Ecologia trófica da população de Ciconia nigra do Douro internacional

Mestrado em Ecologia, Biodiversidade e Gestão de EcossistemasNo presente trabalho estudaram-se algumas áreas húmidas no Parque Natural do Douro Internacional e zonas limítrofes, na tentativa de identificar que parâmetros físicos e biológicos são mais favoráveis à presença da Cegonhapreta (Ciconia nigra). A caracterização física das zonas húmidas foi assegurada por métodos de estimativa visual e recorrendo ao programa ArcView GIS 3.2.. Foram realizados transectos e amostragens com redes das comunidades faunísticas destes meios para a caracterização biológica. Após a análise estatística, os habitats de alimentação da espécie apresentaram-se significativamente diferentes dos locais onde esta não se alimenta, apresentando valores de profundidade média entre os 10 a 20 cm, cobertura fraca da área envolvente por zonas de pastoreio (0 a 20 %), vegetação aquática interior (0-20%) e elevados índices de qualidade da água e de abundância de anfíbios adultos. Foi ainda registado o comportamento alimentar da espécie nestes locais e as proporções dos vários itens-presa na dieta das crias de um dos casais mediante um sistema de vigilância implantado na imediação de um dos ninhos. Estas consumiram maioritariamente répteis pertencentes à Família Colubridae.In the present study some wetlands in the Natural Park of the Douro Internacional, as much as its surrounding areas, have been studied, in an attempt to identify which physical and biological parameters can be considered to be more favorable to the presence of the Black stork (Ciconia nigra). The physical characterization of the wetlands was assured by methods of visual estimation and through ArcView GIS 3.2. Programe. Transects and net samplings were conduced to perform the biological characterization. Further statistical analysis, the species feeding habitats presented values of medium deep between the 10 and 20 cm, less coverage in terms of grazing areas (0 to 20 %), interior aquatic vegetation (0-20%) and high indexes of water quality and abundance of adult amphibians. The feeding behavior of the species and the proportions of the preys in the diet of one of the breeding pairs nestlings´ were studied trough the implementation of a monitoring system near the nest. They mainly consumed reptiles belonging to the Family Colubridae

Profiles of intolerance of uncertainty, separation anxiety, and negative affectivity in emerging adulthood: A person-centered approach

Background: Although Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), separation anxiety, and negative affectivity seem theoretically interrelated, no empirical study has considered them jointly so far. However, deepening this topic is clinically relevant, especially during the delicate phase of emerging adulthood. This study aimed to pinpoint psychological profiles based on IU, separation anxiety symptoms, and negative affectivity in a group of Italian non-clinical emerging adults. Such profiles were then compared in terms of key psychological and psychosocial characteristics. Methods: 868 young adults (73 % women) aged 18-26 years entered the study. They completed a socio-demographic survey and self-report tools assessing IU, separation anxiety symptomatology, and personality traits. Subgroups exhibiting distinctive patterns of IU, separation anxiety symptoms, and negative affectivity were identified using latent profile analysis. To deepen disparities in psychological and psychosocial features by profile, analyses of variance and chi-square tests were performed. Results: Three profiles were detected, respectively with high, low, and moderate levels of the variables considered. In each profile, IU, separation anxiety symptoms, and negative affectivity had a consistent trend. The "High-level" profile had the greatest proportion of women and people who had not spent infancy with both parents. Limitations: The sample included mainly women and university students, and data were collected using self-report questionnaires only. Conclusions: IU, separation anxiety symptoms, and negative affectivity can co-occur, highlighting the importance of transdiagnostic interventions. Preventive efforts should be directed to emerging adult women and those who did not spend infancy with both parents, as they may be particularly vulnerable to internalizing distress

Ethics in the digital workplace

Aquesta publicació s'elabora a partir de les contribucions de cadascú dels membres nacionals que integren la Network of Eurofound Correspondents. Pel cas d'Espanya la contribució ha estat realitzada per l'Alejandro Godino (veure annex Network of Eurofound Correspondents)Adreça alternativa: https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef22038en.pdfDigitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns. Recently, the policy debate surrounding these concerns has become more prominent and has increasingly focused on AI. This report maps relevant European and national policy and regulatory initiatives. It explores the positions and views of social partners in the policy debate on the implications of technological change for work and employment. It also reviews a growing body of research on the topic showing that ethical implications go well beyond legal and compliance questions, extending to issues relating to quality of work. The report aims to provide a good understanding of the ethical implications of digitisation and automation, which is grounded in evidence-based research

Influência das mudanças agrícolas sobre as populações de Orthoptera

Na região de Trás-os-Montes, a diminuição da população e o seu envelhecimento, estão a conduzir ao abandono das práticas agrícolas tradicionais. Os lameiros são pastagens semi-naturais submetidas a maneio extensivo, que devido a estas mudanças agrícolas estão a perder grande parte da superfície que ocupavam anteriormente, sendo substituídos por explorações intensivas, florestas e, na maioria dos casos, abandonados. Estas alterações na vegetação são acompanhadas por mudanças nas comunidades de animais que lhes estão associadas, perdendo-se ainda quilómetros de potenciais corredores ecológicos que se mantêm verdes durante grande parte do ano. O presente trabalho pretende conhecer como se vêm afetadas as comunidades de gafanhotos e grilos do mato (Orthoptera) pelas mudanças no maneio dos lameiros

Monitoring and managing restructuring in the 21st century: ERM Annual report 2013

The 2013 annual report from the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) presents a retrospective of over a decade of measuring the impact of large-scale restructuring activity in Europe. Based on a database containing details of over 16,000 large-scale restructuring events– each generally involving at least 100 job losses or gains – it paints a picture of restructuring trends across the EU Member States. The report sets out to compare activity in the period leading up to the economic and financial crisis (2003–2008) with the post-crisis period (2008–2013), in order to identify changes in restructuring practices and to pinpoint the sectors that have been disproportionately affected, in employment terms, by the global recession. Also included is a critical assessment of all ERM activities, including the two newer policy-oriented databases: public support instruments and restructuring legislation. Finally, the report places the spotlight on the phenomenon of offshoring, charting the decline in offshoring activity by European firms since the onset of the crisis

The child with visual-motor integration disorders: from fact-finding investigation to the creation and implementation of an observation form to support the physiotherapist's clinical reasoning

reservedBackground: Il Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) è la prima causa di disabilità visiva nei paesi industrializzati e la sua incidenza sta crescendo. Tale disordine influenza l’intero sviluppo neuro-psicomotorio del bambino e si ripercuote sul processo di pianificazione e esecuzione del movimento, specialmente nei bambini che presentano un disordine motorio, come la Paralisi Cerebrale Infantile (PCI). Spesso i bambini con CVI e PCI manifestano difficoltà nei compiti che richiedono un’integrazione visuo-motoria, per tale motivo è importante che il fisioterapista e tutta l’équipe tengano in considerazione l’aspetto visivo nella presa in carico riabilitativa. In tale contesto l’osservazione clinica del fisioterapista rappresenta un’importante premessa nell’approccio al bambino con un disordine visuo-motorio per la definizione del suo profilo di sviluppo. Scopo: Il presente progetto di Tesi è finalizzato a: 1.sottolineare l’importanza che il fisioterapista tenga in considerazione il disordine visivo nella definizione del progetto riabilitativo del bambino con PCI; 2.sostenere il fisioterapista nel ragionamento clinico attraverso la proposta di una scheda che lo guidi nella sistematizzazione delle osservazioni relative allo sviluppo visuo-motorio del bambino, a partire dalla predisposizione del setting riabilitativo. Materiali e metodi: Nella prima fase della ricerca sono stati predisposti due questionari conoscitivi destinati ai fisioterapisti pediatrici. Il primo era finalizzato ad indagare il livello di conoscenza del CVI e l’affluenza di bambini con queste problematiche presso i servizi sanitari, il secondo per sondare i bisogni dei fisioterapisti rispetto alla presa in carico di un bambino con disordine visuo-motorio. Nella seconda fase, sulla base delle informazioni raccolte dall’indagine conoscitiva, è stata realizzata una scheda per la raccolta e sistematizzazione delle osservazioni qualitative del fisioterapista, importanti per la progettazione dell’intervento riabilitativo individualizzato. A completamento della ricerca, ad alcuni dei fisioterapisti è stato richiesto di compilare la scheda. Dalle loro restituzioni sono stati raccolti importanti contributi per l’implementazione della stessa. Risultati: Al primo questionario hanno partecipato 43 fisioterapisti ed è emersa una buona conoscenza teorica della patologia, un’importante affluenza di bambini con CVI presso i Servizi di riabilitazione e la necessità di essere guidati nell’intervento con il bambino. Nel secondo questionario, è emerso il bisogno di essere sostenuti soprattutto nella predisposizione del setting, elemento fondamentale per facilitare l’emergere di competenze del bambino con CVI. Alcuni fisioterapisti, hanno compilato la scheda di osservazione su bambini con disordine visuo-motorio, in carico al servizio riabilitativo. Dalla compilazione, il punto di forza maggiormente condiviso è dato dalla capacità di organizzare e sistematizzare le osservazioni in funzione dell’intervento riabilitativo, la criticità rilevata è il tempo necessario alla compilazione. Discussione e conclusioni: Nella pratica clinica, i fisioterapisti dell’età evolutiva hanno in carico bambini con CVI, per tale motivo appare importante che i professionisti abbiano conoscenze teoriche e formazione continua sulla prassi. In tale contesto, la scheda può essere considerata uno strumento utile nella prima osservazione e nei successivi outcomes, offrendo la possibilità di sistematizzare le osservazioni con lo scopo di puntualizzare e definire gli elementi che caratterizzano il disturbo di integrazione visuo-motoria, premessa per la definizione degli obiettivi e delle modalità di intervento.Background: Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) is the leading cause of visual impairment in industrialised countries and its incidence is increasing11. This disorder affects a child's entire neuro-psychomotor development and has an impact on the process of planning and executing movement, especially in children with a motor disorder such as cerebral palsy (CP)9. Children with CVI and CP often manifest difficulties in tasks that require visual-motor integration9, which is why it is important for the physiotherapist and the entire team to take the visual aspect into account in the rehabilitation approach. In this context, the physiotherapist's clinical observation is an important premise when approaching a child with a visual-motor disorder for the definition of his developmental profile. Aim: This Thesis project aims to: 1. emphasise the importance for the physiotherapist to take the visual disorder into account when defining the rehabilitation project of the child with CP; 2. support the physiotherapist in clinical reasoning through the proposal of a form that guides him in the systematisation of observations regarding the child's visual-motor development, starting from the preparation of the rehabilitation setting. Materials and methods: In the first phase of the research, two cognitive questionnaires were prepared for paediatric physiotherapists. The first one was aimed at investigating the level of knowledge of CVI and the affluence of children with these problems at the health services, the second one was aimed at sounding out the needs of physiotherapists with taking care of a child with visual-motor disorder. In the second phase, on the basis of the information gathered from the survey, a form was created to collect and systematise the physiotherapist's qualitative observations, which are important for the design of the individualised rehabilitation intervention. To complete the research, some of the physiotherapists were asked to fill in the form. Important contributions for its implementation were gathered from their returns. Results: In the first questionnaire 43 physiotherapists participated and it emerged a good theoretical knowledge of the pathology, an important affluence of children with CVI at the rehabilitation services and the need to be guided in the intervention with the child. In the second questionnaire, it emerged the need to be supported above all in the preparation of the setting, a fundamental element to facilitate the emergence of competences of the child with CVI. Some physiotherapists filled in the observation form on children with visual-motor disorder, in charge of the rehabilitation service. From the compilation, the strongest point shared is the ability to organise and systematise the observations in function of the rehabilitation intervention, the critical point noted is the time needed for compilation. Discussion and conclusions: In clinical practice, paediatric physiotherapists take care of children with CVI, which is why it appears important for professionals to have theoretical knowledge and ongoing training on the practice. In this context, the form can be considered a useful tool in the first observation and in subsequent outcomes, offering the possibility of systematising observations with the aim of pointing out and defining the elements that characterise the visual-motor integration disorder, a premise for defining the objectives and methods of intervention

Labour migration in the EU: Recent trends and policies

Migration within and between EU Member States is low: in 2010, the annual cross-border migration rate for the European working age population (15–64 years) was just 0.3% of the EU27 population, rising to around 1% for interregional migration. By comparison, the migration rate across the four main regions of the USA is 1.2%, while the rate across US states is 2.4%. Nonetheless, there is evidence that an increasing share of migration flows in the EU is accounted for by EU mobile workers, partly in response to differing labour market conditions across Member States. This report is based on data from correspondents in 28 EU Member States and Norway. It provides an overview of migration patterns and trends in the EU (both between and within countries) during the economic downturn. It also reviews recent policy initiatives and measures implemented or promoted by national, regional and local governments and social partners that directly or indirectly facilitate interregional and cross-border mobility of EU nationals

Influence of agrarian management changes on populations of Orthoptera in north-eastern Portugal

El éxodo rural y la desaparición del manejo tradicional agrícola durante el siglo pasado tuvo consecuencias en el medio rural, como la pérdida de biodiversidad en un gran número de grupos de plantas y animales. Los lameiros, pastizales semi-naturales que acumulan una gran cantidad de agua, actuando como corredores ecológicos y refugio para determinadas especies, se han visto fuertemente influidos por esa regresión. El presente trabajo pretende determinar si el abandono de las prácticas tradicionales está teniendo un efecto sobre las comunidades de saltamontes (Orthoptera) que habitan estos lameiros. Fueron capturados, en lameiros con diferente tipo de gestión, un total de 164 adultos pertenecientes a 19 especies, entre ellas varios endemismos ibéricos o iberobaleares. Nuestros resultados sugieren que el abandono de las prácticas está conduciendo a un cambio progresivo de las comunidades de ortópteros, con la desaparición de las especies más dependientes de los manejos practicados durante décadas, siendo estas especies sustituidas por otras mas eurioicas, lo que implicaría una disminución de la diversidad gamma a nivel paisajístico.The rural exodus and the disappearance of traditional agricultural practices during the past century has had serious consequences for the rural space, like the loss of biodiversity in a large number of plants and animals. The lameiros, seminatural pastures which hold big quantities of water and act as habitat corridors and refuge for various species, have been deeply influenced by that regression. The present work aims to determine if the loss of traditional practices is having an effect on the grasshopper and bush cricket communities (Orthoptera) of the lameiros. We collected, at lameiros with different kinds of management, 164 adults belonging to 19 species, amongst them several Iberian and Iberian-Balearic endemics. Our results suggest that the loss of traditional agricultural practices in these pastures in north-eastern Portugal is progressively altering the orthopteran communities, with the disappearance of those species most heavily dependent on traditional uses and their replacement by more generalistic species, which would involve a decrease in gamma diversity at the landscape level.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New forms of employment

Societal and economic developments, such as the need for increased flexibility by both employers and workers, have resulted in the emergence of new forms of employment across Europe. These have transformed the traditional one-to-one relationship between employer and employee. They are also characterised by unconventional work patterns and places of work, or by the irregular provision of work. However, little is known about these ‘new forms of employment’, their distinctive features and the implications they have for working conditions and the labour market. To fill this knowledge gap, Eurofound conducted a Europe-wide mapping exercise to identify the emerging trends. This resulted in the categorisation of nine broad types of new employment forms. On the basis of this, the available literature and data were analysed; 66 case studies were also conducted and analysed to illustrate how these new employment forms operate in Member States and their effects on working conditions and the labour market