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To compare full and partial coverage crowns made with different CAD/CAM leucite reinforced ceramic blocks on fracture resistance and fractographic analysis. Full coverage and partial coverage crowns with finish line at 2 mm and 4 mm above the gingiva for molars made with IPS Empress CAD and Rosetta BM. After fatigue process, the fracture test and fractographic analysis were conducted. Although the fracture resistance of IPS Empress crowns did not show any statistical differences regardless of the design, both the partial coverage crowns fabricated using Rosetta BM showed significantly higher load at break and peak load than the full coverage crown. The crowns made with IPS Empress showed significantly higher fracture resistance than that made with Rosetta BM, regardless of the restorative design. The fracture resistance and fractographic analysis of CAD/CAM leucite reinforced full and partial coverage crowns were influenced by the restorative design of and material type.

Despite the importance of recycling in the current and pressing context of preserving the environment, it is still not adopted by all of us. Several mobile tools have become available with the aim of sensitizing and motivating the population towards sustainable behaviours, with limitations in information availability and in integration with formal as well as informal sources. Moreover, persuasive characteristics, such as the use of gamification also need improvement towards raising competitiveness (and awareness) in the targeted community. The authors thus propose a mobile responsive gamified application for motivating recycling attitudes centred around an interactive map, supported by the curated data of one of the reference companies of the environmental sector in the region. The app includes collaborative persuasive elements as well as validation processes for crowdsourced content proposed by the community. The results of an evaluation process, with promising results, are described.

Although chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is one of the main medical complaints of cancer patients, there are currently no specific drugs for the effective treatment. In this respect, α-terpineol (TP) seems to be a potential candidate for this purpose, since it has several pharmacological properties that can be improved by nanosytems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and investigate an antinociceptive action of TP in nanocapsules (TP-LNC) on a peripheral neuropathy induced by paclitaxel (PTX) in mice. Nanocapsules were obtained through the interfacial deposition of preformed polymer method and physicochemically characterized. The effect of TP and TP-LNC was assessed using the hyperalgesia test in mice with neuropathy induced by PTX (32mg/kg, i.p.). Its effect on calcium channels was evaluated by patch-clamp and molecular docking. TP-LNC presented satisfactory stability and encapsulation efficiency of 64.5%; it also prolonged the antihyperalgesic effect when cooperated with free TP. Moreover, it was found that TP presented molecular interactions with different channels for calcium, being able to reduce calcium currents. These findings bring new evidence about the analgesic action of TP and its modulating action of calcium channels and reiterate the benefits of the encapsulation of monoterpenes in nanosystems.

The activity of the Portuguese fishing fleet operating near seamounts of the Madeira Tore geologic complex was analyzed. The main objective is to identify the different fisheries taking place in the area, characterize the spatial patterns of vessels activity and estimate the fishing intensity, thus contributing to better inform management decisions. Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and e-logbook data for the period 2012–2014 were used. The combined analysis of these data allowed the identification of fishing events and the estimation of the fishing intensity by gear type, as well as the characterization of general patterns relating to fishing operations. A total of 47 vessels displayed fishing activity in the studied area, mainly longliners based either on the mainland or the Madeira archipelago, visiting different seamounts in fishing trips lasting two to three weeks, and a few pole and line bait boats. Bottom and pelagic longlining alternate throughout the year, the former mostly in spring and summer, targeting the wreckfish Polyprion americanus and the European conger, Conger conger, while the latter is carried out in autumn and winter using a surface longline targeting the swordfish Xiphias gladius and a drifting longline set deeper in the water column, targeting the black scabbard fish Aphanopus carbo. A global evaluation of the fishing intensity and estimation of fishing impact in this area calls for the availability of VMS data, elogbooks and landing declarations from non-Portuguese fleets, making monitoring in these areas a top priority to assess the sustainability of human activities. Project BIOMETORE - Biodiversity in seamounts: the Madeira-Tore and Great Meteor (PT02_Aviso2_001) info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Introduction To evaluate the patient reported effectiveness (PROM) of surgical telemedicine clinic (STMC) introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method The study was registered as a quality improvement project and approved by the information governance team. This study was conducted at Darent Valley Hospital during the period between March – August 2020. Patients who were called as part of the STMC during covid-19 pandemic were contacted to provide a feedback about their experience. The study is ongoing. Herein we present our initial results. Results The target sample of 300 patients has been set. A total of 102 patients completed the questionnaire. Overall, 50% of the respondents felt the clinic performance was excellent, 28% rated this performance very good or good whilst 20% rated the clinic poor or very poor. About 80% felt reassured about their condition during the STMC. Despite the satisfactory report about the STMC, 75% reported to prefer face-to-face consultation in future. Conclusions Patients rating of the STMC was generally well received, a great majority would prefer face-to-face consultation if given an option to choose.

FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program, National Funds through FCT -Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and POR Lisboa2020, PTDC/CTM-BIO/6178/2014, M-ERA-NET2/0007/2016 (CellColor) and PTDC/CTM-REF/30529/2017 (NanoCell2SEC). Lyotropic colloidal aqueous suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) can, after solvent evaporation, retain their chiral nematic arrangement. As water is removed the pitch value of the suspension decreases and structural colour-generating films, which are mechanically brittle in nature, can be obtained. Increasing their flexibility while keeping the chiral nematic structure and biocompatible nature is a challenging task. However, if achievable, this will promote their use in new and interesting applications. In this study, we report on the addition of different amounts of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) to CNCs suspension within the coexistence of the isotropic-anisotropic phases and infer the influence of this cellulosic derivative on the properties of the obtained solid films. It was possible to add 50 wt.% of HPC to a CNCs aqueous suspension (to obtain a 50/50 solids ratio) without disrupting the LC phase of CNCs and maintaining a left-handed helical structure in the obtained films. When 30 wt.% of HPC was added to the suspension of CNCs, a strong colouration in the film was still observed. This colour shifts to the near-infrared region as the HPC content in the colloidal suspension increases to 40 wt.% or 50 wt.% The all-cellulosic composite films present an increase in the maximum strain as the concentration of HPC increases, as shown by the bending experiments and an improvement in their thermal properties. publishersversion published

DNA was extracted from eleven bone samples using PrepFiler Express BTA™ Forensic DNA Extraction kit with AutoMate Express™ Forensic DNA Extraction System with 20 and 50 μL of elution volume. The objective was to compare extraction efficiency with different elution volumes, evaluating DNA recovery, profile quality and observing if sample concentration alters the degradation index (DI) and the presence of inhibitors. The analyzed samples showed increased DNA levels with the elution volume of 20 μL, and the inhibition values did not change among the protocols, however some changes in the DI were observed. Undesirably, for low DNA concentrations, the 20 μL protocol demands more extractions per sample. This 20 μL method proved to be useful for difficult samples with low levels of DNA and high degradation, being able to increase DNA concentration and obtain genetic profiles with higher quality compared to the protocol in use, increasing the efficiency of analysis, important in cases of disaster victim identification (DVI).

Resume Contexte Une formation grâce au port d’un costume de simulation du grand âge pourrait permettre une prise de conscience de l’etat physique et emotionnel du patient âge hospitalise. Objectif Evaluer si ce type de pedagogie en simulation peut ameliorer la perception du vieillissement de professionnels hospitaliers et d’etudiants. Methodes La formation a consiste a faire porter le costume de simulation du grand âge aux participants et de leur faire vivre des situations rencontrees lors d’une hospitalisation en geriatrie. Le questionnaire « Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire » (AAQ), qui evalue la perception de la modification physique, la sagesse, la participation sociale, associes au vieillissement a ete complete avant et apres la formation. Resultats Cent vingt personnes ont ete incluses dans l’etude : 66 professionnels de soins, 39 etudiants et 15 cadres administratifs. Une degradation des scores AAQ concernant la perception globale du vieillissement (F (1,101) = 112,3, p 0,05), ni du statut professionnel (F (10, 88) = 0,80, p > 0,05). Les scores pour les sous-echelles du questionnaire AAQ se degradaient tous avec une baisse significativement plus importante pour la sous-echelle des changements physiques (F (2,202) = 7,188, p Conclusion La perception globale du vieillissement quel que soit l’âge ou le statut professionnel est degradee par la realisation un jeu de role utilisant une combinaison de simulation du vieillissement, ce qui temoigne d’une prise de conscience des difficultes liees a l’âge et majore probablement l’empathie. Une etude est en cours pour evaluer a six mois la consolidation des acquis et l’impact eventuel sur les pratiques professionnelles.

Population aging is accompanied by several comorbidities that require the preparation of society to ensure a better quality of life for the elderly. From this scenario, interdisciplinary projects, which align researchers and professionals in the area of health and technology, arise to build solutions that encompass the needs of the elderly, as well as their families, caregivers, and health professionals. This paper shows an experience report on developing this kind of project focusing on the requirements elicitation activities. First, we present a description of the requirements elicitation stage with the identification process of 12 potential requirements for the platform using two techniques: workshop with stakeholders and analysis of functionalities of mobile applications that aimed at the elderlys health. Then, we report the difficulties of team members in reaching a consensus on the definition of end-users and the requirements to be prioritized in the platform to be developed. Lastly, we present our experience on using fictitious personas, created from statistical data and information provided by the health specialists of the elderly, can help the communication between the members of the project, promoting greater consensus and empathy of the interdisciplinary team, assisting and accelerating the decision making on the prioritization of requirements and the definition of end-user.

In forensic genetic laboratories, low template DNA (LTDNA) samples can be a challenge in the attempting to obtain genetic profiles with the most information possible. In this study, volume reduction on amplification reaction was tested in the kit Globalfiler™, with the intend to optimize the results in LTDNA samples. To carry out this study, several samples extracted with PrepFiler ® were diluted successively to very low concentration values. All samples and respective dilutions were amplified with Globalfiler™, for both reaction volumes of 12,5μL and 25μL. Capillary electrophoresis was performed on the ABI PRISM ® 3500 Genetic Analyzer and the HID files generated were analysed using GeneMapper ® ID-X v.1.4. Forensic DNA samples with very low values of DNA concentration were also tested in the same conditions. The results indicate that the reduction of volume in amplification reaction with Globalfiler™ can often produce higher quality profiles, resulting as an alternative to enhance allelic recovery.

Background Although both consumptions of ultra-processed products and asthma are common during adolescence, the epidemiological evidence in regarding their association is unclear. We investigated the associations of ultra-processed products consumption with asthma and wheezing in a representative sample of Brazilian adolescents. Methods We used data from a representative sample of 109 104 Brazilian adolescents enrolled in the National Survey of School Health, 2012. The consumption of ultra-processed products was based on the weekly consumption (0-2, 3-4, ≥5 d/wk) of sweet biscuits, salty biscuits, ultra-processed meats, sweets/candies, soft drinks, and packaged snacks over the previous 7 days. We also calculated an ultra-processed consumption score by adding partial scores corresponding to weekly frequency intake of each ultra-processed product. The ultra-processed consumption score ranged from 0 to 42, the higher score, the higher the intake of these products. The presence of wheezing in the previous 12 months and asthma at any time in the past was self-reported. Results The adjusted odds ratios of asthma comparing the extreme categories ranged from 1.08 (95% CI 1.03-1.13) for sweets/candies to 1.30 (1.21-1.40) for ultra-processed meats. Similar magnitude of associations was found for wheezing outcome. The ultra-processed consumption score was positively associated with the presence of asthma and wheezing in a dose-response manner. The adjusted OR of asthma and wheezing comparing highest to lowest quintile of ultra-processed consumption score was 1.27 (95% CI 1.15-1.41) and 1.42 (1.35-1.50), respectively. Conclusions The consumption of ultra-processed products was positively associated with the presence of asthma and wheezing in adolescents.

The Treaty of Prum signed on 27 May 2005, by seven Member States of European Union (EU), sought to improve cross-border security cooperation in combating terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal immigration. For this purpose, provisions were set for automated exchanges of data regarding DNA, fingerprints and vehicle registration plates. Later, other Member States expressed their intention to accede to the Prum Convention, including Portugal. Portuguese forensic DNA profiles database was implemented in 2010, although only in 2015 Portugal started the automated DNA data exchange with other countries. From that time until now, it has connected to a large number of countries in order to fulfil the purpose for which it was intended when accessed the Prum Convention, following the guidelines of EU Decision 2008/615/JHA. It is currently exchanging DNA data automatically with 21 Member States. The objective of this work is to describe the evolution of the Portuguese forensic DNA database under Prum Treaty over the past few years, analysing several information such as the number and type of genetic profiles shared, the number of hits that occurred with other countries, as well as other relevant information.

Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) allows to sequence the total mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) through specific panels. Human Mitochondria Panel is one of the QIAseq Targeted DNA panels developed by QIAGEN for MPS, which have an optimized chemistry based on the integration of unique molecular indices (UMIs). However, the major problem is the analysis of the MPS data and, therefore, it became necessary to create bioinformatics tools that would enable mtDNA analysis such as the AQME tool to be used with the QIAGEN Biomedical Genomics Workbench software. In this study, a coverage comparison workflow was tested to verify the coverage differences between two mtDNA panels, QIAseq Human Mitochondria Panel and Precision ID mtDNA Whole Genome Panel. The preliminary results showed a significant decrease in the Precision ID coverage, after the bioinformatics removal of PCR artifacts. For the QIAseq panel, this coverage variation was lower, since the UMIs enable to know more accurately the initial number of molecules in the original mtDNA sequence.

Improvements in scientific techniques allowed the analysis of limited amounts of DNA and the testing of not only body fluids but also touch DNA. The possibility of DNA transfer often raises the question of how the DNA was deposited: directly or by indirect transfer? Therefore, it is important to comprehend the factors that can influence it. Our study shows that background DNA and DNA indirect transfer are in fact a reality, having the potential to interfere with target DNA detections, and corroborates that area of contact and type of material are of importance on DNA transfer.

Background Several arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV), transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, circulate in northeast Brazil. Diseases caused by these viruses are of great public health relevance, however, their epidemiological features in areas where the three viruses co-circulate are scarce. Here, we present analyses of molecular and serological diagnostics in a prospective study of acute febrile patients recruited from May 2015 to May 2016 in Recife, Brazil. Methods Two hundred sixty-three acute febrile patients with symptoms suggestive of an arboviral disease who attended an urgent heath care clinic in the Recife Metropolitan Region in northeast Brazil were enrolled. Acute and convalescent blood samples were collected and tested using molecular and serological assays for infection with DENV, ZIKV and CHIKV. Results Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (qRTPCR) performed on acute phase sera detected no patients positive for DENV, but 26 (9.9%) positive for ZIKV and 132 (50.2%) positive for CHIKV. There were a few suspected and only one confirmed dengue case. Specific serological assays for ZIKV and CHIKV confirmed the qRTPCR data. Analyses of DENV IgM and IgG ELISAs in the context of qRTPCR results suggested high levels of cross reactive antibodies in ZIKV-positive samples. Results from neutralization assays highly corroborated those from qRTPCR and ZIKV ELISA, indicating very few positive DENV cases. ZIKV infections were temporally clustered in the first months of the study and started to decrease concomitantly with an increase in CHIKV infections in August 2015. The proportion of CHIKV infections increased significantly in September 2015 and remained high until the end of the study period, with an average of 84.7% of recruited patients being diagnosed from August 2015 to May 2016. ZIKV infections exhibited a female bias and the cases were spread over the study site, while CHIKV cases had a male bias and were spatially clustered in each month. Conclusions In 2015–2016 in the Recife Metropolitan Region, we detected the tail end of a Zika epidemic, which was displaced by a chikungunya epidemic. Few dengue cases were identified despite a high number of official dengue notifications in the area during this period. We show here important epidemiological features of these cases., Author summary Infection with Zika (ZIKV) and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses can lead to severe symptoms or outcomes. These viruses are transmitted by the same mosquito vectors that transmit dengue virus (DENV) and the symptoms of all three diseases are similar, thus, it may be difficult for health professionals to diagnose them properly. This study was part of larger study aimed at improving the diagnosis of these diseases. We present data on a patient cohort from Recife, Brazil in which the majority of patients were infected with ZIKV or CHIKV. We show that when Zika cases started to decrease, chikungunya cases appeared and increased rapidly, remaining high until the end of the study. We also highlight the high levels of cross-reactivity on dengue serological assays with ZIKV-positive samples, emphasizing the importance of choosing appropriate tests in areas with simultaneous circulation of arboviruses. Other important epidemiological data are shown and discussed, such as the differential proportion of women and men infected with ZIKV or CHIKV, and the identification of strong hotspots of chikungunya cases. These data may help on the development of control and prevention interventions against arboviral diseases.

After a validation study developed in the Forensics Genetic and Biology Service of Coimbra, Portugal, we were able to demonstrate the ability of the GlobalFiler ® PCR Amplification kit in direct amplification of reference samples with consistent and reproducible results. Since this kit is optimized for casework samples, we decided to test it on forensic samples, in particular on fabrics stains. The selected samples had already been processed according to the methodologies normally used for this type of samples included automated extraction, quantification and amplification, followed by capillary electrophoresis, resulting in complete profiles. To develop our study, samples were collected from regions of the fabrics that had previously shown/proven to have biological evidence. The chosen samples were directly amplified for the GlobalFiler ® PCR Amplification kit, followed by capillary electrophoresis on the ABI PRISM ® 3500 Genetic Analyzer. The results obtained with this methodology revealed full and well balanced genetic profiles. This study intends to show that in some cases this approach can be an alternative, when we are in the presence of biological stains on fabrics, that allows to obtain consistent results in a short period of time.

The GlobalFiler ® PCR Amplification system uses 6-dye fluorescent chemistry to enable multiplexing of 21 autosomal STRs, 1 Y-STR, 1 Y-indel and the sex-determining marker amelogenin. Validation studies were conducted to assess the performance of the GlobalFiler ® casework kit for typing reference samples through a direct amplification. The findings support that the GlobalFiler ® PCR Amplification Kit produces reliable results from blood and buccal reference DNA samples.

Being the forensic workflow a long process, with many steps associated, it is highly desirable the development of a method that will allow to select more quickly samples with enough DNA quantity to proceed to amplification. A comparative study was performed to evaluate the viability of a direct DNA quantification methodology in the forensic workflow.

Degradation can be identified due to the presence of a downward slope across the electropherogram, where larger loci have a lower probability to be amplified and thus a major chance of dropping out. The introduction of the degradation index (DI) of Quantifiler ® Trio and the optimization of the available amplification kits have been improving the genotyping success of these samples. Casework samples were amplified with GlobalFiler™ and PowerPlex ® Fusion 6C, according to the quantification results. Quantification and amplification results demonstrated that it is important to consider DI and DNA concentration values to define downstream procedure and also that the genetic information provided by both amplification kits could be useful for degraded samples profiling.

Genetic profiles obtained from gynaecological swabs or a victim's underwear usually are imbalanced mixtures of female vs male profile. Performing differential DNA extraction prior to DNA amplification may result in an enriched sperm fraction and a consequently isolated male profile. The aim of this work was to test the ability of Sampletype I-sep DL extraction system to separate epithelial from sperm cells, followed by purification with Prepfiler. Although the I-sep did not always provide an isolated male profile, in almost half of the casework samples resulted in a profile with the male contribution in majority.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has some unique features that make it a useful forensic marker such as absence of recombination across many generations, maternal inheritance, accumulation of mutations over time and multiple copies per cell. The application of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) to forensic genetics has expanded in recent years due to its potential to dramatically increase sample throughput, workflow efficiency and detection resolution. Recently, Applied Biosystems™ developed the Precision ID mtDNA Whole Genome Panel, specifically for mtDNA forensic applications. The preliminary results showed that mtDNA haplotypes obtained with MPS were consistent with those previously obtained with traditional Sanger sequencing, regardless of the extraction method used and pool concentration of libraries.

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is a human foodborne intoxication caused by ingestion of tropical fishes contaminated with the potent polyether toxins known as ciguatoxins (CTXs). These toxins are issued from Gambierdiscus species of dinoflagellates. Herbivorous fish accumulate these toxins in their musculature and viscera after ingesting dinoflagellates. Epidemiological studies showed that CFP has been present in areas between 35 degrees North and 35 degrees South latitude, mainly, Indo-pacific and Caribbean areas, but not in waters closed to European and African continent. In the present paper, a specimen of Seriola dumerili weighing 70 kg and a smaller Seriola fasciata specimen, captured in waters belonging to Selvagens Islands (Madeira Arquipelago), were analyzed. Fishes from this genus were implicated in previous suspected ciguatera poisoning outbreaks in the Portuguese Madeira Arquipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean. Analysis was performed by two approaches, a functional method using cerebellar granule cells and by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) method. The study was carried out in one portion of the tail muscle of Seriola fasciata and five parts of the body of Seriola dumerili (tail muscle, head, ventral muscle, mid muscle, and liver). The functional method consisted in the modification of the inward sodium current in cerebellar granule cells and the chemical method was a high resolution chromatography, which allowed elucidating the toxin profile in the samples. In addition, UPLC-MS technique was optimized and used for detecting and quantifying CTXs for the first time. After fish extraction and clean up, the chromatograms revealed the presence of CTX-1B at 1111.6 m/z, CTX-3C at 1023.5 m/z, a CTX analogue at 1040.6 m/z, and a CTX from the Caribbean or Indic waters at 1141.6 m/z. Therefore, the results obtained in the present paper for both methods confirm, for the first time, the presence of CTX in fish from Madeira Arquipelago.

Aphanopus carbo fishery is economically relevant in Portugal (Madeira Archipelago) since the 19th century and an important diet component of its inhabitants. However, Hg levels in this species are a cause of concern due to the insufficient knowledge of Hg subcellular distribution, accumulation and detoxification mechanisms. Hg concentrations (total and subcellular) and metallothionein-like proteins (MTs) were measured in the gills, muscle and liver of A. carbo of different size (50-150 cm) to assess Hg subcellular distribution and the role of MT in Hg binding. Total Hg concentrations in A. carbo decrease from liver to gills and increase exponentially with fish length in all tissues. Hg subcellular distribution in muscle and liver decreased from insoluble > high molecular weight proteins and heat-treated cytosol where MT occurs highlighting the role of the insoluble fraction in Hg distribution. In the gills, Hg was mainly in the soluble fraction except for 75-100 cm specimens, whose Hg distribution was similar between soluble and insoluble factions. The variation of MT with size is different from that of Hg. MT levels in the gills decrease with size/age and is unrelated with Hg concentrations. In the muscle although decreasing with size/age, MT is inversely proportional to Hg. In the liver, however, MT is directly proportional with size/age and to the Hg accumulated (total and HTC subcellular fraction) highlighting an age related change in these two parameters and the importance of MT in detoxifying Hg in this tissue. Due to Hg concentrations present in the muscle (used for human consumption) and liver (consumed mainly by fisherman) consumption of A. carbo should be taken with caution in a population with such an important seafood weekly intake. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The effects of gamma radiation from (60)Co and (137)Cs on DNA in aqueous solution are studied experimentally. Using an improved plasmid purification protocol and improved electrophoretic gel analysis techniques provided results with relatively small uncertainties. The results are compared with both theoretical and experimental results. In particular, the results obtained here are discussed in the light of recent discussion on supposed differences of the effects induced by gamma radiation from (60)Co and (137)Cs. We find that the effects of both types of gamma radiation are similar.

We developed a model to describe the radiation-DNA interaction in water solution. The model is based on some important aspects of the Bethe Theory for the ionizing process, and on the assumption that the direct interaction between the incident particle and the DNA molecule is negligible in comparison with the indirect effect. This assumption can always be true under controlled conditions. The results show that the number of damages induced by radiation depends on the accumulated dose, on parameters related only to the medium properties, and on the DNA structure, but not on the incident particle. A few applications of the model are discussed, and results are successfully compared with experimental data. New experiments are proposed.

The accumulation and microdistribution of uranium in the bone and marrow of Beagle dogs were determined by both neutron activation and neutron-fission analysis. The experiment started immediately after the weaning period, lasting till maturity. Two animal groups were fed daily with uranyl nitrate at concentrations of 20 and 100 microg g(-1) food. Of the two measuring techniques, uranium accumulated along the marrow as much as in the bone, contrary to the results obtained with single, acute doses. The role played by this finding for the evaluation of radiobiological long-term risks is discussed. It was demonstrated, by means of a biokinetical approach, that the long-term accumulation of uranium in bone and marrow could be described by a piling up of single dose daily incorporation.

The new quantification kit known as Quantifiler ® Trio is introduced as more robust and sensitive compared to the Quantifiler ® Duo, providing additional information in the analysis of forensic samples. Validation studies were designed to evaluate the sensitivity of the Quantifiler ® Trio kit and its performance with mixture and degraded samples.

Neutron activation analysis has been used to study uranium incorporation in poultry bones as function of chow doped with: (a) uranium (20 ppm); (b) U-doped food (20 ppm) plus phytase (120 ppm) and (c) U-doped food (20 ppm) plus phytase (180 ppm). To investigate this situation experiments involving several groups of Cobb broilers was performed. Two animals per group were sacrificed weekly up to their adultness and uranium concentration in the tibia was measured. It was observed that the concentration of uranium (µg U/g bone) is decreasing all along the animal life spanning period of 14-42 days. This behavior suggests that the skeleton mass is growing faster than the corresponding accumulation of uranium. The administration of phytase seems not to alter this scenario.

To investigate the prevalence of several health behaviors among students of public and private schools in S. Paulo, Brazil.An epidemiological survey about health behaviors among high school students was carried out in S. Paulo in 1998. Seventh to eleventh graders from ten public and seven private schools were interviewed. All students were asked to fill out a Portuguese version of the questionnaire used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their annual "Youth Health Risk Behavior Survey". This questionnaire includes questions on driving-related behavior, violence, substance abuse, sexual practices, dietary habits and body weight control.A significant proportion of the students, mainly in the range of 15--18 years old, reported engaging in health-risk behaviors. In public schools, the most prominent risk behaviors were: riding a motorcycle without helmets (reported by 70.4% of the students who were either passengers or the driver); not using condoms in the last sexual intercourse (34% among those sexually active); carrying guns (4.8% in the last year), and suicide attempts (8.6% in the last year). In private schools, substance abuse was the most prominent risk-behavior: 25% reported at least one episode of binge-drinking in the last 30 days, 20.2% sniffed solvents at least once in the last year and 22.2% smoked marijuana in the same period; 13.8% reported using tobacco on a regular basis. Not wearing helmets while riding a motorcycle was also very high, reported by 66.3%. Female students reported less risk-behaviors, except for suicide attempts and unhealthy weight control methods.The information gathered could contribute to the development of preventive programs at school level, which takes into consideration the students' risk behaviors.

Groups of Wistar rats were fed with ration doped with uranyl nitrate at concentration A ranging from 0.5 to 100 ppm, starting after the weaning period and lasting until the postpuberty period when the animals were sacrificed. Uranium in the ashes of bones was determined by neutron activation analysis. It was found that the uranium concentration in the bones, as a function of A, exhibits a change in its slope at ∼20 ppm—a probable consequence of the malfunctioning of kidneys. The uranium transfer coefficient was obtained and an analytical expression was fitted into the data, thus allowing extrapolation down to low doses. Internal and localized doses were calculated. Absorbed doses exceeded the critical dose, even for the lowest uranium dosage.

Relatório de Estágio do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas apresentado à Faculdade de Farmácia Obesity is described as the abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat that canlead to associated health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disordersand some types of cancer and they are originated by a wide number of factors.Since 1975, worldwide obesity almost tripled and, according to the World HealthOrganization (WHO) obesity as reached pandemic proportions, with more than 1.9 billionadults (over the age of 18) being overweight.In the past years, phytotherapy has shown a growing search due to the familiarity withthe raw materials and the consumers trust in “natural” substances.Although there is a rampant use of supplements and plant-based products, furtherstudies are necessary to investigate therapeutic benefits, potential toxicity and interactionswith other drugs.In the present monograph it will be described the role of phytotherapy in the obesitycomplementary treatment, as well as the importance of the pharmacists regarding the usageof herbal medicines against the disease.Obesity is described as the abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat that canlead to associated health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disordersand some types of cancer and they are originated by a wide number of factors.Since 1975, worldwide obesity almost tripled and, according to the World HealthOrganization (WHO) obesity as reached pandemic proportions, with more than 1.9 billionadults (over the age of 18) being overweight.In the past years, phytotherapy has shown a growing search due to the familiarity withthe raw materials and the consumers trust in “natural” substances.Although there is a rampant use of supplements and plant-based products, furtherstudies are necessary to investigate therapeutic benefits, potential toxicity and interactionswith other drugs.In the present monograph it will be described the role of phytotherapy in the obesitycomplementary treatment, as well as the importance of the pharmacists regarding the usageof herbal medicines against the disease. A obesidade é definida como um acúmulo anormal ou excessivo de gordura corporalque pode levar ao aparecimento de problemas de saúde associados, tais como doençascardiovasculares, distúrbios músculo-esqueléticos e alguns tipos de cancros e tem comoorigem inúmeros fatores.Desde 1975 a obesidade mundial quase triplicou e, de acordo com a OrganizaçãoMundial de Saúde (OMS), a obesidade alcançou as proporções de pandemia, com mais de 1,9biliões de adultos (acima dos 18 anos) com excesso de peso.A fitoterapia tem sofrido uma crescente procura nos últimos anos, devendo-se estefacto à familiaridade com as matérias-primas e confiabilidade por parte dos consumidores emsubstâncias “naturais”.Apesar da utilização desmedida de suplementos e produtos à base de plantas, sãonecessários estudos adicionais para avaliar os seus benefícios terapêuticos, a sua potencialtoxicidade e interações com outros fármacos.Na presente monografia irei abordar o papel da fitoterapia no tratamentocomplementar na obesidade, assim como a importância do farmacêutico perante o uso defitoterápicos associados a esta doença.A obesidade é definida como um acúmulo anormal ou excessivo de gordura corporalque pode levar ao aparecimento de problemas de saúde associados, tais como doençascardiovasculares, distúrbios músculo-esqueléticos e alguns tipos de cancros e tem comoorigem inúmeros fatores.Desde 1975 a obesidade mundial quase triplicou e, de acordo com a OrganizaçãoMundial de Saúde (OMS), a obesidade alcançou as proporções de pandemia, com mais de 1,9biliões de adultos (acima dos 18 anos) com excesso de peso.A fitoterapia tem sofrido uma crescente procura nos últimos anos, devendo-se estefacto à familiaridade com as matérias-primas e confiabilidade por parte dos consumidores emsubstâncias “naturais”.Apesar da utilização desmedida de suplementos e produtos à base de plantas, sãonecessários estudos adicionais para avaliar os seus benefícios terapêuticos, a sua potencialtoxicidade e interações com outros fármacos.Na presente monografia irei abordar o papel da fitoterapia no tratamentocomplementar na obesidade, assim como a importância do farmacêutico perante o uso defitoterápicos associados a esta doença.