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Chlamydial infections are one of the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections worldwide, which is related to serious consequences for the mental, sexual, and reproductive health of women and men. The infection is commonly asymptomatic; consequently, screening programs for infection control have been introduced in some countries. The detection methods of Chlamydia trachomatis infections have evolved since the establishment of the first gold-standard detection method in the 1970s, the culture assay. Over the decades, many efforts were made to find methods with a higher sensitivity, until the 1990s, when, as a result of advances in molecular biology, nucleic acid amplification tests came into use with more sensitivity, and, currently, there are several available with which to detect infection. Therefore, herein, we will review the main methods used for CT detection and the differences between them, in terms of targets, infections that can be detected, sensitivity, and specificity. We will focus on some of the FDA-approved CT detection tests and highlight the major advantages and superiority of using molecular biology techniques. In addition, we will examine the larger challenges and limitations of the methods currently in use and discuss how they might be surpassed. Moreover, in this review, we will describe the next step to carry out after testing positive for CT infection.

Some infectious agents have the potential to cause specific modifications in the cellular microenvironment that could be propitious to the carcinogenesis process. Currently, there are specific viruses and bacteria, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Helicobacter pylori, that are well established as risk factors for neoplasia. Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections are one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections worldwide, and recent European data confirmed a continuous rise across Europe. The infection is often asymptomatic in both sexes, requiring a screening program for early detection. Notwithstanding, not all countries in Europe have it. Chlamydia trachomatis can cause chronic and persistent infections, resulting in inflammation, and there are plausible biological mechanisms that link the genital infection with tumorigenesis. Herein, we aimed to understand the epidemiological and biological plausibility of CT genital infections causing endometrial, ovarian, and cervical tumors. Also, we covered some of the best suitable in vitro techniques that could be used to study this potential association. In addition, we defend the point of view of a personalized medicine strategy to treat those patients through the discovery of some biomarkers that could allow it. This review supports the need for the development of further fundamental studies in this area, in order to investigate and establish the role of chlamydial genital infections in oncogenesis.

We estimated comparative primary and booster vaccine effectiveness (VE) of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 and BA.2 lineages against infection and disease progression. During April–June 2022, we implemented a case–case and cohort study and classified lineages using whole-genome sequencing or spike gene target failure. For the case–case study, we estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of vaccination using a logistic regression. For the cohort study, we estimated VE against disease progression using a penalized logistic regression. We observed no reduced VE for primary (aOR 1.07 [95% CI 0.93–1.23]) or booster (aOR 0.96 [95% CI 0.84–1.09]) vaccination against BA.5 infection. Among BA.5 case-patients, booster VE against progression to hospitalization was lower than that among BA.2 case-patients (VE 77% [95% CI 49%–90%] vs. VE 93% [95% CI 86%–97%]). Although booster vaccination is less effective against BA.5 than against BA.2, it offers substantial protection against progression from BA.5 infection to severe disease.

We developed a case–case study to compare mRNA vaccine effectiveness against Delta versus Alpha coronavirus variants. We used data on 2,097 case-patients with PCR-positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections reported in Portugal during May–July 2021. We estimated the odds of vaccine breakthrough infection in Delta-infected versus Alpha-infected patients by using conditional logistic regression adjusted for age group and sex and matched by the week of diagnosis. We compared reverse-transcription PCR cycle threshold values by vaccination status and variant as an indirect measure of viral load. We found significantly higher odds of vaccine breakthrough infection in Delta-infected patients than in Alpha-infected patients (odds ratio 1.96 [95% CI 1.22–3.14]), suggesting lower effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines in preventing infection with the Delta variant. We estimated lower mean cycle threshold values for the Delta cases (mean difference −2.10 [95% CI −2.74 to −1.47]), suggesting higher infectiousness than the Alpha variant.

Abstract Bacterial wilt of the common bean caused by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens results in economic losses. The aim of this study was to analyze the colonization of C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens in resistant, moderately resistant, and susceptible genotypes of common bean plants. The genotypes Ouro Branco and IPA 9 (resistant), Diacol Calima (moderately resistant), and CNFRS 11997 and CNFP 10429 (susceptible) were inoculated in the epicotyl, with 100 µL of bacterial suspension of the BRM 14933(Cff25). Disease severity was evaluated 21 days after inoculation (DAI), on a scale from 1 to 9. The samples for SEM were dehydrated in an ethyl alcohol series, critical-point dried with liquid carbon dioxide (CO2), and coated with gold and analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Ouro Branco and IPA 9 (resistant) plants exhibited low colonization, the formation of filaments surrounding bacterial cells and vestures more developed in the pit the xylem vessels. Diacol Calima (moderately resistant) plants presented lower levels of colonization and filament formation than that of resistant cultivars. CNFC 10429 and CNFRS 11997 (susceptible) showed high levels of colonization in the xylem and vessel obstruction, preventing water and nutrient flow, which explains the symptoms of wilt and plant death. Thus, resistance to C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens can be explained by plant’s capacity to limit pathogen propagation as a cell defense mechanism, suggesting that this is a factor in post-formed structural resistance that occurs in this pathosystem. Keywords: susceptibility; bacterial wilt; plant-pathogen interaction.

The negative cardiorespiratory health outcomes due to extreme temperatures and air pollution are widely studied, but knowledge about the effectiveness of the implementation of adaptive mechanisms remains unclear. The objective of this paper is to explore the evidence of adaptive mechanisms for cardiorespiratory diseases regarding extreme temperatures and air pollution by comparing the results of two systematic literature review (SLR) processes sharing the same initial research question but led by two research groups with different academic backgrounds working in the same multidisciplinary team. We start by presenting the methodological procedures and the results of the SLR triggered by the research group mainly composed by researchers with a background in geography (named geographical strategy). We then compare these results with those achieved in the SLR led by the research group with a background in epidemiology (named epidemiological strategy). Both SLR were developed under the EU Horizon 2020 Project “EXHAUSTION”. The results showed: 1) the lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of adaptation measures, namely due to the limited number of studies about the topic, the preponderance of studies dedicated to heat extremes or the unbalance between different adaptation measures; 2) that the choice of search terms in the geographical strategy, despite being more comprehensive at first sight, ended up retrieving less results, but it brought new studies that can complement the results of the epidemiological strategy. Therefore, it is suggested that to strengthen the empirical evidence of the effectiveness of adaptation measures, powerful multidisciplinary teams should work together in the preparation of SLR in topics of great complexity, such as the one presented in this paper.

Este estudo buscou discutir o acolhimento de psicólogos em Centros de Atenção Psicossocial, a partir do pensamento de Emmanuel Lévinas em sua ética da alteridade. Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão sistemática em bases de dados em artigos científicos, sendo estabelecido como critério produções publicadas entre os anos de 2010 e 2020, resultando em 13 artigos que dispõem sobre o acolhimento profissional e suas características. Os achados resultaram em distintas concepções acerca do significado do acolher, que envolveram a humanização em relação ao Outro, tida como sensível e responsável. Outro aspecto importante foi o reconhecimento da vinculação afetiva do usuário tanto com o profissional quanto com o serviço oferecido pela unidade, como sendo preponderante para o tratamento. Assim, o vínculo apareceu como constituinte da relação terapêutica e assinalou a humanização do atendimento, bem como viabilizou ultrapassar o olhar focado no sofrimento, para uma atenção responsável com foco nas possibilidades, na resolutividade do sujeito. Em suma, entende-se que o acolhimento se inicia com o processo terapêutico entre profissional e usuário, abertos para estabelecer um vínculo. Portanto, a partir da ética da alteridade, o acolher se descreve como um encontro responsável e sensível entre o Eu e o Outro.

En el artículo presentamos un estudio en el que se pretende constatar la importancia y adecuación sobre el uso de las tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación (TIC) en el ámbito escolar para su mayor adecuación a la realidad. Esta cuestión queda plasmada en el objetivo general del mismo, que se ha centrado en determinar el uso que hace el personal docente de las tecnologías digitales por parte del personal docente y su adecuación a los modelos vigentes en las aulas y su repercusión en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de su alumnado, teniendo en cuenta las debilidades presentes en los fundamentos pedagógicos esgrimidos por algunos de los más recientes estudios sobre el uso y optimización de las TIC digitales en el aula. El estudio se enmarca en un diseño de corte cuantitativo, no experimental, descriptivo y correlacional. En el estudio participaron 100 docentes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) en institutos de Coímbra (Portugal). Se elaboró un cuestionario creado ad hoc para conocer el uso y frecuencia de las nuevas tecnologías en el aula por parte del personal docente. Los datos recogidos en los cuestionarios fueron analizados a través del paquete estadístico Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Las principales conclusiones confirman que es necesario aún un debate profundo sobre los fundamentos epistemológicos implícitos en el uso de las nuevas herramientas digitales sobre si las TIC, cómo una herramienta docente adecuada, acorde a los modelos educativos del presente, en términos tiempo-coste para un mejor rendimiento y éxito académico de los estudiantes. De hecho, el debate está más que nunca vivo, las nuevas tecnologías se han insertado, cada vez más, en el ámbito educativo, durante el COVID-19, que ha implicado incluso la suspensión de actividades docentes presenciales que han conllevado el uso de las nuevas tecnologías en el aula de forma inmediata.

Important investments have been made worldwide in the modernization and construction of railway lines. Plans for new constructions have also been laid out. Recently, precast concrete has been widely employed in the construction of railway bridges and viaducts. Several precast solutions have been applied, namely: I-shaped or U-shaped precast girders and uni-cellular or bi-cellular precast box girders. Regarding the structural scheme in the longitudinal direction, either simple span or continuous decks have been used. In this context, this work aims to contribute to the knowledge about the real performance of these structures through the development of a laboratory tests setup, for the study of this type of structure, focusing on the connection between the precast beams. The setup will be implemented at the Laboratory of Earthquake and Structural Engineering (LESE), several experimental campaigns on the cyclic behaviour of reinforced concrete elements have been carried out.

Abstract A nonlinear finite element model (FEM) is developed to assess the behaviour of a cracked concrete interface, reinforced with embedded steel bars and subjected to monotonic loading. A dowel action finite element modelling approach is conceived for that purpose. The bond between the steel bars and the surrounding concrete is also considered in the model and an interface finite element is included to simulate aggregate interlock. Then, the comparison of the model results with experimental values allowed the calibration of aggregate interlock constitutive relations for cracks in monolithic concrete restrained by embedded steel bars. New constitutive relations are also proposed for shear transfer by aggregate interlock in a concrete joint.

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal particularly susceptible to mobilization by anthropogenic and natural processes. The volcanic nature of oceanic islands in the Macaronesia geographical region such as the Azores archipelago, located near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is reflected in deep-sea and shallow-water hydrothermal activities that release heavy metals such as Cd to seawater, affecting marine organisms and integrating food webs. In this paper, a thorough systematic review of all studies performed on coastal marine species in Macaronesia focusing on Cd was conducted, specifically considering the Azorean geological setting and socioeconomic context. Present results are compared and discussed with data from the Mediterranean, a region with apparent strong anthropogenic pollution. The Azorean marine species seem to be particularly strong Cd accumulators, displaying high levels that should be closely monitored, reflecting an important local natural source that should not be underestimated; especially considering the high consumption rates of some of these organisms, which may lead to a potential seafood safety issue. In light of these findings, the potential effects, impacts, and future research challenges are discussed, from an ecological and public health perspective.

Wild oats are worldwide grassy weeds that cause substantial yield losses, particularly in winter cereal crops. In addition, wild oat herbicide resistant cases have increased; indeed, up to 52 cases have been registered. Despite this, no wild oat herbicide resistant cases have been described in Spain, where farmers and technicians have reported poor herbicide efficacy in sterile oats (Avena sterilis subsp. sterilis L.). A dose-response experiment was conducted comparing the behavior of two populations of A. sterilis from southern Spain to a susceptible population. These populations were collected from two commercial farms where a low efficacy of chemical control had been described. Clodinafop-propargyl and Pinoxaden were tested as active ingredients in the dose-response experiment. Additionally, an alternative herbicide, which consisted of a mixture of Mesosulfuron-methyl and Propoxycarbazone-Na, was also tested at a field dose. The two populations of A. sterilis studied provided a resistant factor higher than 10 for Clodinafop-propargyl and higher than 4 for Pinoxaden. A total control was achieved for plants treated with Mesosulfuron-methyl and Propoxycarbazone-Na.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection, have serious consequences for sexual and reproductive health worldwide. Ct is one of the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections in the world, with approximately 129 million new cases per year. C. trachomatis is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium. The infection is usually asymptomatic, notwithstanding, it could also be associated with severe sequels and complications, such as chronic pain, infertility, and gynecologic cancers, and thus there is an urgent need to adequately treat these cases in a timely manner. Consequently, beyond its individual effects, the infection also impacts the economy of the countries where it is prevalent, generating a need to consider the hypothesis of implementing Chlamydia Screening Programs, a decision that, although it is expensive to execute, is a necessary investment that unequivocally will bring financial and social long-term advantages worldwide. To detect Ct infection, there are different methodologies available. Nucleic acid amplification tests, with their high sensitivity and specificity, are currently the first-line tests for the detection of Ct. When replaced by other detection methods, there are more false negative tests, leading to underreported cases and a subsequent underestimation of Ct infection’s prevalence. Ct treatment is based on antibiotic prescription, which is highly associated with drug resistance. Therefore, currently, there have been efforts in line with the development of alternative strategies to effectively treat this infection, using a drug repurposing method, as well as a natural treatment approach. In addition, researchers have also made some progress in the Ct vaccine development over the years, despite the fact that it also necessitates more studies in order to finally establish a vaccination plan. In this review, we have focused on the therapeutic options for treating Ct infection, expert recommendations, and major difficulties, while also exploring the possible avenues through which to face this issue, with novel approaches beyond those proposed by the guidelines of Health Organizations.

Abstract Objectives Neonatal mortality is a global public health problem, and the efforts to reduce child mortality is one of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, launched in 2015 by the United Nations. The availability of historical neonatal mortality rates (NMR) data in Brazilian municipalities is crucial to evaluate trends at local, regional and national level, identifying gaps and vulnerable territories. Therefore, the objective of this article is to offer an integrated dataset containing monthly data in a historical series from 1996 to 2017 with information on all births, neonatal deaths, and NMR (total, early and late components) enriched with information related to the municipality. Data description It is a dataset of historical data with information on the number of births, the number of neonatal deaths, the neonatal mortality rate (including early and late), and geographic information for each month (between January 1996 and December 2017) and Brazilian municipality.

Leptothrix are long bacteria of rare occurrence; although these bacteria have been implicated in causing vaginal symptoms identical to candidiasis, studies on prevalence and effect on overall vaginal health are lacking. In this study, we evaluated data of women referred to a private clinic for treating vulvovaginal symptoms (n = 1847) and reassessed data of our previous and ongoing studies (n = 1773). The overall rate of leptothrix was 2.8% (102/3620), and the mean age of affected women was 38.8 ± 10.65 years (range 18−76). The majority of the women with leptothrix had normal vaginal flora (63.7% [65/102]). Leptothrix was associated with a higher risk of candidiasis (relative risk (RR) 1.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1600–3.1013; p = 0.010) and a lower risk of bacterial vaginosis (RR 0.55, 95% CI, 0.3221–0.9398; p = 0.029) and cytolytic vaginosis (RR 0.11, 95% CI, 0.0294–0.4643; p = 0.002). No cases of trichomoniasis were observed. Human immunodeficiency virus infection increased the risk of leptothrix (RR 3.0, 95% CI, 1.6335–5.7245; p = 0.000). Among the women evaluated for vulvovaginal symptoms, 2.4% (45/1847) had leptothrix, and in 26.7% (12/45), leptothrix was considered the causative entity. This study suggests that leptothrix occurrence is rare; it remains unresolved if it can be a cause of vulvar symptoms.

Este trabalho incide sobre o estudo do sismo de 28 de fevereiro de 1969. Procedeu-se ao levantamento de toda a informação existente sobre o fenómeno com o intuito de averiguar o seu impacte no território português. Para tal, analisou-se um largo conjunto de edifícios afetados nos distritos de Lisboa, Setúbal e Faro com vista a estabelecer padrões de danos observados de acordo com as descrições diversas, quer noticiadas nos principais jornais da época quer através de outras fontes, nomeadamente elementos soltos consultados nas Câmaras Municipais (Serviços de Proteção Civil), fotografias obtidas em hemerotecas e dados do SIPA. Estes edifícios foram classificados segundo a sua época de construção e tipologia construtiva para, posteriormente, através da Escala Macrossísmica Europeia (EMS-98), associar um índice de vulnerabilidade e um grau de dano. Esta atribuição permitiu determinar as intensidades para os distritos em estudo, seguida da sua comparação com as intensidades obtidas na época e identificar as tipologias construtivas que apresentam mais fragilidades na ocorrência de um sismo de intensidade semelhante, designadamente as construções antigas das zonas baixas de Lisboa, Setúbal, cidades do Barlavento algarvio e nas suas zonas rurais. Foram identificadas 16 vítimas mortais em Portugal Continental, sendo 3 de consequência direta do sismo.

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections (STIs) worldwide. It is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), which is an obligate intracellular bacterium. In some cases, it can occur in coinfection with other parasites, increasing the pathologic potential of the infection. The treatment is based on antibiotic prescription; notwithstanding, the infection is mostly asymptomatic, which increases the risk of transmission. Therefore, some countries have implemented Chlamydia Screening Programs in order to detect undiagnosed infections. However, in Portugal, there is no CT screening plan within the National Health Service. There is no awareness in the general healthcare about the true magnitude of this issue because most of the methods used are not Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology-based and, therefore, lack sensitivity, resulting in underreporting infection cases. CT infections are also associated with possible long-term severe injuries. In detail, persistent infection triggers an inflammatory milieu and can be related to severe sequels, such as infertility. This infection could also trigger gynecologic tumors in women, evidencing the urgent need for cost-effective screening programs worldwide in order to detect and treat these individuals adequately. In this review, we have focused on the success of an implemented screening program that has been reported in the literature, the efforts made concerning the vaccine discovery, and what is known regarding CT infection. This review supports the need for further fundamental studies in this area in order to eradicate this infection and we also suggest the implementation of a Chlamydia Screening Program in Portugal.

The Phalaris genus includes annual weed species such as short-spiked canarygrass (Phalaris brachystachys Link.), little-seed canarygrass (Phalaris minor Retz.) and hood canarygrass (Phalaris paradoxa L.), which are especially problematic in Spain; as such, there is a need to develop models to predict the timing of their emergence. Field experiments were conducted at two different locations during two (2006/07 and 2007/08) and three (from 2005/06 to 2007/08) growing seasons. In both locations, 500 seeds of each Phalaris species were sown each growing season, simulating rain-fed cereal field conditions. In addition, the models were validated with three, four and eight independent experiments for P. brachystachys, P. minor and P. paradoxa, respectively. The emergence period of the three Phalaris species lasted between 31 and 48 days after sowing (DAS), showing two main flushes. The three cardinal points for parametric and non-parametric models were established to be between −1 °C and 1 °C for base temperature, between 9.8 °C and 11.8 °C for optimal temperature and between 21.2 °C and 23.4 °C for ceiling temperature; base water potential was estimated to be between −1 and −1.1 MPa. Both parametric and non-parametric models obtained similar results and were successfully validated in 12 out of 15 independent experiments.

Este artigo é oriundo de um subprojeto intitulado Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) para os meios de hospedagem, parte de uma pesquisa maior do Senac/SC com os meios de hospedagem, que visa identificar e propor indicadores de gestão para o segmento. Aqui apresenta-se uma análise bibliográfica das possibilidades de uso das TICs para esse setor e os resultados de uma fase exploratória que buscou identificar as tecnologias utilizadas no estado de Santa Catarina. Como resultados do trabalho, a análise é uma forma de mapear o que existe de tecnologia e as possibilidades futuras, bem como mostrarmos os resultados do questionário aplicado nas empresas do setor no estado. Dentre os recursos - dos quais há muito a ser utilizado pelos meios de hospedagem - está a terceira plataforma. As conclusões apontam para uma potencialidade enorme do uso das TICs para os meios de hospedagem que ainda não foram exploradas e dá pistas de lacunas de pesquisa que possam ser desenvolvidas a partir desta.

RESUMO. A mitologia clássica tem sido vista e estudada sob várias perspetivas, uma delas, a visão comparatista, que analisa, sobretudo, a estrutura e os elementos em comum do conteúdo dos mitos. No entanto, no panorama indo-europeu, é importante perguntar, não só o que é ou de que trata o mito, mas de quem é o mito, quem o faz? Concentrando a nossa atenção no ethos, veremos que a explicação de origem do mito, coincide, quase rigorosamente, com as primeiras concepções de ars poetica e que, na sua raiz, mitologia e poesia são igualmente sagradas e, quem as representa, o poeta, um deus.

Orquídeas são plantas muito procuradas em função da beleza e diversidade, de cores e formatos, de suas flores. Visando obter uniformidade, vigor e sanidade das mudas bem como produzir grandes quantidades para a comercialização usa-se a propagação in vitro. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a geminação e o desenvolvimento in vitro de Cyrtopodium saintlegerianum para aclimatação. Os meios MS, MS½, Knudson C modificado e Simplificado foram testados na germinação das sementes. No desenvolvimento das plântulas foram avaliados os meios Knudson C modificado, MS e MS modificado (adição de auxina e citocinina). Os meios MS, MS½ e Knudson C modificado promoveram germinação acima de 80% após sete dias. Contudo, no meio Simplificado as sementes germinaram após trinta dias. Nas duas avaliações, trinta e sessenta dias após o início do experimento, o meio Knudson C modificado foi eficiente para as variáveis observadas demonstrando seu potencial uso na germinação e desenvolvimento dessa espécie.

Objective. To characterize the vaginal microbiome and the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the women of Príncipe (São Tomé and Príncipe). Methods. Cross-sectional study of 100 consecutive women, invited for a free appointment and cervical cancer screening. A vaginal slide (wet mount microscopy) and a cervical sample (ThinPrep®) (Pap test, high risk human papillomavirus [HR-HPV], N. gonorrhea [NG], T. vaginalis [TV], and C. trachomatis [CT]) were obtained. Results. TV, NG, CT, and HIV were found in 8.0%, 2.0%, 3.0%, and 2.0%, respectively, and were more prevalent in younger women. HR-HPV was positive in 36.7%; 2 were positive for HPV18, but none for HPV16. Coinfection of HPV with other STIs was 8.3%. Prevalence of abnormal vaginal flora (AVF) was 82.5%, mostly bacterial vaginosis (BV) 54.6%, and moderate/severe aerobic vaginitis (msAV) 25.8%. HR-HPV was not related to BV (p=0.67). The association of abnormal Pap test with msAV was not significant (p=0.08). Conclusion. The prevalence of NG, CT, TV, and HR-HPV was according to expected, while that of HR-AVF was higher. The surprisingly low prevalence of HPV16 and HPV18 must be considered in the design of programs for prevention and vaccination; this setting can be useful as a model for postvaccination scenarios.

Nowadays, the globalization, business competitiveness, the development of information and communication technologies and the modifications in the profile of consumers, more demanding, better informed and with new/different needs, put business face to new challenges. In this environment, the loyalty of its customers plays an important role, being relevant to know them in depth, maintaining long-term relationships, adjusting the proposed solutions products/services and equating the forms and timing to present them, in order to increase the value of their customer base. The aim of this article is to describe the development of an application that enables organizations to have an integrated view of the value of their customers. An analysis was performed to the customer’s database of the organization, according to the RFM (Recency, Frequency and Monetary) method and CLV (Customer Lifetime Value) computation. Based on its results a dashboard has been developed that allows obtaining summaries of the most relevant information and the possibility of extracting data for further use in target lists in the development of marketing campaigns.

A diabetes tipo 2 (DM) é uma doença metabólica com uma componente genética mas muito determinada pelo estilo de vida que já evidencia na Área Metropolitana do Porto custos individuais, sociais e económicos muito elevados e bastante graves. Todavia, para por cobro a este flagelo e medicar uma mudança de estilo de vida elaboramos em Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG), um projeto que nos permitisse combinar as características das 266 freguesias e construir o Índice de Privação para o Risco de Aparecimento de DM, uma ferramenta essencial a considerar no ordenamento de territórios mais saudáveis.

The kindergarten teachers must be aware of the importance of the acquisition of social skills for children, with a view to appropriate adaptation and overcoming the various challenges that will have those throughout existence. This article is the presentation of a research work within the pre-school educational context, in the field of ʻSocial and Personal Educationʼ which may lead to improved social skills within the group of children. In order to accomplish this, after the teaching training with the pre-school class which focussed on the acquisition of social competence, an assessment of the modified social skills within the class was carried out. These activities were included in the preschool lesson planning during the ʻSupervised Teaching Practiceʼ. They were developed based on childrenʼs daily life situations, focussing mainly on using games in the learning contexts. The aim of these games was to motivate and involve the children in order to enhance their balanced social development. The results obtained suggest that the introduction of this type of learning activities may be an asset in Pre-school Education because they develop both childrenʼs social skills and social competence. Moreover, this type of learning activities may also lead to changes in childrenʼs social interaction with both adults and their peers which may favour pro social behaviour.

Os óleos essenciais das folhas e dos galhos de Cinnamomum zeylanicum coletada no município de Manaus, estado do Amazonas, foram obtidos por hidrodestilação e analisados através de CG-EM. Vinte e três constituintes foram identificados nas folhas, dos quais o eugenol foi o que apresentou maior porcentagem (60%). Nos galhos foram identificados trinta e seis componentes, com predominância dos monoterpenos alfa- e beta-pineno (9,9%; 3,5%), alfa-felandreno (9,2%), p-cimeno (6,2%), limoneno (7,9%), linalol (10,6%); os sesquiterpenos alfa-copaeno (3,3%), (beta )-cariofileno (6,7%), óxido de cariofileno (3,1%) e os alilbenzenos (E)-cinamaldeído (7,8%) e acetato de (E)-cinamila (9,7%).The essential oils of the leaves and branches "of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, collected at Manaus, state of Amazonas, were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. Twenty-three components were identified, of which eugenol, was the major (60%). Thirty-six components were identified in the branch oil, among them the monoterpenes alpha-pinene (9.9 %), beta-pinene (3.5 %), alpha phellandrene (9.2 %), p-cymene (6.2%), limonene (7.9%), linalool (10.6%) were the most abundant, followed by the sesquiterpenes alpha-copaene (3.3%), (beta)-caryophyllene (6.7%), caryophyllene oxide (3.1%) and the allybenzenes (E)-cinnamaldehyde (7.8%), (E)-cinnamyl acetate (9.7%).

The present study aimed to identify and quantify the dimethyl acetal (DMA) levels in the muscle of Octopusvulgaris Cuvier, 1797, and to investigate the possible influence of octopus feeding ecology on their spatial and seasonal variations. The research was performed over one year in three areas of the Portuguese coast: Viana do Castelo, Cascais and Tavira. Significantly higher values of DMA were detected in Tavira (p< 0.05), an area where the importance of bivalves in the octopus’ diet was higher. The biochemical analyses performed in several prey items, belonging to five major taxonomic groups identified in octopus stomachs, revealed significant differences in DMA levels (p< 0.05). The highest values were obtained in bivalves (1.15 mg 100 g-1 dry weight), followed by gastropods (0.74 mg 100g-1 dw), cephalopods (0.67 mg 100 g-1 dw), crustaceans (0.23 mg 100 g-1 dw) and osteichthyes (0.10 mg 100 g-1 dw). Therefore, based on these findings it can be speculated that the higher DMA levels in O. vulgaris obtained in Tavira throughout the year were evidence of its feeding ecology. Since DMAs are derived from ether glycerophospholipids, including plasmalogens (PLMs), the importance and role of this phospholipid class is discussed.

Investiga-se o conteúdo do princípio da supremacia do interesse público sobre o privado, cânone do direito público. O estudo se desenvolve a partir da discussão provocada por aqueles que recentemente vieram a negar a referida norma, de sorte a verificar se o ataque perpetrado ao referido princípio merece prosperar. A metodologia empregada caracteriza-se pela pesquisa bibliográfica das principais obras dos autores que estão em ambos os polos da discussão: aqueles que defendem tal princípio e aqueles que negam sua existência. Conjuga-se à análise doutrinária a pesquisa de decisões judiciais que abordam a temática, de forma a verificar sua abordagem na prática. Demonstra-se que a discussão acerca da inexistência do princípio da supremacia do interesse público sobre o privado em nosso ordenamento não passa de uma controvérsia terminológica acerca da noção de princípio e de interesse público.

Authors begin by a synthetic historical review of the emergence of the philosophy of education up to the present day. It follows a presentation of the results of recent meta-analyses on the topics, problems, guidelines and relevance given to the philosophy of education (PE). For this purpose, several paths were chosen: one, more empirical, focused on the works developed within the field; the other, more foundational, sought a disciplinary sense within the field's tradition and the current challenges that are being raised. Authors then outline some of the paths that can be opened up for the philosophy of education, understood as a critical and creative quest. Namely, they try to show how it may be understood as a creation of concepts, in a stance to rip Chaos, by introducing an innovative intensity, which can correspond to the creation of meaning that opens and articulates a possible world (of meaning). Complementary to this, PE could take charge of the analysis of educational discourses, the suggestion of a general direction for the educational process, the elucidation of the human's educating structure, the explanation of the different pedagogies through the unveiling of their underlying teleology, the recollection of interesting philosophical questions for educators, or a metaphysical analysis of related issues, as well as an analytic approach, aimed at clarifying concepts, or a radical approach, by reflecting upon the deep assumptions of education, and even a deductive approach derived from the great philosophical matrices. Philosophy of education remains, nowadays, a field of hermeneutic openness that should assume the stance of resistance to any attempts to stifle or silence the axiological dimension, and very particularly, PE could be developed as a way of probing the concrete educational practice activity, by engaging in discussions, in order to make suggestions about "what was valuable in the past" and "what is worthwhile in the present". Today, perhaps more than ever, PE requires the critical work and commitment that philosophy always had the virtue of incisively developing, particularly when it comes to the field of education that is proven to be a multi-layered arena of conflicting crossovers.

Partindo do princípio de que a revolução digital implicitou uma profunda mutação dos nossos padrões culturais e dos nossos esquemas mentais, o objectivo do presente trabalho é analisar as metamorfoses societais e individuais provocadas pelas novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação de forma a justificar a tese de que a contemporaneidade está a suscitar um novo modelo ou paradigma do humano.

Descrição do caso clínico de um paciente com síndrome de Brown-Séquard por hérnia de disco cervical em duplo nível, 40 anos, do sexo masculino, sem história de patologia prévia da coluna cervical; teve início insidioso de paresia nos membros direitos, associada à diminuição da sensibilidade dolorosa e térmica do hemicorpo esquerdo, após mergulho que ocasionou trauma indireto da coluna cervical. A RM da coluna cervical mostrou hérnias discais paramedianas direitas nos níveis C4-C5 e C5-C6 com compressão da metade direita do cordão medular e hiperintensidade em T2. Foi realizada descompressão por via anterior e artrodese dos níveis afetados. O paciente recuperou-se parcialmente dos déficits neurológicos, após um longo programa de reabilitação funcional. O tratamento cirúrgico e um programa de reabilitação precoce são da maior importância para a recuperação neurológica de paciente com síndrome de Brown-Séquard por hérnia de disco cervical.Descripción del caso clínico de un paciente con síndrome de Brown-Séquard por hernia de disco cervical en nivel doble, 40 años, del sexo masculino, sin historial de patología previa de la columna cervical; tuvo inicio insidioso de paresia en los miembros derechos, vinculada con la disminución de la sensibilidad dolorosa y térmica del hemicuerpo izquierdo, después de zambullida que ocasionó traumatismo indirecto de la columna vertebral. La RM de la columna cervical mostró hernias discales paramedianas derechas, en los niveles C4-C5 y C5-C6, con compresión de la mitad derecha del cordón medular e hiperintensidad en T2. Se realizó descompresión por vía anterior y artrodesis de los niveles afectados. El paciente se recuperó, parcialmente, de los déficits neurológicos, después de un programa prolongado de rehabilitación funcional. El tratamiento quirúrgico y un programa de rehabilitación precoz son de máxima importancia para la recuperación neurológica del paciente con síndrome de Brown-Séquard por hernia de disco cervical.This article presents a case in which Brown-Séquard syndrome resulted from a double level cervical disc herniation. A 40-year-old man without previous history of cervical pathology, presented with insidious right arm and leg paresis associated with associated with decreased pain and thermal sensitivity in the left hemibody after diving which caused indirect trauma of the cervical spine. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine showed double level disc herniation in C4-C5 and C5-6 with compression of the right half of spinal cord and hyperintensity in T2-weighted images. After a complete decompression of neural structures, a double level interbody fusion was performed. There was partial recovery of neurological status after a long period of physical therapy. Early surgical intervention and prompt rehabilitation are paramount to achieve neurological recovery in patients with Brown-Séquard syndrome resulting from a cervical disc herniation.

Tourism related to bathing has a growing economic importance in the Guadiana Estuary in southern Spain and Portugal. Polls of local public opinion showed an awareness of potential and current threats to the aquatic environment posed by regulation of river flow and untreated/poorly-treated urban sewage discharge. Because of this strong concern for water quality, it was selected as the policy issue for our application of the Systems Approach Framework (SAF). We developed an integrated simulation model of the Guadiana estuarine system in which the ecological system and socioeconomic components are linked by means of beach eco-label (Blue Flag Award) through its dependence on fecal bacterial thresholds. We quantified the socioeconomic impacts of water quality through an Economic Base Model that is used to portray the effect of increasing employment on resident population as a result of change in coastal water quality. A Cost-Benefit Analysis provides monetary indicators for scenario evaluation. It includes a monetary valuation of changes in water quality on human welfare using a Contingent Valuation Method. Because the population has a strong seasonal influence on the wastewater discharge into the estuary, we were able to simulate the feedback loop between the human activities that control water quality and those that benefit from it. We organized a critical evaluation of our efforts with the stakeholders, which allowed us to better understand their perceptions of the strengths, limitations, and opportunities for future SAF applications. Here we describe several aspects of our efforts that demonstrate the potential value of the SAF to environmental managers and stakeholders in clarifying some of the causal mechanisms, management options, and costs for resolution of the conflictual problem between water quality and tourism in the Guadiana estuary.

Our scope is to show how democracy has been trivialized as a concept and, more worryingly, as a mystified practice of consented servitude, which supposedly would bring to its very end. In fact, for the emblematic occidental societies, democracy has, at the best, been reduced to a consumerist way of life, under the capitalist liberal order, and the façade of a "spectacularized" electoral process. Overall, the word "democracy" is currently used to mask different forms of authoritarianism, from which nor even western societies escape. In such context, as to the promises of democracy for schools' systems, we see nothing but a bureaucratic centralization, allowing no more than an instrumental autonomy of power of execution through which the players only enjoy a "voluntary servitude" to the neoliberal naturalized ideology of efficiency, competitiveness and pseudo meritocracy. We thus conclude by suggesting possibilities of resistance and the empowerment of the subject.