Centre for Research in Anthropology

His baptismal name, Fernando de Bulhões (1195–1231), may say little to many people, but his religious name, St. Anthony, certainly says a lot, especially to the Portuguese. In fact, the cult of St. Anthony is indelibly inscribed in the religious landscape of Portugal, with particular intensity in Lisbon. This study, of an ethnographic and historical nature, is an innovative approach to this emblematic medieval figure, capable of so many miracles, veneration, revelry festivals, and processions among the people of Lisbon and the Portuguese in general, right up to the present day. The history of this Saint and his cult, as an expression of popular religiosity, will be discussed, favouring the dimensions of marriage and commerce in a comparative approach between two ethnographic contexts: Lisbon and Viana do Castelo. The notions of popular religion, syncretism, cult of the saints, and pilgrimage–procession will, therefore, be instrumental. The data collected and analysed are based on a mixed methodological triangulation of qualitative data complemented by quantitative data, using direct participant observations (ethnographic) and indirect observations (collected through semi-structured interviews and informal conversations), as well as documentary sources.

The study aims to identify the direction of sustainable management of business behaviour in the strategic development of a circular economy. It determines ways of transforming businesses towards sustainable development after assessing the relevant environmental issues. The analysis was carried out on indicators such as the participation of the EU workforce in education and training, as well as trends in independent learning and funding mechanisms. The growing inclination of the EU workforce to engage in informal education (6.6% in 2022 compared with 2020) indicates significant business prospects in aligning the sustainable worldview of employees with the goals of entrepreneurial activity. The participation rate of the workforce in education showed a positive trend, increasing by 3.1 percent in 2022 compared to 2020. A steady and favourable trend was observed in the indicator of workforce requalification by type of economic activity, which increased by 0.5 percent over the years studied. A framework for workforce career transformation is established to bolster skills that support the strategic development of sustainability-focused businesses. It was determined that an effective process of sustainable business management behaviour is possible through continuous self-control and facilitating the ongoing development of the workforce.

Objectives This study aimed to (i) compare children's lifestyle by urbanization level and (ii) examine the association between children's body mass index (BMI) and the risk of having unhealthy sleep (American Academy of Pediatrics). Methods Eight thousand one hundred fifty‐nine children (4124 females) aged 6–9 years were observed and classified as urban or nonurban. Height and weight were measured, and the BMI was calculated. Sleep habits, sedentary behaviors (i.e., TV viewing, computer and electronic games use), and active play were assessed by questionnaire. One‐way analysis of covariances (ANCOVAs) and logistic regression analysis were used, with adjustments to potential confounders. Results Urban males were significantly less active and spent more time in all sedentary activities than their nonurban peers during the week and the weekend. Urban girls spent significantly more time than their nonurban counterparts watching TV and playing electronic games. Furthermore, both urban and nonurban children with higher BMI had a relative higher risk of having unhealthy sleep duration. Conclusions Findings revealed important associations between BMI and sleep duration in both urban and nonurban children. Place of residence has an important impact on weight status of this sample of children.

Objective: Describe the activities aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), implemented by a polytechnic higher education institution, in the northern region of Portugal. Methods: This is an experience report from a Higher Education Institution, which characterizes the contribution to the SDGs, within the scope of teaching, research, campus and leadership. Results: In total, 1247 activities were mapped, with a preponderance in the “people” dimension (685 activities), with SDG 3 being the most prominent. Scientific articles contribute significantly to the SDGs, with a notable discrepancy between automatic (Scopus) and manual classifications, indicating a tendency to underestimate the impact of nursing studies. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the significant contribution of this institution to the SDGs, with a special focus on health and education. This contribution reflects the mission of the institution, which involves training competent and socially conscious health professionals, but simultaneously the need for greater awareness and training of the teaching staff. Descriptors: Sustainable Development Indicators; Universities; Social Responsibility; Nursing; Agenda 2030

This study expands the conceptual model on the antecedents and consequences of masstige brands by analysing the similarities and differences in consumer perceptions between Generations Z and Y. Focusing on Chinese consumers, data were collected via a structured survey and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and bootstrapping to ensure methodological rigor. The results validate the conceptual framework, showing partial measurement invariance between the two generational cohorts, indicating that while both groups share similar perceptions of masstige brands, key differences exist in how they relate to brand loyalty. This study offers empirical validation of the model, addressing a gap in the literature by testing masstige brand constructs using the Masstige Mean Score Scale (MMSS). The findings contribute to masstige branding strategy by highlighting generational nuances and confirming that Generations Z and Y in China exhibit comparable but distinct engagement with masstige brands, providing insights for more targeted brand strategies.

Introduction The identification of type 1 diabetes at an early presymptomatic stage has clinical benefits. These include a reduced risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the clinical manifestation of the disease and a significant reduction in clinical symptoms. The European action for the Diagnosis of Early Non-clinical Type 1 diabetes For disease Interception (EDENT1FI) represents a pioneering effort to advance early detection of type 1 diabetes through public health screening. With the EDENT1FI Master Protocol, the project aims to harmonise and standardise screening for early-stage type 1 diabetes and care. Methods and analysis Public health islet autoantibody screening is conducted in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the UK. Between November 2023 (start date) and October 2028 (planned end date), an estimated number of 200 000 children and adolescents aged 1–17 years are expected to be screened. Screening is performed in capillary blood, examining different islet autoantibodies (autoantibodies against insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase-65, insulinoma-associated antigen-2 and/or zinc transporter-8). Positive screening results undergo confirmation through a second antibody method. A second (venous) blood sample is requested if at least two autoantibodies are detected, to confirm the autoantibody status. Children and adolescents with confirmed two or more autoantibodies are invited to metabolic staging (oral glucose tolerance test, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), random glucose, optionally continuous glucose monitoring); an educational programme and recommendations for monitoring are provided. The feasibility and acceptability of screening are evaluated by feedback questionnaires. Pseudonymised data is collated in the EDENT1FI Registry. Study outcomes include country-specific screening rates, prevalences of stage 1 and stage 2 type 1 diabetes, number in EDENT1FI Registry, proportion with DKA and symptoms at clinical diagnosis and median HbA1c. Ethics and dissemination Following the EDENT1FI Master Protocol, site-specific protocols are developed and approved by local ethics committees (Technical University of Munich, Medical Faculty, Nr. 70/14; Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Nr. 9588_BO_S_2021; Technische Universität Dresden, Nr. BO-EK-356082020; Center for Sundhed Region Hovedstaden, Nr. H-22053116; Swedish Ethical Review Authority, Nr. 2023-00312-01; National Health Service Health Research Authority and Health Care Research Wales, IRAS (Integrated Research Application System) project ID 309252; Italian National Institute of Health, National ethics committee for clinical trials of public research bodies (EPR) and other national public institutions, Prot. PRE BIO CE Nr. 0059835; Charles University in Prague, Ethics Committee for Multi-Centric Clinical Trials of the University Hopital Motol and 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Nr. 1271/23; Bioethics Committee at the Medical University of Warsaw, Nr. 21/2024 and KB/6/R/2024; Associação Protectora dos Diabéticos de Portugal, Nr. 211/2024). Results are disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations and will be shared openly.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)s, also known as drones, are increasingly used in several applications and a variety of cyber attacks can be performed on them using several tools. Some examples of these attacks include breaking the connection between the drone and the controller with deauthentication attacks, discovering a password or cryptographic key used in a communication protocol, gaining control of the drone through command/code injection, and Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks. This paper covers drone attacks by analyzing different components of the drone, including the remote controller and communication protocols. The main purpose is to provide an overview of the possible ways in which cyber attacks can be executed. This analysis concludes that drones, designed for diverse purposes, are vulnerable to a range of cyber attacks. The paper also reviews existing penetration testing methodologies for UAVs, which provide a logical framework for their realization. This review covers the different cyber attack methods and tools used against a UAV, intending to improve defense mechanisms.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (signaling pathway is involved in numerous important mammal cell functions, such as growth, survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Associated with this, it is involved in tissue normal development and growth, tumorigenesis, and in tissue repair. Epidermal growth factor receptor is broadly expressed in the organism, including in the central and peripheral nervous system, where it has important neurotrophic functions. The central nervous system has a limited capacity for regeneration upon lesion, leading to severe disabilities, such as blindness, sensorimotor deficits, and paralysis. However, observations suggest that its innate neurogenic response may be amplified to promote the replenishment of damaged neuronal populations. In addition, the environment can also be modulated to promote regeneration. Therefore, the pathways involved in neural tissue repair have been investigated in terms of regenerative medicine, to discover new therapies to recover from traumatic injury or ischemia in the central nervous system or to inhibit the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Growth factors have been widely accepted as the most important promoters of proliferation and neurogenesis under physiologic conditions and after injury. In this review, we summarize how the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway is involved in neuronal damage and neurodegeneration in several settings, including in the olfactory epithelium, brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve, where this pathway can be modulated in the context of regenerative medicine to promote neuronal regeneration and, therefore, neurological function reestablishment in response to insults.

In the late 1920s, Siegfried Kracauer studied the then new middle class in Berlin, asking why they were not more disruptive of the structures that bore down on them. I ask the same about insecure professionals in contemporary Berlin, using Kracauer's book Die Angestellten as foil. Kracauer demonstrated that, in the 1920s, they still perceived themselves as workers, albeit white‐collar and salaried workers. Berlin's professionals today perceive themselves and most everyone else as autonomous individuals possessing human capital that can appreciate or depreciate as the result of their actions. Work is but one of the sites in which a classless, self‐formed identity can be cultivated and calibrated in all aspects of life. I show how this perception plays out in professionals' attitudes toward their work lives and after‐work activities.

Background Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and obesity are characterized by altered insulin metabolism and action. Reduced hepatic insulin clearance is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. CEACAM1 promotes hepatic insulin clearance, and its loss in hepatocytes is associated with reduced insulin clearance in mice and men. This study examines whether CEACAM1 circulating levels reflect compromised insulin metabolism and resistance in the PREVADIAB2 cohort. Methods A total of 1019 individuals from the PREVADIAB2 cohort were evaluated for diabetes by 75 g‐OGTT and classified according to WHO 2019 criteria. CEACAM1 circulating levels were measured by ELISA, and insulin metabolism parameters were calculated. Hierarchical clustering of insulin metabolic indices and CEACAM1 levels was performed. Statistical significance was assessed using Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests. Results BMI, insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), and hepatic steatosis progressively increased with disease severity. Insulin secretion rose and its clearance declined in parallel to circulating CEACAM1 levels in prediabetes and T2DM, indicating compensatory hyperinsulinemia. Hierarchical metabolic clustering identified four clusters with distinct patterns and further showed that insulin clearance positively correlated with circulating CEACAM1, especially in individuals with normoglycemia, lower obesity and hepatic steatosis. This suggests that circulating CEACAM1 can reflect the status of hepatic insulin clearance. Conclusions This study demonstrates a progressive increase in insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia in parallel to elevated BMI and hepatic steatosis prevalence, accompanied by declining circulating CEACAM1 levels. Cluster analysis further linked reduced insulin clearance to lower circulating CEACAM1 levels, suggesting its potential usefulness as a biomarker for metabolic disease progression.

A significant body of anthropological literature discusses the ethical and spiritual dimensions of charity practised by Muslims. This has brought volunteering and giving into consideration in recent research on the anthropology of Islam, highlighting the spiritual and material rewards for those who give to charity. This article is based on one year of ethnographic fieldwork in a charitable organisation in Portugal called Noor Fatima, founded by a Muslim woman. It explores the workings of emotional and cosmopolitan aspects of Islamic religiosity expressed through charity. The Noor Fatima brings Muslim and non-Muslim volunteers together to collaborate and aid homeless and vulnerable people. This article argues for the importance of emotions in contemporary forms of Islamic giving, particularly those that are also common in Catholic social care initiatives.

Enquadramento: A solidão e/ou isolamento social (IS) representa um problema de saúde pública. Os enfermeiros de família (EF), têm um papel crucial na prevenção, identificação e intervenção dos mesmos. Objetivo: Avaliar o impacte do acompanhamento por consulta não presencial do EF no IS, qualidade de vida (QdV) e autogestão da doença de pessoas idosas (PI) a viver só na comunidade. Metodologia: Estudo pré-experimental com desenho pré e pós, com 24 PI. Utilizou-se na recolha de dados: a escala breve de redes sociais de Lubben, a escala World Health Organization Quality of Life Group e o instrumento de autocuidado terapêutico. Resultados: Após a intervenção verificou-se uma melhoria no acompanhamento pelo EF (p < 0,001), um aumento de 33,3% na gestão do autocuidado e redução do risco de IS (45,8% para 33,3%). Na QdV houve um aumento no score global, contudo não estatisticamente significativo. Conclusão: O acompanhamento por consulta não presencial do EF teve efeito positivo no contacto e acompanhamento pelo EF, mitigação do IS e na melhoria de atividades de autocuidado.

Creative education, supported by principles of educational psychology, has the potential to transform schools and classroom environments, leveraging innovative pedagogies and creating opportunities to enhance educators' and students’ skills, such as creativity. In this chapter, we examine the application of integrated strategies such as project-based learning, arts integration, and technology-enhanced approaches, highlighting the potential of these practices to transform education, as well as teaching and learning processes. The integration of key theoretical frameworks informs innovative teaching practices aimed at fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities among learners. In addition, we explore the symbiotic relationship between creative education and educational psychology and highlight how collaborative partnerships between educational institutions, stakeholders, and policymakers can be crucial in identifying and disseminating effective strategies for promoting creativity and innovation in education. This comprehensive analysis can provide valuable insights into the efficacy of creative teaching methods in promoting equitable access to quality education and fostering inclusive learning environments. By embracing interdisciplinary collaborations and evidence-based approaches, educators can leverage these findings to tailor their instructional strategies, implement culturally responsive teaching practices, and address the diverse needs of their students effectively.

In palliative care, family caregivers are partners of multidisciplinary teams in the continuity of care at home. Effective therapeutic management provides optimal relief of distressing symptoms. It requires the acquisition of specific knowledge and care, but it also involves decision-making with ethical implications that increase the stress and burden on caregivers. The themes identified reflect the tangled dynamics of managing therapeutic regimens in the complexity of being a family caregiver. Therapeutic management relates to effective symptom management, which requires tasks and skills. This management is filled with uncertainties, fears, and emotions that arise from the complexity, responsibility, and weight represented by managing therapeutic regimens. Family caregivers are presented as coordinating elements within the healthcare system. The role of family caregivers is multidimensional, with numerous tasks and skills needed to support their relatives. Therapeutic management is more than just administering medications and needs to keep up with growing and fluctuating needs.

Background/Objectives: Studies focused on the soccer goalkeeper position in training and official matches are scarce. The present study aimed to analyze the external load during training sessions and official matches in semi-professional goalkeepers. Methods: Data from goalkeepers (n = 6) from the youth ranks of a professional team belonging to the first Spanish soccer league have been used. The sample is made up of a total of 758 data collected during all the training and competitions carried out by the analyzed teams that made up the squad during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons. A descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out based on the category (Youth B or Youth C) and the sports context (training or competition). Results: The results showed significant differences depending on the category (average time to feet left, average time to feet right, total jumps, total dives, total left dives, total right dives, high metabolic load distance (HMLD), and high metabolic power efforts (HMPE)), and the sport context (average time to feet right, total jumps, total dives, total left dives, total right dives, total distance, distance 18–21 km/h, distance 21–24 km/h, Dec 2–3, efforts, and HMLD). Conclusions: The EL of the GKs shows differences regarding the category and the context. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze and determine the threshold of each player considering different variables related to the external and internal load to individualize the training tasks and prevent injuries due to overload.

Bats are known hosts for a wide range of coronaviruses (CoVs), including those that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-1) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV). With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it has become increasingly important to understand the diversity and prevalence of CoVs in bat populations. This systematic review aimed to compile studies that have sampled CoVs from bats across Europe and assessed various aspects related to the testing of bat samples, including the country where the bats were collected, the CoV genomic region studied, the CoV genera that were detected, and the identification of bat species that were found to be carrying CoV. We identified 30 studies that assessed CoVs presence in bats across multiple countries including Italy, Germany, and various other nations with one or two studies each, which tested them for CoVs using a variety of matrices. CoVs were found in nine genera of bats, and the genomic regions included RdRp, ORF1a gene, as well as full genome, detecting α- and/or β-CoVs, with most of them being detectable only in faeces. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the CoVs detected in bats across Europe and highlights the importance of continued surveillance and monitoring of bat populations for potential emerging zoonotic CoVs.

This study aims to address the overlooked effect of bilateral asymmetry for sex estimation in non-adult paired bone structures. Using a recently developed method, disparities between right and left iliac auricular surfaces (AuSs) were quantified, also verifying the effectiveness between sides regarding the percentages of cases correctly assigned. A sample of 418 AuSs belonging to 209 individuals aged 5 gestational months to 18 years (113 males and 96 females) from the Coimbra, Lisbon, and Granada Identified skeletal collections, were studied. They were grouped into two large age cohorts (≤12 y.o. and 12.1-18 y.o.) based on the onset of menarche. The significant and distinct hormonal fluctuations between sexes in ≤2 y.o. individuals compelled an additional separation. Locomotion issues also imposed grouping individuals for comparison in non-bipedal (≤1 y.o.) and those who were still achieving emerging gait milestones (1.1-6 y.o.). Overall agreements between sides, sexes, age cohorts and morphometric variables were compared using Cohen’s κ and intraclass correlation coefficients, while chi-square and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were applied for statistically significance evaluation. Asymmetry directionality was calculated through standardized directional and total asymmetry scores. Slight asymmetries between sides were identified, becoming the pre-pubertal left AuS more useful for non-adult female sexing. Metric variables work better in males, possibly due to the higher variability found in females. Both sexes display a marked age-related change in asymmetry during puberty (12.1-18 y.o.), with a predominance of the right side in females and of the left side in males. Possible explanations for the identified pubertal abrupt shifts are discussed considering the various developmental biomechanical milestones. This pioneering study reinforces the complexity of somatic growth and development that characterizes non-adult phenotype, calling for further refinement of sexing methods considering bilateral asymmetry, and for complementary studies that deepen the study of dextralization and its repercussions in adults.

Discovered 160 years ago, the Muge archaeological sites in Portugal yield the most significant documentation of human skeletons from the Mesolithic period in Western Europe (8200–7100 cal B.P.). However, sediment weight has caused significant postmortem alterations that have limited previous studies. Paleoimaging techniques were applied to overcome these limitations and provide previously inaccessible information. Thirteen crania from Moita do Sebastião (one of the Muge shell middens) were CT scanned for virtual reconstruction and morphological analysis. Meticulous examination of 2D and 3D images revealed bone changes not visible to the naked eye and unrelated to postmortem alterations. A comprehensive differential diagnosis was carried out identifying various pathological conditions including epidermoid or dermoid cysts, intraosseous hemangioma, and a possible case of anemia. These “hidden pathologies” offer new insights into the health status of one of Europe's last hunter–gatherer populations.