The transformation of work? A quantitative evaluation of changes in work in Portugal

This report is made for the Work Package 15 of WORKS project and tries to develop more information on the Portuguese situation in the work structures changes in the recent years. It starts with an analysis of socio- economical indicators (Macro economical indicators, Employment indicators, Consumption, Technology at the workplace, Productivity), and then approaches the situation in terms of work flexibility in its dimensions of time use and New forms of work organisation. It traces employment in business functions with a sectoral and occupational approach, and analyses the occupational change in South Europe with particular relevance to Portugal (skill utilisation and job satisfaction, occupational and industrial mobility, quantitative evaluation of the shape of employment in Europe. Finaly are analysed the globalisation indicators.

Socioeconomic inequalities and changes in oral health behaviors among Brazilian adolescents from 2009 to 2012

OBJECTIVE To analyze oral health behaviors changes over time in Brazilian adolescents concerning maternal educational inequalities.METHODS Data from the Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar(Brazilian National School Health Survey) were analyzed. The sample was composed of 60,973 and 61,145 students from 26 Brazilian state capitals and the Federal District in 2009 and 2012, respectively. The analyzed factors were oral health behaviors (toothbrushing frequency, sweets consumption, soft drink consumption, and cigarette experimentation) and sociodemographics (age, sex, race, type of school and maternal schooling). Oral health behaviors and sociodemographic factors in the two years were compared (Rao-Scott test) and relative and absolute measures of socioeconomic inequalities in health were estimated (slope index of inequality and relative concentration index), using maternal education as a socioeconomic indicator, expressed in number of years of study (> 11; 9-11; ≤ 8).RESULTS Results from 2012, when compared with those from 2009, for all maternal education categories, showed that the proportion of people with low toothbrushing frequency increased, and that consumption of sweets and soft drinks and cigarette experimentation decreased. In private schools, positive slope index of inequality and relative concentration index indicated higher soft drink consumption in 2012 and higher cigarette experimentation in both years among students who reported greater maternal schooling, with no significant change in inequalities. In public schools, negative slope index of inequality and relative concentration index indicated higher soft drink consumption among students who reported lower maternal schooling in both years, with no significant change overtime. The positive relative concentration index indicated inequality in 2009 for cigarette experimentation, with a higher prevalence among students who reported greater maternal schooling. There were no inequalities for toothbrushing frequency or sweets consumption.CONCLUSIONS There were changes in the prevalences of oral health behaviors during the analyzed period; however, these changes were not related to maternal education inequalities.

Spatio-temporal land use/land cover changes analysis and monitoring in the Valencia Municipality, Spain

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

Study on the changes of soil chemical characteristics as result of prescribed fire

Every year, particularly during the summer period, the Portuguese forests are devastated by forest fire that destroys their ecosystems. So in order to prevent these forest fires, public and private authorities frequently use methods for the reduction of combustible mass as the prescribed fire and the mechanical vegetation pruning. All of these methods of prevention of forest fires alter the vegetation layer and/or soil [1-2]. This work aimed the study of the variation of some chemical characteristics of soil that suffered prescribed fire. The studied an area was located in the Serra of Cabreira (Figure 1) with 54.6 ha. Twenty sampling points were randomly selected and samples were collected with a shovel before, just after the prescribed fire, and 125 and 196 days after that event. The parameters that were studied were: pH, soil moisture, organic matter and iron, magnesium and potassium total concentration. All the analysis followed International Standard Methodologies. This work allowed to conclude that: a) after the prescribed fire; i) the pH remained practically equal to the the initial value; ii) occurred a slight increase of the average of the organic matter contents and iron total contents; b) at the end of the sampling period compared to the initial values; i) the pH didn´t change significantly; ii) the average of the contents of organic matter decreased; and iii) the average of the total contents of Fe, Mg and K increased.

Acquisition and data analysis related to changes in some forest soils properties after prescribed fire action

Controlled fires in forest areas are frequently used in most Mediterranean countries as a preventive technique to avoid severe wildfires in summer season. In Portugal, this forest management method of fuel mass availability is also used and has shown to be beneficial as annual statistical reports confirm that the decrease of wildfires occurrence have a direct relationship with the controlled fire practice. However prescribed fire can have serious side effects in some forest soil properties. This work shows the changes that occurred in some forest soils properties after a prescribed fire action. The experiments were carried out in soil cover over a natural site of Andaluzitic schist, in Gramelas, Caminha, Portugal, that had not been burn for four years. The composed soil samples were collected from five plots at three different layers (0-3cm, 3-6cm and 6-18cm) during a three-year monitoring period after the prescribed burning. Principal Component Analysis was used to reach the presented conclusions.

Liver morphology with emphasis on bile ducts changes and survival analysis in mice submitted to multiple Schistosoma mansoni infections and chemotherapy

In an attempt to be as close as possible to the infected and treated patients of the endemic areas of schistosomiasis (S. mansoni) and in order to achieve a long period of follow-up, mice were repeatedly infected with a low number of cercariae. Survival data and histological variables such as schistosomal granuloma, portal changes, hepatocellular necrosis, hepatocellular regeneration, schistosomotic pigment, periductal fibrosis and chiefly bile ducts changes were analysed in the infected treated and non treated mice. Oxamniquine chemotherapy in repeatedly infected mice prolonged survival significantly when compared to non-treated animals (chi-square 9.24, p = 0.0024), thus confirming previous results with a similar experimental model but with a shorter term follow-up. Furthermore, mortality decreased rapidly after treatment suggesting an abrupt reduction in the severity of hepatic lesions. A morphological and immunohistochemical study of the liver was carried out. Portal fibrosis, with a pattern resembling human Symmers fibrosis was present at a late phase in the infected animals. Bile duct lesions were quite close to those described in human Mansonian schistosomiasis. Schistosomal antigen was observed in one isolated altered bile duct cell. The pathogenesis of the bile duct changes and its relation to the parasite infection and/or their antigens are discussed.

Pliocene-quaternary upwelling in the SoutheasternAtlantic may reflect changes in water mass production

Proceedings of tile 1" R.C.A.N.S. Congress, Lisboa, October 1992

Coastal sedimentary environments and sea-level changes

A detailed knowledge of the 3-D arrangement and lateral facies relationships of the stacking patterns in coastal deposits is essential to approach many geological problems such as precise tracing of sea level changes, particularly during small scale fluctuations. These are useful data regarding the geodynamic evolution of basin margins and yield profit in oil exploration. Sediment supply, wave-and tidal processes, coastal morphology, and accommodation space generated by eustasy and tectonics govern the highly variable architecture of sedimentary bodies deposited in coastal settings. But these parameters change with time, and erosional surfaces may play a prominent role in areas located towards land. Besides, lateral shift of erosional or even depositional loci very often results in destruction of large parts of the sediment record. Several case studies illustrate some commonly found arrangements of facies and their distinguishing features. The final aim is to get the best results from the sedimentological analysis of coastal units.

Age-period-cohort effects in the incidence of hip fractures: political and economic events are coincident with changes in risk

Introduction: Healthcare improvements have allowed prevention but have also increased life expectancy, resulting in more people being at risk. Our aim was to analyse the separate effects of age, period and cohort on incidence rates by sex in Portugal, 2000–2008. Methods: From the National Hospital Discharge Register, we selected admissions (aged ≥49 years) with hip fractures (ICD9-CM, codes 820.x) caused by low/moderate trauma (falls from standing height or less), readmissions and bone cancer cases. We calculated person-years at risk using population data from Statistics Portugal. To identify period and cohort effects for all ages, we used an age–period–cohort model (1-year intervals) followed by generalised additive models with a negative binomial distribution of the observed incidence rates of hip fractures. Results: There were 77,083 hospital admissions (77.4 % women). Incidence rates increased exponentially with age for both sexes (age effect). Incidence rates fell after 2004 for women and were random for men (period effect). There was a general cohort effect similar in both sexes; risk of hip fracture altered from an increasing trend for those born before 1930 to a decreasing trend following that year. Risk alterations (not statistically significant) coincident with major political and economic change in the history of Portugal were observed around birth cohorts 1920 (stable–increasing), 1940 (decreasing–increasing) and 1950 (increasing–decreasing only among women). Conclusions: Hip fracture risk was higher for those born during major economically/politically unstable periods. Although bone quality reflects lifetime exposure, conditions at birth may determine future risk for hip fractures.

Changes in pentobarbital induced sleeping-time in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni and immunosuppressed

To evaluate whether the intensity of the hepatic granulomatous response induced by S. mansoni eggs plays a role in drug metabolism, mice were infected with 40 cercariae and tested to assess the sodic pentobarbital induced sleeping-time. To decrease the inflammatory reaction the animals were irradiated with 400 Rad or received azathioprine, 20mg/kg, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks, respectively in or beginning in the 33th post-infection day. In infected animals receiving azathioprine the area of the hepatic granulomas was smaller and the sleeping-time was similar to that of non-infected ones (controls). In mice infected and irradiated the granuloma dimensions were similar to those of animals only infected, in these two latter groups of animals, the sleeping-time was more prolonged than that of the control animals. These results show that: 1) mice with unaltered hepatic granulomatous reaction show reduction in metabolism of sodic pentobarbital; 2) granulomatous response diminished by azathioprine does not interfere with the capacity of metabolism of the anesthetic drug.

Are societal changes new? Questions or trends and future perceptions on knowledge-based economy

With the emergence of a global division of labour, the internationalisation of markets and cultures, the growing power of supranational organisations and the spread of new information technologies to every field of life, it starts to appear a different kind of society, different from the industrial society, and called by many as ‘the knowledge-based economy’, emphasizing the importance of information and knowledge in many areas of work and organisation of societies. Despite the common trends of evolution, these transformations do not necessarily produce a convergence of national and regional social and economic structures, but a diversity of realities emerging from the relations between economic and political context on one hand and the companies and their strategies on the other. In this sense, which future can we expect to the knowledge economy? How can we measure it and why is it important? This paper will present some results from the European project WORKS – Work organisation and restructuring in the knowledge society (6th Framework Programme), focusing the future visions and possible future trends in different countries, sectors and industries, given empirical evidences of the case studies applied in several European countries, underling the importance of foresight exercises to design policies, prevent uncontrolled risks and anticipate alternatives, leading to different ‘knowledge economies’ and not to the ‘knowled

Immunohistochemical changes in kidney glomerular and tubular proteins caused by rattlesnake (Crotalus vegrandis) venom

Renal damage is an important cause of death in patients who have survived the early effects of severe crotalid envenomation. Extracellular matrix of renal tissue is altered by Crotalus toxin activities. The aim of this study was to describe how cytoskeletal proteins and basal membrane components undergo substantial alterations under the action of Crotalus vegrandis crude venom and its hemorrhagic fraction (Uracoina-1) in mice. To detect the proteins in question, the immunoperoxidase method with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies was used. Cell types within renal lesions were characterized by phenotypic identification, by means of immunohistologic analysis of marker proteins using different primary antibodies against mesangial cells, endothelial cells, cytoskeletal proteins (intermediate filament), extracellular matrix and basal membranes. Samples for morphological study by standard procedures (biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase technique) using light microscopy were processed. Positive and negative controls for each antigen tested in the staining assay were included. After crude venom and hemorrhagic fraction inoculation of mice, the disappearance of cytoskeletal vimentin and desmin and collagen proteins in the kidney was observed. In extracellular matrix and basal membranes, collagen type IV from envenomed animals tends to disappear from 24 h to 120 h after venom injection.

Some ultrastructural superficial changes in house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) and blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae induced by eucalyptol oil

The ultrastructural superficial changes in third instar house fly (Musca domestica) and blow fly (Chrysomya megacephala) induced by eucalyptol oil were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Dipped in 0.902 g/ml eucalyptol for 30 sec, the larvae integument of both species showed significant aberrant appearance of the body surface, particularly swelling integument, bleb formation, partial breach and deformation of spines.

Serial Changes in Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Associated with Culprit Vessel in ST - Elevation Myocardial Infarction - a Promising Marker?

The aim of the present study was to investigate variations in oxidized LDL (oxLDL) at the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and over the recovery period, exploring their relationship with coronary disease severity. A follow-up of 50 AMI patients was evaluated against 25 healthy volunteers (reference group). The AMI patients were evaluated at three time points: at admission before the administration of IIb/IIIa inhibitors and angioplasty, and two and 40 days after intervention. Plasma oxLDL concentrations were measured by ELISA. oxLDL was found to be significantly higher in AMI patients in the acute phase relative to reference levels, decreasing progressively over the recovery period. The results also demonstrated that oxLDL levels were decreased in patients with the left circumflex artery (LCX) as culprit vessel compared to the left anterior descending coronary (LAD) or right coronary artery (RCA). The results highlight a significant increase in oxLDL concentration related to coronary artery disease severity, as conditions such as LCX lesions are usually associated with a favorable prognosis, contrasting with LAD-associated conditions that can compromise large areas of myocardium. The results thus suggest that oxLDL may constitute a promising marker in assessment of AMI evolution.

Morphometric changes of Triatoma flavida Neiva, 1911 (Hemiptera:Triatominae) in the transition from sylvatic to laboratory conditions

The one-generational metric changes occurring in Triatoma flavida (Hemiptera: Triatominae) when carried from its wild habitat (caves) to laboratory, were examined using traditional morphometric techniques. As for other species of Triatoma, Rhodnius or Panstrongylus studied in similar conditions, a significant reduction of head, thorax and wing size was observed. Sexual dimorphism of the wings, while present in the wild sample, was not detected anymore in the laboratory individuals. Biological significance and epidemiological importance are discussed.