Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2019-05-01"
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- A multigroup analysis of the effect of cognitive appraisal on nurses' psychological distressPublication . Simães, Clara; Gomes, António R.; Costa, PatrícioBackground: Cognitive appraisal constitutes an important mechanism in the process of human adaptation to work environment and occupational stress. In this domain, nursing professionals are one of the occupational groups most affected by job stress, suffering high levels of psychological distress. Objectives: The aims of this study were to analyze the moderator effect of shift work and the type of job contract on the relationship between work cognitive appraisal and nurses' psychological distress and to explore the interaction effect of the two moderator variables on that relationship. Methods: A sample comprised of 2,310 Portuguese registered nurses completed a sociodemographic and professional questionnaire: the Primary and Secondary Cognitive Appraisal Scale and the General Health Questionnaire-12. Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling and multigroup analyses considering the following groups: (a) "shift" versus "nonshift work"; (b) "precarious job contract" versus "nonprecarious job contract"; and (c) "shift and precarious" versus "shift and nonprecarious" versus "nonshift and precarious" versus "nonshift and nonprecarious." Results Data confirmed the invariance for the measurement model, but the structural model presented a significantly worse adjustment for all grouping variables, showing the moderator effect of shift work and job contract and of their interaction. Difference tests in structural path coefficients revealed that shift work moderated the relationship between challenge perception and psychological distress - which was stronger for shift work nurses - and that a higher threat perception was related to greater psychological distress, especially in nurses with a precarious job contract. Among the four categories of interaction between job contract and shift work, cognitive appraisal became central in predicting nurses' mental health, explaining more variance in the group that did shift work and had a nonprecarious job contract. Discussion: The study results highlight the need to develop occupational health intervention programs to promote nurses' mental health, focusing on reducing work perception as a threat and on making nurses' jobs more challenging and controllable.
- Deposit insurance and cross-border banksPublication . Azevedo, João Valle e; Bonfim, Diana
- From problem structuring to optimization: a multi-methodological framework to assist the planning of medical trainingPublication . Cardoso-Grilo, Teresa; Monteiro, Marta; Oliveira, Mónica Duarte; Amorim-Lopes, Mário; Barbosa-Póvoa, AnaMedical training is an intricate and long process, which is compulsory to medical practice and often lasts up to twelve years for some specialties. Health stakeholders recognise that an adequate planning is crucial for health systems to deliver necessary care services. However, proper planning needs to account for complexity related with the setting of medical school vacancies and of residency programs, which are highly influenced by multiple stakeholders with diverse perspectives and views, as well as by the specificities of medical training. Aiming at building comprehensive models with a potential to assist health decision-makers, this article develops a multi-methodological framework to assist the planning of medical training under such a complex environment. It combines the structuring of the objectives and specificities of the medical training problem with a Soft Systems Methodology through the CATWOE (Customer, Actor, Transformation, Weltanschauung, Owner, Environment) approach, and the formulation of a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model that considers all relevant aspects. Considering the specificities of countries based on a National Health Service structure, a multi-objective planning model emerges, informing on how many vacancies should be opened/closed per year in medical schools and in each specialty. This model aims at (i) minimizing imbalances between medical demand and supply; (ii) minimizing costs; and (iii) maximizing equity across medical specialties. A case study in Portugal is explored so as to illustrate the applicability of the proposed multi-methodology, showing the relevance of proper structuring for planning models having the potential to inform health decision-makers and planners in practice.
- Perceptions of the public transport service as a barrier to the adoption of public transport: a qualitative studyPublication . Ramos, Sara; Vicente, Paula; Passos, Ana M.; Costa, Patrícia; Reis, ElizabethThis article presents the outcomes of a qualitative study involving users of public transportation in the metropolitan area of Lisbon in order to obtain a deeper understanding of attitudes towards public transport and to explore perceptions of the public transport service. It is important to know what people think and feel about public transport so that strategies can be designed to attract people to public transport. Ethnographic interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to identify factors that potentially influence people's perceptions and determine their satisfaction, or dissatisfaction with the public transport service. The key findings suggest that public transport usage would increase if the level of service was brought in line with users' expectations; more specifically, there should be a better connection between inter-modal options, more compliance with timetables, and a more appropriate response to users' needs.
- Optimization of bioactive peptides extraction from chlorella vulgarisPublication . Cunha, Sara; Coscueta, Ezequiel; Silva, Joana Laranjeira; Pintado, ManuelaChlorella vulgaris may be a source of several interesting compounds, as bioactive peptides with anticancer, antioxidant, anti-hypertensive activities. Furthermore, microalgae peptides may also be of great interest due to their functional properties as solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties, which could be beneficial for industrial application. The microalgae cell wall is rich in polysaccharides making it rigid and difficult to digest and, consequently, limiting the extraction of proteins and generation of peptides. Whereby it is important to break cell wall to achieve a more efficient peptide extraction. Therefore, this work aimed to obtain an optimized microalgae extract rich in bioactive peptides, through the combination of acid and enzymatic hydrolysis. Chlorella vulgaris was submitted to several extraction conditions, with variable factors including temperature, pH values, enzymes type, enzymes concentration, incubation time, use of salts and acids. The best factors were chosen after the determination of protein concentration (Bicinchoninic acid assay) and hydrolysis degree (2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene-l -Sulfonic Acid Method). A combination of an acid and an enzymatic hydrolysis, with a cellulase and a protease, appeared to be the best method to achieve protein and peptide extraction. The antioxidant and anti-hypertensive activities of peptides were tested by Oxygen-radical absorbance-capacity assay and ACE-inhibitory activity assay, respectively. To confirm the optimal extraction conditions, an experimental design was performed using statgraphic centurion software. Factorial design allowed an evaluation of the effect of three factors (protease concentration, temperature and hydrolysis time) on protein release and extracts bioactivities. The best extracts showed high antioxidant (34 μmol Trolox Equivalent/mg sample) and anti-hypertensive (IC50 of 12,75 μg protein/mL) activities. Thus, the factorial design allowed to confirm the combination of experimental factors that leads to the most efficient extraction of antioxidant and anti-hypertensive peptides, validating the studied extraction method. The obtained peptide extract may be further tested toward the development of functional foods.