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The focus of this study was to explore primary teachers' attitudes and perceptions toward their training experiences, instructional practices, and supports received in their schools toward working with students with dyslexia in Portugal. Primary school teachers from the centre of Portugal, working with children between the first and fourth grades, were asked to complete a questionnaire, organized into two parts: the first part, consisted of 5 questions related to teachers personal information; while the second part, included 7 questions, which related to teachers knowledge and training experiences toward working with children with dyslexia. Results indicated from the questionnaire that teachers believe there is a significant gap in their training needs and further in-service trainings are warranted to working with children with dyslexia to promote their academic success in the classroom.

The world is facing many challenges to keep up with growing energy demand and greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. A possible solution is to integrate renewable energy sources (RESs) into residences and create energy management systems (EMSs) that reduce consumption and relieve the main grid in critical hours. This paper is focused on analyzing different EMSs using solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and three energy storage systems (ESSs) to increase savings without affecting the user's needs, with thirty-three power consumption profiles and three energy tariffs over a 25-year investment to compare which solution presents the best economic result in each of the 297 analyzed scenarios. The results show that the higher the overall daily consumption values, the greater the profits for all EMSs. The lowest demand profiles lead to the best self-consumption and self-sufficiency results. PV-only systems with a tri-hourly tariff have the best overall results. In the case of battery operation, each case should be carefully analyzed in order to choose the correct technologies and tariff. The results also allowed us to verify that even though having more PV modules generates more energy, it can make a project less economically desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescents and young adults are a critical target regarding reducing healthrisk behaviors' adoption, particularly in a stressful context such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveying their perceptions and behavioral changes may lead to a revised health promotion approach. Objectives: This study aims to describe adolescents' and young adults' early reactions to a stressful event, the COVID-19 pandemic, characterizing their social determinants and preferences, such as sources of information, experienced symptoms, habits, and main concerns regarding themselves, their relatives, and the community. We intended to explore the association of their concerns and significant determinants such as age, gender, education, source of information, feelings of fear, prospecting the implications of communication, and individual and social determinants in managing stressful events. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based, self-report survey of 3,898 individuals aged between 16 and 24 years from Portugal. Results: The main concerns about COVID-19 were the possibility of transmitting to someone and permanent social changes. Our findings present significant differences according to gender, education, age, and expressing fear. Conclusion: The pandemic deteriorated baseline community inequalities. Young people appreciate official information and are available to contribute to society's safety. However, valuing official information is associated with deeper expressed concerns. Therefore, official information should include strategies to reach young people, promote healthier choices, and avoid distress and disinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage language speakers struggle in European classrooms with insufficient material provided for second language (SL) learning and assessment. Considering the amount of instruments and pertinent studies in English SL, immigrant students are better prepared than their peers in Romance language settings. This study investigates how factors such as age and home language can be used in the teaching environment to predict and examine the development outcomes of SL students in verbal reasoning and vocabulary tasks. One hundred and six Portuguese participants, SL learners, between 8 and 17 years old, were assessed in vocabulary frequency, verbal analogies and morphological extraction tasks. In alphabetic languages (Romance languages), immigrant students (in a SL learning situation) with a strong linguistic distance (a home language with a very different orthographic foundation) are expected to struggle in language learning in spite of being aware of strategies that can improve their skills. The storage and combination of morphemes can be a demanding task for individual speakers at different levels. Cognitive mapping is strongly based on linguistic features of L1 development. Results show that home language, not age, was a significant predictor of variation in student's outcomes. Speakers of alphasyllabary languages (Indo-Aryan languages as L1) were the poorest performers, the "linguistic distance" of their languages explaining the performance results.

Background: The use of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in COVID-19 patients with hypoxaemia is still under debate. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of NIPPV (CPAP, HELMET-CPAP or NIV) in COVID-19 patients treated in the dedicated COVID-19 Intermediate Care Unit of Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Portugal, and to assess factors associated with NIPPV failure. Methods: Patients admitted from December 1st 2020 to February 28th 2021, treated with NIPPV due to COVID-19 were included. Failure was defined as orotracheal intubation (OTI) or death during hospital stay. Factors associated with NIPPV failure were included in a univariate binary logistic regression analysis; those with a significance level of p < 0.001 entered a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: A total of 163 patients were included, 64.4% were males (n = 105). The median age was 66 years (IQR 56–75). NIPPV failure was observed in 66 (40.5%) patients, 26 (39.4%) were intubated and 40 (60.6%) died during their hospital stay. The highest CRP (OR 1.164; 95%CI 1.036–1.308) and morphine use (OR 24.771; 95%CI 1.809–339.241) were identified as predictors of failure after applying multivariate logistic regression. Adherence to prone positioning (OR 0.109; 95%CI 0.017–0.700) and a higher value of the lowest platelet count during hospital stay (OR 0.977; 95%CI 0.960–0.994) were associated with a favorable outcome. Conclusions: NIPPV was successful in over half of patients. Highest CRP during hospital stay and morphine use were predictors of failure. Adherence to prone positioning and a higher value of the lowest platelet count during hospital stay were associated with a favourable outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental work on controller tuning for chemical engineering undergraduate students is proposed using a small heat exchange unit. Based upon process reaction curves in open-loop configuration, system gain and time constant are determined for first order model with time delay with excellent accuracy. Afterwards students calculate PID controller settings by Process Reaction Curve Method combined with Internal Model Control or with Ziegler-Nichols tuning relations, and perform closed-loop experiments using parameters so obtained. With this laboratory exercise students realize that tuning techniques just provide first guesses for controller settings and that additional work to fine tune is required. (Contains 3 tables and 5 figures.)

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

Provides an overview of the role of Portuguese child laborers, focusing on the textile, clothing, and footwear industries. Argues that in the long term, positive outcomes will be based upon improved education; an alteration in the views of the factory owners, parents, and their children; and greater knowledge of innovative working practices among key companies. (Author)

The literature has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has indelibly affected student performance. However, this deterioration is not the same for all students, with students of a lower socio-economic status (SES) being the most affected. The present study aims to understand if the pandemic lockdown in the last year of pre-school impacted the learning skills considered crucial for the transition to primary school, and whether this impact was moderated by SES or a quiet place to study (QPS). A total of 11,158 students belonging to 318 Portuguese schools underwent an assessment protocol composed of writing skills, maths, and motor-control tasks. A pandemic effect was observed for writing skills, especially during the first lockdown. Said effects were found to be potentiated by SES. Regarding maths, the fall in skills was only observed to be significant for less economically advantaged children. Motor tasks suffered; however, this was without any significant effect for SES or QPS. Thus, a detrimental effect of the pandemic lockdown was found on pre-school skills, particularly pre-literary abilities, and especially during the first lockdown. SES appeared to potentiate some inequalities. In other words, skills differences between individuals with higher and lower SES increased during the pandemic, particularly in the first lockdown, due to novelty, unpredictability, and the need for quick adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the archives' role in Portuguese public policies from 1976 to 2021, based on an analysis of decision-making and support mechanisms, as well as other legal and normative instruments (diplomas) associated with relevant policies and legal actions in government programs, major planning options, sectoral programs and legislation. Design/methodology/approach: The investigation was based on a qualitative methodological framework that follows the document analysis method, consisting of four phases: research; first reading; critical reading and data collection; and analysis and interpretation. Findings: Survey results identified the presence of the archives on government agendas and supported tracing an evolution in the development and application of measures in this area. Additionally, it was possible to relate these measures to socioeconomic and political contexts and to previously identified reference studies. The conclusion is that the place of archives in Portuguese public policies between 1976 and 2021 was still based in historical and heritage dimensions, excluding the aspect of information management, which was not even included within the concept of archives. Originality/value: This is an original case study of the state of Portuguese archive policies, compared against reference works such as Couture(1998) and more recent national developments as considered in the works of Silva(2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear is a powerful emotion that can influence future behavior. This study investigated how fear influences the relationship between vicarious violence at work and employees' work ability. This is a quantitative cross‐sectional study. Self‐report data were collected from 154 Portuguese nurses who completed an online survey. Statistical significance of the indirect effect was based on bias‐corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. The results support the mediation model. Those who observe/hear of others being beaten or threatened experience strong affective reactions, such as fear, which in turn has a negative impact on the assessment of their work ability. We suggest that occupational safety and health programs designed to prevent violence at work take into account those who experience violence at work vicariously and include strategies and interventions focused on affective reactions to minimize the negative effects of vicarious violence at work, with benefits in employees' improved ability to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Copyright of Pasos: Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural is the property of Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Politicas y Sociales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Like previous pandemics, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has direct and indirect effects, including in mental health. To evaluate the immediate psychological impact of COVID-19, we conducted an online survey in Portugal (24–27 March 2020), using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). From the 10,529 participants (M = 31.33; SD = 9.73), 83.4% were women, had a mean age of 31.2 years, and 70.9% were active workers. Depression, anxiety, and stress were rated as moderate to severe in 11.7%, 16.9%, and 5.6% of the sample, respectively. Moreover, 49.2% of participants reported a moderate or severe psychological impact of the outbreak. Women, the unemployed, those with lower education, living in rural areas, and with flu-like symptoms or chronic disorders were risk factors. Further research is needed to identify vulnerable groups to better inform and adapt mental health policies and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper goal was to validate the Portuguese version (Brazil/Portugal) of the Anger, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms item banks of the Pediatric PROMIS® Emotional Distress domain (version 1.0) for the Brazilian and Portuguese pediatric population.Method: The total of 1216 participants answered a self-applied version of the Portuguese Anger, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms item banks. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and total information curve (TIC). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with a bifactor model was used to confirm construct validity and IRT assumptions. Item calibration was performed according to Graded Response Model (GRM). Differential Item Functioning (DIF) was analyzed according the participants' age, gender, health condition (healthy versus chronic disease), and language.Results: Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.84) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.93) were accurate. Unidimensionality, Local Independency, and construct validity were verified by CFA (CFI = 0.93; TLI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.05; χ2 = 3052.4 with DIF = 557 and P value = 0.595). GRM was adjusted, and Emotional Distress had a satisfactory coverage. DIF was not significant.Conclusion: The results obtained indicate the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version (Brazil/Portugal) of the Anger, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms item banks of the Pediatric PROMIS® Emotional Distress domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights a pedagogical experience that began in Portugal in 1976, namely that of the Escola da Ponte, the success of which was based on a shift from the graded school model. Unlike the majority of educational reforms that were tested throughout the twentieth century, changes were made in Escola da Ponte precisely due to the fact that the genetic matrix of the school model, the classroom, had been called into question. Therefore, it is not surprising that since the late 1980s, Escola da Ponte has received multiple visitors, associated with the knowledge of new ideas and pedagogical methods. Departing from the research of Larry Cuban (2008), however, the initial aim of this paper is to reflect on the inflexibility of the school model. Secondly, with a view to understanding how Escola da Ponte was «regarded» by its visitors (based on their own photographic records), the use of visual documents in historical research is addressed. The pedagogical project of Escola da Ponte is then discussed. Finally, a number of photographs depicting pedagogical action in the School in the 1980s and 1990s are considered. Based on the assumption that images are representations of objects, in other words, re-representations (Collelldemont, 2010), this paper seeks to reveal what the photographs sought to transmit, and how they should be interpreted in terms of pedagogical innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal areas, as a place of interaction between terrestrial and marine systems, are environmentally sensitive and, in recent decades, have undergone constant transformation primarily due to human intervention. Subject to great real estate pressure, the natural landscape (the birthplace of complex ecosystems) has been substantially developed, serving the purposes of different socio-economic interests. This modification of the natural landscape is reflected in the expansion (in area) and densification (in volume) of built-up areas, accentuating the trend towards the vertical growth of cities. The objective of this paper is to analyse the vertical growth of coastal built-up areas of Boa Viagem Beach (Brazil) and Rocha Beach (Portugal) during the period 1940–2013. The analysis considers three different dimensions of vertical growth: urban-physical, socio-demographic and political-urban. For this purpose, we used quantitative methods and techniques, supported by 2D/2.5D GIS data. This methodology overcomes the challenge of obtaining quantitative three-dimensional information across a broad time period and allows for the comparison of the development pace in two different countries. Rhythm and volume are correlated with events of national and local impact. The comparison between the two countries reveals substantial differences in the design and implementation of the planning system and land management instruments but, on the other hand, shows interesting time parallels in the phenomenon of vertical growth. Results indicate that development is strongly influenced by the social, political and economic oscillations of the globalized world. We conclude that the main factors driving urban growth in both study areas are internal and external factors, which are strongly associated with political and economic stability. This correlation turns clear that political and economic stability play an important role and have a direct influence on urban development. This work contributes, through a 2D/2.5D GIS approach, to an integrated understanding of the vertical growth processes in intensively built-up coastal areas. The essayed methodology demonstrates that the methods and techniques are flexible enough to be replicated for the analysis of other coastal cities around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study revisits the use of the direct current (DC) distribution system concept in households to increase energy savings and potentially reduce costs and associated environmental impacts by comparing the impact of alternating current (AC) and DC distribution networks with today's trending appliances and highly efficient appliances. The study is based on environmental-economic modelling for various microgrid configurations with different DC load ratios and renewable energy capacities. An adaptive load profile based on initial assumptions is developed, the optimal distributed energy resource schedule is identified using DERCAM software, and the proper converters and system cabling are chosen. The converter's operation efficiency curve and dynamic consumption behaviours are examined for real-time sequential analysis for power flow loss. Two datasets from France and Portugal are used to explore the impact of different climate zones, socio-economic conditions and electricity prices on the configuration viability. The results show that DC solutions are efficient for large consumers in both countries, and current AC configurations are still cost-effective for medium consumers. • AC, DC and dual AC-DC microgrid solutions for households are compared for Portugal and France • The comparison is done using technical, environmental and economic indicators • The study considered real smart meter disaggregated data for household appliances. • Various shares for DC-based consumption and different technologies were compared. • The results show that DC solutions are efficient for large consumers in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beaches are now the most popular tourist destination and increased demand in the past 40 years has led not only to beach congestion but also to a differentiation between urban (resorts, overcrowded and under huge pressure), to natural (less crowded beaches). This diversity needs to be further explored not only to characterize individual beaches in a precise way, but also to understand the distinctive characteristics responsible for options made by beach users. Some attempts have been made to create a universal beach typology but sparse research has been undertaken. The topic is of extreme importance for beach management, as most studies only take into consideration beach usage type and few consider the surrounding environment (landscape). This paper presents an exploratory work for Portuguese beaches which creates a new classification, according to usage and surrounding environment, based on several variables, measured and weighted. The results scale between zero and five and assess how a beach can be classified along an urban (0) to natural (5) spectrum. Variables studied include population density, number of hotels urban density, car park distance to the beach, etc. A pilot study applied to 100 beaches in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, found that a densely populated region, can also contain beaches with natural characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pereira da Silva, C.; Nogueira Mendes, R..; Moutinho, G.; Mota, V. and Fonseca, C., 2016. Beach carrying capacity and protected areas: management issues in Arrábida Natural Park, Portugal. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 680-684. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Arrábida Natural Park (Portugal) comprises beaches with high natural and scenic values under huge demand during peak season. Understanding patterns of beach use and the perceptions of users is essential for carrying capacity management. This paper discusses the use intensity and dynamic in two beaches, using data from onsite counting, time-lapse photos and a traffic counter. Users' perceptions regarding general aspects of the beaches and perceived crowding obtained through questionnaires are also presented. The number of users recorded in this study never reached the carrying capacity established and most users feel comfortable with the number of people on the beach. However, parking and traffic were identified as factors of concern: users are not discouraged by the limited parking spaces, often exceeding the formal capacity by parking on the roadside. This type of problem needs to be addressed not only in the context of beach management but also the protected area management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferreira, M.A.; Johnson, D.; and Pereira da Silva, C., 2016. Measuring success of Ocean governance: a set of indicators from Portugal. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 982 - 986. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Evaluating the success of marine spatial planning (MSP) remains a challenging task. Portugal, one of the world's largest maritime nations, with its recent ocean governance framework, is an ideal case study for the development of an evaluation mechanism for MSP. This paper presents a brief characterization of Portugal's maritime area and of its legal regime, and a methodology for defining and selecting a set of indicators to evaluate MSP once it has been operational for a number of years. The resulting set of indicators is discussed, as are prospects for their development and generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the fertility trends based on a spatial approach. The application of the Moran's Index revealed the presence of a spatial dependence phenomenon, i. e. an auto-correlation inherent to the heterogeneous behavior of fertility throughout the Portuguese territory. Given the changing pattern, a bivariate analysis was made to identify the socio-economic factors that might be associated with it. Through the use of a regression model it was possible to find that the factors explaining the evolution of fertility have changed over time, reflecting the cultural, social, and economic transformations of the Portuguese society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the new legal framework for marine spatial planning (MSP) in Portugal. The main focus of the analysis is on the drivers of MSP processes, the consideration given to existing vs. new uses, and on the evaluation of alternatives, based on the U.S. experience, with a focus on perceptions of U.S. MSP practitioners. The Portuguese framework for MSP may lead to favoring new uses over existing ones and defines ambiguous criteria for the selection of alternatives that are mostly financial in nature. The article draws attention to the potential environmental, social and economic risks of improperly addressing competing marine uses in the new Portuguese MSP framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The shift towards primarily pharmacological management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has led to an increasing proportion of patients being treated in the primary care setting. Method: Two related studies were undertaken in Portugal. The first was a survey of primary care family physicians regarding the management of LUTS/BPH. The second was a cross-sectional study of the records of patients with suspected or confirmed LUTS/BPH managed by the surveyed physicians. Results: One hundred and sixty-three physicians were surveyed between 16 June 2012 and 10 February 2013 and 2,988 patients were identified (mean age 68 years). While 80 % of physicians would order diagnostic tests for patients reporting symptoms, only 2.5 % would initiate treatment based on reported symptoms alone. Only 1 % would refer patients directly to a urologist for diagnosis, and 75 % would only refer patients after an inadequate response to treatment in the primary care setting. Management practices varied according to physicians' age and experience. Nocturia was both the most common and the most bothersome symptom. Erectile dysfunction was reported by 51 % of patients and 81 % had hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and/or diabetes mellitus. Diagnosis and treatment of LUTS/BPH differed for older patients, those with comorbidities and those with more severe nocturia at presentation. Conclusion: Primary care physicians in Portugal usually diagnose and treat patients with LUTS/BPH rather than refer them to a urologist. Physicians' age and experience, and patients' age, comorbidities and symptom severity affect the management of LUTS/BPH in primary care in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2013, the European Commission proposed a Directive to spur the integration of Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) within and across Member States. To ascertain if key elements for integration exist, fundamental questions should be addressed: Are there (compatible) national policies/plans for the coast and ocean? Are ICM strategies in line with MSP policies? Are the agencies responsible for ICM and MSP coordinated? Are there common goals, indicators and integrated measures between both types of policies/plans? Portugal is one of the world's largest maritime nations, and is actively engaged in preparing policies and planning/management legislation for the ocean. An analysis of the current Portuguese policy/legislative framework, in terms of the above mentioned questions, suggested that: coordination among coastal and maritime policies and strategies is unclear, as is the articulation between institutions and between spatial plans for coastal and maritime zones; objectives of relevant policies are mismatched; there are yet no indicators to evaluate coastal and ocean policies/plans, and the articulation between measures to integrate ICM and MSP is unclear. Despite language barriers and people/institutional resistance to change, effective integration of MSP/ICM requires: flexibility and novel approaches, public participation and stakeholder involvement, systemic approaches, and finding strategic level indicators to evaluate integrated policies. Portugal can play a lead role in setting an example for other coastal nations worldwide. If appropriately tackled, the mismatches highlighted in this analysis provide pointers that may contribute to a more effective integration of ICM and MSP in Portugal and in other coastal nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built environment represents a high burden in terms of energy consumption. Therefore, it is essential to seek strategies to improve its energy efficiency. Green vertical systems (GVSs) could play an important role in this context as a possible solution to enhance the thermal insulation of buildings. Additionally, GVSs may help to mitigate the urban heat island effect by reducing external surface temperatures and evapotranspiration. In this paper, the authors evaluated the effect of cork-based living walls on the energy performance of buildings and local microclimate. For this purpose, a prototype was built in Portugal, and the temperatures were measured across the system and in its vicinity. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was also used to inspect the thermal behaviour of the system and its effect on the vicinity's microclimate. Finally, real climatic data were used to update a simulation model with the aim of computing the energy needs of a reference building. The results demonstrate that cork-based living walls like the one studied perform well in terms of thermal insulation, and that enhanced evaporative effects could be achieved by moistening the external cork layer. In this case study, reductions of up to 14 °C and 2 °C were recorded, respectively, for the maximum temperatures on the external surface and in the ambient air right in front of the façade. A DesignBuilder model has further shown significantly lower heating and cooling needs (>30%) when a wet cork layer is installed on the exterior of a reference building. • Thermal performance of a living wall assessed under real conditions. • Temperature profile of the living wall and vicinity monitored over one year. • Thermal behaviour and microclimate effect explored by CFD modelling. • Insight into the energy savings simulated with DesignBuilder software. • Lower heating and cooling needs provided by the living wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data obtained through Volunteered Geographical Information (VGI) have gradually been used to monitor and support planning mainly in urban contexts. Regarding recreational activities in peri-urban green and natural areas, VGI has been used to map, measure use intensity, profile users, and evaluate their preferences and motivations. Given their extensive use, it is now worthwhile to assess the value of VGI data to (1) compare recreational uses, profile users and map recreational activities in different contexts (metropolitan vs. rural areas), and (2) evaluate outdoor and adventure tourist products such as Grand Routes (GR). Data from former GPSies (AllTrails nowadays), one of the most popular web-share services, were used to assess recreational uses in Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) and southwest Portugal (SWPT). A set of 22,031 tracks of "on foot" and "on wheels" activities, submitted by 3297 national and foreign users, covering 12 years, was analysed within a GIS modelling environment. Results indicate that, although there are many more submissions in the LMA, the influence of foreigners in the SWPT is higher (11% vs. 19%). The existing GR in SWPT concentrates the foreign use for hiking (71% of foreign vs. 28% of national users), demonstrating its attractiveness. For the favourite activity in both areas—Mountain biking—results show a higher spatial dispersion, yet part of the activity in SWPT still conforms to the GR (16% of foreign and 20% of national use). This study proves other applications for VGI, showing its usefulness for assessing recreational uses in both metropolitan and rural areas. Spatial knowledge about recreational uses is a valuable tool to evaluate and monitor such activities, and to know what users like to do, and where, and is also useful information when designing recreational products considering their tourist potential, thus adding value to these offers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Data Centers (DCs) are high energy intensive facilities due to the large power requirements of the computing equipment and the infrastructure needed to support it, in particular cooling systems. Nowadays, the capacity and consequently the energy demand of DCs is growing rapidly to meet the digitalization of the society. In order to meet sustainability concerns, the construction of a new DC must address the economic and environmental impacts of the different design options and one of the most crucial choices to be made concerns the location of the DC. This paper presents a brief overview of the current landscape of Portuguese DCs, based on the results of a survey. It also proposes a methodology to identify the best areas to locate a new DC in Portugal, using a new structure for evaluation criteria, based on inputs from industry experts. The relevant data was collected in a Geographical Information System (GIS) and successive filters were applied to progressively reduce the number of candidate sites. Finally, an analysis to the benefits of having DCs on those sites in comparison with their current locations was made, and the results show that the chosen sites to locate these facilities were not the best solution to achieve a more sustainable DC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Group cohesion in sport is a widely spread theme today. Research has found cohesion to be influenced by several individual and group components. Among the cognitive variables that relate to cohesion we found competitive anxiety. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between task cohesion (ATG-T, and GI-T) and competitive state anxiety (A-state), and also if there would be a relation between cohesion and self-confidence. Participants were 366 football players of both genders male and female, aged between 15 to 23 years old, from Portugal's championships. Cohesion was measured using the Portuguese version of the Group Environment Questionnaire, and to assess competitive anxiety, we used the Portuguese version of the Competition State Anxiety Inventory 2. Our results show that female athletes report experiencing more cognitive anxiety and less self-confidence than male athletes. Only cognitive anxiety relates in a significantly negative way with the perception of cohesion (GI-T e ATG-T) in the total number of participants and in male athletes. Relatively to the somatic anxiety, it only relates negatively with the perception of the integration of the group in the total number of participants and in the male gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small basalt mounds with encrusting corals and inter-mound carbonate sandy zones with abundant rhodoliths corresponding to an ancient intertidal to shallow-water sea floor are exhumed from overlying volcaniclastic deposits and basalt lava flows at Pedra de Água on Ilhéu de Cima off Porto Santo, one of the islands of the northeastern Atlantic Madeira Archipelago (Portugal). The mounds rise above the surrounding surface to attain a height of about half a meter. The mounds exhibit an in situ assemblage of hermatypic corals, dominated by Tarbellastrae and Solenastrea. They formed as massive (4.2 × 1.9 m average length), isolated patches in a protected bay close to shore eroded from an uneven basalt substrate dated to the Middle Miocene (14-15 Ma). The slightly deeper zones between basalt mounds, which alternate with them over a distance of more than 20 m, are covered mainly by coarse carbonate sand on which rhodoliths up to 14.8 cm in diameter are preserved in situ. Many rhodoliths have grown around a basalt core, which indicates a local, near-shore source for development. Complete burial of the elevated coral settlements and intervening low zones populated by rhodoliths occurred when volcanic lapilli and other tephra catastrophically buried this part of the rocky shore. The rhodoliths and coral assemblages exposed in an area of 12 m were canvassed systematically using census quadrats to quantify community relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The bioclaustration of the pyrgomatid barnacle Ceratoconcha aff. costata within the carbonate skeleton of a colonial hermatypical coral ( Tarbellastrea reussiana) is described from a middle Miocene basaltic rocky palaeoshore on a small north-eastern Atlantic islet of Porto Santo (Madeira Archipelago, Portugal). The resulting structure is named as a new trace fossil Imbutichnus igen. nov., characterized by a small, funnel-like cavity, a circular to oval cross-section, with a nearly cylindrical shape in the upper part and a conical shape towards the base. Imbutichnus costatum isp. nov. is defined as a bioclaustration structure produced by the overgrowth of a pyrgomatid barnacle by a coral. From an ethologic point of view, Imbutichnus is attributed to the Impedichnia category. In terms of palaeoecology, it is interpreted as the result of a parasitic relationship. This is also the oldest record of pyrgomatid barnacles in the eastern Atlantic and clearly demonstrates that the Miocene palaeogeographic range of Ceratoconcha was much wider than previously assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A remarkable accumulation of marine boulders located above the present spring tide level has occurred in two coastal lowlands of the Algarve (Portugal). The size-interval of the particles studied here is seldom reported in the literature in association with extreme events of coastal inundation, thus making this study of relevance to many other coasts worldwide. The spreads of boulders extend several hundred meters inland and well beyond the present landward limit of storm activity. The marine origin of the boulders is demonstrated by well-developed macro-bioerosion sculpturing and in situ skeletal remains of endolithic shallow marine bivalves. The good state preservation of the fossils within the boulders indicates that abrasion during transport and redeposition was not significant. We envisage boulder deposition as having taken place during the Lisbon tsunami of ad 1755 through the simultaneous landward entrainment of coarse particles from nearshore followed by rapid shoreward suspended-dominated transport and non-graded redeposition that excluded significant sorting by weight or boulder dimensions. We use numerical hydrodynamic modeling of tsunami (and storm) waves to test the observational data on boulder dimensions (density, size, distribution) on the most likely processes of sediment deposition. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of the study of boulder deposits in tsunami reconstruction. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

method for systematically acquiring and analyzing images of Miocene bivalve borings ( Gastrochaenolites lapidicus and Gastrochaenolites torpedo) is applied for analysis of spatial patterns in Foz da Fonte (Sesimbra, Portugal). Space point pattern analysis is used to describe patterns of locations of fossils and to test whether there is a significant occurrence of clustering in the study area. Emphasis is placed in close-range photogrammetry methods for data acquisition and spatial statistics for data analysis. Thresholds for the occurrence of clustering at various scales of observation were computed based on a series of Monte Carlo simulations of random spatial point patterns. Goals of the analysis are focused on the statistical description of the borers population, the investigation of some spatial relationship among G. lapidicus of different dimensions and, finally, the investigation of a preferential orientation of the G. torpedo in order to draw paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental conclusions. Both G. lapidicus and G. torpedo were significantly clustered during life of the borers. The preferential cluster location of different diameter classes of G. lapidicus indicates the relative location and orientation of the paleoshore. G. torpedo populations show preferential orientations interpreted as being perpendicular to the predominant swell moving direction during a Middle Burdigalian transgression, around 18 My ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Santos, A., Mayoral, E.J., da Silva, C.M., Cachão, M., Johnson, M.E. & Baarli, B.G. Miocene intertidal zonation on a volcanically active shoreline: Porto Santo in the Madeira Archipelago, Portugal. Lethaia, Vol. 44, pp. 26-32. Short-term biological colonization of rockgrounds on the basaltic shorelines of oceanic islands has, as yet, been poorly explored. A Miocene sea cliff on Ilhéu de Cima off Porto Santo in the Madeira Archipelago of Portugal provides a case study showing intertidal zonation with two types of barnacles, serpulid worm tubes, two coral species, epifaunal bivalves and the trace fossils of endolithic bivalves. Large barnacles ( Balanus sp.) and serpulids are limited to the upper 400 mm of a basalt cliff of 1.6 m in height. Small barnacles, possibly of the same species, extend to the base. The upper half includes the corals Isophyllastrea orbignyana and Tarbellastraea reussiana, to which many small, coral-inhabiting, barnacles ( Ceratoconcha costata) are fixed. Borings identified as Gastrochaenolites torpedo appear through the bottom two-thirds of the cliff face. Rarely, Gastrochaenolites lapidicus is exposed in longitudinal section with borings up to 45 mm deep in solid basalt. Epifaunal bivalves, such as Spondylus sp., are limited to a middle zone. Associated with the sea cliff is an outer platform on which a multitude of T. reussiana colonies occur in growth position. The corals exhibit planar erosion over180 m. The shelf was faulted and cut by a basalt dike prior to the brief recolonization of I. orbignyana, found attached to low fault scarps. Habitation of the sea cliff was facilitated by rising sea level, but abruptly terminated by burial under volcanoclastic ejecta. □ Basalt bioerosion, coastal dynamics, Ilhéu de Cima (Porto Santo), Miocene intertidal zonation, volcanogenic perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Extraordinary deposits of fossil rhodoliths occur at the Cabeço das Laranjas (Portuguese~Hill of the Oranges) in a small fault block at the northwest end of Ilhéu de Cima off Porto Santo in the Madeira Archipelago. Stratigraphic repetitions of densely packed rhodolith beds up to 2.6m thick are associated with a receding rocky shoreline, and are interpreted as the result of hurricanes. The initial storm deposit sits unconformably on basalt and eroded basalt boulders associated with tuff and volcaniclastic breccia. Approximately 90,000 rhodoliths of Middle Miocene age (14–15Ma) are exposed on the upper surface of the initial deposit over a 450-m2 shelf exhumed from the hill''s southeast side. Ranging in diameter from ≤3cm to 20cm, many of the rhodoliths generated by crustose coralline red algae are now iron stained and resemble a mass of oranges in gross appearance. Sea stacks and large boulders rise through the thick basal rhodolith bed to form small catchment areas that held the deposit in place after the storm''s passage. The succeeding rhodolith deposits are variably separated by layers with mixed carbonate and volcanic sand, pure volcanic lapilli, and volcaniclastic tephra mixed with tuff showing swaley cross-stratification. Three out of four rhodolith beds are truncated against the flank of the adjoining rocky shore. Only the youngest (fourth) rhodolith layer is fully exposed around the perimeter of the hill and can be shown to cross a basalt barrier that is traceable for 70m in cross section as an erosional ramp dipping from 6° to 8° southeast. The entire fossil-rich sequence is capped by a basalt flow showing columnar disjunction. Based on thin-section analysis, three genera of coralline red algae are recognized in the basal rhodolith deposit: Sporolithon, Lithothamnion, and Neogoniolithon. Associated biodiversity is low, represented by 16 kinds of marine invertebrates dominated by encrustations and borings on the rhodoliths and very few free body fossils. The Madeira region of the North Atlantic may have been susceptible to major cyclonic storms immediately after the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum, when a northward shift of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone was stimulated by a steeper temperature gradient in the southern hemisphere related to expansion of continental glaciers on Antarctica. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study on developmental dyslexia with perspectives on teacher training and learning disabilities in Portugal. It provides an overview of dyslexia as well as developmental dyslexia. It offers information on the methodology of the study including its participants, instruments and procedures. The result shows that teacher prefer to look for support in special education teams and do not see partnership work with colleagues that constitutes the school management board.

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

Abstract: The Pliocene molluscan assemblage from the Mondego Basin (Portugal, Western Iberia) plays a particularly important role in the understanding of the palaeobiogeography of Neogene–Quaternary molluscs of the Atlantic Frontage of Europe and the western Mediterranean. The importance of these Portuguese molluscan deposits is stressed, as it is the only assemblage representative of the southern portion of the Pliocene French–Iberian biogeographical Province. The Pliocene marine fossiliferous deposits of the Mondego Basin (central-west Portugal) are dated using their nannofossil and molluscan assemblages, as well as Strontium dating. The results suggest a late Zanclean to early Piacenzian age. Chronologically they are equivalent to the Mediterranean Pliocene Molluscan Unit 1 (MPMU1). However, due to the more northern geographical location of the Mondego Basin assemblages, their molluscan content is closer to that of MPMU2 than to that of MPMU1 in the Mediterranean. The presence of a stock of thermophilic taxa in the Mondego assemblage, no longer existent in European waters, enabled us to suggest a palaeoenvironmental reconstruction for mid-Pliocene SSTs in the region. We put forward the hypothesis that the SSTs at the latitude of Mondego, during late Zanclean to early Piacenzian, would be characterized by a yearly SST pattern analogous to that of present-day Cape Blanc (West Africa). Consequently, whilst subtropical conditions existed in the Atlantic Zanclean to mid-Piacenzian at Mondego latitude in the Mediterranean fully tropical conditions prevailed at that time. The Mondego SST estimates correlate with those estimated for MPMU2 in the Mediterranean. The global palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of mid-Pliocene SSTs in the PRISM2 Project suggests, for western Iberia, at Mondego latitude, an August SST of about 23°C, and a February temperature of about 17 to 18°C. Our hypothesis suggests similar August SST differing in only half a degree Celsius (23.5 vs. 23°C) and February SSTs slightly higher (19 vs. 17–18°C). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

According to Seymour «In other instances (Portugal, for example), there may be no formally standardized measures of reading abilities at all. This lack of psychometric harmonization across Europe means that the way in which literacy are operationally defined is not equivalent in different countries» (2005, p. 298). In this context, we created a battery of tests to assess dyslexic children. In this study, we applied the Reading Speed Test and the Spelling Test from the battery of tests called Bateria de Avaliação da Dislexia (Battery of Tests to Assess Developmental Dyslexia), to 555 Portuguese children, aged 7 to 12 years old. From this sample, 57 children were diagnosed as having learning disabilities. We tried to verify how factors like gender and learning disabilities influence acuity in academic performance. We made a statistical analysis of the results with SPSS15. The results prove that there are significant differences between children with learning disabilities and children without dyslexia. In conclusion, the results obtained are significant and the identification of children with learning disabilities may qualify them for special education services, with the final objective of establishing appropriate intervention goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the reform of institutional forms that frame local government in Portugal, and to put them into a comparative European perspective. The paper addresses the following research question: To what extent have Portuguese local government reforms shown convergence or divergence with the local political leadership models in Europe over the last three decades of democracy? We hypothesized that reforms affected the local government system in different ways, using some of its components and following more explicitly international trends than others. This hypothesis was tested against the model of local political leadership, including the rules governing the recruitment of mayors and local councillors. This study is based on both archival research for the Portuguese case and the literature review for the survey of international trends. The findings indicate the existence of similarities between reforms in Portugal and reforms in other European countries. But they also indicate divergence in some important dimensions of the local government system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information about the meeting Turres Veteras X - histories of sacred and profane, sponsored by the University of Lisbon and the Municipality of Torres Vedras . The event was held on Torres Vedras, Portugal, on May 18-19, 2007.

For Lisbon, a dominant national capital and increasingly internationalized city, the last 30 years have witnessed a period of dramatic growth, modernization and dynamism. As the socioeconomic landscape has changed, so too has the political and institutional one, with a significant evolution in the nature of systems of governance to manage, respond to and lead the city through this period of intense transition. Whilst increased global and particularly European integration has been an important driver to change, critically it has been the interplay of these global forces with the role and constitution of the national state and political developments at the level of the city, region and municipality that has shaped the evolutionary path of governance change. This article analyses recent governance change within Lisbon to argue that governance transition within Lisbon is characterized by significant change with regard to the relationships between public and private sectors, but also by strong continuities with regard to the dominant role of the central state in the absence of political devolution. The result is a governance system marked by structural constraints that limit the city’s capacity to deal with current strategic challenges in an integrated, coordinated and inclusionary manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the account of the benefits sub-system as well as its impact on the portfolio of Social Security Trust Fund (“FEFSS”). Section 2 describes state social security and the account projections of the benefits sub-system. Section 3 analyses the actuarial and financial equilibrium of the system in the short and long term and the fund's assets. Section 4 concludes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sedimentological and geochemical study of a core corresponding to sedimentation in the Santo Andrélowland since 14 000 BP allowed the reconstruction of environmental changes of this area and discussion of the relative importance of local versus global forcing factors responsible for its evolution. The pre-Holocene section of the core represents terrestrial sedimentation in a fluviatile environment, contemporaneous of a low sea level and a distal shoreline. Sediment inputs were terrestrial and resulting from intensive weathering and high erosion rate in the adjacent watershed. During the Early Holocene (c. 10 020 to 5380 BP) the sea invaded this lowland and defined an open marine shallow environment corresponding to a wide gulf which has been disturbed by multiple terrestrial inputs that might have been induced by massive episodes of fluvial discharge. The first symptoms of confinement were noticed close to 5400 BP, and c. 5380 BP a major environmental threshold occurred (possibly reflecting the marked deceleration of the sea-level rise rate) corresponding to the establishment of an efficient detrital barrier that completely isolated the bay and changed this lowland into a closed coastal lagoon. After 5380 BP, the lagoonal environment evolved as a function of local forcing factors, among which the frequency and efficiency of exchanges with the ocean predominate: until c. 3570 BP the lagoon was restricted, fed by fresh water and terrestrial sediment inputs; a second episode of lagoonal sedimentation lasts until c. 1620 BP, reflecting brackish conditions and increase in marine influence due to a reduced efficiency of the barrier. The upper section of the core represents the final stages of filling of the lagoonal margin by fluvial activity. Human settling and intervention in the barrier are possible causes of a short-lived return to brackish conditions recorded in the uppermost sediment unit of the core and of the dramatic increase of the sedimentation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beaches are highly valuable tourist resources; therefore determining their carrying capacity is an essential factor for their sensible use and management. The study synthetically presented in this paper is focused on the SW coast of Portugal, during the summer of 1998 and 1999. It explores the concepts of physical carrying capacity (number of individuals a beach can physically accommodate) and social carrying capacity (concentration of individuals above which beach users become uncomfortable - crowding perception). Two distinct methods of data collection were used. Measurements on georeferenced digitised aerial photography were used for the physical carrying capacity evaluation. For the social carrying capacity, several user counts, video images and more than 200 interviews were conducted at five different beaches, exploring landscape perception, landscape evaluation and behaviour. The results achieved enable the understanding of fundamental differences between the two carrying capacity types and how to link and integrate them within management plans. The results also illustrate the difficulties in producing a universal carrying capacity formula, which can be applied in any beach indiscriminately. Nevertheless, the limitations encountered do not question the validity of these studies, as they are evidently of great importance for beach management and thus should be used in a flexible way, fully adapted to the existing specific site conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the result of a recently completed programme to create Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) within Portugal. The first part of the article examines the forces leading to the creation of RDAs in Portugal and the particularities of the process employed. The second part turns to consider the considerable challenges that these fledgling RDAs now face if they are to develop a strategic role promoting regional economic development within Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental investigation of building-integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) solar systems is essential to characterise the operation of these elements under real conditions of use according to the climate and building type they pertain. BIPVT systems can increase and ensure energy performance and readiness without jeopardising the occupant comfort if correctly operated. The present work presents a case study's experimental analysis composed of a BIPVT system for heat recovery located in a controlled test room. This work contribution focuses on the presentation of the obtained measured value results that correspond to the BIPVT main boundary conditions (weather and room characteristics) and the thermal behaviour and performance of the BIPVT system, located in the Solar XXI Building, a nZEB exposed to the mild Mediterranean climate conditions of Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on extensive new material, 2088 valves resulting from search sampling of ~500 kg of sediment, the Pliocene chiton biodiversity of the Mondego Basin (Portugal) is reassessed. Twelve species were identified, assigned to seven genera. Eight species are new for the Pliocene of Portugal, as well as two of the genera: Hanleya, Acanthochitona. Two taxa are described as new: Ischnochiton loureiroi n. sp. and Lepidochitona rochae n. sp. Until now, the polyplacophoran European Neogene record was too poorly known to be of help in generating a clear picture of the Miocene to present-day biogeography of the group. This new wealth of data from western Iberia, in conjunction with recent data from the Loire Basin Upper Miocene assemblages (France), allows clarification the Late Miocene to Recent eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean biogeography of the Polyplacophora. The northern range of warm-water northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Polyplacophora experienced a sharp contraction since, at least, Late Miocene to Early Pliocene times. Warm-water chiton species represented in the Upper Miocene of the Loire Basin of NE France (European-West African Province) and the Pliocene of the Mondego Basin of central-west Portugal (Pliocene French-Iberian Province) are today confined to the southern Mediterranean-Moroccan Molluscan Province. UUID: http://zoobank.org/a2a550c0-caed-449a-aa45-9492c45f882e [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]