RCIPL
Repositório Institucional do Politécnico de Lisboa
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Orthoptic treatment after strabismus surgery in child intermittent divergent strabismus
Publication . Lino, Pedro; Aguiar, Pedro Varques de; Cunha, João Paulo
Purpose: To evaluate short-term motor and sensory-motor outcomes following postoperative OT in children with IXT after strabismus surgery. Methods: This prospective before-and-after observational study included children with IXT who underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession and were referred for postoperative OT based on predefined clinical criteria. A structured 12-week OT plan was initiated approximately six months after surgery. Outcome measures included angle of deviation (prism diopters, PD), near point of convergence (cm), positive fusional vergence amplitudes (PD), and convergence amplitudes at distance and near (PD). Pre- and post-therapy changes were analysed using paired-samples t-tests with effect sizes calculated using Cohen's d. Final postoperative alignment was additionally compared cross-sectionally between children who underwent OT and those managed without OT. Results: Eighty-eight children had complete paired motor and sensory-motor data and were included in the analyses. Changes in static ocular alignment were small, with mean residual deviation improving from -7.02 ± 6.91 PD to -5.22 ± 6.60 PD after OT (mean change +1.80 PD; p < 0.01; d ≈ 0.30). No significant difference in final postoperative alignment was observed between the OT and non-OT groups (p = 0.827). In contrast, marked improvements were observed in sensory-motor outcomes. Positive fusional vergence amplitude increased from 7.30 ± 8.33 PD to 22.19 ± 9.26 PD (p < 0.001; d ≈ 1.5). Distance convergence amplitude improved from 7.30 ± 8.33 PD to 22.19 ± 9.26 PD, and near convergence amplitude from 10.95 ± 12.50 PD to 33.29 ± 13.89 PD (both p < 0.001; d ≈ 1.5). The near point of convergence showed a modest but significant improvement. Conclusions: Postoperative OT was associated with substantial short-term improvements in sensory-motor function, particularly fusional and convergence capacities, while changes in static ocular alignment were small and of limited clinical relevance. These findings support the role of OT as a functional adjunct to surgery, aimed at enhancing binocular control and postoperative sensory-motor stability in children with IXT.
Development and validation of a Portuguese psychologist's empathy scale: a pilot study
Publication . Cruz, Márcia; Grilo, Ana; Custódio, Susana; Dores, Artemisa R.; Silva, Carina; Alves, Paulo
The systematic assessment of empathy is essential for identifying psychologists' competencies and developmental needs, ultimately contributing to more effective clinical practice. Given the multidimensional nature of empathy, comprehensive evaluation requires consideration of its cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions. However, no existing instrument is specifically validated to assess psychologists' self-perceived empathy in clinical contexts. To address this limitation, the present pilot study aimed to develop and undertake a preliminarily validation of the Portuguese Psychologists' Empathy Scale (PPES), a self-report instrument designed to assess empathy among psychologists working in Portuguese-speaking contexts across these three components. The study proceeded in two phases: item construction and initial psychometric testing. A total of 106 Portuguese psychologists completed a 57-item Likert-type instrument. Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (χ2(45) = 811.56, p < .001), and the KMO index (0.73) indicated moderate adequacy for factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three core factors explaining 48% of the total variance, with strong internal consistency. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis supported model refinement, leading to the removal of items with low factor loadings. The final PPES comprises 43 items distributed across cognitive (16), affective (16), and behavioural (11) dimensions. The findings provide encouraging preliminary evidence for the PPES, demonstrating robust internal consistency and acceptable initial factorial validity. Nevertheless, further studies using independent samples and external validation procedures are required to fully establish its psychometric soundness and clinical applicability with Portuguese-speaking psychologists.
Nutritional information approaches for consumers in menus: an exploratory study to understand consumer perceptions
Publication . Bonito, Manuela; Costa, Francisca; Rocha, Ada; Viegas, Cláudia
Nutritional labelling, mandatory for pre-packed foods in the European Union, is one of public health's main tools to inform consumers and promote healthier choices. However, limited nutrition literacy remains a major barrier to its effectiveness, especially in food service settings where information is less standardised. To address this, Viegas and Rocha proposed an infographic (IFG) labelling format, which is designed according to the Mediterranean Diet and portion sizes of the Portuguese Food Guide. This study compared the IFG to the Nutritional Declaration (ND) among Portuguese adults using institutional food service. The ND scored higher in perceived meal balance and completeness. The IFG was also considered useful, and many respondents expressed interest in combining both formats. These findings suggest that the infographic format may serve as a promising complementary tool in food service settings and help policy makers to include a more effective labelling of food service menus to promote healthier choices.
Emerging practices in the estimation of hemoglobin measurement uncertainty in blood establishments
Publication . Timóteo, Maria Helena; Tavares, Ana Sofia; Pereira, Paulo
Measurement uncertainty (MU) is increasingly recognized as a critical analytical parameter within ISO and European regulatory frameworks. In transfusion laboratories, where hemoglobin testing determines donor eligibility and informs transfusion decisions, MU directly impacts patient and donor safety. This study applies ISO/TS 20914:2019 to estimate MU in hemoglobin testing using the cyanmethemoglobin method in EDTA-K3 venous blood. A parametric simulation model informed by EFLM biological variation data was used to evaluate three scenarios: (1) within-laboratory imprecision, (2) addition of calibrator uncertainty, and (3) incorporation of significant bias uncertainty. All scenarios met desirable (2.7 %) and minimum (4.1 %) performance targets for allowable uncertainty. These findings reinforce the integration of MU estimation as a European and ISO-endorsed best practice in transfusion laboratory medicine. This approach supports traceable, risk-informed decision-making, aligning transfusion services with ISO 15189:2022 requirements.
Os desafios decorrentes da pandemia Covid-19 no setor do turismo em Portugal entre 2020 e 2021
Publication . Evangelista da Costa, Florinda Carole; Piteira, Margarida
A pandemia Covid-19 provocou uma das maiores crises globais das últimas décadas, o que levou a profundos desafios em vários setores. Estre estes, o turismo foi um dos mais afetados devido a todas as restrições implementadas. O objetivo do estudo que se presenta é compreender a influência da pandemia decorrentes do vírus Covid-19 (2020-21) no setor turístico em Portugal, pela perceção dos profissionais do turismo. Para isso, foi feita uma análise baseada em livros, sites, artigos científicos e dissertações em formato digital. Como instrumento de recolha de dados recorreu-se ao inquérito por questionário online via Google Forms. Foram inquiridos 171 participantes, entre o período de 01 de maio de 2025 a 31 de maio de 2025. Tendo como questão de partida “Quais os novos desafios decorrentes do cenário pandémico do Covid-19 (2020-21), colocados ao setor turístico em Portugal, pela perceção dos profissionais de turismo.”. Os resultados revelam mudanças no comportamento dos turistas, nomeadamente a preferência por serviços online e a valorização da higiene e segurança como fatores decisivos para a escolha de destinos e atividades dos consumidores. A pandemia Covid-19 trouxe ainda oportunidades de inovação e capacidade enfrentar possíveis futuras crises por parte dos estabelecimentos turísticos. O trabalho findo discutidas estas análises, sendo apresentadas pistas para investigações futuras.