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Pentedrone and methylone can express stereoselectivity in toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic processes. Similarly, their chiral discrimination in metabolism, which was not yet evaluated, can result in different metabolic profiles and subsequent hepatotoxic effects. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess, for the first time, both the hepatic cytotoxic and metabolic profile of pentedrone and methylone enantiomers using physiologically relevant in vitro models. The hepatotoxicity of these compounds was observed in a concentration-dependent manner in human stem-cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) cultured under 3D (3D-HLCs) and 2D (2D-HLCs) conditions. Enantioselectivity, on the other hand, was only shown for pentedrone (1 mM) in 3D-HLCs, being R-(−)-pentedrone the most cytotoxic. Furthermore, the metabolic profile was initially evaluated in human liver microsomes (HLM) and further demonstrated in 3D-HLCs and 2D-HLCs applying a gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC–MS) technique. Methylone and pentedrone showed distinct and preferential metabolic routes for their enantiomers, resulting in the production of differentiated metabolites; R-(+)-methylone and R-(−)-pentedrone are the most metabolized enantiomers. In conclusion, the results demonstrated enantioselectivity for pentedrone and methylone in the metabolic processes, with enantioselectivity in cytotoxicity for pentedrone.

New psychoactive substances represent a public health threat since they are not controlled by international conventions, are easily accessible online and are sold as a legal alternative to illicit drugs. Among them, synthetic cathinones are widely abused due to their stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. To circumvent the law, new derivatives are clandestinely synthesized and, therefore, synthetic cathinones keep emerging on the drug market, with their chemical and toxicological properties still unknown. In this review, a literature assessment about synthetic cathinones is presented focusing on the recent developments, which include more than 50 derivatives since 2014. A summary of their toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic properties are also presented. Furthermore, synthetic cathinones are chiral compounds, meaning that they can exist as two enantiomeric forms which may present different biological and toxicological activities. To analyze the enantiomers, the development of enantiomeric resolution methods for synthetic cathinones is crucial. Many methods have been reported over the years that include mostly chromatographic and electromigration techniques, with liquid chromatography using chiral stationary phases being the technique of choice. This review intended to present an overview of enantioselectivity studies and enantioseparation analysis regarding synthetic cathinones, highlighting the relevance of chirality and current trends.

Correlated trait–correlated method minus one was used to evaluate convergent and discriminant validity of Social Competence Behavior Evaluation questionnaire (Social Competence, Anger-Aggression, Anxiety-Withdrawal) between multiple raters. A total of 369 children (173 boys and 196 girls; Mage = 55.85, SDage = 11.54) were rated by their mothers, fathers, and teachers. Results showed more convergence between parents than parent-teacher ratings. Mother-teacher share a common view of child behavior that is not shared with father. Parents had more difficulty distinguishing internalizing and externalizing behaviors (especially fathers). Measurement invariance across child sex was explored, results imply that differences between boys and girls were not due to measure. Girls (compare to boys) were described as more social competent by their fathers and teachers, while boys as more aggressive by mothers and teachers.

A Avaliação Neuropsicológica pretende avaliar e descrever o funcionamento cerebral e a qualidade do sistema funcional a partir do uso de instrumentos psicológicos padronizados como testes, entrevistas e questionários. A partir dessa investigação é possível descobrir a decorrência dos prejuízos e traçar a melhor intervenção possível, desenvolvendo uma proposta de reabilitação ou prevenção, embora o último seja menos usual. Essa área de atuação se insere no corpo conceitual da Neuropsicologia, campo interdisciplinar que agrega conhecimentos de várias áreas, incluindo a Psicologia, configurando-se como área de atuação possível para psicólogos com formação complementar em Neuropsicologia (HAASE, 2009). O aprendizado da Avaliação Neuropsicológica exige daqueles que se propõem a aprendê-la dedicação teórica e treinamento prático das habilidades. Uma das possibilidades de aprendizagem comum para psicólogos é a participação em pesquisas cuja metodologia inclua Avaliação Neuropsicológica. O presente trabalho é um relato de experiência e tem como objetivo discutir essa possibilidade de aprendizagem e os processos pelos quais ela pode ocorrer em um contexto de pesquisa realizada por graduandos do curso de Psicologia da rede privada de ensino superior, a partir da coleta de dados de pesquisa de doutorado de uma professora do curso. Foram ainda considerados os alcances e as limitações do aprendizado da Avaliação Neuropsicológica no contexto de pesquisa em Neuropsicologia. Analisando os resultados encontrados até o momento percebe-se que houve um benefício aos psicólogos em formação em relação à possibilidade do exercício profissional dentro de preceitos éticos e técnicos em uma área relativamente nova, assim como o aprendizado de instrumentos de avaliação neuropsicológica e o aprimoramento da observação clínica. As limitações para a aprendizagem dos psicólogos em formação mais importantes encontradas foram à impossibilidade da escolha dos instrumentos de avaliação e a pouca variabilidade de perfis cognitivos encontrados na população clínica que constituía a amostra.

P. grandiflora is a known ornamental plant with abundant flowering. The flowers exhibit varied coloration with distinct forms and simple folded petals and/or multiple. The objective of this work was to induce regeneration via organogenesis and in vitro flowering of P. grandiflora. Nodal segments of seedlings germinated in vitro were used as explant source for regeneration. Kinetin (KIN) and 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA) were used for the induction of organogenesis. The treatments supplemented with 1.0 and 1.5 mg L-1 BA induced the highest number of adventitious shoots with an average number of 7.0 (±1.55) e 5.4 (±0.83), respectively. The microcuttings obtained from regenerated shoots produced floral buds. The floral buds were located in the axillary and terminal regions of the microcuttings and developed in approximately 10 days of cultivation until the anthesis. The highest number of flower buds was observed in the presence of 0.75 mg L-1 of gibberellic acid. This study opens new perspectives for the establishment of biotechnological tools to be applied for this important ornamental species.

Antimicrobial peptides are one of the lines of defense produced by several hosts in response to bacterial infections. Inspired by them and recent discoveries of xanthones as bacterial efflux pump inhibitors, chiral amides with a xanthone scaffold were planned to be potential antimicrobial adjuvants. The chiral derivatives of xanthones were obtained by peptide coupling reactions between suitable xanthones with enantiomerically pure building blocks, yielding derivatives with high enantiomeric purity. Among 18 compounds investigated for their antimicrobial activity against reference strains of bacteria and fungi, antibacterial activity for the tested strains was not found. Selected compounds were also evaluated for their potential to inhibit bacterial efflux pumps. Compound (R,R)-8 inhibited efflux pumps in the Gram-positive model tested and three compounds, (S,S)-8, (R)-17 and (R,S)-18, displayed the same activity in the Gram-negative strain used. Studies were performed on the inhibition of biofilm formation and quorum-sensing, to which the enantiomeric pair 8 displayed activity for the latter. To gain a better understanding of how the active compounds bind to the efflux pumps, docking studies were performed. Hit compounds were proposed for each activity, and it was shown that enantioselectivity was noticeable and must be considered, as enantiomers displayed differences in activity.

Increasing evidence suggests that attachment plays an important role in obesity. However, few studies examined this relationship in preschool children. This study aimed to systematically examine the empirical, peer-reviewed evidence regarding the relationship between attachment quality and obesity in the preschool years. Using established guidelines, relevant peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and July 2021 was searched through EBSCO. This yielded a total of 1124 records for review. Established inclusion criteria comprised: empirical studies published in peer-review journals; include at least one anthropometric measure and/or food consumption measure. Exclusion criteria comprised: attachment measures not following Bowlby-Ainsworth conceptualization of the construct; children in institutionalized settings; context of severe mental illness, documented substance use disorders, or eating disorders; include only a measure of the psychological aspects of eating; intervention programs. After exclusions, eight studies with a total of 9225 participants met the inclusion criteria. Results support the role of attachment in weight-related outcomes, suggesting that considering attachment in the risk of obesity could contribute to the elaboration of effective prevention and intervention programs. Limitations included the small number of studies, predominately cross-sectional designs, the diversity of methodologies, most samples not including fathers, and lack of evidence about the developmental mechanisms underlying the association between attachment and obesity. More evidence is needed to determine how attachment and obesity are linked, and the potential underlying mechanisms accounting for this relationship.

The interaction between proteins and drugs or other bioactive compounds has been widely explored over the past years. Several methods for analysis of this phenomenon have been developed and improved. Nowadays, increasing attention is paid to innovative methods, such as high performance affinity liquid chromatography (HPALC) and affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE), taking into account various advantages. Moreover, the development of separation methods for the analysis and resolution of chiral drugs has been an area of ongoing interest in analytical and medicinal chemistry research. In addition to bioaffinity binding studies, both HPALC and ACE al-low one to perform other type of analyses, namely, displacement studies and enantioseparation of racemic or enantiomeric mixtures. Actually, proteins used as chiral selectors in chromatographic and electrophoretic methods have unique enantioselective properties demonstrating suitability for the enantioseparation of a large variety of chiral drugs or other bioactive compounds. This review is mainly focused in chromatographic and electrophoretic methods using human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant plasma protein, as chiral selector for binding affinity analysis and enantioresolution of drugs. For both analytical purposes, updated examples are presented to highlight recent applications and current trends.

Enantioselective chromatography is one of the most used techniques for the separation and purification of enantiomers. The most important issue for a specific successful enantioseparation is the selection of the suitable chiral stationary phase (CSP). Different synthetic approaches have been applied for the preparation of CSPs, which embrace coating and immobilization methods. In addition to the classical and broadly applied coating and immobilization procedures, innovating strategies have been introduced recently. In this review, an overview of different methods for the preparation of coated and immobilized CSPs is described. Updated examples of CSPs associated with the various strategies are presented. Considering that after the preparation of a CSP its characterization is fundamental, the methods used for the characterization of all the described CSPs are emphasized.

Enzymes, receptors, and other binding molecules in biological processes can recognize enantiomers as different molecular entities, due to their different dissociation constants, leading to diverse responses in biological processes. Enantioselectivity can be observed in drugs pharmacodynamics and in pharmacokinetic (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion), especially in metabolic profile and in toxicity mechanisms. The stereoisomers of a drug can undergo to different metabolic pathways due to different enzyme systems, resulting in different types and/or number of metabolites. The configuration of enantiomers can cause unexpected effects, related to changes as unidirectional or bidirectional inversion that can occur during pharmacokinetic processes. The choice of models for pharmacokinetic studies as well as the subsequent data interpretation must also be aware of genetic factors (such as polymorphic metabolic enzymes), sex, patient age, hepatic diseases, and drug interactions. Therefore, the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of a racemate or an enantiomerically pure drug are not equal and need to be studied. Enantioselective analytical methods are crucial to monitor pharmacokinetic events and for acquisition of accurate data to better understand the role of the stereochemistry in pharmacokinetics and toxicity. The complexity of merging the best enantioseparation conditions with the selected sample matrix and the intended goal of the analysis is a challenge task. The data gathered in this review intend to reinforce the importance of the enantioselectivity in pharmacokinetic processes and reunite innovative enantioselective analytical methods applied in pharmacokinetic studies. An assorted variety of methods are herein briefly discussed.

No período compreendido entre a passagem do Império para a República, os fazendeiros de café paulistas compunham a elite econômica e política nas esferas municipal, estadual e federal. Estes fazendeiros formavam um grupo coeso a fim de exercer o domínio, a hegemonia e a legitimação do poder local viabilizados por interesses em comum e por uma rede de parentesco que lhes permitiam perpetuar e reproduzirem-se socialmente. Partindo de uma perspectiva da Sociologia Histórica, este artigo analisa as estratégias matrimoniais utilizadas por fazendeiros de café do município de São Carlos, entre os anos de 1873 a 1904, a fim de se manterem no poder, conservarem suas riquezas, terem cargos políticos locais.

Enquadramento: existem, atualmente, mudanças paradigmáticas em relação ao foco da enfermagem em saúde materna, sendo o papel predominante do pai um dos principais focos do cuidado. Objetivo: identificar a importância dada ao pai e o seu papel durante a gravidez. Metodologia: realizada uma revisão integrativa nas bases de dados CINAHL®, Medline® e Psychology and Behavioral Science®. Dos 601 artigos obtidos apenas 10 foram incluídos nesta revisão. Resultados: os artigos incluídos aludem para a gravidez como um período exigente, sendo considerado como uma transição para a paternidade. Da análise emergiram quatro subáreas: a representação mental do pai; como a gravidez se torna real para o pai; a maneira como os pais se comprometeram com a paternidade e o papel do pai na vida familiar. Conclusão: os resultados evidenciam a importância do pai durante a gestação e a necessidade emergente de centrar o cuidado na família diante de uma transição. A participação e inclusão do pai durante a gravidez desempenha um papel fundamental aumentando a confiança e conduzindo a uma melhor gestão do stress causado pela transição para a parentalidade de todos os membros da família.

Although there is a large body of research connecting emotion to eating behaviors, little is known about the role of caregivers’ responses to children’s emotions in the context of child feeding. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relation between caregivers’ emotional responsiveness and feeding responsiveness. The mothers of 137 children between 2 and 6 years of age reported on their responses to children’s negative emotions using the Coping with Children’s Negative Emotions Scale and on their feeding practices using the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire. The results showed that mothers’ supportive emotion responses (e.g., problem-focused, emotion-focused, and expressive encouragement reactions) tend to be positively associated with responsive feeding practices (e.g., encouraging, modelling, and teaching healthy food-related behaviors). Instead, mothers’ unsupportive responses (e.g., distress, punitive and minimization reactions) tend to be positively associated with nonresponsive feeding practices (e.g., food as reward or to regulate emotions, and pressure to eat) and negatively associated with responsive feeding practices. Our results suggest that emotional and feeding responsiveness may be intertwined and that differences in parent’s emotional responsiveness may translate into differences in their feeding styles, setting the stage for parents’ use of positive vs. negative feeding practices.

This work reviews the contributions of the corresponding author (M.M.M.P.) and her research group to Medicinal Chemistry concerning the isolation from plant and marine sources of xanthone derivatives as well as their synthesis, biological/pharmacological activities, formulation and analytical applications. Although her group activity has been spread over several chemical families with relevance in Medicinal Chemistry, the main focus of the investigation and research has been in the xanthone family. Xanthone derivatives have a variety of activities with great potential for therapeutic applications due to their versatile framework. The group has contributed with several libraries of xanthones derivatives, with a variety of activities such as antitumor, anticoagulant, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and multidrug resistance reversal effects. Besides therapeutic applications, our group has also developed xanthone derivatives with analytical applications as chiral selectors for liquid chromatography and for maritime application as antifouling agents for marine paints. Chemically, it has been challenging to afford green chemistry methods and achieve enantiomeric purity of chiral derivatives. In this review, the structures of the most significant compounds will be presented.

Chirality is a geometric property associated with the asymmetry of tridimensional features that accompanies our daily life at macroscopic as well as microscopic molecular levels [...]

Enantiomeric separation is a key step in the development of a new chiral drug. Preparative liquid chromatography (LC) continues to be the technique of choice either during the drug discovery process, to achieve a few milligrams, or to a scale-up during the clinical trial, needing kilograms of material. However, in the last few years, instrumental and technical developments allowed an exponential increase of preparative enantioseparation using other techniques. Besides LC, supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and counter-current chromatography (CCC) have aroused interest for preparative chiral separation. This overview will highlight the importance to scale-up chiral separations in Medicinal Chemistry, especially in the early stages of the pipeline of drugs discovery and development. Few examples within different methodologies will be selected, emphasizing the trends in chiral preparative separation. The advantages and drawbacks will be critically discussed.

Resumo Este artigo procura recuperar a presença feminina no processo de e/imigração para o interior do estado de São Paulo, abordando aspectos diferenciados das experiências, ações cotidianas, atividades de trabalho e background cultural das mulheres imigrantes. Para tal, valorizam-se o uso e a releitura de certa diversidade de fontes que incluem cartas, prontuários, depoimentos, memórias, imprensa diária e operária, fontes empresariais e registros censitários, entre outras. O texto procura contextualizar o protagonismo da mulher imigrante tanto no meio rural paulista, marcado pela expansão da cafeicultura, quanto nas cidades interioranas, nas quais sua presença nos ofícios urbanos, no comércio, na indústria e nos afazeres domésticos é marcante. Propõe-se ainda abrir horizontes metodológicos para os estudos dos deslocamentos, questionando o imigrante universal masculino e destacando a importância de se observar a experiência migratória a partir de outros olhares, inclusive o feminino.

This video essay introduces a new form of visualization of embodied research, called “animated infographic films.” In these films, techniques like motion graphics, 3D modeling and camera animation are used to invite the viewer to enter the choreographer’s studio. Here we invite you to come into the digitally re-created studio of João Fiadeiro and engage kinesthetically and empathetically with selected examples of his compositional and dramaturgical strategies. These infographic films are based on the results of a study on three signature solo works from different stages of Fiadeiro’s choreographic work. The research has been carried out within the framework of the BlackBox Arts and Cognition Project.

This study was designed to explore whether children's representations of attachment contribute to the co-construction of positive teacher–child relationships. An assessment of verbal intelligence was included as a predictor on the assumption that teachers might perceive themselves as having better relationships with more verbally competent children. Participants were 52 children from two pre-schools, in the district of Lisbon. The Attachment Story Completion Task (ASCT) was used to assess children's attachment security. The PCV-P (a scale developed in portuguese language) was used to describe teacher–child relationships through teachers' ratings of child secure base behavior and emotion regulation and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-R) was used to access verbal skills. Bivariate correlations showed that the teachers' rating of child secure base behavior was significantly associated with both child attachment security and verbal IQ. In a multiple regression analysis, the overall model R2 was significant, as was the interaction term showing a moderating effect of attachment security on the relation between verbal IQ and teachers' ratings of secure base. The results suggest that co-construction of a close attachment-relevant relationship with teachers in early childhood is, in part, a function of the security in the context of parent-child attachment, but also of child verbal development.

Poucas são as investigações sobre o autoconceito realizadas com crianças de idade pré-escolar. Neste estudo procuramos contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do desenvolvimento normativo do autoconceito, no período pré-escolar, nomeadamente, através da análise dos efeitos que o sexo e a idade têm no mesmo. Tratando-se de um estudo longitudinal, a amostra foi composta por 83 crianças portuguesas, avaliadas no seu autoconceito aos quatro e aos cinco anos de idade, através da Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children - PSPCSA. As crianças apresentaram resultados muito elevados em todos os domínios do autoconceito, em ambas as idades Os dados parecem indicar que os elevados valores do autoconceito começam a declinar já no fim do período pré-escolar, pelo menos em alguns domínios, sugerindo, dessa forma, um desenvolvimento diferenciado do autoconceito, consoante os diferentes domínios avaliados. Finalmente, parecem existir diferenças no autoconceito relacionadas com o sexo das crianças, favorecendo os rapazes. Os nossos resultados contribuem para uma melhor compreensão do processo de desenvolvimento do autoconceito.

O reduzido envolvimento social, aspeto central na definição da solidão social, foi analisado numa amostra de 337 crianças portuguesas (171 rapazes), com idades compreendidas entre os três e os cinco anos. Com base em metodologias de observação, realizadas em contexto de Jardim de infância, verificou-se que níveis reduzidos de envolvimento social estão negativamente associados a baixos níveis de competência social, de resiliência e de um elevado ego-controle. A aceitação pelos pares, o impacto e a preferência social, analisados com base nas medidas sociométricas, encontram-se, também, negativamente associados com os níveis de baixo envolvimento social. Os resultados refletem as dificuldades de ajustamento psicossocial destas crianças e enfatizam o seu potencial risco para o desenvolvimento saudável.

A new isocoumarin derivative, similanpyrone C (1), a new cyclohexapeptide, similanamide (2), and a new pyripyropene derivative, named pyripyropene T (3) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the culture of the marine sponge-associated fungus Aspergillus similanensis KUFA 0013. The structures of the compounds were established based on 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and in the case of compound 2 the stereochemistry of its amino acid constituents was determined by chiral HPLC analysis of the hydrolysate by co-injection with the d and l amino acids standards. Compounds 2 and 3 were evaluated for their in vitro growth inhibitory activity against MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer) and A373 (melanoma) cell lines, as well as antibacterial activity against reference strains and the environmental multidrug-resistant isolates (MRS and VRE). Only compound 2 exhibited weak activity against the three cancer cell lines, and neither of them showed antibacterial activity.

The planning and development of new chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for liquid chromatography (LC) are considered as continuous and evolutionary issues since the introduction of the first CSP in 1938. The main objectives of the development strategies were to attempt the improvement of the chromatographic enantioresolution performance of the CSPs as well as enlarge their versatility and range of applications. Additionally, the transition to ultra-high-performance LC were underscored. The most recent strategies have comprised the introduction of new chiral selectors, the use of new materials as chromatographic supports or the reduction of its particle size, and the application of different synthetic approaches for preparation of CSPs. This review gathered the most recent developments associated to the different types of CSPs providing an overview of the relevant advances that are arising on LC.

Many naturally occurring xanthones are chiral and present a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. Some of them have been exhaustively studied and subsequently, obtained by synthesis. In order to obtain libraries of compounds for structure activity relationship (SAR) studies as well as to improve the biological activity, new bioactive analogues and derivatives inspired in natural prototypes were synthetized. Bioactive natural xanthones compromise a large structural multiplicity of compounds, including a diversity of chiral derivatives. Thus, recently an exponential interest in synthetic chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs) has been witnessed. The synthetic methodologies can afford structures that otherwise could not be reached within the natural products for biological activity and SAR studies. Another reason that justifies this trend is that both enantiomers can be obtained by using appropriate synthetic pathways, allowing the possibility to perform enantioselectivity studies. In this work, a literature review of synthetic CDXs is presented. The structures, the approaches used for their synthesis and the biological activities are described, emphasizing the enantioselectivity studies.

Xanthones represent a structurally diverse group of compounds with a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities, depending on the nature and position of various substituents in the dibenzo-γ-pyrone scaffold. Among the large number of natural and synthetic xanthone derivatives, carboxyxanthones are very interesting bioactive compounds as well as important chemical substrates for molecular modifications to obtain new derivatives. A remarkable example is 5,6-dimethylxanthone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA), a simple carboxyxanthone derivative, originally developed as an anti-tumor agent and the first of its class to enter phase III clinical trials. From DMXAA new bioactive analogues and derivatives were also described. In this review, a literature survey covering the report on carboxyxanthone derivatives is presented, emphasizing their biological activities as well as their application as suitable building blocks to obtain new bioactive derivatives. The data assembled in this review intends to highlight the therapeutic potential of carboxyxanthone derivatives and guide the design for new bioactive xanthone derivatives.

According to the World Health Organization, the exacerbated use of antibiotics worldwide is increasing multi-resistant infections, especially in the last decade. Xanthones are a class of compounds receiving great interest in drug discovery and development that can be found as natural products or obtained by synthesis. Many derivatives of xanthones are chiral and associated with relevant biological activities, including antimicrobial. The aim of this review is to compile information about chiral derivatives of xanthones from natural sources and their synthesized examples with antimicrobial activity.

The study verified sanitary aspects in fish ponds with sequential disposal and the effect of the tanks effluent in parallel in the system. Six fish ponds were studied in the dry and the rainy periods and were analyzed microbiological aspects (thermo tolerant coliforms, total coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria), DBO5 and DQO. It had contamination in the water of supplying for thermo tolerant coliforms, either of human or animals, compromising all the fish ponds studied with sanitary indices undesirable and representing risk in the cultivation of fish. It was found a great contamination of thermo tolerant coliforms, total coliforms, and heterotrophic bacteria in the period of rains with significant differences for DBO5 and total coliforms variables in relation to the showed periods. The high temperatures and the waters of draining had favored the high level of coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria in the period of rains. Through the results was concluded that the parallel tanks and the rainy period had had greater influence that the proper sequential disposal of the fisheries.O estudo verificou aspectos sanitários em viveiros de criação de peixes com disposição seqüencial e o efeito dos efluentes de tanques em paralelo no sistema. Foram estudados seis viveiros de criação de peixes nos períodos de chuva e seca e analisados aspectos microbiológicos (coliformes termotolerantes, totais e bactérias heterotróficas), DBO5 e DQO. Houve contaminação na água de abastecimento por coliformes termotolerantes, seja de origem humana ou animal, comprometendo todos os viveiros estudados com índices sanitários indesejáveis e representando risco na criação de peixes. Foi encontrado um maior aporte de coliformes totais e bactérias heterotróficas no período de chuvas com diferenças significativas nos períodos amostrados em relação à DBO5 e coliformes totais. As altas temperaturas e as águas de escoamento favoreceram as concentrações elevadas de coliformes e bactérias heterotróficas no período de chuvas. Através dos resultados obtidos concluiu-se que os tanques paralelos e o período chuvoso tiveram maior influência que a própria disposição seqüencial dos viveiros.

O presente estudo de natureza longitudinal tem como objectivo estudar a relação entre a qualidade da vinculação da criança à mãe (em média aos 32 meses) e a sua competência social em idade pré-escolar, avaliada dois anos mais tarde. No total participaram 48 díades mãe-criança de nacionalidade portuguesa e americana. Em ambos os contextos sócio culturais constatou-se que a qualidade da vinculação está positiva e significativamente correlacionada com a competência social. Estes resultados sugerem que as relações de vinculação mãe-criança são facilitadoras da adaptação da criança ao grupo pré-escolar, na medida em que promovem o envolvimento positivo com os pares, potenciado uma variedade de competências que contribuem para a aceitação no grupo de pares.In this study, we attempted to map early attachment security to the development of social competence in preschool years. Participants were 48 mother dyads from two different countries (Portugal and the United States of America). Positive and significant correlations were found between the AQS security score and the social competence. The results suggest that the parent-child attachment relationships contribute to children's adaptation in the preschool peer group by promoting positive engagement with peers and by supporting a range of skills that underlie peer acceptance.

Recently, thioxanthone derivatives were found to protect cells against toxic P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates, acting as potent inducers/activators of this efflux pump. The study of new P-gp chiral modulators produced from thioxanthone derivatives could clarify the enantioselectivity of this ABC transporter towards this new class of modulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the P-gp modulatory ability of four enantiomeric pairs of new synthesized chiral aminated thioxanthones (ATxs) 1–8, studying the influence of the stereochemistry on P-gp induction/ activation in cultured Caco-2 cells. The data displayed that all the tested compounds (at 20 μM) significantly decreased the intracellular accumulation of a P-gp fluorescent substrate (rhodamine 123) when incubated simultaneously for 60 min, demonstrating an increased activity of the efflux, when compared to control cells. Additionally, all of them except ATx 3 (+), caused similar results when the accumulation of the P-gp fluorescent substrate was evaluated after pre-incubating cells with the test compounds for 24 h, significantly reducing the rhodamine 123 intracellular accumulation as a result of a significant increase in P-gp activity. However, ATx 2 (−) was the only derivative that, after 24 h of incubation, significantly increased P-gp expression. These results demonstrated a significantly increased P-gp activity, even without an increase in P-gp expression. Therefore, ATxs 1–8 were shown to behave as P-gp activators. Furthermore, no significant differences were detected in the activity of the protein when comparing the enantiomeric pairs. Nevertheless, ATx 2 (−) modulates P-gp expression differently from its enantiomer, ATx 1 (+). These results disclosed new activators and inducers of P-gp and highlight the existence of enantioselectivity in the induction mechanism.

Over the last decades, many naturally occurring peptides have attracted the attention of medicinal chemists due to their promising applicability as pharmaceuticals or as models for drugs used in therapeutics. Marine peptides are chiral molecules comprising different amino acid residues. Therefore, it is essential to establish the configuration of the stereogenic carbon of their amino acid constituents for a total characterization and further synthesis to obtain higher amount of the bioactive marine peptides or as a basis for structural modifications for more potent derivatives. Moreover, it is also a crucial issue taking into account the mechanisms of molecular recognition and the influence of molecular three-dimensionality in this process. In this review, a literature survey covering the report on the determination of absolute configuration of the amino acid residues of diverse marine peptides by chromatographic methodologies is presented. A brief summary of their biological activities was also included emphasizing to the most promising marine peptides. A case study describing an experience of our group was also included.

A systematic study of enantioresolution of a library of xanthonic derivatives, prepared “in-house”, was successfully carried out with four commercially available macrocyclic glycopeptide-based columns, namely ChirobioticTM T, ChirobioticTM R, ChirobioticTM V and ChirobioticTM TAG. Evaluation was conducted in multimodal elution conditions: normal-phase, polar organic, polar ionic and reversed-phase. The effects of the mobile phase composition, the percentage of organic modifier, the pH of the mobile phase, the nature and concentration of different mobile phase additives on the chromatographic parameters are discussed. ChirobioticTM T and ChirobioticTM V, under normal-phase and reversed-phase modes, respectively, presented the best chromatographic parameters. Considering the importance of understanding the chiral recognition mechanisms associated with the chromatographic enantioresolution, and the scarce data available for macrocyclic glycopeptide-based columns, computational studies by molecular docking were also carried out.

The young Paraguayan Ramiro Gómez’s documentary Tierra roja (Red earth - 2006) sprung in the first place from an order commissioned by the ONG Helvetas Paraguay, which finally ended up in a film shot to relate the encounter of four families, two peasant and two native ones, living in the Paraguayan rural environment. The film suggests problems which are burning issues in order to make people aware of them. Some of these are also found in Marco Bechis’s fiction feature film La terre des homes rouges (The land of the red men - 2008), which is sometimes referred to in this work.

Objetiva-se descrever e discutir a formação do vínculo terapêutico entre uma criança com diagnóstico de autismo infantil e sua psicoterapeuta. Trata-se de um estudo de caso que utiliza o método clínico-qualitativo, apoiando-se em autores e textos de orientação psicodinâmica. Discute-se e analisa-se o material clínico proveniente da história de vida de uma criança de oito anos de idade, e da psicoterapia lúdica realizada semanalmente, por 16 meses, em um ambulatório público. São comentados alguns aspectos que foram fundamentais para a formação do vínculo, a saber: a configuração do setting terapêutico, o processo de discriminação eu/não-eu, o processo de construção da identidade da criança, a função de holding materno assumida pela psicóloga. O acolhimento da terapeuta foi fundamental para a psicoterapia e para o desenvolvimento psicológico do paciente, permitindo que a criança estabelecesse e desenvolvesse algum tipo de vínculo afetivo.

Recent studies of school-age children and adolescents have used social network analyses to characterize selection and socialization aspects of peer groups. Fewer network studies have been reported for preschool classrooms and many of those have focused on structural descriptions of peer networks, and/or, on selection processes rather than on social functions of subgroup membership. In this study we started by identifying and describing different types of affiliative subgroups (HMP- high mutual proximity, LMP- low mutual proximity, and ungrouped children) in a sample of 240 Portuguese preschool children using nearest neighbor observations. Next, we used additional behavioral observations and sociometric data to show that HMP and LMP subgroups are functionally distinct: HMP subgroups appear to reflect friendship relations, whereas LMP subgroups appear to reflect common social goals, but without strong, within-subgroup dyadic ties. Finally, we examined the longitudinal implications of subgroup membership and show that children classified as HMP in consecutive years had more reciprocated friendships than did children whose subgroup classification changed from LMP or ungrouped to HMP. These results extend previous findings reported for North American peer groups.

Les tragiques événements du « mars paraguayen » ont signifié la disparition de l’espoir en la transition démocratique dans laquelle le pays s’était engagé depuis presque une dizaine d’années. Renée Ferrer, poète, dramaturge, auteur de plusieurs recueils de contes et de deux romans, consigne alors le témoignage poétique de ce drame national dans le recueil Las cruces del olvido (2001). Elle a auparavant publié d’autres textes qui peuvent rentrer dans la catégorie de la poésie sociale : c’est le cas en particulier de Viaje a destiempo (1989) dédié aux victimes de la dictature. Las cruces del olvido, dès son paratexte, insiste sur la fonction de témoignage que l’auteur souhaite assigner à ses vers et sur le rôle que ceux-ci peuvent jouer dans la transmission d’une mémoire collective. La voix d’un jeune disparu de ce « mars paraguayen », le dédoublement qu’il subit et travers lequel il évoque son entrée dans la mort et son absence du monde des vivants, rendent possible l’écriture de cette expérience de l’indicible qu’est la disparition.

The development of chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for liquid chromatography (LC) revolutionized the enantioseparation and, nowadays, different types of CSPs are commercially available. Polysaccharide-based CSPs are one of the most versatile and widely used for both analytical and preparative applications and they are able to resolve several classes of racemates. Phenylcarbamates of amylose and cellulose derivatives are the most successful; however, polysaccharide-based CSPs comprising marine-derived polysaccharides are also described revealing high chiral recognition abilities and wider range of mobile phases. A literature survey covering the report on chitin and chitosan based CSPs is presented. The chemical structure of the chiral selectors, their development and applications in chiral LC are emphasized.

Given the importance of chirality in the biological response, regulators, industries and researchers require chiral compounds in their enantiomeric pure form. Therefore, the approach to separate enantiomers in preparative scale needs to be fast, easy to operate, low cost and allow obtaining the enantiomers at high level of optical purity. A variety of methodologies to separate enantiomers in preparative scale is described, but most of them are expensive or with restricted applicability. However, the use of membranes have been pointed out as a promising methodology for scale-up enantiomeric separation due to the low energy consumption, continuous operability, variety of materials and supports, simplicity, eco-friendly and the possibility to be integrated into other separation processes. Different types of membranes (solid and liquid) have been developed and may provide applicability in multi-milligram and industrial scales. In this brief overview, the different types and chemical nature of membranes are described, showing their advantages and drawbacks. Recent applications of enantiomeric separations of pharmaceuticals, amines and amino acids were reported.

Searching of new enantiomerically pure chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs) with potential pharmacological properties, particularly those with anti-inflammatory activity, has remained an area of interest of our group. Herein, we describe in silico studies and in vitro inhibitory assays of cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) for different enantiomeric pairs of CDXs. The evaluation of the inhibitory activities was performed by using the COX Inhibitor Screening Assay Kit. Docking simulations between the small molecules (CDXs; known ligands and decoys) and the enzyme targets were undertaken with AutoDock Vina embedded in PyRx—Virtual Screening Tool software. All the CDXs evaluated exhibited COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition potential as predicted. Considering that the (S)-(−)-enantiomer of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen preferentially binds to albumin, resulting in lower free plasma concentration than (R)-(+)-enantiomer, protein binding affinity for CDXs was also evaluated by spectrofluorimetry as well as in in silico. For some CDXs enantioselectivity was observed.

O propósito do artigo é, através de pesquisa bibliográfica e análise reflexiva, abordar a importância, o impacto e levantamento de estratégias adequadas no cuidado ao doente e família com dor crónica oncológica tendo como foco a qualidade de vida (QdV). Centramos a atenção na evolução histórica do conceito de qualidade de vida e na importância atual da definição do tratamento adequado à pessoa e família; na contextualização da noção de QdV num indivíduo saudável, QdV na pessoa com doença oncológica e qualidade de vida relacionada com a saúde (QdVRS); seus campos de implicação e abrangência; ética clínica e QdV; instrumentos de medição da QdV e sua importância na prática do cuidar. Relevamos que na prestação de cuidados de saúde, a QdVRS é cada vez mais aceite como um objetivo principal. Numa fase mais avançada da doença o enfoque dirige-se da cura para a paliação, sendo o objectivo maior o incremento do bem-estar com melhoria ou preservação da QdV. A QdV só pode ser medida e descrita em termos individuais, dependendo do estilo de vida atual, das experiências passadas e em esperanças, sonhos e ambições.

Two new cyclotetrapeptides, sartoryglabramides A (5) and B (6), and a new analog of fellutanine A (8) were isolated, together with six known compounds including ergosta-4, 6, 8 (14), 22-tetraen-3-one, ergosterol 5, 8-endoperoxide, helvolic acid, aszonalenin (1), (3R)-3-(1H-indol-3-ylmethyl)-3,4-dihydro-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5-dione (2), takakiamide (3), (11aR)-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine-5,11(10H,11aH)-dione (4), and fellutanine A (7), from the ethyl acetate extract of the culture of the marine sponge-associated fungus Neosartorya glabra KUFA 0702. The structures of the new compounds were established based on extensive 1D and 2D spectral analysis. X-ray analysis was also used to confirm the relative configuration of the amino acid constituents of sartoryglabramide A (5), and the absolute stereochemistry of the amino acid constituents of sartoryglabramide A (5) and sartoryglabramides B (6) was determined by chiral HPLC analysis of their hydrolysates by co-injection with the d- and l- amino acids standards. Compounds 1–8 were tested for their antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922) and Gram-negative (Staphyllococus aureus ATCC 25923) bacteria, as well as for their antifungal activity against filamentous (Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC 46645), dermatophyte (Trichophyton rubrum ATCC FF5) and yeast (Candida albicans ATCC 10231). None of the tested compounds exhibited either antibacterial (MIC > 256 μg/mL) or antifungal activities (MIC > 512 μg/mL).

Apesar de relativamente conhecida, a obra pedagógica de Camila Henríquez Ureña (Santo Domingo, 1894-1973) é pouco analisada, apesar de sua profundidade na reforma educacional revolucionária cubana e na formação literária de várias gerações tanto nos Estados Unidos quanto no resto do mundo, Cuba. Para compreender a importância da Leitura no trabalho docente da nossa pedagoga, que vai dos anos 1920 aos anos 70 do século passado, acreditamos ser imprescindível olhar para o seu Convite à Leitura. Notas sobre a apreciação literária, o único texto seu que veio a ser refletido em forma de livro, mesmo gozando de várias edições. Através do modo ensaístico, suas mais de duzentas páginas contribuem para revelar sobretudo uma atitude presente ao longo de sua trajetória intelectual, que poderíamos definir como "teoria em ação".

As espécies zooplanctônicas utilizadas foram Daphnia laevis e Moina micrura e as dietas, as clorofíceas Scenedesmus quadricauda e Ankistrodesmus gracilis. As culturas de cladóceros foram mantidas em sala climatizada. Os neonatos de Daphnia laevis apresentaram comprimento médio de 0,62mm e os adultos, com a dieta de Ankistrodesmus atingiram, 1,50mm e 1,06mm para a de Scenedesmus. Já os neonatos de Moina micrura apresentaram comprimento médio de 0,52mm e os adultos atingiram 0,98mm e 0,97mm para Ankistrodesmus e Scenedesmus, respectivamente. No entanto, Moina apresentou menor tempo para produção de ovos. Ambos os organismos acumularam maiores reservas de lipídios quando alimentadas com A. gracilis. Dessa forma, essa última alga demonstrou ser um alimento de qualidade superior para os cladóceros estudados

O estudo avaliou o estado trófico e o aumento nas concentrações de nutrientes em viveiros seqüenciais em períodos de curta duração. Foram estudados seis viveiros de criação semi-intensiva de peixes que receberam efluentes de outros tanques em paralelo. As variáveis determinadas foram fósforo total, ortofosfato, amônia, nitrato, nitrito, clorofila-a, chumbo, cádmio, cobre, zinco, manganês, níquel, cromo, cálcio, ferro, potássio e magnésio, além do estado trófico dos viveiros. As amostras de água foram coletadas na nascente e entrada de cada viveiro nos períodos de chuva e seca. Foi encontrado um aumento no grau de trofia do primeiro em direção ao último viveiro e a distribuição seqüencial dos mesmos proporcionou um aumento gradativo nas concentrações de metais e clorofila-a. Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo indicam a necessidade de práticas de manejo ambiental através do desvio dos efluentes dos tanques em paralelo