Search

We aim to present an analytical study of the materials used in two 17th-18th centuries sculptures - Santa Bárbara and Santa Rita de Cássia - and in the altarpiece where they once stood. All the pieces belong to the Church of Nossa Senhora das Mercês in Évora, although today the two sculptures are in the Museum of Évora. The main purpose is to compare the materials and the techniques used in the execution of the gilding and polychrome processes in the three objects. The study is focused on ground layers, gold leaf and polychrome layers. The stratigraphic analyses were performed using optical microscopy on cross-sections and the materials characterization of the different strata resorted to scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and to micro-Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the materials and techniques used in the three works of art are very similar and are consistent with the epoch's treatises suggestions.

The presence of Cigano/Roma students in secondary education in Portugal is still a rarity, considering that less than 3% of young Ciganos/Roma attend secondary education. This article aims to highlight the need for a comprehensive understanding of the perceptions of school teachers and principals on educational (under)achievement, absenteeism and school integration of Cigano students. To this end, we analyse data from an online questionnaire survey of a sample of 819 teachers, school principals and deputy principals and other senior management staff in schools of the Metropolitan Areas. These respondents express persistent representations and stereotypes in relation to the educational trajectories of Cigano students, especially in assigning prime causes of school failure to factors relating to the students' family or own intrinsic issues, rarely indicating institutional factors or those linked to their teaching practices. Although this is a study centred on Portugal, the lessons drawn from it can point to new directions for other contexts, as the educational achievement of Cigano students represents an opportunity and an invitation to transform and upgrade school institutions as well as the educational system as a whole, which should be more innovative, reflexive and increasingly open to the community.

An experimental campaign took place between 2004 and 2006 in Alentejo in order to identify the pigments used in the traditional limewash and analyze pictorial techniques. The samples were collected in the exterior finishes of buildings localized in the historical centers of 47 municipalities (distributed among the districts of Évora, Beja, Portalegre and Setúbal). Its analysis was based on micro-chemical tests, supplemented with optical microscopic observations, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Results show that, contrary to the present, red pigments based on Fe (III) compounds were predominant in the lime palette of Alentejo and reveal several technical details such as the mixes between several pigments and the use of chromatic layers of variable thickness, that, in many cases, are very different from the system of transparent glazes.

The Casa de Fresco de Sanches Baena is located in Vila Viçosa (Southeast Portugal) and is a small semi-underground building constructed in a garden over a well and used as a cool refreshing place by the owners. The frescoes that cover the ceilings and the walls present rich mythological scenes together with musical angels, shells, porcelain and other decorative elements, which make them an especially rich and unusual example of this art form. The paintings possess an intense polychromy suggesting the use of a rich palette comprised of different pigments to obtain various colours and hues. Unfortunately, due to partial abandonment and lack of repair the paintings are in an advanced state of degradation exhibiting partial detachment of paint layers and mortars, salt efflorescence and abundant biological colonisations. This work reports the study of the frescoes to allow the identification of the different microorganism populations and to assess their role in the deterioration of these paintings. For the microorganism sampling, sterile cotton buds and stylets were used and the biological materials collected in sterile recipients. The microbiological study by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy allowed the isolation of 34 fungi strains and 32 bacterial strains in the four painted panels that compose the frescoes. The predominant bacterial strains were the Gram+ and Gram- strains from the genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas, respectively. As to the fungi populations, the dominant strains identified were from the genera Cladosporium spp. and Penicillium spp. The microbial activity in the 4 panels was assessed by enzymatic essays, namely, dehydrogenase (DHA). The results showed that the decayed areas of the painting present higher dehydrogenase activity and therefore this enzyme seems to be a good indicator of biodegradation.

is a gram-positive facultative anaerobic agent. It is a human skin colonizer that can be responsible for opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. To date, the infections caused by this agent are related to bone, joint, eye, peritoneal dialysis catheters, abscesses or infected vascular grafts. Overall, it has a favorable outcome with good response to vancomycin, teicoplanin or linezolide, and so it has not been considered a concerning pathogenic agent. We present the first case in scientific literature with isolation of in pericardial fluid in the setting of infectious bacterial pericarditis, with an aggressive course and poor evolution.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the second cause of death worldwide. The increasing burden of stroke underscores the importance of optimising rehabilitation protocols. Virtual reality (VR) can improve poststroke prognosis. A VR software combining gamification, full immersion and stroke specificity (ie, the Development and validation of a novel viRtual rEality software for improving diSability and quality of lifE in patients with sTroke (RESET) software) might substantially improve disability and quality of life (QoL). However, this technology is still very scarce. The RESET trial aims to assess the effects of an early 10-week gamified, fully immersive and stroke-specific VR intervention (ie, starting at week 3 poststroke) on disability and QoL in people with stroke in the subacute phase. People with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke (n=94) aged ≥18 years will be randomised to receive (1) usual care (UC), (2) commercial VR or (3) gamified, fully immersive and stroke-specific VR (RESET). The three groups will receive UC (ie, three sessions/week of 90 min of standard rehabilitation). The VR groups will additionally receive three VR sessions of 20 min per week. The outcome measures will be assessed at baseline (week 2 from stroke occurrence), week 13 (approximately 90 days from the event) and week 26 (approximately 6 months from the event). The primary outcome is disability measured with the Barthel Index. Secondary outcomes include QoL, upper-extremity and lower-extremity motor function, gross manual dexterity, handgrip strength and cognitive function. This study will unravel the effects of a gamified, fully immersive and stroke-specific VR software on disability and QoL in patients with stroke in the early subacute phase.NCT06132399.

A inteligência emocional é um aspeto fulcral na educação. O estudo de teor misto (exploratório, transversal, descritivo, analítico e interpretativo) numa turma do 4º ano do Ensino Básico português, pretendeu desenvolver as habilidades socio-emocionais nos alunos, tendo decorrido em 2022. As técnicas: observação participante; aplicação do Teste Sociométrico de Amizade e Questionário de Habilidades Emocionais, nas fases Pré e Pós de aplicação dum Programa de Inteligência Emocional (18 sessões), com respetiva metodologia de ação; entrevista semiestruturada à professora; ‘focus group’; notas de campo. Os objetivos foram seguintes: Conhecer as emoções boas e menos boas; Analisar se os alunos identificam, controlam e lidam com as suas emoções e dos seus pares; Desenvolver as habilidades socio-emocionais pelo Programa; Identificar as relações interpessoais de amizade dos alunos; Consciencializar os professores para educação das emoções na sua prática educativa. Os resultados evidenciaram como as práticas dos alunos influenciaram significativamente na inteligência emocional e estas no seu desempenho e clima de aula (convivência). O teste e questionário comprovaram (fase Pós-teste) que o programa foi útil nos alunos melhorando a convivência diária da turma, o ambiente educativo e convivências escolar. Essa comprovação ficou bem expressa nas relações de amizade (sociograma) e nas pontuações obtidas no questionário (fase Pós) aplicação programa. A eficácia do programa permitiu incremento das relações interpessoais, desenvolvimento das habilidades sociais e uma melhoria na autoestima/empatia e gestão e controlo das emoções pelos alunos.

O objetivo foi avaliar atributos produtivos e nutricionais da forragem hidropônica de milho, em diferentes estágios, cultivada em substratos de capim-elefante e serragem de madeira. Foram estabelecidos dois tratamentos (T), com diferentes substratos: T1 – capim-elefante picado e desidratado e T2 – serragem de madeira. No 13º e 20º dias após a semeadura, amostras da forragem foram coletadas para avaliação do desenvolvimento das plântulas, produção de biomassa e composição nutricional. O substrato capim-elefante promoveu melhor desenvolvimento das plântulas, maior produção de biomassa e concentração de matéria mineral, aos 13 dias, quando a serragem de madeira promoveu maior concentração de matéria seca, proteína bruta, lignina e carboidrato não fibrosos (P

Resumo A integração de emigrantes no mercado de trabalho tem efeitos na trajetória migratória da própria pessoa e na sua interação com a sociedade de acolhimento. É frequentemente trespassada por dificuldades de ajustamento do capital humano e das competências profissionais às necessidades do mercado de trabalho. A migração qualificada ilustra com particular acuidade a heterogeneidade destes processos. Com efeito, a empregabilidade da emigração qualificada não é uniforme. Alguns/mas emigrantes, embora com uma qualificação de nível superior, podem encontrar-se a desempenhar profissões não qualificadas - situação de sobre-qualificação. Com base em dois estudos sobre a emigração portuguesa, apuraram-se taxas de sobre-qualificação na ordem dos 18,1% e dos 16,9%. Identificaram-se consequências negativas desta sobre-qualificação: insatisfação com o trabalho e baixos salários. Identificaram-se também fatores associados a esta sobre-qualificação: a idade jovem, a formação em ciências sociais e humanas e a residência em países clássicos da emigração portuguesa com elevado peso de emigração pouco qualificada.

The Eugénio de Almeida Foundation’s Casa de Fresco is a historical monument of valuable historic–artistic significance, which currently reveals an assortment of biofilms due to the proliferation of microorganisms in the stone and rocaille elements. The biodeterioration in this area was studied as part of the Conservation and Restoration Project. We effectively characterized the local microbial community using modern high-throughput DNA analysis. Our results suggested the existence of a variety of lichens or lichenized fungi, including genera such as Variospora, Verrucaria, Circinaria, and Caloplaca. Furthermore, we detected several prokaryote microorganisms related to the identification of these lichens. To properly deal with this microbiological issue and avoid fungal recolonization, we evaluated available commercial antimicrobial treatments.

Coastal habitats are increasingly threatened by multiple anthropogenic-related activities, which include ocean warming and loss of structural habitat complexity. These two pressures have the potential to severely affect the structure and function of marine biodiversity. Early life stages of many fish species recruit to coastal habitats at the end of their pelagic phase, benefiting from access to food, shelter and protection. However, changes in temperature have been shown to influence ecologically relevant behaviours in post-settlement stage fish, and the loss of structural habitat complexity has been related to low recruitment and deleterious behaviours of fish in coastal habitats. Here, we evaluated the individual and interactive effects of prolonged exposure to increasing temperature and changed structural habitat complexity on routine swimming speed and escape response of post-settlement white seabream, Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758). Fish were reared under different temperatures (control 19 °C; high 22 °C) and structural habitat complexity (low and high) scenarios, in a cross-experimental design, and the routine swimming and escape responses were analyzed after 6 weeks of exposure. Change in temperature did not induce alterations at the behavioural level, but loss of structural habitat complexity increased speed and distance travelled during routine swimming, and responsiveness to a stimulus during the escape response behaviour. The interaction of the two factors did not influence performance. Determining how species are affected by changes in their environment, and the mechanisms that underlie these changes, will be critical to understanding the fish recruitment and populations’ fitness and survival.

Abstract The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal carries unique social and cultural significance as a world cultural heritage, but with the acceleration of global urbanization, it has potentially severe environmental risks under continuous anthropogenic disturbances. Therefore, to protect the ecological and cultural values of the Grand Canal, it is necessary to assess the corresponding relationship of water quality to land use and the perception of ecosystem services that focus on cultural ecosystem services (CES). This study aims to analyze the water quality response to land use in the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, describe the land use types closely related to water quality, and propose corresponding management strategies for enhancing CES. This study investigated the impacts of land use structure and landscape pattern on water quality by calculating the correlation between land use structure and landscape pattern indices and water quality in buffer zones of different distances on both sides of the canal. The results show that green land dominates the land use structure and can effectively reduce water pollution in the canal. On the other hand, urban impervious surfaces showed a significant positive correlation with pollution contributing to low water quality. We accessed the impact of water quality on the perception of CES in the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and proposed optimization strategies for promoting CES. Both content analysis and thematic analysis were applied to analyze the impact of the water environment quality of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal on the perception of CES. We found that the perceptions of CES along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal are associated with the public’s opinions on its cultural heritage services and artistic inspiration services. The perceptions of CES are closely related to the quality of the water environment and riparian greenness, which affect the values of cultural heritage and conservation of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.