The use of canonical correlation analysis to assess the relationship between executive functioning and verbal memory in older adults

Executive functioning (EF), which is considered to govern complex cognition, and verbal memory (VM) are constructs assumed to be related. However, it is not known the magnitude of the association between EF and VM, and how sociodemographic and psychological factors may affect this relationship, including in normal aging. In this study, we assessed different EF and VM parameters, via a battery of neurocognitive/psychological tests, and performed a Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) to explore the connection between these constructs, in a sample of middle- aged and older healthy individuals without cognitive impairment (N = 563, 50+ years of age). The analysis revealed a positive and moderate association between EF and VM independently of gender, age, education, global cognitive performance level, and mood. These results confirm that EF presents a significant association with VM performance.

Current approaches and future perspectives on strategies for the development of personalized tissue engineering therapies

Personalized tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) therapies propose patient-oriented effective solutions, considering individual needs. Cell-based therapies, for example, may benefit from cell sources that enable easier autologous set-ups or from recent developments on IPS cells technologies towards effective personalized therapeutics. Furthermore, the customization of scaffold materials to perfectly fit a patientâ s tissue defect through rapid prototyping technologies, also known as 3D printing, is now a reality. Nevertheless, the timing to expand cells or to obtain functional in vitrotissue substitutes prior to implantation prevents advancements towards routine use upon patient´s needs. Thus, personalized therapies also anticipate the importance of creating off-the-shelf solutions to enable immediately available tissue engineered products. This paper reviews the main recent developments and future challenges to enable personalized TERM approaches and to bring these technologies closer to clinical applications.

Infância, escola e diversidade cultural: vozes plurais na caraterização de uma realidade plural

Dissertação de mestrado em Sociologia da Infância

A inclusão de alunos com NEE: um estudo quantitativo sobre recursos pessoais e institucionais e atitude de professores de educação física

Dissertação de mestrado em Educação Especial (área de especialização em Dificuldades de Aprendizagem Específicas)

Formação de professores: uma prática pedagógica frente aos desafios das necessidades educativas especiais: um estudo de caso numa IES Particular em Manaus-Am

Dissertação de mestrado em Educação Especial (área de especialização em Dificuldades de Aprendizagem Específicas)

Development of a poly(L-Lactic acid) based drug release system

Dissertação de mestrado em Biofísica e Bionanossistemas

The electoral dynamics of human development

This paper analyses the impact of elections on the dynamics of human development in a panel of 82 countries over the period 1980-2013. The incidence of partisan and political support effects is also taken into account. A GMM estimator is employed in the empirical analysis and the results point out to the presence of an electoral cycle in the growth rate of human development. Majority governments also influence it, but no clear evidence is found regarding partisan effects. The electoral cycles have proved to be stronger in non-OECD countries, in countries with less frequent elections, with lower levels of income and human development, in presidential and non-plurality systems and in proportional representation regimes. They have also become more intense in this millennium.

Antibacterial Ag/a-C nanocomposite coatings: The influence of nano-galvanic a-C and Ag couples on Ag ionization rates

Biofilm formation has been pointed as a major concern in different industrial applications, namely on biomedical implants and surgical instruments, which has prompted the development of new strategies for production of efficient antimicrobial surfaces. In this work, nano âgalvanic couples were created to enhance the antibacterial properties of silver, by embedding it into amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix. The developed Ag/a-C nanocomposite coatings, deposited by magnetron sputtering, revealed an outstanding antibacterial activity against S.epidermidis, promoting a total reduction in biofilm formation with no bacteria counts in all dilution. The open circuit potential (OCP) tests in 0.9% NaCl confirmed that a-C shows a positive \OCP\ value, in contrast to Ag coating, thus enhancing the ionization of biocidal Ag+ due to the nano-galvanic couple activation. This result was confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), which revealed a higher Ag ionization rate in the nanocomposite coating in comparison with the Ag coating. The surface of Ag/a-C and Ag coatings immersed in 0.9% NaCl were monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) over a period of 24 hours, being found that the Ag ionization determined by ICP-OES was accompanied by an Ag nanoparticles coalescence and agglomeration in Ag/a-C coating.

As práticas de leitura e a sua relação com a compreensão leitora nas aulas de línguas

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ensino de Português no 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e no Ensino Secundário e de Espanhol nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário

O contributo da narrativa digital para o desenvolvimento da fala num caso de Rubinstein-Taybi: estudo de caso

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Educação (área de especialização em Tecnologia Educativa)

Development of active bio-based multilayer systems: encapsulation of cinnamaldehyde and their physicochemical characterization

[Excerpt] In this work, different multilayer structures, using a polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate film with a valerate content of 8% (PHBV8) as support, were developed aiming the development of active bio-based multilayer systems. An interlayer based on zein nanofibers with and without cinnamaldehyde were electrospun in the PHBV8 film and three multilayer systems were developed: 1) without an outer layer; 2) using a PHBV8 film as outer layer; and 3) using an alginate-based film as outer layer. Their physico-chemical properties were evaluated through: water vapour and oxygen permeabilities and colour measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal analyses. Results showed that the presence of different outer layers affected the water vapour permeability and transparency of the multilayer films. (...)

Screening for depression and anxiety disorders from pregnancy to postpartum with the EPDS and STAI

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) are widely used self-report measures that still need to be further validated for the perinatal period. The aim of this study was to examine the screening performance of the EPDS and the STAI-S in detecting depressive and anxiety disorders at pregnancy and postpartum. Women screening positive on EPDS (EPDS ≥ 9) or STAI-S (STAI-S ≥ 45) during pregnancy (n = 90), as well as matched controls (n = 58) were selected from a larger study. At 3 months postpartum, 99 of these women were reassessed. At a second stage, women were administered a clinical interview to establish a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis. Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis yielded areas under the curve higher than .80 and .70 for EPDS and STAI-S, respectively. EPDS and STAI-S optimal cut-offs were found to be lower at postpartum (EDPS = 7; STAI-S = 34) than during pregnancy (EPDS = 9; STAI-S = 40). EPDS and STAI-S are reasonably valid screening tools during pregnancy and the postpartum.

Mother’s depression at childbirth does not contribute to the effects of antenatal depression on neonate’s behavioral development

Background: Maternal depression is a worldwide phenomenon that has been linked to adverse developmental outcomes in neonates. Aims: To study the effect of antenatal depression (during the third trimester of pregnancy) on neonate behavior, preference, and habituation to both the mother and a stranger’s face/voice. To analyze mother’s depression at childbirth as a potential mediator or moderator of the relationship between antenatal depression and neonate behavioral development. Method: A sample of 110 pregnant women was divided in 2 groups according to their scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale during pregnancy (EPDS; ≥10, depressed; <10, non-depressed). In the first 5 days after birth, neonatal performance on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) and in the ‘Preference and habituation to the mother’s face/voice versus stranger’ paradigm was assessed; each mother filled out an EPDS. Results: Neonates of depressed pregnant women, achieved lower scores on the NBASs (regulation of state, range of state, and habituation); did not show a visual/auditory preference for the mother’s face/voice; required more trials to become habituated to the mother’s face/voice; and showed a higher visual/auditory preference for the stranger’s face/voice after habituation compared to neonates of non-depressed pregnant women. Depression at childbirth does not contribute to the effect of antenatal depression on neonatal behavioral development. Conclusion: Depression even before childbirth compromises the neonatal behavioral development. Depression is a relevant issue and should be addressed as a routine part of prenatal health care.

Mother-to-infant emotional involvement at birth

Objectives. To study mother-to-infant emotional involvement at birth, namely factors (socio-demographics, previous life events, type of delivery, pain at childbirth, support from partner, infant characteristics, early experiences with the newborn, and mother’s mood) that interfere with the mother’s positive, negative and not clear emotions toward the newborn. Methods. The Bonding Scale (an extended Portuguese version of the ‘New Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale’) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were administrated during the first after delivery days to 315 mothers recruited at Ju´lio Dinis Maternity Hospital (MJD, Porto, Portugal). Results. A worse emotional involvement with the newborn was observed when the mother was unemployed, unmarried, had less than grade 9, previous obstetrical/psychological problems or was depressed, as well as when the infant was female, had neonatal problems or was admitted in the intensive care unit. Lower total bonding results were significantly predicted when the mother was depressed and had a lower educational level; being depressed, unemployed and single predicted more negative emotions toward the infant as well. No significant differences in the mother-to-infant emotional involvement were obtained for events related to childbirth, such as type of delivery, pain and partner support, or early experiences with the newborn; these events do not predict mother’s bonding results either. Conclusion. The study results support the need for screening and supporting depressed, unemployed and single mothers, in order to prevent bonding difficulties with the newborn at birth.

Novel strategies to combat gram-negative bacterial pathogens using bacteriophage proteins

Dissertação de mestrado em Bioengenharia