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The association of food safety knowledge and climate with gender, education level, length of employment, food safety training, and professional role was measured using a 15-item food safety climate survey and a 20-item food safety questionnaire on a sample of 263 employees from 19 small and medium-sized university canteens in Croatia, Hungary, and Portugal. The relationship between knowledge and climate and the demographic determinants of both variables were examined. Food safety knowledge was inadequate (45.5% of correct responses), while perceptions of food safety, as measured by the food safety climate survey, were positive (2.69 out of a maximum of 3.00). The perception of resources in canteens was the least favorable across all countries. Leaders did not exhibit better food safety knowledge or perceptions. Food safety climate and knowledge were significantly positively correlated and influenced by training. Perceptions of food safety compared to employee knowledge levels indicated that some employees were overly optimistic about food safety risks. Therefore, food safety knowledge and food safety climate should be assessed in parallel, and both could be improved through ongoing training of employees, especially leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Using data from electronic health registries, this study intended to estimate the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in the population aged 65 years and more, against symptomatic infection, COVID-19-related hospitalizations, and deaths, overall and by time since complete vaccination for the period February to September 2021 Methods: We established a cohort of individuals aged 65 and more years old, resident in Portugal mainland, using the National Health Service User number to link eight electronic health registries. Outcomes included were symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, COVID-19-related hospitalizations or deaths. The exposures of interest were the mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty or Spikevax) and the viral vector (Vaxzevria) vaccine. Complete schedule VE was estimated as one minus the confounder adjusted hazard ratio, for each outcome, estimated by time-dependent Cox regression with time-dependent vaccine exposure. Results: For the cohort of individuals aged 65–79 years, complete scheme VE against symptomatic infection varied 43 (95%CI: 37–49) (Vaxzevria) and 65 (95%CI: 62–68) (mRNA vaccines). This estimate was slightly lower in the ≥80 years cohort (53, 95%CI: 45–60) for mRNA vaccines). VE against COVID-19 hospitalization varied between 89% (95%CI: 52–94) for Vaxzevria and 95% (95%CI: 93–97) for mRNA vaccines for the cohort aged 65–79 years and was 76% (95%CI: 67–83) for mRNA vaccines in the ≥80 years cohort. High VE against COVID-19-related deaths was estimated, for both vaccine types, 95% and 81 (95%CI:76–86) for the 65–79 years and the ≥80 years cohort, respectively. We observed a significant waning of VE against symptomatic infection, with VE estimates reaching approximately 34% for both vaccine types and cohorts. Significant waning was observed for the COVID-19 hospitalizations in the ≥80 years cohort (decay from 83% (95%CI:68 to 91) 14–41 days to 63% (95%CI:37 to 78) 124 days after mRNA second dose). No significant waning effect was observed for COVID-19-related deaths in the period of follow-up of either cohort. Conclusions: In a population with a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 complications, we observed higher overall VE estimates against more severe outcomes for both age cohorts when compared to symptomatic infections. Considering the analysis of VE according to time since complete vaccination, the results showed a waning effect for both age cohorts in symptomatic infection and COVID-19 hospitalization for the 80 and more years cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic diseases. Therefore, this paper aims to study the perceptions of a sample of university people regarding a healthy diet.Design/methodology/approach It was undertaken a descriptive cross-sectional study on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 participants. The data were collected among a sample of Portuguese university people and measured whether people’s perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet.Findings The results revealed that the participants’ perceptions were, in general, compliant with a healthy diet (scores between 0.5 and 1.5, on a scale from −2 to +2). However, significant differences were found between age groups (p = 0.004), with a higher average score for young adults, and also between groups with different levels of education (p = 0.025), with a higher score for university degree. The variable chronic diseases also showed significant differences (p = 0.017), so that people who did not have any chronic diseases obtained a higher score.Originality/value This study is considered important because it provides evidences about the relation between nutrition knowledge and the perceptions towards a healthy diet. The study allowed concluding that the participants were aware about some nutritional aspects of their diets and, therefore, their perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet. This finding is very relevant because it could be a support for health policy initiatives directed at promoting healthy eating behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Relatively little is known in the Mediterranean environment about changes in streamflow during urban development in partially urbanized peri-urban catchments. This paper explores the modification of streamflow regime as a consequence of the construction of an enterprise park, a major road, and expansion of residential areas, leading to urban areas increase from 32 to 40 % in a small catchment (6.2 km), located in the periphery of one of the main cities in central mainland Portugal. Materials and methods: The study was carried out over five hydrological years (October 2008-September 2009 to October 2012-September 2013), including two initial years of pre- and three following years of post-additional urban development. Streamflow was recorded by a V-notch weir at the catchment outlet at 5-min intervals. Rainfall was recorded at a weather station 0.5 km north of the catchment and by five tipping-bucket raingauges installed in January 2011 within the study catchment. Streamflow was converted into runoff and split into baseflow and stormflow components by applying a mathematical low-pass digital filter. Streamflow differences were investigated through changes in (i) annual runoff coefficients, (ii) annual baseflow index, (iii) seasonal baseflow index and stormflow coefficient, and (iv) storm event analysis. Results and discussion: Annual runoff coefficient ranged from 14 to 21 % and storm runoff coefficient from 9 to 14 %, both between the driest 2011/12 and wettest 2012/13. Although these differences were influenced by inter-annual weather variability, a comparison between years with similar rainfall before and after additional urban development showed a 43 % increase in storm runoff. Impacts on streamflow were also noticed through changes on hydrograph: (i) regression lines of storm runoff against rainstorm parameters exhibited higher vertical positions in 2012/13 than 2008/09, (ii) gradual increase in peak flow but with a clear distance between pre- and post- additional urbanization, (iii) quicker response time from 60-75 min to 40-45 min between both periods, and (iv) decrease in recession time from 21-29 h to 7-9 h for the same periods. Conclusions: The dispersed urban pattern and permeable soils provide many overland flow sinks, favouring relatively low storm runoff of the catchment. Nevertheless, the enlargement of impervious surfaces (from 12.8 to 17.0 %) and particularly the storm drainage system installed in new urban areas led to great changes on rainfall-runoff event responses. Urban planning should consider the landscape mosaic of peri-urban areas in order to maximize water infiltration and minimize the impacts on streamflow regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Expansion joints are current equipment applied to almost every type of bridge with relatively high maintenance costs. Furthermore, their service life is generally short (often below 10 years) and lower than the bridge expected service life (over 50 years). In this paper, the results of an inspection campaign of 150 expansion joints in road bridges, the first comprehensive survey of the kind, are presented. They allow knowing and characterizing more properly the expansion joints installed in Portuguese roads and highways, namely in terms of their typology, pathology and rehabilitation. It was concluded that: (a) some types of joints have been systematically replaced (open joints, nosing joints with poured sealant, buried joints under continuous surfacing, steel sliding plates); (b) made-to-order joints are no longer prescribed; (c) the transition strip and the anchorage cavities need more maintenance and more frequent rehabilitation than other parts; (d) installment errors and lack of maintenance are the most frequent causes of pathology; (e) direct or indirect visual observation is still the best diagnosis method; and (f) the importance of the defects found depends a lot on the type of joint and of the defect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Data limitations are often pointed out as holding back our understanding of the hydrologic response, which is partly attributed to measurement issues. This problematic affects many areas of application in hydrology and constitute a major motivation to exploring innovative observational approaches that could eventually overcome the limitations that are inherent to conventional measuring techniques: for example, used for tracing water at the basin, hillslope and even field or plot scales. At present, different studies are being conducted hoping to demonstrate the potential for thermal infrared imagery to indirectly make a quantitative estimation of several hydrologic processes (e.g. map infiltration, macropores, estimate flow velocities, define sampling strategies, identify water sources, accumulation of waters or even connectivity or monitor vegetation evapotranspiration). In particular, we will address the work in progress in project HIRT - Modeling surface hydrologic processes based on infrared thermography at local and field scales, regarding the development of infrared thermography based tools for the analysis of water distribution efficiency in irrigated agricultural fields, aiming at optimizing the use of water in agricultural systems. These tools use non-invasive and non-destructive technology.This work focuses on the monitoring of an irrigated maize field in the Lower Mondego valley, in Central Portugal, by using infrared thermographic techniques applied at different spatial scales. By correlating the data obtained by detailed field work involving many relevant variables and local IR thermography measurements at the local and field scale (for assessing the canopy, leaf and soil, using handheld cameras and UAS) and satellite images, we aim at better understanding bridging between the different scales of observation that could assist in water management sustainability issues and goals. For these purposes, temperature and crop water stress indices are calculated from data at different scales, which can be used to evaluate the water distribution uniformity, as well as to reduce water losses by means of adequate water management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies investigating the exposure to metal(loid)s of populations living in the Panasqueira mine area of central Portugal found a higher internal dose of elements such as arsenic, chromium, lead, manganese, molybdenum and zinc in exposed individuals. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the extent of genotoxic damage caused by environmental and occupational exposure in individuals previously tested for metal(loid) levels in different biological matrices, and the possible modulating role of genetic polymorphisms involved in metabolism and DNA repair. T-cell receptor mutation assay, comet assay, micronucleus (MN) test and chromosomal aberrations (CA) were performed in a group of 122 subjects working in the Panasqueira mine or living in the same region. The modifying effect of polymorphisms in GSTA2, GSTM1, GSTP1, GSTT1, XRCC1, APEX1, MPG, MUTYH, OGG1, PARP1, PARP4, ERCC1, ERCC4, and ERCC5 genes was investigated. Significant increases in the frequency of all biomarkers investigated were found in exposed groups, however those environmentally exposed were generally higher. Significant influences of polymorphisms were observed for GSTM1 deletion and OGG1 rs1052133 on CA frequencies, APEX1 rs1130409 on DNA damage, ERCC1 rs3212986 on DNA damage and CA frequency, and ERCC4 rs1800067 on MN and CA frequencies. Our results show that the metal(loid) contamination in the Panasqueira mine area induced genotoxic damage both in individuals working in the mine or living in the area. The observed effects are closely associated to the internal exposure dose, and are more evident in susceptible genotypes. The urgent intervention of authorities is required to protect exposed populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Changes in the climatology of precipitation and surface air temperature are being investigated worldwide, searching for changes in variability, the mean and extreme events (maximum and minimum). By exploring recent adjustments in the climate of mainland Portugal, particularly in the intensity, frequency and duration of extreme events, this study investigates trends in selected specific indices that are calculated from daily precipitation data from 57 and surface air temperature data from 23 measuring stations scattered across the territory. Special attention is paid to regional differences and variations in seasonality. The data cover the periods 1941–2007 for precipitation, and 1941–2006 for temperature. They are explored at the annual and seasonal scales and for different sub-periods. Results show that trends in annual precipitation indices are generally weak and, overall, not statistically significant at the 5% level. Nevertheless, a decreasing trend is revealed by regional indices of total wet-day precipitation and extreme precipitation (above the 99th percentile). Seasonal precipitation exhibits significant decreasing trends in spring precipitation, while extreme heavy precipitation events, in terms of both magnitude and frequency, have become more pronounced in autumn. Results for winter and summer suggest that the extremes have not suffered any significant aggravation. Trends for air temperature are statistically more significant and marked than for precipitation and indicate general warming across the territory. This warming trend is revealed very consistently by the time series of individual stations and regional mean temperature, and is also consistent with the findings reported in other studies for Portugal and at the European scale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The age, growth and reproductive biology of bluemouth, Helicolenus dactylopterus were studied in order to assess the use of these life history parameters as possible population discriminators in Portuguese waters. Fish were obtained from commercial landings in mainland Portugal (Peniche), Azores, and Madeira and supplementary samples were obtained from research surveys in the Portuguese continental slope. Significant differences in mean total-length and mean length-at-age were found between the three areas. The reproductive biology was analysed using the annual sexual cycle, three bionergetic indexes and the maturity ogives. Individuals presented a similar reproductive strategy in Portuguese waters with asynchrony of sexual cycles, similar female spawning season in the three areas and a sperm retention period in the ovaries of 1 to 6–7 months. The bionergetic indexes showed significant differences through the maturative stages and among areas. No significant differences were obtained when comparing the length at first maturity between mainland Portugal and Azores for both sexes. The results of this study will provide a comprehensive understanding of this species life history and presented useful evidence that can support the presence of different populations in the Portuguese waters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the predominance of the consumption of fruit, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and pulses; consumption of olive oil as the main source of fat; regular but moderate consumption of win; moderate consumption of fish, dairy products, eggs, and white meats; and low consumption of red meat as well as sugar and sugary products. In addition to the reported health benefits, the Mediterranean diet has also been widely recognized as a sustainable food pattern. The objective of this study was to understand the relationship between the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet of employees of the University of Porto and the relationship with the carbon footprint of their food consumption., Methods: An observational, analytical study was carried out, through the analysis of food consumption data collected in the form of a survey in the previous 24 h inserted in the eAT24 software, as well as the analysis of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health data collected in the questionnaire. The carbon footprint was calculated from the previous 24 h surveys using data available on a website, obtained in carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of food. Sociodemographic, eating habit, and lifestyle questions were selected to understand the relationship between these and adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the carbon footprint of food consumption., Results: In total, 13.2% of the participants had a Mediterranean diet score equal to or greater than six, and the sample had an average food intake carbon footprint of 8146 ± 3081 CO 2 eq/Kg of food. A weak, statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.142, p = 0.006) was observed between Mediterranean diet adherence and the carbon footprint of food intake., Conclusions: Most of the participants had a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as well as a high carbon footprint of food intake when compared to other countries. People with higher scores for Mediterranean diet adherence have, on average, a higher carbon footprint from food consumption intake.

Strengthening strategies to improve adherence to the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in key populations constitutes a global health priority to be achieved across countries, especially in countries that share a high flow of people such as Brazil and Portugal. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with adherence to PrEP among MSM from two Portuguese-speaking countries, highlighting the opportunities and preventive strategies for the global health scenario. This was a cross-sectional analytical online survey conducted from January 2020 to May 2021 with MSM in Brazil and Portugal. For analysis of the data, the Poisson regression model was used to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) for developing a model to evaluate the associated factors in both countries in a comparative and isolated way. Adherence to PrEP use corresponded to 19.5% ( n = 1682) of the overall sample: 18.3% ( n = 970) for Brazil and 21.5% ( n = 712) for Portugal. Having more than two sex partners in the last 30 days (aPR: 30.87) and routinely undergoing HIV tests (aPR: 26.21) increased the use of this medication. Being an immigrant (PR: 1.36) and knowing the partner's serological status (PR: 1.28) increased adherence to PrEP in Portugal, whereas, in Brazil, it was being an immigrant (PR: 0.83) and not knowing the serological status (PR: 2.24) that promoted the use of this medication. Our findings reinforce the need to invest in programs and strategies to improve access and adherence to PrEP, especially in key populations.

Food labels are the first information tool used by consumers in the purchase and consumption of food products. Food labeling is a tool that can influence the consumers' perception of quality and, in turn, their food choice. This study characterizes and demonstrates the importance of labeling and the degree of consumers' perception and literacy about food labels through the application of an online questionnaire. The results obtained, in a sample of n = 467, showed that Portuguese consumers have the habit of reading the label and recognizing its importance but do not understand all the information contained in the label. They have an easier time understanding the front-of-pack labeling systems, especially those presented through symbols/colors. Thus, it demonstrates the need for greater education and literacy in the areas of food and nutrition so that through the reading and interpretation of labels, consumers can make informed food choices.

Through deterministic data linkage of health registries, mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19-related hospitalisations and deaths was measured in 1,880,351 older adults. VE against hospitalisations was 94% (95% confidence interval (CI): 88-97) and 82% (95% CI: 72-89) for those 65-79 and ≥ 80 years old, with no evidence of waning 98 days after dose two. VE against mortality was 96% (95% CI: 92-98) and 81% (95% CI: 74-87) in these two age groups.

Background/objectives: Ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) breakfasts have been increasing in Portugal, among children. Eat Mediterranean (EM), a Portuguese comprehensive community-based intervention, proposed to improve breakfast patterns of children and adolescents and to evaluate the healthiness of RTEC according to WHO/Europe nutrient profile model (Euro-NP)., Subjects/methods: EM Program was developed during two scholar years (15/16 and 16/17) toward 2333 students (pre to secondary education). Data on breakfast was provided using a family record form. The intervention consisted of 257 educational sessions addressing the principles of Mediterranean Diet, and promoting a "healthy breakfast at home". To check for compliance with Euro-NP, RTEC package food labels' nutritional composition was used., Results: After intervention 92.9% of children/adolescents had breakfast daily with no report of breakfast skippers. RTECs were one of the most frequent (66.5%) breakfasts. Statistically significant improvements were showed for: daily qualitative and complete breakfast frequency (5.6%) and fruit (11.2%). Consumption of RTEC decreased 28%. According to Euro-NP, 84.6% of the RTECs were non-compliant, regarding sugar content. Children's RTECs presented 5% more of energy and 26% more sugar than the "non-children's" RTECs., Conclusion: EM strategy showed to be a successful program to improve patterns and quality of breakfast of the children and adolescents, reinforcing the importance of school-based nutritional programs in changing lifestyles. Nutrient profiling can be a useful tool to provide a selection of foods to be part of a healthy diet and can be used by policy-makers to design policies to identify the foods to which marketing restrictions to children, will apply.

Unlabelled: The diachronic variation of etiological factors, like longevity or diet, affected the prevalence of osteoporosis and the so-called osteoporotic fractures in the past. As such, it is important to understand the epidemiology of this disease in historical populations; with behaviors and customs that were unalike the modern westernized lifestyle., Objectives: The main objective of this study is to characterize the epidemiological patterns of osteoporosis and related fractures in an identified Portuguese skeletal sample from the mid 19th - early 20th centuries., Materials and Methods: The sample studied comprised 196 skeletal individuals with known sex and age-at-death, housed at the University of Coimbra. Bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated in the proximal femur through dual X-ray absorptiometry and osteoporotic fractures were recorded according to clinical and paleopathological protocols., Results: BMD decreased significantly with age-at-death, both at the ROI «Total hip» and the ROI «Neck». At the «Total hip», peak bone mass (PBM) was achieved early (20-29 years age group) in both sexes. In the study-group as a whole, BMD was significantly higher in males when compared to females. As expected, the prevalence of osteoporosis in the proximal femur is higher in women and rises steeply with age. Comparisons with two modern Portuguese samples showed an equivalent pattern of BMD reduction. Nonetheless, BMD is usually lower in the skeletal sample. Women with osteoporosis had a much larger probability of showing a fragility fracture than women diagnosed with «normal» BMD or osteopenia., Conclusions: In spite of enormous lifestyle differences, the epidemiological pattern of bone mass decrease in a Portuguese skeletal sample is strikingly similar to the ones observed in modern populations. This study adds further data to the recent notion that osteoporosis is a disease with deep roots in the past.