Repositório RCAAP

Illumination control in optical systems is very important because it contributes to the overall performance, accuracy, and versatility of optical systems in various applications. For example, the optimization of specimen illumination is a significant factor in achieving high-quality images in microscopy. The Koehler illumination system was created by August Koehler in the late 19th century to be used in microscopes and it is still used for achieving uniform and precise sample illumination in modern scientific light microscopy. This system allows to create a uniform light spot using an extended light source. Uniformity reduces image artifacts and provides high sample contrast. The classical configuration of the system consists of two condenser lenses and an extended light source to illuminate the sample. The motivation for this study was the use of the Koehler illumination system in the scope of ARIEL Space Mission On-Ground Support Equipment (OGSE) development activities in the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Science (IA). ARIEL is a space mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and will observe at least 1000 known exoplanets. It’s going to be optimized the Koehler Illumination System. This study comprises a full optical system modeling, its design, tolerance analysis and then its practical implementation in the laboratory along with measurements of intensity control. Detailed discussion on the several design and performance intricacies and potential challenges are also presented here. All tasks planned initially were executed and the established goals were met, although existing some conditions.

O estudo do fenómeno do afloramento costeiro tem ganho cada vez mais importância, tendo em conta, o cenário de alterações climáticas, em que vivemos. No caso da costa Oeste da Península Ibérica, foi analisada a variabilidade do afloramento costeiro no período de 1982 a 2021, com especial destaque para os meses de verão (julho, agosto e setembro), quando o afloramento costeiro é geralmente mais intenso e persistente nesta região. Os resultados obtidos dizem respeito às latitudes 37º N, 39º N e 41º N. O índice (IU) utilizado para o estudo deste fenómeno baseou-se na diferença entre a Temperatura da Superfície do Mar, ao largo (15º W) e junto à costa, sendo que, valores de diferença de temperatura positivos, são indicadores prováveis da ocorrência de afloramento costeiro. Verificou-se que os anos de 1998, 2008, 2017, 2019 e 2021, apresentam valores máximos de anomalias positivas do IU, no verão, nas três latitudes referidas. A 37º N, existe um padrão de anomalias importante, nomeadamente em julho, em que, nos primeiros vinte anos, predominam anomalias negativas e nos últimos vinte anos predominam anomalias positivas do IU. Uma outra forma abordada neste estudo para analisar a variabilidade do afloramento costeiro, consistiu no cálculo dastendênciastemporais do IU para os meses de verão e das tendências da temperatura da camada de mistura, na margem ocidental da Península Ibérica, recorrendo a resultados numéricos do modelo HYCOM, entre 2009 e 2019. As tendências temporais do IU mostram que, para a maioria dos anos, os valores dos declives das regressões lineares são positivos, embora estatisticamente pouco significativos. As tendências da temperatura da camada de mistura, mostram que, junto à costa, são geralmente negativas e que, ao largo, são maioritariamente positivas, o que é compatível com a intensificação do afloramento costeiro no período analisado.

The Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon, is quoted among the most luxurious streets in the world. This chapter examines the path traversed by this axis, from its opening in the late nineteenth century to the present day. We argue that despite the weaknesses pointed out in its conception, several factors related with centrality, symbolism, prestige and scenography allowed this boulevard to assert itself as the showcase par excellence of the city. Intentionally used by the nineteenth-century bourgeoisie for strolling in, to see and to be seen, in recent decades it has become the favorite stage for luxury and fashion retailing. Exploring this idea is based on a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods designed to address the different dimensions of the problem. While the reconstruction of its role as a promenade for the nineteenth-century flâneur relies on an active reading of scientific and literary texts, its most recent vocation as a showcase of international capital linked to luxury and fashion is founded on empirical work, which includes a survey of stores, interviews with managers of shops and field observation.

In this study, we optimized the dissociation of synovial tissue biopsies for single-cell omics studies and created a single-cell atlas of human synovium in inflammatory arthritis. The optimized protocol allowed consistent isolation of highly viable cells from tiny fresh synovial biopsies, minimizing the synovial biopsy drop-out rate. The synovium scRNA-seq atlas contained over 100,000 unsorted synovial cells from 25 synovial tissues affected by inflammatory arthritis, including 16 structural, 11 lymphoid, and 15 myeloid cell clusters. This synovial cell map expanded the diversity of synovial cell types/states, detected synovial neutrophils, and broadened synovial endothelial cell classification. We revealed tissue-resident macrophage subsets with proposed matrix-sensing (FOLR2+COLEC12high) and iron-recycling (LYVE1+SLC40A1+) activities and identified fibroblast subsets with proposed functions in cartilage breakdown (SOD2highSAA1+SAA2+SDC4+) and extracellular matrix remodeling (SERPINE1+COL5A3+LOXL2+). Our study offers an efficient synovium dissociation method and a reference scRNA-seq resource, that advances the current understanding of synovial cell heterogeneity in inflammatory arthritis.

Car dependency in Portugal shows rapid growth in the last 30 years. The increase on motorization rate, the expansion of motorway network and urban sprawl have contributed to the rapid increase in the importance of using the car for daily journeys, marking a new territorial organisation, less dense and disperse. At the same time, there has been a reduction in the use of public transport, which was unable to compete in terms of speed and response to new demands. In recent years we have seen a profound transformation in the organisation and supply of public transport, as well the development of initiatives for the integration of active modes in daily mobility and to get the car out from city centres. These changes give us a more optimistic outlook for reducing car dependency in Portuguese cities.

The European Union (EU) epitomizes the most ambitious and successful regional integration endeavor in contemporary history. As the EU's authority expanded, so did concerns over its democratic legitimacy. Criticisms of the EU's democratic nature center on the perceived remoteness of its institutions from citizens and the inadequacy of mechanisms for effective scrutiny and opposition within its polity. Considering these democratic challenges and the pivotal role that national parliaments can play in these dynamics, three research questions follow: First, what role do Eurosceptic and Europhile parties play in the communication of EU-related affairs within national parliaments? Second, to what extent is the European Union contested in national parliaments? Finally, what are the most Europeanized topics and what characterizes the content of the European debate within national parliaments? Employing a range of computational content analysis methods, this study delves into the legislative debates in Portugal, Spain, and Ireland, spanning from 1996 to 2018. This thesis’ findings reveal that, contrary to the established narrative, Europhile parties are at the forefront of debates on the European polity. Moreover, the eurozone crisis sparked a heightened moment of debate around European policies, but the polity aspect remained out of the public spotlight. Additionally, the European debate predominantly revolves around socio economic matters, rather than over socio-cultural considerations, at least in these countries. Finally, while the EU is as disputed as other policy areas, challenging the notion of an “opposition deficit”, there is a growing trend of consensus among mainstream parties on European matters. Overall, this thesis sheds light on the distinct roles political parties play in communicating and contesting European affairs, the nature of the European debate and the Europeanization of different policy areas. These insights highlight the role that national parliaments can play in European affairs and their potential contribution to enhance the EU’s democratic legitimacy.

Purpose: To investigate the contributors to self-rated health in people with late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD) and cognitive impairment. Methods: A secondary analysis of baseline data from the international Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP) cohort study was conducted. Participants with PD and either dementia or mild cognitive impairment or MMSE < 24/30 in the absence of major depression were included if they had completed the EQ-5D-3L assessment (n = 277). Factors associated with self-rated health (EQ-5D-3L Index and Visual Analogue Scale) were investigated through multivariable linear regression. Results: More severe PD (motor and non-motor) was associated with worse self-rated health. The EQ-5D-3L dimensions of Mobility, Self-Care and Usual Activities were almost universally affected; the latter two particularly severely. Being unable to perform usual activities or having moderate to extreme anxiety or depression were significantly associated with EQ-5D-3L Visual Analogue Scale, suggesting these are particularly valued. Worse motor impairment and function and the non-motor symptom domains of mood, perception, sexual function, and miscellaneous (e.g., pain) were associated with worse self-rated health, whereas greater burden of gastrointestinal symptoms was associated with better self-rated health in multivariate analysis. Better self-rated health was associated with recent PD nurse consultation, and higher doses of dopaminergic medication. Conclusion: Improvement of activities of daily living, mood and anxiety should be prioritised in clinical practice, with consideration of perception and sexual function in this population. Recent nurse consultations and higher antiparkinsonian doses are associated with better self-rated health, suggesting there is no room for a therapeutic nihilism in this population of people within a complex phase of PD.

Establishing and nurturing strong patient relations stands as an essential pillar in the framework of UEG. Within Europe's diverse healthcare landscape, fostering strong relations and collaboration among the digestive health community will not only optimize healthcare outcomes but also establish solidarity and mutual understanding between healthcare professionals, patients, and patient advocates. By prioritizing patient-centered approaches in our advocacy efforts, and recognizing patient advocates as active partners, we ensure that healthcare services are tailored to meet individual needs and preferences. With these considerations in mind, at UEG Week 2023 in Copenhagen, UEG launched the Digestive Health Roundtable, a new format of dialog between experts in digestive health and dedicated patient advocates. This event marked the first in a series of multidisciplinary meetings, all driven by a shared purpose—to address challenges, identify opportunities and reach consensus on joint actions aimed at improving digestive health across Europe.

'WHEN OTHERS COLLABORATE IN ARTISTIC PRACTICE ...' This study is in the context of artistic practices and collaborative process with local communities and other subject not necessarily related to anthropology. It mainly concerns the direct relationship with the place and the community involvement in the creative process.In this context we study how participants contribute in the process and influence artistic creation, in particular the projects under study, "The Party is Over" and "Next Village", made in a self-built neighborhood on the suburbs of Lisbon and in a village situated on countryside of Portugal

Our previous research revealed a key microRNA signature that is associated with spaceflight that can be used as a biomarker and to develop countermeasure treatments to mitigate the damage caused by space radiation. Here, we expand on this work to determine the biological factors rescued by the countermeasure treatment. We performed RNA-sequencing and transcriptomic analysis on 3D microvessel cell cultures exposed to simulated deep space radiation (0.5 Gy of Galactic Cosmic Radiation) with and without the antagonists to three microRNAs: miR-16-5p, miR-125b-5p, and let-7a-5p (i.e., antagomirs). Significant reduction of inflammation and DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) activity and rescue of mitochondria functions are observed after antagomir treatment. Using data from astronaut participants in the NASA Twin Study, Inspiration4, and JAXA missions, we reveal the genes and pathways implicated in the action of these antagomirs are altered in humans. Our findings indicate a countermeasure strategy that can potentially be utilized by astronauts in spaceflight missions to mitigate space radiation damage.

A gestão baseada nos ecossistemas e a avaliação dos serviços dos ecossistemas são estratégias intrinsecamente ligadas, essenciais para uma governação costeira e marinha sustentável. Apesar dos avanços nas avaliações dos serviços dos ecossistemas marinhos, surgem desafios persistentes devido a lacunas substanciais nos dados e à complexidade do ambiente marinho. As avaliações totalmente integradas enfrentam obstáculos, especialmente no desenvolvimento de novos indicadores para quantificar os serviços de forma eficaz. Esta dissertação teve como principal objetivo utilizar o quadro da União Europeia para avaliar, de forma abrangente, os serviços de ecossistema presentes no Parque Marinho Professor Luiz Saldanha (PMPLS). Esta dissertação centrou-se então na avaliação e mapeamento da condição dos ecossistemas, na identificação de pressões sobre os mesmos e na quantificação da provisão de serviços. Na dissertação também se abordaram eventuais lacunas de dados de monitorização e a proposta de indicadores adaptados ao PMPLS para os seus serviços de ecossistema. O PMPLS estende-se por 38 quilómetros ao longo da costa sudoeste de Portugal, apresentando diversos habitats, protegidos de ventos fortes pela Serra da Arrábida. É um hotspot de biodiversidade, que enfrenta desafios como o declínio das, outrora extensas, pradarias de ervas marinhas, tendo sido efetuados esforços de restauração nas últimas décadas. Criado em 1998, promove a preservação da biodiversidade, a investigação e o turismo sustentável através de várias zonas de proteção. Para avaliar os serviços presentes no PMPLS foram definidos três tipos de ecossistema marinho, com base na granulometria dos sedimentos presentes nos fundos, nomeadamente zonas rochosas, arenosas e lodosas. Tentou-se ainda alinhar eventuais comparações temporais com os ciclos de implementação da Diretiva-Quadro Estratégia Marinha. Para avaliar a condição dos ecossistemas, as pressões sobre os mesmos e os seus serviços, foram utilizados indicadores recolhidos após uma revisão da literatura. Para efeitos de quantificação, foi realizada uma procura por dados já existentes provenientes de plataformas digitais de acesso livre, programas de monitorização, estudos científicos prévios realizados no parque e registos institucionais, entre outros. Os dados obtidos através desta procura incluíram dados de deteção remota, referentes a variáveis biogeoquímicas, temperatura, salinidade, pH e concentração de clorofila-a, dados ambientais, recolhidos no âmbito de outros estudos, levantamento de bóias de pesca comercial, concentração de microplásticos, na coluna de água e no sedimento, e quantidade de lixo recolhido numa limpeza subaquática, que foram utilizados para avaliar a condição e pressões sobre os ecossistemas. Já para avaliar os serviços foram utilizados dados de outros estudos sobre capturas por esforço de pesca, registadas através de amostragem a bordo, estimação da biomassa de diferentes grupos taxonómicos presentes em recifes rochosos, utilizando diversos métodos, registos de fontes de informação sobre o parque, registos de visitas ao forte Santa Maria e registos do número de documentários produzidos no parque. Para complementar a falta de dados sobre atividades recreativas no parque, foram efetuadas entrevistas a empresas marítimo turísticas, no âmbito desta avaliação. A análise dos vários conjuntos de dados incluiu diversas análises exploratórias para avaliar a condição, pressões e serviços dos ecossistemas do PMPLS e, sempre que possível, o seu mapeamento, utilizando software de sistemas de informação geográfica. Para a maior parte dos serviços de regulação foi utilizado um método que tentou ligar as características das espécies, o efeito dessas características no funcionamento dos ecossistemas e o seu contributo para a provisão desses serviços. Este método permite a identificação das espécies que potencialmente contribuem para os serviços, permitindo utilizar a soma da sua biomassa para avaliar o potencial de provisão de determinado serviço pelos ecossistemas em questão. Os resultados da condição revelaram limitações na utilização de dados de deteção remota, enfatizando a sua aplicabilidade restrita para conclusões mais detalhadas. Os resultados referentes à concentração de clorofila-a parecem indicar uma influência do Estuário do Sado e da Lagoa de Albufeira nessas concentrações, apresentando algumas variações ao longo do tempo. Foram identificadas cinco espécies não indígenas, sendo que a Asparagopsis armata relevou-se a espécie com maior relevância no parque. A concentração de microplásticos parece intensificar-se no inverno, o que, segundo estudos anteriores, pode afetar a abundância de larvas de peixes. O lixo marinho recolhido durante a limpeza subaquática, incluindo artes de pesca e plásticos, parece refletir a intensidade da pesca comercial e das atividades marítimo-turísticas no parque. Foram ainda observados padrões espaciais consistentes na salinidade, pH e temperatura da superfície do mar, potencialmente influenciados por oscilações climáticas. As alterações na densidade das bóias de pesca ao longo dos anos sugerem potenciais respostas a restrições impostas, com um possível efeito de "pescar na linha". Através de estudos anteriores, foi possível identificar o polvo, o choco e o linguado com as espécies com maior importância para o serviço de aprovisionamento de pescado no parque e a existência de um potencial declínio da biomassa de peixes de substrato mole. O registo de capturas a bordo de embarcações de pesca foi ainda identificado como o melhor indicador para o aprovisionamento de pescado no parque, porque permite a avaliação das capturas “reais”. O exercício de ligação entre características das espécies e serviços, aplicado a serviços de regulação previamente selecionados, permitiu a identificar os serviços para os quais existe maior biomassa de espécies que podem potencialmente contribuir para os mesmos. Destacaram-se o controlo de taxas de erosão, a filtração da água, associada à qualidade da mesma, e o controlo de pestes animais. Foi ainda possível identificar um potencial declínio na biomassa de espécies que contribuem para estes serviços entre 2019 e 2020, anos para os quais existiam dados disponíveis. Os macroinvertebrados foram o grupo taxonómico que mais contribuiu para os serviços selecionados, seguidos das macroalgas, peixes, microinvertebrados, zooplâncton e fitoplâncton. Para além disso, o declínio identificado da biomassa de peixes juvenis suscita preocupações quanto à manutenção das populações de viveiro no parque. O serviço de proteção costeira foi avaliado utilizando a biomassa de macroalgas, o que se revelou uma má opção, dado que a contribuição das mesmas para o serviço ainda é um assunto controverso na literatura. Relativamente às atividades recreativas, foi possível identificar as áreas mais relevantes para vários tipos de atividade, nomeadamente passeios marítimos, observação de cetáceos, mergulho recreativo, pesca recreativa e desportos náuticos/costeiros. Foi possível perceber que estas áreas não parecem conflituar com as áreas de maior relevância para a pesca comercial, no entanto são necessários estudos mais recentes sobre os locais de maior intensidade de pesca comercial para confirmar esta hipótese. Através dos dados provenientes das entrevistas, foi também possível estimar o número médio de clientes por dia ao longo dos vários meses do ano, o que permitiu identificar o período de maior afluência que parece decorrer entre abril e outubro. Os vários tipos de registos permitiram explicitar a importância do parque para a investigação científica, para a educação ambiental e para a produção de conteúdos audiovisuais, geralmente mais ligados com os aspetos naturais do parque. No entanto, o registo de visitas ao forte Santa Maria, dentro do qual se situa o Museu Oceanográfico do Portinho da Arrábida, não permite a quantificação exata de visitas ao museu oceanográfico. O registo específico das visitas ao museu parece ser uma medida relativamente simples que pode promover uma melhor avaliação do serviço de educação. No final da avaliação dos serviços foi ainda efetuada uma avaliação aos indicadores e dados utilizados que destacaram a fiabilidade dos dados, mas indicaram limitações na sua cobertura espacial, e os indicadores utilizados foram considerados mais eficazes para a avaliação do potencial de provisão de serviços de ecossistema do que para o seu fluxo real. Em conclusão, a avaliação dos serviços de ecossistema do PMPLS revelou serviços-chave, como o aprovisionamento de pescado e a existência de características dos ecossistemas que promovem a realização de atividades recreativas. Por fim, as recomendações para futuras avaliações incluíram a melhoria da monitorização da pesca comercial, a maior recolha de dados espaciais e uma maior colaboração com as várias partes interessadas na gestão do parque.

Introduction: The high failure rate of industry-driven pediatric clinical trials leads to insufficient timely labeling of drugs in children and a lack of scientific evidence, resulting in the persistently high off-label drug use. National clinical trial networks can facilitate collaboration between sites, investigators, and experts, increasing the likelihood of successful trials. Within the conect4children (c4c) network, an Innovative Medicines Initiative 2-funded project, National Hubs hosted by National Clinical Trials Networks were set up across 21 European countries to facilitate the setup and execution of pediatric clinical trials. In this paper, we aim to present the performance metrics of the trial feasibility process as well as learnings and challenges encountered by the Belgian and Dutch Networks in working within the European c4c project. Method: The c4c National Hubs streamline pediatric clinical trials by initiating early country outreach, identifying overlapping studies, recommending quality trial sites, and supporting trial budgeting for both industry and academic settings. To show the impact of Pedmed-NL and Belgian Pediatric Clinical Research Network (BPCRN), internal metrics were collected from 2019 to 2022 on four industry-sponsored and three academic trials performed within the c4c network. Timelines and outcomes of the site identification were collected and analyzed for industry trials. A qualitative analysis was conducted through c4c platforms, sponsor interactions, and stakeholder engagement to evaluate the added value of a research network. Results: In industry-sponsored trials, full feasibility questionnaires were completed within 2 weeks (n = 48), and inclusion rates were up to 80% of clinical sites. Before committing to c4c, 14% of sites were contacted by industry, leading to communication burdens. Utilizing national infrastructure knowledge and therapeutic environment insights helped optimize trial timelines and address feasibility challenges. In addition, national adaptations, such as bilingual staff and site development, played a role in streamlining trial operations in both academic and industry settings. Performance and experiences were similar for both networks. Conclusion: The early-facilitation examples from the c4c trials demonstrated promising metrics for two National Hubs, including optimized start-up timelines and aiding site selection quality. The learnings and challenges of the Belgian and Dutch Networks provided insights for the development of clinical research networks.

Background: Adverse global situations, such the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, are characterized by a complex number of changes in the population’s health and organization of daily life, occurring in a large scale, with consequences often difficult to cope with, such as physical, psychological, and social long-term uncertainty. Most notably, one of the main concerns has been the changes that occurred in the levels of mental health and wellbeing of the population affected by the pandemic. It is important, then, to investigate which psychological processes could be promoted and enhanced in order to safeguard the mental health and wellbeing of the general population during the pandemic as well as in upcoming global adverse situations. One of such psychological processes, that has gained prominence in the research arena, is psychological flexibility. Understanding how psychological flexibility affects wellbeing will help on determining how one should navigate complex adverse situations. Objective: This study investigates the effect of psychological flexibility on wellbeing, both directly and indirectly via mindfulness and coping strategies in a multiple parallel mediation model. We aim at understanding whether psychological flexibility indeed affects wellbeing because of the individual’s level of mindfulness and their ability to effectively select coping responses suitable to the situation, therefore potentially resulting in an outcome of wellbeing. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which we aim at assessing the correlations between the study variables as well as testing a multiple mediation model. After assessing whether psychological flexibility has a direct effect on wellbeing, the multiple mediation model aims at testing whether there are conditional indirect effects of mindfulness and coping strategies on wellbeing, in a Portuguese sample of 334 individuals, from a larger research project named COVID_IMPACT. Participants were asked to complete a series of online questionnaires that measure psychological flexibility, wellbeing, mindfulness and coping strategies. Results: Results showed statistically significant correlations between psychological flexibility, wellbeing, mindfulness and coping strategies. Furthermore, we have found that mindfulness and coping strategies part-mediate the relationship between psychological flexibility and wellbeing. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide data that could guide health professionals to design community-wide interventions aimed at helping the general population become more psychologically flexible and mindfully select the appropriate coping strategies to deal with global adverse situations and achieve a higher level of wellbeing.

Background: Despite global efforts to improve paediatric clinical trials, significant delays continue in paediatric drug approvals. Collaboration between research networks is needed to address these delays. This paper is a first step to promote interoperability between paediatric networks from different jurisdictions by comparing drivers for, and content of, metrics about clinical trial conduct. Methods: Three paediatric networks, Institute for Advanced Clinical Trials for Children, the Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network and conect4children, have each developed metrics to address delays and create efficiencies. We identified the methodology by which each network identified metrics, described the metrics of each network, and mapped consistency to come to consensus about core metrics that networks could share. Results: Metric selection was driven by site quality improvement in one network (11 metrics), by network performance in one network (13 metrics), and by both in one network (five metrics). The domains of metrics were research capacity/capability, site identification/feasibility, trial start-up, and recruitment/enrolment. The network driven by site quality improvement did not have indicators for capacity/capability or identification/feasibility. Fifteen metrics for trial start up and conduct were identified. Metrics related to site approvals were found in all three networks. The themes for metrics can inform the development of 'shared' metrics. Conclusion: We found disparity in drivers, methodology and metrics. Tackling this disparity will result in a unified approach to addressing delays in paediatric drug approvals. Collaborative work to define inter-operable metrics globally is outlined.

A técnica e a ciência são inerentes à evolução humana. Por elas, o homem transformou o mundo físico, inicialmente para sua própria sobrevivência e depois para seu conforto. Antes da Primeira Revolução Industrial não havia uma relevante interação entre esses dois fenômenos culturais. Em consequência da modificação dos meios de produção, que deixou de ser manufaturado e passou a ser mecanizado, houve importantes mudanças no modo de vida do ser humano, decorrentes, sobretudo, do êxodo rural e da consequente aglomeração do povo nos centros urbanos. O Estado-administração, a partir de então, passou a mais se preocupar com a ciência e a técnica, para organizar-se internamente e ter como melhor suprir as necessidades dos cidadãos. Com o prosseguir das sequenciais revoluções técnico-científicas, passou a humanidade a constituir-se em uma sociedade técnica, sobretudo pelas recentes transformações na tecnociência da informação e da comunicação. Pela internet digitalizada, passamos a viver em uma grande aldeia técnico-científica, numa sociedade em rede. Essa manifestação da tecnociência constitui-se em um importante poder, que se espraia por todos os setores sociais e tem influência em todas as áreas de relações humanas, como a economia, a política, a educação, a medicina, o direito e, em especial, nas relações do Estado-administração em seus âmbitos interno e externo. Este trabalho acadêmico tem por objetivo decodificar em que se constitui este poder técnico-científico, relatar a forma como ele se manifestou na história da civilização ocidental e identificar suas relações com a Administração Pública contemporânea, tudo isso devidamente mediado pelas normas constitucionais.

Background: Although economic evaluations (EEs) have been increasingly applied to medical devices, little discussion has been conducted on how the different health realities of specific populations may impact the application of methods and the ensuing results. This is particularly relevant for pediatric populations, as most EEs on devices are conducted in adults, with specific aspects related to the uniqueness of child health often being overlooked. This study provides a review of the published EEs on devices used in paediatrics, assessing the quality of reporting, and summarising methodological challenges. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify peer-reviewed publications on the economic value of devices used in paediatrics in the form of full EEs (comparing both costs and consequences of two or more devices). After the removal of duplicates, article titles and abstracts were screened. The remaining full-text articles were retrieved and assessed for inclusion. In-vitro diagnostic devices were not considered in this review. Study descriptive and methodological characteristics were extracted using a structured template. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) 2022 checklist was used to assess the quality of reporting. A narrative synthesis of the results was conducted followed by a critical discussion on the main challenges found in the literature. Results: 39 full EEs were eligible for review. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries (67%) and focused on high-risk therapeutic devices (72%). Studies comprised 25 cost-utility analyses, 13 cost-effectiveness analyses and 1 cost-benefit analysis. Most of the studies considered a lifetime horizon (41%) and a health system perspective (36%). Compliance with the CHEERS 2022 items varied among the studies. Conclusions: Despite the scant body of evidence on EEs focusing on devices in paediatrics results highlight the need to improve the quality of reporting and advance methods that can explicitly incorporate the multiple impacts related to the use of devices with distinct characteristics, as well as consider specific child health realities. The design of innovative participatory approaches and instruments for measuring outcomes meaningful to children and their families should be sought in future research.

Purpose: The present study aimed to explore the influence of diet and physical activity (PA) changes on bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) alterations in adolescents with obesity undergoing a weight loss program. Methods: Six-month longitudinal data from 71 adolescents (aged 15.1 [± 1.6] years; 57.7% girls) with a BMI z-score of 3.03 (± 0.78), previously recruited for the PAC-MAnO trial, were analyzed using Generalized Estimation Equations for over time changes and linear regressions with BMC, BMD and BMD z-score as dependent variables, adjusting for confounders (including type of exercise- aerobic vs. combined). Results: Adjusting for confounders, changes in carbohydrate (CH) and protein content showed to positively and negatively predict BMD z-score variance, respectively (β = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.04, p < .001); β = -0.57, 95%CI: -0.06, -0.03, p < .001), yet no associations were found between PA and bone-related parameters. Combined exercise showed better results on BMC compared to aerobic exercise (β = 0.09, 95%CI: 0.05 to 0.13, p < .001). Conclusions: Increased CH content, instead of protein, may be associated with BMD improvements in adolescents with obesity. Type of exercise may moderate the impact of PA on bone health. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02941770. What is Known • Adolescents with obesity may be at a higher risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis • Obesity and inadequate diet and physical activity (PA) may have an adverse effect on bone metabolism What is New • Improvements in adiposity and muscle mass and increased diet carbohydrate content are associated with bone mineral density (BMD) improvements • Type of exercise (i.e., combined training vs. aerobic) may moderate the impact of PA on BMD, and calcium intake may mediate this impact.

As alterações fisiológicas desencadeadas durante uma sessão de psicoterapia são influenciadas pelo tipo de interação terapêutica, modulando a eficácia das intervenções (Voutilainen et al., 2018). Partindo das aplicações clínicas do mecanismo de Reconsolidação Mnésica (Ecker, 2020) e da Teoria Polyvagal (Porges, 2003; Dana, 2018), este estudo procura contribuir para a determinação das condições autonómicas ideais à facilitação da reativação mnésica em contexto psicoterapêutico. Assim, foram comparados os efeitos do estado parassimpático e simpático na recuperação de memórias episódicas autobiográficas neutras e auto-relevantes (desafiantes) numa amostra de 10 jovens adultos portugueses caucasianos, através de um design experimental intra-participante. As variáveis dependentes consistiram na Reatividade Fisiológica (período cardíaco e tensão arterial), na Sensação Subjetiva de Recordação (Simons et al., 2022; Rimmele et al., 2011) e na Experiência Emocional associada à Recordação. Foram encontrados efeitos grandes do estado autonómico para algumas das medidas. Concretamente, o estado parassimpático, face ao simpático a) contribuiu para um aumento do período cardíaco aquando da recordação de memórias auto-relevantes, uma reação que tem sido associada à manutenção da atenção face a estímulos emocionais negativos (Brumbaugh et al., 2013); e b) modulou o efeito da natureza da memória na sensação de reviver o episódio original, sendo esta mais acentuada para a memória auto-relevante do que para a neutra. Estes dados sugerem que a indução de um estado de regulação parassimpática promove uma maior disponibilidade para o contacto com memórias difíceis. Os resultados apontam para a utilidade de abordagens que procurem modular o estado autonómico (e.g. Dana, 2020) em contexto de intervenção psicoterapêutica baseada em sistemas mnésicos (e.g. Ecker, 2020), salientado a importância das interações bidirecionais entre mente e sistema nervoso.

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Digital technologies have come to cause a strong impact on human communica¬tion. Their previous dynamics, rules and limits are now completely changed and our society strives to make sense of all those transformations, trying to find its new place within the complex, and by many considered chaotic, communication structure new media technologies presented us with. One of the most recent, although long expected, change was caused by the intro¬duction of the digital book in the markets. Its widespread is quickly increasing due to its association with e-readers, which are becoming more and more accessible to all. The book and its digital reading devices promise a complete remediation of both the printed book and the reading experience, recreating them in the circumscribed space of its screen. This research is the result of the acknowledgement, while readers and commu¬nication designers, of the many changes brought with the adoption of this new for¬mat, either in the context of publishing, its rhythms and dynamics, and the way read¬ing now takes place, in this new space made of pixels, as well as the many problems and faults which seem to be characterize the digital book. This obviously results in a severe decrease of both the visual qualities associated with the printed text and the functional qualities associated with the book-object. We then propose to reunite designer and the new context, undertaking a detailed analysis of its characteristics, implications and shortcomings, within the context of communication design. This analysis will not only makes us aware of the real nega¬tive impact digital devices may have on reading experience, as will also allow us to outline possible solutions and strategies of action that may guide us in the task of establishing an adequate visual language for the new digital book