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Remote monitoring of biometric data in the elderly population is an important asset for improving the quality of life and level of independence of elderly people living alone. However, the design and implementation of health technological solutions often disregard the elderly physiological and psychological abilities, leading to low adoption of these technologies. We evaluate the usability of a remote patient monitoring solution, VITASENIOR-MT, which is based on the interaction with a television set. Twenty senior participants (over 64 years) and a control group of 20 participants underwent systematic tests with the health platform and assessed its usability through several questionnaires. Elderly participants scored high on the usability of the platform, very close to the evaluation of the control group. Sensory, motor and cognitive limitations were the issues that most contributed to the difference in usability assessment between the elderly group and the control group. The solution showed high usability and acceptance regardless of age, digital literacy, education and impairments (sensory, motor and cognitive), which shows its effective viability for use and implementation as a consumer product in the senior market. This work has been financially supported by the Portuguese foundation for science and technology (FCT) and European funds through Project VITASENIOR-MT with grant CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-023659. CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-023659 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Introduction: Oxidative stress (OS) results from the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), being responsible for the development of numerous pathologies. Resveratrol (3,5,4’- trihydroxystilbene) is a naturally occurring antioxidant, produced by a wide variety of fruit and plant species, in response to several stimuli. Due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardio, and neuroprotective properties, this polyphenol has shown great interest in recent years. Objective: To understand the role of resveratrol in enzymatic antioxidant defenses and vascular function, but also in decreasing inflammation. Material and Methods: 27 healthy students, aged 18 - 22 years, were randomized into control (CG) and experimental (EG) groups, and submitted to placebo and resveratrol supplementation, respectively, for 30 consecutive days. In these participants, laboratory evaluation of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reductase (GluRed) activity by spectrophotometry, and serum levels of endothelin 1 (ET-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by slot blot were performed, before (T0) and after supplementation (T1). Results: Evaluating GPx activity at T1, higher values were observed in the EG (p = 0.005). Regarding GluRed, both groups demonstrated a tendency to increase enzyme activity at T1. However, significant results were only observed in CG (p = 0.004). In the remaining parameters evaluated, no significant differences were observed. Conclusions: Supplementation with resveratrol may be effective in reducing OS by increasing the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Yet, it was unable to prove its role as a cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory agent.

Background: Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is critical for optimal cardiovascular risk management. Age-related trajectories for cuff-measured BP accelerate faster in women compared with men, but whether cuff BP represents the intraarterial (invasive) aortic BP is unknown. This study aimed to determine the sex differences between cuff BP, invasive aortic BP, and the difference between the 2 measurements. Methods: Upper-arm cuff BP and invasive aortic BP were measured during coronary angiography in 1615 subjects from the Invasive Blood Pressure Consortium Database. This analysis comprised 22 different cuff BP devices from 28 studies. Results: Subjects were 64±11 years (range 40–89) and 32% women. For the same cuff systolic BP (SBP), invasive aortic SBP was 4.4 mm Hg higher in women compared with men. Cuff and invasive aortic SBP were higher in women compared with men, but the sex difference was more pronounced from invasive aortic SBP, was the lowest in younger ages, and the highest in older ages. Cuff diastolic blood pressure overestimated invasive diastolic blood pressure in both sexes. For cuff and invasive diastolic blood pressure separately, there were sex*age interactions in which diastolic blood pressure was higher in younger men and lower in older men, compared with women. Cuff pulse pressure underestimated invasive aortic pulse pressure in excess of 10 mm Hg for both sexes in older age. Conclusions: For the same cuff SBP, invasive aortic SBP was higher in women compared with men. How this translates to cardiovascular risk prediction needs to be determined, but women may be at higher BP-related risk than estimated by cuff measurements.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has detrimental multi-system consequences. Symptoms may appear during the acute phase of infection, but literature on long-term recovery of young adults after mild-to-moderate infection is lacking. Heart rate variability (HRV) allows observation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation post SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, physical activity (PA) helps improve ANS modulation, where investigation of PA influence on ANS recovery is vital to reduce risk and severity of symptoms. Clinicians may use this research to aid development of non-medication interventions. At baseline, 18 control (CT) and 20 post-COVID-19 (PCOV) participants were observed where general amnamnesis was performed, followed by HRV and PA assessment. 10 CT and 7 PCOV subjects returned for follow-up (FU) evaluation 6 weeks after complete immunization (2 doses) and assessments were repeated. Over the follow-up period, decrease in sympathetic (SNS) activity (mean heart rate: p=0.0024, CI=-24.67- -3.26; SNS index: p=0.0068, CI=-2.50- -0.32) and increase in parasympathetic (PNS) activity (mean RR:p=0.0097, CI=33.72-225.51; PNS index: p=0.0091, CI=-0.20-1.47) were observed. At follow-up, HRV was not different between groups (p>0.05). Additionally, no differences were observed in PA between moments and groups. This study provides evidence of ANS recovery after SARS-CoV-2 insult in young adults over a follow-up period, independent of changes in PA.

Cadaval cave is located in a karstic canyon of the Nabão River, in the right margin of the Tagus River basin, municipality of Tomar, Centre of Portugal. The site encompasses a long stratigraphic sequence from present days to, at least, the Middle Palaeolithic. Major excavations were made during the 1980’s and restarted in 2019 under the scope of the FCT funded project - Moving tasks across shapes: the agro-pastoralists spread from and into the Alto Ribatejo (MTAS), (PTDC/EPH-ARQ/4356/2014).The Holocene sequence has three main sedimentary units: Layer E (without human occupation), Layer D (with Late early to Middle Neolithic necropolis) and Layer C (with a Late Neolithic necropolis). Because of the lack of detailed geoarchaeological studies, the process of deposition and modification of sedimentary layers remains in question, this being very important to better interpret natural vs human dynamics, including site formation processes. For instance, Layer E is supposed to correspond to an earlier Holocene stage (Greenlandian), a period in which other caves from the region have dwelling and funerary occupations. This can be related to the low demographic density at the time, but also to the roof collapse event, an idea reinforced by the presence of some Middle Neolithic burials on the top of some large slabs. Nevertheless, a better characterization of its formation and the degree of anthropic impact in the diagenetic process will allow for a clearer interpretation of this and other situations.The main objective of the first author`s ongoing PhD project is to characterize the Late Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentary processes and the site formation processes of the archaeological record in the basin of the Tagus River, namely assessing its anthropic component. For this, a detailed geoarchaeological investigation is being carried out in several sites, including Cadaval cave, giving particular emphasis to the use of micromorphology.Keywords: Micromorphology, Cave sediments, Neolithic, Stratigraphy, Holocene.

Funding: Supported by the Macula Foundation, Inc. (New York, NY, USA) and by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT)–Portugal, cofunded by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (to MCS, including project PTDC/MED-PAT/30385/2017, iNOVA4Health-UIDB/04462/2020). ACF was funded by a FCT PhD studentship (PD/BD/135503/2018). DC was supported in part by a studentship from Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD, USA R&D@PhD–Proj 2020/0140). Purpose: To characterize macular blood flow connectivity in vivo using high-resolution optical coherence tomography (HighRes OCT). Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study. Dense (6-µm interscan distance) perifoveal HighRes OCT raster scans were performed on healthy participants. To mitigate the limitations of projection-resolved OCT-angiography, flow and structural data were used to observe the vascular structures of the superficial vascular complex (SVC) and the deep vascular complex. Vascular segmentation and rendering were performed using Imaris 9.5 software. Inflow and outflow patterns were classified according to vascular diameter and branching order from superficial arteries and veins, respectively. Results: Eight eyes from eight participants were included in this analysis, from which 422 inflow and 459 outflow connections were characterized. Arteries had direct arteriolar connections to the SVC (78%) and to the intermediate capillary plexus (ICP, 22%). Deep capillary plexus (DCP) inflow derived from small-diameter vessels succeeding ICP arterioles. The most prevalent outflow pathways coursed through superficial draining venules (74%). DCP draining venules ordinarily merged with ICP draining venules and drained independently of superficial venules in 21% of cases. The morphology of DCP draining venules in structural HighRes OCT is distinct from other vessels crossing the inner nuclear layer and can be used to identify superficial veins. Conclusions: Vascular connectivity analysis supports a hybrid circuitry of blood flow within the human parafoveal macula. Translational Relevance: Characterization of parafoveal macular blood flow connectivity in vivo using a precise segmentation of HighRes OCT is consistent with ground-truth microscopy studies and shows a hybrid circuitry. publishersversion published

Studying lithic raw material sourcing, processing and distribution is helpful when trying to reconstruct the territory, ecology, and cultural practices of Neanderthal groups. The use of multiple methods in such analyses allows for more refined characterizations to be made, helping to distinguish between materials better than any single method. Although 85% of the raw materials making up the Mousterian assemblage at the Navalmaíllo Rock Shelter (Pinilla del Valle, Madrid Region of Spain) correspond to the available local geological resources, 10% is made of white/beige chert, which is not registered in regional geological cartography. Petrographic and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses were performed to determine the origin of this white/beige chert and thus shed light on the procurement strategies of the Neanderthal groups that occupied the rock shelter. The results show this chert to correspond to three different types of rock: quartz–kaolinite rocks from dykes, cretaceous marine cherts, and quartz fillings of cavities/fractures. These findings are in accordance with the geological features and formations present in the Lozoya valley, as recorded during a geoarchaeological survey, and indicate that the Neanderthals occupying the center of the Iberian Peninsula possessed a detailed knowledge of the landscape that allowed them to exploit its resources during MIS5a–early MIS4., The present research was partially funded by Spanish Project CGL2014‐54818‐P (Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad/FEDER,European Union). Telmo Pereira's research was funded by the Programa Investigador FCT (IF/01075/2013).

PURPOSE To correlate drusen morphology and outer retinal status with autofluorescence (AF) imaging in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration. METHODS Drusen type and morphology were analyzed using color fundus photography and spectral-domain optic coherence tomography, whereas fundus AF was used for drusen AF evaluation. Additional structural changes on spectral-domain optic coherence tomography, such as disruption of external limiting membrane, ellipsoid zone, and retinal pigment epithelium/Bruch membrane complex, as well as the presence of choroidal hypertransmission at correspondent locations were also evaluated and correlated with fundus AF findings. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between spectral-domain optic coherence tomography morphological characteristics of drusen and AF appearance of the corresponding drusen. Strength of correlation was calculated (r), and a P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Two hundred and twenty-eight drusen from 53 eyes of 53 patients were analyzed, 130 soft drusen (57.02%) and 98 cuticular drusen (42.98%). Sixty percent of the drusen were isoautofluorescent (n = 136), 35% hyperautofluorescent (n = 80), and 5% hypoautofluorescent (n = 12). We found positive correlation between drusen AF and hyperreflective foci (r = 0.4). Outer retinal layers morphology (external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone status and hypertransmission) also correlates with autofluorescent findings (r = 0.3). CONCLUSION Multimodal imaging reveals a broad spectrum of ultrastructural changes, which may reflect different stages in the evolution of drusen. Our results suggest that drusen morphological characteristics and autofluorescent findings are correlated but other factors or cofactors may be involved. The described correlations will help us understand new progression biomarkers of nonexudative age-related macular degeneration.

Here we report the results of an integrated geoarchaeological survey to study Palaeolithic human settlement dynamics in the coastal region of Portuguese Estremadura. The region has been an important focus of human occupation across multiple glacial-interglacial cycles, including periods of well-documented abrupt climate instability during MIS 3 and 2. The pedestrian survey covered a roughly 10 km wide strip of land between Sao Pedro de Muel and Peniche. The survey intensively targeted three landscape settings with Pleistocene-age surfaces and sediments: the coastal bluffs with exposed aeolian, fluvial, and colluvial sands; the Caldas da Rainha diapiric valley and associated fluvial/estuarine fills; and, Cretaceous chert-rich limestone uplands that bound the inland margin of the study area. We discovered dozens of new Palaeolithic sites, analyzed numerous Pleistocene sedimentary sections, and applied widespread OSL-dating to establish age control that allowed us to build a regional geomorphic history to contextualize Late Pleistocene human settlement across the region. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:50:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-02-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) The harmful effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can reach the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and endothelial function. Therefore, the detrimental multiorgan effects of COVID-19 could be induced by deregulations in ANS that may persist after the acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, investigating the differences in ANS response in overweight/obese, and physically inactive participants who had COVID-19 compared to those who did not have the disease is necessary. The aim of the study was to analyze the autonomic function of young adults after mild-to-moderate infection with SARS-CoV-2 and to assess whether body mass index (BMI) and levels of physical activity modulates autonomic function in participants with and without COVID-19. Patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and healthy controls were recruited for this cross-sectional observational study. A general anamnesis was taken, and BMI and physical activity levels were assessed. The ANS was evaluated through heart rate variability. A total of 57 subjects were evaluated. Sympathetic nervous system activity in the post-COVID-19 group was increased (stress index; p = 0.0273). They also presented lower values of parasympathetic activity (p < 0.05). Overweight/obese subjects in the post-COVID-19 group presented significantly lower parasympathetic activity and reduced global variability compared to non-obese in control group (p < 0.05). Physically inactive subjects in the post-COVID-19 group presented significantly higher sympathetic activity than active subjects in the control group. Parasympathetic activity was significantly increased in physically active subjects in the control group compared to the physically inactive post-COVID-19 group (p < 0.05). COVID-19 promotes changes in the ANS of young adults, and these changes are modulated by overweight/obesity and physical activity levels. Department of Health Sciences Central Washington University Ellensburg Physiotherapy Department Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE) Exercise and Immunometabolism Research Group Postgraduate Program in Movement Sciences Department of Physical Education Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Polytechnic of Coimbra ESTESC Laboratory Biomedical Sciences Molecular Physical-Chemistry R & D Unit Faculty of Science and Technology University of Coimbra Laboratory for Applied Health Research (LabinSaúde) Faculty of Sport Science and Physiucal Education University of Coimbra CIDAF Postgraduate Program in Movement Sciences Department of Physical Education Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Cellular and Molecular Immunology Laboratory Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre Graduate Program in Health Sciences School of Medicine Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Parana Exercise and Immunometabolism Research Group Postgraduate Program in Movement Sciences Department of Physical Education Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Postgraduate Program in Movement Sciences Department of Physical Education Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) CAPES: 001 FAPESP: 2019/25626-6

Regeneration depends on the ability of mature cells at the injury site to respond to injury, generating tissue-specific progenitors that incorporate the blastema and proliferate to reconstitute the original organ architecture. The metabolic microenvironment has been tightly connected to cell function and identity during development and tumorigenesis. Yet, the link between metabolism and cell identity at the mechanistic level in a regenerative context remains unclear. The adult zebrafish caudal fin, and bone cells specifically, have been crucial for the understanding of mature cell contribution to tissue regeneration. Here, we use this model to explore the relevance of glucose metabolism for the cell fate transitions preceding new osteoblast formation and blastema assembly. We show that injury triggers a shift in the metabolic profile at early stages of regeneration, enhancing glycolysis at the expense of mitochondrial oxidation. This metabolic switch mediates transcriptional changes that make mature osteoblast amenable to be reprogramed into pre-osteoblasts and induces cell cycle re-entry and progression. Manipulation of the metabolic profile led to severe reduction of the pre-osteoblast pool, diminishing their capacity to generate new osteoblasts, and to a complete abrogation of blastema formation. Overall, our data indicate that metabolic alterations have a powerful instructive role in regulating genetic programs that dictate fate decisions and stimulate proliferation, thereby providing a deeper understanding on the mechanisms regulating blastema formation and bone regeneration.

This study provides a detailed geomorphological study of the Peniche Peninsula, located in westernmost Iberia, a resistant rocky limestone headland subjected to high energy Atlantic Ocean coastal processes. We have used field mapping, surveying, sedimentary facies analysis, geochronology (electron spin resonance [ESR]; U-Series), but also identification of fossils and lithic artefacts, in order to: 1) reconstruct styles and timing of paleoenvironmental changes, 2) correlate to Marine Isotope Stages (MIS), and 3) quantify coastal uplift rates during the Quaternary. The marine terrace deposits, comprising calcite cemented conglomerates and siliciclastic sandstones, sometimes capped by travertines, were studied in detail along the SW sector of the peninsula, at the Furninha Cave site.The mapping (1/10,000 scale) and dating results obtained allow to identify several marine levels and to correlate them to MIS’s: 1) a culminant wave-cut platform at 29-33 m (above mean sea level) (Pm), with a probable age of 3.7 Ma; 2) a wave-cut platform at 24-28 m (Tm1), dated as 883±120 ka, probably correlated with high sea level conditions spanning ca.1000-790 ka (MIS25-19); 3) a wave-cut platform at 19-21 m (Tm2), with a beach conglomerate and sandstone, dated as 707±32 ka and correlated to 790-680 ka (MIS17); 4) a wave-cut platform at 14-16 m (Tm3), with a beach conglomerate and sandstone, and capping travertine, probably recording aggradation during 620-460 ka (MIS15-13) (ESR: 598±160, 563±63, 490±44 ka; U-series: >620 ka); 5) a wave-cut platform at 11-13 m (Tm4), with beach conglomerate and sandstone followed by travertine, dated as 315±48 ka, probably recording 430-275 ka (MIS11-9); 6) a wave-cut platform at 6-9 m (Tm5), with beach conglomerate, sandstone and travertine, dated as 288±53 ka, probably spanning 290-180 ka (MIS7); 7) a wave-cut platform at 4.0 m (Tm6), probably spanning 125-85 ka (MIS5); 8) aeolian sand units, respectively, of Late Pleistocene and Holocene age; 9) modern beach sediments, ranging from sands to boulders.A long term Plio-Quaternary corrected uplift rate of 0.004-0.006 m/ka is obtained using the Pm level as a key geomorphic marker (eustatic level = +10-20 m). In contrast, for the last ~1 Ma the inset Pleistocene marine terrace levels (Tm1-Tm6) indicate apparent short-term uplift rates between 0.02 and 0.05 m/ka (means of 0.03 to 0.04 m/ka) and corrected short-term uplift rates between -0.05 and 0.05 m/ka (means of -0.02 to 0.05 m/ka).This study demonstrates that the Quaternary compressive reactivation of the Western Iberian Margin has determined coastal low to moderate uplift rates; active tectonics play an important role in the geomorphic expression and distribution of Pleistocene marine terraces, recording vertical ground motions (uplift/subsidence) superimposed onto global sea-level oscillations.

UIDB/04038/2020 UIDP/04038/2020 Throughout prehistory, landscapes were repeatedly subjected to both global and localized climatic fluctuations that changed the regional environments where human groups lived. This instability demanded constant adaptation and, as a result, the functionality of some sites changed over time. In this light, the western coast of Iberia represents an exceptional case study due to the proximity between at least some oceanic cores and archaeological sites, which should facilitate an accurate reconstruction of the relationships between paleoenvironmental conditions and the coeval patterns of human behavior. This region, and in particular the valley of the River Lis, is marked by wide exposed plateaus cut by narrow and deep canyons. In this paper we present the stratigraphic, archaeometric, technological and archaeobotanical record of Poço Rock Shelter, located in one of these canyons, which hints at the human responses to such changes, and discuss the link between its Solutrean and Epipaleolithic occupations to specific activities. During the coldest part of the Last Glacial Maximum, we hypothesize that there was intensive exploitation of a chert outcrop above the roof to produce blades and Solutrean tips. Later, during Bond Event 6, after that outcrop had been exhausted, there was intensive consumption of shellfish gathered between the mouth of the canyon and the sea. We hypothesize that these strikingly different roles demonstrate how hunter-gatherers adapted to local conditions, and exploited specific resources, promising to provide a better understanding about its functional role during specific extreme climate events. publishersversion published

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has detrimental multi-system consequences. Symptoms may appear during the acute phase of infection, but the literature on long-term recovery of young adults after mild to moderate infection is lacking. Heart rate variability (HRV) allows for the observation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since physical activity (PA) can help improve ANS modulation, investigating factors that can influence HRV outcomes after COVID-19 is essential to advancements in care and intervention strategies. Clinicians may use this research to aid in the development of non-medication interventions. At baseline, 18 control (CT) and 20 post-COVID-19 (PCOV) participants were observed where general anamnesis was performed, followed by HRV and PA assessment. Thus, 10 CT and 7 PCOV subjects returned for follow-up (FU) evaluation 6 weeks after complete immunization (two doses) and assessments were repeated. Over the follow-up period, a decrease in sympathetic (SNS) activity (mean heart rate: p = 0.0024, CI = −24.67–−3.26; SNS index: p = 0.0068, CI = −2.50–−0.32) and increase in parasympathetic (PNS) activity (mean RR: p = 0.0097, CI = 33.72–225.51; PNS index: p = 0.0091, CI = −0.20–1.47) were observed. At follow-up, HRV was not different between groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, no differences were observed in PA between moments and groups. This study provides evidence of ANS recovery after SARS-CoV-2 insult in young adults over a follow-up period, independent of changes in PA.

The harmful effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can reach the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and endothelial function. Therefore, the detrimental multiorgan effects of COVID-19 could be induced by deregulations in ANS that may persist after the acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, investigating the differences in ANS response in overweight/obese, and physically inactive participants who had COVID-19 compared to those who did not have the disease is necessary. The aim of the study was to analyze the autonomic function of young adults after mild-to-moderate infection with COVID-19 and to assess whether body mass index (BMI) and levels of physical activity modulates autonomic function in participants with and without COVID-19. Patients previously infected with COVID-19 and healthy controls were recruited for this cross-sectional observational study. A general anamnesis was taken and BMI and physical activity levels were assessed. The ANS was evaluated through heart rate variability. A total of 57 subjects were evaluated. Sympathetic nervous system activity in post-COVID-19 group was increased (stress index; p=0.0273). They also presented lower values of parasympathetic activity (pKey Points‐Our main finding is that even in mild and moderate infections, young adults who had COVID-19 had greater sympathetic activity, less parasympathetic activity, and global variability when compared to uninfected individuals.‐In participants who were overweight and obese and/or physically inactive, cardiac autonomic modulation showed worse indices.‐Our study provides new insights regarding the role of body mass index and physical activity status on post-COVID-19 infection autonomic deregulation that may contribute to the understand of pathophysiology and treatment of of post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Population aging is a major challenge today. To respond to this problem crosscutting various sectors of society, a model has been developed to promote active and healthy aging through the implementation of an intervention model based on the comprehensive geriatric approach (AGA), incorporating endogenous resources from the older adult ecosystem and involving the Health Sciences academy. The proposed AGA model, entitled AGA@4life, is based on a holistic and multidisciplinary individual assessment protocol, with the consequent design and implementation of intervention strategies tailored to each individual, aimed at preventing frailty and functional, cognitive, and social decline of the older adult. Intervention actions focus on personalized exercise programs, nutrition education, cognitive stimulation, co-morbidity monitoring, therapeutic counseling, and overall promotion of well-being.

Vascular diseases are the main cause of morbidity and mortality. The vascular extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential in mechanical support, also regulating the cellular behavior fundamental to vascular function and homeostasis. Vascular remodeling is an adaptive response to various physiological and pathological changes and is associated with aging and vascular diseases. The aim of this review is provide a general overview of the involvement of MMPs in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, namely, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysms and myocardial infarction. The change in the composition of the ECM by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) generates a pro-inflammatory microenvironment that modifies the phenotypes of endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. They play a central role in morphogenesis, tissue repair and remodeling in response to injury, e.g., after myocardial infarction, and in progression of diseases such as atherosclerosis. Alterations in specific MMPs could influence arterial remodeling and lead to various pathological disorders such as hypertension and aneurysm formation. MMPs are regulated by endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and the MMP/TIMP ratio generally determines the extent of ECM protein degradation and tissue remodeling. Studies are currently focused on improving the diagnostic and prognostic value of MMPs involved in the pathogenic process, increasing their therapeutic potential, and monitoring the disease. New selective MMP inhibitors may improve the specificity of these inhibitors, target specific MMPs in relevant pathological conditions and mitigate some of the side effects.

Background Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) (RSV) is one of the main non-flavonoid natural polyphenol compounds. Evidence suggests that RSV has a key role in preventing a variety of pathological processes because of its benefits, including anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular disease prevention. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is responsible for vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, and its expression is influenced by RSV. Vascular nitric oxide (NO) acts to relax smooth muscle cells by preventing thrombogenic processes. It has been shown in vitro and in vivo that RSV is involved in NO metabolism. The aim of this work was evaluate the effects of regular low-dose RSV consumption by determining serum VEGF and NO levels compared to a control group. Methods The study involved 27 clinically healthy individuals, divided into a control group (placebo) and an intervention group, supplemented with 100mg RSV/day. The VEGF levels were determined by slot blot technique and NO levels were determined by spectrophotometry before (T0) and after 30 days (T1) of supplementation. Results The VEGF and NO levels slightly decrease from T0 to T1 moment in both study groups, showing a higher decrease in both parameters in the control group compared to the intervention group, but the variation was not statistically significant. Conclusions Daily supplementation with RSV is associated with benefits at the VEGF level as well as at the vascular level. However, further studies with a larger number of participants are needed to confirm the effects of RSV on VEGF and NO levels.

Background The practice of high perfomance sports leads to alterations of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The study of heart rate variability (HRV) resorting to the electrocardiogram (ECG) is a practical, efficient and non invasive tool that allows the monitorization of the cardiac-autonomic function in high perfomance athletes, exposing the physiological adaptations to repeated and intense physical exercise. To evaluate the resting heart rate variability of futsal players resorting to the electrocardiogram during the pre-season and competitive season. Methods The sample used in this study was composed of fifteen male futsal athletes, subjected to a resting electrocardiogram in supine position with the duration of 6 minutes, at two different moments. Results From the first to the second record heart rate variability, it was observed a significant decrease in heart rate from 66.53 ± 10.39 bpm to 61.50 ± 11.14 bpm (P < 0.05) and the indexes related to the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), RMSSD, pNN50, HFnu did not present statistical significance (P > 0.05) despite the verified increased of absolute values from the first to the second evaluation. Conclusions We were able to observe a decrease in heart rate (HR), as well as, a tendency for elevated parasympathetic indexes and a vagal predominance from the first to the second moment of evaluation. The monitorization of heart rate variability can be useful to identify adaptations to competitive loads and, thus, planning adequate training loads for each athlete, avoiding the occurrence of lesions and fatigue and allowing an improvement in performance.

Adequate alternatives to conventional animal testing are needed to study developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Here, we used kinematic analysis to assess DNT of known (toluene (TOL) and chlorpyrifos (CPS)) and putative (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)) neurotoxic compounds.

Humans interact with numerous chemical compounds with direct health implications, with several able to induce developmental neurotoxicity (DNT), which bear developmental, behavioral, and cognitive consequences from a young age. Current guidelines for DNT testing are notably costly, time consuming, and unsuitable for testing large numbers of chemicals. Therefore, there is a need for adequate alternatives to conventional animal testing for neurotoxicity and DNT. Here we show that detailed kinematic analysis can provide a strong indicator for DNT, using known (chlorpyrifos, CPS) or putative (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine, BMAA) neurotoxic compounds. We exposed Drosophila melanogaster to these compounds during development and evaluated for common general toxicity — notably developmental survival and pupal positioning, together with the FlyWalker system, a detailed adult kinematics evaluation method.At concentrations that do not induce general toxicity, the solvent DMSO had a significant effect on kinematic parameters. Nonetheless, CPS not only induced developmental lethality but also significantly impaired coordination in comparison to DMSO, altering 16 motor parameters, validating the usefulness of our kinematic approach.Interestingly, BMAA, although not lethal during development, induced a dose-dependent motor decay, targeting most parameters in young adult animals, phenotypically resembling normally aged, non-exposed flies. This effect was subsequently attenuated during ageing, indicating an adaptive response. Furthermore, BMAA induced an abnormal terminal differentiation of leg motor neurons, without inducing degeneration, underpinning the observed altered mobility phenotype. Overall, our results support our kinematic approach as a novel, highly sensitive and reliable tool to assess potential DNT of chemical compounds.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and explore the benefits of long-term dark chocolate intake in young, healthy adults by measuring cardiovascular function.A randomized study was conducted with 30 healthy participants ages 18 to 27 y. Half of the participants ingested a 20-g dose of lower cocoa chocolate (LCC; ∼55%; 12.6 ± 1.4 mg equivalent of epicatechin/g) and the others ingested a daily dose of 20 g of higher cocoa chocolate (HCC; ∼90%; 18.2 ± 2.6 mg equivalent of epicatechin/g). A baseline evaluation was performed before the participants started ingesting the assigned chocolate for a 30-d period, after which a final evaluation was performed. Each evaluation included heart ultrasonography, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid pulse wave analysis, flow-mediated slowing (FMS), and an analysis of the ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC), which reflects the matching between the aorta and the left ventricle (ratio of arterial elastance to left ventricle elastance).The baseline evaluation presented similar values within normal range in both groups. The positive vascular effects were overall more distinct in the group eating the HCC. No structural modifications on the heart were found after the intervention, notwithstanding cardiac function was improved on certain functional parameters in the HCC group only. A statistically significant improvement was depicted over the brachial and central systolic and pulse pressures in the HCC group, and a trend for improvement in the reflected waves component (Aix) and the FMS was also observed in the HCC, but not in the LCC group. VAC parameters were similar at baseline between groups, but showed a significant improvement in the HCC group after intervention, increasing from 0.674 to 0.719 (P = 0.004), so that the post-intervention VAC was significantly higher in the HCC group than in the LCC group (P0.05). In addition, significant variation was observed in both groups regarding arterial and left ventricle elastances, stroke work, and potential energy, with greater mean differences identified in the HCC group.This study demonstrated that regular consumption of HCC has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system in young, healthy adults, improving vascular function by reducing central brachial artery pressures and promoting vascular relaxation, and thus enhancing the matching of the arterial system with the left ventricle.

The ASINPHAR@2action project aims at raising awareness to arterial stiffness (AS) and early vascular aging (EVA) through a community pharmacy–based intervention. This preliminary analysis is focused on the analysis of the proportion of participants with increased AS and the identification of its main determinants. We performed an observational cross‐sectional study of participants enrolled in 11 community pharmacies in Portugal, between April and November 2017. Blood pressure (BP) and arterial function parameters were measured with a validated device. Clinical and demographic information was gathered, as well as the estimation of global cardiovascular risk, health‐related quality of life, and dietary profile. Cholesterol and glycaemia were taken from a recent laboratory bulletin. The cohort includes 658 participants with a mean age of 57.3 ± 16.3 years, 66% women. Brachial BP was 126.6 ± 16.4 mm Hg and 79.9 ± 11.5 mm Hg, and central BP was 115.8 ± 15.4 mm Hg and 81.2 ± 11.6 mm Hg, respectively, for systolic and diastolic BP. Mean pulse wave velocity (PWV) was 8.5 ± 2.3 m/s, and the augmentation index was 23.6 ± 15.6%. The proportion of participants with increased AS was 19.8%. The overall best‐fitting model for AS included age, gender, aortic PP, visceral fat, HDL cholesterol, AIx@75, total vascular resistance, hypertension, and diabetes, corresponding to an AUC of 0.910 (CI: 0.883, 0.937; P

Background: Several studies have supported the idea that smoking induces changes with direct impact on endothelial function and arterial stiffness. The main purpose of this study was to assess the acute effects of smoking on vascular function in healthy young adults. Methods: We designed a quasi-experimental study, including ninety participants aged between 18 and 25 years. Participants were divided into three groups: Active exposure group (AG) - 30 usual smokers; passive exposure group (PG) and non-exposure control group (CG), each including 30 non-smokers matched for age, gender and overall lifestyle. Heart rate (HR), brachial blood pressure (bBP), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid pulse wave analysis (PWA) were evaluated in two moments: baseline and 30 minutes after smoking exposition (AG and PG) or 30 minutes after the first evaluation (CG). Results: Significant changes from baseline were observed only in the AG, with an increase in PWV, from 5.6 ± 0.7 m/s to 6.1 ± 0.2 m/s post-smoking (p = 0.040), and a decrease in FMD of about -5.7 ± 2.3% after smoking one cigarette (p < 0.001). A significant increase in brachial and central BP was also observed in the AG. A trend for increase in brachial and central BP, and decrease in the FMD was observed in the PG and no significant changes were depicted in the CG. Conclusion: Just one cigarette produces significant detrimental acute effects on the vascular endothelium and hemodynamic profile of healthy young short-term smokers. Changes are also observed, although to a lesser extent, in passive smokers.

Introduction : Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. It is known to have a reduced incidence in premenopausal women compared to the opposite sex. This appears to be related to the female hormones and their fluctuation throughout the menstrual cycle. Objectives : To evaluate and correlate behavior patterns of cerebral dynamics and arterial reactivity throughout the menstrual cycle and to identify possible differences caused by the use of oral contraceptives (OC). Methods : The sample consisted of 21 healthy, eumenorrheic and non-smoking young womens, belonging to the 18-21 age group. There were two distinct groups: 11 in the group without oral contraceptive (SCO) and 10 in the oral contraceptive group (CCO). Both groups performed an evaluation in the menstrual phase (MP), from the 1st to the 4th day, and in the ovulatory phase (OP), from the 12th to the 16th day. The third evaluation was performed in the late luteal phase (LLP) from the 26th to the 30th day, in the SCO group and in the OC pause, from the 21st to the 28th day, in the CCO group. Four noninvasive procedures were performed: blood pressure measurement, axillary temperature, carotid and right brachial artery sonography. Results : There were no statistically significant differences in carotid parameters, however, there were variations in the velocity of the systolic peak (VPS) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) and the ICA resistance index (IR), throughout the cycle. The SCO group showed a significant increase in FMD from MF to OF (p = 0.023), decreasing in LL (p = 0.012). The CCO group demonstrated a relative stabilization of FMD values. In OP, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups in relation to the FMD value (p = 0.040). Conclusions : Cyclic fluctuations of estrogen appear to influence cerebral vascular impedance and arterial reactivity but in different proportions. In conclusion, this study supports the idea of standardizing the timing of vascular testing in a premenopausal woman.

752891, GEMiNI to CSM), Fundac¸ a˜ o para a Cieˆ ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) (PTDC/ BIA-COM/0151/2020, iNOVA4Health (UIDB/04462/2020 and UIDP/04462/2020), and LS4FUTURE (LA/P/ 0087/2020) to CSM). AM was supported by a doctoral fellowship from FCT (PD/BD/128445/2017). ASR and MK were partially supported by grant UID/BIM/0009/2020 for the Research Center for Toxicogenomics and Human Health - (ToxOmics) from FCT, Portugal. Adequate alternatives to conventional animal testing are needed to study developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Here, we used kinematic analysis to assess DNT of known (toluene (TOL) and chlorpyrifos (CPS)) and putative (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)) neurotoxic compounds. Drosophila melanogaster was exposed to these compounds during development and evaluated for survival and adult kinematic parameters using the FlyWalker system, a kinematics evaluation method. At concentrations that do not induce general toxicity, the solvent DMSO had a significant effect on kinematic parameters. Moreover, while TOL did not significantly induce lethality or kinematic dysfunction, CPS not only induced developmental lethality but also significantly impaired coordination in comparison to DMSO. Interestingly, BMAA, which was not lethal during development, induced motor decay in young adult animals, phenotypically resembling aged flies, an effect later attenuated upon aging. Furthermore, BMAA induced abnormal development of leg motor neuron projections. Our results suggest that our kinematic approach can assess potential DNT of chemical compounds. publishersversion published

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)., In 2019, a new virus, SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 disease, was discovered. Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients were forced to quarantine and closely monitor their symptoms and vital signs, most of the time at home. This paper describes e-CoVig, a novel mHealth application, developed as an alternative to the current monitoring paradigm, where the patients are followed up by direct phone contact. The e-CoVig provides a set of functionalities for remote reporting of symptoms, vital signs, and other clinical information to the health services taking care of these patients. The application is designed to register and transmit the heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), body temperature, respiration, and cough. The system features a mobile application, a web/cloud platform, and a low-cost specific device to acquire the temperature and SpO2. The architecture of the system is flexible and can be configured for different operation conditions. Current commercial devices, such as oximeters and thermometers, can also be used and read using the optical character recognition (OCR) functionality of the system. The data acquired at the mobile application are sent automatically to the web/cloud application and made available in real-time to the medical staff, enabling the follow-up of several users simultaneously without the need for time consuming phone call interactions. The system was already tested for its feasibility and a preliminary deployment was performed on a nursing home showing promising results., This work was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) under the grants e-CoVig—Project 255_596880547, and LARSyS—Project UIDB/50009/2020, by FCT/MCTES through national funds and, when applicable, co-funded EU funds under the grant NICE-HOME—Project UIDB/50008/2020, and by the IT—Instituto de Telecomunicações under grant BI/No. 13—19 May 2020 “AIMHealth”, which is gratefully acknowledged.

Background Epicardial fat (EF) thickness is a marker of visceral adiposity and consequently considered an important predictive marker of cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Objective To describe echocardiographic features of the heart in an elderly population and to study the correlation between EF thickness and clinical and anthropometric variables. Methods A sample of 34 individuals (25 women) aged between 65 and 92 years, who attended a private institution in the central region of Continental Portugal, was analyzed. A standardized sociodemographic questionnaire was applied, and anthropometric assessment, echocardiography and blood pressure measurement were performed in all subjects. A correlational analysis of EF thickness with anthropometric and clinical parameters was performed. The association between variables was tested by Pearson's correlation and point-biserial correlation. A value of p < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant. Results EF thickness was higher in males (6.0 ± 1.4 mm vs 5.2 ± 0.9 mm in females), and ranged from 4 to 9 mm. There were statistically significant correlations between EF thickness and weight (r = 0.4; p = 0.02), body surface area (r = 0.4; p = 0.02), lean mass (r = 0.4; p = 0.03), calf circumference (r = 0.5; p = 0.01) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (r = 0.3; p = 0.04). Conclusion EF thickness was higher in males and was significantly correlated with anthropometric parameters of adiposity and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0