nova formulação de bolachas e outros estudos biológicos

Resumo A Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods é uma planta halófita suculenta da família Chenopodiaceae, que cresce naturalmente ao longo das salinas costeiras do oceano. Devido aos potenciais benefícios nutricionais e propriedades funcionais, a salicórnia atualmente está a receber um grande interesse nos mercados dos alimentos e dos produtos farmacêuticos. Um dos objetivos do estudo apresentado neste relatório foi (1) a formulação de bolachas com substituição do sal comum por “sal verde” – salicórnia liofilizada. O outro objetivo foi (2) determinar as atividades antioxidante e anticancerígena de extratos de S. ramosissima. No estudo (1), foram produzidas bolachas com “sal verde” em substituição do sal comum e avaliado o seu tempo de prateleira durante seis meses. Após este período, através das análises ao teor de humidade, índice de peróxidos e sensoriais, as bolachas mantiveram as suas propriedades químicas e organoléticas. No estudo (2), o conteúdo fenólico total foi estimado e a capacidade antioxidante foi medida pelo radical livre DPPH. O extrato aquoso de S. ramosissima foi testado na linha celular cancerígena HT-29 e a avaliação da proliferação celular e viabilidade celular foi realizada, respetivamente, pela SRB (sulforrodamina B) e MTT (3- (4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il)-2,5-difeniltetrazólio). Os níveis de capacidade antioxidante e de compostos fenólicos e o seu potencial anticancerígeno no extrato desta halófita, definem esta planta como uma fonte promissora de antioxidantes naturais e de nutracêuticos. Palavras-chave: Salicornia ramosissima, bolachas, tempo de prateleira, atividade antioxidante, proliferação celular e viabilidade celular.Abstract The Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods is a succulent halophyte plant of the Chenopodiaceae family which grows naturally on salines along the coast. Due to its potential health benefits and functional properties, salicornia is currently receiving great interest in food and pharmaceutical product industries. One of the objectives of the study done presented in this report was (1) formulation of cookies while substituting common salt with “green salt” - lyophilized salicornia. The other objective was (2) to determine antioxidant and anticancer activity of S. ramosissima extracts. In the first study (1), cookies were produced with “green salt” instead of common salt and its shelf life time was evaluated for six months. After this period, through humidity, peroxide index and sensorial analysis, the cookies kept their chemical and organoleptic properties. The second study (2), total phenolic content was estimated, and antioxidant capacity was measured by DPPH free radical. Aqueous extract of S. ramosissima was tested on HT-29 cancerous cell line, as well as its evaluation of cellular proliferation and cellular viability was done respectively by SRB (sulforhodamine B) and MTT (3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide). The levels of antioxidant capacity, phenolic content and its anticancer potential present in the extract of this halophyte plant, define this plant as a promising source of natural antioxidants and nutraceuticals. Keywords: Salicornia ramosissima, cookies, shelf life, antioxidant activity, cell proliferation and cell viability

Pretérito - histórias e identidades inseridas em contexto escolar para a construção do conhecimento e promoção do desenvolvimento local

A Educação, a Animação e o Desenvolvimento Local incorporam esta investigação com a qual procuramos definir, identificar e colocar em prática algumas dinâmicas associadas ao fenómeno das atividades culturais em contexto escolar, com o objetivo de compreender o Desenvolvimento Local. Nesta investigação, procura-se definir a aplicabilidade daqueles conceitos, identificando a forma como se associam às práticas educativas, culturais e de desenvolvimento da comunidade educativa, e como são experienciadas quotidianamente pela população alvo da nossa investigação/intervenção. A presente investigação-ação de cariz misto, uma vez que aliamos uma vertente metodológica quantitativa complementada por outra qualitativa, teve como objetivo de trabalho estudar uma escola, inserida em contexto local rural - o Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila de Rei -, com o propósito de identificar nela a atuação e oferta de projetos, dinâmicas e atividades no âmbito do Desenvolvimento Local. Na origem e escolha metodológica da investigação, constituímos três pontos com sustentação na literatura profícua e na revisão de orientações e pensamentos de autores prestigiados, ao longo dos quais fomos descrevendo pressupostos teóricos e conceções onde incidia o projeto de investigação-ação. Considerámos como vetores determinantes, neste percurso, os alunos que frequentam o 2º e 3º ciclos do Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila de Rei e os respetivos Encarregados de Educação, a Diretora do Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila de Rei, os Professores e Educadores de Infância do referido agrupamento, a Coordenadora do Departamento de Educação da Câmara de Vila de Rei, o Presidente da Junta de Freguesia de Vila de Rei, a Presidente da Associação de Pais do Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila de Rei e a Coordenadora Técnica do Lar e Centro de Dia Família Dias Cardoso. Concebemos três inquéritos por questionário, que foram, e respetivamente aplicados aos encarregados de educação e aos docentes, a obter a informação acerca do contexto local e escolar, e aos Alunos, por forma a realizar um levantamento da informação referente à participação e implementação do projeto no campo em estudo. Além disso, também criámos cinco guiões de entrevista semiestruturadas, realizadas aos entrevistados anteriormente enunciados, que representam as instituições/associações/organizações locais. Após a recolha de informação a mesma foi analisada com recurso ao SPSS (versão 23). Os seus dados foram analisados e as entrevistas foram transcritas, com o intuito de estudar a relação que se estabelecia entre as parcerias locais e a escola apurando a sua evolução através do envolvimento e Desenvolvimento Local. Com os resultados obtidos, elaboraram-se um conjunto de práticas e dinâmicas que passaram especificamente pela partilha de histórias e especificidades locais, que vieram a permitir que se valorizasse mais a identidade local. Como conclusões avançamos que é indivisível a relação entre Educação, Animação e Desenvolvimento Local; no Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila de Rei, mostrou-se pertinente articular com âmbitos e contextos, indo para além das infraestruturas e materiais existentes e incluir o envolvimento do associativismo, da educação e da animação, enquanto potenciadores de Desenvolvimento Local

Genetic diversity and local connectivity in the mediterranean red gorgonian coral after mass mortality events

Estimating the patterns of connectivity in marine taxa with planktonic dispersive stages is a challenging but crucial task because of its conservation implications. The red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata is a habitat forming species, characterized by short larval dispersal and high reproductive output, but low recruitment. In the recent past, the species was impacted by mass mortality events caused by increased water temperatures in summer. In the present study, we used 9 microsatellites to investigate the genetic structure and connectivity in the highly threatened populations from the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean). No evidence for a recent bottleneck neither decreased genetic diversity in sites impacted by mass mortality events were found. Significant IBD pattern and high global F-ST confirmed low larval dispersal capability in the red gorgonian. The maximum dispersal distance was estimated at 20-60 km. Larval exchange between sites separated by hundreds of meters and between different depths was detected at each site, supporting the hypothesis that deeper subpopulations unaffected by surface warming peaks may provide larvae for shallower ones, enabling recovery after climatically induced mortality events

Reconstruction of primary vertices at the ATLAS experiment in Run 1 proton–proton collisions at the LHC

This paper presents the method and performance of primary vertex reconstruction in proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 1 of the LHC. The studies presented focus on data taken during 2012 at a centre-of-mass energy of √s=8 TeV. The performance has been measured as a function of the number of interactions per bunch crossing over a wide range, from one to seventy. The measurement of the position and size of the luminous region and its use as a constraint to improve the primary vertex resolution are discussed. A longitudinal vertex position resolution of about 30μm is achieved for events with high multiplicity of reconstructed tracks. The transverse position resolution is better than 20μm and is dominated by the precision on the size of the luminous region. An analytical model is proposed to describe the primary vertex reconstruction efficiency as a function of the number of interactions per bunch crossing and of the longitudinal size of the luminous region. Agreement between the data and the predictions of this model is better than 3% up to seventy interactions per bunch crossing

LINFADENECTOMIA TORÁCICA TOTAL POR TORACOSCOPIA NO TRATAMENTO DO CANCRO DO ESÓFAGO

INTRODUCTION: In esophageal cancer, surgical resection and its corresponding lymphadenectomy remains the only therapeutic strategy that offers a possibility of cure. Despite the fact that a minimally invasive approach allows for an adequate lymphadenectomy with less associated morbidity, its high technical complexity means that many centers still do not perform it routinely. OBJECTIVE: Systematization of the appropriate surgical technique for the performance of thoracoscopic thoracic lymphadenectomies in the treatment of esophageal cancer. This video shows, in a systematic way, a total thoracic lymphadenectomy, performed by thoracoscopy in a high-volume center (40 esophagectomies/year), highlighting the anatomy and its critical steps, in order to allow for an execution with low morbidity rates. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/dEpM2on0dtoINTRODUÇÃO: No cancro do esófago a resseção cirúrgica e correspondente linfadenectomia permanece a única estratégia terapêutica que oferece possibilidade de cura. Apesar da abordagem minimamente invasiva permitir a realização de uma adequada linfadenectomia com menor morbilidade associada, a sua alta complexidade técnica leva a que muitos centros ainda não a executem de forma rotineira. OBJETIVO: Sistematização da técnica cirúrgica adequada para a realização de linfadenectomia torácica por toracoscopia, no tratamento do cancro do esófago. Este vídeo mostra, de forma sistematizada, a linfadenectomia torácica total, realizada por toracoscopia num centro de alto volume (40/ esofagectomias ano), realçando a anatomia e os passos críticos desta linfadenectomia que permitem a sua realização com reduzida morbilidade associada. VÍDEO: https://youtu.be/dEpM2on0dt

Light-Chain Deposition Disease Presenting with Spontaneous Splenic Rupture

Light-chain deposition disease is a rare paraproteinaemia characterized by deposition of monoclonal light-chain immunoglobulins with a non-amyloid structure, most frequently affecting the kidney. The authors present the case of a 58-year-old man admitted due to haemorrhagic shock caused by spontaneous splenic rupture. Investigation showed coagulopathy, homogeneous hepatomegaly with elevated cholestasis enzymes but normal bilirubinaemia, and a nephrotic syndrome with monoclonal kappa light chains. Liver and bone marrow biopsies revealed light-chain deposition disease. Splenic rupture as the presentation of a paraproteinaemia is rare. The diagnosis of light-chain deposition disease should be considered in case of a monoclonal plasma cell disorder with Congo-red negative deposits on histology

Catastrophic Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Always Consider Meckel’s Diverticulum

Meckel’s diverticulum, a congenital malformation of the gastrointestinal tract, is asymptomatic in the majority of patients but can be associated with some complications. Gastrointestinal bleeding is one such complication and is more common in children than in adults. Despite the variety of examinations available, diagnosis can be difficult, especially in older patients, because the sensitivity of examinations decreases with patient age. Here we present the case of a young man with gastrointestinal bleeding in whom a diagnosis of Meckel’s diverticulum was made intra-operatively

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Physician empathy and patient enablement: survey in the Portuguese primary health care

Background: Empathy is the capacity to understand and resonate with the experiences of other people. Patient enablement is the degree to which a patient feels strengthened in terms of being able to deal with, understand and manage their disease. Methods: Secondary cross-sectional analysis of existing data from 2 independent datasets (456 primary health care patients), with the application of two validated questionnaires, Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE) and Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI). Objective: Evaluate medical empathy and patients’ enablement after consultation with their family doctors and to verify if there was an association between these two concepts. Results: The median value of JSPPPE-VP score was 6.60 (interquartile range 1.00) and of PEI/ICC score was of 1.83 (interquartile range 0.67). Regarding empathy (JSPPPE-VP), patients taking chronic medication had a slight but significantly higher median score than patients not taking them (6.70 versus 6.60, P = 0.049), although regression modelling did not confirm any relevant predictor of JSPPPE-VP score. Regarding enablement (PEI/ICC), we found significantly higher scores on younger patients, as well as, on more educated and professionally active ones (P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression and Poisson regression modelling confirmed such variables as statistically significant potential predictors. Conclusions: A significant positive association was found between empathy score (JSPPPE-VP) and enablement score (PEI/ICC), when adjusted to sociodemographic cofactors. On this linear regression model, age category and educational level were also significantly associated with empathy score, with the same pattern found on bivariate analysis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio