Respostas educativas para alunos com multideficiência: conceções e práticas

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Educação Especial

Electron driven reactions in complexes embedded in superfluid helium droplets

A thesis submitted to the University of Innsbruck for the doctor degree in Natural Sciences, Physics and New University of Lisbon for the doctor degree in Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics

Toxocara seroprevalence in children from a subtropical city in Argentina

Most studies from Argentina have focused on toxocariasis as an environmental problem of big cities, and there are no available data about children infection from small or middle-sized cities. In order to assess the prevalence of anti-Toxocara antibodies in infantile population, 206 children from Resistencia, of both sexes, aged 1-14 years old were studied by Elisa testing with E/S T. canis L2 antigens. Hematological parameters and immunoglobulin levels were determined; five days' stool samples were studied and epidemiological data were obtained by means of a questionnaire to parents. Results showed that 73% of the children had one or more dogs living at home, 57% reported geophagia and 37.9% were positive for Toxocara serology, but there was no significant difference in prevalence neither for boys and girls, nor concerning age. An increased risk of infection was observed in age groups 5-6 and 7-8 for boys, and in age groups 3-4 and 5-6 for girls.

Tradução com adaptação cultural para portugês e determinação da reprodutibilidade do questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children

RESUMO: Introdução: A asma brônquica é uma entidade frequente em idade pediátrica, apresentando uma grande heterogeneidade clínica e significativa morbilidade quando não controlada. A identificação de crianças sintomáticas pode atrasar ou até mesmo diminuir a ocorrência de algumas alterações estruturais. Reconhece-se a necessidade de questionários sobre sintomas respiratórios em língua portuguesa, devidamente validados, que tenham como população-alvo os grupos etários inferiores a 3 anos. Deste modo, será possível não só um conhecimento mais rigoroso da asma e da sibilância infantil mas também a uniformização de metodologias para o desenvolvimento de estratégias a nível nacional. Objetivos: Tradução com adaptação cultural para português e determinação da reprodutibilidade do Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children de Strippoli e colaboradores. Material e métodos: A escolha do questionário obedeceu a vários critérios, entre os quais o grupo etário, o tipo e número de perguntas. O Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children de Strippoli e colaboradores é um questionário de autopreenchimento, dirigido a crianças entre os 12 e os 24 meses de idade e destinado a estudos epidemiológicos ao nível da comunidade. Aborda aspetos referentes a sintomas respiratórios (sibilância, tosse crónica, sintomas das vias aéreas superiores), cuidados médicos, terapêutica, características ambientais, história familiar e situação social. Procedemos à sua tradução, com especial atenção para a adaptação do ponto de vista cultural e linguístico, utilizando o método da tradução / retroversão, amplamente utilizado e descrito na literatura internacional. Seguidamente determinámos a reprodutibilidade da versão final em língua portuguesa – Questionário de sintomas respiratórios em idade pré-escolar – utilizando o teste-reteste. Para tal, incluíram-se crianças entre os 12 e os 36 meses de idade recrutadas num Centro de Saúde e em creches de Lisboa. A distribuição dos questionários decorreu em duas fases: na primeira fase foram entregues pessoalmente nos locais de recrutamento e na segunda fase foram enviados por correio para os domicílios das crianças, respeitando-se um intervalo mínimo de 2 semanas entre ambos. Resultados: Na primeira fase foram distribuídos 180 questionários, com uma taxa de reposta de 41% (n=74). Na segunda fase enviaram-se para os respetivos domicílios 70 questionários,obtendo-se uma taxa de resposta de 66% (n=46). Para a análise de reprodutibilidade foram incluídos apenas os questionários preenchidos em ambos os momentos pelo mesmo indivíduo (mãe, pai ou representante legal) (n=41). A idade média das crianças foi, na primeira fase, de 22,5 meses e, na segunda fase, de 23,7 meses, com um predomínio do sexo feminino (F:M =1:0,6). A mediana do tempo decorrido entre os dois momentos de preenchimento dos questionários foi de 26 dias. Obtivemos valores de concordância globalmente bons a muito bons, à semelhança do sucedido no trabalho original. Conclusões: Procedemos à tradução e avaliação da reprodutibilidade do Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children. Pretende-se que venha a ser uma ferramenta útil para estudos epidemiológicos e programas de rastreio na comunidade, contribuindo deste modo para uma otimização da abordagem da asma / sibilância infantil a nível nacional. -------------ABSTRACT: Background: Asthma is a very common feature in childhood, with important clinical heterogeneity and morbidity if not properly controlled. Identifying symptomatic children may delay or even reduce several structural changes. The development of questionnaires on respiratory symptoms in Portuguese for children under 3 years old will allow not only a more accurate knowledge of infantile asthma and recurrent wheezing but also the standardization of methodologies to develop nationwide strategies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to translate and adapt to the Portuguese culture and to determine the repeatability of the Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children by Strippoli et al. Material and methods: The choice of the questionnaire took in consideration several criteria, among which the target age, the type and the number of questions. The Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children by Strippoli et al is a parent-completed questionnaire for assessment of respiratory symptoms in 1 to 2-year-old children, developed for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. It contains sections on respiratory symptoms (wheezing, chronic cough and upper airways symptoms), healthcare utilization, treatment, environmental exposure, family history and social situation. For the process of translation we used the method of translation and back-translation, with particular concern to cultural and linguistic adaptation. To assess the repeatability of the final Portuguese version - Questionário de sintomas respiratórios em idade pré-escolar - we used the test–retest analyses. The questionnaires were distributed to parents of children between 12 and 36 months old attending nurseries and a Primary Care Center of Lisbon. The distribution took place in two phases: the first questionnaires were delivered in person (phase one) and an identical questionnaire was posted to the families that participated in the first phase, 2 weeks after the first one was returned (phase two). Results: The response rates were 41% (180/74) in the first phase and 66% (70/46) in the second phase. For test–retest analyses, we included the 41 children with the same respondent (mother, father or legal representative) in both occasions. The median age of the children was 22,5 months at the first phase and 23,7 months at the second phase, with a predominance of girls (F:M = 1:0,6). The median time between the fillings of both questionnaires was 26 days. Globally, agreement values were good to excellent, similarly to the original work. Conclusion: In the present study we translated the Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in preschool children and assessed its repeatability. Overall, we expect it to be a valuable tool for epidemiological studies and community-based screening programs, thus contributing to improve the management of infantile asthma / recurrent wheezing nationwide.

BIOFILM FORMATION OF Vibrio cholerae ON STAINLESS STEEL USED IN FOOD PROCESSING

Vibrio cholerae represents a significant threat to human health in developing countries. This pathogen forms biofilms which favors its attachment to surfaces and its survival and transmission by water or food. This work evaluated the in vitro biofilm formation of V. cholerae isolated from clinical and environmental sources on stainless steel of the type used in food processing by using the environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Results showed no cell adhesion at 4 h and scarce surface colonization at 24 h. Biofilms from the environmental strain were observed at 48 h with high cellular aggregations embedded in Vibrio exopolysaccharide (VPS), while less confluence and VPS production with microcolonies of elongated cells were observed in biofilms produced by the clinical strain. At 96 h the biofilms of the environmental strain were released from the surface leaving coccoid cells and residual structures, whereas biofilms of the clinical strain formed highly organized structures such as channels, mushroom-like and pillars. This is the first study that has shown the in vitro ability of V. cholerae to colonize and form biofilms on stainless steel used in food processing.

Which consumer capabilities are actually triggered by children in-store?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

What makes people stay in or leave shrinking cities? An empirical study from Portugal

The relative attractiveness of cities as places to live determines population movements in or out of them. Understanding the appealing features of a city is fundamental to local governments, particularly for cities facing population decline. Pull and push attributes of cities can include economic aspects, the availability of amenities and psychological constructs, initiating a discussion around which factors are more relevant in explaining migration. However, a pull–push approach has been underexplored in studies of shrinking cities. In the present study, we contribute to the discussion by identifying pull and push factors in Portuguese shrinking cities. Data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire survey of 701 residents in four shrinking cities: Oporto, Barreiro, Peso da Régua and Moura. Factor analysis and automatic linear modelling were used to analyse the data. Our results support previous findings that the economic activity of a city is the most relevant feature for retaining residents. However, other characteristics specific to each city, especially those related to heritage and natural beauty, are also shown to influence a city’s attractiveness as a place to live. The cause of population shrinkage is also found to influence residents’ assessments of the pull and push attributes of each city. Furthermore, the results show the relevance of social ties and of place attachment to inhabitants’ intention to continue living in their city of residence.

Inclusão de crianças com paralisia cerebral no pré-escolar: perspetivas dos pais

Dissertação de mestrado em Educação Especial (área de especialização em Intervenção Precoce)

Relatório de atividade profissional

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências - Formação Contínua de Professores (área de especialização em Biologia e Geologia)

Pacifier : construção e aplicação de um programa para pais nos cuidados de saúde primários

Este trabalho teve como objetivo fundamental a construção, aplicação e avaliação dos efeitos de um programa de educação parental universal, numa vertente preventiva, designado como – Pacifier – visando a sua implementação nos Cuidados de Saúde Primários, a pais de crianças dos 0 aos 6 meses e com carácter domiciliário. Foi construído com base numa revisão da literatura e práticas baseadas em evidência sobre parentalidade positiva e programas de educação parental e posteriormente aplicado a quatro mães e dois pais – dois casais e duas mães –, sendo que os efeitos foram avaliados de acordo com um modelo de estudos de caso múltiplos, constituídos por quatro famílias. Neste sentido, de modo a medir os objetivos que definimos para o programa, realizámos uma avaliação inicial e final com os instrumentos adaptados Sentido de Competência Parental e Inventário sobre o Conhecimento de Desenvolvimento Infantil. Ainda incluímos um questionário final relativo à Satisfação dos Pais com o Programa. No que respeita aos resultados, nos quatro estudos de caso verificaram-se melhorias nos resultados de ambos os instrumentos aplicados, o que nos permite considerar que o programa foi eficaz e melhorou o sentido de competência parental assim como o conhecimento do desenvolvimento infantil nestes pais. Por último, os pais mostraram uma grande satisfação com o programa.

The black-white test score gap widens with age?

We re-examine the theoretical concept of a production function for cognitive achievement, and argue that an indirect production function that depends upon the variables that constrain parents' choices is both moretractable from an econometric point of view, and more interesting from an economic point of view than is a direct production function that depends upon a detailed list of direct inputs such as number of books in the household. We estimate flexible econometric models of indirect production functions for two achievement measures from the Woodcock-Johnson Revised battery, using data from two waves of the Child Development Supplement to the PSID. Elasticities of achievement measures with respect to family income and parents' educational levels are positive and significant. Gaps between scores of black and white children narrow or remain constant as children grow older, a result that differs from previous findings in the literature. The elasticities of achievement scores with respect to family income are substantially higher for children of black families, and there are some notable difference in elasticities with respect to parents' educational levels across blacks and whites.

Ultrastructure of Giardia duodenalis trophozoites group from hamster: some relevant aspects

Throphozoites of Giardia duodenalis group obtained from fragments or scratched of hamster's mucosa were examined by transission electron microscopy. The fine structure of the trophozoites are presented and comapred with those described for other animals. Some of the trophozoites present the cytoplasm full of glycogen, rough endoplasmic reticulum-like structures and homogeneous inclusions not enclosed by membranes, recognized as lipid drops, which had not been observed in Giardia from other animals. The adhesive disk is composed of a layer of microtubules, from which fibrous ribbons extend into the cytoplasm; these ribbons are linked by layer of crossbridge filaments that shows an intermediary dense band, described for the first time in this paper. The authors regard this band as the result of the cross-bridge filaments slinding in the medium region between adjacent fibrous ribbons, and suggest a contractile activity for them. The role of the adhesive disk on the trophozoite mechanism of attachment to host mucosa is also discussed.

Perceptions of Europe in political and economic elites: a geographical compared analysis of Germany, Spain and Poland

Elite perceptions about Europe are a very important point in order to understand the current European integration process, as well as the future perspectives for the continent. This study makes a comparison between the perceptions which political and economical elites in some European countries have about the European Union process and its mechanisms. The main goal is to identify the differences in positions of each type of elites, as well as the variations among three key countries. The database built thanks to the INTUNE (Integrated and United? A quest for Citizenship in an ¨ever closer Europe¨) Project Survey on European Elites and Masses, funded by the Sixth Framework Programme of the EU [Contract CIT 3-CT-2005-513421] have being used. The questionnaire was applied between February and May 2007, in a total of 18 European countries. The national teams got a total of almost 2000 valid responses at European level. In the analysis we have showed some general descriptive statistics about the perception of Europe taking as a reference two dimensions of the INTUNE project: identity (attachment to the national level, the meaning of being a truly national, and the threats from Turkey that EU is facing at this moment) and representation (trust in European and national institutions, preferences for a national or an European army). The results are presented distinguishing between political (national MP’s in low chambers) and economical elites (presidents of corporations, general managers…) and, at the same time, among three countries: Germany as an original member of the European Union; Spain, incorporated in 1986; and a new member, Poland, joining the EU in 2004.

Report of Dr Deirdre Madden on Post Mortem Practice and Procedures

This Report aims to set out the general facts in relation to paediatric post-mortem practice in Ireland from 1970 to 2000, the way in which information was communicated to parents of deceased children in relation to post-mortemexaminations, and how these practices might be improved upon for the future Read the Report  

Growing up in Ireland. Key findings: infant cohort (at 3 years).

 The latest results from the study paint a picture of how these families are faring across a range of areas in their lives including their health, family life and financial and economic circumstances. In general the findings show that three-year-olds in Ireland are in good health with a few notable public health and related issues (including overweight and obesity), there is overall stability in family structures over the short term and that the recession has had a substantial effect on families with young children over the last number of years. These are the first longitudinal findings from the study. The first wave of fieldwork with the families of the Infant Cohort included approximately 11,100 nine-month-olds, their parents and carers. Interviews began in September 2008 and were completed in March 2009. Interviews for the second round of interviews with this cohort took place between January and August 2011. A total of 90% of the original sample of nine-month-olds were successfully re-interviewed. (A full download of the results released today, presented in three briefing documents can be found by clicking here. Key findings include: Health â?¢ Most of the children were described as being in good health; 75% were rated as very healthy and a further 23% were rated as healthy, but a few minor problems. Girls were more likely to be reported as very healthy (78%) compared with boys (72%). â?¢ One in four or almost one quarter of three-year-old children were overweight (19%) or obese (6%). â?¢ Childrenâ?Ts weight was related to household social class. 5% of children in families in the professional/managerial group were classified as obese at three years of age compared with 9% of those in the most disadvantaged social class group. However, at least one-fifth of children in every social class were overweight. â?¢ Childrens consumption of energy-dense foods such as crisps, sweets, chips, and non-diet fizzy drinks increased as parental education fell. 63% of children whose mother had a lower secondary education or less ate at least one portion of crisps compared with 36% of those from degree-level backgrounds, although consumption of biscuits/chocolates was over 70% for both groups of children. â?¢ Two-thirds (66%) of three-year-olds had received at least one course of antibiotics in the 12 months preceding the interview. Children with a full medical card (35% of the sample) or a GP-only medical card (5% of the sample) were more likely to have received a course of antibiotics than â?¢ Children with a full medical card received a higher number of antibiotic courses on average (2.6) compared with those without a medical card (2.1). â?¢ Just under 16% of three-year-old children were reported as having at least one longstanding illness, condition or disability. The most commonly reported illness types included Asthma (5.8%), Eczema/Skin allergies (3.9%) and Food/digestive allergies (1.2%) Family Life and Childcare â?¢ While the overall distribution of family structure was stable, there have been transitions from one-parent families to two-parent families and vice-versa over the 27 months between interview â?" approximately 2 to 3 percent in each direction. â?¢ 50% of three year olds were in some form of non-parental childcare for eight or more hours a week. The most common form used was centre-based childcare which almost tripled between nine months and three years, from 11% to 30%. â?¢ A similar percentage of grandparents were caring for children at both nine months and three years, 12% and 11% respectively. A total of 10% of three-year-olds were being minded by a childminder, an increase of 3 percentage points from when the children were nine months of age. â?¢ Children who were in some form of non-parental childcare were spending an average of 23 hours a week in their main type of childcare. â?¢ At time of interview the vast majority of mothers reported that they had regular contact with the Study Childâ?Ts grandparents (91%). In offering support to parents, grandparents were most likely to babysit (50%), and buy clothes (40%) at least on a monthly basis. One-parent families were more likely than two-parent families to receive financial support from grandparents with just under one-third (66%) of one-parent families receiving financial support from grandparents at least once every three months. â?¢ The most frequently used discipline technique was â?~discussing or explaining why the behaviour was wrongâ?T, with 63% of mothers saying they always did this. â?¢ 12% of mothers said they used â?~smackingâ?T as a form of discipline now and again and less than 1% used â?~smackingâ?T as a form of discipline more frequently. Over half reported that they never smacked the Study Child. Financial and Economic Circumstances â?¢ Just over half (53%) of mothers of three-year-olds worked outside the home, 38% said they were on home duties and 6% said they were unemployed. â?¢ The biggest change in terms of the work status of three-year-oldsâ?T parents was an increase in the percentage of unemployed fathers â?" 6% when the child was nine months rising to almost 14% when s/he was three years of age. â?¢ 61% of families of three-year-olds reported experiencing difficulties in making â?~ends meetâ?T. This was a substantial increase from 44% in the first round of interviews when the children were nine-months-old. â?¢ Almost two thirds (63%) of all families with three-year-olds reported that the recession had had a very significant or significant effect on them. â?¢ The most frequently recorded effects were: a reduction in wages (63%); canâ?Tt afford luxuries (54%), social welfare reduction (53%) and canâ?Tt afford/cut back on basics (32%). Growing Up in Ireland is a Government funded study tracking the development of two nationally representative cohorts of children: an Infant Cohort which was interviewed initially at nine months and subsequently at three years of age; and a Child Cohort which was interviewed initially at nine years and subsequently at 13 years of age. The study is being conducted by a consortium of researchers led by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Trinity College Dublin. For Further Information Please Contact: Jillian Heffernan Communications Officer, Growing Up in Ireland Tel: 01 896 3378 Mobile: 087 9016880This resource was contributed to our repository by the National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.