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Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is generating an increasing amount of evidence in Mozambique, where implementation of a wide range of public health policies and interventions, and innovative technologies and solutions, is underway. We used qualitative methods to explore the relationship between HPSR and policy development and implementation in Mozambique. We conducted a literature review and in-depth interviews with researchers, experts, and policy makers. Through our analysis, we assessed barriers to the use of research evidence in the development and implementation of national health policies and identified potential opportunities to improve evidence use in this context.We found an increasing number of research institutions producing solid scientific evidence in the country, with activities in health in general and health systems specifically. There is also a growing trend for decision makers and policy makers to use the results of research during the design, formulation, and implementation of health policies. Most HPSR conducted in Mozambique is funded by international donors and focused on research questions of international interest. Therefore, research generated in Mozambique does not always address questions that are relevant to the local health system development agenda.While Mozambique has a lot of "gray literature" outlets, few of its publications support the translation of research evidence into policy. Much of the evidence generated in country is disseminated through project reports and briefings, not peer-reviewed literature. Furthermore, when the research evidence generated is not locally relevant, results may be published only in English and in scientific articles, instead of in formats useful to Mozambican policy makers-to the detriment of national-level understanding and use. We recommend that research institutions and policy makers in Mozambique collaborate on developing a platform that consolidates HPSR, making it more accessible and useful to policy makers.

The Euphobia milii var. hislopii latex has been tested in the control of schistosomiasis but its action in the locomotor activity of Biomphalaria glabrata is unknown. The objective of this work was to study the locomotor and reproductive behaviors of B. glabrata exposed to E. milii var. hislopii latex. For this, 96 snails were individually exposed to the latex (LC50 - 0.53 mg / L) for 24 hours. The specimens were submitted to biomonitoring for image analysis to record the locomotor parameters at different times: before exposure (control), one day post exposure (group 1 d-p-e) and 30 days post exposure (group 30 d-p-e). The reproductive parameters were recorded weekly for 10 weeks. All locomotor activities of group 1 d-p-e decreased significantly. The egg/egg mass ratio decreased the week after exposure while there was an increase in the hatching rate. After 30 days, these reproductive parameters were similar to those observed in these same snails before exposure. However, the number of hatched snails declined after exposure until the end of the experiment. The influence of the latex in the parameters of B. glabrata added further evidence that this natural water-soluble product can be an important tool for the control of schistosomiasis.

The infection and development of a parasite may cause physiological, morphological and behavioral changes in its host. Changes in the locomotory activity of a host induced by their parasites may also influence the life-cycles of both host and parasite in the environment. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the locomotory activities of Biomphalaria glabrata before and after an experimental infection with Schistosoma mansoni relating to the shedding of cercaria. In addition, the reproductive parameters of infected B. glabrata were analyzed during the prepatent and patent periods of the infection. The locomotory activity was recorded using an image analysis biomonitoring system based on a Videomex V ® . Five parameters were analyzed: ‘Distance traveled’, ‘Ambulatory time’, ‘Stereotypic time’, ‘Resting time’ and ‘Average speed’. The number of shed cercariae was counted twice at 45 and 52 days post-infection. The reproductive parameters of infected B. glabrata analyzed were the numbers of egg masses, eggs and hatched snails. All statistical analyses were performed using the R program. Of the 69 snails infected with S. mansoni , 33 (47.8%) shed cercariae (‘positive’) and 36 (52.2%) (‘exposed’) failed to exhibit any cercarial shedding prior to the end of the experiment. The locomotory activity of the all snails increased significantly after infection with S. mansoni . However, when the ‘positive’ and ‘exposed’ snails were compared, the former, shedding cercariae, were less motile. With regard to reproduction, 84.8% (28/33) of the ‘positive’ and 27.7% (10/36) of the ‘exposed’ snails failed to lay egg masses during patent period. The number of cercariae individually shed by each ‘positive’ snail presented a positive relation with ‘Stereotypic time’ and a negative relation with egg laying. Our findingshighlight the way in which infection with S. mansoni affects the locomotory and the reproductive behavior of B. glabrata . The number of cercariae shed is directly associated with the reduction/interruption in egg-laying and with an increase in random movement.

Submitted by Celso Magalhaes (celsomagalhaes@ufrrj.br) on 2020-02-14T12:29:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Anna Carla Alberto da Silva.pdf: 1939289 bytes, checksum: 3f34a8e536ed82071a8edd7dbcd7aac3 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2020-02-14T12:29:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Anna Carla Alberto da Silva.pdf: 1939289 bytes, checksum: 3f34a8e536ed82071a8edd7dbcd7aac3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-03 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico - CNPQ The effects of infection by parasites and action of the pollutants in freshwater mollusks have a direct influence on their behaviour, as the locomotor and reproductive, that can be used as stress and quality of water biomarkers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the locomotor and reproductive activities of Biomphalaria glabrata, the main intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni in Brazil on two different conditions of stress: a parasitic infection by S. mansoni and under the action of a molluscicide, the latex of Euphorbia milii var. hislopii. These stress factors were evaluated separately in B. glabrata on locomotor parameters using image analysis biomonitoring system Videomex V? and reproductive, analyzing fertility and hatchability. To assess the locomotor activity five parameters were analyzing: ?Distance travelled?, ?Ambulatory time?, ?Stereotypic time?, ?Resting time? and ?Average speed'. The infection was observed at two different times: before and after the infection; the exposition to sublethal latex concentration (LC50 - 0.53 mg/L) was observed at three different times: before exposure (control group) 1 day after exposure (group 1 d.p.e.) and 30 days after exposure (group 30 d.p.e.). The reproductive parameters analyzed of the B. glabrata were the number of egg masses, eggs and number of snails hatched. All statistical analyzes were performed using the program R. From snails infected with S. mansoni, 47.8% shed cercariae (positive snails) and 52.2% (exposed snails) did not shed it. The locomotor activity of all mollusks increased significantly after infection with S. mansoni. However, the positive snails were slower than exposed snails. In relation of the reproduction, 84.8% of positive snails reduced the number of eggs masses during the patent period. The number of cercariae shed by individual snails showed a positive relation with the Stereotypical time and a negative relation with the number of eggs. The effects of exposure to E. milii var. hislopii latex in B. glabrata decreased significantly (p-value

Dissertação de mestrado em Qualidade Alimentar e Saúde, apresentada à Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, 2019. As proteínas são nutrientes indispensáveis à saúde humana, constituídas por aminoácidos (AA) ligados por ligações peptídicas. Nutricionalmente, os AA podem classificar-se em AA essenciais, não essenciais e condicionalmente essenciais. A amostragem foi realizada no âmbito do estudo da dieta total realizado em Portugal, Total Diet Study. Desta foram processadas 648 amostras, escolhidas por representar os grupos de alimentos considerados como fornecedores de proteína da população portuguesa. A amostragem foi dividida em seis matrizes alimentares: produtos lácteos, ovos e produtos à base de ovos, peixes e produtos à base de peixes, carnes e produtos à base de carnes, leguminosas e produtos para dietas não convencionais. Foi determinado o teor proteico, pelo método de Kjeldhal, e o perfil de aminoácidos totais por cromatografia líquida de ultra eficiência (UPLC). Foi ainda avaliada a qualidade proteica, através do score de aminoácidos e do PDCAAS, e determinada a percentagem de ingestão diária recomendada (%RI) em aminoácidos essenciais por porção das seis matrizes na população portuguesa dos 20 aos 84 anos. A proteína total das matrizes variou de 2,79 g/100 g nos iogurtes a 33,4 g/100 g no seitan. No que diz respeito aos AA essenciais é a histidina que apresenta as maiores variações, de 2160 a 52,4 mg/100 g no atum de conserva e nas ervilhas, respetivamente. O ácido glutâmico é o AA com maior concentração em todas as amostras analisadas. Os grupos correspondentes aos produtos lácteos e aos ovos são os únicos que não apresentam nenhum AA como limitante. Relativamente à %RI, a carne vermelha, a carne branca, o peixe gordo e o seitan foram os que obtiveram um maior aporte na maioria dos AA essenciais. Assim, a população ao consumir regularmente as porções diárias recomendadas dos alimentos contidos nestes grupos, consegue suprir as necessidades proteicas diárias. Proteins are indispensable nutrients for human health, constituted by amino acids (AA) linked by peptide bounds. Nutritionally, AA can be classified into essential, nonessential and conditionally essential AAs. Sampling was performed as part of the study of the total diet carried out in Portugal, Total Diet Study. Of this, 648 samples were processed, chosen for representing the food groups considered as suppliers of protein of the Portuguese population. Sampling was divided into six food matrices: dairy products, eggs and egg products, fish and fish products, meat and meat products, legumes and products for nonstandard diets. Protein content was determined by the Kjeldhal method and the total amino acid profile by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The protein quality was also evaluated through the amino acid score and the PDCAAS and the percentage of recommended daily intake (%RI) in essential amino acids for portion of the six matrices in the Portuguese population, from 20 to 84 years old, was determined. Total protein ranges from 2.79 g/100 g in yoghurts to 33.4 g/100 g in seitan. Regarding essential AA, histidine exhibits the greatest variations, from 2160 to 52.4 mg/100 g in canned tuna and peas, respectively. Glutamic acid is the AA with highest concentration in all analyzed samples. The groups corresponding to dairy products and eggs are the only ones that do not present any limiting AA. In relation to the %RI red meat, white meat, fat fish and seitan were the ones that obtained a greater contribution in the majority of essential AA. Thus, the population, by regularly consuming the recommended daily portion of the foods contained in these groups, is able to supply daily protein requirements. N/A