Polytechnic Institute of Viseu

Introduction: This study examines the transformation of education driven by digitalization, highlighting the impact of digital platforms on teaching and learning dynamics. Digitalization has fostered new forms of access to knowledge, with platforms playing a central role in implementing modalities such as e-learning, b-learning, and m-learning. These tools not only facilitate access to educational content but also encourage interaction and collaboration between students and teachers, adapting to individual learners’ needs and promoting more personalized and flexible learning experiences. Methodology: The research is based on a qualitative, hermeneutic-interpretive methodology, aimed at understanding the meanings and interpretations expressed in texts and documents. This approach enables the analysis of the complexity of the educational phenomenon and the interpretation of how different actors construct meanings regarding the use of digital technologies in pedagogical practices. Results and Discussion: The analysis reveals both potentialities and challenges of teaching modalities mediated by digital platforms, emphasizing their impact on pedagogical practices, interaction dynamics, and the changes in teaching and learning processes. Conclusions: It is concluded that digital platforms act as transformative agents in education, fostering new pedagogical paradigms within the broader context of digital transformation.

Saudade is a cultural concept expressing a profound sense of longing, nostalgia, or melancholy associated with absence, loss, or unattainable experiences. Emerging in medieval Portugal and shaped by historical, social, and literary developments, it has evolved from an individual emotion into a collective cultural construct reflecting the identity, history, and aesthetic sensibilities of Lusophone communities. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and interdisciplinary research in cultural studies, this entry examines how saudade is expressed in the literature, music, and philosophical discourse, and its role in national memory, emigration, and cultural imagination. While sometimes described as untranslatable, its uniqueness reflects deep historical and cultural embedding rather than a linguistic limitation. Saudade, therefore, functions as a multilayered symbolic category, revealing the interplay between emotion, language, and cultural identity in Lusophone contexts.

In this research, interest in the field of illustration became relevant from a visual, expressive and emotional perspective through drawing. The central objective of this study is focused on the expressiveness of images and illustration technique, considering that the visualisation of a drawn story is described before the words are read and interpreted. ‘Illustration describes the text through images, tells a story, symbolises events, expresses emotions and awakens the attention of visual language’ Camargo (1999), [sp].The methodology used, both at a practical and psychological level, clarifies ideologies about the visualisation of illustration as an expression of visual communication, stimulates integration in the process of personality development in childhood and artistic knowledge with an approach to multiple themes, in everything that can be reproduced pictorially, arousing attention, interest and concepts, roughly speaking, ‘illustration communicates’.Within the scope of this theme, the names of leading illustrators in the field of illustration in various areas will be described, where statements of cultural value will be presented as a legacy to. Portuguese illustration (Illustration Competitions and. Catalogues). Given this synopsis, the present study contributes to explaining the theme of illustrative drawing throughout history, an instrument of communication with an expressive character of emotions in the daily lives of people around the world.

Almond hulls and shells are abundant by-products of the almond industry that could be valorized as bio-based absorbent polymers (BAP), offering a promising alternative to synthetic materials to improve water management in the agricultural setting. In this study, almond hulls and shells were pelletized in different proportions to assess pelletization feasibility and physical properties, followed by industrial-scale production of an industrialized formulation (80% hulls, 20% shells). Ecotoxicological risk was assessed using direct bioassays with whole pellets (germination with Lactuca sativa and Zea mays; acute toxicity with Eisenia fetida) and indirect bioassays with pellet water extracts (germination with L. sativa, immobilization with Daphnia magna, and bioluminescence inhibition with Vibrio fischeri). Field trials were conducted in an irrigated almond orchard to evaluate soil moisture dynamics and plant water status under different BAP application rates and irrigation regimes. Pelletization increased the soil’s water-holding capacity in the laboratory test and soil moisture in the field, even under reduced irrigation. However, ecotoxicological assays revealed significant to high acute toxicity at higher concentrations, depending on the organism and exposure pathway. Almond hull and shell pellets show potential to improve soil water retention and reduce irrigation demand but require cautious application and further testing to mitigate ecotoxicological risks.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern, driven in part by antibiotic use in animal production systems. Despite its relevance, the microbiome and resistome of small ruminant farm environments remain largely underexplored. In this study, shotgun metagenomics was applied to environmental samples from 46 sheep, goat and mixed-species farms across 14 municipalities in central Portugal. Microbial profiling revealed a well-preserved microbiome with Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, Bacteroidota and Bacillota (syn. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes respectively) as the most dominant phylum across different farm types. Regarding AMR, a total of 706 unique antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), covering 15 antibiotic classes, were detected. Tetracycline, aminoglycoside and macrolide resistance genes dominated across all samples, forming a conserved core resistome. While overall resistome profiles were broadly similar among farm types, significant differences were observed in specific ARG classes, such as pleuromutilin and fosfomycin. These findings highlight small ruminant farm environments as potential reservoirs of clinically relevant ARGs, including WHO highest priority critically important antimicrobial (HPCIA) resistance genes for macrolides (mph(c), erm(f), erm(b)) and fluoroquinolones (qnrD1), as well as critically important antimicrobial (CIA) resistance genes for glycopeptides (vanR-SC, vanR-O) and aminoglycosides (str, aadA), supporting the need to incorporate these environments into surveillance strategies.

Background: The master’s thesis defense requires students to demonstrate research maturity, a high-stakes phase often causing significant stress. Understanding student challenges and the process of emotional regulation is crucial to improving pedagogical support, promoting academic well-being, and reducing the associated anxiety. Aim: To explore master’s nursing students’ experiences of the interplay between mental well-being and emotion regulation, during their thesis defense preparation. Methods: A qualitative study, conducted in accordance with COREQ guidelines, explored the perceptions of 29 master’s nursing students (average age of 35.62 years) in Portugal. Data was collected through four face-to-face focus groups, each comprising six to eight students, between October and November 2024, and was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s systematic thematic analysis. Results: We found three main themes: (i) the pervasive nature of performance anxiety, characterized by significant fear of judgment and cognitive blocks; (ii) preparedness as a central strategy for fostering mental well-being, which included emotional regulation strategies such as researching the jury and practice sessions to manage uncertainty; and (iii) institutional support as a key mediator of well-being, which highlighted a demand for clearer information and formal training in oral communication skills to mitigate anxiety. Conclusions: The findings suggest that relying solely on students’ informal emotional regulation strategies creates vulnerability. To reduce defense-related anxiety and enhance mental well-being, structured institutional support, including clear guidelines, simulated rehearsals, and communication training focused on emotional regulation, is essential to transform the defense process into an opportunity for professional growth and academic well-being.

ABSTRACT Participation in daily activities has been associated with positive health effects and well-being. Several studies have highlighted the importance of focusing on the personal meaningfulness of such participation and less on the extent and frequency of activities. The Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS) is a widely used instrument to assess such meaningfulness. This study aims to explore the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity of the Portuguese version of the EMAS and to contribute to the international discussion about the dimensions of this scale. The sample comprised 203 middle aged and older adults (mean age 73.96 years, SD = 9.42 years), most of whom were women (70.9%). Data collection included the translated and adapted Portuguese version of the EMAS and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The EMAS’s internal consistency was α = .91. The exploratory factorial analysis revealed the unifactorial structure of the scale. Test-retest (r = 0.67) and criterion validity (r = 0.36) presented appropriate values. These data show that the Portuguese version of the EMAS represents a reliable and valid measure to capture the subjective qualities of meaningful activity participation. This scale can be of particular use in defining interests and planning interventions targeting middle age and older adults as well as for assessing the impact of interventions that focus on activity participation.

Acacia dealbata, an invasive species in Portugal, produces large amounts of residual biomass during control operations, thereby presenting challenges and opportunities for sustainable valorization. Heavy metal contamination, including zinc (Zn), remains a critical environmental challenge due to its widespread industrial release and potential ecotoxicological impacts. This study explores the potential use of A. dealbata biomass as a biosorbent for zinc removal from aqueous solutions, comparing the performance of natural biomass and A. dealbata charcoal fines. Adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and surface characterizations were conducted to evaluate their physicochemical properties and sorption efficiency. The A. dealbata charcoal fines exhibited a significantly higher specific surface area (33 m2 g−1) and total pore volume (0.030 cm3 g−1) compared with the untreated biomass (1.4 m2 g−1 and 0.004 cm3 g−1, respectively). Despite these structural differences, both materials demonstrated similar maximum adsorption capacities (23.36 and 23.79 mg g−1 for natural and charcoal fines, respectively). These results indicate that untreated A. dealbata biomass can perform as a biosorbent comparably to its carbonized form, representing a simple, low-cost, and sustainable alternative for heavy metal removal, offering a low-energy and sustainable alternative for Zn remediation.

Abstract The introduction of Web 2.0 and the ensuing increase in communication technology has changed social ties, with businesses recognising the importance of establishing a solid online presence in parallel with technological advances. Since more and more tourists plan and book their trips online, digital platforms significantly influence consumer decisions in the tourism industry. Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) has become a powerful tool for consumers to generate strong opinions. By providing feedback about their experiences, eWOM allows consumers to influence potential visitors’ perceptions and travel decisions. With a focus on the Central Region of Portugal and the ‘Turismo Centro de Portugal’ association, this study explores the relationship between eWOM, visitors’ propensity to visit and the destination’s brand equity, associating these with social media engagement. A questionnaire was distributed to visitors and prospective visitors in the Portuguese central region using a quantitative approach, resulting in a sample size of 515 individuals. The collected data were analysed using the Smart PLS 3.3.2 program. The results show that eWOM significantly affects travel intention and destination brand equity. Furthermore, it was found that the intention to visit affects how active travellers behave and engage on social media.