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IntroductionThe gender gap in technology entrepreneurship represents a significant and persistent disparity, with women significantly underrepresented in creating and leading technology start-ups. To address this multifaceted problem, it is critical to research and implement educational models that can foster intrinsic motivation in aspiring female entrepreneurs. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a valuable framework for such an educational approach, emphasizing the importance of satisfying essential psychological needs—autonomy, competence and relatedness—to enhance motivation and commitment. Integrating SDT principles into entrepreneurship education can create supportive environments that empower women, encourage diverse perspectives, and ultimately bridge the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. Particularly in the case of female students, it is important to understand how to empower their behavior choices to make possible different professional paths, with tech entrepreneurship being one of them. This gender gap has not yet been addressed through an education model proposal. Much has been said to characterize and identify it, but there is no proposal to change the higher education system in the STEM area, which is the research goal achieved in this paper: we need to analyze the gender gap in HEI and its relation to becoming entrepreneurial and understand how HEI may support the tech entrepreneurial behavior. To answer these questions we are going, in pursuit of the intrinsic motivations to support more entrepreneurial behavior in STEM female students.MethodsA quantitative approach was designed to collect data to identify the gender gap in five European higher education institutions (HEI) in five different countries. In April, surveys were launched to female students, allowing a descriptive, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to test the SDT intrinsic motivation constructs.ResultsThe results confirmed that there is a gender gap to overcome and that the teaching-learning process may help to potentiate the female student’s capacities of self-knowledge and self-value for female students. The autonomy need was identified as the most influential construct on students becoming entrepreneurs, not dishing the effect the competences and relatedness have. Understanding this reality allows for further development of the education model proposed and discussed.ConclusionHigher education lectures, particularly in STEM programs, can improve their teaching processes to become more inclusive and promote an effective entrepreneurial mindset. Understanding what will change helps engage in a different paradigm of education in technology, demystifying the concepts of entrepreneurship and allowing inclusion and gender equality in the higher education system.

Women’s participation and leadership in technology and entrepreneurship are crucial for advancing innovation and ensuring inclusive economic development. Despite progress in gender equality, women in tech face challenges like under-representation and systemic biases. This research delves into the multifaceted experiences of women in tech innovation and entrepreneurship, highlighting the barriers they face and the strategies they use to overcome them. This study used a qualitative, observational design with semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to explore the experiences and perceptions of entrepreneurial women in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field. It was possible to conclude that entrepreneurial women exhibit a strong sense of autonomy, competence, and leadership, enabling them to manage their ventures independently and effectively. Also, the success of entrepreneurial women is multifaceted, combining personal fulfilment, professional achievements, and financial stability, with positive feedback and recognition playing a key role. Building strong social and supportive relationships is vital for entrepreneurial women, providing a sense of belonging, community, and emotional support. In this context, to empower women in STEM and entrepreneurship, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) should promote entrepreneurship as a career path, provide practical and value-based education, and foster a work environment of trust, communication, and continuous learning.

BackgroundWe conducted a five-year prospective follow-up study to track the real-world quality of life of patients with narcolepsy after medication and analyzed predictors.MethodsThe study ultimately included 157 participants who completed 5-year follow-up, 111 had type 1 narcolepsy (NT1) and 46 had type 2 narcolepsy (NT2). Polysomnography, multiple sleep latency test, actigraphy and HLA-typing were conducted. The Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy Sleep Inventory, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the visual analog for hypersomnolence (VAS), and Conners' Continuous Performance Test were used. Descriptive statistics, repeated measures, and hierarchical linear models were applied for analysis.ResultsMost demographic and clinical data did not significantly differ between groups, but the NT1 group had significantly more overweight, more severe narcoleptic symptoms, more positive HLA typing, shorter mean sleep latency, and more sleep onset rapid eye movement periods. No significant change to the physical domains of SF-36 was found in the total group, but we observed significant changes in emotional role functioning and social function. The NT1 group showed significant improvements in physical role functioning, emotional role functioning, and social function. The NT2 group demonstrated significant improvements in emotional role functioning. At the baseline, the NT2 group had significantly better scores, but there was no significant group difference after treatment, except for physical and social function. ESS and VAS were significantly improved during follow-up. At the baseline, the NT1 group had significantly higher ESS and VAS scores, and continuously significantly higher ESS scores during follow-up. Narcolepsy types, HLA typing, age of onset, symptom severity, attention and vigilance were significantly correlated with SF-36.ConclusionSymptom control greatly associates with the quality of life in narcoleptic patients, and medication can play the most important role. Management targeting narcoleptic symptoms, attention impairment, and drug adherence should be provided.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder and its prevalence has increased with the obesity pandemic. We aimed to explore the presence of OSA in severe obesity and to evaluate the association of body mass index (BMI) with sleep architecture, cognition, emotional distress and comorbidities in OSA versus non-OSA patients. Methods: A sample of 61 patients performed a neuropsychological battery that included tasks of attention, memory, perceptual/visuospatial ability, vocabulary, inhibition, cognitive flexibility and distress symptomatology, before overnight polysomnography. Results: More than half of the sample had OSA. Excessive daytime sleepiness was not a prominent complaint. Sleep architecture was worse in the OSA than in the non-OSA group, and hypertension was increased with OSA, especially in the severe OSA group. A higher BMI was associated with cognitive distress and sleep variables and with type 2 diabetes. The apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) was correlated with gender and cognitive measurements. Cognitive complaints were associated with enhanced distress in both OSA and non- OSA patients. Discussion: OSA is considerably present in severely obese patients. The BMI was strongly associated with other important anthropometric measurements along with worsening sleep architecture and lower executive functioning, both of which may contribute to weight gain. The AHI was significantly higher in men and affected memory and maintaining sets on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test which may represent a barrier to treatment adherence for this disorder. The substantial presence of cognitive complaints in OSA and non-OSA patients suggests the need for psychological intervention focused on adaptive coping strategies, mostly for depressive symptoms. Given the current obesity epidemic, these results support the need for routine sleep investigation in obese people, particularly in primary care settings. BMI, neuropsychological and emotional screening can provide crucial information about asymptomatic and high-risk patients who require prompt sleep intervention and obesity treatment.

Older adults were considered a vulnerable group for the COVID-19 infection and its consequences, including problems with sleep.AimTo evaluate the prevalence of sleep disorders in older adults, to describe their sleep patterns, as well as to analyse if there were any changes in comparison with the period pre-pandemic.Materials and MethodsOnline survey used for data collection received answers from 914 elderly age range 65–90 years, from April to August 2020. Results: 71% of the sample reported a pre-existent sleep disorder, and some of them worsened during the pandemic, especially Insomnia in women and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in men. No difference in sleep duration before and during the pandemic was found, although there was a worsening of some aspects related to sleep, such as sleep quality, sleep efficiency, awakening quality, sleep latency and nocturnal awakenings, especially in the female gender. Educational level influenced sleep latency, indicating higher sleep latency among those with primary education when compared with the ones with Ph.D.ConclusionThe pandemic had influenced sleep patterns among the elderly, as well as worsening of pre-existent sleep disorders. Female gender and low educational level were considered risk factors for sleep alterations, and high educational level, on its turn, appeared to be a protective factor.

AimThis study aimed to describe sleep habits, quality of life and psychosocial aspects in older people and analyze associated differences considering the time before COVID-19 pandemic and during its first wave in Portugal.MethodsOnline survey used for data collection received answers from 914 elderly (age range 65 – 90y), from April to August 2020.ResultsSymptoms of self-perception of depression, anxiety, irritability and economic problems were not prominent in the elderly, except for worries concerning uncertainty about the future. There was no difference in sleep duration before and during the pandemic, although there was a worsening of some aspects related to sleep, such as sleep quality, sleep efficiency, awakening quality, sleep latency and nocturnal awakenings. Gender comparisons showed a higher vulnerability in women. Some morbidities got worse during the pandemic among the elderly, such as Insomnia, Headaches, Depression, Tinnitus, among others.ConclusionEven though our data suggest that the pandemic did not have a great impact on quality of life, sleep quality and psychosocial aspects in the elderly, they were still affected by the worsening of their health conditions, including sleep and morbidities. Some behaviors may act as protective factors in this population, such as walking and keeping contact with others, as well as other aspects like financial stability, high level of education and family support, as they can help them to cope better with difficulties.

From its initial conceptualization as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced personal efficacy for the help professions, burnout has received increasing attention in modern times, especially after the 2019 WHO’s inclusion of this syndrome in the ICD-11 list. Burnout can be measured using several psychometric instruments that range in dimensionality, number of items, copyrighted, and free use formats. Here, we report the psychometric properties of data gathered with the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) in a sample of Portuguese Aircraft maintenance technicians. As far as we know, this is the first study addressing the burnout syndrome in this occupational group. Data gathered with the OLBI displayed good evidence of validity related to internal structure, to other variables, with good evidence of reliability. We showed that burnout significantly correlated with mental and physical fatigue emphasizing the vital critical role that these variables play with safety in the aviation industry.

Objective: Sleep is of upmost importance for everybody and especially for adolescents who face life and leisure challenges that may impair their sleep. This study aimed to verify if girls are at a higher risk to present sleep problems and if associations of a sleep perception are different between sexes even when accounting for biological maturation. Methods: Data is from the HBSC Portuguese survey 2014, all variables were self-reported. Participants were 3869 adolescents (2057 girls), mean age 14.8 years. Participants’ socio-demographic characteristics included sex, age, school grade, father and mother education; besides participants were inquired about sleep duration and characteristics of their sleep quality. Results: Sleep deprivation was reported by 13.1% of the adolescents (girls 14.3%, boys 11.7%, p

Objective/Background: Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) is defined by a delay in the major sleep episode relative to desired or required sleep and wake times. The objectives of this study were to evaluate DSWPD in our population and to compare it with similar clinical data, to analyse gender differences, and to identify possible subpopulations based on circadian timing and alignment. Patients/Methods: 162 consecutive DSWPD patients from a sleep clinic with a median age of 35.5 (24.0) years, 85 (52.5%) males were studied. Patient data were obtained from a clinical interview composed of socio-demographic, life events, daily habits, consumptions, and comorbidities data; and from diaries, actimetry, melatonin and PSG T1. The Dim Light Melatonin Onset (DLMO) was used to define circadian alignment or misalignment. Results: In our DSWPD cohort, there were gender differences for different age groups (p=0.028). Men were more likely to be single and women more likely to be married (p=0.034). In students, school failure was higher for women (p

This study proposed a line of research on entrepreneurship based on the analysis of personality traits and geographical area. Its objective is to identify whether certain personality traits or sociocultural variables typical of a particular geographical area influence those who have already started an entrepreneurial activity to keep it up, in other words, to maintain their entrepreneurial intention. The research results reach a sample of 479 entrepreneurs from two Iberian Peninsula geographical areas. The analyse of the psychometric properties on the Entrepreneurial Orientation Questionnaire (EOQ) identified five dimensions of the enterprising personality. They also evidence that geographical location is a factor that contributes to the development of the entrepreneurial intentions that determine the business profile. The results show that entrepreneurs in the northern area tend to maintain their business than those in the central zone.

IntroductionDifferences in the manner circadian clocks entrain to the 24-h day are expressions of different chronotypes that can range from extreme early to extreme late, from proverbial larks to owls. The Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) was one of the first to assess daily preference based on subjective self-assessment – a psychological construct. The later developed Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) uses instead the actual sleep timing to assess chronotype. It calculates the mid-sleep point, halfway between onset and offset on work-free days (MSF), which is then corrected for potential oversleep on free days compensating for sleep debt accumulated over the workweek (MSFsc). MSFsc is expressed in local time and is thought to be a proxy for “phase of entrainment” of the circadian clock. The MCTQ-derived chronotype is therefore a biological construct. In the present report, we validate the Portuguese variant (MCTQPT) of the MCTQ. Portugal is of particular interest, since it is thought to consist of especially late chronotypes.MethodsWe have used three methods to assess the timing of daily behavior, namely, the chronotype (MCTQ), the daily preference (rMEQ), and a simple self-assessment (time-of-day type). A total of 80 healthy adults living in Portugal, with age and sex distributed according to the Portuguese population, were recruited. We analyzed 4 weeks of continuous records of actimetry data to validate the MCTQPT and used the rMEQ to compare between a biological chronotype (sleep timing) and a psychological chronotype (daily preference). MCTQ variables were analyzed by descriptive statistics; correspondence between measurements was done by Spearman correlations or cross-tabulation; in a subset of 41 individuals, test–retest reliability was assessed.ResultsMCTQ-derived variables (MSF, MSW, MSFsc) correlated highly with their counterparts calculated from actimetry (MSW: rho = 0.697; MSF: rho = 0.747; MSFsc: rho = 0.646; all p < 0.001). The MCTQ assessment of the chronotype showed good test–retest reliability (rho = 0.905; p < 0.001). The rMEQ score correlates with MSFsc (rho = −0.695; p < 0.001), and the agreement for the self-assessment with the MSFsc was fair (kw = 0.386; p < 0.001).ConclusionThe Portuguese variant of the MCTQ revealed to be a reliable questionnaire to assess the chronotype for the Portuguese adult population, as previously reported for other countries.

Background: Adequate sleep is essential for health. Both, short and long sleep durations are associated to worse quality of life and poor health outcomes. Portugal represents a specific population model, since according to European statistics it has high rates of chronic diseases like depression, hypertension, diabetes and stroke; and low quality of life as well as low index of physical activity, while in parallel it has some other good health indicators such as: low age-standardized mortality for both genders, nutrition in terms of energy and fruit consumption, smoking and alcohol, obesity and overweight prevalence. The aim of this study was to characterize health and chronic diseases, lifestyles and quality of life in subjects with short and long sleep duration. Methods: A populationbased cross-sectional evaluation of the third wave of follow-up of the EpiDoC Cohort was carried between 2015-2016. A sample of 5,436 adults ≥18 years, representative of the national population, self-reported their daily total sleep time. Associations between short sleep duration (SSD ≤5h), long sleep duration (LSD≥9h) and independent variables were determined. Results: The prevalence for SSD was high (20.7%) and the LSD (5.9%) was low. Being older, with lower education, retired and unemployed were associated to SSD and LSD (p

The case study explores the growth and regional involvement of Douro SkinCare[1], a company created by women that operates in the field of selective Biological Cosmetics through the creation, development and production of cosmetic lines that are based on emblematic raw materials of the Douro Region, one of the oldest wine-growing areas with more history in the world, located in the north of our country, Portugal. It uses Douro grapes and PORT WINE DNA ™ (Douro Nuclear Aroma), created from the first port wine from entirely organic production to develop cosmetic lines produced with endogenous products. The territorial intensive products (TIP) are associated directly with the region and are intensively endogenous. TIPs are indirectly related with local tourism as a trademark. This case study uses a qualitative methodology, based on YIN (1998) to select and analyse information collected by the interviewers and other secondary information sources. This case illustrates how a brand can contribute for regional development and expansion by a small female business. It also highlights the role of the entrepreneurs in introducing modernity, innovation and product diversification to allow such a small firm to reach new markets. This research could bring new insights and relevant proposals to the relation between TIPs, female entrepreneurship, tourism and regional development. Additionally, by utilizing grapes and/or wine and other derived products produced from vines grown completely organically in the Douro region in northern Portugal, the firm has contributed significantly to create awareness about the sustainability of this natural resource and the region itself. [1] http://douroskincare.com/, retrieved on July 28, 2016.

Objective: EEG value in possible transient ischemic attacks (TIA) is unknown. We aim to quantify focal slow wave activity (FSWA) and epileptiform activity (EA) frequency in possible TIA, and to analyse its contribution to the final diagnosis of seizures and/or definitive TIA. Methods: Prospective longitudinal study of possible TIA patients evaluated at a tertiary centre during 36 months and with 1–3 months follow-up. EEG was performed as soon as possible (early EEG) and one month later (late EEG). A stroke neurologist established final diagnosis after reassessing all clinical and diagnostic tests. Results: 80 patients underwent an early EEG (45.8 h after possible TIA): 52 had FSWA and 6 of them also EA. Early FSWA was associated with epileptic seizure or definitive TIA final diagnosis (p = .041). Patients with these diagnoses had more frequently early FSWA (19/23; 82.6%) than EA (6/23; 26.1%). 6/13 (46.2%) patients with epileptic seizure final diagnosis had EA.In the late EEG, 43 (58.1%) patients demonstrated persistent FSWA and 3 of them also EA. Persistent FSWA in the late EEG was more frequent in seizures than in TIA patients (91.7% vs. 45.5%). FSWA disappearance was associated with acute vascular lesion on neuroimage. Conclusions: FSWA was the commonest EEG abnormality found in the early EEG of patients with possible TIA, but did not distinguish between TIA and seizure patients. In patients with seizures, FSWA was more common than EA and its presence in the late EEG was more likely in patients with epileptic seizures than with TIA. Significance: The majority of possible TIA patients with the final diagnosis of epileptic seizures do not have EA in the early or late EEG. Keywords: Transient neurological symptoms, Transient ischaemic attack, Seizure diagnosis, Epilepsy, Epileptiform activity, Focal slow wave activity

Introduction: Obesity is a significant risk factor for multiple comorbidities, and its relation to neurocognitive disfunction is particularly important in cognitive decline, especially in middle age. Due to their impact on neurodegeneration, we sought to explore neuropsychological profile, cognitive reserve and emotional distress in patients with severe obesity. Material and Methods: We used a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, neuropsychological tests and a symptom self-reported scale of emotional distress. We evaluated the cognitive performance of 120 patients, aged between 18 and 65 years, in treatment for their severe obesity in Portugal, between May 2012 and December 2015. Results: Cognitive performance was below the mean for the Portuguese population, for immediate recall, visuoperception, resistance to interference and cognitive flexibility. Cognitive reserve was mostly low, especially in the older groups and groups with low professional status and increased associated with better cognitive outcomes. Emotional distress was shown to be higher in our sample compared with a normative sample. The risk factors evaluated were important in the worsening of cognitive functions. Cognitive performance decreased with age. Discussion: Severe obesity was associated with a poorer cognitive performance of the sample. The cognitive reserve was greater in the younger groups. There was a significant presence of emotional distress, especially among women. Conclusion: Severe obesity is associated with an impairment in cognitive and emotional performance, aggravated by aging, cognitive reserve, and comorbidity. This study emphasizes the need for preventive actions, such as neuropsychological screening, in the detection of changes and the design of better interventions.

The competitiveness of the agro-industrial sector depends not only on its specific performance but also on the character and degree of the innovation performance, vital to added value development and differentiation in the biobased value-chain. This work intends to show, how through research and development (R&D), collaboration is possible to improve agri-food companies’ competitiveness, helping them to integrate biotechnology and offer innovative products. The method used to support the R&D collaboration model developed involves a diagnosis of biotechnological tools use, for developing appropriate solutions from food safety to food quality, improving health, and achieving new ingredients and/or food products within an agri-food Association partners survey results were integrated into the study of R&D collaboration practice. Results show that the companies (wine culture, fruticulture, and olive culture subsectors) inquired do not develop biotechnology research. They were all micro-business with a low volume of commercial billing, and only 27.3% claimed to have developed research activities in partnership with external research centres, but were not associated with higher education institutions. The barriers to the implementation of biotechnology techniques considered more relevant by respondents were access to capital and specialized human resources, which led to reinforcing the R&D collaboration strategy design.

Objectives: The present study aims to test the factor structure of two sleep questionnaires and their internal consistency in a sample of adolescents and their respective parents and to evaluate the validity and robustness of a three-dimensional model about sleep, addressing nine subcategories related to sleep habits, personal and environmental factors. Methods: Participants were 654 adolescents from Portuguese schools, who completed “My Sleep and I” questionnaire, and 664 parents who completed “My child׳s sleep” questionnaire; to them confirmatory factor analysis was applied. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis indicate that a nine-factor model has better fit indices compared with the others tested models for both samples (adolescents: χ2/df (Chi-square/degrees of freedom)=2.59, Comparative Fit Index (CFI)=.82, Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI)=.92, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)=.049, Expected Cross-Validation Index (ECVI)=1.416; Parents: χ2/df=2.89, CFI=.85, GFI=.91, RMSEA=.053, ECVI=1.528). Moreover, the comparison of the models through Δχ2 index (chi-square difference between rival models) indicates a better fit for this model, Δχ2 (24)=186.5, p

Studies have shown that a large proportion of traffic accidents around the world are related to inadequate or disordered sleep. Recent surveys have linked driver fatigue to 16% to 20% of serious highway accidents in the UK, Australia, and Brazil. Fatigue as a result of sleep disorders (especially obstructive sleep apnea), excessive workload and lack of physical and mental rest, have been shown to be major contributing factors in motor vehicle accidents. A number of behavioral, physiological, and psychometric tests are being used increasingly to evaluate the impact of fatigue on driver performance. These include the oculography, polysomnography, actigraphy, the maintenance of wakefulness test, and others. Various strategies have been proposed for preventing or reducing the impact of fatigue on motor vehicle accidents. These have included: Educational programs emphasizing the importance of restorative sleep and the need for drivers to recognize the presence of fatigue symptoms, and to determine when to stop to sleep; The use of exercise to increase alertness and to promote restorative sleep; The use of substances or drugs to promote sleep or alertness (i.e. caffeine, modafinil, melatonin and others), as well as specific sleep disorders treatment; The use of CPAP therapy for reducing excessive sleepiness among drivers who have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. The evidence cited in this review justifies the call for all efforts to be undertaken that may increase awareness of inadequate sleep as a cause of traffic accidents. It is strongly recommended that, for the purpose of promoting highway safety and saving lives, all disorders that cause excessive sleepiness should be investigated and monitored.

Our purpose with this article is to show the importance of assessing trends and promoting innovation in a real business context, through a cluster ecosystem, mainly composed of micro-enterprises in the agro-industrial Portuguese sector. As many studies show, Inovcluster (which has 158 associates, from which 120 are enterprises) is also a geographic region cluster, which improves innovation performance of businesses seeking to gain competitiveness and ability to improve their exportations in the agro-industrial Portuguese sector. The role of the cluster is fundamental to creating a model for knowledge transfer of innovation capacity, interconnecting its institutional, scientific and business associates. This model has to be adapted to the sector and enterprise characteristics, relying in an interconnecting structure which is more or less decentralized according to the mentioned features. Here we present an experience and case study of the Inovcluster ecosystem and its trends and innovation transfer to business value creation, contextualized within the regional strategy for smart specialization. We have shown how, through the establishment of an Inovcluster network, it is possible to integrate the contribution of different research and academic centres, channelled to assist micro-enterprises by innovating within a geographical constraint.

Avaliaram-se os distúrbios do sono, trabalho em turnos, sonolência excessiva diurna (SDE) e qualidade de vida (QV) de 206 caminhoneiros brasileiros e 200 portugueses. Aplicaram-se a Escala de Sonolência de Epworth, o SF-36 e o PSQI. Os portugueses dormem mais nos dias de trabalho (pSe evaluaron disturbios del sueño, trabajo en turnos, somnolencia diurna excesiva (SDE) y calidad de vida (CV), de 206 camioneros brasileños y 200 portugueses. Se aplicaron la Escala de Somnolencia de Epworth, SF-36 y PSQI. Los portugueses duermen más los días de trabajo (pSleep disorders, shift work, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and quality of life (QL) were evaluated by Epworth sleepiness scale, SF-36 and PSQI in 206 Brazilian and 200 Portuguese truck drivers. Portuguese drivers sleep more on working days (p

Agro-food companies are aware that the technical and soft skills of their employees directly influence business performance and, consequently, improving those skills will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their companies. This paper presents the main results of the AgriTraining project “Training requirements for the agro-food industry”. Activities in pursuit of the objectives of this project involved: (1) analysis of the training needs in the agro-food industry in Portugal; (2) analysis of the training provision and the training organizations; (3) analysis of market trends; (4) definition of a training strategy; and (5) adjustment and development of training strategies for the agro-food sector. This last activity comprised the development of training curricula, suitable for the food sector as a whole and adjusted for the specific needs of some traditional industries, in order to promote the development and competitiveness of the agro-food industry in Portugal. Such training curricula aimed to promote the uptake of innovative technologies and methodologies, increase the ability of agro-food industries to invest and take risks, and enable adoption of European Community standards for production and marketing. Gaps in training supply were identified and the training provision was updated according to the needs of the agro-food companies. It was determined that companies need and demand knowledge and innovation to increase their competitive position for internationalization purposes. It was possible to define a training strategy based on market-orientation for agro-food differentiation.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade de vida (QV) de caminhoneiros brasileiros. MÉTODOS: O método foi exploratório-descritivo, comparativo e de corte transversal. Aplicaram-se um questionário sociodemográfico e o Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36). A amostra foi seqüencial e os sujeitos entrevistados em postos de gasolina ou restaurantes. A população incluiu 206 caminhoneiros em atividade nas rodovias federais brasileiras. A análise estatística foi feita com testes t de Student, análise de variância, análise de contingência pelo teste do qui-quadrado (χ²), análise de correlação simples de Pearson e teste exato de Fisher. O nível de significância foi de 5%. RESULTADOS: As médias dos preditores de QV foram melhores no desempenho físico (p < 0,0001), na vitalidade (p = 0,0002) e na função social (p < 0,0001). Não houve diferença significativa quanto à função física, saúde geral e desempenho emocional. A redução do tempo de sono, o despertar antes das 5 horas e o longo tempo de direção afetaram negativamente o SF-36. CONCLUSÃO: Em relação aos caminhoneiros avaliados neste estudo, as médias dos preditores de qualidade de vida de acordo com o SF-36 foram melhores para desempenho físico, vitalidade e função social. Não houve diferenças significativas quanto aos subitens de função física, saúde geral e desempenho emocional.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the Brazilian road truck drivers' quality of life. METHODS: The research method used was descriptive-exploratory, comparative and cross-sectional. The assessment instruments used were: a demographic questionnaire; the generic quality of life questionnaire Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36). The total population studied was 206 road truck drivers active in the Brazilian federal roads. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test, the means comparison by variance analysis, qui-square (χ²)contingency analysis, the Pearson simple correlation analysis, and the Fisher exact test. The significance level was 5%. RESULTS: The drivers showed better scores on physical (p < 0.0001), vitality (p = 0.0002) and social function (p < 0.0001) sub-scales. There was no significant difference between physical function, general health and emotional aspects. Furthermore sleep duration reduction, too early awakenings and prolonged driving affected negatively the SF-36 scores. CONCLUSION: According to SF-36 scores, the truck drivers assessed in this study showed the best quality of life predictors for physical function, vitality and social function. No significant differences were found in terms of physical function, general health and emotional aspects.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of sleep, shift work, alcohol and psychostimulant drug use, and the prevalence of accidents among truck drivers. METHOD: Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Statistical analysis was conducted using the Student t, chi-square, Pearson and Fisher tests. RESULTS: 43.2% of the drivers drove over 16 h a day, and 2.9% worked shifts. Mean number of sleep hours/day was 5.97±1.47; 23.8% slept 5; 23 subjects snored more than three times a week (11.1%). Mean ESS was 6.56±4.2; 21.7% had a score >10. In the preceding five years, 27 drivers (13.1%) were involved in accidents, 5 of which resulted in injuries and 3 in deaths. CONCLUSION: Results showed a high prevalence of sleep disorders, use of alcohol and psychostimulant drugs, and accidents.OBETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade do sono, trabalho em turnos, consumo de álcool e psicoestimulantes, e a prevalência de acidentes, entre caminhoneiros. MÉTDO: Foram aplicados questionários demográficos, a Escala de Epworth e o Índice de Pittsburgh. A análise estatística foi feita com os testes t de Student, qui-quadrado, Pearson e Fisher. RESULTADOS: 43,2% dirigiam mais que 16 h/dia; 2,9% faziam trabalho por turnos. A média de horas de sono foi 5,97 +/- 1,47. 23,8% dormiam menos de 5 horas. 50,9% faziam uso de bebida alcoólica; usavam cafeína 95,6% e anfetaminas 11,1%. A média do PSQI foi 4,95 +/- 2,56; 35,4% tinham o PSQI maior que 5; 23 sujeitos ressonavam mais que 3 vezes por semana (11,1%). A ESE teve uma média de 6,56 +/- 4,2; 21.7% um escore superior a 10. Nos últimos cinco anos 27 motoristas (13,1%) estiveram envolvidos em acidentes, 5 com feridos e 3 com mortos. CONCLUSÃO: Foi alta a prevalência de distúrbios do sono, uso de álcool e estimulantes, e de acidentes.

INTRODUCTION: Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies enable the investigation of neural correlates underlying behavioral performance. We investigate the effect of active and sham Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment on working memory function of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) considering Task Positive and Default Mode networks (TPN and DMN). METHODS: An experiment with 4 levels of visuospatial n-back task was used to investigate the pattern of cortical activation in 17 men with moderate or severe OSAS before and after 2 months of therapeutic (active) or sub-therapeutic (sham) CPAP treatment. RESULTS: Patients with untreated OSAS had significantly less deactivation in the temporal regions of the DMN as compared to healthy controls, but activation within TPN regions was comparatively relatively preserved. After 2 months of treatment, active and sham CPAP groups exhibited opposite trends of cerebral activation and deactivation. After treatment, the active CPAP group demonstrated an increase of cerebral activation in the TPN at all task levels and of task-related cerebral deactivation in the anterior midline and medial temporal regions of the DMN at the 3-back level, associated with a significant improvement of behavioral performance, whereas the sham CPAP group exhibited less deactivation in the temporal regions of Default Mode Network and less Task Positive Network activation associated to longer response times at the 3-back. CONCLUSION: OSAS has a significant negative impact primarily on task-related DMN deactivation, particularly in the medial temporal regions, possibly due to nocturnal hypoxemia, as well as TPN activation, particularly in the right ventral fronto-parietal network. After 2 months of active nasal CPAP treatment a positive response was noted in both TPN and DMN but without compete recovery of existing behavioral and neuronal deficits. Initiation of CPAP treatment early in the course of the disease may prevent or slow down the occurrence of irreversible impairment.

Our study included 42 patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) confirmed by polysomnography. In these patients we investigated the clinical manifestations, the results of the laboratory examinations, including polysomnography, ORL observations and tests of pulmonary function, as well as the therapeutic results. Our patients presented a serious set of symptoms which included excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, obesity, craniofacial abnormalities, systemic hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, incapacity to work with precocious retirement, marital conflicts and high incidence of accidents, namely traffic accidents. An adequate treatment, mostly with nasal CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), induced marked relief of the symptoms; some patients had an advantage in surgical treatment and weight reduction. OSAS is a frequent entity, affecting mostly male adults after the 5th decade. The lack of knowledge about this entity and the common social acceptance of some of its cardinal symptoms induces considerable delays in its diagnosis. The severity of the symptoms, the personal and social risks of excessive daytime sleepiness, the cardiocirculatory effects and the risk of sudden death during sleep justify an early diagnosis in order to prevent the severe evolution of the disease. Its complex physiopathology and multiple etiological factors justify a multidisciplinary approach.

The academic years are a period of vulnerability when considering sleep problems and mental health. Growing evidence suggests poor sleep patterns are related to impaired academic life and lower psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to explore the importance of sleep habits and report the associations of sleep problems with quality of academic life and different dimensions of mental health (e.g. worries, anxiety, self-regulation and resilience) in a large sample of college students. The HBSC/JUnP data base comprises a representative sample of 2991 college students (n=2203; 73.7% women), aged from 18 to 35 years old (22.43±3.83). Participants socio-demographic characteristics included sex and age. Besides, participants were inquired about sleep duration, characteristics of their sleep habits, questions about quality academic life, namely feeling bored in university, pressure from academic work and academic performance perception and mental health, namely worries, anxiety, self-regulation and resilience. Results showed most young people report an average value for sleep habits (M=4.41; SD=1.46) and that they sleep an average of 7 hours a night. More than half of the young people report either being affected by difficulty falling asleep, showing signs of sleep onset insomnia (67.7%). The conducted analyses indicated that the difficulty falling asleep (having insomnia) was associated with poor/reasonable academic performance perception, higher levels of concerns and anxiety, and lower levels of self-regulation and resilience, thus jeopardizing the mental health of college students. In turn, that characteristics of sleep was also associated with poor sleep habits. In conclusion, this study showed that poor sleep habits were associated with a worse level of academic performance perception and low levels of mental health among college students in Portugal. Universities offer enormous potential as settings to promote sleep-health programs since they can reach many young people who are future-oriented and willing to learn. There is then the need for academic researchers, teaching staff and health professionals working for college students health, to develop and test a wide array of sleep-promoting interventions (e.g., education classes, online programs, adjustment of class time), thus preventing negative secondary outcomes.

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the results of a conservative method and the Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure for weight loss on the cognitive-emotional performance of severely obese women assessed for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome. Material and Methods: Two samples consisting of females, approved for Sleeve Gastrectomy (n = 21) and Conservative Treatment (n = 21) underwent night polysomnography and completed a battery of neuropsychological and emotional tests before and 6 months after the interventions. We compared intra- and inter-sample results, post interventions result to controls, and treated patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome. Results: Anthropometry, immediate memory, attention, executive functions, and emotional maladjustment improved after the interventions. The conservative method showed better results for inhibitory control, and surgery showed better results for cognitive flexibility, speed of information processing and general cognitive and emotional performance for women with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome. Learning decreased following both interventions. Memory and cognitive flexibility were lower in the comparison group than in control groups. Discussion: Treatments impacted different cognitive domains with probable influence on the objectives achieved. Lower middle pressure for behaviour modification may have reduced learning after interventions. The reduction of depression/anxiety in women with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea may result from the improvement of the social effects of both conditions. Although with better results for the surgical method, anthropometric reductions in both methods, positively influenced the cognitive/emotional domains. The maintenance of cognitive weaknesses implies longer and more focused interventions to avoid the regression of results like the worsening of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome.

The difficuities in assessing the Central Nervous System (CNS) in the course of Systemic Nervous System (SLE) are weli known. A battery of Neurophysiological tests, including EEG and Multimodal Evoked Potencials was used in order to evaluate CNS disfuntion. Two SLE populations were studied (one with previous neurological symptoms (N = 10) and another without any of the these symptoms (N = 10) and compared with normal controls (N = 14). Tests included Routine EEG, Visual Evoked Potencials (VEP), Flash Evoked Responses (FEP), Auditory P300 (P300) and a Reitan B Test. Both SLE populations showed rather high incidences of abnormalities in FEP and VEP; EEG and P300 had smaller percentages of abnormal records. In spite of stronger and more frequent abnormalities in patient with major symptoms in their past the two SLE could not be differentiated in terms of incidence of abnormal Evoked Potencials Records. Visual Evoked Potencials seem a promising method for the assessment of CNS system disfunction SLE patients.