Crescendo: Routine Learning App for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Crescendo is an ongoing project aimed to provide children with High Functioning Autism, their teachers and carers with a communication tool that bridges them. Crescendo guides carers in teaching and immersing their child in a virtual environment that mimics the real world, helping them to make sense of it and interact with objects and places in order to become self-reliant in atomized, step-by-step routines. Crescendo is a two-sided app design, one for carers and another for children. It provides both with tool for monitoring and incremental step-by-step learning.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Measuring occupational mismatch: overeducation and overskill in Europe. Evidence from PIAAC

Occupational mismatch has been a hot topic in the economics literature in the last decades, but still today there is no consensus on how to conceptualize and measure this phenomenon. We explore the unique opportunity offered by the recent PIAAC survey to measure occupational mismatch at individual level based on both education variables (overeducation) and on skills proficiency variables (overskilling), using both objective and subjective methods for each. We use data for 17 European countries and compute a total of 20 indicators of occupation mismatch. We find that indeed the conceptualization and measurement of this phenomenon play an important role and that education and skill mismatch do not measure the same phenomenon. In fact, only a low percentage of population is both education and skill mismatched, while the majority is mismatched in only one of these types. At country level, we find a negative correlation between the incidence of education and skill mismatch, which has important policy implications when it comes to address this labour market inefficiency.JRC.DDG1.01-Econometrics and applied statistic

Occupational mismatch in Europe: Understanding overeducation and overskilling for policy making

This technical report presents EU-17 evidence on the extent of different measures of overeducation and overskilling among working age population in an attempt to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between education and skill mismatch within the broader definition of occupation mismatch. It further investigates how countries differ or share common patterns in terms of amount and typology of mismatch, while investigating the socio-economic determinants responsible for different types of occupational mismatch considered. Lastly, at a very exploratory level, it provides average predicted probabilities for the different types of occupational mismatch identified using CEDEFOP skill forecast by educational level and occupation for 2020. Comparing these predicted values provides a method of measuring the overall impact on occupational mismatch of differences in age, gender or education level while controlling for other observed characteristics. Special attention is systematically paid to the role of educational systems and policies in the matterJRC.DDG.01-Econometrics and applied statistic

Mycotoxigenic potential of fungi isolated from highly cured Portuguese cheese

The cheese industry in Portugal offers a plethora of high-quality products. The São Jorge cheese is an example and has obtained the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification in 1986. This cheese has long ripening periods of up to 36 months, which raises concerns regarding food losses and health risks due to fungal proliferation. In this study, the mycobiota of three São Jorge cheese samples with different ripening periods (five, nine and thirty months) was studied to predict the associated mycotoxigenic risk. From the three cheese samples, 76 fungal isolates were identified through molecular methods (analysis of ITS and/or partial benA). Penicillium spp. ser. Camembertiorum, mainly P. solitum and P. echinulatum, were present in all the analyzed cheeses. Scopulariopsis spp. and some yeasts (predominantly Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were also part of the mycobiota of the cheeses. Although none of these species is a common producer of mycotoxins, an analysis of the cheese by mass spectrometry will be carried out. Furthermore, the overall mycobiota will be studied through metabarcoding to uncover the presence of potential mycotoxigenic species that have not been isolated through the culturomics approach.Teresa Vale Dias thanks for the Ph.D. scholarship given by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) - 2020.05849.BD. This study was also supported by FCT under the scope of the strategic funding of CEB (UIDB/04469/2020), LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems (LA/P/0029/2020), CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Uso de aplicaciones tecnológicas para la rehabilitación neurológica de personas con daño cerebral adquirido

[Resumen] Introducción: El daño neurológico postictus con frecuencia conduce a experimentar déficits residuales y, a pesar de recibir la terapia convencional de neurorrehabilitación, alrededor del 50% de las personas cuenta con algún grado de déficit físico o cognitivo residual, y más del 50% notifica presentar discapacidad al menos en una actividad de la vida diaria. Hoy en día, la incorporación de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones en el ámbito de las ciencias de la salud está generando un cambio en la organización de los servicios y recursos sanitarios, así como otra manera de rehabilitar y recuperar las funciones y destrezas de la persona, y su autonomía e independencia. Objetivo: El propósito de este trabajo es conocer las aportaciones del uso de las aplicaciones NeuroNation y Memory Games como herramientas de intervención destinadas a la rehabilitación neurológica de la población adulta con daño cerebral postictus. Metodología: Se llevó a cabo una investigación cuantitativa a través de un estudio cuasi-experimental, longitudinal y prospectivo de series temporales; y una investigación cualitativa, por medio del enfoque fenomenológico. Resultados: A nivel cuantitativo se obtuvieron resultados significativos en la escala FIM-FAM, mejorando significativamente en los ítems de atención, concentración y memoria. Por otra parte, a nivel cualitativo se obtuvo que las personas participantes tienen interés en seguir trabajando por medio de las apps. Conclusiones: No se ha podido demostrar que las apps influyan en el desempeño ocupacional y en la percepción de la persona sobre el impacto en su calidad de vida. Sin embargo, se ha demostrado que tiene efectos positivos sobre las capacidades cognitivas. Además, pueden ser un elemento recreativo y de ocio que empodera a las personas favoreciendo a su autonomía y participación.[Resumo] Introducción: O dano neurolóxico posterior ao ictus adoita levar a déficits residuais e, a pesar de recibir terapia de neurorrehabilitación convencional, preto do 50% das persoas presenta algún grao de déficit físico ou cognitivo residual, e máis do 50% declara presentar discapacidade en polo menos unha actividade da vida diaria. Hoxe en día, a incorporación das tecnoloxías da información e as comunicación no ámbito das ciencias da saúde está a xerar un cambio na organización dos servizos e recursos sanitarios, así como outra vía de rehabilitación e recuperación das funcións e habilidades da persoa, e da súa autonomía e independencia. Obxectivo: O obxectivo deste traballo é coñecer as achegas do uso das aplicacións NeuroNation e Memory Games como ferramentas de intervención para a rehabilitación neurolóxica da poboación adulta con dano cerebral post-ictus. Metodoloxía: Realizouse unha investigación cuantitativa mediante un estudo cuasi-experimental, lonxitudinal e prospectivo de series temporais; e unha investigación cualitativa, a través do enfoque fenomenolóxico. Resultados: A nivel cuantitativo se obtuvieron resultados significativos na escala FIM-FAM, mellorando significativamente nos ítems de atención, concentración e memoria. Por outra parte, a nivel cualitativo se obtuvo que as persoas participantes teñen interese en seguir traballando polo medio das aplicacións. Conclusións: Non se pode demostrar que as aplicacións influían no desempeño ocupacional e na percepción da persoa sobre o impacto na súa calidade de vida. Sen embargo, ten demostrado que ten efectos positivos sobre as capacidades cognitivas. Ademais, poden ser un elemento recreativo e de ocio que empodera ás persoas favorecendo a súa autonomía e participación.[Abstract] Introduction: Post-stroke neurological damage often leads to residual deficits and, despite receiving conventional neurorehabilitation therapy, about 50% of people have some degree of residual physical or cognitive deficit, and more than 50% report disability in at least one activity of daily living. Today, the incorporation of information and communication technologies in the field of health sciences is generating a change in the organization of health services and resources, as well as another way of rehabilitating and recovering functions and skills of the people, and their autonomy and independence. Objective: The objective of this work is to understand the ailments of the use of NeuroNation and Memory Games applications as intervention tools for the neurological rehabilitation of the adult population with post-stroke brain damage. Methods: A quantitative research was carried out through a quasiexperimental, longitudinal and prospective study of time series; and a qualitative research, through a phenomenological approach. Results: At the quantitative level, significant results were obtained on the FIM-FAM scale, significantly improving in the items of attention, concentration, and memory. On the other hand, at a qualitative level it was obtained that the participants have an interest in continuing to work through the apps. Conclusions: It has not been possible to show that apps influence the person's occupational performance and perception of the impact on their quality of life. However, it has been shown to have positive effects on cognitive abilities. In addition, they can be a recreational and leisure element that empowers people by encouraging their autonomy and participation.Traballo fin de mestrado (UDC.FCS). Asistencia e investigación sanitaria. Especialidade en Investigación e innovación sanitaria. Curso 2021/202