Coastline evolution rates of Portugal

Regional/global-scale information on coastline rates of change and trends is extremely valuable, but national-scale studies are scarce. A widely accepted standardized methodology for analysing long-term coastline change has been difficult to achieve, but is essential to conduct an integrated and holistic approach to coastline evolution and hence support coastal management actions. Additionally, databases providing knowledge on coastline evolution are of key importance to support both coastal management experts and users. The main objective of this work is to present the first systematic, global and consistent long-term coastline evolution data of Portuguese mainland low-lying sandy. The methodology used quantifies coastline evolution using an unique and robust coastline indicator (the foredune toe), which is independent of short-term changes. The dataset presented comprises: 1) two polyline sets, mapping the 1958 and 2010 sandy beach-dune systems coastline, both optimized for working at 1:50 000 scale or smaller, and 2) one polyline set representing long-term change rates between 1958 and 2010, estimated at each 250 m. Results show beach erosion as the dominant trend, with a mean change rate of -0.24 ± 0.01 m/year for all mainland Portuguese beach-dune systems. Although erosion is dominant, this evolution is variable in signal and magnitude in different coastal sediment cell and also within each cell. The most relevant beach erosion issues were found in the coastal stretches of Espinho - Torreira and Costa Nova - Praia da Mira, both at sub-cell 1b; Cova Gala - Leirosa, at sub-cell 1c and Cova do Vapor - Costa da Caparica, at cell 4. Cells 1 and 4 exhibit a history of major human interventions interfering with the coastal system, many of which originated and maintained a sediment deficit. In contrast, cells 5 and 6 have been less intervened and show stable or moderate accretion behaviour.

The effect on the performance of listed family and non-family firms

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the ownership of public firms is related to accounting and market performance, comparing family and non-family listed firms. Design/methodology/approach: We use regression analysis, considering a sample of Portuguese family and non-family firms for the period between 1999 and 2010. Findings: Overall, the results show that family firms are older, are more indebted and have higher debt costs than non-family firms. However, they present lower levels of risk. The evidence suggests that family firms outperform non-family firms when we consider a market performance measure. The market performance of family-controlled firms is more sensitive to the crisis periods and age, compared to their counterparts. The empirical findings suggest that under economic adversity, the performance is especially compromised by the firms’ age. Research limitations/implications: A limitation of this study is the small size of the sample, which derives from the small size of the Portuguese stock market, the Euronext Lisbon. Originality/value: This paper offers some insights on the ownership of public firms and firm performance by investigating a small European economy. The study also contributes to the stream of firm performance, considering new independent variables as determinants of firm performance, such as operational risk. Finally, the study examines the interaction between ownership and performance under both steady and adverse economic conditions, giving the opportunity to analyze whether firm performance differs according to market conditions.

Quality of life predictors and normative data

Purpose: Identify predictors and normative data for quality of life (QOL) in a sample of Portuguese adults from general population Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was undertaken with two hundred and fifty-five (N=255) individuals from Portuguese general population (mean age 43yrs, range 25-84yrs; 148 females, 107 males). Participants completed the European Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life short-form instrument (WHOQOL-Bref) and the European Portuguese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Demographic information was also collected. Results: Portuguese adults reported their QOL as good. The physical, psychological and environmental domains predicted 44% of the variance of QOL. The strongest predictor was the physical domain and the weakest was social relationships. Age, educational level, socioeconomic status and emotional status were significantly correlated with QOL and explained 25% of the variance of QOL. The strongest predictor of QOL was emotional status followed by education and age. QOL was significantly different according to: marital status; living place (mainland or islands); type of cohabitants; occupation; health. Conclusions: The sample of adults from general Portuguese population reported high levels of QOL. The life domain that better explained QOL was the physical domain. Among other variables, emotional status best predicted QOL. Further variables influenced overall QOL. These findings inform our understanding on adults from Portuguese general population QOL

Contribute of the MYCOMIX project and future perspectives for Human Biomonitoring and health risk assessment in Portugal

There is a growing concern within public health about mycotoxin involvement in human diseases, namely those related to children. The MycoMix project (2012-2015), funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, gathered a multidisciplinary team aiming at answering several questions: 1) Are Portuguese children exposed daily to one or several mycotoxins through food? 2) Can this co-exposure affect children´s health? and 3) Are there interaction effect between mycotoxins? Mycomix results revealed that Portuguese children (< 3 years old, n=103) are exposed to multiple mycotoxins through food consumption. Cumulative risk assessment results revealed a potential health concern for the high percentiles of intake, specially for aflatoxins which are carcinogenic compounds. This fact assumes particular importance considering the interactive effects found in in vitro bioassays. These results highlight the need for a more accurate approach to assess the human exposure to mycotoxins6. Within the Mycomix project the assessment of mycotoxin exposure was based on calculations combining mycotoxin data in food with population data on food consumption. This approach does not consider some aspects as the inter-individual metabolism variation, the exposure through sources other than food and the heterogeneous distribution of mycotoxins in food. Exposure assessment of mycotoxins in Portuguese population through biomarkers is still missing and further studies are urgent to be developed. The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (EHBMI), a proposal within the European Joint Programme, aims to advance the understanding of the extent of exposure to environmental chemicals across Europe and the impact on human health, by gathering national expertise in human biomonitoring domain. At national level Mycomix project uncovered the potential health risk of exposure of Portuguese children to multiple mycotoxins. The risk assessment expertise acquired within Mycomix, namely in analysis and toxicology of chemical mixtures, will be brought together as a contribute to EHBMI objectives.

Portuguese children exposure to multiple mycotoxins through food consumption: toward a holistic approach for multiple mycotoxins risk assessment

Humans can be exposed to multiple chemicals at once from a variety of sources, and human risk assessment of multiple chemicals poses several challenges to scientists, risk assessors and risk managers. Ingestion of food is considered a major route of exposure to many contaminants, namely mycotoxins, especially for vulnerable population groups, as children. A lack of sufficient data regarding mycotoxins children risk assessment, could contribute to an inaccuracy of the estimated risk. Efforts must be undertaken to develop initiatives that promote a broad overview of multiple mycotoxins risk assessment. The present work, developed within the MYCOMIX project, aims to assess the risk associated to the exposure of Portuguese children (< 3 years old) to multiple mycotoxins through consumption of foods primarily marketed for this age group. A holistic approach was developed applying deterministic and probabilistic tools to the calculation of mycotoxin daily intake values, integrating children food consumption (3-days food diary), mycotoxins occurrence (HPLC-UV, HPLC-FD, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS), bioaccessibility (standardized in vitro digestion model) and toxicological data (in vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and intestinal impact). A case study concerning Portuguese children exposure to patulin (PAT) and ochratoxin A (OTA), two mycotoxins co-occurring in processed cereal-based foods (PCBF) marketed in Portugal, was developed. Main results showed that there is low concern from a public health point of view relatively to PAT and OTA Portuguese children exposure through consumption of PCBF, considering the estimated daily intakes of these two mycotoxins (worst case scenarios, 22.930 ng/kg bw/day and 0.402 ng/kg bw/day, for PAT and OTA, respectively), their bioaccessibility and toxicology results. However, the present case study only concerns the risk associated with the consumption of PCBF and child diet include several other foods. The present work underlines the need to adopt a holistic approach for multiple mycotoxins risk assessment integrating data from exposure, bioacessibility and toxicity domains in order to contribute to a more accurate risk assessment.

Special low protein foods for phenylketonuria: availability in Europe and an examination of their nutritional profile

Background Special low protein foods (SLPF) are essential in the nutritional management of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). The study objectives were to: 1) identify the number of SLPF available for use in eight European countries and Turkey and 2) analyse the nutritional composition of SLPF available in one of these countries. Methods European Nutritionist Expert Panel on PKU (ENEP) members (Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Denmark and Turkey) provided data on SPLF available in each country. The nutritional composition of Portuguese SLPF was compared with regular food products. Results The number of different SLPF available in each country varied widely with a median of 107 [ranging from 73 (Portugal) and 256 (Italy)]. Food analysis of SLPF available from a single country (Portugal) indicated that the mean phenylalanine content was higher in low protein baby cereals (mean 48 mg/100 g) and chocolate/energy bars/jelly (mean 41 mg/100 g). The energy content of different foods from a sub-group of SLPF (cookies) varied widely between 23 and 96 kcal/cookie. Low protein bread had a high fat content [mean 5.8 g/100 g (range 3.7 to 10)] compared with 1.6 g/100 g in regular bread. Seven of the 12 SLPF sub-groups (58 %) did not declare any vitamin content, and only 4 (33 %) identified a limited number of minerals. Conclusions Whilst equal and free access to all SLPF is desirable, the widely variable nutritional composition requires careful nutritional knowledge of all products when prescribed for individual patients with PKU. There is a need for more specific nutritional standards for special low protein foods.

The military in the Chamber of Deputies 1851-1870 – corporative lines of action in defense of the army

Based on our reading of the minutes of the parliamentary sessions, we shall attempt in this study to analyze the performance of army officers in the Chamber of Deputies, which, from 1851 to 1870, represented one of the most important settings for the military’s participation in politics

Plurilingualism vs multilingualism in early years of schooling: The rise of a critical cultural awareness in primary school

Since early 80s the Council of Europe has taken a great approach to teaching and learning of languages by encouraging plurilingual practices instead of multilingual practices, being these understood as the coexistence of several languages within a given society. In this context, we believe that once one learns many languages, one values one's native language, allowing one to understand it more clearly and to communicate with others on an equal footing and, more importantly, one also learns about other cultures. This is an issue of great importance in order to value and respect one's own and other cultures in the context of European integration. Considering this, in this article, we present two linked projects: a) the “PrimaLang” project, related teaching practices multilingual promoting critical cultural awarenessl in the 1st cycle of Portuguese Primary School System; b) the “Plurilingual” project, which refers to the design of a coursebook which stimulates the development of a plurilingual competence in the 1st cycle of Portuguese Primary School System. At the same time, we analyze some materials made by students and teachers in the projects to better understand their contribution under the InterNetwork Comenius Project

A supervisão em contexto da reforma educativa angolana : um estudo da prática seminários e estágios pedagógicos dos estagiários na Escola de Formação de Professores de Benguela

O propósito do presente estudo de investigação visa compreender o papel do supervisor pedagógico no desempenho e desenvolvimento das competências pedagógicas dos professores em estágio na Formação Inicial de Professores no contexto das modificações implementadas pela reforma educativa. A sua elaboração surge no sentido da constatação, reflexão e compreensão, dos desfasamentos que se encontram entre as teorias propostas e os processos praticados num ambiente de adaptação às mudanças operadas no papel do supervisor e professores supervisionados. Este é um projecto de investigação avaliativa cujo aporte presta-se ao saber e avaliar e não resolver o problema. O estudo é de carácter descritivo e foi realizado, na escola de formação de professores de Benguela – IEFPB – com os professores acompanhantes e professores orientados em estágio no ano lectivo 2015. Optamos predominantemente por uma metodologia quantitativa por meio da aplicação de questionário por inquérito aos professores/supervisores e aos professores/supervisionados e para complementar usamos o método qualitativo por meio da aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas dirigidas ao director pedagógico e ao coordenador das práticas pedagógicas. No que tange à ortografia deste trabalho, optamos por não usar o novo acordo ortográfico da língua portuguesa, por não estar em vigor em Angola pelo que usamos ortografia antiga em português europeu.

Job-related strain and sexual health difficulties among heterosexual men from three european countries: The role of culture and emotional support

Introduction. Epidemiological evidence for the association between job-related stress and sexual difficulties in men is largely lacking. Little is known about the factors that may mediate or moderate this relationship. Aim. This study analyzes the association between job-related difficulties and men’s sexual difficulties. Main Outcome Measures. Job-related difficulties were measured by 10 yes/no questions that addressed a range of adverse workplace situations. The experience of sexual difficulties in the past 12 months was assessed by using seven dichotomous indicators developed in the National Study of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (NATSAL) 2000. Method. Analyses were carried out using data from a 2011 online study of Portuguese, Croatian, and Norwegian men (N = 2,112). Multivariate logistic regression and mediation analysis were used to test the hypothesized association. Results. Men with job-related concerns reported lower sexual satisfaction than men without such concerns did (F = 7.53, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the association between job-related and sexual health concerns. The odds of experiencing one or more sexual health difficulties in the past 12 months were about 1.8 times higher among men who reported the highest levels of workplace difficulties than among men who experienced no such difficulties. The odds of reporting sexual health difficulties were significantly reduced by a higher income (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.87, P < 0.01), emotional intimacy with one’s partner (AOR = 0.93, P < 0.001), having children (AOR = 0.62–0.66, P < 0.01), and country-specific effects (AOR = 1.98–2.22, P < 0.001). In all three countries, the relationship between job-related and sexual health difficulties was mediated by anxiety and depression. Conclusions. The findings suggest that negative mood is the mechanism behind the association between workplace strain and sexual difficulties. Emotional support, such as couple intimacy and fatherhood, can reduce—independently from sociocultural and socioeconomic factors—the risk of sexual health concerns.

Contextual factors related to chronic condition in portuguese adolescents: Highlights from the HBSC/WHO study

Adolescence’s changes may become more pronounced when living with a chronic condition (CC). This study aims to examined the differences in satisfaction with family life, perception of school competence and “pressure with homework” of Portuguese adolescents’ 1) living with CC; 2) how living with CC affects school participation; taking into account age, gender and family socioeconomic status (SES). Five thousand fifty Portuguese adolescents (mean age 14 ± 1.85) of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC/WHO) were included. Results showed increased vulnerability in adolescents living with CC, presenting a lower satisfaction with family life and poor school outcomes. Younger boys, having a higher SES and not having CC are significantly associated with satisfaction with family life. Older girls, having a lower SES and living with CC were associated with more stress related to school work. Future interventions should include these features combined with ‘listening’ to adolescents and their needs, allowing their participation in the promotion of personal health.

The goal orientations scale (GOS): Validation for portuguese students

Current research on achievement goals acknowledges that students can manifest different goal patterns. This study aimed to adapt and validate a self-report scale to assess the goal orientations of Portuguese students. A total of 2675 (age range 9–24 years) Portuguese students completed the Goal Orientations Scale (GOS). Through a cross-validation procedure, confirmatory factor analysis and descriptive statistics supports the existence of four different goal orientations: task, self-enhancing, self-defeating and avoidance orientations. The reliability and the internal validity estimates confirm that the GOS is an adequate instrument in assessing student goal orientations.

Integrated pest management and the (un)sustainable use of pesticides

Doutoramento em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de Agronomia - UL

Alterations in monovarietal, blended and aromatized Portuguese virgin olive oils under four storage conditions for 12 months

"Though olive oil is a perishable product, there is not a European regulation for maximum consumption time after production, in part because its durability depends on the storage conditions. The main objectives of this study were to compare the influence of the type of storage on changes of Portuguese virgin olive oils and to verify whether the addition of Catostylus tagi could increase the oxidative stability of olive oil. Over 12 months, the conservation status of monovarietal and blended olive oils in four contexts possible to be used by the consumer was monitored. The analyzed parameters were chlorophyll content, free acidity, peroxide value, specific extinction coefficients at 232 and 270 nm and delta K. Spaced determinations of iodine index and total tocopherol contents complemented the study. Results showed that at Mediterranean temperatures and normal storage procedure, the mean time to reach maximum peroxides value was 12–13 months. At artificial light storage, C. tagi was effective in reducing peroxides evolution by 11 %."

Effects of a resistance and stretching training program on forward head and protracted shoulder posture in physical education classes in students aged 15-17 years old

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the postural alignment of the head and shoulder in the sagittal plane of Portuguese adolescents, 15-17 years old, and to evaluate the effects of a 32-week resistance and stretching training program applied in Physical Education classes on forward head posture and protracted shoulder posture of Portuguese adolescents. After 32-training weeks the detraining effects after a 16-week period were measured. Methods: This randomized and controlled study was conducted in two secondary schools in Portugal for 48 weeks. Prior the study 275 students aged 15-17 years old were evaluated. Sagittal head, cervical and shoulder angle were measured with photogrammetry and Postural Analysis Software. After this assessment 130 adolescents were considered to have forward head and protracted shoulder posture and were randomly assigned to a control group, an experimental group one or experimental group two. The control group (n=46) only did the Physical Education classes whereas the intervention group one (n=42) and two (n=42) performed a 16-week and 32-week stretching and strengthening program in addition to Physical Education classes, respectively. The postural angles were measured before and after the 16-week and 32-week time intervention period for the three groups and after a 16-week detraining period following the 32-week in intervention group two. Results: 68% of the adolescents studied revealed anteriorization of the head whereas 58% of them had protraction of the shoulder. Significant increases were observed in the cervical and shoulder angle in the experimental group (n=84) following the 16-week and in experimental group two (n=42)after the 32 week-intervention period. After the 16-week detraining period no significant differences were observed in the three postural angles in the intervention group two. Conclusions: Forward head and protracted shoulder are common postural disorders in Portuguese adolescents. The exercise intervention was successful ate decreasing forward head and protracted shoulder in adolescents. Detraining period of 16-week didn´t reduce the overall training effects.