It is widely recognized that socio-emotional learning (SEL) interventions can contribute to supporting students' positive development of socio-emotional skills (SES) and positive relationships with ...peers and teachers. Thus, interest in promoting students' SES through universal evidence-based programs is spreading around the world, including in Portuguese schools.
This quasi-experimental study examines the efficacy of a SEL classroom-based program, infused into the curriculum, on students' communication, self-regulation, and classroom peer relationships. Participants included 208 third- to fourth-grade students from three Portuguese public elementary schools: 143 in the intervention group (54.5% boys;
= 8.72;
= 0.61); 65 in the comparison group (52.3% boys;
= 8.66;
= 0.59). Measures included: Study on Social and Emotional Skills, parent, child, and teacher versions; and Classroom Peer Context Questionnaire, completed by students. The study followed a pre- and post-test design, with a 16-week intervention.
For the overall participants, results show a positive effect of the program on students' assertiveness (family report), peer conflict and peer cooperation. Effects were analyzed separately by school grade. A statistically significant positive effect of the program on third-grade students' assertiveness and sociability was found. For fourth-grade students, a positive effect was found on - emotional control). classroom conflicts, isolation, cooperation and cohesion behaviors.
These positive effects support the expansion of universal interventions when aiming at strengthening SEL in Portuguese school settings, underlining the relevance of embedding SEL into the curricula and daily practices at schools.
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•Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) production was conducted in a batch basket reactor with the immobilized fructosyltransferase from Rhodotorula sp.•The adjustment of the experimental data ...to the kinetic model resulted in the highest regression coefficient (R2>90%) for sucrose (GF), kestose (GF2) and total FOS.•The mass transfer coefficient (kL) was determined as 5.6×10−5mh−1.•The best predicted FOS yield (after 96h) was 60.62%.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) production was carried out in a batch basket reactor with immobilized fructosyltransferase from Rhodotorula sp. from 500×103gm−3 of sucrose in 50mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 6.0, 48°C at 85rpm and with an activity of 22.44×103Um−3. The experimental data were well adjusted to the mathematical model for FOS production using SIMULINK® (MATLAB®). The highest regression coefficient (R2>90%) and the lowest percentual residual standard deviation (%RSD<4.0) and chi-square (χ2 <1.0) were obtained for sucrose (GF), kestose (GF2) and total FOS. The mass transfer coefficient (kL) was determined as 5.6×10−5mh−1 and the diffusivity (DS) was 2.11×10−11m2s−1. The best predicted FOS yield (after 96h) was 60.62%, with an equivalent productivity of 3.16×103gm−3h−1. These results reaffirm the good potential of this enzyme for industrial application and, in addition, are in conformation to other studies conducted with the same enzyme from the same and different microbial sources.
The present study aims to use commercial antioxidants rosemary in different concentrations in mixed hamburger processing (beef, chicken, and turkey) and to evaluate its influence on the ...physical‐chemical, microbiological, sensory, and structural properties during shelf life. The results showed no significant difference for pH and acidity between the formulations, but during the storage there was a significant difference. TBARs values variations were observed between samples and during storage. For L* and a* values are observed and the samples with lower variation were those with higher antioxidant concentration (F2 and F5) and the b* values did not increase significantly among the samples. The formulations F2 and F5 presented an improved structural organization, making it possible to visualize better tissue binding and few adipose cells. None of the formulations presented were rejected by the tasters. The F5 formulation (0.06% rosemary condiment) presented better stability during storage (−12°C) after 120 days.
Practical applications
Hamburger has become a popular food ensuring practicality in small portions and ease of preparation. However, a major disadvantage of this type of product is its greater susceptibility to oxidative changes. This is the main cause of quality deterioration during the processing of the meat products, presenting an adverse effect on the food quality as the color and flavor change, toxic compounds are formed, shelf life is shortened and nutrients are lost. The need to control levels and their impact on food products, especially during processing, packaging, and distribution, has been a challenge for the food industry. In order to maintain the hamburger quality, two types of natural rosemary antioxidants were used at different concentrations. The results showed that rosemary has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, as well as its concentration can guarantee quality products, not presenting physical‐chemical, sensorial, microbiological, and structural alterations during the storage under suitable conditions.
In recent years, in Portugal, public demonstrations of movements such as 'Que se Lixe a Troika: Queremos as NossasVidas de Volta' and 'Geração à Rasca' have led to police repression highly ...scrutinized by mass media. However, a specific understanding is still lacking as to how police officers and civil society are construing the repression of this kind of event and also as to how moral agency is thereof inhibited. To police officers (as 'power-holders') and to civil society in general, this analysis is equally important in understanding the cognitive patterns supporting the resort and appeal to police violence. Drawing upon a qualitative research design developed in Portugal during 2011 and 2013, this paper discusses the processes of moral disengagement in regard to the repression exercised during social demonstrations, considering both the accounts of common citizens (Group 1) and police officers (Group 2). Results and discussion are centered on the main processes of moral disengagement, namely moral justification (behavior locus), displacement of responsibility (agency locus), dehumanization, and blame attribution (recipient locus). If to a certain extent the moral values (e.g., protection, public order) are aligned in both groups to justify violence, their mobilizations seem to emerge in quite different ways when it comes to social protest. Displacement of authority is a usual mechanism among police officers, but it is to a great extent contested by common citizens. Dehumanization and blame attribution emerged also as a major mechanism of moral disengagement mainly among police officers' group. However, empathy may reconfigure the support of these mechanisms, specifically when it comes to social protest. Strengths and weaknesses of the power of 'empathy' toward agency activation are discussed. We conclude with research implications and prospects.
This paper comprises a theoretical and empirical incursion into the phenomenon of state violence, namely police violence. Although extensively explored in different perspectives within and outside ...academia, police violence is complex and has not been sufficiently problematized yet. In our understanding, this phenomenon requires a dialectical and dynamic discussion wherein both the development of state powers (macro-perspective) and how these powers affect the subjectification of those who act on their behalf (micro-perspective) are articulated into a critical analysis. In more concrete terms, the present study contributes to such analysis by shedding light on the main processes of moral disengagement (cf. Bandura, 1990, 1999, 2004) disclosed in the internal perspectives of six Portuguese police officers about common daily work-related situations. To legitimize the resort to police violence, police officers rely heavily on different mechanisms of moral disengagement. For instance, sanitizing language (anchored in a police technical jargon) is typically used as a linguistic mechanism to disguise violent actions; advantageous comparisons with other law enforcement agencies or with the recipient’s conduct are typically employed; non-lethal violence is usually minimized and portrayed as innocuous; and the recipient of violence is usually dehumanised and seen as responsible for the acts of violence. The findings are discussed based on the moral disengagement theory (Bandura, 1990, 1999, 2004); on the denial approach (Cohen, 2001, 2003); and on the impact of organizational, legal and socio-cultural dimensions of police organization (e.g., Fassin, 2011; Huggins, Haritos-Fatouros, & Zimbardo, 2002).
Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving interruptions in the flow of speech. The reactions of listeners and others in a child’s environment could affect how children perceive their ...stuttering. Children experience many of their everyday social situations in the school context. Because it might be hard for children who stutter to deal with communication in the school setting, it is essential to know how teachers perceive the impact of stuttering on their students. In this study, we collected data about teachers’ perceptions of the impact of stuttering on Portuguese children who stutter using an adaptation of the European Portuguese translation of Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering (OASES-S-PT). Participants were 27 teachers and their students who stutter (n=27; mean age=9.0 mos., SD=1.8 mos.), recruited from different cities in Portugal. In general, teachers perceived the overall impact of stuttering in their students’ lives as mild-to-moderate. Our results did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the teachers’ perceptions of the impact of stuttering and the students’ self-reports. Still, there was no statistically significant correlation between the students’ impact scores and the teachers’ impact scores. Teachers were unable to rate several items on the instrument, which indicates that they were unfamiliar with some aspects of the children’s experiences with stuttering. This finding highlights the need to integrate teachers into therapy programs to increase support within the environment of for children who stutter.
Resumo Este estudo pretende explorar as atitudes dos adolescentes face aos pares com deficiência e analisar sua relação com variáveis sociodemográficas e psicológicas e experiência de contacto. ...Participaram 190 alunos, com idades entre 12 e 17 anos. Recorreu-se a um questionário sociodemográfico, à Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps Scale, à Escala de Empatia Básica, à Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg e à Escala de Satisfação Global com a Vida. Os resultados indicaram que as atitudes dos adolescentes são globalmente positivas. As adolescentes, os alunos mais novos e os que relataram ter contacto com pessoas com deficiência fora da escola apresentaram atitudes mais positivas. Registaram-se correlações positivas entre as atitudes e a empatia.
Résumé Cette étude vise à examiner les attitudes des adolescents à l’égard de leurs pairs handicapés et à analyser leur relation avec des variables sociodémographiques et psychologiques et l’expérience de contact. 190 élèves, entre 12 et 17 ans, y ont participé. Un questionnaire sociodémographique a été utilisé, ainsi que l’échelle Chedoke-McMaster des attitudes envers les enfants en situation de handicap, l’échelle de base de l’empathie, l’échelle de l’estime de soi de Rosenberg et l’échelle de satisfaction globale de vie. Les résultats indiquent que les attitudes des adolescents sont globalement positives. Femmes adolescentes, les élèves les plus jeunes et ceux qui ont déclaré avoir des contacts avec des personnes handicapées en dehors de l’école ont manifesté des attitudes plus positives. Des corrélations positives ont été observées entre les attitudes et l’empathie.
Resumen Este estudio pretende explorar las actitudes de los adolescentes hacia sus pares con discapacidad y analizar su relación con variables sociodemográficas, psicológicas y la experiencia de contacto. Participaron 190 alumnos, con edades entre los 12 y los 17 años. Se utilizó un cuestionario sociodemográfico, la Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps Scale, la Escala de Empatía Básica, la Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg y la Escala de Satisfacción Global con la Vida. Los resultados indicaron que las actitudes de los adolescentes son globalmente positivas. Mujeres adolescentes, los alumnos más jóvenes y los que reportaron tener contacto con personas con discapacidad fuera de la escuela tuvieron actitudes más positivas. Se registraron correlaciones positivas entre las actitudes y la empatía.
Abstract This study aims to explore the attitudes of adolescents toward peers with disabilities, as well as its relationship with sociodemographic and psychological variables and contact experience. A total of 190 students, between 12 and 17 years old, participated in this study. Data collection was made through a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps Scale, the Basic Empathy Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale. Results suggest that the attitudes of adolescents towards peers with disabilities are generally positive. Female, younger students and students who have contact with persons with disabilities out of school tend to have more positive attitudes. Empathy was positively correlated with attitudes.
► Benznidazole is the only drug available for Chagas disease treatment. ► Benznidazole has high toxicity due to its low aqueous solubility. ► Cyclodextrins are tools for enhancing nonpolar drugs’ ...dissolution rate. ► Cyclodextrins are an alternative to reduce the Benznidazole toxicity. ► The product developed has feasibility of industrial-scale production and low cost.
Benznidazole (BNZ) is the drug of choice for Chagas disease treatment, which affects about 9.8million people worldwide. It has low solubility and high toxicity. The present study aimed to develop and characterize inclusion complexes (IC) in binary systems (BS) with BNZ and randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin (RMβCD) and in ternary systems (TS) with BNZ, RMβCD and hydrophilic polymers. The results showed that the solid BS had a large increase in dissolution rate (Q>80%). For the solid IC obtained, the kneading method, in ratio of 1:0.17 (77.8% in 60min), appeared to be the most suitable for the development of a solid oral pharmaceutical product, with possible industrial scale-up and low concentration of CD. The solid TS containing 0.1% of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) showed no significant advantages compared to the binary IC in solid state. The use of cyclodextrins proved to be a viable tool for effective, standardized and safe drug delivery.
This paper is organized into four parts of discussion. Firstly, we present the Portuguese decriminalization law and the central role of harm reduction within this framework. The second section ...discusses the mainstream meanings ascribed to the ‘HR double’ mainly anchored in problematic drug uses. The third section highlights the need to take into account the specificities of recreational drug uses, users and environments. Thus, the paper highlights the experience of the Kosmicare Project at the Boom Festival, which combines principles of harm reduction, crisis intervention and Grof’s approach. The fourth section draws upon the project’s experience itself and in the idea of the normalization of drug uses to acknowledge and to discuss the potentialities, tensions and limitations of these contributions when it comes to analyzing and constructing a strong version of the ‘HR double’.
The purpose of this study was to examine temperament dimensions, executive functioning ability, and anxiety levels in school-age children who stutter and their non-stuttering peers. Participants were ...100 Portuguese children aged 7 to 12 years (
M
= 9.13;
SD
= 1.70), including 50 children who stutter and 50 children who do not stutter. Analyses, which were performed separately for younger and older participants, sought to identify correlations between key variables. Temperament was evaluated through a parent questionnaire, executive functioning was evaluated through children’s responses on a performance test, and anxiety level was assessed through a self-perception scale. On the temperament measure, comparisons between children who stutter and their non-stuttering peers revealed that older children who stutter exhibited significantly higher scores on the Anger/Frustration, Impulsivity, and Sadness subscales, and lower averages on the Attention/Focusing, Perceptual sensitivity, and Soothability/Falling Reactivity subscales. On the executive functioning task, comparisons revealed that the group of younger children who stutter exhibited significantly higher average execution times than their non-stuttering peers. There were no statistically significant differences in anxiety between children who stutter and children who do not stutter, and there were no statistically significant correlations between temperament factors and measures of executive functioning. Children who stutter experienced lower ability to orient attention and greater emotional reactivity compared with their non-stuttering peers. Significant correlations were found between executive functioning and age and among the temperament factors themselves. These results, which support the need for a multidimensional view of stuttering, were interpreted in the context of the Dual Diathesis – Stressor model. Findings indicate that temperament and executive functioning abilities may contribute to the development of stuttering.