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Publicações

Publicações por Bruno Mendes Oliveira

2013

Impact of an intervention through teachers to prevent consumption of low nutrition, energy-dense foods and beverages: A randomized trial

Autores
Rosario, R; Araujo, A; Oliveira, B; Padrao, P; Lopes, O; Teixeira, V; Moreira, A; Barros, R; Pereira, B; Moreira, P;

Publicação
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

Abstract
Objective. To examine the effects of an intervention program held by teachers previously trained in nutrition, on the consumption of low nutrient, energy-dense (WED) foods, of children attending elementary schools. Method. 464 children (239 female, 6 to 12 years) from seven elementary Portuguese schools participated in this randomized trial. Three schools were allocated to the intervention, and four to the control group. The intervention program was based on the Health Promotion Model and social cognitive theory. Teachers previously trained by researchers in nutrition and healthy eating implemented the intervention in the classroom from November 2008 to March 2009. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, physical activity, and dietary assessments were performed before (2007/2008) and at the end of the intervention (2009). Dietary intake was gathered by a 24-hour dietary recall and two groups of LNED foods were defined, namely SSBs and solid LNED foods. Results. Children from intervention group reported a reduction whereas the control group reported an increase in solid LNED foods consumption. The odds of increasing solid LNED foods consumption was 0.48, 95%CI (0.24, 0.95) in the intervention schools. Conclusion. Our study provides further support for the success of intervention programs aimed at limiting the consumption of solid LNED foods in children.

2013

Nutritional risk of European elderly

Autores
de Morais, C; Oliveira, B; Afonso, C; Lumbers, M; Raats, M; de Almeida, MDV;

Publicação
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION

Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The elderly constitute a population group with a high prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases and high risk of malnutrition. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated to nutritional risk in free-living European elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The sample included 644 European citizens, free living in the community, aged 65 years or more. The sample was quota controlled for age groups (65-74, >= 75 years), gender (male/female) and living circumstances (living alone/with others). Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with nutritional risk. RESULTS: Several variables regarding socio-demographic characteristics, food choice, health status and the satisfaction with food-related life were included in the analysis. According to the recoded score of the 'Determine your nutritional health' (NSI checklist), 53% of the elderly were at nutritional risk. Nutritional risk was more likely to occur in elderly who considered that it was more important to choose foods 'easy to chew'; with lower average number of fruit and vegetables (F&V) intake episodes and lower score for general health. It was also found in nod-married participants; those that did not identify changes in their appetite; and those that felt changes in health status. In this sample, the lowest nutritional risk was found for body mass index (BMI) around 18.5 kg/m(2). Country of residence, gender and age were not found to have a significant effect on nutritional risk. CONCLUSIONS: Attention should be drawn to the living circumstances, changes in appetite or health, the general heath perception, F&V intake, choice of foods easy to chew and having a low or high BMI.

2018

Psychopathological correlates of eating behavior among Portuguese undergraduate students

Autores
Poinhos, R; Oliveira, BMPM; Correia, F;

Publicação
NUTRITION

Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between eating behavior dimensions and psychopathological symptoms among Portuguese undergraduate students. Methods: We studied 258 participants (62.4% women) regarding eating behavior dimensions (emotional, external and binge eating, flexible and rigid control of eating behavior, and eating self-efficacy), psychopathological distress (as assessed by the Brief Symptom Inventory), and body mass index. In addition to studying bivariate associations between eating behavior dimensions and psychopathological subscales and indexes, what we believe to be a novel analytical approach, considering simultaneously the effects of the overall level of psychopathological distress and the relevance of specific symptoms on the eating behavior dimensions. Results: Emotional, external, and binge eating had positive correlations with psychopathological symptomatology, whereas eating self-efficacy was negatively associated. Conclusions: Multivariate analysis showed that the overall level of psychopathological distress (combined with body mass index, among women) had a larger effect on eating behavior than the relevance of specific symptoms.

2018

Cournot duopolies with investment in R&D: Regions of nash investment equilibria

Autores
Oliveira, BMPM; Becker Paulo, J; Pinto, AA;

Publicação
Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics

Abstract
We study a model of a Cournot duopoly where firms invest in R&D to reduce their production costs. Depending on the parameters, we may find regions with one, two or three Nash equilibria of the investment. Here, we study the effect of the parameters in these regions, in particular, we study the effect of the possible market saturation, the maximum relative cost reduction and the product differentiation, giving special attention to regions with multiple Nash equilibria. We observed that, in general, the competitive region, where both firms invest, is reduced as we increase the possible market saturation and the differentiation of the products and is enlarged when we increase the maximum relative cost reduction. © 2018, Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature.

2018

Skinfolds compressibility and calliper's time response in male athletes

Autores
Bini, A; Amaral, TF; Oliveira, BMPM; Carvalho, P; Teixeira, VH;

Publicação
PROGRESS IN NUTRITION

Abstract
Introduction: The body skinfolds compressibility is an individual characteristic determined by tissues properties. Compressibility could affect the skinfold thicknesses inducing error in the assessment of subcutaneous adipose tissue and in the estimation of body composition. Objectives: This study aims to firstly describe the time behaviour of eight body skinfolds' physical response to the skinfold calliper pressure during measurement. Methods: Using a digital skinfold calliper that gathers 60 measurements per second, the dynamic response of height skinfolds to pressure was characterized in 36 adult male athletes. To assess the skinfolds compressibility, two points were defined L and H: the S-L corresponds to the lowest value within the 120 measurement the time when it was obtained was defined as T-L. The T-H corresponds to the first moment where the 110% of of the value S-L was measured. The equations of the average of each skinfold as a function of time were obtained from a non-linear fitting. Results: Skinfold compressibility varied according subjects (p< 0.05). Significant differences were found among skinfold sites within S-H, S-L, T-H and T-L, confirming that each skinfold compressibility is different from the other, even within a homogeneous study group. Biceps was the first skinfold to reach the minimum thickness value (T-L= 1.08 +/- 0.38s), while iliac crest was the last one (T-L= 1.63 +/- 0.27s). Given the very good fits that were obtained for all skinfolds (R-2 >= 0.997), it was postulated that the skinfold thickness y changes with time t according to the equation: y = y0 + a/(b + t(n)). Conclusions: Inter and intraindividual skinfolds' variation in compressibility was documented, supporting a reduction in protocolled time during evaluations.

2018

Modelling the suppression of autoimmunity after pathogen infection

Autores
Oliveira, BMPM; Trinchet, R; Otero Espinar, MVO; Pinto, A; Burroughs, N;

Publicação
MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES

Abstract
We study a mathematical model of immune response by T cells where the regulatory T cells (Treg) inhibit interleukin 2 (IL-2) secretion. We model the suppression of the autoimmune line of T cells after a different line of T cells responded to a pathogen infection. In this paper, we show that if the population of the pathogen responding line of T cells becomes large enough, the competition for IL-2 and the increase in the death rates may lead to a depletion in the concentration of autoimmune T cells. Provided this lasts for a sufficiently long time, the concentration of autoimmune T cells can be brought down to values inside the basin of attraction of the controlled state, and autoimmunity can be suppressed.

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