS a AINEs contraria os dados que descrevem estas reacções como infrequentes abaixo dos 10 anos de idade. O paracetamol parece ser uma alternativa segura

Diplopia, Convergent Strabismus, and Eye Abduction Palsy in a 12-Year-Old Boy with Autoimmune Thyroiditis

Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is defined by clinical criteria of increased intracranial pressure, elevated intracranial pressure with normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition, and exclusion of other causes such tumors, vascular abnormalities, or infections. The association of PTC with levothyroxine (LT4) has been reported. A 12-year-old boy has been followed up for autoimmune thyroiditis under LT4. Family history was irrelevant for endocrine or autoimmune diseases. A TSH level of 4.43 μUI/mL (0.39-3.10) motivated a LT4 adjustment from 75 to 88 μg/day. Five weeks later, he developed horizontal diplopia, convergent strabismus with left eye abduction palsy, and papilledema. Laboratorial evaluation revealed elevated free thyroxine level (1.05 ng/dL [0.65-1.01]) and low TSH, without other alterations. Lumbar puncture was performed and CSF opening pressure was 24 cm H2O with normal composition. Blood and CSF cultures were sterile. Brain MRI was normal. LT4 was temporarily discontinued and progressive improvement was observed, with a normal fundoscopy at day 10 and reversion of diplopia one month later. LT4 was restarted at lower dose and gradually titrated. The boy is currently asymptomatic. This case discloses the potential role of LT4 in inducing PTC. Despite its rarity and unclear association, PTC must be seen as a potential complication of LT4, after excluding all other intracranial hypertension causes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lesão de Dieulafoy: Papel do Mapeamento por Ecoendoscopia

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Asthma and COPD "Overlap": a Treatable Trait or Common Several Treatable-Traits?

In the last years, disease classification of chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) has been vivaciously discussed and new concepts have been introduced, namely asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO). Controversially the GOLD consensus document of 2020 considered that we should no longer refer to ACO, as they constitute two different diseases that may share some common traits and clinical features. The treatable traits approach has numerous strengths that are applicable to several levels of health care. In this paper we review the application of the treatable traits to CRD and describe in detail the ones already identified in patients with asthma and COPD. Treatable traits in CRD can be divided in pulmonary, extra-pulmonary and behavior/lifestyle risk factors. Patients with both asthma and COPD patients have clearly recognized treatable traits in all these subtopics but it is notorious the severe and frequent exacerbations, the associated cardiovascular disease and the low health related quality of life and productivity of these patients.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chirped polymer optical fiber Bragg grating sensors

We report chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs) photo-inscribed in undoped PMMA polymer optical fibre (POF) for the first time. The chirped polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings (CPOFBGs) were inscribed using an UV KrF excimer laser operating at 248 nm. The rectangular gauss laser beam was expanded to 25 mm in horizontal direction along the fiber core by a cylindrical lens, giving a total of 25 mm grating length. A 25 mm long chirped phase mask chosen for 1550 nm grating inscription was used. The laser frequency was 1 Hz with an energy of 5 mJ per exposure, exposing few pulses for each grating inscription. The reflection amplitude spectrum evolution of a CPOFBG is investigated as a function of the applied strain and temperature. Also, some results regarding to group delay are collected and discussed. These results pave the way to further developments in different fields, where POFs could present some advantages preferably replacing their silica counterparts

Online self-reconfigurable robot navigation in heterogeneous environments

This paper presents a robot navigation system capable of online self-reconfiguration according to the needs imposed by the various contexts present in heterogeneous environments. The ability to cope with heterogeneous environments is key for a robust deployment of service robots in truly demanding scenarios. In the proposed system, flexibility is present at the several layers composing the robot's navigation system. At the lowest layer, proper locomotion modes are selected according to the environment's local context. At the highest layer, proper motion and path planning strategies are selected according to the environment's global context. While local context is obtained directly from the robot's sensory input, global context is inspected from semantic labels registered off-line on geo-referenced maps. The proposed system leverages on the well-known Robotics Operating System (ROS) framework for the implementation of the major navigation system components. The system was successfully validated over approximately 1 Km long experiments on INTROBOT, an all-terrain industrial-grade robot equipped with four independently steered wheels.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

A cooperative multi-robot team for the surveillance of shipwreck survivors at sea

The sea as a very extensive area, renders difficult a pre-emptive and long-lasting search for shipwreck survivors. The operational cost for deploying manned teams with such proactive strategy is high and, thus, these teams are only reactively deployed when a disaster like a shipwreck has been communicated. To reduce the involved financial costs, unmanned robotic systems could be used instead as background surveillance teams patrolling the seas. In this sense, a robotic team for search and rescue (SAR) operations at sea is presented in this work. Composed of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) piggybacking a watertight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with vertical take-off and landing capabilities, the proposed cooperative system is capable of search, track and provide basic life support while reporting the position of human survivors to better prepared manned rescue teams. The USV provides long-range transportation of the UAV and basic survival kits for victims. The UAV assures an augmented perception of the environment due to its high vantage point.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Impact of a food education session on vegetables plate waste in a portuguese School Canteen

Several authors have shown that vegetables a re the most commonly wasted component in school lunches and enhance the importance of food education on topics such as food waste and vegetable consumption. The present research evaluated the efficacy of a single session of food education on vegetables waste and consumption. The data collection was focused on primary school students from a school located in Guarda district (Portugal). A vegetable selective aggregate weighing from the lunch plate was required in two distinct phases: before and after a single 30 min nutritionist’s intervention. The variables collected were the quantities of vegetables produced, leftovers and plate waste. Through these weighings, it was possible to measure the variables: distributed vegetables, consumed vegetables, vegetables waste, leftovers index, plate waste index. The use of materials such as a scale, suitable containers, gown, disposable gloves, cap and office supplies were necessary. In total during the two phases, 870 meals were evaluated. Measures of central tendency and statistical analysis tests were used. At the end of the present research, it was possible to verify significant results in the reduction of the vegetables leftovers index and in the increase in vegetable consumption per capita, through the nutritionist’s intervention. There were significant differences in the reduction of the index of vegetable leftovers and in the increase in the consumption of vegetables per capita and no significant differences in total vegetable waste. Potential causes and strategies for future research were also discussed. This study demonstrates how a nutritionist’s intervention, in a school context, could translate into behavioral change in nutrition and sustainability terms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio