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Repositório Científico da UAlg
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Adaptation and validation of the bern illegitimate tasks scale (BITS) in the context of a portuguese public university
Publication . Vieira dos Santos, Joana; Marques, Mariana; Sousa, Cátia; Gomes, Alexandra; Lopes, Luis Felipe
Illegitimate tasks are assignments that threaten professional identity by not being related to the intrinsic quality or morality of the main profession. This concept has gained attention within the Stress as Offense to Self (SOS) theory, which emphasizes the impact of selfesteem in stressful situations, particularly in the workplace. The SOS theory suggests that self-esteem plays a critical role in how individuals respond to stress: when self-esteem is threatened, it triggers adverse reactions affecting mental, physical, and behavioral dimensions; conversely, strengthening self-esteem promotes well-being. Illegitimate tasks are perceived as unnecessary or unreasonable, varying by profession and non-voluntary in nature, leading to a lack of purpose and meaning for the employee. The Bern Illegitimate Tasks Scale (BITS) was created to assess and quantify these tasks, demonstrating robust psychometric properties across different languages and cultural contexts, including Spanish, Swedish, and Portuguese adaptations. This study aims to translate and adapt the BITS for a public university context characterized by bureaucratic culture. The sample comprises 601 participants from a Portuguese public higher education institution. The translation process followed rigorous procedures to ensure equivalence between the original and Portuguese versions. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and internal consistency analysis, revealing satisfactory fit indices and high reliability. Despite contextual limitations, the findings affirm the reliability of the adapted scale for application in similar contexts. Future research should aim for more representative samples to enhance generalizability.
Editorial for the 1st edition special issue “benefits of physical activity and exercise to human health”
Publication . Ferraz, Ricardo; Neiva, Henrique P.; Fernanda M. Silva; Duarte-Mendes, Pedro
Recent estimates indicate that the prevalence of insufficient physical activity has been increasing globally, with nearly one third of adults (31.3%) [1] and eight in ten adolescents (81%) [2] not meeting the World Health Organization physical activity guidelines (i.e., 150–300 min per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity for adults and 60 min per day for children and adolescents [3]). According to authors [1,2], if the current trajectory continues, the global target of a 15% relative reduction in insufficient physical activity by 2030 [4] is unlikely to be achieved in most countries. This data are concerning given that, globally, 7.2% of all-cause deaths and 7.6% of cardiovascular disease deaths are attributable to physical inactivity [5]. Physical activity and exercise are widely recognized for promoting numerous health benefits, particularly in the prevention and management of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases [6,7], as well as in supporting immune function, reducing the risk of infectious diseases, improving mental health, and contributing to cancer prevention and control [8]. Moreover, regular engagement in these behaviors is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality [9]. From a public health perspective, developing and implementing evidence-based strategies to increase physical activity and improve population health remains a global priority [8]. In this context, this Special Issue aims to advance knowledge on the role of physical activity and exercise interventions in promoting health and well-being across the lifespan. The contributions examine the effects of different exercise modalities on physical, cognitive, and mental health, as well as the role of physical activity in disease prevention and management and in improving functional capacity and quality of life across diverse populations. Collectively, the twelve papers included in this Special Issue provide complementary perspectives on these topics.
Comparative analysis of organoleptic preference and external attractiveness of ‘Encore’ and ‘Nadorcott’ mandarin cultivars
Publication . Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz; Matias, Pedro; Trindade, Ana Rita; Duarte, Amilcar
The ‘Encore’ mandarin tree, cultivated in Portugal for long time, valued for its favour and later ripening period, faces challenges due to a rind-stain disorder afecting its external appearance. Despite its favourable attributes, the emergence of new cultivars such as ‘Nadorcott’, free from external appearance problems and with overlapping ripening periods, resulted in the marginalization of ‘Encore’ in the market. Major retailers, by prioritizing consumer preference for appearance, have contributed to the decline in ‘Encore’ cultivation. Despite this, the ‘Encore’ mandarin is still preferred by long-standing consumers who remember its greater availability in previous decades and value its characteristic taste. Currently, its distribution is mainly restricted to local markets and small-scale fruit retailers. To gauge consumer preference, we conducted a tasting and questionnaire survey with 131 randomly chosen participants, comparing ‘Encore’ and ‘Nadorcott’. The fndings revealed a clear consumer preference for the external appearance of ‘Nadorcott’, leading to a preference for purchasing it based on this criterion alone. Conversely, when evaluating internal fruit quality, consumers distinctly favoured ‘Encore’ for its aroma, sweetness, acidity and overall taste. They expressed a preference for purchasing it based solely on internal quality. However, when participants learnt that less visually appealing fruits were equivalent to the more desirable ones internally, their purchase intentions became indiferent towards both cultivars, with no signifcant diference observed. This highlights the complex interplay between perceptions of external appearance and internal organoleptic quality among consumers, challenging the assumption that appearance alone dictates purchasing decisions.
Exploring molecular markers associated with crumbly in Rubus idaeus L.
Publication . de Souza Oliveira, Melissa Yves; Valdiviesso, Teresa; Luz, Francisco Rosado; Duarte, Amilcar; Oliveira, Pedro B.; Varela, Ana Rita
The raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), an economically important crop, is affected by the crumbly fruit disorder, a malformation that leads to fruit disintegration at harvest due to poor drupelet cohesion. Despite previous efforts to identify genetic determinants of this phenotype, its complex inheritance and strong environmental component have limited the development of robust predictive markers. This study assessed the behavior and transferability of previously reported SSR and SNP markers associated with crumbly fruit across plants from a diverse panel of 34 R. idaeus cultivars, including in adjacent genomic regions not screened previously. Phenotyping was based on multi-season fruit performance and drupelet cohesion, and genetic variation was analysed using PCR-based genotyping within a multilocus approach. Consistent clustering patterns were observed across multiple SSR and SNP loci, suggesting a reproducible association between these genomic regions and the crumbly phenotype. Overall, the results support a multilocus genetic architecture underlying crumbly fruit, but also demonstrate that previously reported markers are not universally transferable across genetic backgrounds. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, population-aware marker validation to enable more reliable implementation of marker-assisted strategies in raspberry breeding programs.
ESG variations across banking loan types: evidence from european listed banks
Publication . Francisco, Paulo Morais; Couto, Eduardo
Building on social‐capital theory and transaction‐cost theory, we examine whether European banks' rated ESG performance varies systematically with the composition of their loan portfolios. Merging Refinitiv ESG scores with Orbis Bank Focus loan‐ book data for 51 EU‐listed banks over 2005–2022, we estimate pooled OLS, random‐effects, fixed‐effects, lagged‐variable, and dynamic System‐GMM specifications. The evidence points to one robust regularity and two more qualified patterns. First, banks with higher mortgage‐loan shares tend to have lower ESG ratings: a one‐standard‐deviation increase in mortgage intensity is associated with an approximately three‐point lower composite ESG score and up to five points lower environmental pillar score, and the negative mortgage association remains visible in the dynamic System‐GMM models. Second, consumer‐loan intensity is positively associated with ESG ratings in random‐effects, fixed‐effects, and lagged fixed‐effects specifications, particularly for the environmental and social pillars, but this association is not statistically significant in the dynamic System‐GMM models. Third, corporate‐loan exposure shows no stable relationship with overall ESG ratings. We interpret these patterns as consistent with a trust‐intensity mechanism: ESG commitments and lending technologies appear to align differently across collateral‐rich, standardised lending and softer‐information retail activities.