Search

We performed an inductive study to advance theory on how a crisis can inspire individuals to be persistently creative in successive cycles. We draw from rich data of 17 volunteer projects in the Tech4Covid movement, a Portuguese organization of entrepreneurs who gathered online to develop digital solutions to help society during the COVID-19 pandemic. This empirical context is uniquely suited to study how interactions with intended beneficiaries during crises can encourage creators to initiate and continue creative work. Our results allowed us to extend the knowledge of crisis-induced creative processes in two ways. First, we noticed that throughout the creative process, creators might switch the primary focus of their work from outside beneficiaries to their own benefit. These changes can serve as a trigger to reinforce creators' motivations to continue their creative work beyond the first set of creative outputs. Second, we propose that the nature of the problem to be solved influences the continuity of creative processes: while momentary problems induced by the crisis may stimulate episodic ideas, their transitory nature may prevent creators from having time to fully develop their ideas further. Thus, it is primarily persistent problems that favor the progress of ideas in successive creative cycles.

Higher education institutions and organisations have the responsibility to work together to provide better curricula and better projects aiming the market needs. This work highlights a constructivist approach and the work-based learning perspective giving the focus on a digital competence learning program in Portugal -- the BrightStart Program. BrightStart is a Deloitte Portugal pilot program, led in collaboration with Setubal Polytechnic Institute, focused on increasing employability and professional skills of high school graduates currently enlisted in vocational training. During the program, the enrolled students combine their academic curricula with the opportunity to integrate delivery project teams (non-facing client activities). This program is highly focused on the work-based learning approach and was inspired in a similar program that exists in North Ireland with Deloitte UK and Ulster University. The work focuses on the already obtained results in this pilot program in Portugal and highlights the work-based learning approach and principles opening the future work phases and improvements.

Background: Recent studies shows lack of knowledge concerning health literacy relatively microorganism/disease and the correct use of antibiotics. These facts lead to the spreading of resistant strains bacteria. Aims: The overarching goals of this study were a) to promote health literacy predominantly in respect to microorganism/disease, diseases transmission, antibiotic target and adequate antibiotic use; b) to show the importance of the transmission of health information in different environments; c) to motivate students for science research. Methods: Students' knowledge was evaluated with a survey instrument. Responses were analyzed before and after the implementation of the activity. The activity consists of an interactive lecture, slide show presentation and some practical activities. The sample includes 25 Portuguese students, 13-17 years old who attended the activity in Palácio de Cristal (Porto) and 66 students from D. Maria II School, V.N. Famalicão. Results: In this study, significant increase in knowledge about all the topics evaluated were observed both in formal and informal environments between the pre and post-test; however the best results were detected in informal contexts. Conclusion: The findings showed the importance of the implementation of scientific activities to middle-school students. This experience was valuable and helped to improve student knowledge on heath topics.

Uveitis is a heterogeneous collection of infrequent diseases, which poses significant challenges to cost-effective research in the field. Medical registries are being increasingly recognized as crucial tools to provide high-quality data, thus enabling prospective clinical research. This paper describes the design and technical structure development of an innovative countrywide electronic medical record for uveitis, Uveite.pt, and gives an overview of the cohort registered since its foundation, March 2020. Uveite.pt is an electronic medical record platform developed by the Portuguese Ocular Inflammation Group (POIG), a scientific committee of the Portuguese Ophthalmology Society. This is a nationwide customized web-based platform for uveitis patients useful for both clinical practice and real-world-based research, working as a central repository and reporting tool for uveitis. This paper describes the technical principles, the design and the development of a web-based interoperable registry for uveitis in Portugal and provides an overview of more than 400 patients registered in the first 18 months since inception. In infrequent diseases, the existence of registries enables to gather evidence and increase research possibilities to clinicians. The adoption of this platform enables standardization and improvement of clinical practice in uveitis. It is useful to apprehend the repercussion of medical and surgical treatments in uveitis and scleritis, supporting clinicians in the strict monitoring of drug adverse reactions and surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This pilot study aims to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of online Compassion Focused Therapy for overeating (CFT‐OE). Method: Eighteen Portuguese women seeking treatment for overeating were enrolled in this study, and 15 participants completed the CFT‐OE. This was a single‐arm study. Participants were assessed at pre‐ and post‐intervention and 3‐month follow‐up. All participants completed measures assessing binge eating, cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, general eating psychopathology, general and body shame, self‐criticism, self‐compassion, and fears of self‐compassion. Results: The treatment attrition rate was 16.7%, which is relatively low compared to other similar online interventions. Participants gave positive feedback on the program and indicated they would recommend it to people with similar difficulties. CFT‐OE improved self‐compassion and reduced eating psychopathology symptoms, general and body shame, self‐criticism, and fears of self‐compassion. Clinical significance analysis showed that the majority of participants were classified as in recovery in all measures at post‐intervention and 3‐month follow‐up. Discussion: Preliminary results suggest that the online CFT‐OE program is an acceptable and feasible intervention. Results also suggest that CFT‐OE is beneficial for the treatment of women with difficulties with overeating. A future randomized controlled trial is necessary to establish the effectiveness of the CFT‐OE. Public significance: This study indicates that online CFT‐OE is a feasible and adequate intervention for women who struggle with overeating. This therapy showed promising results in reducing eating disorder symptoms, shame, and self‐criticism and improving self‐compassion. As an online intervention, CFT‐OE may be more accessible and offer an alternative to in‐person therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health and environmental concerns are increasing the pressure to reduce chemical pesticide usage, thereby requiring management alternatives to control pest damage to crops. Retaining semi-natural habitats within agricultural landscapes is often assumed to be one such alternative, by contributing to boost natural enemy populations and reduce pest abundance and spread. However, these potential benefits might be diluted or counteracted by intensive field management, thus limiting their effectiveness. We test these hypotheses, focusing on olive farming in southern Portugal, where we quantified the abundance of three pests, the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae), olive moth (Prays oleae) and olive psyllid (Euphyllura olivina), and their parasitism and infestation rates in 17 orchards representing an intensification gradient and varying landscape cover by oak woodlands. Fly infestation was lower in more intensive orchards, there were no woodland effects, and parasitism was never detected. Psyllid infestation was also lower in more intensive orchards, but declined with woodland cover in more intensive orchards, while slightly increasing in less intensive ones. Psyllid parasitism rate could not be confidently estimated. Moth infestation declined with woodland cover in the most intensive orchards, while varying little in less intensive orchards. Moth parasitism rate declined with intensification and increased with woodland cover, particularly in less intensive orchards. Infestation by the moth was positively related to its abundance, albeit less so when parasitism rates were higher. Overall, our findings show mixed effects of oak woodlands, although retaining such habitats might still enhance biocontrol potential and reduce pressure by some pests, even under management intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: to temporally identify the presence of female nurses; to study the balance of distribution, by sex, between nurses and nurses; to perform critical reading of the feminization of Portuguese nursing; to identify people that at the end of the process of nursing professionalization in Portugal are biographed. Method: historical analysis of documentary sources in archives, published sources and review of studies. Results: there was the performance of nurses since the thirteenth century, with increased rate of feminization in Portugal only in the twentieth century and growth until its end. Conclusion: feminization in nursing is a process of the twentieth century, with significant expansion in the 1940s and following, due to ideological issues linked to the image of women in the Estado Novo, which at this time feels the late influence of Nightingale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we assume that students' achievement is influenced not only by a set of individual appraisals such as beliefs about their personal efficacy but also by a set of more systemic factors related to beliefs about their class efficacy as a group. Literature and research review supports that students' beliefs about their efficacy, both as individuals and as groups, are important predictors of their achievements at school. However, little research has been presented to date that jointly explores the impact of these two sets of beliefs on academic achievement. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present an integrated view of individual and collective efficacy beliefs, exploring the relationship between them and their causal relationship with students' achievement. Two cross-sectional studies were developed in the Portuguese secondary school context with 385 and 1,794 students, using "Academic Self-Efficacy Scale" and "Students Collective Efficacy Scale" to assess individual and collective efficacy beliefs. The main results showed that individual efficacy beliefs were stronger predictors of students' grades than collective efficacy beliefs, especially when the specific domain of achievement they refer to was considered (for instance, levels of mathematics self-efficacy had a stronger impact on mathematics grades than on Portuguese grades). Moreover, moderating effects of gender and type of school (public vs. non-public) were found, suggesting that collective efficacy beliefs play a more significant role among boys and among students from public schools.

Background: With the increasing recognition of the significance of arachnid conservation, it is crucial to allocate greater efforts towards implementing targeted monitoring programmes. Despite recent studies, our understanding of arachnid populations in Portugal remains limited. This study serves as the initial inventory of arachnids (Araneae and Opiliones) within the Castro Verde Special Protection Area (SPA) located in Beja, southern Portugal. The surveys wereconducted during the spring of 2012 across 80 open grasslands that were grazed by cattle and sheep. New information: A total of 71 species of Araneae and two species of Opiliones have been identified. Notably, three spider species, namely Argenna subnigra, Civizelotes ibericus and Walckenaeria cucullata, are documented for the first time in Portugal. Additionally, two harvestmen species (Dasylobus ibericus and Homalenotus buchneri) and 14 spider species (Cheiracanthium pennatum, Haplodrassus rhodanicus, Marinarozelotes minutus, Tapinocyba algirica, Agraecina lineata, Tibellus macellus, Talavera petrensis, Tetragnatha intermedia, Dipoena umbratilis, Enoplognatha diversa, Neottiura uncinata, Ruborridion musivum, Theridion pinastri and Xysticus grallator) are recorded for the first time in the Beja District. The occurrence of each documented species within the SPA, including family and species details, is presented, underscoring the significance of the Castro Verde SPA for arachnid conservation. These findings contribute novel insights into the biodiversity of the Castro Verde SPA, emphasising the necessity of incorporating this area into arachnid diversity conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing on social identity theory, this study aims to test how responsible leadership predicts turnover intentions by considering the mediating role of burnout. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 213 Portuguese health-care workers was collected and analysed through partial least squares-structural equation modelling. Findings: The findings indicate a negative relationship between responsible leadership and turnover intentions. Burnout is positively associated with turnover intentions, and, in turn, responsible leadership is negatively associated with burnout. Burnout also partially mediates the association of responsible leadership with turnover intention. Originality/value: The findings provide a fresh perspective on leadership dynamics in the health-care context by expressing the role of responsible leadership in reducing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of work, thus mitigating intentions to leave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portuguese legislative and policy moves since 1974 and their effects on academic hospitals are chronicled. The changes began with a serious university crisis, through which academic hospitals were abolished, and have resulted in legislation offering the potential for a restructuring of medical training and research. (Author/MSE)

Genomic selection is a promising approach for reducing the length of the selection cycle in forest tree breeding. Its efficiency must be evaluated across generations for this purpose, but such studies have been performed for multi-generational breeding programmes in only a few forest tree species to date. We analysed a subset of the Eucalyptus globulus breeding population from the Portuguese company Altri Florestal. In total, 412 genotypes from three successive breeding generations were genotyped with 14,716 SNP markers. A comparison of pedigree-based and marker-based relationship coefficients allowed to correct several documented pedigree errors. Deregressed breeding values were estimated from phenotypic records for growth traits (height and diameter) and survival for 31 field trials distributed in one breeding zone in Portugal and used as pseudo-phenotypes for genomic prediction models. Accuracy was assessed by cross-validation according to two main scenarios: (i) a scenario based on a five random fold number, not taking generation into account, and (ii) scenarios investigating progeny validation using parental generations to predict the progenies. Accuracy was highest after pedigree correction and ranged from 0.46 to 0.60 for the first scenario, from − 0.56 to 0.72 for parent/progeny scenarios and from 0.33 to 0.79 when progenies were added to the calibration population. This genomic selection study provides promising insight for the Altri Florestal Eucalyptus breeding programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upon the emergence of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic (CP), football referees were forced to cope with the interruption of leagues and experience quarantines, with a potential threat to their physical and psychological well-being. This study examined referees' perceptions of the CP change-event, particularly the effects on refereeing engagement and performance, in part to facilitate more effective support. For this study, an online inventory was circulated during January–February 2021 to 198 referees and assistants from Israel and Portugal, asking them to reflect on the CP in the context of their careers, and the potential effects on their refereeing engagement and performance. The results indicated that the CP was perceived as a moderate change-event in terms of significance, severity, and coping, although many participants did consider it as significant. The participants indicated just a minor reduction in their refereeing quality between the 2019–2020 and the 2020–2021 seasons. The main areas affected were training on a grass field, decision-making training, and financial status. Still, refereeing instruction (conducted mainly online) improved. The behavioural effects were more forceful among the non-professional referees, suggesting that Referee Associations must pay closer attention to support these populations. The participants' motivation, refereeing identity, and self-efficacy were actually improved. Finally, the absence of the crowd in matches allowed the referees to be more aware of their actions and better communicate with players and coaches, which related to better performance. These findings further emphasize the social aspect of football refereeing and the importance of having upright management and communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to assess the validity of a single question to evaluate leisure-time physical activity (PA) in adolescents. We included 209 participants (57.4% girls) aged 14-18 years from Porto, Portugal, evaluated as part of the SALTA project. A self-reported question with four answer options, designed for the EPITeen study, was used to classify the intensity level of usual leisure-time activities. Actigraph accelerometers were used to objectively measure total PA during 7 consecutive days. Since the accelerometers measured PA as a continuous variable, hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify clusters of individuals with similar level of objectively measured PA. Correlations between self-reported and objective measures were evaluated through polychoric correlations. In girls, we found higher mean time on sedentary activities among those describing their leisure-time PA as "sitting", and an increase on the time spent on light and moderate activities with increasing intensity of PA on self-reported classification. A similar trend was found in boys, but not reaching statistical significance. The correlation between the two measures of PA was 0.42 for girls and 0.46 for boys. We found an acceptable correlation between our single question and the objectively measured PA, showing that, although the single question is not adequate to quantify the intensity of the physical activity, it allows to rank adolescents according to leisure-time physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how a number of processes joined to create the microlevel strategies and procedures that resulted in the most lethal and tragic forest fire in Portugal's history, recalled as the EN236-1 road tragedy in the fire of Pedrógão Grande. Design/methodology/approach: Using an inductive theory development approach, the authors consider how the urgency and scale of perceived danger coupled with failures of system-wide communication led fire teams to improvise repeatedly. Findings: The paper shows how structure collapse led teams to use only local information prompting acts of improvisational myopia, in the particular shape of corrosive myopia, and how a form of incidental improvisation led to catastrophic results. Practical implications: The research offers insights into the dangers of improvisation arising from corrosive myopia, identifying ways to minimize them with the development of improvisation practices that allow for the creation of new patterns of action. The implications for managing surprise through improvisation extend to risk contexts beyond wildfires. Originality/value: The paper stands out for showing the impact of improvisational myopia, especially in its corrosive form, which stands in stark contrast to the central role of attention to the local context highlighted in previous research on improvisation. At the same time, by exploring the effects of incidental improvisation, it also departs from the agentic conception of improvisation widely discussed in the improvisation literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Symptomatic control is essential in palliative care, particularly in end-of-life, in which the pathophysiological changes that characterize this last phase of life strengthen the need to carry out an early therapeutic review. Hence, we aim to evaluate the prescribing pattern at a palliative care unit at two different time points: on admission and the day of the patient's death. Methods: Quantitative, analytic, longitudinal, retrospective and observational study. Participants were adult patients who were admitted and died in a palliative care unit, in Portugal. Sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacological data were collected, including frequencies and routes of administration of schedule prescribed drugs and rescue drugs, from the day of admission until the day of death. Results: 115 patients were included with an average age of 70.0 ± 12.9 years old, 53.9 were male, mostly referred by the Hospital Palliative Care Support Teams. The most common pathology was cancer, mainly in advanced stage. On admission, the median scheduled prescription was seven and "as needed" was three drugs. On the day of death, a decrease of prescriptions was observed. Opioids were always the most prescribed drugs. Near death, there was a higher tendency to prescribe butylscopolamine, midazolam, diazepam and levomepromazine. The most frequent route of drug administration was oral on admission and subcutaneous on the day of death. Conclusions: Polypharmacy is a reality in palliative care despite specialist palliative care teams. A reduction of prescribed drugs was verified, essentially due less comorbidity-oriented drugs. Further studies are required to analyse the importance of Hospital Palliative Care Support Teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In the 19th century, we witnessed hospital modernization, the affirmation of medical science, and the exponential development of nurses' activities. Objective: To know the activity of nurses in the Nightingale century. Methodology: Historical with analysis and explanation of a past accessed through the examination of its marks and mental representation. Considering not a simple narrative, but a description, as much as possible explanatory. Results: Transformation throughout the century, of the activity of nurses, visible in the space conquered in hospital structures, in the creation of teaching, in a slow movement towards full professionalization. Conclusion: In the Nightingale century, a continuation of professionalization and disciplinary knowledge, which is the origin of nursing as a profession and knowledge discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English Abstract: Basing itself in the three aspects of the world that Kant proposed (as source, as domain and as limit), this article argues that the ethnographic gesture is correspondingly marked by three registers of encounter: empathy, company, community. Taking recourse to an ethnographic vignette about an encounter with a man on a bike, it explores the sense of community that marked my ethnographic presence in Alto Minho (northwest Portugal) in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The article proposes that ethnography depends on the determination of a 'field' for fieldwork and that this is aided by the identification of field aporias – that is, challenges to interpretation that both stop the ethnographer in her tracks, engaging the need for further determination, and provide momentum to the ethnographic narrative. French Abstract: En se basant sur les trois aspects du monde proposés par Kant (comme source, comme domaine et comme limite), cet essai soutient que le geste ethnographique est marqué de manière correspondante par trois registres de rencontre : empathie, compagnie, communauté. En recourant à une vignette ethnographique sur une rencontre avec un homme à vélo, il explore le sens de la communauté qui a marqué ma présence ethnographique dans l'Alto Minho (nord-ouest du Portugal) à la fin des années 1970 et au début des années 80. L'article propose que l'ethnographie se base sur la détermination d'un « champ » pour le travail de terrain. Cette démarche est facilitée par l'identification d'apories de terrain – c'est-à-dire des défi s d'interprétation qui, à la fois, arrêtent les ethnographes dans leur élan, engageant le besoin d'une détermination supplémentaire, et qui donnent une dynamique au récit ethnographique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay is an ethnographic analysis of the life history of a middle-aged man living in a small town in southern Portugal during the "austerity" crisis. Pedro's initial engagement with caring for older persons eventually led him to a fascination with "things", to such an extent that his friends jokingly call him a coisista (a 'thingist'). His life story, as that of someone who has become a specialist in dealing with what happens to domestic objects when households break down, can help us throw light on the complexities of the process of objectification. Taking recourse to a long tradition of phenomenological analyses, the essay focuses on the mysterious relation between things and objects attempting to relate it to contemporary developments in sociocultural anthropology of the notions of personhood, company, and transcendence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four studies (a vignette-based experiment conducted in Portugal and Brazil, a two-wave multisource field study in Portugal, a three-wave field study in the United States, and a multisource field study in Portugal), in which conscientiousness, a "rival" of grit, was controlled for, provide theoretical and empirical evidence for a model testing what (e.g., grit in leaders), why (e.g., employee self-attributed grit), and when (e.g., leader support) grit supports thriving at work. First, gritty employees are more likely to thrive. Second, conveyed leader grit (i.e., grit as perceived by employees) predicts employee grit. Third, conveyed leader grit and leader self-attributed grit are conceptually different, and although the two relate positively with employee self-attributed grit, the former is a better predictor of employee self-attributed grit. Fourth, leader support operates as a boundary condition, in that the indirect association of conveyed leader grit with employee thriving is stronger when the leader is perceived as supportive. Our research also indicates that the concept of grit is more textured than habitually considered and that more attention must be paid to the boundary conditions of its development and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his classic work Contrapunteo cubano , Fernando Ortiz shows how two different plants and the products they yield can be at the base of two distinct forms of life. The fascinating revelation in his essay is how these two products (tobacco and sugar), which are central elements in the emergence of consumer society at the global level, give rise in their local mode of occurrence in Cuba to distinct social environments. In this article I ask, beyond its empirical relevance, what methodological and analytical lessons can we take from his essay? In reinterpreting Ortiz's essay in the light of the forms of life that I studied in Alto Minho (northwest Portugal) in the later 1970s, I hope to draw lessons that can illuminate our own present take on the still momentous matters of social emergence and metaphysical pluralism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Gaucha de Enfermagem is the property of Revista Gaucha de Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Occupational Therapy / Cadernos Brasileiros de Terapia Ocupacional is the property of Cadernos de Terapia Ocupacional da UFSCar and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction. The Portuguese healthcare system had to adapt at short notice to the COVID-19 pandemic. We implemented workflow changes to our molecular pathology laboratory, a national reference center, to maximize safety and productivity. We assess the impact this situation had on our caseload and what conclusions can be drawn about the wider impact of the pandemic in oncological therapy in Portugal. Material and Methods. We reviewed our database for all oncological molecular tests requested between March and April of 2019 and 2020. For each case, we recorded age, sex, region of the country, requesting institution, sample type, testing method, and turnaround time (TAT). A comparison between years was made. Results. The total number of tests decreased from 421 in 2019 to 319 in 2020 (p = 0.0027). The greatest reduction was in clinical trial-related cases. Routine cases were similar between years (267 vs. 256). TAT was higher in 2019 (mean 15 days vs. 12.3 days; p = 0.0003). Medium- to large-sized public hospitals in the north of the country were mostly responsible for the reduction in cases (p = 0.0153). Conclusions. Case reduction was observed at hospitals that have mostly been involved in the treatment of COVID-19 and in the north of the country, the region worst-hit by the pandemic. Similar to other studies, our TAT decreased, even with a similar number of routine cases. Thus, we conclude that it is possible to successfully adapt the workflow of a molecular pathology laboratory to new safety standards without losing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century combine a period of profound transformations in care institutions and their professionals. Objective: To know this period of nursing history in Portugal, analyze the yearbooks of the University of Coimbra, considering them as the primary source. Methodology: Descriptive historical analysis of 73 yearbooks, with a survey of sources and construction of descriptive and interpretative synthesis. Results: The available material was centered on the years 1896 to 1927. The analysis synthesized 4 topics: 1) names and functions of nurses; 2) nurses, in the decree of the reform of the Hospitals of the University of Coimbra, in 1911, the staff and salaries in 1915-16; 3) equine veterinary nurses and military nurses in 1915-16 and 1917-18; 4) the nursing school from 1919-20 to 1926-27 and university professors. Conclusion: We found 104 names with defined functions, considered as auxiliary staff and non-clinical personnel. The head nurse comes out prominently. The nursing school of the university hospitals appears, with the identification of the university head teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pointed out as a phenomenon of extreme social vulnerability, in Portugal are in a homeless situation all individuals who are without a roof, subsisting in public spaces, housed in short-term shelters, or integrated in temporary accommodations. The main goal of this article is to understand, characterize and analyze, from an institutional point of view, the types of intervention that are operationalized by the social sector with people in homeless situations. In addition, it intends to examine the repercussions of the current situation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the studied population and in professional practice. Therefore, three semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals who work daily in this context and integrate social responses designed to act with the targeted audience. It was concluded that, in addition to direct and integrated interventions, it is essential to work for and with society regarding the awareness of its role and the fight against its discrimination and prejudice, with essential implementation of innovative practices as the privileged route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Resulting from the integration of small hospitals, the Coimbra University Hospitals were, at this time, an institution of significant size. At the end of the 18th century, during the Age of Enlightenment, hospitals were undergoing a process of transition to modernity. Objectives: To describe the staff of the Coimbra University Hospitals in the last decades of the 18th century and analyze the evolution of the existing professions and compare their salaries and positions, while focusing on nurses. Methodology: A historical analysis based on published sources, considering the contexts and long-lasting evolutionary lines while building an interpretative summary. Results: Four professional groups were found and divided into treatment of the body - nurses, physicians, and surgeons; treatment of the soul - chaplains and sexton; support services - assistants, helpers, cooks, laundry maid, washerwoman, despenseiro; and security services - doorkeepers, guards, and tronqueiro. Conclusion: It was possible to observe the presence of nurses during the transition between medieval continuity, with the continuance of bloodletting nurses and cook nurses, and the ascending differentiation of the delivery nurse and the descending differentiation of ward assistants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Carnets: Revue Electronique d'Etudes Françaises / Revista Electrónica de Estudos Franceses is the property of Associacao Portuguesa de Estudos Franceses (APEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The first 10 years of the 20th century in Portugal corresponded to the last decade of the monarchy. A period of political and social turmoil, across a great continental and overseas space, where after the creation of the first nursing schools, in the 1880s, signs of the slow process of professionalization of nursing are expectedly found. Objective: To analyze the references to nurses and nursing in the House of Lords and House of Commons, from 1900 to 1910. Methodology: Historical research in the logbooks of sessions, with the survey, analysis, and interpretation of sources. Results: Four thematic blocks were identified: naval nursing, military nursing, colonial health services, and naval nurses practice school; religion in healthcare; control of epidemics; the fund for the alienated, alienated criminals, the incisive speech by José de Almeida. Conclusion: Professionalized nursing was more advanced in the military sector than in the civil sector. Healthcare delivery to the alienated, control of epidemics, and religious inspire references to nurses in both Houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human‐mediated introductions of species may have profound impacts on native ecosystems. One potential impact with largely unforeseen consequences is the potential admixture of introduced with autochthonous species through hybridization. Throughout the world, bumblebees have been deliberately introduced for crop pollination with known negative impacts on native pollinators. Given the likely allochthonous origin of commercial bumblebees used in Portugal (subspecies Bombus terrestris terrestris and B. t. dalmatinus), our aim was to assess their putative introgression with the native Iberian subspecies B. terrestris lusitanicus. We analysed one mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) and genomic data involving thousands of genome‐wide restriction‐site‐associated DNA markers (RAD‐seq). In the mitochondrial COX1 analyses, we detected one relatively common haplotype in commercial bumblebees, also present in wild samples collected nearby the greenhouses where the commercial hives are used. In the RAD‐seq analysis, we found a clear genetic differentiation between native and commercial lineages. Furthermore, we detected candidate hybrids in the wild, as well as putatively escaped commercial bumblebees, some of which being potentially fertile males. Although we cannot assess directly the fitness effects of introgressed alleles, there is a risk of maladaptive allele introgression to the local bumblebee subspecies, which can negatively impact autochthon populations. One immediate recommendation to farmers is for the proper disposal of hive boxes, after their use in greenhouses, so as to minimize the risk of escapees contaminating native populations. On the other hand, the feasibility of using local subspecies B. t. lusitanicus, preferably with local production, should be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori eradication rates in Portugal are declining, due to increased resistance of this bacterium to antimicrobial agents, especially Clarithromycin. Quadruple Levofloxacin-containing regimens could be an option for first-line treatment, but its efficacy should be evaluated as fluoroquinolone resistance is rapidly increasing. Our aim was to compare the efficacy of Clarithromycin and Levofloxacin-based sequential quadruple therapies as first-line treatment options and determine factors associated with treatment failure.Methods: A total of 200 Helicobacter pylori infected patients were retrospectively included (female 57.5%; average age: 53.2 ± 15.7) and received either 10-day sequential therapy (Proton-Pump Inhibitor + Amoxicillin 1 g bid for 5 days and Proton-Pump Inhibitor + Clarithromycin 500 mg + Metronidazole/Tinidazole 500 mg bid/tid in the following 5 days; group A) or a 10-day modified sequential therapy with Levofloxacin 500 mg id instead of Clarithromycin (group B). Eradication was confirmed with urea breath test. Variables that could influence success rate were analyzed.Results: There were no differences between groups in terms of gender, age, smoking habits and indications for treatment. The eradication rate obtained with Clarithromycin-based sequential treatment was significantly higher than with Levofloxacin-based therapy (90%, CI95%: 84-96% vs. 79%, CI95%: 71-87%, p = 0.001). Using full-dose proton-pump inhibitor and high-dose Metronidazole in group A, and full-dose proton-pump inhibitor and prescription from a Gastroenterologist in group B were associated with eradication success.Conclusions: Ten-day Levofloxacin-based sequential treatment achieved inadequate efficacy rate (<80%) and should not be adopted as first-line therapy. Standard sequential therapy showed significantly better results in this naïve population. Using full-dose proton-pump inhibitor and higher doses of Metronidazole is essential to achieve such results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the introduction of new antifungal agents, the frequency of invasive and mucocutaneous fungal infections as well as resistance to antifungal drugs continues to increase. Over 300 million persons are infected annually with fungi. Resistance to antimicrobials is one of today's major health threats. Can the possible causes of fungal antimicrobial resistance be understood and prevented to minimize risks to public health. We provide an overview of antifungal drug use in European countries, particularly Portugal. We reviewed prescriptions for and over-the-counter sales (OTC) of azoles in Portuguese pharmacies and in alternative shops. We conclude that in Portugal, azole antifungal sales, as well as medical prescribed azoles are very high. The Portuguese population consumes more antifungal drugs per capita than others in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The first elected chamber of representatives of the Portuguese nation started operating after the 1820 Liberal Revolution. Although historically distant from nursing professionalization, education, regulation, and control, several references were made to nurses in this chamber. Objectives: To analyze the discussions about nurses and nursing in the Sovereign Congress in 1821-22. Methodology: An historical search was conducted in the daily session records, followed by the collection, analysis, and interpretation of sources. Results: Five themes were identified: the figure of enfermeiro-mor; the Proposal for a General Public Health Regulation; references to nurses; the presence of midwives and bleeders; and the organization of nursing wards and hospitals. Conclusion: No explicit reference was made to nursing, only to nurses. The definitions of enfermeiro-mor and nurse differed. Bleeders were frequently mentioned, as well as the structured organization of midwives. Nurses appeared as caregivers in hospitals and at home, in a different category of other care delivery activities; however, nursing was still far from professionalization. Finally, there were references to issues related to hygiene, safety, qualifications, and care organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Humanitude is a recent term, which was used for the first time by Freddy Klopfenstein in 1980. Gineste and Marescotti have integrated this concept into the Humanitude care methodology (HCM). In Portugal, the first studies on the topic were published in 2008. Objectives: To describe the state-of-the-art in the implementation of HCM in Portugal. Methods: Descriptive study on the state-of-the-art in the implementation of HCM in Portugal. Data will be collected through a search in databases, websites, books, and interviews with key informants. Results: The implementation of HCM in Portugal is characterized by training in action, research, and organization of scientific events and publication of different types of work: 4 books, 5 scientific articles, 1 doctoral thesis, 4 Master’s dissertations, and 67 presentations at scientific events. Conclusion: HCM has been implemented in Portugal through training in action, action-research, and dissemination activities. Experimental and applied research studies should be conducted in this area, and their findings should be published in national and international journals for an effective dissemination of both the produced knowledge and this methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Socioeconomic factors may influence changes in hip fracture (HF) incidence over time. We analysed HF temporal trends during the Bone and Joint Decade in Portugal (BJD-Portugal), 2000-2010, by regional socioeconomic status (SES), sex and age. Methods We selected registers of patients aged 50+ years with HF (International Classification of Diseases, V.9--Clinical Modification, ICD9-CM) caused by traumas of low/moderate energy, from the National Hospital Discharge Database. Annual time series of age-specific incidence rates were calculated by sex and regional SES (deprived, medium, affluent). Generalised additive models were fitted to identify shape/turning points in temporal trends. Results We selected 96 905 HF (77.3% in women). Women were older than men at admission (81.2±8.5 vs 78.2±10.1 years-old, p<0.001). For women 65-79 years, a continuously decreasing trend (1.7%/year) only in affluent and increasing trends (3.3-3.4%/year) after 2006/2007 in medium and deprived was observed. For men, trends were stable or increased in almost all age/SES groups (only two decreasing periods). For the oldest women, all SES present similar trends: turning points around 2003 (initiating decreasing periods: 1.8-2.9%/year) and around 2007 (initiating increasing periods: 3.7-3.3%/year). Conclusions There were SES-sex-age inequalities in temporal trends during BJD-Portugal: marked SES inequalities among women aged 65-79 years (a persistent, decreasing trend only in the affluent) vanished among the oldest women; the same was not observed in men, for them, there were almost no declining periods; women aged ≥80 years, presented increasing trends around 2007, as in most deprived/age/ sex groups. Despite some successful periods of decreasing trends, incidence rates did not improve overall in almost all age groups and both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spatial inequalities in health have been identified, but the contribution of physical environment has been largely ignored. In Portugal, strong spatial differences in morbidity and mortality remain unexplained. Based on previous United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand (NZ) research, we aimed to develop a Portuguese measure of multiple environmental deprivation (PT-MEDIx) to assist in understanding spatial inequalities in health. Methods: PT-MEDIx was built at municipality level in four stages: (i) identify health-relevant environmental factors; (ii) acquire datasets about selected environmental factors and calculate municipality-level measures using Geographical Information Systems; (iii) test associations between selected environmental factors and mortality using negative binomial models, adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic deprivation and interactions and (iv) construct a summary measure and assess its association with mortality. Results: We included five dimensions of the physical environment: air pollution, climate, drinking water quality, green space availability and industry proximity. PT-MEDIx score ranged from −1 (least environmental deprivation) to +4 (most) and depicted a clear spatial pattern: least deprived municipalities in the depopulated rural areas and most deprived in urban and industrial settings. Comparing with those in the intermediate category of environment deprivation, less deprived municipalities showed lower mortality rate ratios (MRRs) and vice versa: MRRs for all-cause mortality were 0.962 (95% confidence interval: 0.934-0.991) and 1.209 (1.086-1.344), in the least and most deprived municipalities, respectively, and for cancer, 0.957 (0.911-1.006) and 1.345 (1.123-1.598). Conclusions: The methods used to create UK and NZ indexes have good transferability to Portugal. MEDIx might contribute to untangle the complex pathways that link health, socioeconomic and physical environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biophysical features of small islands (SI) distinguish them from other territories; isolation, small size and several anthropogenic pressures reduce the resilience of ecosystems and increase their vulnerability to global changes. Many SI have a shortage of infrastructures, institutions and technical/financial resources that hinder planning and require different integrated solutions. In Portugal, the National Ecological Reserve (NER) is legally binding for spatial planning instruments. It aims to defend natural values and areas of ecological value, or sensibility, or susceptible to natural hazards. However, the criteria for the design of NER are strictly set for mainland territory, not taking into account specific features of small islands. A case study of the Azores Archipelago is used to demonstrate that spatial planning instruments should be adapted to island contexts. Such adaptation will increase the effectiveness of their implementation in relation to the protection of natural resources, stability of biophysical structures and prevention of natural hazards. Observing the main differences between mainland and the Azores Archipelago it is possible to define a methodological transposition of the NER aims and goals into an island context. This approach is an answer to the constraints in effective adaptation of spatial planning instruments for islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype G is the most prevalent and second most prevalent HIV-1 clade in Cape Verde and Portugal, respectively; but there is no information about the origin and spatiotemporal dispersal pattern of this HIV-1 clade circulating in those countries. To this end, we used Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian coalescent-based methods to analyze a collection of 578 HIV-1 subtype G pol sequences sampled throughout Portugal, Cape Verde and 11 other countries from West and Central Africa over a period of 22 years (1992 to 2013). Our analyses indicate that most subtype G sequences from Cape Verde (80%) and Portugal (95%) branched together in a distinct monophyletic cluster (here called GCV-PT). The GCV-PT clade probably emerged after a single migration of the virus out of Central Africa into Cape Verde between the late 1970s and the middle 1980s, followed by a rapid dissemination to Portugal a couple of years later. Reconstruction of the demographic history of the GCV-PT clade circulating in Cape Verde and Portugal indicates that this viral clade displayed an initial phase of exponential growth during the 1980s and 1990s, followed by a decline in growth rate since the early 2000s. Our data also indicate that during the exponential growth phase the GCV-PT clade recombined with a preexisting subtype B viral strain circulating in Portugal, originating the CRF14_BG clade that was later disseminated to Spain and Cape Verde. Historical and recent human population movements between Angola, Cape Verde and Portugal probably played a key role in the origin and dispersal of the GCV-PT and CRF14_BG clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European co-operative banks play an important role in promoting savings and in financing small and medium enterprises. Their distinctive characteristics have allowed them to get through the Subprime crisis with remarkable resilience. Nevertheless, co-operative banks operate in a very competitive market, where they are constantly under pressure to improve their position. Increasing the size of local co-operative banks is often the strategy used to deal with this pressure. Based on data from a Portuguese co-operative banking group for 2009-11, we assess the impact of size on assets profitability, and conduct a disaggregated analysis of the ratios affecting it. Results indicate that size has an insignificant effect on profitability after controlling for the time-invariant characteristics of each local bank (i.e. caixa). This suggests that the initial higher profitability identified in small and larger caixas vis-à-vis that of medium-size caixas was explained by their specific time-invariant features. However our evidence suggests that size has an indirect effect on return through credit risk: larger caixas have better credit risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture has generated a decrease in groundwater and surface water quality in many regions of the EU, constituting a hazard for human health and the environment. Besides, on-site sewage disposal is an important source of groundwater contamination in urban and peri-urban areas. The assessment of groundwater vulnerability to contamination is an important tool to fulfil the demands of EU Directives. The purpose of this study is to assess the groundwater vulnerability to contamination related mainly to agricultural activities in a peri-urban area (Vila do Conde, NW Portugal). The hydrogeological framework is characterised mainly by fissured granitic basement and sedimentary cover. Water samples were collected and analysed for temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, chloride, phosphate, nitrate and nitrite. An evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to contamination was applied ( GOD- S, Pesticide DRASTIC- Fm, SINTACS and SI) and the potential nitrate contamination risk was assessed, both on a hydrogeological GIS-based mapping. A principal component analysis was performed to characterised patterns of relationship among groundwater contamination, vulnerability, and the hydrogeological setting assessed. Levels of nitrate above legislation limits were detected in 75 % of the samples analysed. Alluvia units showed the highest nitrate concentrations and also the highest vulnerability and risk. Nitrate contamination is a serious problem affecting groundwater, particularly shallow aquifers, especially due to agriculture activities, livestock and cesspools. GIS-based cartography provided an accurate way to improve knowledge on water circulation models and global functioning of local aquifer systems. Finally, this study highlights the adequacy of an integrated approach, combining hydrogeochemical data, vulnerability assessments and multivariate analysis, to understand groundwater processes in peri-urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Age modifies the effect of area-level socioeconomic status (SES) in the risk of fragility hip fractures (HF). For older individuals, the risk of HF increases as SES increases. For younger individuals, risk of HF increases as SES decreases. Our study may help decision-makers to better direct the implementation of political decisions. Introduction: The effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on hip fracture (HF) incidence remains unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between HF incidence and municipality-level SES as well as interactions between age and SES. Methods: From the Portuguese Hospital Discharge Database, we selected hospitalizations (2000-2010) of patients aged 50+, with HF diagnosis (codes 820.x, ICD9-CM), caused by traumas of low/moderate energy, excluding bone cancer cases and readmissions for aftercare. Municipalities were classified according to SES (deprived to affluent) using 2001 Census data. A spatial Bayesian hierarchical regression model (controlling for data heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation), using the Poisson distribution, was used to quantify the relative risk (RR) of HF, 95 % credible interval (95%CrI), and analyze the interaction between age and SES after adjusting for rural conditions. Results: There were 96,905 HF, 77.3 % of which were on women who, on average, were older than men (mean age 81.2 ± 8.5 vs 78.2 ± 10.1 years) at admission ( p < 0.001). In women, there was a lower risk associated with better SES: RR = 0.83 (95%CrI 0.65-1.00) for affluent versus deprived. There was an inverse association between SES and HF incidence rate in the youngest and a direct association in the oldest, for both sexes, but significant only between deprived and affluent in older ages (≥75 years). Conclusions: Interaction between SES and age may be due to inequalities in lifestyles, access to health systems, and preventive actions. These results may help decision-makers to better understand the epidemiology of hip fractures and to better direct the available funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. Brain diseases are a major health issue in modern societies, leading to multiple losses and disruptions. Objective. Based on the question “Are stroke patients' quality of life and well-being also influenced by hospitalization and its duration and nature?”, this study aimed to characterize the patients' life situation upon returning home, assess the illness and recovery process, and understand how stroke patients experience hospital stay and discharge. Methodology. Qualitative, descriptive, exploratory study, using semi-structured interviews with a nonprobability sample of recent stroke patients. Results. Data were presented using three different approaches: a brief socio-demographic characteriza-tion; a description of the general meaning captured; and a detailed assessment of the themes identified. Mean age of 71 years (71.3±10.4); an average of 690 days since the ischemic episode; length of hospital stay between 9 and 61 days (x̄=21 days). Interviews were conducted in distinct contexts. The mRS and BI scores revealed significant functional preservation. Different experiences were found regarding the “length of hospital stay”, availability, attitude towards disease, recovery and after-effects, lifestyles, regaining control, and family involvement. The importance given to body functioning, organic dimension, and presence of pain are underlined. As aspects of quality of life, participants underlined the family unit, discrimination and “weight of the gaze”, and support network and its importance. Positive judgments were made and critical aspects were identified, such as fear and anxiety about the future. Hospitalization was perceived as necessary, while discharge triggered positive emotions and relief, despite being a source of concern and fear. Conclusions. In this study, patients expressed pain, discomfort and depressive mood (despite their good functional recovery). Small changes in their personal, family and social routines were significantly valued. Despite criticisms, patients assessed the care process as positive. Hospitalization was understood as virtuous, and discharge, though desired, was anticipated with concern and fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement is the property of Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)