Porto: cidade amiga da pessoa idosa, um estudo centrado na vis��o de prestadores de servi��os a pessoas idosas

Este estudo tem por base um projecto desenvolvido pela Organiza����o Mundial de Sa��de, denominado Cidade Amiga das Pessoas Idosas. Este surgiu da necessidade em proporcionar ferramentas que promovam uma orienta����o de esfor��os e pol��ticas no sentido de criar condi����es que promovam um envelhecimento activo, atrav��s da promo����o da sa��de, seguran��a e participa����o em actividades significativas, adaptando para isso servi��os e estruturas de modo a que sejam acess��veis e inclusos, adequados ��s diversas capacidades e necessidades das pessoas idosas. �� um estudo de natureza qualitativa e de car��cter explorat��rio, que pretende verificar se a cidade do Porto possui caracter��sticas amigas das pessoas idosas na perspectiva de prestadores de servi��os a pessoas idosas residentes nas Freguesias de Aldoar, Foz do Douro, Massarelos, Nevogilde, Lordelo do Ouro e Ramalde. Para tal foram realizados 3 focus groups com 21 participantes no total, resultantes de uma amostragem por conveni��ncia. De entre oito categorias definidas a priori, os espa��os exteriores e edif��cios, respeito e inclus��o social, transportes e apoio da comunidade e servi��os de sa��de, foram as que tiveram um maior enfoque de caracter��sticas negativas, sobressaindo as dificuldades financeiras como uma barreira �� participa����o, o aumento de casos de solid��o e o insuficiente apoio domicili��rio. J�� a participa����o social destacou-se pelas v��rias caracter��sticas amigas mencionadas, salientando-se a grande oferta de actividades e adequa����o das mesmas ��s caracter��sticas e motiva����es das pessoas idosas.

Porto: cidade amiga das pessoas idosas: um estudo centrado na vis��o de prestadores de servi��os a pessoas idosas das freguesias de Cedofeita, Paranhos, St. Ildefonso, Bonfim e Campanh��

O envelhecimento da popula����o �� um fen��meno das sociedades contempor��neas simult��neo �� crescente modifica����o do meio urbano. De modo a responder a estas altera����es a Organiza����o Mundial de Sa��de (OMS) lan��ou o projeto Cidade Amiga das Pessoas Idosas que preconiza a adapta����o das estruturas e servi��os para que estes sejam acess��veis e promovam a inclus��o dos cidad��os idosos. A presente investiga����o, de natureza qualitativa e explorat��ria, tem como objetivo verificar se a cidade do Porto possui caracter��sticas de uma cidade amiga das pessoas idosas atrav��s da vis��o de prestadores de servi��os a pessoas idosas das freguesias de Paranhos, Cedofeita, St. Ildefonso, Bonfim e Campanh��. Pretende, assim, ser um contributo para o desenvolvimento do projeto Cidade Amiga das Pessoas Idosas na cidade portuense. Para tal, realizam-se 3 focus groups com prestadores de servi��os selecionados a partir de uma amostragem por conveni��ncia, onde se utiliza um gui��o de entrevista semi-estruturado com as seguintes categorias: espa��os exteriores e edif��cios, transportes, habita����o, participa����o social, respeito e inclus��o social, participa����o c��vica e emprego, comunica����o e informa����o e apoio comunit��rio e servi��os de sa��de. �� poss��vel verificar que os participantes partilham, de forma geral, uma imagem positiva da cidade do Porto, contudo, t��m tend��ncia a iniciar o discurso pelas caracter��sticas negativas da cidade. Colaboram tamb��m com sugest��es de melhoria para a cidade. Pela perspetiva dos participantes �� poss��vel verificar que aspetos relacionados com espa��os exteriores e edif��cios, respeito e inclus��o social e apoio comunit��rio e servi��os de sa��de se destacam pela negativa, enquanto aspetos intimos �� participa����o social das pessoas idosas bem como, �� comunica����o e informa����o na cidade do Porto s��o na generalidade elogiados. Desta forma, indicam como positivo o aparecimento de novas iniciativas como as Universidades Seniores ou o projeto ���Afetos��� desenvolvido pela Miseric��rdia; as ofertas dirigidas �� popula����o s��nior desenvolvidas pelas Juntas de Freguesia e a presen��a de jornais de distribui����o gratuita, em espa��os p��blicos. Por oposi����o, identificam como pouco amigo das pessoas idosas os passeios pouco largos, com obst��culos e pouco cuidados; a falta de casas de banho p��blicas; o desinvestimento em atividades intergeracionais e a car��ncia de lares p��blicos na cidade.

Performance of microstrip antennas in the presence of EBG in an indoor localization system

Indoor localization systems in nowadays is a huge area of interest not only at academic but also at industry and commercial level. The correct location in these systems is strongly influenced by antennas performance which can provide several gains, bandwidths, polarizations and radiation patterns, due to large variety of antennas types and formats. This paper presents the design, manufacture and measurement of a compact microstrip antenna, for a 2.4 GHZ frequency band, enhanced with the use of Electromagnetic Band-Gap (EBG) structures, which improve the electromagnetic behavior of the conventional antennas. The microstrip antenna with an EBG structure integrated allows an improvement of the location system performance in about 25% to 30% relatively to a conventional microstrip antenna.

Infant mortality and low birth weight in cities of Northeastern and Southeastern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To compare estimates of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth, small for gestational age (SGA), and infant mortality in two birth cohorts in Brazil. METHODS: The two cohorts were performed during the 1990s, in S��o Lu��s, located in a less developed area in Northeastern Brazil, and Ribeir��o Preto, situated in a more developed region in Southeastern Brazil. Data from one-third of all live births in Ribeir��o Preto in 1994 were collected (2,839 single deliveries). In S��o Lu��s, systematic sampling of deliveries stratified by maternity hospital was performed from 1997 to 1998 (2,439 single deliveries). The chi-squared (for categories and trends) and Student t tests were used in the statistical analyses. RESULTS: The LBW rate was lower in S��o Lu��s, thus presenting an epidemiological paradox. The preterm birth rates were similar, although expected to be higher in Ribeir��o Preto because of the direct relationship between preterm birth and LBW. Dissociation between LBW and infant mortality was observed, since S��o Lu��s showed a lower LBW rate and higher infant mortality, while the opposite occurred in Ribeir��o Preto. CONCLUSIONS: Higher prevalence of maternal smoking and better access to and quality of perinatal care, thereby leading to earlier medical interventions (cesarean section and induced preterm births) that resulted in more low weight live births than stillbirths in Ribeir��o Preto, may explain these paradoxes. The ecological dissociation observed between LBW and infant mortality indicates that the LBW rate should no longer be systematically considered as an indicator of social development.

Membrane selectivity versus sensor response in hydrogenated amorphous silicon CHEMFETs using a semi-empirical model

Toxic amides, such as acrylamide, are potentially harmful to Human health, so there is great interest in the fabrication of compact and economical devices to measure their concentration in food products and effluents. The CHEmically Modified Field Effect Transistor (CHEMFET) based onamorphous silicon technology is a candidate for this type of application due to its low fabrication cost. In this article we have used a semi-empirical modelof the device to predict its performance in a solution of interfering ions. The actual semiconductor unit of the sensor was fabricated by the PECVD technique in the top gate configuration. The CHEMFET simulation was performed based on the experimental current voltage curves of the semiconductor unit and on an empirical model of the polymeric membrane. Results presented here are useful for selection and design of CHEMFET membranes and provide an idea of the limitations of the amorphous CHEMFET device. In addition to the economical advantage, the small size of this prototype means it is appropriate for in situ operation and integration in a sensor array.

Unified min-max and interlacing theorems for linear operators

There exist striking analogies in the behaviour of eigenvalues of Hermitian compact operators, singular values of compact operators and invariant factors of homomorphisms of modules over principal ideal domains, namely diagonalization theorems, interlacing inequalities and Courant-Fischer type formulae. Carlson and Sa [D. Carlson and E.M. Sa, Generalized minimax and interlacing inequalities, Linear Multilinear Algebra 15 (1984) pp. 77-103.] introduced an abstract structure, the s-space, where they proved unified versions of these theorems in the finite-dimensional case. We show that this unification can be done using modular lattices with Goldie dimension, which have a natural structure of s-space in the finite-dimensional case, and extend the unification to the countable-dimensional case.

Constru����o e desenvolvimento da identidade profissional do educador de inf��ncia - percursos no masculino : um estudo de tr��s casos

Disserta����o de Mestrado em Supervis��o em Educa����o, enquadrada na linha de investiga����o sobre Desenvolvimento Profissional dos Professores, apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa

Inser����o profissional: que caminho(s)?

Disserta����o apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa para obten����o de grau de mestre em Ci��ncias da Educa����o - Especialidade em Supervis��o em Educa����o

Da forma����o inicial �� inser����o na profiss��o

Disserta����o apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa Para a obten����o do Grau de Mestre em Ci��ncias da Educa����o - Especialidade Supervis��o em Educa����o

O conte��do org��nico do sedimento influencia na distribui����o intraespec��fica de caranguejos-chama-mar��

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

O trabalho de projeto no desenvolvimento da cidadania

Disserta����o apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa para obten����o de grau de mestre em Educa����o Matem��tica na Educa����o Pr��-Escolar e nos 1�� e 2�� Ciclos do Ensino B��sico

Riders in the storm: the professions and healthcare governance

The public sector is facing turbulent times and this also challenges the health professions who are expected to serve both the interests of the citizens and the cost-containment and austerity policies of governments. This article seeks to explore the changing role of the health professions. I introduce an approach on ���citizen professionals��� as active players in the policy process and mediators between the state/policymakers and the citizens/patients. The aim is to highlight a transformative potential of professionalism and the connectedness with other sets of governance, like management. Empirical material from a German case study and a comparative European study serve to illustrate the arguments, drawing on policy analysis and secondary sources. The results bring the complexity of transformations and new emergent forms of professionalism into view that cannot be understood in traditional categories of conflict, exclusion and jurisdiction. Exploring the potential of the health professions to creatively respond to new challenges may reveal new opportunities for innovating healthcare policy beyond market and management.

Dosimetria numa popula����o de profissionais expostos a radia����es ionizantes

Mestrado em Radia����es Aplicadas ��s Tecnologias da Sa��de - ��rea de especializa����o: Prote����o Contra as Radia����es.

On the development of textual competence in primary education

The aim of this article is to present the results of an action research project, which has been put into practice in Primary Education. This project was intended to develop students��� textual competence, considering both comprehension and textual production. Our starting hypothesis was that teaching the schematisation of text types, focusing on linguistic devices that underlie text production, would promote the development of textual competence, leading to the production of more coherent and cohesive texts. In order to test this hypothesis we implemented the project in three phases. First, before the intervention, we collected texts produced by the students. Secondly, we implemented a didactic program designed to develop students��� textual competence. Lastly, after the intervention, we collected students��� texts once again. Data was analyzed according to categories that confer cohesion and coherence to different types of texts. Narrative, descriptive, and explanatory texts were assessed in terms of 1) building an autonomous text; 2) hierarchisation of information, and 3) textual organisation. Overall, results indicate that students developed their text conceptualisations, their understanding of the different structures of texts, and produced better writing. Indeed, their written work shows a marked progression from the beginning of the intervention program to the end of the program.

Obesity and gestational weight gain: cesarean delivery and labor complications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between pre-gestational obesity and weight gain with cesarean delivery and labor complications. METHODS: A total of 4,486 women 20-28 weeks pregnant attending general prenatal care clinics of the national health system in Brazil from 1991 to 1995 were enrolled and followed up through birth. Body mass index categories based on prepregnancy weight and total weight gain were calculated. Associations between body mass index categories and labor complications were adjusted through logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Obesity was present in 308 (6.9%) patients. Cesarean delivery was performed in 164 (53.2%) obese, 407 (43.1%) pre-obese, 1,045 (35.1%) normal weight and 64 (24.5%) underweight women. The relative risk for cesarean delivery in obese women was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.5-2.0) compared to normal weight women. Greater weight gain was particularly associated with cesarean among the obese (RR 4th vs 2nd weight gain quartile 2.2; 95% CI: 1.4-3.2). Increased weight at the beginning of pregnancy was associated with a significantly higher adjusted risk of meconium with vaginal delivery and perinatal death and infection in women submitted to cesarean section. Similarly, greater weight gain during pregnancy increased the risk for meconium and hemorrhage in women submitted to vaginal delivery and for prematurity with cesarean. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-gestational obesity and greater weight gain independently increase the risk of cesarean delivery, as well as of several adverse outcomes with vaginal delivery. These findings provide further evidence of the negative effects of prepregnancy obesity and greater gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcomes.