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Abstract The ultimate aim of fluorescence microscopy is to achieve high-resolution imaging of increasingly larger biological samples. Extended depth of field presents a potential solution to accelerate imaging of large samples when compression of information along the optical axis is not detrimental to the interpretation of images. We have implemented an extended depth of field (EDF) approach in a random illumination microscope (RIM). RIM uses multiple speckled illuminations and variance data processing to double the resolution. It is particularly adapted to the imaging of thick samples as it does not require the knowledge of illumination patterns. We demonstrate highly-resolved projective images of biological tissues and cells. Compared to a sequential scan of the imaged volume with conventional 2D-RIM, EDF-RIM allows an order of magnitude improvement in speed and light dose reduction, with comparable resolution. As the axial information is lost in an EDF modality, we propose a method to retrieve the sample topography for samples that are organized in cell sheets.

Abstract Background Exposure to high levels of environmental air pollution causes several health outcomes and has been associated with increased mortality, premature mortality, and morbidity. Ambient exposure to PM2.5 is currently considered the leading environmental risk factor globally. A causal relationship between exposure to PM2.5 and the contribution of this exposure to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was already demonstrated by the American Heart Association. Methods To estimate the burden of mortality attributable to environmental risk factors, a comparative risk assessment was performed, considering a “top-down” approach. This approach uses an existing estimate of mortality of the disease endpoint by all causes as a starting point. A population attributable fraction was calculated for the exposure to PM2.5the overall burden of IHD and stroke was multiplied by the PAF to determine the burden attributable to this risk factor. The avoidable burden was calculated using the potential impact fraction (PIF) and considering the WHO-AQG 2021 as an alternative scenario. Results Between 2011 and 2021, the ambient exposure to PM2.5 resulted in a total of 288,862.7 IHD YLL and a total of 420,432.3 stroke YLL in Portugal. This study found a decreasing trend in the mortality burden attributable to PM2.5 exposure, for both males and females and different age-groups. For different regions of Portugal, the same trend was observed in the last years. The mortality burden attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5 was mainly concentrated in Lisbon Metropolitan Area, North and Centre. Changes in the exposure limits to the WHO recommended value of exposure (WHO-AQG 2021) have a reduction in the mortality burden due to IHD and stroke attributable to PM2.5 exposure, in Portugal. Conclusion Between 2011 and 2021, approximately 22% and 23% of IHD and stroke deaths were attributable to PM2.5 exposure. Nevertheless, the mortality burden attributable to cardiovascular diseases has been decreasing in last years in Portugal. Our findings provide evidence of the impact of air pollution on human health, which are crucial for decision-making, at the national and regional level.

Camelids produce a special type of antibody, known as VHHs, that has lost the VL domain, providing a more optimised VH domain. This particular highly stable antibody domain has interesting properties for biotechnological development. Ordinarily, those molecules possess only one disulphide bridge, but surprisingly, at least a quarter of these VHHs have a second one. Curiously, this does not seem to be essential for the stability and the function of this domain. In an attempt to characterise precisely the role and impact of this disulphide bridge at the molecular level, several in silico mutants of a VHH were created to disrupt this second disulphide bridge and those systems were submitted to molecular dynamics simulation. The loss of the second disulphide bridge leads to an increase in the flexibility of CDR1 and CDR3 and an unexpected rigidification of CDR2. Local conformational analysis shows local differences in the observed protein conformations. However, in fact, there is no exploration of new conformations but a change in the equilibrium between the different observed conformations. This explains why the interaction of VHHs is not really affected by the presence or absence of this second bridge, but their rigidity is slightly reduced. Therefore, the additional disulphide bridge does not seem to be an essential part of VHHs function.

Introduction: Breast cancer represents the most prevalent malignancy among women. Recent advancements in translational research have focused on the identification of novel biomarkers capable of providing valuable insights into patient outcomes. Furthermore, comprehensive investigations aimed at discovering novel miRNAs, unraveling their biological functions, and deciphering their target genes have significantly contributed to our understanding of the roles miRNAs play in tumorigenesis. Consequently, these investigations have facilitated the way for the development of miRNA-based approaches for breast cancer prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment. However, conducting a more extensive array of studies, particularly among diverse ethnic groups, is imperative to expand the scope of research and validate the significance of miRNAs. This study aimed to assess the expression patterns of circulating miRNAs in plasma as a prospective biomarker for breast cancer patients within a population primarily consisting of individuals from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.Methods: We evaluated 49 patients with breast cancer compared to 44 healthy women.Results and discussion: All miRNAs analyzed in the plasma of patients with breast cancer were downregulated. ROC curve analysis of miR-21 (AUC = 0.798, 95% CI: 0.682–0.914, p

Abstract Purpose Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for several diseases. The relationship between metabolic syndrome and hypogonadism is well known. Our objetive is to assess whether a low carbohydrate diet can increase total serum testosterone and improve erectile function in hypogonadal men with metabolic syndrome. Methods An open label randomized clinical trial was conducted comparing a low carbohydrate diet and controls, during three months, in hypogonadal men with metabolic syndrome. Anthropometric measurements were evaluated as well as total serum testosterone levels, and symptoms of hypogonadism, using the ADAM and AMS scores, and sexual function using IIEF-5 score. Results Eighteen men were evaluated. Anthropometric measures were improved only in low carbohydrate diet group. The intervention group also had a statistically increase in IIEF-5 score and a significant reduction in AMS and ADAM scores (p

Resumo O artigo discute resultados de uma pesquisa de campo sobre a transmissão geracional na segunda geração de imigrantes brasileiros em Portugal. Objetiva compreender a construção do duplo pertencimento cultural de filhos de casais luso-brasileiros em Portugal. Realizou-se uma pesquisa qualitativa na qual foram entrevistados doze participantes entre os 18 e os 31 anos de idade. Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com o método de análise de conteúdo, vertente temático-categorial e discutidos a partir do referencial teórico da Psicanálise e das Ciências Sociais. Discutimos as categorias duplo pertencimento cultural e vínculos com as famílias de origem. Concluímos que a dinâmica familiar privilegiou a biculturalidade, ancorada na identificação com os aspectos considerados positivados de ambas as culturas. Os vínculos com as famílias de origem brasileiras foram mais investidos na esfera privada, como forma de proteção contra a estigmatização.

Resumo Este artigo aborda o processo de transformação espacial vivido pela cidade de Manaus a partir da segunda metade do século XIX, em sua aspiração à modernidade, primeiro impulsionada pela elevação do Amazonas à categoria de província, da qual Manaus era agora capital, depois pela prosperidade decorrente do comércio da borracha amazônica. Aqui, estas transformações têm como foco o espaço cemiterial, inserindo-se num quadro maior de mudanças vivido em todo o país, com a difusão de preceitos médico-sanitaristas que defendiam medidas de controle visando à salubridade do espaço urbano, discurso alinhado com reformas urbanas em consolidação na Europa, mostrando a busca pela adequação ao que se acreditava ser o caminho do progresso.

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is a preventable disease, but it is a major public health problem despite having a good prognosis when diagnosed early. Although the Pap smear has led to huge drops in rates of cervical cancer and death from the disease, it has some limitations, making new approaches necessary for early diagnosis and biomarkers discovery. MiRNAs have been considered a new class of non-invasive biomarkers and may have great clinical value for screening early-stage cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Well-designed studies have emerged as a necessary strategy for the identification of miRNAs that could be used safely and reliably for a differential diagnosis. This review aims to provide an up-to-date perspective on the assessment of circulating miRNA expression from precursor lesions to cervical cancer, identifying circulating miRNAs or specific miRNA signatures that can be used as potential biomarkers of different stages of cervical carcinogenesis. Methods A systematic review was performed and searches were conducted in the PubMed, LILACS, and Scopus electronic databases. Results Most studies involved Chinese ethnic women and searched for circulating miRNAs in serum samples. Thirty three microRNAs were evaluated in the eligible studies and 17 (miR-196a, miR-16-2, miR-497, miR-1290, miR-425-5p, hsa-miR- 92a, miR-1266, miR-9, miR-192, miR-205, miR-21, miR-152, miR-15b, miR-34a, miR-218, miR-199a-5p and miR-155-5p) showed up-regulation in women with precursor lesion and cervical cancer and 16 microRNAs showed decreased expression in these same groups of women compared to healthy controls (miR-195, miR-2861, miR-145, miR-214, miR-34a, miR-200a, let-7d-3p, miR-30d-5p, miR-638, miR-203a-3p, miR-1914-5p, miR-521, miR-125b, miR-370, miR-218 and miR-100). Conclusion Therefore, defining promising circulating miRNAs or specific miRNA signatures of biological fluid samples can be useful for the screening, diagnosis, prognosis and clinical monitoring of women undergoing cervical carcinogenesis, but greater standardization of studies seems to be necessary for greater consolidation of information.

Background Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and incapacity in the world. The benefits of reperfusion therapies and hospitalization in neurologic intensive care units (ICUs) are undeniable. However, these treatments are not widely available in a continental-sized country like Brazil.

Background: There are no data on lung function reference values for Portuguese children, and the contribution from the Portuguese data set in the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) is scant. Objectives: We aimed to estimate new up-to-date reference values for Portuguese children by fitting a multivariable regression model to a general population sample. Further, we intended to assess the external validity of the obtained reference values and to compare them to the GLI reference values. Methods: A random sample of 858 children from 20 primary schools were screened by health questionnaire, physical examination, and spirometry. Spirometric parameters recorded were FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75. Multiple regression models were used to derive reference equations. Results: Overall, 481 children, aged between 7 and 12 years, 267 boys (55.5%), were included. Boys had higher values for FVC and FEV1 than girls (P < .05). The strongest correlation was found for FVC with height (r = 0.71 for boys and 0.70 for girls), while the lowest correlation was observed in both sexes for FEF25-75 with age (r = 0.23). Height was the most significant predictor of FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75 in our models. Weight and body mass index were not significant predictors for boys but had a significant effect on girls’ equations for all spirometry parameters. Compared to obtained reference equations with GLI, they performed better for FVC in boys, FEV1 in girls, and FEF25-75 in both boys and girls. Conclusion: We offer up-to-date reference values of spirometry for Portuguese children that can be used in clinical practice and research.

O emprego de metodologias ativas no ensino superior na área de saúde possibilita que os estudantes alcancem maior protagonismo no desenvolvimento de ações em saúde. Nesse contexto, este estudo objetivou relatar a experiência do uso da metodologia da Problematização com apoio do Arco de Maguerez no curso de graduação em Enfermagem. A experiência se deu com 12 alunos de uma instituição de ensino superior pública. No retorno às aulas presenciais, foram realizadas as cinco etapas do Arco de Maguerez: 1. Observação da realidade; 2. Pontos-chave; 3. Teorização; 4. Hipóteses de solução; 5. Aplicação à realidade. A vivência resultou no desenvolvimento de uma ação educativa intitulada “Desatando nós”. Tal ação educativa focou na integralidade da assistência e agregou a todos envolvidos conhecimentos de métodos alternativos para a promoção e para a prevenção de agravos da saúde mental e física por meio do uso dos óleos essenciais e da massagem relaxante.

A discussão sobre a comercialização de alimentos orgânicos é atual e deve ser considerada para que a sociedade avance no tema da alimentação saudável. O estímulo ao desenvolvimento de serviços territoriais sustentáveis contribui para o enriquecimento de pequenos e microempreendedores, e para o engajamento entre as partes envolvidas. O presente artigo aborda questões relacionadas ao crescimento de serviços de entrega em consequência da crise sanitária do COVID-19, assuntos direcionados ao consumo consciente e como o design pode auxiliar na transformação de sistemas colaborativos. A pesquisa adota a abordagem do Design Thinking como metodologia de pesquisa. A partir de insights retirados da fase de imersão do estudo, os autores apresentam uma proposta de plataforma pautada em sistemas participativos para promover a comercialização de alimentos orgânicos, vislumbrando, assim, uma mudança de comportamento em direção a preservação do meio ambiente e o bem-estar social. Para pesquisas futuras é sugerida a validação do sistema proposto através de uma plataforma digital, e o desenvolvimento de estudos que investigam possíveis motivações para a prática de consumo consciente.

A pandemia afetou o modo e a substância da campanha oficial para as eleições presidenciais portuguesas de 2021 e obrigou a um ajustamento das ações planeadas, subtraindo mobilidade, mobilização e rua aos/às candidatos/as. Mais profundamente, favoreceu a fermentação de discursos populistas e a radicalização do debate. Estas circunstâncias tornaram a disputa única na história da democracia portuguesa contemporânea. Um dos temas menos explorados nos estudos sobre o populismo é a questão de género e o lugar da mulher na sociedade globalizada. Neste quadro, propomo-nos analisar a cobertura conferida às presidenciais nos jornais televisivos da noite da RTP1, SIC, TVI e CMTV, durante o período da campanha eleitoral, tendo como objeto central as duas candidatas mulheres, Ana Gomes e Marisa Matias.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender como as atividades contextualizadas, por meio da educação pela pesquisa podem contribuir para a aprendizagem dos estudantes no ensino da Matemática. Participaram da pesquisa 26 estudantes do 8º ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola privada da cidade de Porto Alegre no Rio Grande do Sul. Para coleta de dados, foram utilizados como instrumentos: questionários respondidos pelos estudantes. As respostas dadas pelos estudantes foram analisadas através de método qualitativo, por meio de Análise Textual Discursiva, relacionando categorias à priori e subcategorias emergentes. A análise dos dados teve três categorias à priori, dentre elas: questionamento reconstrutivo, pesquisa de atitude cotidiana e formação da competência. A partir dessas categorias, foi possível descrever a análise dos dados coletados, emergindo, assim, em subcategorias. Dessa forma, pôde-se concluir que os estudantes encontram dificuldades na resolução de atividades contextualizadas, embora se confirme, por meio desse estudo, que a pesquisa na web facilita a aprendizagem, os alunos não conseguem identificar os conhecimentos Matemáticos utilizados nesse tipo de tarefa.

There is a strong demand for plant-based milk substitutes, often low in protein content (

The present study investigated the potential toxicity of venomous secretions of two polychaetes, Hediste diversicolor and Glycera alba (Annelida: Phyllodocida). Toxic activity of putative toxins, measured on mussel gills through the Comet assay, revealed higher effects caused by extracts from H. diversicolor skin and G. alba specialised, jawed proboscis, when compared to control. The results suggest that H. diversicolor secretes toxins via skin for protection against predators, contrarily to G. alba, who secretes toxins for predation.

Heart failure (HF) is a multifactorial chronic syndrome with progressive increasing incidence causing a huge financial burden worldwide.Remote monitoring should, in theory, improve HF management, but given increasing morbidity and mortality, a question remains: are we monitoring it properly?Device-based home monitoring enables objective and continuous measurement of vital variables and non-invasive devices should be first choice for elderly patients. There is no shortage of literature on the subject, however, most studies were designed to monitor a single variable or class of variables that were not properly assembled and, to the best of our knowledge, there are no large randomized studies about their impact on HF patient management. To overcome this problem, we carefully selected the most critical possible HF decompensating factors to design MONITORIA, a non-invasive device for comprehensive HF home monitoring.MONITORIA stands for MOnitoring Non-Invasively To Overcome mortality Rates of heart Insufficiency on Ambulatory, and in this paper, which is part I of a series of three articles, we discuss the theoretical basis for its design.MONITORIA and its inherent follow-up strategy will optimize HF patient care as it is a promising device, which will essentially adapt innovation not to the disease but rather to the patients. Resumo: A insuficiência cardíaca (IC) é uma síndrome crónica multifatorial com incidência progressivamente crescente e grande impacto financeiro a nível mundial.Teorizou-se que a telemonitorização contribuiria para uma melhor abordagem da IC. Contudo, face à crescente morbimortalidade desta síndrome, é pertinente colocar uma questão: será que estamos a monitorizar a IC adequadamente? A monitorização ambulatória, por meio de dispositivos, permite uma avaliação objetiva e contínua de diversos parâmetros vitais, sendo preferíveis os dispositivos não invasivos no caso dos pacientes idosos.Na literatura abundam artigos sobre estes dispositivos. Contudo, a maioria foi desenhada para monitorizar uma única variável ou uma classe de variáveis incorretamente reunidas. Além disso, até à data, não temos conhecimento de ensaios clínicos randomizados e controlados com intuito de avaliar o impacto destes dispositivos na abordagem da IC e seus outcomes. No sentido de tentar ultrapassar este problema, nós selecionamos cuidadosamente os fatores mais críticos nas exacerbações de IC, para desenhar o Monitoria, um dispositivo não invasivo para monitorização abrangente da IC em ambulatório.Monitoria significa MOnitoring Non-Invasively To Overcome mortality Rates of heart Insufficiency on Ambulatory e neste artigo, que é a parte I de uma série de três artigos, nós pretendemos discutir os fundamentos teóricos que estiveram na base do seu desenho.O Monitoria e a estratégia de follow-up que lhe é inerente aprimorará a abordagem do doente com IC, sendo um dispositivo promissor, essencialmente, por implicar um ajuste da inovação ao doente real, e não à sua doença ou a um conceito teórico de doente.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) represents a huge financial and economic burden worldwide. Some authors advocate that remote monitoring should be implemented to improve HF management, but given its increasing incidence, as well as its morbidity and mortality, a question still remains: are we monitoring it properly? There is no shortage of literature on home monitoring devices, however, most of them are designed to monitor an unsuitable array of variables and, to the best of our knowledge, there are no large randomized studies about their impact on morbidity/mortality of HF patients. Objective: Description of a novel monitoring device. Methods: As a solution, we designed MONITORIA (MOnitoring NonInvasively To Overcome mortality Rates of heart Insufficiency on Ambulatory). Results: This is a multimodal device that will provide real time monitoring of vital, electrophysiological, hemodynamic and chemical signs, transthoracic impedance, and physical activity levels. The device is meant to perform continuous analysis and transmission of all data. Significant alterations in a patient's variable will alert the attending physician and, in case of potentially life-threatening situations, the national emergency medical system. The MONITORIA device will, also, have a function that sends shocks or functions as a pacemaker to treat certain arrhythmias/blockades. This function can be activated the very first time the patient utilizes it, based on their risk of sudden cardiac death. Discussion/Conclusions: MONITORIA is a promising device mostly because it is included in a follow-up program that takes into account a multi-perspective feature of HF development and is based on the real world patient, adapting innovations not to the disease but rather to the patients. Resumo: Introdução: A insuficiência cardíaca (IC) acarreta sobrecarga económico-financeira, mundialmente, e alguns autores advogam a implantação de telemonitorização no acompanhamento desta doença. Contudo, tendo em conta a crescente incidência e morbimortalidade, impõe-se uma questão: estaremos nós a monitorar corretamente a IC? A literatura é profícua em dispositivos de monitoração ambulatória. Todavia, a maioria assenta numa matriz inadequada de variáveis e, até agora, ainda não foram conduzidos grandes ensaios clínicos randomizados e controlados acerca do seu impacto na morbimortalidade dos doentes com IC. Objectivo: Descrição de um novo dispositivo de monitoração. Métodos: Deste modo, nós desenhamos o MONITORIA (MOnitoring NonInvasively To Overcome mortality Rates of heart Insufficiency on Ambulatory) por forma a colmatar esta lacuna. Resultados: O MONITORIA é um dispositivo multimodal que permitirá a monitoração em tempo real de variáveis vitais, eletrofisiológicas, hemodinâmicas e químicas, impedância transtorácica e níveis de actividade física. O dispositivo está programado para realizar análise e transmissão contínuas. Face a alterações significativas numa determinada variável, o sistema emitirá um alerta para o médico responsável e, caso se trate de uma situação de perigo de vida, para o instituto nacional de emergência médica (INEM). Num futuro próximo, o MONITORIA disporá também de desfibrilhador/pacemaker para tratamento de certas arritmias/bloqueios. Esta propriedade poderá ser ativada quando da sua primeira utilização, em função do risco de morte súbita. Discussão/conclusão: Trata-se de um dispositivo promissor sobretudo porque se insere num programa de follow-up que tem em consideração uma perspetiva multifacetada do desenvolvimento da IC e se baseia no doente real, adaptando a inovação ao doente em detrimento da doença.

Abstract Leaf litter habitats shelter a great variety of organisms, which play an important role in ecosystem dynamics. However, monitoring species in leaf litter is challenging, especially in highly diverse environments such as tropical forests, because individuals may easily camouflage themselves or hide in the litter layer. Identifying species based on environmental DNA (eDNA) would allow us to assess biodiversity in this microhabitat, without the need for direct observation of individuals. We applied eDNA metabarcoding to analyze large amounts of leaf litter (1 kg per sample) collected in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. We compared two DNA extraction methods, one total and one extracellular, and amplified a fragment of the mitochondrial 18S rRNA gene common to all eukaryotes, to assess the performance of eDNA from leaf litter samples in identifying different eukaryotic taxonomic groups. We also amplified two fragments of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene to specifically test the power of this approach for monitoring vertebrate species, with a focus on anurans. Most of the eukaryote sequence reads obtained were classified as Fungi, followed by Metazoa, and Viridiplantae. Most vertebrate sequences were assigned to Homo sapiens; only two sequences assigned to the genus Phyllomedusa and the species Euparkerella brasiliensis can be considered true detections of anurans in our eDNA samples. The detection of taxa varied depending on the DNA extraction method applied. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of eDNA from leaf litter samples has low power for monitoring vertebrate species and should be preferentially applied to describe active and abundant taxa in terrestrial communities, such as Fungi and invertebrates.

A paisagem contemporânea, caracterizada pelo habitat humano natural e urbano, apresenta um panorama plural de ideias e práticas. Nesse contexto, a arquitetura da paisagem aparece como atividade proeminente de projeto, evidenciando espaços livres e verdes. Entende-se que há reequilíbrios entre noções de proteção e de consumo configurando a paisagem contemporânea e, diante disso, este artigo investiga se a relação entre dois importantes fundamentos, estética e ecologia, permanece polarizada. Assim, utiliza-se do processo de busca sistemática para abordar a teoria da arquitetura da paisagem contemporânea, delineando um portfólio de artigos provenientes de dois relevantes periódicos da área, a partir de palavras-chave, para discutir os limites do campo disciplinar da arquitetura da paisagem explorando natureza, escala e impacto da profissão, bem como a inserção de novos paradigmas. Destaca-se a elasticidade entre planejamento e projeto da paisagem, que elabora continuidades e mudanças teóricas e, ainda, propicia encontros colaborativos, como a estética ecológica e projeto (ou design) ecológico.

O presente trabalho é o resultado da pesquisa desenvolvida no âmbito do estágio profissionalizante do mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, que foi realizado na Escola Superior de Educação Paula Frassineti (Porto). Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo perceber de que modo as crianças desenvolvem as suas capacidades, através das brincadeiras no espaço ao ar livre, bem como compreender de que forma os educadores privilegiam situações e experiências com a natureza, permitindo a exploração livre e conduzida, para promover o desenvolvimento das crianças em vários níveis. O presente estudo é sobre o brincar ao ar livre no jardim de infância, caracterizando-se como uma investigação-ação. Dessa forma, as entrevistas com os educadores de infância, a discussão focada nas crianças, e os registos de observação foram coletados de modo a dar resposta ao estudo. Os dados evidenciam que os profissionais da educação promovem momentos de brincadeira ao ar livre, como um meio essencial de aprendizagem. Da mesma forma, as crianças avaliam brincar ao ar livre como momentos de satisfação, liberdade e partilha.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the expression of a set of miRNAs to identify differentially expressed miRNAs that might be considered reliable biomarkers on Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) blood samples. Results Expression levels of MiR-320a, MiR-342-3p, MiR-155, MiR-99a, MiR-29a and MiR-27b were analyzed in 60 healthy controls, 48 Diabetes Melitus (DM) without DR patients and 62 DR patients by qRT-PCR. MiR-320a was shown to be downregulated in the plasma of DR patients compared with DM patients without DR and healthy subjects. Target genes were predicted using miRWalk3.0, miR targeting data and target gene interaction data were imported to Cytoscape to visualize and merge networks and top ranked predicted genes were run through Ontology Genes to perform enrichment analysis on gene sets and classification system to identify biological processes and reactome pathways associated with DR. Highly scored target genes of miR-320a were categorized for various biological processes, including negative regulation of cell aging, negative regulation of cellular protein metabolic process and regulation of cellular response to stress that are critical to the development of DR. Our findings suggest that MiR-320a may have a role in the pathogenesis of DR and may represent novel biomarkers for this disease.

Trichoderma spp. are usually considered safe and normally used as biocontrol and biofertilization. Safety for human health is evaluated by several tests that detect various effects such as allergenicity, toxicity, infectivity, and pathogenicity. However, they do not evaluate the effects of the agent upon the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between T. stromaticum spores and mammalian cells to assess the immunomodulatory potential of the spores of this fungus. First, mouse macrophage cell line J774 and human macrophages were exposed to fungal spores and analyzed for structural features, through scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Then, various analysis were performed in human macrophages as to their effect in some functional and molecular aspects of the immune system through immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry and gene expression assays. We demonstrated that T. stromaticum spores induces autophagy and autophagy-related genes (ATGs) and downmodulate inflammatory mediators, including ROS, NLRP3, the cytokines IL-1β, IL-18, IL-12 and IL-10, as well as TLR2, TLR4, miR-146b and miR-155, which may lead to an augmented susceptibility to pathogens. Our study shows the extension of damages the biofungicide Tricovab® can cause in the innate immune response. Further studies are necessary to elucidate other innate and adaptive immune responses and, consequently, the safety of this fungus when in contact with humans.

A pandemia de covid-19, declarada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde a 11 de março de 2020, teve um impacto imediato no quotidiano das sociedades globalizadas. No ocidente, a doença desafiou a democracia e as liberdades individuais e cívicas, ao mesmo tempo que demonstrou a centralidade do Estado e dos governos na gestão da crise. Para a concretização das orientações emanadas pelos responsáveis políticos, foram centrais as estratégias e dispositivos comunicacionais de executivos governamentais e autoridades sanitárias, assim como a sua capacidade para influenciar a agenda dos media dominantes. Este artigo objetiva refletir sobre as estratégias de comunicação utilizadas pelo governo português na gestão da crise e os seus reflexos na cobertura jornalística televisiva, analisada a partir de um estudo empírico que incide sobre os 3 primeiros meses da propagação do vírus em Portugal. Utiliza-se uma metodologia de análise de conteúdo, quantitativa e qualitativa, com base em categorias unívocas pré-determinadas sistematizadas no programa Excel. Inicia-se a exposição apresentando alguns elementos de enquadramento político, social e comunicacional que envolvem o desenrolar da pandemia ao longo do ano de 2020, no mundo e em Portugal. Em seguida, sintetizam-se tendências e estratégias de comunicação de organizações internacionais e nacionais. Por fim, os resultados da análise empírica são apresentados, discutidos e interpretados da perspetiva das estratégias de comunicação das instituições de saúde pública sobre a cobertura jornalística da pandemia.

Mycotoxins are natural metabolites produced by fungi that contaminate food and feed worldwide. They can pose a threat to human and animal health, mainly causing chronic effects, e.g., immunotoxic and carcinogenic. Due to climate change, an increase in European population exposure to mycotoxins is expected to occur, raising public health concerns. This urges us to assess the current human exposure to mycotoxins in Europe to allow monitoring exposure and prevent future health impacts. The mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) were considered as priority substances to be studied within the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) to generate knowledge on internal exposure and their potential health impacts. Several policy questions were addressed concerning hazard characterization, exposure and risk assessment. The present article presents the current advances attained under the HBM4EU, research needs and gaps. Overall, the knowledge on the European population risk from exposure to DON was improved by using new harmonised data and a newly derived reference value. In addition, mechanistic information on FB1 was, for the first time, organized into an adverse outcome pathway for a congenital anomaly. It is expected that this knowledge will support policy making and contribute to driving new Human Biomonitoring (HBM) studies on mycotoxin exposure in Europe.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) are widely used, and humans are exposed through food (E171), cosmetics (e.g., toothpaste), and pharmaceuticals. The oral and gastrointestinal (GIT) tract are the first contact sites, but it may be systemically distributed. However, a robust adverse outcome pathway (AOP) has not been developed upon GIT exposure to TiO2-NPs. The aim of this review was to provide an integrative analysis of the published data on cellular and molecular mechanisms triggered after the ingestion of TiO2-NPs, proposing plausible AOPs that may drive policy decisions. A systematic review according to Prisma Methodology was performed in three databases of peer-reviewed literature: Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 787 records were identified, screened in title/abstract, being 185 used for data extraction. The main endpoints identified were oxidative stress, cytotoxicity/apoptosis/cell death, inflammation, cellular and systemic uptake, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. From the results, AOPs were proposed where colorectal cancer, liver injury, reproductive toxicity, cardiac and kidney damage, as well as hematological effects stand out as possible adverse outcomes. The recent transgenerational studies also point to concerns with regard to population effects. Overall, the findings further support a limitation of the use of TiO2-NPs in food, announced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

O ano de 2020 ficará marcado na memória mundial como o ano da pandemia de Covid-19. Embora a doença tenha eclodido na China no final de 2019, a sua propagação foi posterior e veio colocar em causa a sociedade globalizada, com efeitos sociais, políticos e económicos graves, mas ainda a serem determinados em toda a sua extensão. Na cobertura do surto o jornalismo, em crise há algu- mas décadas (Zelizer, 2004; 2009; 2015; 2017), reassumiu um papel central e ad- quiriu um novo vigor, viajando por múltiplos dispositivos e écrans (Deuze, 2019). Em Portugal, num cenário de isolamento, predominantemente familiar, a televisão emergiu como elo social (Wolton, 1994), confirmando que continua ser o médium dominante (ERC, 2016, 2019; OBERCOM, 2018; Statista, 2019). Neste contexto, a nossa homenagem a Nelson Traquina tem como objetivo apresentar, comen- tar e discutir a sua contribuição para o estudo do jornalismo em Portugal a partir da análise da cobertura jornalística televisiva da crise pandémica. Com este fim, recuperámos estudos teóricos sobre as Teorias da Notícia e os estudos empíri- cos sobre o HIV/SIDA realizados pelo autor (por exemplo, Traquina, 1993; 2002; 2004; 2010; Traquina e al., 2001). Elegemos um corpus de análise empírico, com- preendido por blocos de jornais televisivos dos canais generalistas RTP1, SIC e TVI. Utilizamos uma metodologia fundada na construção de uma base de dados em File Maker Pro inspirada nos trabalhos de Traquina sobre o HIV/SIDA. Os re- sultados obtidos, ainda que com caráter exploratório, permitem a discussão das teorias da notícia enquanto construção (Traquina, 1993) e o papel das rotinas na produção da informação televisiva.

O presente estudo, que é parte de uma investigação mais ampla sobre a vergonha e o pudor na intimidade da família, tem como objetivo investigar a percepção do sentimento de vergonha em famílias com filhos adolescentes. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa qualitativa, na qual foram entrevistados oito sujeitos do segmento socioeconômico médio, com filhos com idades entre 12 e 18 anos. Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com o método de análise de conteúdo na sua vertente categorial. Para atingir os objetivos formulados neste trabalho, serão discutidas as categorias: percepção da vergonha atrelada à culpa; identificação da vergonha a partir do olhar do outro; vergonha e imagem social. Constatou-se que a vergonha e a culpa são percebidas como sentimentos indiferenciados. O deflagrar da vergonha emerge a partir do olhar do outro, e o fracasso das expectativas sociais e familiares é determinante para desencadear tal sentimento.

Sickle leg ulcers (SLU) are malleoli lesions with exuberant hemolytic pathophysiology. The microRNAs are potential genetic biomarkers for several pathologies. Thereby, we aimed to assess the expression of circulating miR-199a-5p, miR-144, and miR-126 in association with hemolytic biomarkers in SLU. This cross-sectional study included 69 patients with sickle cell disease, 52 patients without SLU (SLU-) and 17 patients with active SLU or previous history (SLU+). The results demonstrated elevated expression of circulating miR-199a-5p and miR-144 in SLU+ patients while miR-126 expression was reduced. Circulating miR-199a-5p and miR-144 were associated with hemolytic biomarkers such as LDH, indirect bilirubin, AST, GGT, iron, ferritin, RBC, hemoglobin, and NOm, in addition to association with impaired clinical profile of SLU. Furthermore, in silico analyses indicated interactions of miR-199a-5p with HIF1A, Ets-1, and TGFB2 genes, which are associated with vasculopathy and reduced NO. In contrast, miR-126 was associated with an attenuating clinical profile of SLU, in addition to not characterizing hemolysis. In summary, this study demonstrates, for the first time, that hemolytic mechanism in SLU can be characterized by circulating miR-199a-5p and miR-144. The circulating miR-126 may play a protective role in SLU. Thus, these microRNAs can support to establish prognosis and therapeutic strategy in SLU.

Most studies about life experiences and their long-term impact have relied on retrospective assessments and cross-sectional designs. However, there are concerns about the inconsistency of reports, which have been addressed in a limited scope. This study aimed to compare differences on inconsistency between positive and negative experiences to describe potential patterns and to identify sociodemographic, experiences-related and design-related predictors of inconsistency. Adults from community (N = 171) reported their life experiences twice, through self-report or interview. An overall trend of overreporting was found for positive and negative experiences. Additionally, inconsistency on positive experiences was higher than on negative although both variables were correlated. Regarding predictors of inconsistency, the model explained greater variance for negative experiences than for the positive ones. Nevertheless, most variables did not predict inconsistency, with few exceptions: impact for positive experiences, total of experiences for negative experiences, and time interval was marginally significant for both. Available data comparing inconsistency on positive and negative experiences as well as associated predictors are incipient. Overall, it seems that we know more about variables not involved in inconsistency than those that matter. Due to its relevancy, this issue should be further examined.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with a very poor prognosis. Its treatment is hindered by a lack of new therapeutic alternatives and the existence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which restricts the access of drugs commonly used in ALS, such as riluzole, to the brain. To overcome these limitations and increase brain targeting, riluzole-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) were prepared and functionalized with lactoferrin (Lf), facilitating transport across the BBB by interacting with Lf receptors expressed in the brain endothelium. NLC were characterized with respect to their physicochemical properties (size, zeta potential, polydispersity index) as well as their stability, encapsulation efficiency, morphology, in vitro release profile, and biocompatibility. Moreover, crystallinity and melting behavior were assessed by DSC and PXRD. Nanoparticles exhibited initial mean diameters between 180 and 220 nm and a polydispersity index below 0.3, indicating a narrow size distribution. NLC remained stable over at least 3 months. Riluzole encapsulation efficiency was very high, around 94–98%. FTIR and protein quantification studies confirmed the conjugation of Lf on the surface of the nanocarriers, with TEM images showing that the functionalized NLC presented a smooth surface and uniform spherical shape. An MTT assay revealed that the nanocarriers developed in this study did not cause a substantial reduction in the viability of NSC-34 and hCMEC/D3 cells at a riluzole concentration up to 10 μM, being therefore biocompatible. The results suggest that Lf-functionalized NLC are a suitable and promising delivery system to target riluzole to the brain.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the differences between mothers of preterm multiples and mothers of preterm singletons regarding perceived stress and maternal psychological symptoms, and to explore the putative adverse amplified effect of socioeconomic disadvantage. Method: Ninety‐five mothers of 1‐year‐olds born preterm participated in this cross‐sectional study. Data collection was carried out in two public hospitals from Northern Portugal. To assess maternal perceived daily stress and psychological symptoms, mothers completed two questionnaires. Mothers reported on socioeconomic factors, including family poverty, parent unemployment, and low education, and two groups of family socioeconomic disadvantage were created. A child medical risk index was calculated. Results: Results indicated that mothers of preterm multiples reported higher levels of stress than mothers of preterm singletons. Moreover, and specifically regarding psychological functioning, mothers of preterm multiples reported more symptoms than mothers of preterm singletons, but only when living in a context of socioeconomic adversity. Conclusions: The results of the present study have important implications for practice. Mothers of preterm multiples are at higher risk to present mental health difficulties, in comparison to mothers of singletons, especially when exposed to socioeconomic adversities. The development of psychosocial intervention programs and public policies are of decisive importance in helping mothers of multiples adjust to parenthood. Resumo: Objetivo: Examinar as diferenças entre mães de múltiplos prematuros e mães de filhos únicos prematuros a respeito de estresse percebido e sintomas psicológicos maternos e explorar o efeito adverso amplificado putativo da desvantagem socioeconômica. Método: Participaram deste estudo transversal 95 mães de crianças de um ano nascidas prematuras. A coleta de dados foi feita em dois hospitais públicos do norte de Portugal. Para avaliar o estresse diário percebido e os sintomas psicológicos maternos, as mães responderam dois questionários. As mães relataram fatores socioeconômicos, incluindo pobreza familiar, desemprego dos pais e baixo nível de escolaridade, e foram criados dois grupos de desvantagem socioeconômica familiar. Foi calculado um índice de risco médico infantil. Resultados: Os resultados indicaram que as mães de múltiplos prematuros relataram maiores níveis de estresse do que as mães de filhos únicos prematuros. Além disso e especificamente com relação ao funcionamento psicológico, as mães de múltiplos prematuros relataram mais sintomas do que as mães de filhos únicos prematuros, porém apenas quando moravam em um contexto de adversidade socioeconômica. Conclusões: Os resultados deste estudo possuem importantes implicações para a prática. As mães de múltiplos prematuros apresentam maior risco de dificuldades de saúde mental, em comparação com as mães de filhos únicos, principalmente quando expostas a adversidades socioeconômicas. O desenvolvimento de programas de intervenção psicossocial e políticas públicas é de importância decisiva ao ajudar as mães de filhos múltiplos a se ajustarem à maternidade. Keywords: Prematurity, Multiple births, Maternal psychological adjustment, Palavras‐chave: Prematuridade, Nascimentos múltiplos, Ajuste psicológico materno

Background: The effect of a pre-exercise meal as countermeasure to exercise induced immunodepression is poorly known. Also, sedentary behavior is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk but studies on immune changes are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to assess: 1) the impact of a pre-exercise Mediterranean meal (MdM) compared with a fast-food type meal (FFM) on exercise-induced immunological changes and 2) the impact of an induced acute period of sedentary behavior on neuro-immune-endocrine status. Methods: /Design: This is a two steps clinical trial including: (a) randomized crossover clinical trial, comparing the effect a high-fat/low-nutrient dense meal, FFM, with an isoenergetic similar high-nutrient dense meal, MdM, in the immune response to an exercise challenge (EC) and (b) a pilot trial assessing the neuro-immune-endocrine change induced by acute decreasing by half the usual physical activity level. Results: A total of 46 participants (26 females), median aged 25 years were included. Of those 39-completed protocol, including overweight, physical active and inactive and participants with asthma. There were no differences in the EC between interventions. Dietary factors and physical activity were closely monitored during interventions and kept similar. During physical inactivity induction, 31% reached the target of 50% reduction in mean step number and 77% reached a 30% reduction. Conclusion: The use of a pre-exercise meal to modulate immune response and the understanding of the immunological impact of physical inactivity might help to establish future recommendations on how to practice exercise in a safer way and to recognize the potential impact of inactivity. Keywords: Allostatic load, Physical inactivity, Meal, Exercise challenge

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a fast-progressing bone tumor with high incidence in children and adolescents. The main diagnostic methods for OS are imaging exams and biopsies. In spite of the several resources available for detecting the disease, establishing an early diagnosis is still difficult, resulting in worse prognosis and lower survival rates for patients with OS. The identification of novel biomarkers would be helpful, and recently, circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been pointed to as possible non-invasive biomarkers. In order to assess the effectiveness of miRNA research, we performed a systematic review to assess the potential role of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for OS diagnosis. We performed a search in various databases—PubMed, LILACS (Literatura Latino-americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde), VHL (Virtual Health Library), Elsevier, Web of Science, Gale Academic One File—using the terms: “Circulating microRNAs” OR “plasma microRNAs” OR “serum microRNAs” OR “blood microRNAs” OR “cell-free microRNAs” OR “exosome microRNAs” OR “extracellular vesicles microRNAs” OR “liquid biopsy” AND “osteosarcoma” AND “diagnostic”. We found 35 eligible studies that were independently identified and had had their quality assessed according to Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) guidelines. Despite the useful number of publications on this subject and the fact that several microRNAs showed excellent diagnostic performance for OS, the lack of consistency in results suggests that additional prospective studies are needed to confirm the role of circulating miRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers in OS.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the prevalence and genetic characteristics of ESBL and acquired-AmpC (qAmpC)-producing Escherichia coli isolates from healthy and sick dogs in Portugal. Three hundred and sixty-one faecal samples from sick and healthy dogs were seeded on MacConkey agar supplemented with cefotaxime (2 µg/mL) for cefotaxime-resistant (CTXR) E. coli recovery. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for 15 antibiotics was performed and the ESBL-phenotype of the E. coli isolates was screened. Detection of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes, and molecular typing of the isolates (phylogroups, multilocus-sequence-typing, and specific-ST131) were performed by PCR (and sequencing when required). CTXRE. coli isolates were obtained in 51/361 faecal samples analysed (14.1%), originating from 36/234 sick dogs and 15/127 healthy dogs. Forty-seven ESBL-producing E. coli isolates were recovered from 32 sick (13.7%) and 15 healthy animals (11.8%). Different variants of blaCTX-M genes were detected among 45/47 ESBL-producers: blaCTX-M-15 (n = 26), blaCTX-M-1 (n = 10), blaCTX-M-32 (n = 3), blaCTX-M-55 (n = 3), blaCTX-M-14 (n = 2), and blaCTX-M-variant (n = 1); one ESBL-positive isolate co-produced CTX-M-15 and CMY-2 enzymes. Moreover, two additional CTXR ESBL-negative E. coli isolates were CMY-2-producers (qAmpC). Ten different sequence types were identified (ST/phylogenetic-group/β-lactamase): ST131/B2/CTX-M-15, ST617/A/CTX-M-55, ST3078/B1/CTX-M-32, ST542/A/CTX-M-14, ST57/D/CTX-M-1, ST12/B2/CTX-M-15, ST6448/B1/CTX-M-15 + CMY-2, ST5766/A/CTX-M-32, ST115/D/CMY-2 and a new-ST/D/CMY-2. Five variants of CTX-M enzymes (CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-1 predominant) and eight different clonal complexes were detected from canine ESBL-producing E. coli isolates. Although at a lower rate, CMY-2 β-lactamase was also found. Dogs remain frequent carriers of ESBL and/or qAmpC-producing E. coli with a potential zoonotic role.

GM2-gangliosidosis, AB variant is an extremely rare autosomal recessive inherited disorder caused by mutations in the GM2A gene that encodes GM2 ganglioside activator protein (GM2AP). GM2AP is necessary for solubilisation of GM2 ganglioside in endolysosomes and its presentation to β-hexosaminidase A. Conversely GM2AP deficiency impairs lysosomal catabolism of GM2 ganglioside, leading to its storage in cells and tissues. We describe a 9-year-old child with an unusual juvenile clinical onset of GM2-gangliosidosis AB. At the age of 3 years he presented with global developmental delay, progressive epilepsy, intellectual disability, axial hypertonia, spasticity, seizures and ataxia, but without the macular cherry-red spots typical for GM2 gangliosidosis. Brain MRI detected a rapid onset of diffuse atrophy, whereas whole exome sequencing showed that the patient is a compound heterozygote for two mutations in GM2A: a novel nonsense mutation, c.259G>T (p.E87X) and a missense mutation c.164C>T (p.P55L) that was recently identified in homozygosity in patients of a Saudi family with a progressive chorea-dementia syndrome. Western blot analysis showed an absence of GM2AP in cultured fibroblasts from the patient, suggesting that both mutations interfere with the synthesis and/or folding of the protein. Finally, impaired catabolism of GM2 ganglioside in the patient's fibroblasts was demonstrated by metabolic labeling with fluorescently labeled GM1 ganglioside and by immunohistochemistry with anti-GM2 and anti-GM3 antibodies. Our observation expands the molecular and clinical spectrum of molecular defects linked to GM2-gangliosidosis and suggests novel diagnostic approach by whole exome sequencing and perhaps ganglioside analysis in cultured patient's cells.

A Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC) tem como missão regular e supervisionar os media em Portugal. A ação do regulador no combate à discriminação de género nos conteúdos mediáticos enquadra­‑se nos seus Estatutos, que vinculam esta interven- ção à proteção de direitos, liberdades e garantias constitucionalmente protegidos. O exercí- cio do regulador na eliminação dos estereótipos e combate à discriminação de género através dos media é coadjuvado pelos normativos setoriais e diplomas nacionais e internacionais. O presente artigo reflete sobre a ação da ERC no combate à discriminação e à estereotipização baseada no género nos conteúdos mediáticos e sobre como tem intervindo em situações em que esta forma de discriminação se associa a outras assentes, designadamente, na nacionalidade.

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar o preenchimento dos prontuários pelos acadêmicos de graduação na Clínica Integrada Infantil de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior do Sul do Brasil nos últimos cinco anos, bem como a qualidade das radiografias obtidas pelos mesmos. Após a aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Instituição, foi realizada a coleta de dados por alunos da graduação previamente calibrados, através dos prontuários de pacientes da Clínica Infantil de até 12 anos, totalizando uma amostra de 378 prontuários e 354 radiografias. Os dados coletados incluem identificação do paciente, documentação, dados clínicos, procedimentos e demais informações que compõem o prontuário odontológico, assim como erros radiográficos envolvendo processamento, técnica e armazenamento das radiografias. Foi possível verificar que 50% dos prontuários preenchidos pelos discentes possuem o preenchimento do odontograma, mas que não havia assinatura do responsável legal; que aproximadamente 53% não possuíam o preenchimento de um planejamento e nem do odontograma; não houve significância em relação à idade e preenchimento de odontograma. Das radiografias avaliadas, 66% foram de crianças acima de 7 anos de idade, 50% do sexo masculino, 68,5% realizadas pela técnica periapical. Dos erros observados o “armazenamento incorreto” foi o mais presente, seguido do erro “presença de digital”. Os erros durante a tomada radiográfica variaram de 1,1 a 22%. Concluiu-se que, a qualidade do preenchimento dos prontuários realizados pelos alunos da graduação é insatisfatória, como também a qualidade das radiografias e de seu armazenamento.

Detection and quantification of microRNAs (miRNAs) in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has been poorly explored. Therefore we aimed to assess miRNAs in EBC as potential biomarkers to diagnose and endotype asthma in school aged children. In a cross sectional, nested case control study, all the asthmatic children (n = 71) and a random sample of controls (n = 115), aged 7 to 12 years, attending 71 classrooms from 20 local schools were selected and arbitrarily allocated to the development or validation set. Participants underwent skin-prick testing, spirometry with bronchodilation, had exhaled level of nitric oxide determined and EBC collected. Based on previous studies eleven miRNAs were chosen and analyzed in EBC by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR. Principal component analysis was applied to identify miRNAs profiles and associations were estimated using regression models. In the development set (n = 89) two clusters of miRNAs were identified. After adjustments, cluster 1 and three of its clustered miRNAs, miR-126-3p, miR-133a-3p and miR-145-5p were positively associated with asthma. Moreover miR-21-5p was negatively associated with symptomatic asthma and positively associated with positive bronchodilation without symptoms. An association was also found between miR-126-3p, cluster 2 and one of its clustered miRNA, miR-146-5p, with higher FEF25-75 reversibility. These findings were confirmed in the validation set (n = 97) where two identical clusters of miRNAs were identified. Additional significant associations were observed between miR-155-5p with symptomatic asthma, negative bronchodilation with symptoms and positive bronchodilation without symptoms. We showed that microRNAs can be measured in EBC of children and may be used as potential biomarkers of asthma, assisting asthma endotype establishment.

As fraturas do maléolo posterior são frequentes nas fraturas do tornozelo. A sua fixação é importante para a estabilidade sindesmótica e desempenha um papel importante na prevenção da artrose pós-traumática e, consequentemente, leva a um melhor resultado funcional. A qualidade de redução é melhor se utilizada uma via posterior em relação às técnicas habituais. Reportamos o caso de um homem de 52 anos com uma fratura do pilão tibial AO/OTA 43C3 e Bartonicek tipo 3. A redução anatómica e fixação do maléolo posterior foi realizada através de uma abordagem póstero-interna, com bons resultados funcionais 9 meses de pós-operatório. A abordagem póstero-interna constitui uma via segura para redução e fixação do maléolo posterior que permite também a redução e fixação da restante tíbia distal, permitindo uma rápida recuperação funcional e minimizando complicações degenerativas tardias.

The aim of the study was to analyze the mechanisms of resistance in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and acquired AmpC (qAmpC)-producing Escherichia coli isolates from healthy and sick cats in Portugal. A total of 141 rectal swabs recovered from 98 sick and 43 healthy cats were processed for cefotaxime-resistant (CTXR) E. coli recovery (in MacConkey agar supplemented with 2 µg/mL cefotaxime). The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) method was used for E. coli identification and antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by a disk diffusion test. The presence of resistance/virulence genes was tested by PCR sequencing. The phylogenetic typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were determined by specific PCR sequencing. CTXRE. coli isolates were detected in seven sick and six healthy cats (7.1% and 13.9%, respectively). Based on the synergy tests, 11 of 13 CTXRE. coli isolates (one/sample) were ESBL-producers (ESBL total rate: 7.8%) carrying the following ESBL genes: blaCTX-M-1 (n = 3), blaCTX-M-15 (n = 3), blaCTX-M-55 (n = 2), blaCTX-M-27 (n = 2) and blaCTX-M-9 (n = 1). Six different sequence types were identified among ESBL-producers (sequence type/associated ESBLs): ST847/CTX-M-9, CTX-M-27, CTX-M-1; ST10/CTX-M-15, CTX-M-27; ST6448/CTX-M-15, CTX-M-55; ST429/CTX-M-15; ST101/CTX-M-1 and ST40/CTX-M-1. Three of the CTXR isolates were CMY-2-producers (qAmpC rate: 2.1%); two of them were ESBL-positive and one ESBL-negative. These isolates were typed as ST429 and ST6448 and were obtained in healthy or sick cats. The phylogenetic groups A/B1/D/clade 1 were detected among ESBL- and qAmpC-producing isolates. Cats are carriers of qAmpC (CMY-2)- and ESBL-producing E. coli isolates (mostly of variants of CTX-M group 1) of diverse clonal lineages, which might represent a public health problem due to the proximity of cats with humans regarding a One Health perspective.

An individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted to test pre-registered hypotheses about how the configuration of attachment relationships to mothers and fathers predicts children's language competence. Data from seven studies (published between 1985 and 2014) including 719 children (M[subscript age]: 19.84 months; 51% female; 87% White) were included in the linear mixed effects analyses. Mean language competence scores exceeded the population average across children with different attachment configurations. Children with two secure attachment relationships had higher language competence scores compared to those with one or no secure attachment relationships (d = 0.26). Children with two organized attachment relationships had higher language competence scores compared to those with one organized attachment relationship (d = 0.23), and this difference was observed in older versus younger children in exploratory analyses. Mother-child and father-child attachment quality did not differentially predict language competence, supporting the comparable importance of attachment to both parents in predicting developmental outcomes. [This article was written by the Collaboration on Attachment to Multiple Parents and Outcomes Synthesis.]

Several metallic nanomaterials (NMs), such as titanium dioxide nanomaterials (TiO2), present beneficial properties with a broad range of innovative applications. The human population is exposed to TiO2, particularly by ingestion, due to its increasing use as a food additive and inclusion in dietary supplements and food packaging materials. Whether this oral exposure may lead to adverse local or systemic outcomes has been the subject of research, but studies have generated contradictory results, reflecting differences in the physicochemical properties of the TiO2 studied, effects of the surrounding matrix, and modifications during digestion. This work aimed to investigate the toxic effects of three different TiO2 NMs (NM-103, NM-103 and NM-105) on the gastrointestinal tract cells, Caco-2 and HT29-MTX-E12, after the use of the standardized static INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro digestion method to mimic human digestion of TiO2, contributing to hazard assessment. The results show that, for one of the digested TiO2 NMs studied (NM-105), a more pronounced toxicity occurs after exposure of HT29-MTX-E12 intestinal cells, as compared to undigested NM, concomitantly with subtle changes in characteristics of the NM. Thus, the inclusion of the digestion simulation in the safety evaluation of ingested NMs through in vitro bioassays can better integrate the modifications that NMs suffer in the organism. It is expected that such an approach will reduce uncertainties in the hazard assessment of ingested NMs for human health.

In occupational settings where exposure to organic dust occurs (e.g., intensive animal production, waste management, farming and many others) workers can also be exposed to mycotoxins. However, recognizing exposure to mycotoxins in workplace environments does not happen commonly and, consequently, remains as a not identified occupational risk factor. In the last decade, work developed in different occupational settings, using different sampling approaches reported that occupational exposure to mycotoxins occurs and it’s of upmost importance to be seen as an occupational concern that needs to be tackled. This paper intends to discuss the several possibilities available for assessing and characterizing the occupational exposure to mycotoxins through the description of the advantages and limitations of the different sampling strategies. Overviewing the approaches and the main achievements used in several field campaigns developed in Portugal, the knowledge obtained will be used to support the identification of the main aspects to consider when designing new occupational studies. The need for additional research work will also be discussed where new directions to follow will be debated.

Zearalenone and alternariol are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium and Alternaria species, respectively, that present estrogenic activity and consequently are classified as endocrine disruptors. To estimate the exposure of the Portuguese population to these two mycotoxins at a national level, a modelling approach, based on data from 94 Portuguese volunteers, was developed considering as inputs: i) the food consumption data generated within the National Food and Physical Activity Survey; and ii) the human biomonitoring data used to assess the exposure to the referred mycotoxins. Six models of association between mycoestrogens urinary levels (zearalenone, total zearalenone and alternariol) and food items (meat, cheese, and fresh-cheese, breakfast cereals, sweets) were established. Applying the obtained models to the consumption data (n = 5811) of the general population, the median estimates of the probable daily intake revealed that a fraction of the Portuguese population might exceed the tolerable daily intake defined for zearalenone. A reference intake value for alternariol is still lacking, thus the characterization of risk due to the exposure to this mycotoxin was not possible to perform. Although the unavoidable uncertainties, these results are important contributions to understand the exposure to endocrine disruptors in Portugal and the potential Public Health consequences.