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La internacionalización de la educación superior se desarrolla en un contexto complejo y cambiante, que algunos señalan es ahora de “globalización en reversa”, lo cual plantea retos a los esfuerzos de internacionalización de las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES), específicamente la movilidad estudiantil internacional. A partir de este contexto, el artículo explora desde una perspectiva organizacional cómo las IES—desde el diseño de algunas políticas institucionales—inhiben la participación de sus estudiantes en actividades de movilidad internacional, generando así instancias de exclusión. La desigualdad se analiza desde la perspectiva de Amartya Sen (2000) de exclusión activa o pasiva. Se entrevistó a los responsables del área de internacionalización de nueve IES públicas y privadas (de diez que fueron invitadas a participar), sobre las políticas institucionales y estrategias relacionadas con la movilidad estudiantil internacional relacionadas con: la oferta de oportunidades en el extranjero, el financiamiento para realizarlas y el aprendizaje de un segundo idioma. Además de la introducción donde se explican conceptualizaciones sobre globalización y globalización en reversa, el artículo está organizado en tres secciones: la primera explica los conceptos de internacionalización, movilidad estudiantil y desigualdad; la segunda presenta las políticas institucionales de movilidad estudiantil internacional analizadas a partir de las entrevistas; y de la encuesta en línea; y la tercera presenta los resultados del análisis.

The present study aimed to analyze the possible routes of Fusarium spp. introduction in Madeira between 1990 and 2018 and to elucidate the factors that favored the introduction and settling of this fungus in the Island. Phytosanitary surveys were carried out in several crops and plants imported to Madeira. The isolates of Fusarium spp. were obtained from underground and aerial organs of the plants and cultured on differential media for species identification. Fungal colony and spore morphology were observed under a microscope and identified based on bibliography and dichotomous keys. The phytosanitary analysis for the incidence of Fusarium spp. in plants or crops indicated an increasing trend in the number of fungi, especially between 1990 and 2001. The greatest fungal contamination occurred in the municipalities located in the southern coast of the Island. Most of the contaminated samples were from Portugal (96.9%), while 0.1% to 1.6% samples derived from foreign countries, especially the Netherlands and France. Of 3,246 samples infected with Fusarium spp., 1,212 were from horticultural (37.3%), ornamental (36.9%), tropical and subtropical (16.9%), and temperate plants (9.9%). Fusarium wilt (Panama Disease) caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense occurred in several products imported to Madeira. Other species like Fusarium oxysporum were also detected in several plants and agricultural products, along with Fusarium sp. and Fusarium equiseti. The geoclimatic conditions of Madeira can be suitable for the development and dispersion of these fungi. The trade of cultivars and plants from Portugal and from foreign countries has been an important route of Fusarium introduction in Madeira. RESUMO O trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as possíveis vias de introdução de Fusarium spp. na Madeira entre 1990 e 2018, para elucidar os fatores que favoreceram a sua introdução e fixação na ilha. Realizaram-se análises fitossanitárias em culturas e plantas importadas para a Madeira. Os isolados de Fusarium spp. foram obtidos de órgãos subterrâneos e aéreos das plantas e cultivados em meios diferenciais para identificação das espécies. A colônia de fungos e a morfologia dos esporos foram observadas ao microscópio e identificados com o auxílio de bibliografia e chaves dicotómicas. A análise fitossanitária revelou que a incidência de Fusarium spp. em plantas ou culturas apresentou uma tendência crescente no número de fungos, principalmente entre 1990 e 2001. A contaminação fúngica mais elevada ocorreu nos municípios localizados no litoral sul da ilha. A maioria das amostras contaminadas proveio de Portugal (96,9%) e 0,1% a 1,6% provieram do exterior, sobretudo da Holanda e França. De 3.246 amostras infectadas com Fusarium spp., 1212 eram hortícolas (37,3%), ornamentais (36,9%), tropicais e subtropicais (16,9%) e temperadas (9,9%). Fusarium Wilt (doença do Panamá) causada por F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense ocorreu em vários produtos importados para a Madeira. Outros como Fusarium oxysporum spp. foram detectados em várias plantas e produtos agrícolas, juntamente com Fusarium sp. e Fusarium equiseti. As condições geoclimáticas da Madeira podem ser adequadas para o desenvolvimento e dispersão destes fungos. O comércio de cultivares e plantas de Portugal e do estrangeiro tem sido uma importante via de introdução do Fusarium na Madeira.

The current energy and environmental crisis, linked to increasing industrialisation, has progressively driven the adoption of solutions focused on circular life cycle thinking, such as waste management with resource recovery and decarbonization of technologies. In this context, this study was built to quantify the environmental performance of a two-stage wastewater treatment process (dark fermentation with anaerobic digestion) in which three feedstocks (sugar beet molasses, cheese whey and wine vinasses mixed with wastewater treatment plant sludge) from the food industry were valorized as hydrogen. In this regard, several environmental profiles were created using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology with two system boundaries (cradle-to-gate and gate-to-gate) and two methods (ReCiPe Midpoint and Endpoint). Furthermore, this research was synergistically complemented with an energy analysis including indicators and input-output flow balances to provide a win-win solution for food waste utilization. The results have taken different directions depending on the methodological assumptions considered but, in general terms, the sugar beet molasses scenario can be claimed in all cases as the energetically sustainable process with the best environmental profile. With an energy surplus of 155%, the cradle-to-gate scenario recorded the best environmental impact in 4/8 midpoint categories and an overall reduction of 67% and 94% (excluding co-products) for the ReCiPe damage single score compared to the wine vinasses and wastewater treatment plant sludge and cheese whey scenarios, respectively. In this sense, the viability and competitiveness of these two scenarios is compromised by the lack of energy self-sufficiency (there is a 53% deficiency in the wine vinasses and wastewater treatment sludge scenario) and the lack of climate-neutral outcomes (a result of 5510 mPt/Nm3 H2 shows that the cheese whey scenario is far from being a zero-emission process) This research was funded by HP-NANOBIO Project (PID2019-111163RB-I00). The authors belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group (GRC) ED431C-2021/37, to CRETUS (Interdisciplinary Centre for Research in Environmental Technologies) and to the department of chemical engineering of the University of Santiago de Compostela. S. Estévez thanks to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for financial support (Grant reference PRE 2020-092074). J.J. Conde acknowledges Xunta de Galicia financial support through a postdoctoral fellowship (Grant reference ED481B-2021/015). C.I. Camacho would also like to express her gratitude to CRETUS for her research initiation summer scholarship SI

Introduction Data about the occurrence of airborne pollen enables the creation of pollen calendars with an approximation of flowering periods for the most common allergenic plant species in a specific area. The aim of this work is to provide pollen calendar for each of the seven monitoring regions of Portugal based on 15 years of airborne sampling, in order to chart the seasonal behaviour of the main allergenic pollen types. Material and methods Airborne pollen monitoring (2002–2017) was carried out by the Portuguese Aerobiology Network (RPA), using Hirst-type volumetric spore traps, following well-established guidelines. Results A total of 14 airborne pollen types were recorded at RPA monitoring stations, of which 64.2% belong to trees, 28.5% to herbs and 7.1% to weeds. The airborne pollen spectrum is dominated by important allergenic pollen types such as Poaceae, Quercus spp., Urticaceae and Cupressaceae. The average pollen index was 42.557 in mainland Portugal and 3.818 in the Islands. There was an increased trend in the airborne pollen levels over the years, namely in Coimbra, Evora and Porto, compared to the remaining regions. Conclusion This report provides accessible information about the main allergenic airborne pollen types occurring in the course of the year. The pollen calendars charted for each Portuguese region showed that the occurrence of most allergenic taxa was centred from March to July. Pollen peak concentrations were detected earlier in the Centre and Lisbon and Tagus Valley regions, and later in the remaining regions.

Ganoderma comprises a common bracket fungal genus that causes basal stem rot in deciduous and coniferous trees and palms, thus having a large economic impact on forestry production. We estimated pathogen abundance using long-term, daily spore concentration data collected in five biogeographic regions in Europe and SW Asia. We hypothesized that pathogen abundance in the air depends on the density of potential hosts (trees) in the surrounding area, and that its spores originate locally. We tested this hypothesis by (1) calculating tree cover density, (2) assessing the impact of local meteorological variables on spore concentration, (3) computing back trajectories, (4) developing random forest models predicting daily spore concentration. The area covered by trees was calculated based on Tree Density Datasets within a 30 km radius from sampling sites. Variations in daily and seasonal spore concentrations were cross-examined between sites using a selection of statistical tools including HYSPLIT and random forest models. Our results showed that spore concentrations were higher in Northern and Central Europe than in South Europe and SW Asia. High and unusually high spore concentrations (> 90th and > 98th percentile, respectively) were partially associated with long distance transported spores: at least 33% of Ganoderma spores recorded in Madeira during days with high concentrations originated from the Iberian Peninsula located >900 km away. Random forest models developed on local meteorological data performed better in sites where the contribution of long distance transported spores was lower. We found that high concentrations were recorded in sites with low host density (Leicester, Worcester), and low concentrations in Kastamonu with high host density. This suggests that south European and SW Asian forests may be less severely affected by Ganoderma. This study highlights the effectiveness of monitoring airborne Ganoderma spore concentrations as a tool for assessing local Ganoderma pathogen infection levels. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Previous studies suggest that human exposure to atmospheric pollution can trigger cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study aimed at assessing the influence of short-term exposure to atmospheric pollution in the occurrence of CVD and mortality in Madeira. A single-centre retrospective study was conducted during 2005–2011. Air pollutant data and meteorological parameters were gathered. Daily admissions at the emergency service due to CVD and markers levels for cardiac function were obtained from a public hospital. Exploratory and correlation analysis of all variables were performed, and the CVD relative risk (RR) of hospital admissions and mortality was calculated. During the study, mean annual concentrations of the air pollutants varied greatly, with NOx and O3 showing the highest annual average concentrations. Two hundred ten thousand five hundred forty patients were admitted at the emergency service, 74% of them due to cardiovascular causes. Hospital admissions were positively correlated with PM2.5, and SO2. A positive and significant association between PM2.5 with creatine kinase myocardial band and B-type natriuretic peptides markers was found, whilst SO2 was positively associated with Creatine kinase myocardial band. The RR seemed to increased with PM2.5 and NOx exposure. Traffic-related pollutants were weakly but statistically associated to hospital admissions due to CVD and mortality. PM2.5 and SO2 were related with higher hospital admissions which in turn seemed to increase the serum markers. The risk of mortality was mainly associated with O3 and average air temperature. Adults and elders seem to be more susceptible to atmospheric pollutants, particularly in the winter.

Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the government openly anti-immigrant rhetoric threatening to deport unauthorized immigrants (including students with DACA protection), several actors in Mexico organized to launch the PUENTES program to facilitate enrollment of Mexican students living in the U.S. at a Mexican HEI to finish their degrees. In this chapter we analyze, from a policy perspective, how a country can prepare to serve their once migrant citizens, now returning students, who need to be re-enrolled into the higher education system and therefore into the society. Key findings suggest that the program has been successful in the following ways: (1) It has provided visibility to the issue of forced migration back to Mexico; (2) It helped to expedite changes in legislation that now make it easier for anyone with partial studies outside Mexico to continue with their education in an HEI in the country; and (3) It provided an alternative, not only to students who faced deportation but also to those who willingly saw an opportunity to continue with their studies at an institution in their place of birth.

Submitted by António Freitas (amsf@uma.pt) on 2021-01-04T14:21:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Monitorização de esporos de fungos em Lisboa 2014-2016IreneCamacho.pdf: 1948994 bytes, checksum: 0ed758565941a6839801cd9ef6a93103 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-01-04T14:21:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monitorização de esporos de fungos em Lisboa 2014-2016IreneCamacho.pdf: 1948994 bytes, checksum: 0ed758565941a6839801cd9ef6a93103 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Airborne fungal spores are prevalent components of bioaerosols with a large impact on ecology, economy and health. Their major socioeconomic effects could be reduced by accurate and timely prediction of airborne spore concentrations. The main aim of this study was to create and evaluate models of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations based on data on a continental scale. Additional goals included assessment of the level of generalization of the models in space and description of the main meteorological factors influencing fungal spore concentrations. \ud Aerobiological monitoring was carried out at 18 sites in six countries across Europe over 3 to 21 years depending on site. Quantile random forest modelling was used to predict spore concentrations values. Generalization of the Alternaria and Cladosporium models was tested using (i) one model for all the sites, (ii) models for groups of sites, and (iii) models for individual sites.\ud The study revealed the possibility of reliable prediction of fungal spore levels using gridded meteorological data. The classification models also showed the capacity for providing larger scale predictions of fungal spore concentrations. Regression models were distinctly less accurate than classification models due to several factors, including measurement errors and distinct day-to-day changes of concentrations. Temperature and vapour pressure proved to be the most important variables in the regression and classification models of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations. \ud Accurate and operational daily-scale predictive models of bioaerosol abundances contribute to the assessment and evaluation of relevant exposure and consequently more timely and efficient management of phytopathogenic and of human allergic diseases.

Leukotrienes and prostaglandins are arachidonic acid bioactive derived eicosanoids and key mediators of bronchial inflammation and response modulation in the airways contributing to the pathophysiology of asthma. An easy-to-use ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-based strategy was developed to characterize biomarkers of lipid peroxidation: leukotrienes E (LTE4) and B4 (LTB4) and 11β-prostaglandin F2α (11βPGF2α), present in urine of asthmatic patients (N = 27) and healthy individuals (N = 17). A semi-automatic eVol®-microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) was used to isolate the target analytes. Several experimental parameters with influence on the extraction efficiency and on the chromatographic resolution, were evaluated and optimized. The method was fully validated under optimal extraction (R-AX sorbent, 3 conditioning-equilibration cycles with 250 μL of ACN-water at 0.1% FA, 10 extract-discard cycles of 250 μL of sample at a pH of 5.1, elution with 2 times 50 μL of MeOH and concentration of the eluate until half of its volume) and chromatographic conditions (14-min analysis at a flow rate of 300 μL min-1 in an UHPLC-PDA equipped with a BEH C18 column), according to IUPAC guidelines. The findings indicated good recoveries (>95%) in addition to excellent extraction efficiency (>95%) at three concentration levels (low mid and high) with precision (RSDs) less than 11%. The lack-of-fit test, goodness-of-fit test and Mandel's fitting test, revealed good linearity within the concentration range. Good selectivity and sensitivity were achieved with a limits of detection ranging from 0.04 μg L-1 for LTB4 to 1.12 μg L-1 for 11βPGF2α, and limits of quantification from 0.10 μg L-1 for the LTB4 to 2.11 μg L-1 for 11βPGF2α. The successful application of the fully validated method shows that, on average, the asthmatic patients had significantly higher concentrations of 11βPGF2α (112.96 μg L-1vs 62.56 μg L-1 in normal controls), LTE4 (1.27 μg L-1vs 0.89 μg L-1 in normal controls), and LTB4 (1.39 μg L-1vs 0.76 μg L-1 in normal controls). The results suggest the potential of the target eicosanoids on asthma diagnosis, however, a larger and more extensive study will be necessary to confirm the data obtained and to guarantee a greater robustness to the approach. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Birch pollen grains are one of the most important groups of atmospheric biological particles that induce allergic processes. The fluctuation pattern of birch pollen seasons in selected cities of Poland is presented. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni 2000 pollen samplers). The distributions of the data were not normal (Shapiro–Wilk test) and statistical error risk was estimated at a significance level of α = 0.05. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 95% of the annual total catch occurred. The linear trend for the selected features of the pollen season, skewness, kurtosis and coefficient of variation (V%) were also analyzed. During the 12–14 years of study, the beginnings of birch pollen seasons were observed 7–14 days earlier, the ends were noted 5–10 days earlier, and the days with maximum values occurred 7–14 days earlier compared to the long-term data. The left-skewed distribution of the pollen season starts in most sampling sites confirms the short-lasting occurrence of pollen in the air. The threat of birch pollen allergens was high during the pollen seasons. If vegetation is highly diverse, flowering and pollen release are extended in time, spread over different weeks and occur at different times of the day. Flowering time and pollen release are affected by insolation, convection currents, wind, and turbulence. Therefore, pollen seasons are characterized by great inter-annual variability.

The pollinic spectrum of the Madeira region is dominated by grass pollen, which also represents an important aeroallergen in Europe. The present work aims to analyze the main features of the Poaceae pollen season in the Madeira region to determine the allergic risk. The study took place in Funchal city, the capital of Madeira Island, over a period of 10 years (2003–2012). The airborne pollen monitoring was carried out with a Hirst type volumetric trap, following well-established guidelines.In the atmosphere of Funchal, the mean annual Poaceae pollen index was 229. The mean Poaceae pollen season lasts 275 days, with an onset date in January/March and an end date in November/December. Poaceae counts showed a seasonal variation with 2 distinct peaks: a higher peak between March and June, and the second one in autumn. The peak values occurred mainly between April and June, and the highest peak was 93 grains/m3, detected on the 27th May of 2010. The Poaceae pollen remaining at low levels during the whole growing season, presenting a nil to low allergenic risk during most of the study period. Higher critical levels of allergens have been revealed after 2006. In general, the pollen risk from Poaceae lasted only a few days per year, despite the very long pollen season and the abundance of grasses in the landscape of Madeira Island.

Seven years of aeromycological study was performed in the city of Funchal with the purpose to determine the anamorphic spore content of this region and its relationship to meteorological factors. The sampling was carried out with a Hirst-type volumetric spore trap following well-established guidelines. A total of 17,586 anamorphic fungal spores were recorded during the studied period, attaining an annual average concentration of 2931 spores m−3. Anamorphic fungal spores were observed throughout the year, although the major peaks were registered during spring (April–June) and autumn period (September–November). The lowest spore levels were recorded between December and February months. Over 14 taxa of anamorphic fungal spores were observed with Cladosporium being the most prevalent fungal type accounting for 78 % of the total conidiospores. The next in importance was Alternaria (5.4 %), Fusarium (4.7 %), Torula (3.9 %) and Botrytis (1.9 %). Temperature was the meteorological parameter that favoured the most release and dispersal of the conidiospores, whereas rainfall revealed a negative effect. Despite the low concentration levels found in our region, the majority of the fungal types identified are described as potential aeroallergens. This study provides the seasonal variation of the conidiospores and the periods when the highest counts may be expected, representing a preventive tool in the allergic sensitization of the population.

Zearalenone (ZEA), a secondary metabolite from Fusarium graminearum fungi that invade crops and grow during blooming in moist cool field conditions, is a nonsteroidal oestrogen, biologically very potent, although hardly toxic. Different analytical methods, among which a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) strategy, combined with or liquid chromatography, have been proposed for ZEA determination in foods. However, this extraction procedure has the disadvantage of using large amount of organic solvents, partitioning salts and sample volume, which limits the technique application on the fields where the sample amount is critical. Therefore in this work an improved sample preparation step based on the original QuEChERS (O-QuEChERS) approach, the μ-QuEChERS, combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) and ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analysis with fluorescence detection (FLR) is proposed for the sensitive and high-throughput quantification of ZEA in cereals. The proposed analytical strategy, μ-QuEChERSUSAE, uses up to 32 times lower amounts of partitioning salts, lower sample amount and lower extraction solvents, in comparison with O-QuEChERS technique. The performance of the analytical approach was assessed by studying the selectivity, specificity, limits of detection and quantification, linear dynamic range, matrix effect and precision. Good linearity (r2 > 0.99) was achieved for ZEA, and limits of detection (LOD = 3.4 μg kg−1) and limits of quantification (LOQ = 4.7 μg kg−1) were found below the tolerance levels set by European Commission. Good recoveries were obtained with different spiked concentrations, ranged from 80.2% to 109.7%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) lower than 5.0%. The comparison of the analytical performance of the proposed μ-QuEChERSUSAE with O-QuEChERS showed the powerful ability of the proposed strategy since it gives comparable results but using lower amounts of sample, partitioning salts and volume of the organic solvent, revealing of great potential and improvement of the proposed method.

The occurrence of airborne fungal spores is driven by several biogeographic and climatic factors. In addition, the occurrence of fires near fungal ecosystems seems to play an important role on the aerobiology of fungal spores. Wildfires are prevalent throughout the world and particularly so in several South European countries with Mediterranean climate. The present survey aimed at analysing the impact of urban and forest fires on the airborne fungal spore content of Madeira Island. Data suggest that after a fire occurrence, the concentration of fungal spores tends to increase in the air, peaking on the 10th day after a fire event. It is likely that fire-induced convections promote release of fungal spores from their natural habitat and that the soil heating conditions could trigger the germination of fungi colonizing post-fire plant residues and soil. It is also possible that the registered low precipitation and wind intensity could help increase the concentration of fungal spores in the atmosphere during 1–2 weeks. These findings need further research, not only at a regional but also at a larger scale, in order to clarify the specific impact of fires on such biological particles and the possible consequences on public health.

BACKGROUND: Most stroke survivors continue to experience motor impairments even after hospital discharge. Virtual reality-based techniques have shown potential for rehabilitative training of these motor impairments. Here we assess the impact of at-home VR-based motor training on functional motor recovery, corticospinal excitability and cortical reorganization. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of home-based VR-based motor rehabilitation on (1) cortical reorganization, (2) corticospinal tract, and (3) functional recovery after stroke in comparison to home-based occupational therapy. METHODS: We conducted a parallel-group, controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of domiciliary VR-based therapy with occupational therapy in inducing motor recovery of the upper extremities. A total of 35 participants with chronic stroke underwent 3 weeks of home-based treatment. A group of subjects was trained using a VR-based system for motor rehabilitation, while the control group followed a conventional therapy. Motor function was evaluated at baseline, after the intervention, and at 12-weeks follow-up. In a subgroup of subjects, we used Navigated Brain Stimulation (NBS) procedures to measure the effect of the interventions on corticospinal excitability and cortical reorganization. RESULTS: Results from the system's recordings and clinical evaluation showed significantly greater functional recovery for the experimental group when compared with the control group (1.53, SD 2.4 in Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory). However, functional improvements did not reach clinical significance. After the therapy, physiological measures obtained from a subgroup of subjects revealed an increased corticospinal excitability for distal muscles driven by the pathological hemisphere, that is, abductor pollicis brevis. We also observed a displacement of the centroid of the cortical map for each tested muscle in the damaged hemisphere, which strongly correlated with improvements in clinical scales. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that, in chronic stages, remote delivery of customized VR-based motor training promotes functional gains that are accompanied by neuroplastic changes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number NCT02699398 (Archived by ClinicalTrials.gov at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02699398?term=NCT02699398&rank=1). We would like to thank all subjects who participated in this study. We also would like to gratefully acknowledge Estefanía Montiel for her assistance in recruiting and evaluating the participants. This work was supported by the MINECO “Retos Investigacion tos Investigacion I + D + I” Plan Nacional project SANAR (Gobierno de España), and the European Research Council under grant agreement 341196 CDAC and FP7-ICT- 270212 project eSMC.

This review aims to present in a simple manner the work performed in Portugal regarding the identification of the most prevalent aeroallergens in the country and the sensitization levels in Portuguese patients. Much of the data was summarized in tables and illustrated on maps, enabling the community of clinicians, researchers, and patient organizations to access the knowledge about the research performed. This study provides an overview about the distribution of aeroallergens in Portugal, signaling regions and critical periods of exposure of the sensitized population. The illustrated data can help the community of allergy specialists to view the temporal and spatial distribution of aeroallergens across the country. In addition, this information can guide clinicians to select the most appropriate allergens for allergy diagnostic testing, treatment, and allergen avoidance.

To examine interrelations between corneal biomechanics, ocular biometric variables and optic disc size (ODS), lamina cribosa depth (LCD) or thickness (LCT) in a healthy population.In a cross-sectional case-control study, the following measurements were made in 81 eyes of 81 participants: axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and central corneal thickness using the optical biometer Lenstar LS900; and corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldman-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal-compensated IOP (IOPcc) using the Ocular Response Analyzer. Serial horizontal enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI OCT) B-scans of the optic nerve head were obtained in each participant. Mean ODS, mean LCD, and mean LCT were measured in 11 equally spaced horizontal B-scans, excluding the LC insertion area under Bruch's membrane and scleral rim.LCD was measured in 74 of 81 eyes (91.36%); LCT in 60/81 (75.3%); ODS in 81/81 (100%). CRF was poorly, but significantly, correlated with LCT (Pearson's R = 0.264; P = 0.045). IOPcc, IOPg, CH, and ocular biometrics variables were poorly (non-significantly) correlated with LCD, LCT, and ODS.CRF was poorly but directly correlated with LCT. No association was detected between CH or ocular biometric variables and ODS, LCD, or LCT.

This study presents the findings of a 10-year survey carried out by the Portuguese Aerobiology Network (RPA) at seven pollen-monitoring stations: five mainland stations (Oporto, Coimbra, Lisbon, Évora and Portimão) and two insular stations [Funchal (Madeira archipelago) and Ponta Delgada (Azores archipelago)]. The main aim of the study was to examine spatial and temporal variations in the Annual Pollen Index (API) with particular focus on the most frequently recorded pollen types. Pollen monitoring (2003–2012) was carried out using Hirst-type volumetric spore traps, following the minimum recommendations proposed by the European Aerobiology Society Working Group on Quality Control. Daily pollen data were examined for similarities using the Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric test and multivariate regression trees. Simple linear regression analysis was used to describe trends in API. The airborne pollen spectrum at RPA stations is dominated by important allergenic pollen types such as Poaceae, Olea and Urticaceae. Statistically significant differences were witnessed in the API recorded at the seven stations. Mean API is higher in the southern mainland cities, e.g. Évora, Lisbon and Portimão, and lower in insular and littoral cities. There were also a number of significant trends in API during the 10-year study. This report identifies spatial and temporal variations in the amount of airborne pollen recorded annually in the Portuguese territory. There were also a number of significant changes in API, but no general increases in the amount of airborne pollen.

Facultad de Psicología

Madeira Island is a famous tourist destination due to its natural and climatic values. Taking into account optimal weather conditions, flora richness and access to various substrates facilitating fungal growth, we hypothesised a very high risk of elevated fungal spore and pollen grain concentrations in the air of Funchal, the capital of Madeira. Concentration levels of the most allergenic taxa were measured from 2003 to 2009, using a 7-day volumetric air sampler, followed by microscopy analysis. Dependence of bioaerosols on the weather conditions and land use were assessed using spatial and statistical tools. Obtained results were re-visited by a comparison with hospital admission data recorded at the Dr. Nelio Mendonca Hospital in Funchal. Our results showed that despite propitious climatic conditions, overall pollen grain and fungal spore concentrations in the air were very low and did not exceed any clinically established threshold values. Pollen and spore peak concentrations also did not match with asthma outbreaks in the winter. Identification of places that are "free" from biological air pollution over the summer, such as Madeira Island, is very important from the allergic point of view.